California Colleges and Universities

by Robyn Tellefsen

How many Californians do you know who went away to College in some cold, midwestern state? For the few natives who do venture past the Golden State to get some higher ed', the transition can be tough, as they find themselves longing for the sunshine and vast opportunities available to them out West. Why suffer? Join the countless others crying "Eureka!" (I have found it), and get your degree at a
California college. Once you've found it, you'll never want to leave.

At

California colleges and universities

, you won't have to worry about spending four years staring at carbon copies of yourself the way you do in your hometown, either. As the most populous state, California colleges are demographically diverse. In fact, student bodies there lack a majority ethnic group due to high levels of immigration. Hispanics make up almost one-third of the population; other groups represented include Asian Americans, African Americans, and Native Americans.

With this diversity come myriad opportunities at California colleges, as the Land of Milk and Honey is also a world center of engineering businesses, the film and television industry, and American agricultural production.

Scientists of the world, look out with California universities as your playground, you'll have the best specimens around. The state's diverse geography, geology, soils, and climate have generated a huge diversity of plant and animal life, including some of the most endangered ecological communities. While studying at a university in California, be sure to visit Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge, which contains the largest winter population of bald eagles in the continental United States.

For future farmers and culinary experts of America, California colleges are the right place. The predominant industry in the Grape State, more than twice as large as the next largest, is agriculture, which includes fruit, vegetables, dairy, and wine. This is followed by aerospace, entertainment, and light manufacturing, including computer hardware and software all prominent field of study at California universities.

Beyond study, California universities provide the perfect landscape for play. And with the states varied geography, there's something to suit all moods. Want to go mountain climbing? Check out the Sierra Nevada, which contains the highest peak in the continental United States - Mount Whitney, 14,505 feet. Or, at the other extreme, California colleges are near death Valley, containing the lowest, hottest, driest point in North America - summer temperatures there can reach more than 115 degrees. If you'd rather stay cool and closer to sea level, plan a break from the books and visit Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe.

Whichever part of the El Dorado State you choose to call your college home, your experience at California Colleges and Universities is sure to be a good one.

Number of California Colleges and Universities: 399

Cool Events Abound at Universities in California

Free and public concert choirs perform at California universities.

California colleges and universities host and sponsor technology competitions.

Speakers, performers, bands, and comics are invited to attend universities in California to speak and entertain.

Homecoming events bring back alums young and old to reminisce and support the athletes of California universities.

Students and communities come together at universities in California to participate in fundraisers and awareness campaigns for things like Breast Cancer and AIDS.

Financial Aid for Students at California Colleges
State Aid Agency: California Student Aid Commission
College Prepaid/Savings Program: California 529 Savings Program

Popular College Majors - Health and Allied Services, Visual and Performing Arts, Engineering, and Social Sciences and History.
Source: College Bound Seniors 2005, The College Board

http://www.collegesurfing.com/content
Robyn Tellefsen is a frequent contributor to The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.

When can I apply to college? I'm in the tenth grade going into the eleventh.
by Soledad Barbosa submitted on Jun 19, 2007

How would I apply for financial aid?
by Soledad Barbosa submitted on Jun 19, 2007

Hi Soledad,

Glad you're already thinking about college -- you are college bound after all. It's never too early to start looking for the right place to best suit those four years of your life. You typically begin applying for college during the Fall semester of your senior year but the application process is something you can work on during your junior year, especially the summer before they are due. Before you can apply, however, you must visit schools and do extensive research. Think about what you like to do and see what types of careers may interest you.

You can apply for financial aid during the application process. You'll need to fill out the FAFSA form to see how much financial aid you may qualify for. Remember, there are also scholarships sponsored by many companies so look into those as well. And see below for more info on applying to school and financial aid.

Good luck CollegeSurfing!

--Amanda Fornecker, Staff Writer, The CollegeBound Network

College Finances

College Financial Aid

College Scholarships

College Admissions

by Amanda Fornecker submitted on Jun 22, 2007

I was wondering if their is a cosmetology school that can be started in high school in the San Diego area. Years ago their used to be a ROP program that allowed you to train while in high school.
by shan lake submitted on Jul 21, 2007

Hi Shan,

It's great that you're looking into cosmetology programs already! You can do a search for schools in your area here.

As for the Regional Occupational Program (ROP) you should check with your school guidance counselor to see what options are available for higher learning study as a high school student.

Good luck CollegeSurfing!

--Amanda Fornecker, Staff Writer, The CollegeBound Network

by Amanda Fornecker submitted on Aug 8, 2007

Who is John Yoo? Why is he there? What advice is he giving the school? Houston has a problem!
by donald bell submitted on Apr 2, 2008

is it too late to apply to a university?i am a high school senior and i will be graduating in less than two months.
by cynthia ochoa submitted on Apr 20, 2008

It's never too late to apply to college! It depends on the type of school to which you're interested in applying, but many have rolling admissions deadlines. Read more about this topic and get some strategies for college application success at Missed Your Deadline? Good luck! -- Gina LaGuardia, Editorial Director, The CollegeBound Network
by Gina LaGuardia submitted on Apr 21, 2008

Just checking into online universities and do not want to end up wasting my money. Does anyone know about California coast university? I am sort of leery about sending money to a place I have not heard too much about, though the degree fits. I'm looking to finish completely online in Psychology and move into a masters program. I'd like any information I can get. There is a physical address in Santa Ana, CA, but the school does not come up on the list of California schools.thanks to all who can help. � Dawn
by Dawn Luebstorf submitted on Apr 26, 2008

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