Student Success and Support Program
The Student Success and Support Program offers services that help students attain educational and career goals. The services are designed to match abilities and personal goals with the college’s curriculum, programs, and services.
Student Success and Support Program services are intended to help students make informed decisions as they develop an educational plan.
These services support educational development and recognize each student’s worth.
Students are expected to participate in a number of steps to be eligible for priority registration.
Steps to Enrollment
Step 1. File a college application and declare one of these goals:
- Associate degree and transfer to a university
- Associate degree in a career technical program
- Associate degree in a general education program
- Certificate in a career technical program
- Transfer to a university without an associate degree
Step 2. Prepare and test
Placement is based on multiple measures, including assessment tests. It is important to prepare for the assessment tests by reviewing material prior to taking the test. Preparation materials are available online at www.elcamino.edu/studentservices/assessmenttesting. Take appropriate placement tests and consult with an academic counselor. Placement testing is available in the Assessment/ Testing Center, SSVC 217. English or ESL and mathematics assessment should be completed before attempting to register in classes. Please read the “Assessment Procedures” on the following page, for more information about specific placement or specialized tests.
Students must have transcripts or grade slips from all colleges attended before making a counseling appointment. English, mathematics, or other courses completed with a grade of C or better at an accredited college may be used to meet prerequisites or corequisites if the completed courses are equivalent to El Camino College courses. High school transcripts may be used as part of multiple measures. Official transcripts must be mailed from each high school, college, or university to the Records Office.
Step 3: Participate in New Student Orientation
New students must attend a New Student Orientation session or complete the online orientation (https://ecc-portal.elcamino.edu/) in order to complete the Student Success Support Program process. The New Student Orientation is intended for students who have not attended college before. The orientation will teach students about educational options and important guidelines for achieving academic goals.
Step 4: Educational planning with a counselor and follow-up
All new students are required to meet with a counselor prior to registration to develop an educational plan. Continuing students should meet with a counselor at least once a year as part of the Student Success Support Program process. During this meeting, students will complete a written educational plan, which is a list of recommended courses for students to take to reach their educational goal. Any concerns regarding the Student Success Support Program process may be addressed with the Dean of Counseling and Student Success. A formal grievance must follow the policy and procedures outlined in this catalog.
For the non-matriculant student:
All services and classes are open to general admission students. If students do not wish to matriculate, they will nonetheless be provided full access to services and classes at El Camino College. General admission students will not be required to complete the Student Success Support Program process.
Orientation
All students are required to participate in orientation to become familiar with the college and its resources. New Student Orientation is offered online (https://ecc-portal.elcamino.edu/) and on campus. Special orientation sessions are arranged for high school students through their high schools. Orientations may be arranged for students who participate in support programs, such as Honors Transfer, First Year Experience, EOPS, Financial Aid, students with a disability, athletes, and international students.
Assessment/Testing
Students are highly encouraged to review or prepare before taking placement tests. Students’ performance on the placement tests determines the course level in which they will enroll. Information regarding the tests and preparation is available at: www.elcamino.edu/studentservices/assessmenttesting.
Assessment Procedures
Placement in English, English as a Second Language (ESL), mathematics, and chemistry courses is based upon assessment, which includes placement test scores and other multiple measures such as previous courses completed and grades received in those courses, use of skills at work, and work-related training. Refer to course descriptions in the El Camino College Catalog to find out which placement tests are required or recommended for the courses you wish to take. After you receive your testing results, you should arrange to see a counselor for help in planning your program.
In order to begin this process, you must first apply online and have an El Camino College application on file. Next, complete your placement tests at the Assessment/Testing Center located in Room 217 of the Student Services Center. A photo ID, such as a driver’s license, and El Camino College ID number (the number received at the time of application) are required to test or obtain copies of past test results. Most of the placement tests are computerized and must be completed before registering for courses. Re-testing is limited and may not be done after enrollment into any course related to the test.
English Placement Test
The computerized English Placement Test should be completed before registering and may not be repeated once enrolled into both English course sequences at El Camino College. You should complete this test for any course that has an English course as a prerequisite, corequisite, or recommended preparation. If you have satisfactory grades in English courses from an accredited college or university, you should present a grade slip or transcript of those courses to your counselor for placement evaluation. High school courses completed or ACT/SAT verbal scores may NOT take the place of the English Placement Test, but may be used as part of your overall assessment.
In order to begin the testing process, you will first need to file your application online. For testing, you will need a photo ID (such as a driver’s license), your El Camino College ID number, and a pen.
