pasadena city College

Pasadena City College (PCC) is one of the most frequently searched colleges in America, according to a recent internet keyword search of United States colleges.

PCC is a public California community college that was established in 1924. The school currently maintains a student body of more than 25,000 undergraduates each semester, in both credit and non credit courses.

PCC primarily serves the whole southern California area, especially the Pasadena Area Community College District, which encompasses the cities of

Altadena
Arcadia
El Monte
Flintridge
Pasadena
Rosemead
San Marino
Sierra Madre
South Pasadena
Temple City

Among the great many notable PCC alumni are rock star Eddie Van Halen, Oscar winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, Academy Award winning actor William Holden, Oscar-nominated actor Nick Nolte, Major League Baseball hero Jackie Robinson, and automobile designer Larry Shinoda, as well as many NFL and NBA stars, among others.

PCC is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Shown above: The campus of PCC

photo credit: panoramio.com

Above: The PCC Student Services Center

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Pasadena City College Q&A

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Pasadena City College.

1. Where is Pasadena City College?

The main campus of PCC is located in Pasadena, California. The school also has four satellite locations in the general area. Here are the official visiting addresses for all PCC campuses:

PCC Main Campus

1570 East Colorado Boulevard

Pasadena, California

91106

PCC Foothill Campus

Community Education Center

3035 East Foothill Boulevard

Pasadena, California

91107

PCC Northwest Campus

1905 Lincoln Avenue

Pasadena, California

91103

PCC Rosemead Campus

4105 North Rosemead Boulevard

Rosemead, California

91770

For added convenience, PCC additionally offers courses at nearby high schools, and at the Armory Center for the Arts.

There is also a Child Development Center (one block west of the main campus), where PCC students can get daycare services for their children. The address of the CDC is:

1324 East Green Street

Pasadena, California

91106

2. What types of degrees are offered at Pasadena City College?

PCC grants Associate of Arts degrees, Associate of Science degrees, and Associate of Applied Science degrees, as well as quite a few skilled trade and technical certificates.

3. What courses and programs are offered at Pasadena City College?

Students enrolled at PCC can choose from numerous degree and certificate programs. Here is a list of some of the most popular academic and professional programs available at PCC:

Accounting
Automotive Technology
Business
Cosmetology
Dental Hygiene
Engineering
English
Ethnic Studies
Film Production
Graphic Communications Technology (Commercial Printing)
Healthcare Studies (Anesthetic Technician certification available)
Languages (American Sign Language, Arabic, Armenian, Chinese (Mandarin), ESL, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish)
Library Science
Mathematics
Music
Nursing
Paralegal Studies
Performing Arts
Product Design
Publishing
Speech Pathology Assistant Training
Teacher Education
Television and Radio
Visual Arts

Above: The Shatford Library at PCC

image: gruenassociates.com

4. Who should attend Pasadena City College?

PCC is an appropriate choice for people who live in or around the city of Pasadena, and want to save money on their college educations.

PCC also features numerous skilled trade certificate programs for people who want to join the workforce immediately after graduation.

5. Why attend Pasadena City College?

Here are some good reasons to enroll at PCC:

PCC has an open admissions policy
A community or city college is a cost effective alternative to entering a university as a freshman.
PCC is conveniently located in the beautiful city of Pasadena, where the weather is always balmy.

6. How much does it cost to enroll at Pasadena City College?

According to the PCC website, the total cost of tuition and fees to enroll at the college is:

$46 per unit for California residents
$294 per unit for out of state residents
$294 per unit for international students

Other fees may also apply. These may include application fees, course fees, health fees, parking fees, and international student insurance fees, for instance.

Financial aid may be available in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, and work study programs, to help students pay for their educations at PCC.

7. How long does it take to earn a degree from Pasadena City College?

For a full time student at PCC, it should take about two years to earn an Associate's degree.

Skilled trade certificates can take up to one year, although many certificates can be completed in less than one year, and some professional certificates take two years of full time study to complete.

However, more than three quarters of the students at PCC attend the school part time. In these cases, how long it takes to complete a degree depends on each student's personal schedule.

8. What is the Pasadena City College campus like?

The renovated main campus of PCC occupies 53 acres, and is home to 39 academic and administrative buildings. There is no on-campus student housing available, although many apartments are located nearby.

PCC is one of the very few community colleges with its own observatory, planetarium, and seismograph.

The campus also hosts a monthly flea market with more than 500 vendors. Other campus attractions include the Shatford Library, the PCC Bookstore, and an art gallery.

The student body is an ethnically diverse crowd. In fact, about 4 percent of the students at PCC are international students.

The athletic teams at PCC are called the Lancers. The school colors are cardinal and gold. The PCC baseball team plays home games over at Jackie Robinson Field, right near the famous Rose Bowl.

Intercollegiate sports for men and women at PCC include

Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Football
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Tennis
Track & Field
Volleyball

Other campus activities include a school band, a technology club, an animal awareness club, a car club, a chemistry club, a cinematic arts society, an engineering club, a German club, a nursing club, and many dozen more.

A convenient shuttle service is available to transport students from the main campus to the Foothill campus.

Shown above: The Aquatics Center at PCC

image: panoramio.com

Shown above: Students between classes at PCC

image credit: atvn.org

Above: A placid view of the PCC campus

image: edsmart.org

9. What is the Pasadena City College neighborhood like?

PCC is conveniently located and fully accessible by many different bus lines.

Surrounding the PCC campus are quite a few good places to eat. Nearby neighborhood attractions include a mall called Shops on Lake Avenue, and the California Institute of Technology (CalTech). Both are located just a few blocks southwest of campus.

The city of Pasadena features elite shopping venues and a diverse collection of restaurants, as well as quite a few theaters and museums.

The walk score is excellent in this neighborhood. You do not need a car to get around.