Merritt College

Date: Mar 30 2009
Major: Anthropology (This Major's Salary over time)
Merritt is a community college in Oakland. Pretty much anyone can go. If you go here, you can also take classes at the 3 other Peralta campuses and if you're trying to graduate or transfer there is a good chance you will wind up at other campuses. The work is not challenging here, but you learn what you choose to. If you care, you'll do the reading and apply yourself. If you don't you'll get through a couple of classes at a time and can work full time while you are at it.

The teachers are a mixed bag. Some care and are very helpful. Others are low quality and have weird grading policies. Try to ask around about who to take for what. The students are the same. Some don't belong in college because they have behavior problems, but overall, most are eager to learn. I love the diversity in terms of student ethnicity, age, religion, etc. You can learn a lot from your classmates here.

Another note: if you are planning to transfer to a 4-year college see a counselor, but do not trust your life in their hands. Get a transfer agreement, read it carefully and manage it yourself. I trusted my counselor and took classes I didn't need to, and thought things would transfer that did not. Don't repeat my mistake.