How to enroll as a General Student

To become a student at Merced College you must complete Five Easy Steps:

1.      Complete your Application for Admission online through the California Community Colleges website.

2.      Complete the Placement Questionnaire which helps ensure students take the right English and math courses, Merced College uses a Placement Questionnaire (PQ) for course placement in English and Math. Most students will immediately receive placement results based on their answers to the Placement Questionnaire. The questions you will answer pertain to high school GPA, English and math courses taken in high school, and grades in those courses.

We recommend you refer to your high school transcript to answer the questions accurately. You can only submit the Placement Questionnaire once.

How to take the Placement Questionnaire:

  • Log into the Merced College Portal using your username and password, go to WebAdvisor for students, then Academic Profile, then Placement Questionnaire (PQ).

  • Open the Placement Questionnaire (PQ)

  • Answer the questions to the Placement Questionnaire

  • Check your responses for accuracy (Responses to the Placement Questionnaire will be randomly verified using official transcripts.)

  • Submit your responses at the end of the Placement Questionnaire by checking the confirmation box and selecting on the “Submit” button.

3.       Complete the New Student Orientation online by logging into your student portal to get additional information about

What to expect as a student:

  • Academic resources and student support services

  • Campus processes, such as registration and placements

  • Helpful technology tools, such as Canvas and MC4ME

4.       New students should Meet with a Counselor before registering for classes.  A counselor will review your Placement Questionnaire and help you understand where you have placed.  A counselor will also help you plan the courses you will take your first semester.  Please provide a copy of your unofficial high school transcript when you meet with a counselor.

5.       You can now Register for classes through the Student Portal