Palo Alto College is a community college in San Antonio. It is part of the Alamo Colleges District. Since its inception the college has seen spiraled growth to even be named the fastest growing college in Texas, in 1991. The growth has been in different aspects like construction of new facilities, increase in enrollment, building of sports and recreation facilities and so much more.

The college is built on 126 acres of land. Currently the college has an enrollment of about 9000 students. The college offers dual credit program that allows students to take Palo Alto courses to earn college credit. This is done to give high school learner’s motivation to pursue higher education.

The college is also considered to have students that are highly successful when transferring to four year universities. Palo Alto College was founded in March 1983, but plans to have a college built was underway as early as in 1974. The college began with an enrollment of 23 students in high schools.

The campus where the college is located is built in a mission – style campus and it was opened in 1987 following the construction of facilities worth $13 million. The college slogan “the heart of the community” was adopted in 1994 due to the community centered nature of the college.

Academics

Palo Alto College is a center of excellence academically. It offers degrees and pre majors or transfer programs for the students. The students are taught through a myriad of different ways including distance learning. This ensures a high enrollment but with manageable class sizes.

Besides the associate degree courses in Associate of Arts, the college also offers community courses including; high school equivalency certificate, English as a second language, adult and continuing education amongst many others.

The college runs a semester based curriculum. Of high recognition in academics is that the college offers the only aviation technology course in South Central Texas for less than a four year course.

Awards and Recognitions

The National Council for Marketing and Public Relations awarded the college the national gold awards from under two categories: Facebook and Teatro Palo Alto poster series for the 2017 season. Other awards to Palo Alto College’s name include; National Council for Marketing and Public Relations Gold Paragon Award, Best of Texan and many more.
The school has also been recognized in various capacities, including the Top 50 Veterinary technician program, 2018 best colleges in Texas, Top 10 Hispanic Outlook Magazine community colleges, and many other such valuable recognitions.

The college has a very valuable and hard-working leadership. The leadership and all staff are supportive, well-educated and concerned with betterment of the lives of all the students that go through Palo Alto College.

Student to student relationships are also encouraged and fostered in the university so that all students feel a part of the community and help each other succeed in life. At Palo Alto College engagement with the college community is emphasized so that the students leave with a maximum college experience.