Versions Compared

Key

  • This line was added.
  • This line was removed.
  • Formatting was changed.
Note

This page provides a step-by-step guide for recovering a new or legacy OpenCCC Accountinformation and instructions for resolving issues with your OpenCCC account.

Sections:

Table of Contents
minLevel2
maxLevel2

...

About the Account Recovery System

What is an OpenCCC account and why do students need one?

OpenCCC is the California Community Colleges federated identity initiative, which includes a student account system that assigns each user a unique California Community Colleges ID number (CCCID) and allows access to systemwide web-based technology applications via one common single sign-on account.

Expand
titleRead more about the OpenCCC student account & the CCCID

OpenCCC Account System & The CCCID

When an account is created by a user, a unique identifier is created for that user called the CCCID (California Community Colleges ID) and the user's personal identification data is stored in an Identity Center. The CCCID is the master link between the Identity Center, admission applications, and other system wide technology services. 

Account Data Storage & Delivery

When a user is authenticated to use a CCC systemwide service such as CCCApply or MyPath, their CCCID is passed to the service and used to identify the student. In this way systemwide services and applications can maintain personal accounts and store student data anonymously, thus ensuring privacy for the user.

What information should I have available when I'm unable to sign in to my account?

If you already have an OpenCCC account, but you're unable to sign in for some reason, you’ll need to have your mobile phone to retrieve your validation code, or access to the email account that you provided during account creation. More times than not, the account recovery process will require you to create a new Password, which involves getting a new security code to your verified method of contact (email or mobile phone).

...

  • Last Name

  • Date of Birth

  • City & Zip Code

Where should I go to recover my account if I can’t sign in?

Since an OpenCCC account is required to access services such as CCCApply, the online admission application to every California Community College, the vast majority of students and other users will land on the OpenCCC Sign In page when they begin or resume a CCCApply application. Therefore, if you are unable to sign in to OpenCCC, the system recovery algorithm will guide you through the recovery process.

prompts leadto get to your application, simply their way to CCCApply . Even high school students, applying for the first time, or even exploring careers with Career Coach, are required to create an OpenCCC account. All students and potential students are required to create an OpenCCC account before they can sign in to any CCC systemwide technology application.

How long does it take to recover an account?

The simple, mobile-friendly account creation process is designed to be clean, clear, and convenient - allowing users to create & validate a new account and complete their profile in under 7 minutes.

Info

...

...

Account Recovery & Access Resolution

A new account can be created in just three easy steps: 1) Choose a preferred method to obtain your account security code to validate your identity; 2) provide a few required details needed for your record; and 3) set up a secure Password to ensure account recovery, if needed. That’s it!

...

The Account Recovery System

  • Validates user attributes for authentication user account attributes

  • Prevents Duplicate Accounts: Identifies existing accounts with user

  • Update Passwords: Facilitates the process for changing and resetting user Passwords

  • Verification Process: Generates and delivers new security codes and manages the validation process

Existing Account Validation Process

The Account Recovery service is a series of mini algorithms that query the OpenCCC Account system to ensure the user’s sign in credentials are valid, verified, and match the data in their user Account.

If a user attempts to sign in using an email address or a mobile phone number that doesn’t match an existing account in the database, the Account Recovery system performs a series of actions intended to 1) identify if an account does exist for the student; and if yes, prompts the student to provide personal information that will match the information captured during account creation. If the system determines that an account for the student does not exist, the student is directed to the CCC Helpdesk for technical assistance.

The recovery and validation workflows that comprise the Account Recovery system are listed in the table below.

Recovery Process

Objective

Steps to Resolution/Recovery

Account Matching & Validation

User Attribute Validation

User Sign In Credenti Verification

wh the Account system account system during user Sign In looking for matches to existing data in order to validate the user’s and queries , match and validate user account data to facilitate user access the Account system looking for matches and verification algorithms that ensure user information is valid and unique and processes that identifies if an account using the following logic:

  1. Prompt the user for the user's last name and their date of birth and search based on last name and birth date.

  2. Send a recovery message (and recover link) to user’s preferred method of contact, either the email address or phone number.

1a. If no account is identified by the last name and birth date, continue to prompt for the last name and birth date.
1b. If multiple accounts are identified with the last name and birth date, execute the following logic:
1b1. Using a predefined list of user attributes that include username, first name, email address, street line 1, street line 2, postal code, city, state and phone number, identify which attribute has the greatest number if distinct values for the set of identified accounts and remove the attribute
from the list of possible attributes to draw from.
1b2. Prompt the user to provide a value for the chosen attribute.
1b3. User provides requested user attribute and the set of accounts are queried again with the additional user attribute.
Do steps 1b1 through 1b3 until a single account is identified or all attributes have been used.

