May 04, 2024
Best Community Colleges: Santa
Barbara City College (CA)
The 104-year-old Santa Barbara City
College (SBCC) is located in Santa Barbara, California, on a campus surrounded
by stunning ocean views. The junior college serves the south coast of Santa
Barbara County.
The community college offers more
than 50 certificate programs and 80 degrees, with an average class size of 28.
SBCC has an enrollment of 20,000 students, of which 7,500+ are full-time.
57% of full-time students at SBCC
transfer to four-year colleges; more than half of those ultimately earn a
bachelor’s degree. Agreements with 76 colleges (in and out of California)
guarantee that SBCC credits are accepted for transfer; several schools ensure
admission if a student meets academic requirements. The college’s Transfer
Achievement Program (TAP) helps students make informed decisions in their
planning for the transition from SBCC to a four-year university.
SBCC’s Express-to-Success program
uses small learning communities to assist students through first-year remedial
courses to yield a significant rise in students’ course completion.
The college has a diverse student
population and serves many traditionally underserved students, including an
ever-increasing population of Hispanics. Hispanic students, who consist of
30+% of the student population, have achieved a notable three
year-graduation/transfer rate of 48%.
Aspen Institute named Santa Barbara
City College the 2013 co-winner of its prestigious Aspen Prize for Community
College Excellence. The Aspen Institute also recognized the college as a 2011
Finalist for the same prize. Santa Barbara City College ranked #23 in the CNN
Money listing of community colleges in 2012.
