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Hartnell College - Panther Prep

Hartnell College Panther Prep is an enrollment support program for high school students who plan to attend Hartnell.

In simple terms, it’s a guided “college transition” experience that helps you complete all the steps needed to become a Hartnell student before classes start.

What Panther Prep does

Through Panther Prep, Hartnell staff help students:

Apply to Hartnell College
Finish online orientation
Set up student accounts (email, registration systems, etc.)
Meet with a counselor to build an education plan
Register for first-semester classes early (priority registration)

Panther Prep events

Usually held in the spring ( April) as “Panther Prep Day” events
Run in partnership with local high schools
Include workshops, counseling appointments, and registration help
Designed for first-time college students (mainly graduating seniors)

Why it matters

The big benefit is priority registration, meaning students who complete Panther Prep often get earlier access to classes, which helps them avoid classes filling up.

Here are some tips to help you understand your options for fiancial aid awards.

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate for the cost to live and go to school. Compare the components (tuition & fees, books & supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses) between schools. Tuition is the only COA component that is not estimated. The other costs may change based on a student's living situation (roommates, transportation needs, etc.).
The cost of housing & food is a large part of the college expenses. Compare cost of living (rent and food) for the different choices of colleges.
The real out-of-pocket expense is the cost of living and tuition minus offered gift aid. Evaluate and understand your student's offer letter. Gift aid, like grants and many scholarships, does not require repayment. Loans are repayable. Work-study requires work.
Cal Grants and Middle Class Scholarships are available at all California colleges. If your student is eligible for these CA state grants, they will follow the student to their school of choice even if they do not initially show on their financial aid offer letter.
Many colleges provide institutional aid only for the 1st year. Confirm with the financial aid office that funding for all awards is renewable for your student for all four undergraduate years. This will help them understand their real four-year total out-of-pocket cost.
Will your student be commuting to school and incurring additional costs? Evaluate the need for transportation for your student's college living situation.