Lane Community College

So, you’ve decided to go to Lane Community College. Now what?

Start by filling out the FAFSA or the ORSAA. (The ORSAA is the alternative form for students who are undocumented or are DACA recipients living in Oregon).

• Why bother? These applications are used by so many organizations that if you want any aid at all, you need to fill one of them out.
• Be sure to: list LCC as one of the colleges you plan to attend when the question comes up.
• How do I fill out the ORSAA? 2024-25 ORSAA Overview
• How do I fill out the FAFSA? FAFSA 2024-25 Walkthrough Video
• How do I sign the FAFSA? The FAFSA requires the student and at least one parent to create an FSA ID (only takes a few minutes) to sign it electronically and send it digitally. This includes parents who have undocumented status, which is different from previous years’ FAFSA requirements.
• Which parent’s financial information do I share on my FAFSA besides my own? Find out here.
• When should I? Now! Some financial aid is offered first to the folks who apply first.

Complete LCC’s Steps to Enroll for First Time in College Students: Step 1 of 4 – Admissions Application). Once in the admissions portal, choose the Earn a Degree application.

• Why bother? Even though every student who applies automatically gets into LCC, you do still need to apply.
• Even if I’ve taken College Now classes? If you already have an L number because you took College Now classes, your L number will remain the same, but you do still need to apply.
• When should I? ASAP. You’ll need it for the LCC Foundation Scholarships and RTEC 101. (See below.)
• Then what? The admissions department will process your application within one to three business days. On the day it gets processed, you will receive two emails. One email will include your L number and Lane email address, and the second email will include your myLane temporary password/next steps. Read both emails carefully.

Apply for OSAC Scholarships.

• Why bother? You only need to fill out one application with four short essays (1900-character [not word] limit per essay) to apply for the 600+ scholarships administered by OSAC. You won’t be eligible for all of them, but even if you’re eligible for 5 of them, that’s a great return on your investment of time.
• Remember: There might be extra information to submit if you’re pursuing certain scholarships, so don’t wait until the last minute.
• When should I? Submit your application after you complete the FAFSA. Do it by the early-bird deadline of 2/15 to be entered in a drawing for a $1,000 scholarship or by the final deadline of 4/1. If you submit at the last minute, there is a risk of OSAC’s system crashing.

Apply for the LCC Foundation Scholarships.

• Why bother? As I just mentioned about the OSAC Scholarships, you only need to fill out one application, this time with seven short essays (170-word limit), to apply for the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of scholarships administered by the LCC Foundation. You won’t be eligible for all of them, but even if you’re eligible for 5 of them, that’s a great return on your investment of time.
• Plus: Four of the short essay questions in the application are very similar to the OSAC questions. How easy is that?
• Remember: There might be extra information to submit if you’re pursuing certain scholarships, so don’t wait until the last minute.
• When should I? Submit your application by the final due date of 3/1. If you submit at the last minute, there is a risk of the LCC Foundation’s system crashing.
• Bonus! Here are some additional scholarship opportunities.

If possible, sign up to take the free, 1-2 credit LCC course, RTEC 101.

• Why bother? This class is all about giving you the tools to be successful at Lane. It includes topics such as:
  • Overview of degrees and first-term advising
  • Financial aid beyond filling out the FAFSA
  • Communication and time management
  • How to use LCC’s systems
  • Pass this course and complete the LEAP packet to complete your LEAP graduation requirement!
• When should I? Reserve your spot as soon as you can commit to the class times. Sometimes classes fill up.
• Bonus! Here are some additional ways to get to know Lane.

Apply for the Oregon Promise Grant.

• Why bother? If you meet the criteria, you’re pretty much guaranteed to get the grant. Right now, the criteria don’t even include a maximum income (although that may change). To be eligible, you must:
  • Be an upcoming Oregon high-school graduate or GED®-test graduate.
  • Attend an Oregon community college within 6 months of graduating high school.
  • Have a 2.00 cumulative high school GPA or higher or a 145 grade on all GED® tests.
  • Be an Oregon resident for at least 12 months before college attendance. For dependent students, your parent(s) must also live in Oregon.
  • Have no more than 90 college credits completed or attempted.
• Plus: Oregon Promise covers a good-sized chunk of your LCC tuition. See here for details about how much the grant is worth.
• When should I? The due date is 5 pm on 6/1, but I wouldn’t wait that long if I were you. Makes me nervous that they could run out of money, although they’ve never actually said that it’s awarded on a first-come-first-served basis. Apply (including having submitted your FAFSA or ORSAA with LCC identified as the school you plan to attend) ASAP.

