College Entrance Requirements Both Alison Kuykendall, College Counselor

Preparing for College 9th – 10th Grades Keep grades up, C or higher, aim for a minimum g.p.a. of 3.0 or higher. Enroll in challenging, rigorous courses from the A-G list. Review with counselor during balloting. PSAT in the fall; PSAT 10 in the spring Try out clubs, sports, community service activities. Use Naviance to help focus on future career. A

Preparing for College 11th – 12th Grades Keep grades up, C or higher, aim for 3.0 or higher. Enroll in challenging, rigorous courses from the A-G list. Math all 4 years! Take on leadership roles in clubs, sports, community service activities. Create a resume with all activities, awards, work experience, and community service. Take the PSAT in fall of junior year. SAT and/or ACT in spring of junior year and fall of senior year. Use Naviance to focus on future career, find colleges that meet your needs, and COMMUNICATE WITH COLLEGE COUNSELOR!! A

General Timeline of Senior Year August-September: SAT and/or ACT October-November: College Apps October-February: Financial Aid Apps March-April: Puzzle pieces fit together April-May: Decision Time All year, but mostly in spring: Scholarships K

Private Universities – 60+ California Colleges Community Colleges – 108 Public Universities 24 CSU’s 10 UC’s Private Universities – 60+ K

Community Colleges Enroll Senior year to get ahead. Save money Priority Registration at CC Most classes will transfer to universities Transfer plan: Plan to transfer approx. 2 years (60 transferable units), apply to university based on college work only. No SAT or ACT  CC offers: Vocational Certificates = 3-45 units Associates Degrees (AA/AS) = 60 units Fully Transferrable Units to 4 year schools K

University Admission Requirements A-G Coursework Grades of “C” or better SAT or ACT (both with writing) Some require 2 SAT Subject Tests GPA – aim for min. 3.0 or higher Activities (sports, clubs, music, etc.) Community Service UC’s and Private require essays Private require letters of recommendation A

University Admission Requirements History/Social Science 2 years English 4 years Math 3-4 years Lab Science (no 9th grade) 2-3 years Foreign Language 2-3 years Visual Performing Art 1 year College Prep Elective 1 year A

College Athletics Is your child a talented athlete who wishes to participate in D1 or D2 collegiate sports? Register with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Very rigorous, more requirements than simply A-G. www.ncaastudent.org DISTRICT NCAA MEETING 3/27, 6pm, BEYER K

Remediation of D’s or F’s Retake the class or comparable class in the regular day schedule Often not room in classes Cannot fit in to an already packed schedule Summer School and ESS PACE and other computer based courses may not be accepted by universities and NCAA. Limited availability Not all classes offered at all sites K

Financial Aid: FAFSA October 1-March 2 https://fafsa.ed.gov/ or https://dream.csac.ca.gov/ Never pay to apply, use correct website. Workshops on campus. Will require parental income and financial records. File each year your student(s) are in school. A

Types of Financial Aid Pell Grant (Federal) Cal Grant (State) District office files GPA electronically/automatically Be sure student name and address are correct in Powerschool and match what student lists on financial aid/college apps. Work Study – jobs on campus that provide income towards school expenses. Student Loans – lower interest through government, begin repayment after graduation; debt remains with you until paid off, even if you declare bankruptcy. A

Scholarships Scholarships are ongoing and posted in the MCS Scholarship Bulletin and Mrs. K’s REMIND List of safe scholarship websites is available on MCS Scholarship Bulletin at the top of the page. Scholarships awarded from colleges may require FAFSA or other additional applications. “Free Ride” scholarships very rare, most range from $100 - $1000. K

Out of State Colleges Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Private colleges May offer more merit based financial aid May require CSS Profile (pay fee to file) K

College Application Costs SAT (4 free reports) $ 46 $ 60 w/writing $ 26 per subject test Add’l reports $12 ACT (4 free reports) w/writing $ 62.50 Add’l reports $13 SAT/ACT fee waivers in college counseling office for free/reduced lunch CSU Application $ 55 each campus UC Application $ 70 each campus CSU/UC fee waivers part of application Private and Out of State Varies by school Fee waiver process varies A

Naviance Colleges Research colleges and universities. Sign up to attend college presentations & workshops. Careers Help find careers based on interests, and more information about careers. About Me Create resume. Make sure email is up to date to receive information from college counselor. A

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Specific Questions? EMAIL: Alison Kuykendall: Kuykendall.a@mcs4kids.com APPOINTMENTS MADE ONLINE: 30 minute Spring Junior Student & Parent Meeting 30 minute Fall Senior Profile Review Meeting Both