Welcome Center

The Welcome Center at San Diego City College is dedicated to empowering students to identify and achieve their personal, educational, and professional goals by fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. We prioritize accessibility, equity, and social justice by providing culturally responsive, student-centered services that bridge opportunity gaps, promote lifelong learning, and connect students to the resources and programs essential for success. Through collaboration with the community, we inspire and guide prospective and current students on their pathways to academic achievement and economic mobility.

We aim to create the Ultimate Student Experience by providing support with the following services:

• Admission Application
• Navigating Financial Aid resources such as:
  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
    
  • California Dream Act (CADAA)
  • Promise Program
  • Extended Opportunities Program
• Completing the New Student Orientation
  • Online Orientation
  • Education Planner Workshop
• Assistance with the enrollment process such as:
  • Registration for classes
  • Navigating Canvas
  • Logging onto your student email/MFA
• Placement Assistant (see more information below)
• Referrals to support services and resources available on campus
• Individualized and group tours and presentations
  • Please utilize our Calendly to book tours and presentations for yourself or for bigger groups exceeding over 20 people.
  • Please note for group tours and presentations: You will be emailed a copy of your tour request. This is not a confirmation. Once our team has verfied office and staff availability, we will send out a seperate confirmation email with directions and parking information.
  • If you have any questions or concerns in regards to campus tours, please email Brin Balboa (bbalboa@sdccd.edu)

Clarissa Padilla, Acting Director, Outreach and Promise
Email: cpadilla@sdccd.edu 

Saribel Morales-Rivera, Acting Outreach Coordinator
Email: smoralesrivera@sdccd.edu 

Brin Balboa, Senior Student Services Assistant
Email: bbalboa@sdccd.edu

Outreach Ambassadors:

Angel Cortez Gallegos
Email: dcortezgallegos@sdccd.edu 

Caleb Bryant
Email: cbryant@sdccd.edu

Daniel Lasker
Email: dlasker@sdccd.edu 

Diego Salcedo Guarderas
Email: dsalcedoguarderas@sdccd.edu 

Kimberly Cordera
Email: kcodera@sdccd.edu 

Malarie McKinney
Email: mmckinney@sdccd.edu 

Phat Tran (P.T.)
Email: ptran002@sdccd.edu 

Vincent Yanez
Email: vyanez@sdccd.edu 

Placement assist is a process that is designed to assist students in determining which English or English Language Acquisition (ELAC) and math courses they should start with, specifically identifying milestones (formerly known as skill levels) in these areas.

Placement Assist also helps students in meeting course prerequisites. Students may also meet course prerequisites based on other factors such as English or ELAC and math course completion or other standardized tests.

Students enrolling into the San Diego Community College School District will complete an application for admission.

Via your Application for admission (CCCApply) to San Diego City College you will be asked questions to help us assess your skill level in mathematics and English

The Application for admission will ask you for

1. Highest level of English and the grade they received in that course.
2. Highest level of Math and the grade they received in that course.
3. And if you graduated from high school, completed a GED or California High School Proficiency exam (HiSET) within 10 years.

Under some circumstances, some students will be asked take a Placement Assistant ( external from the application for admission to complete your assessment process at San Diego City College ) 

1. If a student is currently enrolled in high school, students will not be asked their HS performance or be directed to Placement Assistant
2. If a student has graduated high school 10+ years ago, the student will be directed to take the Placement Assistant.
3. If a student is in the Continuing Education or an adult learner and they have not graduated from high school, or graduated from high school 10+ years, they will be directed to the Placement Assistant.

In some circumstances, students responding to specific questions in the application for admission will be prompted to take the ELAC Go Assessment

1. You will be asked  "Are you conformable reading and Writing English?"
2. Student indicating in the Program & Services that they are interested in ESL English as a Second Language

What San Diego City College Students need to take the Placement Assistant?

Under some circumstances, some students will be asked take a Placement Assistant (external from the application for admission to complete your assessment process at San Diego City college. 

1. If student is currently enrolled in high school, students will not be asked their HS performance or be directed to Placement Assistant
2. If a student has graduated high school 10+ years ago, the student will be directed to take the Placement Assistant.
3. If a student is in the Continuing Education or an adult learner and they have not graduated from high school, or graduated from high school 10+ years, they will be directed to the Placement Assistant.

