Two new non-credit programs this fall are designed to prepare students to achieve significant life goals: U.S. citizenship for some, and high school equivalency certificates for others.
With a population of just under 3.2 million, Orange County, despite the stereotypes, is incredibly diverse.
According to Data USA, 45.5 percent of Orange County residents speak a non-English language.
About 15 percent of Orange County residents do not have a high school diploma, according to Data USA. That translates to about 475,000 people.
A similar percentage, 13, are not U.S. citizens, according to Data USA. That translates to about 415,000 people.
These two telling statistics underscore the great need, especially in communities near Golden West College, to better serve the immigrant community and those who haven’t completed high school.
To address these two large population bases, GWC will be offering two new noncredit programs in the fall: Citizenship Preparation and General Education Development (GED) Preparation. The programs are designed for students seeking to advance their educational and career goals, as well as for self-improvement and increased literacy.
Courses offered under these programs are free with no proof of residency needed.
New this fall semester are two related English Language Learner classes: Reading and Writing for Citizenship, and Listening and Speaking for Citizenship.
These courses are designed for students who want to learn the steps to become a U.S. citizen, including how to apply, sample test questions, and what the naturalization process entails.
The second new noncredit offering this fall is GED Test Preparation, which will provide students with the skills necessary to successfully pass the GED exam.
The GED test is used in California to award high school equivalency certificates, and the new GED test prep classes this fall are Reasoning Through Language Arts and Mathematical Reasoning.
“We thought it was appropriate to offer these courses to maintain our mission of supporting the betterment of the community,” says Dr. Kay V. Nguyen, dean of Arts and Letters at GWC.
Studies show that a person can earn more money over his or her career with a high school and/or college degree.
“And getting a GED certificate is a milestone,” Nguyen notes. “It’s like, ‘I did it!” When someone achieves this, he or she no longer thinks of higher education as something that’s out of reach. A GED hopefully will encourage them to pursue higher education.”
Being located near enclaves like Little Saigon, GWC is perfectly poised to serve residents seeking U.S. citizenship.
“It’s a great opportunity for our community,” Nguyen says. “We provide free instruction and support and guidance so people can develop that path toward citizenship. The only cost would come when a student applies for citizenship.”
To minimize the expense of textbooks, GWC faculty members are working hard to obtain open educational resources or supplemental learning materials, Nguyen says.
As for the GED course, the plan is to offer two topics per semester for students to master. They will need to master four in total: English writing, math, social sciences, and science.
“The data is clear that there is a need in our community for people to earn the equivalent of a high school diploma,” Nguyen says, “and we are very pleased to provide this opportunity.
“These two new programs are all about bettering the lives of Orange County residents.”
