Any good colleges near...Yosemite???

[JFS in IL]

We are going to California for vacation this June, including three days just outside Yosemite. I have such fond childhood memories of the place, i HAVE to get my Illinois -bred kids there or bust! DS, sophmore, has been looking through all my travel info on Yosemite and has stated that this will be the highlight of his trip, and can he take off and just hike by himself, etc (well, no!). But I told him to think of finding a college nearby to attend...so he could go to Yosemite and hike on breaks, maybe even get a summer job there. Boy, did his eyes light up!!!
First real interest in finding a potential college we've seen. So - any colleges near Yosemite?

[Laura Corin]

How near is near? A day's driving will take you to any of the Bay Area colleges (Santa Clara, Berkeley, Stanford...)

Laura

[Laurel-in-CA]

CSU Fresno is at the back "gateway" to Yosemite, straight up through Clovis and Coarse Gold. Someone just recommended Pacific Union College, which is in Napa...about 1/2 day drive. San Luis Obispo has (of course) Cal Poly. There are several other colleges in the central valley...not to mention the Bay area.

[Jenn in CA]

UC Merced just opened a few years ago. Merced is about 50 mi from Yosemite.

[Carol in Cal.]

I think that UC Irvine and Concordia Irvine are within cruising range as well.