The Californian college is definitely a top consideration when it comes to public schools. Pierce College is highly esteemed in California and upholds its name through well-developed courses and delivery. The diverse student culture is another key takeaway from discussions about Pierce College.
Here’s more about Pierce College that you ought to know.
What Is Pierce College?
Pierce College is a public community college located in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California. It is part of the Los Angeles community college district and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
It was established in around 1947 and now serves an average of 2200 students per semester.
Pierce College is popular in the nation for the quality of its programs and the effort made in helping students, families, and the community to grow.
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What Is It Like Studying At Pierce College?
Pierce College promotes an equitable, diverse environment for teaching, learning, and collaborative decision-making. However, life at L.A. Pierce College is not all about books, there’s also a great deal of fun and entertainment. There are a variety of activities where students can find fun such as gaming, music, sports, like biking, skating, and other athletic games like football. Students also join a variety of clubs in the school.
They enjoy the benefits of suburban and city life in sunny Southern California. One of the popular and convenient activities is visiting various local restaurants at San Fernando Valley with friends and families. A trip to the ice cream store is especially popular during the hot summer months.
If craving for more fun and excitement, Downtown Los Angeles events and venues are a quick drive away. It is just convenient to live close to the major city that houses concerts of popular artists.
Students living on a tight budget also have room for fun by retreating to the stand-by fun day at the beach.
Why Should I Enrol At Pierce College?
The college creates quality educational opportunities for a diverse community and learners to thrive in an evolving world. The various learning opportunities align with the students’ education and careers as well as the workforce.
Los Angeles Pierce College ensures continuous improvement in all endeavors to align with economic development.
What Are The Requirements I Need To Enrol Into Pierce College?
It is important that you read carefully through the criteria below first before you decide to apply for admission to Pierce College.
The applicant should be at least 18 years of age and above must have graduated from high school successfully or must have earned a GED. If you are an international student i.e. living outside the United States, consider attending through the International Education program. This program offers professional and technical training, English courses, and high school completion opportunities.
Once you meet the above criteria, you can then start applying and this is just as easy as when using an online application or completing an online admission.
The applications for admissions are only valid until a year. So in case you applied and your application has exceeded a year and has not attended yet, then you will be required to reapply.
For the new students and returning students who last attended Pierce College four or more years ago, you must apply.
There are various types of applications on the Online Admissions Applications website and these include;
- Academic applications for those seeking transfer degrees.
- Professional or Technical applications for those seeking a degree or certificate in the technical and professional field such as business administration, accounting, nursing etc
- Baccalaureate in case you seek a Bachelor’s degree
- Transitional studies for those whose courses are at pre-college level
- Finally, Non-Award Seeking if you don’t intend to get a degree or certificate
For Running Start students, please click “Academic” in the online admissions application and then select the Running Start option.
How Can I Determine My Pierce College Placement?
Do you need help in your college placement? We have Testing Centers at Pierce Fort Steilacoom and Pierce Puyallup and these serve new and current students, as well as community members. The help offered by these Testing Centers includes; your college placement, a chance to earn a GED, and exams (proctor tests) for your L.A. Pierce College courses or courses from other schools for college credit. The Testing Centers also maintain a secure, standardized testing environment.
The test takers must adhere to the following during testing though:
- A picture ID is required for those taking proctored tests and you should know that no exceptions will be made. You also need to note that; “some tests would need you to present specifically your government issued Ids”.
- Payment for the tests should be at the campus cashier’s and this should be before the assessment. Once payment is done, there’s no refunding.
- You are not allowed to bring your belongings inside the Testing Center so lockers will be available for everyone to keep your personal belongings. Don’t bring children into the Testing Center.
- You are also advised to save enough time to complete your test before the center closes.
How Much Tuition Does Pierce College Charge?
Tuition for Pierce College at JBLM is calculated using a flat per-credit rate. Additional fees are required for some courses such as lab fees and candela fees; however, these are not included in the tuition schedule.
There is no tuition for the bachelor courses as they are not available at Pierce College. Running Start students and Continuing Education classes are prone to other charges.
