College of San Mateo entrance Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Overview
College of San Mateo (CSM) is one of three community colleges in the San Mateo Community College District (SMCCD), with a student population of 12,000 students. Being the largest community college in the district, it has a wealth of offerings in classes and certificates and serves homeschoolers well.
CSM is located in San Mateo off Highway 92's Hillsdale exit. It is also served by SamTrans 250 and CSM which mainly serves San Mateo; there is also a free CSM shuttle running hourly between the college and Millbrae BART/Caltrain. The college also provides one free Lyft roundtrip ride daily to the campus from designated spots (e.g. San Carlos and Belmont Caltrain stations) however students must be above 18 years old. Homeschoolers planning to drive/drop off will be glad to hear that parking is free (as of May 2025) and ample, but they should check the parking page to confirm if a permit is needed and which lots are open for student parking.
Concurrent Enrollment and Middle College
For 2024-2025, homeschoolers 9th grade and above can take up to 11 credits per semester free across all the community colleges in the district; beyond that, they will have to pay tuition of $46/credit (2024-2025 rates) for all credits taken. Courses may be in any discipline and generally students take introductory courses; if a course has pre-requisites students must show they they fulfill them. NOTE: Concurrent enrollment is the term used within SMCCD for this option where homeschoolers take some courses for college credit so be sure to fill out the correct form, see our High School page for instructions.
Some coursework/pathways that are distinctive to CSM:
Nursing: Option to graduate with a BSN degree with an additional 6 months coursework
Another option for homeschoolers is Middle College. Applicants must reside in the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD). If accepted, charter and private homeschoolers may need to transfer to one of the schools in the district - we recommend checking if your credits will be accepted.
Under Middle College, juniors or seniors take all their classes on the CSM campus as part of a smaller cohort. The classes fulfill SMUHSD graduation requirements, e.g. American Literature, United States History, English, Economics and American Government. Students graduate with a high school diploma from SMUHSD and credits that transfer toward a Career technical education certificate, an Associate degree, and/or a four-year college.
Post-Secondary Options
Homeschoolers can also consider enrolling in CSM after high school. This is also a great option if students are undecided about what to study.
Students interested in the University of California system (UCs) and California State Universities system (CSUs) can also consider completing their general education requirements and transferring into those colleges. The Transfer Center offers different pathways, e.g. TAG for certain UCs or Transfer Success Program for CSUs. The Honors Transfer Program offers priority consideration for transfer students applying to UCLA or UCI, as well as research seminars.
For students interested in options other than 4-year colleges, the college offers certificates through Career Education. Some are designed for high school graduates and have no pre-requisites. Distinctives include:
There is a wide array of services to support disadvantaged or first generation college students (Foster Youth, Project Change, Promise, TRIO). Through these programs, students may receive financial assistance such as textbook stipends, monthly gas allowance, personal student advising and priority registration. If they qualify, students may participate in multiple programs.
At CSM, nursing students attend lectures 2 days/week, plus 2 days/week for labs and additional days throughout the semester rotating through clinical sites in the Bay Area, e.g. the San Mateo Medical Center. On our tour, we were impressed by the nursing lab - it has 8 patient rooms, 2 of which are simulator rooms, and 14 beds. This simulator rooms have high fidelity manikins, both adult and pediatric, which allow instructors to run different scenarios, and students get extensive hands-on experience.
Understandably, the nursing program is popular so interested applicants should study the rubric (2025 rubtic) or reference the CSM Nursing Apply link for the latest info. A science-heavy background is required, and relevant experience through working or volunteering (e.g. EMT training) is helpful. Required science courses include Anatomy, Physiology in addition to Biology and Chemistry - students can apply the coursework towards another A/S degree while applying (or if they are waitlisted). other courses and preferably have work or volunteer experience. Also, taking the NCLEX-RN gives students a license to practice in California - the process for applying to other states is easier after this is granted.
Art/Music
We also learned about music classes - CSM offers AA degrees in Music and Electronic Music, as well as certificates but students on other tracks will also find interesting courses and opportunities to participate in ensembles. No prior experience is assumed, and students will find ample support for their creative vision, e.g. they can take lessons, digitize their recordings, and use them as sound track for films.
Likewise, CSM's Art department offers AA degrees in Fine Art as well as courses in 2D Art, 3D Art, Art History, Photography and Graphic Design.
Reaching Out to CSM
Homeschoolers can contact community outreach for a personal or group tour. CSM was also featured on The College Tour so families can tour virtually through we recommend touring in person since you can get specific questions answered.
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