Frequently Asked Questions

The first step is to apply online to Fullerton College.  We start accepting applications October 15th for Summer/Fall term and September 15th for the Spring term.  For additional steps, view our Getting Started tab from the Counseling Department website and select the appropriate student category that pertains to you.

If you are undecided but have a broad goal of either earning an associate’s degree and/or transferring to a university, in order to complete a degree you can work on foundation courses in English, Reading and Math (depending on your assessment/placement), as well as general education courses until you decide on a major.  A general education pattern to start with if you are unsure of your educational and career goal(s) is IGETC (Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum).  Go to Articulation website for GE patterns, transfer major preparation guidesheets, links and other related resources.

Due to the state mandated AB 705 bill, our assessment process is going through a transition. Beginning Nov. 19 2018 we will be using high school coursework, grades, and GPA to place students into Math, English and Reading courses instead of a standardized test. More detailed information about where and how to submit transcripts can be found here and here.

Fullerton College accepts assessments results from other California community colleges, provided they were completed within the past 2 years.  Bring your test results to the counseling office for a counselor review to determine clearances.

Also be aware that, due to the state mandated AB 705 bill, our assessment process is going through a transition. Beginning Nov. 19 2018 we will be using high school coursework, grades, and GPA to place students into Math, English and Reading courses instead of a standardized test. More detailed information about where and how to submit transcripts will be released soon.

New students should complete the online orientation prior to taking their assessment test.  The orientation may be found on your myGateway account, click on the ”Student“ tab, then click on the “Online Orientation” hyperlink.  For an example of this, please view Online Orientation Directions.

Your Permit to Register (Registration Appointment) is sent to the email address you have on record in myGateway.  You can also view the date and time by accessing the Registration Tools Box in myGateway and clicking Check Registration Appointment. You can register on this date and time and/or after (up until the day before the class begins).

If you skip one or more semesters (Fall and/or Spring), you are no longer considered a Continuing Student, and in order to get a registration appointment, you must first submit an application as a New/Returning Student.

A Waitlist is an electronic list of students who are petitioning a closed class.  Waitlisting does not guarantee enrollment into any class and not all classes have a waitlist.  A waitlisted student must meet all registration requirements for the class.  When myGateway shows that a class is closed, a student can choose the option to be placed on the waitlist, provided the class has a waitlist that is not full.

A waitlisted student must monitor his/her status on myGateway by checking under “Registration Tools” and clicking on “Check Waitlist Status”. The student will be noti­fied via Personal Announcement on myGateway if a seat becomes available. Once a notification is sent, a waitlisted student has 48 hours to add the class OR until midnight prior to the start of the class, whichever comes first. If the student does not register for the class section, his or her name is automatically removed from the waitlist and the next waitlisted student is notified.

If no seat becomes available before the first class meeting, waitlisted students MUST attend the first class meeting to request an Add Authorization code from the instructor. Be advised that although an instructor may give a waitlisted student an add authorization code, it is the student’s responsi­bility to officially add the class through myGateway.

For additional information regarding waitlists see the “Waitlists — Frequently Asked Questions” page at Admissions and Records.

Taking 12 units or more per semester is considered a full-time load.  For Financial Aid purposes, visit the Financial Aid website.

The district’s policy for the maximum number of units per semester is 19 units.

Students, who successfully completed the equivalent pre-requisite/co-requisite at another accredited college/university, will need to bring transcripts to the Fullerton College counseling center – unofficial transcripts are acceptable.  All coursework used to meet pre-requisite/co-requisite requirements must be completed; in progress work or grade cards will not be accepted.

It depends on the course(s) and the accreditation of the college.  We recommend securing transcripts before meeting with a counselor for a review of your records.  In certain circumstances, further steps may be needed for transcript evaluation.

The more information you can provide the counselor, the more valuable the counseling session will be. Other college transcripts are very important to insure that you are taking the right courses at Fullerton.  Although unofficial transcripts can be used to assist a counselor, the college needs official transcripts on record to give students credit for coursework completed another college.

A degree granted by community colleges upon completion of 60 degree applicable units, including general education, major, and applicable graduation requirements.

At Fullerton College, students can earn an associate degree in a specified program of study, totaling at least 60 units.  At a university students can earn a bachelor’s degree, which requires the completion of approximately 120-130 semester units.  Some students attend a community college before transferring to a university where they can adjust to a college environment, benefit from a smaller class size, complete general education and major preparation at a significantly lower cost.  At Fullerton College, students can generally complete the equivalent to their lower division (freshman and sophomore level) coursework toward their bachelor’s degree (up to 70 transferable units) and then transfer to a university to finish their upper division (junior and senior level) coursework.  Bachelor of arts and bachelor of science Ddegrees are offered by the California State Universities, the University of California and private four-year colleges and universities.

No.  The minimum requirements for an associate degree do not generally meet all the requirements for transfer to a university.  However, courses required for an associate degree can be integrated into your educational plan for students who would like to transfer and earn an associate’s degree.

Not necessarily.  We highly suggest you make an appointment to meet with a counselor to review your academic records.  You can make an appointment in person or call the Counseling Center at (714) 992-7084.

