Community college is a great place to start your higher education and explore career opportunities.  

Step 1: Find a college/colleges you are interested in 

If you are not sure where to start, here is a “Find a College” tool for California. You can search by location and field of study.  

https://www.cccco.edu/Students/Find-a-College  

Step 2: Apply for your college of choice. 

Each college website will have an admissions tab where you can fill out an online application. You will need to create a username and password and have a reliable email account to link your application to for alerts and updates. You can choose a major during your application process or choose “undeclared” if you are still deciding. 

Step 3: Complete the FAFSA. 

This is the application for financial aid that needs to be completed in order to receive aid from state and federal programs.  

• There are deadlines for completing the applications for each school year.  

• The application MUST be completed each year by the deadline to be considered for financial aid. 

• IMPORTANT: Be careful what aid you accept. Loans are not free aid and must be paid back, with interest! 

Step 4: Meet with an academic advisor. 

• Once you apply and are accepted into to your college of choice, you will receive a student ID number by email. 

• Go to your school’s website and click on the current students or academics tab. 

• Look for an option that says counseling center, academic advisement, or something similar. 

• Make appointment by Zoom or in-person with an academic advisor. 

• This first appointment is important to do ahead of the semester start date and is usually a requirement for attendance as a new student.