Santa Monica College

Santa Monica College is a two-year community college that works hard to place students at UCLA, USC and other four-year institutions once their work at SMC is finished.

SMC has many practical programs to start off your studies, including pre-professional degrees such as pre-dental, pre-medical, pre-law, pre-pharmacy, pre-chiropractic, pre-veterinary and teacher preparation. Other departments at SMC include ESL (English as a Second Language), Music, Photography, Design Technology, Physics, Theatre Arts, English, History, Health Sciences, Cosmetology, Dance, Communications, Business, Fashion Design and Merchandising, Chemistry, Education, Computer Science, Psychology, Mathematics and Engineering.

Students at SMC are encouraged to participant in on-campus clubs. There are a wide variety of clubs available, and it is likely that students will find a club to suit their passions. Between the Association of Latin American Students, the Environmental Protection Club, the Students for Social Justice Club, the Santa Monica Hiking Society, the Juggling & Circus Club, the Filmmaker’s Association, the Art Club and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance Club, students can join a group that fits them while making connections with other like-minded students. Students can start their own club with a total of six interested members.

Student life at SMC is also enriched by campus athletics. Student athletes participate in men’s and women’s basketball, women’s softball, women’s tennis, men’s volleyball, men’s and women’s track and field, men’s and women’s table tennis and co-ed cheerleading.

The school started with a mere 153 students in 1929, and today the 38-acre campus supports approximately 30,000 students passing through each year. Accepted SMC students who are California residents enjoy the low tuition price of $26 per unit. Prospective students can easily apply on line and get the ball rolling. For convenience of full time workers and students in other areas, SMC offers classes at its satellite campuses throughout the LA area.

The community stays involved with SMC through the school’s well-known public radio program, KCRW (89.9 FM). The school also offers community education classes in areas such as publishing, crafts, dance, real estate, solar energy, music, writing, stage and screen, computers and programming, art, career enhancement, fitness, photography, home and garden and more. SMC also puts on many community events such as concerts, theatre performances, lectures and art shows.

- by Jessica Bates, Santa Monica Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Jessica Bates

Jessica is a freelance journalist residing in lovely southern California. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and journalism. She writes for a green living publication, which she thoroughly enjoys. Once upon a time she was an editorial board member for Steel Toe Books choosing poetry manuscripts for publication.