However, we shall calculate the tuition and fees based on the cost of attendance. The estimated cost of attendance includes the costs of tuition, books, and other living expenses for the full academic year.
The figures will defer depending on the level of enrolment, residency status, course fees, and other factors.
Below is the estimated total for the costs of attendance in Pierce College for the year 2024-22.
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For residents/ In-state students:
Dependant student living with a parent
- Tuition (estimated full time): $5,586
- Books and supplies: $1,000
- Room and Board: $3,516
- Transportation: $1,260
- Personal expenses: $2,000
- Total estimated costs: $13,362
Independent student living with parents
- Tuition (estimated full time): $5,586
- Books and supplies: $1,000
- Room and Board: $8,484
- Transportation: $1,670
- Personal expenses: $2,050
- Total estimated costs: $18,790
Not living with parents (both dependant and dependant)
- Tuition (estimated full time): $5,586
- Books and supplies: $1,000
- Room and Board: $10,650
- Transportation: $1,260
- Personal expenses: $2,250
- Total estimated costs: $20,746
Seeking bachelor’s degree
- Tuition (estimated full time): $6,781
- Books and supplies: $1,000
- Room and Board: $10,650
- Transportation: $1,260
- Personal expenses: $2,250
- Total estimated costs: $21,941
For Non-residents
Dependant student living with a parent
- Tuition (estimated full time): $5,892
- Books and supplies: $1,000
- Room and Board: $3,516
- Transportation: $1,260
- Personal expenses: $2,000
- Total estimated costs: $13,668
Independent student living with parent
- Tuition (estimated full time): $5,892
- Books and supplies: $1,000
- Room and Board: $848
- Transportation: $1,670
- Personal expenses: $2,050
- Total estimated costs: $11,460
Not living with parent (both dependant and dependant)
- Tuition (estimated full time): $5,892
- Books and supplies: $1,000
- Room and Board: $10,650
- Transportation: $1,260
- Personal expenses: $2,250
- Total estimated costs: $29,596
Seeking bachelor’s degree
- Tuition (estimated full time): $7,804
- Books and supplies: $1,000
- Room and Board: $10,650
- Transportation: $1,260
- Personal expenses: $2,250
- Total estimated costs: $22,964
NOTE: You must also know that the fees and tuition are subject to changes made by the Pierce College Board of Trustees and the Washington State Legislature. Endeavor to visit the Treasurer’s office website in case of any changes.
Can I Get Scholarships For Pierce College?
Pierce College is committed to reducing the financial barriers that may hinder our student’s success in the classroom. Therefore, several grants are laid on the table for Washington Resident students to come and feast on. However, it is not everyone’s meal as these grants are offered under extenuated circumstances.
These grants include:
The Pierce College Grant
This is an institutional grant that is free for the receiver. You can get it as long as you are a resident in Washington State with high financial needs. The Financial Aid Office will determine your eligibility and qualification.
The Pierce College Tuition Waiver
This is also available for the residents in Washington State with financial needs but this only applies to the tuition fees and no refunds will be issued on awards exceeding tuition costs. Meaning that the students will have to pay for the other costs including mandatory and course fees.
For one to be eligible, you must also submit a FAFSA or WASFA application.
For more information on L.A. Pierce College Foundation Scholarships, visit Foundation Scholarships.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is designed to assist undergraduates with the highest level of financial need. Award amounts will vary depending on the availability of funds and students’ EFC.
For one to be eligible for the award; you need to file a FAFSA form annually and you must be at least enrolled in 6 credits
Federal Pell Grant
This is offered to undergraduate students with financial needs and also helps them to access post-secondary education. However, it is available to students who are undergraduates pursuing their first undergraduate degree (they must not be enrolled in a professional program), and the students must complete a FAFSA Application annually.
This award will be given depending on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) where the smaller the EFC, the larger the award, and this award is given up to a maximum of 6 years.
Students who want to claim the maximum award eligibility should be enrolled full time i.e. 12 credits or more, those enrolled in 9-11 credits will get 75% of their maximum eligibility, from 6-8 credits “50% of the maximum”, then for those in less than 6 credits will get the minimum.
