Overview
Middle College at West Valley College is a joint program with Campbell Union High School District and Los Gatos Saratoga Union High School District that offers an opportunity for 11th and 12th grade students seeking a more challenging and rigorous academic pathway. Middle College students have the maturity and academic skills to be successful in college level classes.
The program offers students a rigorous, academically focused environment. It is housed entirely on the West Valley College campus. With a wide selection of clubs, students are actively involved in the extracurricular life at the college. Students can also participate in extracurricular activities at their home high school. They also receive a diploma from their home high school and participate in their home high school graduation ceremony.
Under the guidance of their high school Middle College counselor, along with a West Valley College counselor, students select classes that meet high school graduation requirements while having access to a wider selection of electives. These classes could be credited towards their college degree and transferred to UC, CSU or private schools. Students are enrolled in two (2) high school classes, as well as a minimum of six (6) and a maximum of eleven (11) college units per semester. Juniors are placed in either an AM block or PM block on Mondays and Wednesdays and Seniors are scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students are also scheduled in a Counseling (COUN 005: College Success) class in their first year of the program.
Middle College is a Dual Enrollment program for high school students residing in the Campbell Union High School District or Los Gatos Saratoga Union High School District. Tuition and fees for this program are at no cost to the student.
For more information about applying to the Middle College program, please visit your respective high school district website
2025-2026 Application Dates and Deadlines
| Event | Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle College Mandatory Family Information Night 2025 | Tuesday, February 11, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM | Westmont Performing Arts Center 805 Westmont Ave, Campbell, CA 95008 |
| Application Opens | Tuesday, February 11, 2025 | 8:00 PM | |
| Make-Up Middle College Family Information Night | Thursday, February 13, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Zoom |
| Application Closes | Tuesday, March 4, 2025 | 5:00 PM |
For a full, detailed application timeline, please go to your High School District website:
Contacts
| Name | Position | Phone Number | Email Address | Office | Area of Expertise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Hancock | MC Instructor, English | (408) 741-2009 Ext. 2597 |
[email protected] | SSC 201W | HS Classes |
| Emily Cassie | MC Instructor, Social Studies | (408) 741-2009 Ext. 2606 |
[email protected] | SSC 201X | HS Classes |
| Chris Jones | College Counselor | (408) 741-2009 Ext. 2608 |
[email protected] | SSC 201Y | College Support & Requirements |
| Erin Reyes | High School Counselor (CUHSD) | (408) 371-0960 Ext. 2073 |
[email protected] | SSC 201Y or Campbell Union High School District Office | HS Graduation Requirements |
| Mary Carol Bernal | High School Counselor (LGSUHSD) | (408) 402-6373 | [email protected] | LG/SHS District Office | HS Graduation Requirements |
| Mark Manrose | School of Continuing Education Director | (408) 741-2469 | mark.manroseFREEWEST_VALLEY | FOX 206 | Middle College Administrator |
| Emily Hanson | Director of Curriculum & Instruction | (408) 371-0960 | [email protected] | Campbell Union High School District Office | Middle College Administrator |
High School students with disabilities who are enrolled in college courses may register with the West Valley College Disability and Educational Support Program (DESP) to request reasonable accommodations for their college course by following the steps below. If college courses are offered at locations other than the main campus, accommodations may be arranged directly with the instructor. DESP counselors will discuss options with students during their intake meeting.
Steps
- Complete DESP online registration application
- Upload documentation of disability, eg IEP, 504, physician’s verification
- Make an appointment with a DESP counselor to complete program registration via despFREEWEST_VALLEY or (408) 741-2010.
- Following registration with DESP, request approved accommodations for your course at DESP Online Services.
- If there is an agreement between the student and instructor to take exams in the DESP Test Center, the student will need to schedule the test on DESP Online Services. Certain accommodations such as alternative testing may require that the student log on to DESP Online Services to schedule quizzes and tests.
- This is done every semester in which students are enrolled in West Valley College courses.
- Instructors are then notified of their students’ approved accommodations.
Testimonials
I love the Middle College program because it’s allowed to explore unique interests that I wouldn’t have been able to take classes for in high school. The campus is beautiful and there are so many easily accessible resources. The program grants a lot of independence, and it’s a refreshing experience to feel trusted in an academic setting.
Middle College has improved my self-reliance, essay writing skills and time management abilities. I highly recommend this program for students who are ready to take responsibility for their education.
Applying to Middle College is one of the best decisions I've ever made. It's an incredible way to get ahead, make the most of your money and time, and have a much better overall experience if you can't be your best self in high school. Juxtaposed to Middle College, high school feels like some kind of social experiment that only proves unconscionable in hindsight - put a bunch of adolescents into a series of buildings for 6 hours a day and make them memorize useless information while sharing small spaces and conflicting schedules and desires. In Middle College, everyone wants to be there; class flows more smoothly, teachers are more personable and respectful of your personal life and interests, and you can shape your schedule to reflect what's best for you. Plus, there's no busy work - I haven't done a worksheet or reductive group project in years. Once you've been accepted to Middle College, the hard part is over, and you'll find that you've entered a new stage of life. At West Valley, everyone treats like you've earned the right to mess up sometimes, experiment, and think outside the box. In Middle College, everyone respects that you're worth even your mistakes and quirks, things which would get you marked down at every turn in high school. There's no better place to become the person you want most to be.
I think the college class experience is definitely a step up from high school because of the huge class variety and the professors themselves are really great at teaching. Additionally, the college classes are completely free, and you also have the opportunity to earn an associate's degree. The college community, while it might be intimidating at first, is really nice and the people there are really supportive. There are many places at West Valley that can also be a major help in success whether it be the Student Services Center or the Math Resource Center.
I really enjoy being able to create my own schedule. I also enjoy the wide variety of classes I can take at West Valley. The college community is very mature and I love being in the smaller class sizes for high school.
I like the workload. Every single assignment we do is meaningful; I never felt like I had busy work in Middle College. I also love how the program offered me the flexibility to create my own schedule based on my needs.
Middle College feels easier, yet more enriching than high school. The environment is more relaxed, yet allows for more learning. In addition, exposure to the college experience will definitely help in the future.
There is a flexible schedule, so I only go in on days I want and hours I want. Some college teachers are amazing, and I see that as a benefit of the school/an experience, so I will count it. How much you learn is really up to you, which is something I wish I had years prior.