If you took college courses while in high school, or applied for San Diego City College, you should request to take the Placement Assistant to update placement milestones from your original placement when you originally applied to San Diego City College.

1. California College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP)
2. Dual Enrollment (taking college classes while you are still enrolled in high school)
3. Joint diploma students
4. If a student has graduated high school 10+ years ago, the student will be directed to take the Placement Assistant.
5. If a student is in the Continuing Education or an adult learner and they have not graduated from high school, or graduated from high school 10+ years, they will be directed to the Placement Assistant.

Please click here to access the Placement Assistant.
The Placement Assistant program will allow only one submission per student, so please do not exit out of the form before ensuring that you filled out every question on the form.

Get to know ELAC at San Diego City College!

Our ESL program is English Language Acquisition (ELAC), which supports you in your development of academic English. ELAC classes are not basic skills or remedial. They are for students who are multilingual and studying English as a foreign language at intermediate to advanced levels.

The classes you take here will focus on all English communication skills necessary to be successful in college level work as well as how to navigate your way through college in the United States. You can earn transferable credit to CSUs and UCs in our highest level class, ELAC 145.

Click here for more information about our ELAC Program at City.

Take the Online Self-Guided Placement

This online self-guided placement will let you know which ELAC classes we recommend you take. If you think the recommended classes are too difficult (placement is too high), you can register for any classes below your level. If you think the recommended classes are too easy (placement is too low), you can contact the ELAC Chair, Jennifer Boots (jboots@sdccd.edu).

Please click here to access the ELAC Assessment.

With a Placement Assist, you will receive a Milestone/Skill level ranging from 30 to 50 in one or more of the following areas:

• Reading (R)
• Writing (W)
• ELAC (English Language Acquisition, formerly known as ESOL) (L)
• Math (M)

Students are exempt from the English and math placement tests if ...

• Earned an Associate degree or higher
• Have completed English and math courses
• Or have received a qualifying score on an SAT, ACT, or EAP test taken within the past two years
• Please note: The San Diego Community College District is no longer accepting EPT or ELM test scores. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday	Jan. 20, 2025
Presidents Weekend	Feb. 14 - Feb. 17, 2025
Spring Break	March 31 - April 4, 2025
Cesar Chavez Day	April 4, 2025
Memorial Day	May 26, 2025
Juneteenth	June 19, 2025
Independence Day	July 4, 2025

 

Spring 2025 Academic Semester Calendar and Key Dates

Intersession: January 6 - 31, 2025
Primary 16-Week Session: February 3 - June 2, 2025

Date	Description
January 2, 2025	Bus and Trolley passes available for purchase
January 6, 2025	Intersession Opening Day
January 12, 2025	Drop for non-payment of enrollment fees *Does not include students owing only health fees, students with anticipated financial or veteran aid, high school students, apprenticeship, R2T4, San Diego Promise students*
January 22, 2025	Parking permits purchased by this date will be mailed. Pick up on campus if purchased after this date.
January 22, 2025	Summer/Fall Application opens
February 2, 2025	Residency determination date
February 3, 2025	Spring Primary Session Opening Day
February 14, 2025	Primary Term: Add/Drop/Refund Deadline for enrollment fees and/or nonresident tuition Deadline to drop classes with no "W" recorded
February 15 - April 30, 2025	Graduation Deadlines: Check the graduation deadlines page
April 4, 2025	Deadline to appeal loss of CCPG or Priority Registration
April 11, 2025	Application and Priority Registration deadline: Students who file an application after the deadline will enroll during open registration.
April 14, 2025	Class Schedule posted online
April 17, 2025	Your registration date and time is viewable in mySDCCD.
April 18, 2025	Withdrawal and Pass/No Pass Deadline
April 21 - 24, 2025	Summer Registration Dates: Priority for eligible DSPS; EOPS; CalWorks; Homeless or Foster Youth; Active Duty Military and Veterans; Intercolegiate Athletes; Parents with underage children
April 25, 2025	Open Registration begins
June 2, 2025	End of Spring Semester
June 13, 2025	Spring Grades available