After you receive your test results, a further review of your placement recommendation may be requested. Information and appropriate petition forms are available from the Assessment/Testing Center.
English as a Second Language (ESL) Test
A student who has no knowledge of English may participate in the assessment process and may enroll in courses as recommended. However, prospective students should be aware that the lowest level ESL courses at El Camino College do NOT start at the very beginning, and all ESL courses are taught in English.
The ESL Placement Test should be completed before registering. Students must complete this test for any course that has an ESL course as a prerequisite. Because of the variability in curriculum, ESL classes taken at another institution cannot be used alone to determine placement.
In order to begin the testing process, you will first need to file your application online. For testing, you will need a photo ID (such as a driver’s license), your El Camino College ID number, and a pen.
The ESL test is in two parts and requires two visits to campus. The first part is on a drop-in basis; the second part is by appointment only. Both parts MUST be completed before registering.
After you receive your test results, a further review of your placement recommendation may be requested. Information and appropriate petition forms are available from the Assessment/Testing Center.
Mathematics Placement Test
The computerized Mathematics Placement Test should be completed before registering in any mathematics course and may not be repeated once enrolled into the mathematics sequence at El Camino College. If you have satisfactory grades in mathematics courses from an accredited college or university, you should present a grade slip or transcript of those courses to your counselor for placement evaluation. High school courses completed or ACT/SAT math scores may NOT take the place of the Mathematics Placement Test, but may be used as part of the overall assessment. Mathematics assessment/placement results are generally valid for two years.
In order to begin the testing process, you will first need to file your application online. For testing, you will need a photo ID (such as a driver’s license), your El Camino College ID number, and a pen.
After you receive your test results, a further review of your placement recommendation may be requested. Information and appropriate petition forms are available from the Assessment/Testing Center.
Chemistry Placement Test
The Chemistry Placement Test should be completed before registering and may be taken only once. The test places a student either in Chemistry 1A or Chemistry 4.
Note: The test may not be taken if a student has ever enrolled in Chemistry 4. Previous high school or college chemistry courses do not necessarily qualify a student for Chemistry 1A. Students who have never taken a chemistry course or who want a beginning-level course should not test, but may enroll in Chemistry 4, 20, or 21A, depending upon their majors and completion of mathematics prerequisites.
In order to begin the testing process, you will first need to file your application online. For testing, you will need a photo ID (such as a driver’s license), your El Camino College ID number, and a pen.
After you receive your results, a further review of your placement recommendation may be requested. Information and appropriate petition forms are available from the Assessment/Testing Center.
Mathematics Competency Test
This test covers intermediate algebra and includes some coordinate geometry and trigonometry. If passed, the test may be used to satisfy the El Camino College mathematics competency graduation requirement (item 6 of Section A of the A.A./A.S. graduation requirements).
In order to begin the testing process, you will first need to file your application online. For testing, you will need a photo ID (such as a driver’s license), your El Camino College ID number, and a pen. Prior to testing, students must obtain a blue Math Competency Referral Form from the Assessment/ Testing Center and have a counselor sign off on it.
Information and appropriate petition forms for limited re-testing are available in the Assessment/Testing Center.
ATB (Ability-To-Benefit) Test
In order to be eligible to receive financial aid on or after July 1, 2012, students must have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent, such as a GED or CHSPE. An exception is made for students who have completed a secondary school education in a home school setting that is treated as a home school or private school under state law.
If students were enrolled into an eligible program prior to July 1, 2012, they can qualify for financial aid by passing an Ability-To-Benefit Test or by completing at least six units of post-secondary education. If the Financial Aid Office determines that a student is eligible to take an ATB Test, he/ she will be given a referral form. This form must be presented in person to the Assessment/Testing Center in order to make an appointment to take the ATB Test. All ATB Tests are administered by appointment only.
Waiver Exam for Contemporary Health
A waiver exam is available for Contemporary Health. Contact the Assessment/Testing Center for further information.
Educational Planning
All new students are required to obtain an abbreviated educational plan, which takes into account the students unique experiences and goals to plan the student’s first-semester classes. Continuing students are required to complete a comprehensive educational plan by the time they have completed 15 units or by the end of the third semester at El Camino College. The comprehensive educational plan includes all courses required for educational goal completion. Counseling appointments are made online (https://ecc-portal.elcamino.edu/). For more information on making a counseling appointment, please see the counseling webpage at www.elcamino.edu/studentservices/co/appointments.asp.
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