Choosing where you are going to pursue higher education after high school is not an easy decision. Arcata High School grads choose a wide variety of colleges and schools across the country. Many students attend short-term programs that prepare them for jobs. Last year, approximately 40% of the graduating seniors attended community colleges and 38% attended 4-year universities. Additionally, more students are also choosing to attend the local CSU, Cal Poly Humboldt.
Students across the nation have started to lean more into alternative higher education pathways. NPR Radio reports that between 2010 and 2021, there has been around a 15% decline in 4-year college enrollment. A variety of reasons are generally cited for why 4-year college attendance is down, but usually the main reason is tied to economics. Traditional 4-year colleges require sufficient funds or loans to attend; these student loans are known for plunging people into debt.
Senior Divina Pane will attend College of the Redwoods in the fall.
“I choose because it is more financially available,” Pane said, “I think it’s a life hack; you can save a lot of money.”
College of the Redwoods offers a variety of pathways that appeal to Arcata High students. Many programs CR offers shorter programs that allow people to get jobs quickly. One popular program is CR’s firefighter academy. The 60-hour program, accredited by Cal-Fire, is designed to quickly train and educate students. The program’s shorter length allows students to enter the workforce without a major time commitment. Another vocational program CR offers is the medical assistant program. The program is available in different forms, including an accelerated program. A medical assistant assists physicians within a clinic or office. The average hourly wage in Humboldt County is 23-25 dollars an hour.
Cal-Poly Humboldt offers a new scholarship program called “The Green & Gold Guarantee.” The program covers tuition and mandatory campus fees for students who qualify. One of the key factors for qualifying is a financial aid index of 5000 or less, and qualify for a Pell grant. The program works to cover the gap between the amount received in the Pell grant and the remaining tuition fees.
“The Green and Gold standard should make it possible for me to go to Cal-Poly for two years for as cheap as possible,” senior Cameron Jones said. Whether you want to pursue a bachelor’s degree, an associate’s degree, or a trade/vocational certificate, Humboldt County has a wide variety of options for higher education and work opportunities.
