For a majority of high school seniors, it is the time of year that choices of education and jobs make a profound impact on their lives. These choices, from striving for a higher education to going straight into the job market, may make a senior feel overwhelmed.

Adding to these different paths are other factors, such as cost of education, grades, location, and the overall personality of the student. One possible choice is the Leon S. Peters Honors Program at Fresno City College.

The program provides a comparably less expensive, academically enriching environment for those who later will seek a B.A. degree from a University of California College. A student attending the program will spend two years at Fresno City and then transfer to a UC school to complete a degree in two additional years.

“We encourage students join the Honors Program,” John Norman, a public relations officer, said, “because it gives them many opportunities to, after two years, transfer to a four-year college and complete their degree in two more years.”

“The Honors Program at Fresno City is a good program,” Ginger Niemeyer, vice principal said, “for students who are serious about going through the college level.”

One such student who enrolled in the program was Fresno Christian alumnus Bethany Smith, ’01.

“I like the program because of the amount of information you learn,” Smith said. “Also there are many opportunities in the program to explore the world and how they interact.”

Admission into the program requires that a student do one of the following: earn a GPA of 3.5 (4.0 scale) or graduation from high school in the top 25th percentile, or combined scores of 1000 on the SAT or a composite score of 25 on the ACT.

In addition to one of the three requirements, a student must demonstrate superior performance in writing an essay, have three letters of recommendation, be eligible for English 1A, and have a successful interview by the Honors Program Advisory Committee.
According to Niemeyer student have many tools on campus to help prepare them for the program.

“Groups and classes, such as student leadership, CSF, and Bible provide students with leadership skills and a community service outlook,” Niemeyer said. “Preparing a resume for teachers, providing your background and interests, will give you an advantage over other applicants.”

Even after being accepted, however, a student still must meet high standards.

“The course work is rigorous and you have to be disciplined,” Fresno Christian alumnus George Kutnerian, ’01, said, “in order to take on the homework load. Even in the program, it is to get distracted and stack off.”

For program details, see Honors Program in the FCC college catalog and consult with the Honors Program Director online at www.fresnocitycollege.com/requirements/academic/honorsprogram.html or by calling 442-8207.