Public
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
San Antonio, Texas
Palo Alto College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
$10,911Annual Cost
$37,448Grad Salary
25.3%Pell Grant
Selectivity
Open Enrollment
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Avg Net Price
$4,374
Need-Based Aid
25.3% receive Pell
Palo Alto College serves San Antonio's south side with comprehensive programs. Established in 1985, PAC features the Performing Arts Center.
The college excels in Mexican-American studies and cybersecurity programs. PAC's 'Guadalupe Scholars' program supports student success.
Palo Alto College Acceptance Rate
Palo Alto College runs an open-access admission policy — with a 100% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Open Enrollment
Selectivity scale: Open Enrollment — rate not reported
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Slightly below-average GPA? A strong test score or clear leadership track record can still keep you competitive.
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Palo Alto College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Palo Alto College follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Palo Alto College reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Check Your Admission Chances at Palo Alto College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Palo Alto College's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Palo Alto College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Palo Alto College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Palo Alto College Without SAT or ACT?
Palo Alto College's test-score policy isn't published. As a default, submit your score only if it's at or above the state/national average — a below-average score can work against you.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Palo Alto College
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Palo Alto College provides an open gateway to higher education. Success here is about using available resources well and planning your longer-term academic or career path.
Use the "Golden Ticket" reserved-seat program if your high school is one of PAC's seven named ISD partners - it's a real, structural admission set-aside, not informal priority
PAC explicitly reserves up to SEVEN nursing seats per cohort (one per partner ISD: East Central, Edgewood, Harlandale, Somerset, South San, Southside, and Southwest ISDs), each Golden Ticket recipient determined directly by their own school district. A high school student in one of these seven specific districts pursuing nursing should ask their school counselor directly about Golden Ticket nomination, since this is a separate, district-administered selection process running parallel to PAC's general competitive ranking - not something a student applies for independently through PAC's standard nursing application.
Understand the precise cohort math: 30 total seats split into 23 competitively-ranked plus up to 7 reserved Golden Ticket seats, with unclaimed Golden Tickets reverting to the general ranked list
PAC structures each nursing cohort as 23 seats filled by the standard Application Ranking Point System PLUS up to 7 additional Golden Ticket seats - but if a Golden Ticket recipient fails to meet minimum entrance criteria by the application deadline, that seat reverts to the NEXT general applicant on the competitive ranking list, not to an alternate Golden Ticket nominee. A general (non-Golden-Ticket) applicant should understand their realistic odds may improve slightly if a Golden Ticket seat reverts, making the competitive pool effectively up to 30 seats in practice, not strictly capped at 23.
Calculate science prerequisite GPA against the specific 2.6 floor and 5-year currency window - both apply only to science courses, not the full prerequisite set
PAC requires a GPA calculated SPECIFICALLY from science prerequisites (not overall GPA) to be 2.6 or higher, with those same science courses required to have been taken within the last 5 years. A student with strong non-science prerequisite grades but weaker or older science coursework should calculate this narrower science-only GPA explicitly, since it's the determining number for this specific threshold - a strong overall GPA doesn't substitute for a weak science-specific GPA here.
Plan for a maximum of THREE entrance-exam attempts - and know the exam must be taken in person at a proctored site
PAC's nursing entrance assessment must be taken IN PERSON at a proctored testing site (not remotely), with explicit minimum scores required on a "given attempt" for the application to be considered, and a hard cap of only THREE total attempts allowed. A student should treat each of their three attempts seriously and prepare substantially between sittings, since running out of attempts without reaching the minimum threshold forecloses this nursing cycle entirely, not just delays it.
Expert Insight:
PAC's nursing application requires a written response addressing "Why do you want to be a nurse?" and "Describe your support system" specifically - the second prompt is an unusual, explicit ask about a student's personal support network, distinct from typical motivation-focused nursing essays at peer institutions. A student should prepare a genuine, specific answer about their actual support system (family, work flexibility, childcare arrangements, etc.) rather than treating it as a throwaway question, since PAC's program staff use it as part of the ranked application review, not just a formality.
Palo Alto College Profile
Full Name
Palo Alto College
City
San Antonio
State
Texas
ZIP Code
78224-2499
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a Palo Alto College Degree Worth It?
Whether Palo Alto College is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals — here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $43,600, with a graduate unemployment rate of 4.23%.
How much does a degree from Palo Alto College Cost?
The sticker price is $10,911/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is closer to $4,374.
25.3% of students receive a Pell Grant and 2.1% take federal loans at Palo Alto College — file your FAFSA early and list Palo Alto College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Palo Alto College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $37,448 — somewhat below the U.S. median graduate income of $40,595.
Degree Programs at Palo Alto College
Associate Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Palo Alto College Admissions
Median earnings for Palo Alto College graduates sit around $37,448 a year.
At about $10,911 a year, Palo Alto College is on the more affordable end.
About 25.3% receive a Pell Grant at Palo Alto College — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
Palo Alto College follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.