Public Schools
Santa Barbara School District
720 Santa Barbara Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-963-4338
http://www.sbsdk12.org/
Local children go to the Santa Barbara School District, which has a total enrollment of more than 17,000 students.
Higher Education
Community Colleges
Community colleges exist for two major purposes. The first is to serve as a bridge from high school to college by providing courses for transfer toward a bachelor’s degree. Four out of 10 collegebound high-school graduates start their college education this way.
The second function of community colleges is to prepare students for the job market by offering entry-level career training as well as courses for adult students who want to upgrade their skills for the workplace. They often offer programs that are not available at four-year schools, like fashion design.
Santa Barbara City College
721 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93109-2394
805-965-0581
www.sbcc.edu
The college has a wide range of associate degree and certificate programs, as well as transfer programs that provide the first two years of study toward the baccalaureate degree.
Liberal Arts Colleges
Liberal arts colleges offer a broad base of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Most are private and focus mainly on undergraduate students. Classes tend to be small and personal attention is available.
Online Learning
Recent years have witnessed the rise of online degree programs, to allow the busy professional a chance to work at their own pace from the comfort of their home on the path to getting a degree. The costs to students are typically the same as for traditional classes- and financial aid is equally available-while the cost to the institution can be much less.
There are online universities ranging from legitimate distance learning systems to fly-by-night degree-mills. It’s important to research a particular institution before deciding to enroll in their system. Generally, brick-and-mortar schools that also offer online classes are the safest, though there are plenty of fully accredited online universities out there.
Nearly 3 million students are believed to be taking online classes at institutions of higher education in the United States this year. That number has been growing about 25% a year recently. Now, virtually all public higher education institutions, as well as a vast majority of private, for-profit institutions, now offer online classes. By contrast, only about half of private, nonprofit schools offer them. Online schools offer everything from Associate’s degrees to Doctoral programs with available emphases in everything from Business Administration to Criminal Justice to Nursing. Some programs require students to attend some campus classes or orientations, but many are delivered completely online. Online courses generally require a computer with a broadband connection, but are now a serious option for the busy professional.
Public vs. Private
Public colleges are usually less expensive, particularly for in-state residents. They get most of their money from the state or local government. Private colleges rely on tuition, fees, endowments, and other private sources. Private colleges are usually smaller and can offer more personalized attention and often more prestige.
Universities
Generally, a university is bigger than a college and offers more majors and research facilities. Class size often reflects institutional size and some classes may taught by graduate students.
California Polytechnic State University (805) 756-1111
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
www.calpoly.edu
San Luis Obispo is home to California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly for short). Cal Poly has approximately 18,000 students. Roughly one third of San Luis Obispo’s population is of college age or attending college. The large student population gives the city a youthful energy and vitality.
University of California, Santa Barbara (805) 893-8000
Santa Barbara CA 93106
www.ucsb.edu
The University of California at Santa Barbara is located in the village of Isla Vista (near Goleta), 10 miles north of Santa Barbara. Surrounded on 3 sides by ocean, the university’s mascot is the Gaucho.
Westmont College (805) 565-6000
955 La Paz Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93108
www.westmont.edu
Westmont College is an independent, residential, four-year Christian college offering B.A. and B.S. degrees in 25 liberal arts and sciences majors to 1,200 undergraduate men and women.
Upper Division
Upper-division schools offer the last two years of undergraduate study, usually in specialized programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. Students then generally transfer to an upper-division college after completing an associate degree or after finishing a second year of study at a four-year college.
Music Academy of the West (805) 969-4726
1070 Fairway Rd
Santa Barbara, CA 93108
www.musicacademy.org
An intensive music program that has only 135 students at a time. The school’s box office can be contacted at (805) 969-8787.
Fielding Graduate University (800) 340-1099
2112 Santa Barbara Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
www.fielding.edu
A graduate-only institution of higher learning. The university’s structure is geared toward mid-career adult professionals seeking a higher degree.
Cuesta College San Luis Obispo Campus (805) 546-3100
Hwy 1
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8106
www.cuesta.edu
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