Washington College Grant
The Washington College Grant is a state grant program that is designed for Washington residents with exceptional financial needs.
For the student to be eligible, then, you must meet these requirements; Have a family income that is equal to or less than 70 percent of the state median, be pursuing a certificate or an Associate’s Degree. Not be pursuing a degree in theology.
Finally, endeavor to file either the FAFSA or WASFA application annually. This award is offered to students for a maximum of 5 years or 125% of their academic track.
Washington State Passport for Foster Youth
The Passport for Foster Youth Scholarship is designed to offer scholarships to foster youth formally under foster care and these can receive up to a maximum of $4500 annually.
Students lying in the following category are the only ones eligible for the award; you must have been dependent on the state of Washington and in foster care after the age of sixteen, you should be a resident of the state of Washington if you have a bachelor’s degree or are pursuing a degree in theology, then, you are not eligible, you must file FAFSA form annually and the students must also their passport consent form.
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How To Apply For Scholarships In Pierce College
- To get started, one must first apply for Admissions to Pierce College.
- Apply for Financial Aid. Here, you have to submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid) Application. It is not necessary for you to complete both applications, one is enough. Finishing the 2024/2024 FAFSA/WASFA application is your ticket to receiving financial aid for Summer Quarter 2024 and beyond, therefore endeavour to finish one of the two applications not forgetting to include the Pierce College school code on that application. The school code is 005000.
- Next is to send your application to the school electronically within 5-7 working days after you are done with your application. The Financial Aid office will receive your application and you should be able to receive a notification from them containing what next steps you should follow. Once all the required documentation s submitted to the Financial Aid office, the entire processing could take up to four weeks. This means that you have to make a follow up so that you are informed in case of anything on your student account. To continue receiving financial aid, you have to keep on completing the FAFSA/WAFSA application.
- Check Your Financial Aid Application Status. We want to inform whoever it concerns that we have replaced our old financial aid portal with ctcLink. So to check your financial status, you have to use the portal and login to ctcLink. The Financial Aid tile in ctcLink is now the primary communication tool regarding your financial aid. You can check for your financial aid award after you have logged in. It is important to submit all the required documentation immediately to avoid delays in processing your financial aid.
- After all the processing of your documents and you’ve been verified you shall receive the aid. As we have already seen above, the aid you receive will depend and vary according to your enrolment where those with 12+ credits will receive maximum aid “full time enrolment”. In case you want to change your enrolment schedule to fewer credits, then you need to inform the Financial Aid office as soon as possible so that you can avoid delays in financial aid disbursements.
- Finally, you need to manage your account. Make sure that you maintain the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) so that you can keep receiving the aid. Only those who manage to make it to the required grades will be eligible but failures will be thrown out of the aid bracket.
What Are The Pierce College Rankings?
L.A. Pierce College is recognized as one of the top transfer schools in California, ranking in the top 10% transfers into the California State University and the top 11% into the University of California among all the 116 community colleges.
It was also ranked top community college for veterans in the state 4th in the nation, thanks to the college’s high-quality education and support services they offer to the military-affiliated students.
In addition to that, Pierce College ranked 1st community college for veterans in the state. Los Angeles Pierce College embraces itself with pride for being named Washington’s top “two-year” college for veterans in a comprehensive annual list by “The Military Times”.
Pierce College was ranked 1st “four-year college” in Washington and 55th in the nation for offering three Bachelor of Applied Science degrees in dental hygiene, teaching, and homeland security emergency management making it now compete in the four-year college category.
Recently, Pierce College was named the top community college in the state for veterans in a comprehensive annual list by the Military Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Los Angeles Pierce College Associated Student Organization (ASO)
About 22,000 students each semester.
Yes
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California
Yes
Conclusion
As we have read in the article, it is so obvious that Pierce College is a college you cannot leave out if you are looking for the best in the United States. We are certain that this article has been of great help.
You can write your comments below so that we can be able to give you the best of our services and we also enjoy reading your comments.
References
- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/
- Pierce College: https://piercecollege.edu/
- Niche: https://www.niche.com/
- Colleges Imply: https://www.collegesimply.com/
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