Every student at Laguna Beach High School applying to a community college must complete the matriculation process, and it is a recommended step for all college applicants. Matriculation testing, just one part of the process for students planning to attend college, was offered by LBHS on Dec. 13 for Irvine Valley College and Dec. 15 for Saddleback College.

“Matriculation is an important aspect of preparing for post-secondary education if you are planning to attend a community college or if you are planning on a four-year institution directly,” said Scholarship and Financial Aid Specialist Lynn Gregory.

The testing, which took place in the library, consisted solely of Math and English. After the scores are reported, a meeting with a community college counselor is advised to assist with registering for the appropriate classes.

“It’s a good idea that all of our seniors matriculate to a local community college either because that could be their first choice school, it could be a safety school, or it could be a backup plan when they go off to college successfully,” said College and Career Center Specialist Ann Bergen.

Advisement sessions are another element of the matriculation process. These are completed online after testing is completed to encourage and help students to prepare for their first semester at college.

The overall idea of matriculation is to help students gain a connection with the college they are applying to; it also helps students meet academic college requirements. Matriculation is a wise fallback decision for all students because they can also use this process to enroll in a summer program to get a few classes under their belts.

“The two-fold advantage for community college is that  it allows you to have a have priority registration as a freshman and you get your classes early, which is the name of the game. So, if you have fully matriculated, you are at the front of the line for your class selection,” said Gregory.

Mrs. Bergen and Mrs. Gregory of the College and Career Center assist students with the matriculation process and college preparation.

Last year, only 30 students signed up or the matriculation test. This year, 136 students signed up, which is 56% of the senior class. However, about 25 students were turned away from taking the test on Dec. 15 because more students showed up to take the test than there were spots available.

“We may schedule multiple days and/or multiple times of the day for testing so that students will have some choice about what day to take the test.  This could accommodate students who have classes that have specific tests or labs that can only be completed on certain days,” said English teacher Kristen Kaa, who has been the liaison between the English department at LBHS and the English department at Saddleback for the last year.

If a student has questions or wants to learn more about the matriculation process, research college websites, visit the College and Career Center or ask a counselor for help.