College Planning

1. 1. Choose the community college you want to attend. Check out the California Community Colleges website.
   2. Complete the application for the community college you plan to attend. You can submit the application online after winter break. All students are accepted to community college, so just fill in the application and click submit!
   3. Sign up for placement exams at the Community College. Find out how to sign up by checking your community college’s web-site. All students will need to take placement exams before registering for classes.
   4. Contact the Counseling Office at the Community College you plan to attend to make an appointment for Orientation.
   5. Don’t Miss This Step!!! ALL students must also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Dream Act by March 2.
   6. Check out Cal Grant website
   7. Begin to research scholarships. See the Scholarships section of this newsletter.

There are no requirements to attend a community college. However, you do want to be prepared for college level classes by taking advanced Math and Science courses if you can. You PAY for college. The more you learn in high school while it’s free, the less time and money you’ll spend in college.

To qualify for Federal Financial Aid and CAL GRANTS, you have to have a high school diploma or GED.

California Student Housing for Community Colleges

WICHE’s student exchange programs provide residents of the Western Interstate Commission with affordable access to some really wonderful colleges and universities. WUE, the Western Undergraduate Exchange, is a very cool option for students who are considering moving out of California for college. As stated on the website:

Students who are residents of WICHE states are eligible to request a reduced tuition rate of 150% of resident tuition at participating two- and four-year college programs outside of their home state.

• • The WUE reduced tuition rate is not automatically awarded to all eligible candidates. You must apply separately from your admissions application. Many institutions limit the number of new WUE awards each academic year, so apply early!
  • WICHE members include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the U.S. Pacific territories and freely associated states.

Visit the WICHE website to check out all participating academic institutions. In essence, the WUE provides more or less the same rate as if one were to pay for out-of-state tuition for the first year, then establish residency and pay the in-state tuition for the next three years. In many cases, this total amount is a little less expensive than attending a California State University. Just be sure to apply as a WUE applicant!