1c. System detects 3 queries have been attempted or no account has been identified.
1c1. Redirect user to help desk.

Recovery Process: Resolving Your Sign In Problem

Before clicking on the Recover Account link

...

Note

System validation will search the database looking for a match to verify your account. If your mobile phone number is not unique or if your primary phone is a landline, you can try again or switch to the other method by selecting Use email instead link.
The page will refresh with the Email input field.

Tip

Option: If your primary phone is a landline phone or your mobile phone number is not unique to you, select the Use email instead link to use your email address for validating your identity.

Below: Screenshot of the Create Your Account page with the Email input field.

...

Recovery Process: Creating a New Password

...

Info

Next: The Verify Your Account page should be displayed.

...

Recovery Path: Verifying Your Existing Account

  1. Retrieve your security code from the message sent to your mobile phone or email account

...

Note

Need Help? If you need assistance during the Create Profile process, click on the Help link in the footer to contact technical support.

Recovery Path: Updating & Validating Your Preferred Method of Contact

Info

Note: Once validated, the email or mobile phone number you chose to validate your identity during account creation will be pre-populated in the Contact Information section to save you time. This data cannot be changed until your account is created and confirmed, at which time you can sign in and access the Edit Account system.

Tip

Designed for Student Success: To further simplify the account creation process, the system will autofill any information we collect from you in a previous section, such as your email address or mobile phone number (which is collected in the Create & Verify process).

Forgot Your Password? Follow This Process

set up a secure Password that meets the security criteria requirements.

...

Note

Your password is required if you forget your Sign in credentials (email or mobile phone number), or if you need to edit your account.

...

Common Access Issues & Ways to Resolve Them

Below are some of the common issues that users may experience when they can’t sign in to their OpenCCC account. If you encounter an issue that isn’t listed here, contact a CCCTC Support Representative for assistance.

Q: I need to create a new Password but I didn’t receive the new validation (security) code by email or text message. What do I do?

A: First, confirm that you are accessing the right email account or provided the correct mobile phone number. If you are sure you are using the correct email address or mobile phone number, contact CCCTC Support Representative for assistance.

Q: Why do I keep seeing the Session Expiration message? I am still active in the system.

If you are seeing the Session Expiration message, the system is saying it has not had any user activity in the past 10 minutes. This is standard functionality in web applications that are concerned about security and privacy of personal information.

To keep that message from appearing, continue to move through the account creation process and complete the set up of your account. If you are seeing this message - even if you have been active in the account creation process - check your internet connect and, if necessary, refresh the page for a more stable connection.

...

Q: I keep getting a message that my account already exists. Why is this happening and what do I do now?

A: if you are seeing this message during account creation, it means that an account has already been created using more than one piece of personal information associated with you.

Stop creating a new account and return to the Sign In page. Click on the Recover Account link to recover your account sign in credentials.

...

Q: The system is not accepting my mobile phone number. Why is this happening and what do I do now?

A: It is possible that your mobile phone number was already validated by another user. This could happen in error, or if you shared your mobile phone number with a family member, they may have validated the number before you.

We recommend using your unique email address to validate your account. From the Verify Your Account page, click on the Use email instead link to use your email address to validate your identity.

Q: I didn’t receive my validation (security) code. What do I do now?

Why am I getting a message telling me to verify my US address?

Domestic (US) addresses are run through a USPS validation service to ensure the address is valid. If the system detects an invalid address, the Verify Address message will display with a suggested address and the following message: “To ensure an accurate address, we suggest the one below. Would you like to use this suggested address?”

...

Tip

If the system does not display the Verify Address message, the user will be prompted to proceed without incident.

Is customer support available if I get stuck during account creation?

Yes! User support is available 24/7 through the Helpdesk phone center (800) xxx-xxxx , by email support@openccc.net, or online through the self-support community site, CCCHelp.info.

More FAQs

Q: I think I already have a CCCID account but it’s been a long time. I don’t have my original email account. Do I need to create another account?

...

A: Yes! Every page of the OpenCCC account system, including account creation, recovery and edit profile, is available in English and Spanish. All onscreen text, error messages, help text, and confirmation emails and text messages, can be viewed in either language by selecting the Switch to Spanish/English link found in the header of every page.

...

More How To Guides

...