BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Bakersfield College has been ranked third in a list of top California institutions where Latino students are earning certificates and degrees and fourth among institutions with the highest Hispanic enrollment in California.
The rankings were released in the California Briefing on 25 Years of Hispanic Serving Institutions by Excelencia in Education. The Campaign for College Opportunity stated nearly 40% of California’s 38.6 million residents are Latino. Bakersfield College, a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution, said 70% of Associate Degree for Transfer earners identified as Hispanic or Latino/a/x in 2019 and 2020.
Bakersfield College said in recent years they have worked on improving student outcomes, reducing achievement gaps and increasing access for students using a Guided Pathways approach. Since BC first started its Guided Pathways program in 2014, the college has seen growth and improvement across multiple student success metrics.
Bakersfield College has seen notable improvements in degree completion and students completing/and or transferring on time without excess units.
The number of graduates earning Associate Degrees for Transfer grew to 799.4%. On average, students are now completing their degrees with 6.9 fewer units compared to four years ago, resulting in average savings of $647.50 for the individual student and their families, according to BC. The graduating class of 2020 had 1,556 Associate Degree for Transfer graduates, saving approximately $1,007,510 for local taxpayers.
Registration will open at Bakersfield College for the summer and fall semesters beginning April 14. Students can begin the enrollment process by visiting the Bakersfield College website.
