Pasadena City College and La Salle College Preparatory join force

Agreement with La Salle College Preparatory extends PCC's dual-enrollment programs

Local high school students have an easier path to a college education thanks to a new agreement ratified last week.

Pasadena City College and La Salle College Preparatory have cemented an agreement that will allow La Salle students to earn college credit while still enrolled in high school. This program mirrors PCC’s compacts with every public school district in its jurisdiction, and is its first such agreement with an independent school.

The agreement will provide La Salle students with the opportunity for tuition-free college credits while also earning high school elective credits. The students will also gain first-hand experience of the scope, sequence, and rigor of a college course while still in a high-school environment.

“This is how education providers are supposed to work,” said Dr. Erika Endrijonas, superintendent/president of Pasadena City College. “PCC is a familiar stepping stone to a university education for thousands of students in our region. We are thrilled to make that path a little clearer for La Salle students.”

For the third year in a row, PCC was the top-ranked community college in the state for transfers to UC and CSU campuses in 2020. PCC students also consistently transfer to USC, Art Center College of Design, and Ivy League institutions – including at least six transfers to Yale University in the last six years.

The dual-credit program will also lead to the creation of Academic Pathways Programs at La Salle. Academic pathways will allow students to choose courses that are aligned with their passions and allow them to explore meaningful academic and career discernment while in high school. Medical Innovations will be the first Pathway Program . This important pathway will expose students to different courses and experiences, centered around a health care field of study. La Salle students, who aspire to have a career in the healthcare industry, will now have new opportunities to most health care prerequisite college courses needed toward a future major in health care.

“We are so excited to be able to offer another innovative educational experience for La Salle students,” said Perry K. Martin, La Salle College Preparatory’s school president. “This agreement will provide the opportunity for our students to earn PCC college credits during their time in high school, complementing our 24 advanced placement course offerings, along with the possibility of earning an A.A. degree upon graduation from La Salle. Our students are eager to begin their higher education journey, and we’re thrilled to get them an early start on their way. We are so grateful for this new Pasadena City College partnership.”

The agreement will launch in January with the start of PCC’s Spring 2022 semester. The first course, expected to cover medical terminology, will be held either on La Salle’s campus or in a local hospital/medical environment, and taught by a member of the PCC faculty on two weekday afternoons, each lasting 90 minutes, after La Salle’s regular school day has ended. At least 20 La Salle students are expected to take part.

PCC’s dual-enrollment programs at local schools enroll more than 1,000 students each term. For more information, visit https://pasadena.edu/academics/pre-college-programs/dual-enrollment/index.php.

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About Pasadena City College

Since 1924, Pasadena City College (www.pasadena.edu) has provided the San Gabriel Valley with a high-quality, innovative learning environment that inspires student success. Our academic programs encompass a variety of degrees, transfer programs, certificates of achievement, and occupational skills certificates that challenge students and support progress toward their goals. In 2019-20, PCC was ranked #1 in the state for transfers to the CSU and UC systems for the third consecutive year, and In 2021, the college received a landmark $30 million gift from philanthropist and educator Mackenzie Scott.

About La Salle College Preparatory

La Salle College Preparatory was founded in 1956 and is the largest Catholic, coeducational high school serving the greater Pasadena area. La Salle embraces Five Core Principles in the spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, the patron saint of educators and founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools: Concern for the Poor and Social Justice, Faith in the Presence of God, Quality Education, Respect for All Persons, and Inclusive Community. With its rigorous college prep curriculum, award-winning arts programs, robust athletic opportunities and focus on service-learning, La Salle is committed to the formation of global citizens with the tools to learn, serve and lead their respective communities and thrive in their academic and life endeavors. Visit lasallehs.org for more information.