Dedication is what drives students from outside of Bexar County to travel far distances for an education.

Despite long drives, high gas prices, family commitments, full-time jobs and occasional bad weather, Palo Alto College has students coming in from Atascosa, Frio, Guadalupe, Medina and Wilson Counties.

Melissa, a part-time Palo Alto student and a single mother who lives in Pearsall, drives 50 miles to get a well-rounded education at Palo Alto.

“Palo Alto College is affordable and a better commute for me. If I had to make a choice from Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde, it definitely would be Palo Alto College,” said Melissa.

In the Fall of 2004, according to Rachel Marez, Associate Director of Residency and Reports, Palo Alto had 1,318 total students from the surrounding counties: Atascosa (397), Frio (62), Guadalupe (119), Medina (344) and Wilson (396).

Students who live outside of Bexar County pay the In-State/Out-of-District tuition and fees, or $480 more for 12 hours.

Other expenses, besides tuition and fees, are the fuel costs. The average gas allowance for a far-away student is anywhere between $200 to $300 a month.

Jennifer Stephens, a full-time Palo Alto student from Seguin who also drives 50 miles, said, “Yes, it’s tough since gas prices are so high, but it’s worth it towards my education. Palo Alto College is out of my way, but it’s the college of my choice. It’s a good school to get started with my education. And with A&M next door, I wouldn’t mind driving this way for another two years.”

What seems to attract far-away students who are not able to attend classes on campus is the Distance Learning courses Palo Alto offers.

In Fall of 2005, the total number of students enrolled in Palo Alto’s Internet courses was 3,147 with 175 courses being offered. In Fall of 2004, the total number of Telecourse students totaled 504, said Robert Garza, Director of Distance, Extended Education and Community Outreach.

Small classes are what attract many students. Individual attention with the professors and the many degree plans like Business, Information Technology and Teacher Education, pull students to Palo Alto from great distances.

“The one-on-one with the professors makes my drive worth it, because they really care about each one of us succeeding,” said Melissa.