Matriculation

Matriculation Staff Directory

• A clear and accessible Admissions process.
• Assessment of your academic skills through placement testing in math, English and reading. ESL has a different assessment process.
• An Orientation to college, the services we provide, and the policies in place that support your success.
• Counseling, Advising and Educational Planning so that you enroll in the correct courses and complete your academic program in the way that meets your unique needs.
• Follow-up Services when you are having academic difficulties and need some additional support.

YOUR PART OF THE PARTNERSHIP IS TO:

• Fill out and submit an application before registering for classes. See the Cabrillo College catalog, the Class Schedule or go to www.cabrillo.edu for methods of and locations for enrollment and registration
• Complete the assessment (placement test) before enrolling in classes
• Participate in an orientation to college (online, in-person or through a credit class)
• Declare an educational goal (AA degree, certificate, transfer agreement, etc.) in a reasonable amount of time after applying
• Meet with a counselor to develop an Education Plan and continue to meet with the counselor to keep on track
• Make reasonable progress toward your stated goal
• Meet with staff and utilize college support services when needed

In addition, Cabrillo College will 1) work with faculty to establish and review prerequisites and corequisites so that you are prepared for the best course for your skill level; 2) work with the college's research office to study matriculation services, review pre and co-requisites on a six year cycle and measure student success and satisfaction with the college's service; and 3) conduct staff training and development around matriculation-related issues.

ADMISSIONS
Matriculation requires that you have an accessible admissions process. We want it to be easy and clear. Applying can be done in different ways—online or with a paper application that is mailed, faxed or submitted in Aptos, Scotts Valley or Watsonville. This is the initial step in the matriculation process. Once your application has been processed, you have been admitted to Cabrillo College. Congratulations.

You hopefully will identify an education goal (transfer to a university, complete a career certificate, earn an Associates Degree,etc.) and select a major (business, dental hygiene, liberal arts,etc.) on your application. This makes you a matriculated student.

ASSESSMENT for Course Placement

Assessment is needed for all new students who intend to:

• Enter their first college English or math course
• Enroll in more than six units
• Satisfy math/English prerequisites

To a large degree, success in college is dependent upon you enrolling in courses that match your abilities and skills. The skills that are officially measured are English comprehension, reading and math. Some science classes also want you to have a certain level of math skills in order to enroll. These requirements are called prerequisites and corequisites and are discussed in more detail below.

The assessment tests can be taken on the computer or in a paper and pencil version in the Assessment Center or the Watsonville Center. During the spring semester, some high schools offer the Cabrillo assessment tests at their campus as part of a senior’s participation in Running Start, an early registration program for high school seniors. Check with your high school counselor for more information on Running Start.

The assessment tests are conducted in a group setting, in an official test environment and are timed. Additional indicators of your skills and knowledge that may have been gained elsewhere than in a classroom will be taken into consideration in the final placement score. These additional skills are referred to as “multiple measures” and are given a numerical value in the final score. Your assessment scores are put into the computer and indicate your placement level, and show whether you have satisfied the math and English prerequisites that some courses require. If you have not "placed into" the class you hoped to, you may reassess. If you still do not score where you had hoped for, you must take the class indicated on the score sheet.

The assessments are scheduled months in advance are are offered morning, afternoon, evenings and weekends. Check the schedule online for times in Aptos and Watsonville. Practice tests are available at the Assessment Center and online.

Assessment needs to be completed before registering for classes. You are able to re-assess one more time during a semester. There is no fee for the assessment test.

If you have a verified disability through a 504 Plan or you think you may have a learning disability that needs assessing and verification, please contact the Learning Skills Program. With a verifiable disability, you may be eligible for extended time on the assessment. For more information about any support services related to disabilities, contact Disabled Students Services and Programs (DSPS).

Students for whom English is a second language and who want to take English classes (ESL), Cabrillo has a self-placement assessment process. ESL students DO NOT take a placement test in order to enroll in classes. New students must attend an Information Session where information on each class level is provided. The students then select the appropriate class for their self-assessed skill level and register. Schedules for Information Sessions are available in Admissions and Records, the Assessment Office, the Watsonville Center and online at www.cabrillo.edu/assessment.

ORIENTATION
An orientation is required for new students. Orientation provides general information regarding Cabrillo College’s services and programs. It also describes your rights and responsibilities as a college student. You will learn about transfer and degree requirements, career programs and student services. The orientation requirement can be satisfied in several ways: online, in a group setting with a counselor, in a class that you enroll in for credit (CG 51) or in some particular programs. The counselor-led orientation follows many of the assessment sessions. You will receive your scores during the orientation where a counselor will explain how to read and understand them. This will help you select courses.

