Cabrillo CollegeStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for Cabrillo College. Core organization is free for students.

Public Trade School in Aptos, CA. Operating on a semester system.

Looking for dorms? Scroll for the dorm and housing breakdown below.

Aptos, CA

17K+ students

@cabrillo.edu

6 syllabi analyzed

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17K+

Total Enrollment

Trade School

Institution Type

Housing Buildings

Student guide · Fall Semester 2026

The semester, explained for Cabrillo College

Dates from the active academic calendar, plus the campus language and local details students actually need. Every entry comes from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Relevant term: Fall Semester 2026
Campus terms: 11
Local details: 13

Academic calendar

Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 24, 2026 – Dec 12, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

2 entries

Aug 24Dec 12, 2026
Fall Semester 2026Relevant now
Jan 25May 22, 2027
Spring Semester 2027

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Campus language

Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.

11 terms

A

ASCC: Associated Students of Cabrillo College, the official student government body.

E

EOPS: Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, providing financial and academic support for disadvantaged students.

M

MESA: Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement program for students pursuing STEM degrees.

P

Pino Alto: The student-run fine dining restaurant located within the historic Sesnon House.
Puente: A program aimed at helping educationally underrepresented students transfer to four-year universities.

T

The Bridge: The iconic pedestrian bridge crossing Soquel Drive that connects the upper and lower Aptos campus.
The Hawk's Nest: The main campus cafeteria and dining area located in the Student Activity Center.
The Hill: Informal reference to the Aptos campus, known for its steep, hilly terrain between buildings.
The Seahawk: The Seahawk Residence Hall, the first on-campus housing complex at Cabrillo College.
The Snack Bar: Common name for the Seahawk Snack Bar, providing quick grab-and-go food options.
The Watsonville: Shorthand for the Cabrillo College Watsonville Center campus.

Places and practicalities

Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.

13 details

bookstore_coffee: Bookstore Coffee
CTC: The Cabrillo Technology Center, housing computer labs and technical programs.
kj_s_drip_coffee_at_the_gazebo: KJ's Drip Coffee at the Gazebo
Late Start: Refers to short-term courses that begin several weeks into the standard semester.
METRO Pass: The student ID card which functions as a free bus pass for the Santa Cruz Metro system.
MyCabrillo: The online portal used by students to register for classes, check grades, and access email.
pino_alto_restaurant: Pino Alto Restaurant
SAC: The Student Activity Center, the hub for student life and government.
Sesnon House: The historic mansion on campus used for culinary arts and special events.
The Baskin: The Baskin Center, specifically the engineering and robotics facilities.
The Link: The pedestrian pathway system connecting various levels of the hillside campus.
VAPA: The Visual, Applied, and Performing Arts complex on the Aptos campus.
wm_cafe: WM Cafe

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?: Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 24, 2026 – Dec 12, 2026.
How much campus context is included?: 11 approved campus terms and 13 local details are included in full.
Are all approved campus terms included?: Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
Where does this guide come from?: Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Get to know your university

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Find a few communities to try at Cabrillo College

These are things we discovered from public campus sources. We are constantly looking for more.

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Major-aligned clubs, pre-professional groups, and research communities.
Performing arts, visual arts, student publications, film, and music.
Cultural orgs, identity communities, and faith-based groups.
Volunteer groups, civic engagement, mutual aid, and student government.
Outdoor clubs, intramural sports, club sports, and rec center programs.
Entrepreneurship, hackathon teams, makerspaces, and engineering project teams.
Casual hangouts, interest groups, and open events without applications.

DormWay is still mapping student communities at this campus.

We only show recommendations once we have enough public sources for Cabrillo College.

These are things we discovered. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed

Recommendations are based on public campus sources. We do not endorse student organizations.

Recent Cabrillo College Syllabus Analyses

Browse syllabus breakdowns from Cabrillo College courses

BUS 5

Business Information Systems

FA26

View Full Analysis

ECON C2001 Sec 01 (schedule header also reads "Econ 1B")

Introduction to Microeconomics

Fall 2026

View Full Analysis

STAT-C1000

Fall 2026

View Full Analysis

Browse all Cabrillo College courses

Using DormWay at Cabrillo College

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Syllabus to schedule

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Workload planning

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Free student access

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Cabrillo College on DormWay

Current DormWay activity for this campus

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Syllabi Analyzed

Courses on DormWay

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Business Information SystemsIntroduction to MicroeconomicsSTAT-C1000

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Life in Aptos for Cabrillo College Students

Everything you need to know about living and studying in Aptos.

Timezone

Pacific Time (PT)

Median Rent

$1,826

Cost of Living Index

175

Student Population

12,000

City Transportation

Walkability

Bikeability

Public Transit

Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District bus service

Nearest Airports

Monterey Regional Airport, San Jose International Airport, Watsonville Municipal Airport

Climate Averages

Climate

Mediterranean

Avg Annual Temp

58.5°F

Avg Snowfall

0 in

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

SDLC Parking Garage

garage • Limited

Adjacent to the SDLC with disabled parking on all levels.

Watsonville Lot C

surface_lot • Available

Located behind the Solari Green Technology Center; daily permits via vending machine.

Civic Plaza Garage (Watsonville)

garage

Two-hour free limit without permit; Cabrillo permits valid for unlimited time.

Campus News

Latest updates from Cabrillo College

Cabrillo College First in California to Award College Credit for Wine Certifications

Cabrillo is the first community college in the state to award credit for Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certifications, accelerating pathways for wine studies students.

Oct 20, 2026

Rail trail faces legal setback as judge rules for Aptos Village property owner

A judge's ruling in favor of a local property owner creates a new legal challenge for the Santa Cruz County rail trail project.

Oct 20, 2026

Cabrillo College faces estimated $2M budget deficit

President Capps remains cautiously optimistic about stabilization despite an estimated multi-million dollar deficit.

Sep 15, 2026

Emergency alerts provided via RAVE Mobile Safety and Cruz Aware.

Upcoming Events

What's happening at Cabrillo College

LatinXperiencia 2026: La Resiliencia

October 21, 2026

Cabrillo Gallery

Fall exhibition themed 'La Resiliencia' running through October 27, 2026.

Fall Graduation Petition Deadline

October 29, 2026

Online / Admissions & Records

Deadline for Fall 2026 graduates to petition for graduation.

Spirited Holiday Market Box Pickup

October 31, 2026

Sesnon House

Pickup for Halloween & Día de los Muertos inspired market boxes featuring mole nachos and Mexican chocolate brownies.

Cabrillo Talks Call for Applications Deadline

November 6, 2026

Online

Deadline to apply to tell your story of empathy, courage, and resilience for Cabrillo Talks.

American Red Cross Blood Drive

November 17, 2026

Aptos Campus, Cafeteria (900 Building)

Campus blood drive from 9 am to 2 pm. Identification required.

Watsonville Quit Smoking Event

November 18, 2026

Watsonville Center

Health services event focused on smoking cessation.

Dorms & On-Campus Housing at Cabrillo College

Various dorm and housing options are available for students.

1 known dorm and housing options. Every known option is shown below.

Costa Vista

Capacity: 624

Room types: traditional, apartment, family

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Control

Public

Email Domain

@cabrillo.edu

Official Website

Visit Website →

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