What College of Marin is like

What it's like

College of Marin is a public community college serving Marin County with two campuses in Kentfield and Novato. Founded in 1926, it enrolls about 10,000 students per semester across over 1,100 credit classes, plus nearly 6,000 in community education programs. The college operates as a self-supporting district, drawing most funding from local property taxes rather than state apportionment, which gives it distinct financial autonomy within California's community college system.

Academic feel

The college offers 70 Associate degree programs and maintains approximately 200 transfer agreements with UC, CSU, and private institutions. It provides 35 vocational and career programs alongside basic skills and ESL education. Research activity spans computer science, engineering education, ecology, geology, epistemology, and art history. The college is particularly distinguished for its theatre department, which has the highest transfer acceptance rate to Juilliard of any two-year college in the nation.

Strengths

• Theatre program with the highest transfer acceptance to Juilliard of any two-year college in the nation[1][2]
• Extensive transfer pathways with approximately 200 agreements established with University of California, California State University, and private colleges[2]
• Diverse academic offerings including 70 Associate of Arts and Science degree programs and 35 vocational and career programs[2]
• Strong international student program with approximately 100 international students participating each semester[1]