College Preparatory Program

Virtually all students spend their first year in the College Preparatory Program in math and English.  In order to be eligible to enroll in college-credit classes at San Quentin, students must have a high school diploma or GED. However, for a broad range of reasons, most new students are not yet prepared to do college-level work when they first enter the program.

In Math 50, with the assistance of tutors, students work at their own pace, either individually or in small groups. Students remain in this class until they have mastered the material necessary to begin Algebra.

English 99 is an intensive college preparatory English course which is divided into two semesters: English 99A and English 99B. Students generally complete both courses sequentially. English 99 reviews the basic elements of writing — from punctuation, spelling and grammar to paragraphs, introductions, and thesis statements — and prepares students to write college level essays in all disciplines.