Complete Lane’s remaining steps to enroll.

• Why bother? The remaining steps are required to register for classes.
• How do I? Go here. The steps can be completed online. If, after completing them, you still have questions about which classes to enroll in, reach out to your Lane academic advising team. To find your advisor go here.
• When should I? Before late May. That’s when class registration opens for fall students. That way, your application will be done in time to register for the classes you want before they fill up. The final due date is in September, but I definitely wouldn’t wait that long if I were you.
• Recommended: Create an advising email folder for all such emails.

Check for any remaining financial aid requirements.

• Why bother? LCC can’t offer you financial aid if you still have work left to do.
  How do I?:
  • Log in to your myLane student portal.
  • Click the myFinances tab.
  • Click Financial Aid Status
  • Click Financial Aid, Eligibility Requirements, then select 2024-2025 as the aid year. If you see any unsatisfied student requirements listed, complete them. If you need to submit anything to the Financial Aid Office, do so via their Digital Dropbox.
• To accept your financial aid offer:
  • Login to your myLane student portal.
    • Click the myFinances tab.
    • Click Financial Aid Status
    • Click Financial Aid Offers Information; click the Offer by Aid Year and Accept your Offer link. Then select 2024-2025 as the aid year. You must have all of your Student Requirements completed and processed from above before you can accept your offer.
• When should I? Before the end of the school year if you’re hoping to get help and information from South staff.
• Recommended: Create a financial aid email folder for all such emails.

And a couple of freebie pieces of advice:

• You’ve got to check your email (both your Lane Gmail and your personal email) regularly. LCC (and most other schools) communicate via email, and students lose out on a lot of opportunities (and money!) by not checking their inboxes and spam folders. Don’t give out your 4J email as your best email, either. When you graduate and lose access to your 4J account, you’ll be very sad to miss out on opportunities that you can no longer access.
• For an even more detailed LCC to-do list, check out the New Fall Term 24 HS senior checklist.

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Summer Tuition-Free Classes at Lane

If you are a member of the classes of 2023 or 2024, and are interested in saving hundreds of dollars on college tuition at Lane CC, sign up for a tuition-free class offered this summer. Start your college career early today with your pick of tuition-free classes. Learn more here. 

To apply to Lane CC for Fall 2023, click here.

Click here for the LCC Placement Testing Survey Note: read the instructions carefully so your survey is as accurate as possible.

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Summer/ Fall Advising and Financial Aid

Drop in advising and financial aid at Lane CC main campus, 4000 East 30th Ave. Building 1, Room 102-103, 9 am- 2 pm on the following dates: June 13th, June 28th, July 13th, July 25th, August 9th and 21st, and September 7th and 16th. No appointment necessary; drop in if you have any questions or concerns; open to new Lane CC students.

Lane CC Early Childhood Education Program: Lane early childhood education program developes skilled professionals who care for and educate our community’s children. Learn to teach children from birth to pre kindergarten age in child care centers and in home settings. Who: Students at Lane CC; Where: Lane CC What: Associates degree; 1 year certificate, CPC; early childhood teach aide; Guidance and curriculum CPC, Infant and Toddler, CPC. Visit this link to learn more.

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RTEC 101, Gateway to College & Careers for Seniors

Are you thinking about attending Lane Community College in Fall 2022 or thinking of Lane CC as a backup plan?  Then please consider taking this tuition-free and fee-free course for college credit! This HIGHLY RECOMMENDED online course was specifically designed for high school seniors. Summer sessions begin June 28th and August 7th. In this course you will learn:

1. what classes to take for your major/degree
2. a personalized approach to college and financial aid advising
3. what happens once your FAFSA is filed
4. about support services
5. how College Now credits apply to a degree
6. what it’s like to be in college

How to Reserve Your Spot
Register now for a fall term. Session dates are listed below. Click  RTEC 101 Gateway to College and Careers for a complete description and reserve your spot. If you are under 18, you need to complete the Under18ConsentForm. If you have any questions, please contact Brenda Williams at WilliamsB@Lanecc.edu, 541.463.3443.