College Information
California Community Colleges
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, with 2.1 million students attending 116 colleges. Our colleges provide students with the knowledge and background necessary to compete in today’s economy. With a wide range of educational offerings, the colleges provide workforce training, basic courses in English and math, certificate and degree programs and preparation for transfer to four-year institutions.
Entrance Requirements
- Must be a high school graduate or 18 years of age
- Colleges will use multiple measures (e.g. test scores, senior year classes, grades, etc.) for Math and English placement.
- If you plan on transferring to a Four-Year College, you must enroll in transferable courses. Which transferable courses you take will depend on the college you plan on transferring to and your major, check with your counselor for more information.
Local Community Colleges: Santiago Canyon College, Santa Ana College, Irvine Valley College, Fullerton College
Community College Application Process
Explore Community Colleges in California
California State University (CSU)
The California State University is a leader in providing high-quality, accessible, student-focused higher education. The CSU offers unlimited opportunities to help students meet their personal and professional goals. Students can choose from among 23 campuses and over 1,800 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in some 240 subject areas.
Most applicants who are admitted meet the standards in each of the following areas:
- Specific high school courses (referred to as the "a-g" courses)
- Grades in "a-g" courses and test scores (link includes special note regarding test requirements for Fall 2021 applicants)
- Graduation from high school
Many CSU campuses have higher standards for particular majors or for students who live outside the local admission area. Because of the number of students who apply, several campuses have higher standards (supplementary admission criteria) for all applicants. Many CSU campuses utilize local admission guarantee policies for students who graduate or transfer from high schools and community colleges that are historically served by a CSU campus in that region. You may review the CSU Local Admission Areas for each campus here.
Local CSU Campuses: CSU Fullerton, Cal Poly Pomona, CSU Long Beach, CSU Dominguez Hills, CSU Los Angeles, San Diego State
CSU Eligibility Index Calculator
*Admission Updates related to COVID-19 and SAT/ACT requirements click here
University of California (UC)
The campuses of the University of California provide exciting environments that foster world-class educational and research opportunities and generate a wide range of benefits and services that touch the lives of Californians throughout the state.
The UC family includes more than 234,000 students, more than 207,000 faculty and staff, 50,000 retirees and more than 1.6 million living alumni.
Admission Requirements
If you're interested in entering the University of California as a freshman, you'll have to satisfy these requirements:
- Complete a minimum of 15 college-preparatory courses (a-g courses), with at least 11 finished prior to the beginning of your senior year.
- Earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better (3.4 if you're a nonresident) in these courses with no grade lower than a C.
- See UC website for updates regarding testing requirements.
About the Campuses
The web sites of individual UC campuses provide a wealth of information about their history, traditions, academic distinctions and social contributions as well as a compendium of facts, figures, maps and pictures. The links below will take you directly to each campus' "About UC" page:
Private Universities
In the U.S., many universities and colleges are private, meaning that they are not operated by the state/government. Given that universities don't receive state funding, the cost of tuition is generally higher than state colleges; however, financial aid and scholarships can help reduce the cost. Some of the most prestigious universities in the U.S. are private universities. Stanford University, Brown University, Columbia University, USC, Yale, and Harvard University are examples of private universities.
General Entrance Requirements
Private colleges and universities typically evaluate students using a holistic selection process. A holistic process includes subjective (i.e. personal accomplishments, extracurricular activities) as well as objective criteria (i.e. GPA, coursework, test scores), including at least one recommendation form, at least one untimed essay, and broader campus diversity considerations.
**Admission requirements and application deadlines will vary. Please check the admission page of the university you are interested in**
Local Private Universities: USC, Chapman University, Claremont Colleges, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, Whittier College
Quick Application Links
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