A degree granted by community colleges upon completion of 60 units of college level coursework, including general education (CSU/or IGETC pattern), major, and elective requirements.  In addition, it is also a transfer program you can participate in if you’re interested in transferring to the California State University System.  For additional information on “A Degree with a Guarantee” visit their website http://adegreewithaguarantee.com/.

It depends on the course.  All Fullerton College courses with course numbers 100 to 299 (ENGL 100 F OR MATH 251 F for example) transfer to the California State Universities (CSU).  The Fullerton College Catalog has descriptions that indicate how each course transfers.  For transfer to University of California (UC), please check the transfer designation under the course listing in our college catalog.  Click onto our current catalog here.  Another great resource to find out the transferability of courses from a California Community College to the California State University (CSU) and the University of California (UC) systems is the ASSIST website.

The Cadena Transfer Center is your home-base for transfer-related questions.  You’ll find catalogs, workshops, resources, and learn about upcoming transfer events.  If you would like more information, visit their website.

You may change your major by completing and submitting a “Student Information Change Form” to Admissions and Records. Please be advised that changing your major might affect your eligibility for financial aid with a select number of academic programs on campus.

In our Fullerton College Catalog, students can find requirements for our degrees and certificates.  Just go to the college’s website and click on the current college catalog.  Look under “Degrees and Certificates” for a list of the programs we offer.  Toward the back half of the catalog are course descriptions for the courses we offer (look under “Course Descriptions”).

New students starting at Fullerton College BEGINNING Fall 2021 or later or returning students who have lost/broken continuous enrollment prior to the 2021-2022 academic year – must complete CSU GE Area F – ETHNIC STUDIES (3 semester units minimum).  Students starting at Fullerton College BEFORE Fall 2021 and have maintained continuous enrollment – do not need to complete Area F.  Students should consult with a counselor to discuss this requirement

Choosing a major is an important decision, and it is always an advantage to decide on your major early so that you can complete the required courses for your chosen major. There are a number of ways you can get help deciding on your major.   We recommend enrolling in COUN 141 or COUN 151, or visiting the Career and Life Planning (CLP) Center in building 2000.  They provide workshops, resources, and various computerized career planning programs/tools.  For more information, visit their website.

A Student Educational Program Plan (SEPP) consists of courses to take to reach your educational goal.

Financial aid is available to many college students; all students are encouraged to look into and apply for federal financial aid via the  FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).  Our Financial Aid office is located on the 1^st floor of the 100 building (room 115), or visit their website for more information.

Students may repeat the same class no more than 2 additional times (total of 3 attempts) within the district (Fullerton and Cypress College).  After 3 unsuccessful attempts in the same class, registration for that course is automatically blocked.

Please note that a student who is currently enrolled in a course will not be able to re-enroll in that same course for a subsequent semester until the student receives a “W”, “D”, “F” or “NP”.

There are some courses where a “C” grade or better is required and there are some instances where “D” grades are sufficient as well. A “C-” or higher is needed in areas A1 ,A2,  A3 and B4 of the California State University (CSU) General Education pattern; all courses completed for  Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) must be “C” grade or better.  Courses that are specifically toward the major need to be “C” grade or better. There are other courses, majors and programs, and transfer requirements that require “C’s” or better.  Please check with a counselor if you have questions.

If you elect to repeat a class in which you initially received a “D” or “F” and then earn a better grade, once the better grade is posted, you may file an appeal to have the substandard grade excluded from your GPA.  Exclusion of a substandard grade is not automatic; students need to submit a completed Course Repeat Adjustment Request (formerly an Appeals Petition) to Admissions and Records.  While the substandard grade will be removed from being calculated into your GPA it remains on your transcript.  Nonetheless, repeating a class really helps improve your grade point average and is one reason why you may want to retake these classes.

Students may be awarded Academic Renewal, on a one time basis, to alleviate previous substandard work which is not reflective of their present level of performance.  To qualify, 12 months must have elapsed and at least 12 units completed with a 2.5 GPA in the subsequent courses.   Up to 24 units may be alleviated.  The substandard grade(s) will be removed from being calculated into your GPA but remain on your transcript.  See a counselor for more specifics.

While an instructor may drop a student who has poor attendance, it is the student’s responsibility to drop the course by the withdrawal deadline.  Failure to officially drop a class by the stated deadline may result in a failing grade.  In order to withdraw from a class, you must drop the course through myGateway.  Please refer to the drop deadlines listed in the current Class Schedule.

Log in to myGateway and click on “Student Records” in the Student Links Tab.  Generally grades are posted three weeks after the semester ends.

To request an official copy of your transcripts, go to the Admissions and Records Office and complete the transcript request form.  You may also obtain an unofficial copy of your transcripts by accessing myGateway.   Log in and click on “Student Records” in the Student Links Tab.  Here is Admissions and Records website for additional information.

If you have completed the requirements for an Associate degree, you may file a petition for graduation at Admissions and Records. Generally students apply for graduation at the beginning of the last semester in which they will be completing the requirements for graduation.   The graduation application can be located at Admissions and Records, Counseling Center and online here.  Check the calendars page of Fullerton College’s website for Graduation Application due dates.

Although participating in the commencement ceremony is optional, you are strongly encouraged to celebrate your achievement with family, friends, fellow graduates and college faculty.  Be aware that commencement is handled by the Associated Students Office and is a separate process from applying to graduate.