Los Angeles Trade Tech Presentation

Financial Websites

Credit Bureaus

Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax are websites to the 3 major credit bureaus.
You may use this links to better associate yourself with the services provided by the credit bureaus and to help maintain good credit.

Credit Unions

The credit union website, www.creditunion.coop/cu_locator/index.html provides many tools and ideas to help in savings and locating a credit union in a certain area as well as applying to join one.

Financial Planning

• The website to H&R Block www.hrblock.com offers financial planning services, tax information and classes, and budgeting advice and tools.

• http://finacialplan.about.com  Provides comprehensive information about planning a budget and provides access to printer friendly worksheets.

• www.primerica.com   Provides financial education for families. Families learn how money works, how to reduce debt, and are offered Financial Needs Analysis.
  

Enrollment in Community Colleges

enrollment while in high school

Some community colleges will allow you to enroll in community college classes while you are a local high school student. Sometimes the classes you successfully complete will be used to meet high school subject requirements. In other cases this work will be pursued as college-level work. The college or university where you enroll will determine whether to accept work you completed while in high school.

The admission requirements for students who are still in high school vary from college to college. If you are interested in enrolling in courses at a community college while still in high school, you should contact your high school counselor for the availability of programs and their requirements.

 LA Trade Tech

how to apply

Applying to a California Community College is simple. There are two easy ways to apply: online or paper. You can apply online to attend more than two thirds of the California Community Colleges. Other colleges have their own online applications.

The second way to apply is with a paper application. Each community college may have its own paper application so you should contact the admissions office or check the college's website for the form.

Although the California Community Colleges enroll students year-round, you should still apply as early as possible. If you have questions or if you would like to talk to someone about whether attending a community college is right for you, contact the college's counseling office to make an appointment.

transcript requirements

Transcripts are required at most community colleges if you are planning on transferring to a four-year college, including a CSU or UC campus. The campuses evaluate your official college transcripts when they prepare a general education certification.

Even if transcripts are not required, many colleges request transcripts. Your transcript can help your advisor or counselor understand your academic background as the two of you discuss which classes to take and majors or programs that might meet your needs. Bring your transcript along when you meet with your counselor or advisor. It is also a good idea for you to keep your own copy of your college transcript to reference.

If you are under 18, you will need to have your high school send an official copy of your transcript to verify your graduation from high school. Be sure to check with the admission or counseling offices to see whether you must submit official college transcripts.

application processing

The processing of your application usually only takes a few days. The admissions requirements for a California Community College make it easy for most applicants to qualify, so most of the processing involves creating a new record for your enrollment.

Why might it take more time to process your application? First, your admission may be delayed if you did not provide all the information required on the application or if you failed to sign the application. Some online applications may require you to send in an additional page with your signature, so be sure to do so. Second, applying late may delay your registration. Finally, during some times of the year, it may take longer to complete the process.

Don't forget these tips:

• Applying early helps you and the college
• If you don't understand a question on the admission application, ask your counselor for help
• Sign your application

when to apply

You can file an application to attend a California Community College at almost any time. Most colleges encourage you to apply as early as possible. However, many colleges will accept an application right up to the beginning of classes.

One advantage of applying earlier is that you can often register for classes much earlier. This may mean that you will have a better choice of classes. Also, most colleges have an assessment requirement and applying early provides time to meet this requirement.

Be sure to check with the college in which you are interested for its application deadline. Then check on other college requirements you must complete prior to starting classes. Contact the admissions office for details.

assessment requirements

Most California Community Colleges have an assessment (placement) requirement for certain classes. These assessments are used to place you into the correct class based upon your skills and abilities. Even if you have taken an assessment test at another college your new college may require their own assessment. Hold on to your assessment test results in case you change colleges.

At the time you are admitted, the college will inform you of any assessment requirement. Colleges may require you to sign up for one or more assessments. You may also find assessment requirement information in each college's schedule of classes. If a class requires an assessment test before enrollment, you will not be allowed to register for that class until you have met the assessment requirement.

Our best advice is to take the assessment test as early as possible, and to take it seriously. It won't hurt to refresh your memory before you take an assessment test. Doing your best on an assessment test can make a big difference on the number of classes you may need to take. Plus, if you delay taking any required assessment tests, it may delay your ability to register for classes.

applying to take classes while in high school

If you want to take classes while in high school, community colleges require approval of your high school principal or counselor. Some colleges have a special form for this approval and others accept a form that your high school creates. In some cases you may be required to complete a special high school application. Due to the special approvals, most of the time you are not able to apply online.

Each college and high school establishes the requirements for high school students to enroll in a community college course. There are also limits on the number of courses you can take in a given term. The best source of information for high school/community college programs will be your high school counselor or a counselor at the community college. Check with your counselor to determine whether your units will be counted towards high school or college.