Gordon Cooper Technology Center is a school that provides both state-approved classes and top-notch, industry prepared students. Our location in Orange County California means that students can be a part of the tech boom without being in Silicon Valley. The school caters to those who want to make an impact on the business world. With ABET accreditation, our credits can transfer to other institutions. High Tech has taken over the world, and Gordon Cooper is a part of it. The commercial center is located about a mile from the new I-5 interchange and very close to the Irvine Spectrum Center. With this address, students have plenty of chances to encounter top-tier companies such as IBM, HP, Cisco Systems, Motorola Inc., Dell Computer Corporation, Yahoo!, Google, and many others.
The school was founded in 1999 by Dr. Jack Farmer who holds an MBA from Purdue University. It has been running in conjunction with the University of Redlands since 2003. Along with the University, a school was formed for the students specifically. As of October 2010, Gordon Cooper Technology Center has over 30 full-time and part-time students studying computers, IT, engineering, and business. The center is a magnet school for top students from all backgrounds who want to be at the forefront of technology. The director, Dr. Jack Farmer states that "The Coop is a state-of-the art facility dedicated to nurturing high potential students for careers in Information Technology that will benefit our country." One motivation for founding this school was to give someone the opportunity so they could decide if education was something they truly wanted to pursue or not.
Are there any specific courses that I need to take?
There is only one course required for admission, and that is the Computer Information Systems (CIS) course. Students are allowed to take up to 5 courses with post-graduate level accreditation from the University of Redlands. When not in class, students may work on projects at their own pace. The Coop staff members will help students work through any computer programming problems they might have.
What other clubs are available?
There are many clubs within the Coop, but possibly the most exciting ones are the Gordon Cooper Technology Center Review Club and the Gordon Cooper Technology Center Model Engineering Club, both of which have a lot of people interested. The GC Review Club has a very active monthly meeting and is in charge of providing all of the printed materials which are distributed throughout the school. The Coop Model Engineering Club is a good outlet for students to learn about the field of engineering and get hands-on experience. Students can work on projects that are related directly to their needs.
Does the school have any specific computer classes?
There are no specific computer classes at GC Technology Center. However, students may still take college level courses as long as they follow up with their instructor from the University of Redlands. Although the University cannot guarantee that all of the courses will count towards the credit, it is very likely that they will.
How much does it cost to attend?
The costs are kept low because of the college level accreditation along with the small number of students. Tuition for this school is just over $4,000 for each 10-week session. Students who wish to attend summer school at the University of Redlands may not be able to participate in summer camps if they were previously accepted into Gordon Cooper Technology Center. The center requires students to take a full load of classes with a GPA above 2.0.
What are the class sizes like?
Class sizes are small at Gordon Cooper Technology Center. Student to teacher ratios are usually around 20+1. Because of this, students receive a lot of individual attention from teachers and get to know their classmates better. Students have a lot of opportunities to build relationships with their teachers and peers.
Conclusion
As we can see, the GC Technology Center offers both classroom and hands-on learning. Students will have access to resources such as software applications, labs, and staff full-time. They will also have opportunities to work on real companies' projects to learn more about their field of study as well as other students around the world. While this school has very small class sizes, students are also given a lot of individual attention to make sure they are learning at their own pace.
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