COUNSELING AND EDUCATIONAL ADVISING
An education plan is a multi-semester plan that combines general education, courses for the major, electives and other classes you might want to take. It is co-designed with you and a counselor, taking your work and family commitments into consideration. Counselors are aware of the cycle of classes offered at Cabrillo and will factor the timing of those offerings into the education plan. If you are planning to transfer to a four year university, the counselors are aware of the special requirements of the many different universities. These can be overwhelming and confusing without the assistance of a counselor. These requirements change frequently. Working with a counselor also allows you to revise your plan when circumstances change. Counselors can also assist you with the critical deadlines needed for transfer agreements, transfer applications and financial aid. An education plan allows you to register easily without consulting staff every semester. This is a critical component of the Matriculation process. See www.cabrillo.edu/services/counseling/

FOLLOW-UP SERVICES
Helping you stay in college and reach your goal is important to us. There are many reasons students fall behind: enrolling in too many units, not balancing college, work and family responsibilities, the increasing cost of attending college, and many more realities of life. Falling behind can result in two types of probationary categories that can impact your status at Cabrillo.

• Academic Probation is triggered when your grades fall below a 2.0 GPA. This moves you from satisfactory academic standing. Two semesters of probation will lead to dismissal.  
• Progress Probation is triggered when you have dropped more than 50% of the total number of units in which you have enrolled as a student at Cabrillo. Two semesters of probation will lead to dismissal.  
• Dismissal is triggered after two semesters of academic or progress probation. It requires meeting with a counselor to determine whether you should continue or take a leave from the college.

We want to work with you before you reach this point and definitely once you have. See the catalog, Class Schedule or the Cabrillo web site www.cabrillo.edu for more information. One way to prevent academic or progress probation is to attend the college’s EARLY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM workshops. The purpose of the Early Assistance Program is to improve student success and retention by providing free workshops that focus on study skills, test strategies and test anxiety, time management and other topics that increase college success. Workshops are open to any student. See www.cabrillo.edu/services/early assistance/

PRE-REQUISITES AND CO-REQUISITES AND RECOMMENDED PREPARATION
A pre-requisite is a course or body of knowledge that must be satisfactorily completed before a student may register in another course. Cabrillo College enforces pre-requisites. Satisfactory completion is defined by a "C" or better grade or a "CR" grade. A co-requisite is a course that must be taken concurrently with another course. When a student registers for a class, s/he must register for both classes at the same time. If s/he does not register for both classes, neither class will be processed during registration. All other classes not requiring co-requisites will be processed.

CHALLENGING A PRE OR CO REQUISITE
A student has the right to "challenge" a pre or corequisite. Challenging course requisites requires written documentation that explains the alternative course work, background, and/or abilities that adequately prepare a student for the course. Students may obtain a Requisite Challenge Form from the Matriculation Office or online www.cabrillo.edu "PDF forms." If space is available in a course when a student files a challenge to the pre-requisite or co-requisite, the College shall reserve a seat for the student and resolve the challenge within five academic calendar workdays. Winter and summer sessions have different timelines. See www.cabrillo.edu/services/matriculation for more information.

LEARNING SKILLS
Learning Skills classes are designed to assist students who have learning disabilities to succeed in programs of study offered by the College. Placement in these classes is preceded by individual diagnostic testing. An Individual Education Plan will be developed for each student.  www.cabrillo.edu/academics/learningskills/

DISABLED STUDENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Cabrillo College provides support services for all eligible students with special needs. Students with learning disabilities, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, psychological disabilities, vision, health, hearing, speech, acquired brain injury, or other documented disabilities can find the services they require though DSPS. See www.cabrillo.edu/services/dsps/

The above services are a part of the Matriculation process. You may take advantage of them or not. We hope you do as we know that your success is greatly improved as a result. Yet, if you decide not to participate, you must sign a waiver (Request to Waive Matriculation Services) requesting exemption from orientation, assessment or counseling. Waiving the placement (assessment) test will not allow you to enter a class with a prerequisite. Therefore, you will need to begin at the lowest level of math or English without the test.  

EXEMPTION FROM MATRICULATION SERVICES
Some students are exempt from matriculation requirements. They include students who:

• are enrolled in less than six (6) units;
• have an AA/AS degree or higher;
• have already satisfied the required pre or co-requisite through other documented means. See additional information in this catalog, the Class Schedule and on the Cabrillo web site www.cabrillo.edu

We want your feedback on our services. Please contact the Matriculation Office, SAC West 213, 831-420-3242. Thank you.

For additional support services and programs at Cabrillo, check out these links:

CalWORKS
Transfer and Career
EOPS
Financial Aid
Fast Track to Work
Migrant Ed
Digital Bridge

DSPS

Learning Skills