Grossmont Community College: An Overview
Grossmont College, situated in El Cajon, California, is a public community college offering a wide array of educational opportunities to eastern San Diego County and beyond. As part of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, Grossmont College plays a vital role in the region's social and economic development. Together with Cuyamaca College, Grossmont College provides post-secondary instruction in an array of educational classes, programs and services. The colleges offer associate's degrees in the arts and sciences, in addition to advanced and basic certificates of learning. Both colleges are fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and are part of the largest system of high education in the world.
History and Location
The college's name is linked to silent film actor and producer William J. Gross, who invested in land purchased by Ed Fletcher, part of which was named Grossmont. Grossmont College is located in the Fletcher Hills community of El Cajon, near Spring Valley and Rancho San Diego, just south of the city of El Cajon, adjacent to the cities of San Diego and Santee. The campus is a 20-minute drive east of central San Diego. The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District was established in 1961, encompassing an area of 1,138 square miles from the eastern edge of the city of San Diego to Imperial County to the east and the Mexican border to the south.
Campus and Facilities
The facilities of Grossmont College are situated across 135 acres. At its inception, the campus was planned to accommodate an enrollment of 2,500 daytime students. The first incarnation of the completed campus was expected to hold 4,800 students. On October 18, 1965, a bond for $3.5 million was approved by area voters. This made it possible to complete the college's initial master plan. By September 25, 1967, the new facilities were completed.
Academics and Programs
Grossmont College offers more than 150 degree and certificate programs. Students can earn degrees and certificates in 71 different fields. Popular programs include Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies, Business Administration and Management, General, and Biological and Physical Sciences. Each year, about 1,500 students earn Associate in Arts degrees, Associate in Science degrees, or advanced and basic certificates.
The college offers more than 150 degree and certificate programs for everyone, from the college first-timer, just out of high school, to the long-time employed returning to school to update work skills or explore new career opportunities.
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Grossmont College is also home to Grossmont Middle College High School, where selected high school students can receive both high school and college credit for taking courses on campus.
Admissions and Enrollment
Grossmont College has an open admissions policy. Applying (Fall 2023) Total Entering Students 4,236. The school utilizes a semester-based academic year.
Student Life
The student-faculty ratio is 24-to-1. Grossmont enrolls over 18,000 students. The newspaper for Grossmont College is The Summit.
Student Life (Fall 2022)
Full-time enrollment 4,816
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Part-time enrollment 10,610
Age Distribution
- Under 18 7%
- 18-24 60%
- 25-64 32%
- Over 65 0%
Campus Info and Services (Fall 2022)
- Employment services for students Yes
- Credit for life experiences N/A
- Academic/career counseling service Yes
- Placement services for completers Yes
- On-campus day care for students' children Yes
Tuition and Financial Aid
For the 2020-2021 academic year, the in-state tuition and fees were $1,332, and out-of-state tuition and fees were $9,928. There is no application fee.
Paying for School (2022 - 2023)
Read also: Navigating Grossmont
- At Grossmont College, 61 percent of undergraduates receive grant or scholarship aid and the average scholarship or grant award is $3,262.
- In-state tuition and fees $1,332
- Out-of-state tuition and fees $9,928
- Books and supplies $2,625
Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District
The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District operates Grossmont College and Cuyamaca College, which provide post-secondary instruction in an array of educational classes, programs and services. The district employs 362 full-time faculty members, approximately 1037 part-time faculty, and 439 administrative and classified staff. The California Community Colleges consist of 109 colleges and 72 districts providing educational, vocational and transfer programs to more than 2.8 million students each year.
Cuyamaca College offers over 165 degree and certificate programs. Located in the heart of Rancho San Diego, the college enrolls about 9,000 students. By 2015, that number is expected to reach 15,000 as programs and course sections are expanded, thanks to a bevy of new buildings added to the campus. A new science and technology center has set the college on a course to become a gateway to biological and health professions, offering the full gamut of preparation classes for students entering these fields. With 57 degree and 66 certificate programs, Cuyamaca College's commitment to industry has translated into partnerships like the Auto Technology department's Ford ASSET program and the high-tech CISCO Academy. After much data collection and research, the college successfully applied for and received a Title III grant in 2004, the largest grant in its history.
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