MACES students are fortuitously given the opportunity to enroll in college-level classes offered by ELAC. These classes will be in one of the many classrooms of the high school campus and on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They will take place after school from 3:30 p.m to 7:00 p.m.

Students who are interested in taking rigorous courses which include; robotics, Chicano studies, and child development are encouraged by MACES staff members to enroll in the program offered by the high school. Assistant Principal, Mr. Mesa states in an interview, “ I think it is beneficial for students, because it exposes them to college-level work, college-level rigor, plus it allows students to earn college credits, if they successfully complete, which will save them time and money.” 

If students enroll in these classes, they will be apart of the ELAC student body. Students will be given the privilege to not only visit the ELAC campus but also have access to those resources ELAC students are exposed to. Vice Principal Ms.Carmona said, “ If you are taking those classes here, you are considered an ELAC student, so you have access to all their resources that college students have on campus. So you can go to tutoring hours, you can have access to their library, you get all the access that college students get at ELAC.”

Studies have proven the high levels of stress that comes along with the transition from high school to college but staff member, Ms. Ostos hopes these programs will help ease that stress. In an interview, she said, “ I want students to be less anxious about college, I want them to believe that college is attainable for them and that they can be successful.” She later added, “ I really hope that students take some of the pressure off of “college is not for me” by taking some of these introductory classes.” 

Interested students can sign up and enroll for these offered classes, if not this semester but spring semester. The school will continue to offer these programs which allow students to be exposed to the rigors of college courses, develop college-level study skills, earn college credits, and have access to all of ELAC resources, among other things. Interested students are advised or encouraged to talk to their counselor and enroll in these courses.