Ventura College - The Ventura College Promise

The Ventura College Promise

Ventura College is the home of the Ventura College Promise, the largest grant program of its kind in the nation at a community college. Sponsored by the Ventura College Foundation, the "promise" is that all recent Ventura County high school graduates, regardless of family income, the number of units taken, or high school grade point average, will have their enrollment fees covered during their first year of attendance at Ventura College. This same promise is extended to students who have completed their GED requirements or who have completed the coursework for high school but have not yet passed their exit exam. To qualify, the Ventura County applicant must (1) identify an educational goal; (2) take the college's assessment examination; (3) work with a Ventura College counselor to develop an education plan; and (4) complete a Financial Aid Application (FAFSA) to see if he/she qualifies for a California Board of Governor’s fee waiver. In addition, the student must apply for the Ventura College Promise and be enrolled in Ventura College immediately after high school (or GED) completion. The Ventura College Promise is designed to remove the economic barriers to education for graduating high school seniors, to improve the college-going rate, and to enhance the quality of the local workforce. Cohort studies have shown that students who are enrolled in the Promise program enroll in more units, complete more units, complete more semesters, and return to school for their second year at a substantially higher rate than their non-Promise counterparts.