Information/FAQ Sheet

How much does it cost to attend PREP?

There is NO cost for first year students to attend LA PREP. All costs are paid by NASA and other sponsors.

Returning students are responsible for the initial cost of all materials including lab fees, safety equipment and textbooks and any miscellaneous fees charged by the college. Upon successful completion of the course, that is finishing the course with a letter grade of D, C, B or A; LA PREP will offer to buy back the student’s textbook at the full purchase price. Student must include the original bookstore receipt showing the purchase price to take advantage of this offer. Because the original receipt must by forfeited along with the textbook, some students may choose to purchase the text separately, so it is the only item on the receipt. Also be certain to keep the receipt for the duration of the course.
Students who are not successful in the course (those who drop or receive a W, F or Incomplete) may return or resell their texts to the bookstore. Traditionally, if a book is returned within 10 days of purchase, the bookstore will offer a full refund. After 10 days, the bookstore may buy it back, usually at 50% of the price or a new book. Check with the bookstore if you have any questions on their return and buy back policies, (323) 953-4000 ext 2140.

In all cases, students may elect to keep their textbooks for review and further study.

Cash Awards!

This year LA PREP will issue awards to the top students. Our top students will win CASH scholarship awards from $50 to $400 each.

Where is Los Angeles City College?

LACC is located on a site of more than 40 acres at 855 North Vermont Ave. It is near the Hollywood (101) freeway between Vermont Ave., Heliotrope Drive, Santa Monica Blvd. and Melrose Ave.

How can I get there?

If someone can take you by car, we recommend that they drop off and pick up on Heliotrope Drive, as this is a fairly quiet street with metered parking.

Many MTA routes including Metro Rapid and Red Line subway service Los Angeles City College. LA PREP will reimburse participants for the cost of their bus/subway passes; up to $20 for July and $20 for August. To take advantage of this reimbursement, students must first purchase their bus pass from their school, community organization or the MTA. Los Angeles City College does not sell K-12 student bus passes.

For students who ride only occasionally, we will issue bus/subway tokens. No more than 20 tokens will be issued to any student in one calendar month, as this would exceed the cost of a student bus pass. Additional bus tokens can be purchased on campus from the Los Angeles City College business office at a cost of $9 for a pack of 10 tokens.
For more information on bus passes and routes, check with your school office and the MTA.

When does it meet?

Classes meet from July 7 through August 21 (August 14 for returning students), Monday through Thursday. There will be a few special meetings including off campus field trips and activities on some Fridays. Start and end times are different for First Year and Returning students. Check “Instructions and Descriptions” page for full details.

Are college classes harder than high school classes?

They are not necessarily harder. While most college courses are more advanced than high school courses, many of the courses offered in college are also offered in high schools. Algebra is one example. There is no way a school or teacher can make algebra harder or easier. That would be like trying to make “Speaking English” or “Driving a Car” harder or easier. Regardless of where you take algebra, the goal is to learn the subject. The main difference between the two is a high school algebra class may meet every day for eight months (170+ meetings). In college, the same class may meet twice a week for three months (28 meetings). So college students must learn the same material with far less instruction. In general, college students must do a lot more reading and studying on their own.