By Maddon Hoh-Choi and Adam Sarsfield
West Valley College is a public community college located in Saratoga, California. Situated in the heart of Silicon Valley, the School of the Vikings is our premier community college. With tuition free for the first two years and less than $1,500 per year afterward, the college is a great deal for students looking to transfer or stay in the area. The typical undergraduate leaves school with $0 in debt. According to Niche, West Valley is the #70 Best Community College in the country.
According to the US Department of Education, West Valley students after 8 years:
- 39% of transferred
- 37% withdrew
- 23% graduated
- 1% are still enrolled
The school is extremely diverse with no racial group making up a majority of the student body. The measured diversity of the campus includes:
- 37% identify as White
- 32% identify as Hispanic
- 18% identify as Asian
- 7% identify as Two or more races
- 2% identify as Black
- 2% identify as Unknown
- 1% identify as Non-resident alien
One of the primary goals of West Valley is to help students transfer to four-year universities, like UCs or CSUs. Transferring to a UC can be a great opportunity for students to continue their education at a highly regarded institution. However, transferring to a UC requires careful planning and preparation. Each UC campus has its specific requirements for transfer students. Some campuses require a minimum GPA, while others require specific coursework or extracurricular activities. Vikings need to understand these requirements to plan their transfer pathways. One popular method of transferring to a UC is through the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. TAG is a program that guarantees admission to certain UC campuses for students who meet specific requirements. To be eligible for TAG, students must complete a minimum number of UC-transferable courses with a GPA of at least 2.0, and meet other requirements such as completing specific coursework and maintaining residency in California.
Another major goal of West Valley is to encourage students to grow as individuals and give students the time and resources to gain an advantage for their futures. One student who was interviewed was Giovanna Fiorenza and she mentioned, “The college [West Valley] is a great opportunity to get to know different people and it’s an eye-opening experience.” The courses provided and the proximity to Westmont High School creates a very reachable goal in order to help students continue their educational journey.