College of the Canyons (CC) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

If there is one institution that epitomizes the past and present of the Santa Clarita Valley, College of the Canyons is that institution. In the late 1960s, residents of this valley, which was then a sleepy location hardly recognizable from the fast-paced metropolis it is today, voted for the creation of a junior college. The voting took place in 1967, the very same year in which the master-planned community of Valencia was beginning to take shape.

The college was initially known as the Santa Clarita Valley Junior College District and it opened its doors to the first batch of students in September 1969. The first campus was located inside Hart High School and, while this allowed the college to commence activities immediately, it also limited the college

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Information Summary

Ranks 179th in California and 2224th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	60.2
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$3,073
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	28 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	76% / 50%
Enrollment Total (all students)	20,850

Academics

The two words that describe the academic programs are ambitious and comprehensive. Ambitious because the school started without a physical structure it could call its own, yet comprehensive because it started with more than 150 diverse classes. Some of the courses that were offered at the college

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

Admissions are open and non-competitive. New students are required to take the college

Financial Aid

Students have many sources of financial aid. A student could apply for federal grants (such as Pell Grants and the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants). The supplemental grants are meant to relieve the financial obligations of low-income students whose financial needs are considered exceptional. The California Student Aid Commission also offers grants to needy students – the Cal Grants.

Apart from grants (which do not have to be repaid), there are low-interest student loans which are supported by the federal government and whose repayment terms are flexible. Students can also apply for work study programs which enable the student to pursue studies while working part-time. Other forms of financial aid available to students include scholarships and the Board of Governors Enrollment Fee Waiver (a program that gives the board of governors the power to waive enrollment fees for qualified students).

To obtain financial aid, a student is required to apply through the U.S. Department of Education

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 5787th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in California.

Students

Students have a say in the way the college is run through the Associated Student Government, a body that exists to promote student welfare. Among its many objectives, this student body is expected to guarantee equality of opportunity among students and to present student views to the college administration.

The activities of student clubs and organizations are governed by the Students Development Office and, while there are in excess of 30 clubs and organizations that a student could join, the college encourages students to develop new clubs, organizations and special interest groups.

Students with various physical challenges are taken care of by the Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSP&S). For the visually impaired, this department ensures that alternate media is available such as Braille, electronic text, books on tape or providing material in large print.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Athletics

Physical activity is an integral part of student activity and the college is home to many state-of-the art sporting facilities. Some of these include the Cougar Cage, a 3,000-seat gymnasium that is used by the basketball and volleyball teams.

Cougar Stadium, which was built in 1969 (but has benefited from many face lifts over the years) has a seating capacity of 7,500 and is home to the college

Additional School Information

To serve the Santa Clarita community, the college runs the Small Business Development Center whose mandate is to offer free assistance and guidance to emerging businesses. Similar services are offered by the college

College of the Canyons