Rio Hondo College is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The college serves students from a variety of educational backgrounds, including recent high school graduates, people seeking new skills or careers, and lifelong learners wanting to add to their knowledge base.
Rio Hondo educational programs prepare students for transfer to four-year colleges and universities, grant two-year degrees in a number of specialties, issue certificates in technical or professional fields, provide contract training for employer workforces, and offer community service classes in subjects ranging from computer skills to cultural event fieldtrips. The college graduates close to 600 students every year, awarding two-year, Associate of Arts/Sciences degrees and nearly 500 specialty certificates.
Rio Hondo College is a community college located in unincorporated Whittier, California, named after the Rio Hondo. It was founded in 1960 and mainly serves the cities of Whittier, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, El Monte, and South El Monte. The college is accredited by Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Aside from its academic programs, the college is also home to Rio Hondo Fire Academy and Rio Hondo Police Academy. The college is undergoing through a multi-million dollar renovation.
Rio Hondo offers on-campus, online, and off-campus courses to all of its students. The campus has free Wi-Fi that is available to all computers, which began in November 2007. Many online courses are given through WebCT.
All full-time students (students enrolled in 12 or more units in a semester) are eligible for a free bus pass for transportation with the Norwalk Transit, Metro, Foothill Transit, Sunshine Shuttle and Montebello Bus Lines. Negotiations between the Rio Hondo College Board of Trustees created this program as early as 2006, which was suggested by Dr. Andy Howard. The program was named the Rio Hondo College Bus Pass Subsidy Program, and has since been dubbed "GO RIO" and officially began during the 2006–2007 school year.
The official student newspaper of the college is titled El Paisano.
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Full-Time vs. Part-Time
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Race/Ethnicity
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In State vs. Out-of-State
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| Percent of Students International: | 1% |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | In-State | Out-of-State | |
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 650 | $ 3,626 | |
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 624 | $ 3,600 | |
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 26 | $ 26 | |
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,137 | 40% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 898 | 49% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 489 | 2% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 3,997 | 2% | |
Any Aid: |
50% |
