College of Lake County
PA-7: Affordability and Access

Tuition and fees at CLC are much lower than those at private schools or public four-year colleges because a portion of the college budget is supported by funds from local taxpayers and the State of Illinois.

Our Counseling and Advising Center has trained staff to help you plan your future and cope with current opportunities and challenges affecting your academic success. Academic advising—help in selecting the right courses and academic program to meet your goals. This is a service all students should use. Learn when to see an advisor, counselor or faculty member for academic advisement. New Student Orientation (NSO)—help in learning about the college’s programs, policies, services and resources to help you succeed. Transfer planning—help in selecting a major, deciding on a transfer institution and planning your courses to ensure a smooth transfer. Career counseling—help in exploring career options, occupational projections and earnings and the academic preparation needed. Educational development—help in developing strategies for academic success through individual workshops, conferences and classes that will teach you study skills, time management and test taking techniques. Personal development and counseling—help in dealing with personal life issues affecting your academic success. Assessment—testing to help you understand your learning style, career interests and more. Crisis intervention and referrals—Faculty, staff and friends of students are encouraged to refer or walk students who might be in crisis to the Counseling Center. Counselors will listen and help refer students for additional counseling or therapy, if needed.

Debt Free at CLC Financial support can come from the federal government, state government and private sources such as the CLC Foundation. Some kinds of financial aid are based entirely on need. Others are awarded on the basis of academic achievement, athletic ability, artistic talent, ethnic background or some other factor. The awards can be used to cover tuition, fees and books as well as living expenses, food, housing and transportation. http://www.clcillinois.edu/paying-for-college/debtfree

In addition to offering federal and state financial aid programs, CLC also awards scholarships funded by the College of Lake County Foundation. These scholarships address the needs of many different kinds of students and include major award programs and nearly 100 individual scholarships.

CLC: Part of an Affordable Bachelor’s Degree With Illinois public university tuition mostly ranging between $350 to $450 per credit hour, earning a bachelor’s degree can cost as much as $54,000. Including CLC in your degree completion plan can reduce that cost by $20,000 or more.

CLC participates in the full range of federal and state financial aid programs, and the CLC Foundation offers many scholarships. Since financial aid comes in many forms (with different eligibility requirements), it is worth applying, even if you think you won’t meet requirements. You may indeed find yourself eligible to receive financial aid that can help you pay for tuition, books, transportation and more. And with an online application and the CLC Financial Aid Office staff to assist you, the process of applying isn’t difficult. It is definitely worth your time and effort to apply. Approximately one in four CLC students currently receives some form of financial aid.

Many of the financial assistance programs are awarded to part-time students. One program in particular benefits students wishing to work part time. The Work Study option allows students to earn money while enrolled to help pay for educational expenses. Students are limited to working no more than 20 hours per week in the Federal Work-Study program. Information is posted in these locations: On the two bulletin boards across from the Financial Aid office at the Grayslake campus, Room B114. In the Career Center at the Grayslake campus, Room E101. Online at the Jobs for Students web page.

Children's Learning Centers Our two nationally accredited centers let you concentrate on your own academic success, knowing that your child will learn and play in modern, secure surroundings, supervised by child-care professionals while you’re in class. Services are available at the Grayslake and Lakeshore (Waukegan) campuses at competitive rates that are partially underwritten by student activity fees. Year-round services are available for children ages 2-6 years and school-aged care is provided for children up to 12 years old during the summer months. Children are enrolled in advance for limited times based on their parents’ class, study and work schedules. For more information on fees, times and registration contact either of the Children's Learning Centers at one of the numbers listed.

Tutoring Our Tutoring services at each campus provide you with support to succeed in your classes. Free tutoring is offered for math and writing in addition to a variety of other subjects. Testing Our Testing Centers at each campus provide testing services to meet student and community needs, including testing for placement (proficiencies and prerequisites), make-up exams for courses, testing for online courses, etc. Disability Services The Office for Students with Disabilities has experience working with students with a wide range of needs. Some students have an obvious disability--they are blind, deaf or have a mobility need. Others, the majority, in fact, have an invisible disability like Attention Deficit Disorder, anxiety disorder or a learning disability. Whatever your need, we will work with you to develop reasonable accommodations to level the academic playing field. Student Success Sessions You can also get help in sessions offered through a program called Succeed at CLC. This program offers two types of academic help: Study Zones and mini-workshops on academic success topics. It also offers Game Nights to help you relax and unwind. Coaching for Academic Success Coaching for Academic Success is a holistic approach to supporting students in defining, assessing and achieving their academic goals. CAS staff build confidence, intervene early and often, connect students to resources and collaborate across the college. The LBGTQ+ Resource Center works to build and maintain an inclusive campus community. We foster pride, respect, and unity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender fluid, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual and allied populations. We advocate for freedom and knowledge of individual identity, human expression and equal opportunity. The mission of the Multicultural Student Center is to provide programs and services to encourage educational, personal, social and cultural growth among the College of Lake County’s diverse student population.