Attending College

Re “Double Duty,” April 4.

First and foremost, Advanced Placement students in high school seldom are taking the class with any intention of going to a community college. Their goals are acceptance at major universities.

Second, the outreach program (after-school, evening) enables students of limited finances who are motivated to go to college to take courses that their schools may either not offer, have a certain class that is poorly taught, or want to get a jump-start on their college education.

Third, the community college makes it possible for anyone to get a college education at a bargain rate ($11 a unit) whether or not that person has a high school diploma. Some of my students come from countries where obtaining secondary education data is next to impossible. There are instances where intelligent students bored with their high school classes take community college courses and forgo the high school diploma. These students transfer to four-year institutions and may be entering their junior year at the moment when their AP counterparts are starting as freshmen. It doesn’t happen often, but it happens, and I see nothing wrong with a student choosing the best road to take to reach his / her goals.

ABRAHAM HOFFMAN

Canoga Park