When talking to El Camino College students, an issue that stands out is a lack of knowledge about where to find help with scholarships.

While counselors are available for academic planning, students say getting assistance for financial aid and scholarships is confusing and often inaccessible.

Counselors at ECC should be regularly sharing scholarship and financial aid advice, offering personalized guidance about what students qualify for and connecting them with resources.

Not many students have money lined up to continue their education or know who to turn to for support.

Outstanding student-loan debt totals roughly $151.5 billion in California, with nearly four million borrowers carrying an average balance of $38,000, according to SoFi, the Student Borrower Protection Center and SmartAsset.

California’s student debt represents one of the highest totals in the nation.

Beyond paying for tuition and class materials, commuting and transportation costs add another layer of pressure.

Getting to campus can become a financial barrier with rising gas and parking permit prices.

On-campus resources at the Basic Needs Center, including the free Metro U-Passes which are offered, can help.

The issue is students at ECC often do not know how to access those opportunities.

ECC can make resources more visible through classroom visits, fairs dedicated to financial planning, newsletters and making information easier to find online.

Counselors don’t talk about scholarships often, but they share how to access ASSIST, a tool that shows how courses transfer between community colleges and four-year universities.

Using ASSIST helped me avoid unnecessary classes, saving money and time.

Counselors play an essential role in helping students map their future educational goals. But guidance should also include financial planning, especially when most community college students fall within lower-income ranges.

From my own experience, meeting with a counselor early in the semester helped me stay on track, including by reviewing my degree plan.

But students can also take initiative by using campus resources themselves, as long as these resources are easy to find.

Scheduling counseling appointments, attending a workshop, visiting the financial aid office and asking questions including, “Can you show me how to use ASSIST to plan my transfer?” and “What scholarships am I eligible for?” can make a difference.

For many students, debt is unavoidable but receiving scholarships and being supported by financial assistance programs eases the burden.

Providing better financial guidance is not just about money but about giving students a fair chance to succeed.

By helping alleviate these challenges, ECC would be supporting students’ dreams of graduating, transferring and building a comfortable future without overwhelming debt.

For many, this help is life-changing.