 He attended Los Angeles City College from 1939 onward . Although Roddenberry ranked in the ninetieth percentile on an intelligence test , and in the 99th percentile on a reading test administered as part of his college entrance examination , he elected to major in the police science curriculum ; as president of the school 's Police Club , he communicated with police liaison Stanley Sheldon . During his second year , he developed an interest in aeronautical engineering and obtained a pilot 's license through the United States Army Air Corps @-@ sponsored Civilian Pilot Training Program . He graduated from Los Angeles City College with an Associate of Arts degree in police science on June 26 , 1941 , becoming the first member of his family to earn a college degree . After graduating , he traveled to March Air Base and signed up for the Army Air Corps ; due to the lack of training spaces his entrance was delayed . For the remainder of the summer , he attended Peace Officer training at the University of California , Los Angeles as an Army cadet . 
