Published: Wednesday, June 15, 2005

A top-tier school isn't for everyone
Growing number of kids head to community colleges

by Alexandria Rocha

Tameeka Bennett, 18, said it takes a brave soul to tell students at Palo Alto High School that you're going to community college.

Palo Alto High School grads toss their caps in the air at the end of their commencement ceremony.

"When everyone else is like, 'I'm going to Harvard, Stanford, Princeton,' and then you say, 'I'm going to Foothill,' people think oh my God," she said.
"Like you're not smart enough," added Cy Bates, also 18.

Bates' and Bennett's perception that being junior-college bound evokes horror among their peers is not imagined. Two-year campuses do hold a negative stigma at Palo Alto high schools, said college advisors at Paly and Gunn high schools.

Palo Alto High School students hug during the June-8 commencement

More than 700 fresh graduates accepted their diplomas in Palo Alto last week and most of the spotlight centered on those heading to top-tier universities. However, the number of those attending community colleges has been slowly increasing over the last decade.

In '96, for example, about 13 percent of Paly grads went to community campuses, and this year, about 23 percent will attend a two-year school. At Gunn, the figures are slightly lower, but rising.

Gunn High School graduates holler to friends.

Even with the growing popularity, Bates said no one is shouting their junior college plans from the rooftops. All the same, it's the best path for many of those students. Three of them -- Bates, Bennett and Bryan Vaars, also 18 -- shared their reasons for taking the less demanding path.

A Gunn High School grad walks across the stage to get his diploma on June 8.

For starters, all three didn't mind skipping the stress of SATs. They also didn't want to pay to apply to schools, which could be $50 per application depending on the campus, or spend precious time slaving away over essays.

Castilleja graduates celebrate after their June 4 ceremony.

While Bennett and Vaars knew they would likely end up at a community college -- Bennett said four-year schools are too expensive and Vaars wanted a flexible, easy-going campus because he has a learning disability -- Bates wasn't so sure.
He said, however, that his preliminary SAT scores weren't as high as he wanted -- he got a 1200 out of 1600 -- and his grades started slipping to "B's" in his junior year. To an outsider, this wouldn't seem to jeopardize a student's university dreams. It wasn't necessarily for Bates, either, but it was enough to set his sights elsewhere.

Steven Malone Anthony hugs Grace Anthony, his 11 year old sister, after Sacred Heart's graduation ceremony on June 2.

"After two years, we're right where everyone else is anyway," said Bates, who has decided to attend San Diego Mesa College and then transfer to either UC Berkeley or San Diego.

Like Bates, Bennett knows she wants to transfer to a larger university after earning an associate's degree. Staying close to home and an affordable tuition were the two biggest factors why Bennett will head to Foothill this fall. It certainly had nothing to do with being a slacker.

"My schedule was always full. I was scared of not having enough credits, so I always did seven classes. I did two honors classes last semester," she said. This year, she was also the school's spirit commissioner.

Caps fly in celebration during Gunn's commencement ceremony.

Bennett appreciated the competitive and strict environment of Paly, where academic achievement is valued. She didn't, however, load up on the advanced placement courses and extra curricular activities just to compete with hundreds of others for a coveted spot at Stanford University.

"The whole Paly atmosphere is that they want you to succeed, and I think it's the students who take it to heart the most and that's where the stress breaks out," said Bennett, who saw her peers stress out first hand.

"People would freak out. Break down, no. But cry, yes. That could happen anytime," she added.

Vaars, who also stayed out of Paly's fast lane, said he isn't sure whether he'll take on more school after two years at Feather River College in Plumas County. He chose a school in Northern California purposely because of the small student population and the easy-going, flexible teachers.

Sacred Heart graduates listen during the commencement ceremony.

All three feel good and are confident about their college plans. They say their parents and teachers have been supportive, which wouldn't be the case with some of their classmates. They have watched their peers, with parents who are top-tier college alumni, deal with the pressure of living up to high expectations.

Bates said one of his friends is being pressured to attend a selective college only because her grandparents will be paying the tuition.

David McCavitt gives a speech at Sacred Heart's graduation.

"I'm sure there are other kids in situations like that. If my parents were Stanford alumni, I'm sure I would feel more of a push, but they gave me more room to do what I want," Bates said. "Although a lot of us are graduating, there are still a lot of people still under control of their parents."