MiraCosta College Adult High School Helps Students Find Direction

Nancy Rodriguez is currently a student in the MiraCosta Adult High School program, and she’s looking forward to graduating with her high school diploma. “I was disappointed when I finished high school with a certificate, while everyone else seemed to get a diploma. But, thanks to MiraCosta, that’s no longer the case.”

A student earns a high school certificate when their course load is modified in a way that allows them to finish school, but doesn’t necessarily meet all the requirements to earn a diploma. “I experienced a significant trauma when I was younger, and because of it, I only went to school two days a week as a freshman. That was all I could handle at the time,” explains Rodriquez. “I also spent some time being homeschooled, then finally finished at Oceanside High.”

It was her boyfriend who told her about the opportunity to get her diploma at MiraCosta. “He was in a similar situation—he’d finished high school with a certificate, and he’d started the Adult High School program. He took me up to campus, showed me all around, and helped me through the application process.”

Rodriguez was nervous about going back to school two years after finishing high school, but any apprehension she had quickly went away once she walked through the classroom doors. “All of the teachers are very supportive here. There’s a lot more individual support than you experience in high school. That has really been helpful to me.”

Her English teacher, Erica Duran, says Rodriguez was a strong student who blossomed when the class went virtual. “Nancy is naturally introverted, and she was always on the quiet side in the classroom. But once we went online, she became very engaged. She reached out for help, accessed every resource, turned her work in early, helped her classmates get their assignments done, and became their cheerleader. She was a fantastic student. I look forward to seeing what she does after she completes the program.”