Overview
Welcome to Cañada College!
We look forward to helping you succeed in your academic career by helping you find the English, Math, and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses that will maximize your success.
As a California Community College student, you have the right to begin your education in transfer-level English and math courses, which will allow you to finish these courses within a year and graduate faster.

Here’s how we help you find the right courses:
- We will use the information you entered into CCCApply when you applied to Cañada. This typically includes your overall High School Grade Point Average (GPA) and which English and Math courses you took in high school.
- If you did not submit this information in CCCApply, you can submit it (or update it) any time in WebSMART:
- Go to websmart.smccd.edu
- Go to the top of the page and Click on the "Student" tab, and under the "Student Services" section, select the link for "Student Records"
- In the "Student Records" page, select "High School Transcript Information"
- Fill out the appropriate fields in this section.
- You can also send us an email that includes your G Number, High School GPA, and High School Math and English course titles and grades along with your unofficial High School Transcripts. Please send your email to: canadaplacement@smccd.edu
- You can also submit electronic copies of the following documents when you meet with an academic counselor:
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- AP Scores (Results may not be conditional)
- Unofficial Transcripts from another College or University
Make an appointment with an Academic Counselor
Don't have U.S. high school records?
If you don't have U.S. high school records, did not complete at least 11th grade in a U.S. high school, graduated from a non-U.S. high school or you are an international student, an academic counselor can help inform you of your options.
English Language Learners
If you speak a language other than English and feel that you would benefit from taking classes in our English as a Second Language (ESL) Department, you may choose to place yourself into the ESL course sequence. An academic counselor will explain the many options you have for determining which ESL class is right for you.
Placement into ESL classes is done by using a Guided Self Placement tool which includes assessments of each student’s skill levels in the following areas: Writing and Grammar, Reading, and Listening and Speaking.
For more information or to make an appointment to take the Guided Self Placement, please contact by emailing canadaplacement@smccd.edu or by calling us at (650) 306-3452.
After the ESL placement is complete, you may schedule an appointment with an academic counselor using the link below.
Make an appointment with an Academic Counselor
Know your rights!
As a California Community College student, you have the right to begin your education in transfer-level English and math courses, which will allow you to finish these courses within a year and graduate faster.
As an English Language Learner at Cañada, you have the right to enter and complete an associate degree or transfer to a 4-year college in English within three years of beginning your English and a Second Language (ESL) coursework at Cañada. If you were placed into ESL coursework prior to fall 2020 you have the right to be re-placed with our new process- this may allow you to finish your ESL sequence faster. To discuss your options:
Make an appointment with an Academic Counselor
Learn more about new state law and your rights as a California community college student: California Community Colleges and AB 705.
Based on your High School Grade Point Average and your intended major or program of study, here is how you will likely be placed at Cañada College:
Many high school students can place into English or math classes by sending their high school transcripts directly to canadaplacement@smccd.edu. For other non-English/non-math classes with prerequisites, high school students who have not completed equivalent college course work will need to have Prerequisite Challenge Form approved by the instructor of the class. If students have additional questions they can make an appointment to meet with a college counselor by calling (650) 306-3452.
Annual Disclosure AB 1805
Assembly Bill (AB) 1805 requires each California Community College to post publicly and annually its placement results, including the number of students assessed and the number of students placed into transfer-level coursework, transfer-level coursework with concurrent support, or transfer-level or credit ESL coursework, disaggregated by race and ethnicity. Please find below our most recent results: