the college admission process True North College Advising a perfect fit the college admission process Sharon Travers True North College Advising

Before We Start… Fill out an Essay Coaching Raffle Slip Take a copy of the Steps in the College Admission/Decision Process Presentation will be available on CVHS website

California Community College System California State University (CSU) University of California (UC) Public Out-of-State Private Colleges Next…The Basics Different College Options

Community College System 112 in California, 19 in Bay Area Diablo Valley College Ohlone College Berkeley City College Laney College Chabot/Las Positas Use this as a path to: Obtain an AA or AS degree Transfer to a UC or CSU Advantages and drawbacks Importance of planning and advising

CSU and UC Systems California State University (CSU) More “applied” learning Less competitive admission than most UCs* Tuition lower University of California (UC) More “research” oriented More selective admission than most CSUs* Tuition higher * except Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Diego State University

Other 4-Year College Options Private Colleges Small to large in size Some have specialties (religious affiliation, single gender, race) Not “all” exclusive or expensive Many have generous financial aid Out-of-State Public Colleges Expense as out-of-state resident Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)

Application Process CSU UC Oct. 1-Nov. 30 No essay Nov. 1-Nov. 30 Application has 2 essays, no teacher or counselor recommendations No “Early Decision” (binding) Out-of-State Publics Applications vary in complexity Deadlines vary Private Colleges Individual School Application Requirements and deadlines vary Common Application Counselor evaluation, teacher recommendations, 7th semester grades, 1 essay, 1 short answer + supplemental questions (very important) Deadlines vary: Early Decision vs. regular admission Application Process Different systems have different applications

What goes into finding the college that’s right for you? 3 Things… Academic Fit Social & Environmental Fit Financial Fit

Academic fit: what it is, why it matters, and how to research Many factors go into admissions decisions Grades and test scores – a MUST Essential to know if you’re competitive Look at 25%/75% range Make sure list includes Safety/Fit/Reach Schools Research Tool #1 www.nces.ed.gov Example: Sonoma State University

Academic fit: your major Know your major? Great! Don’t know your major? Don’t worry! Explore which CA public colleges have your major Explore different flavors of your major Transfer path tools Research Tool #2 www.assist.org Example: Bioengineering Example: UC Berkeley Academic fit: your major

Complete new AA-T or AS-T and be guaranteed admission to CSU system Opportunity to complete 2 degrees (Associates and Bachelors) with only 120 units Selected majors connect with specific colleges http://adegreewithaguarantee.com/ Academic Fit Community College Option: AA-T or AS-T

Research Careers & Majors 6 Smart Ways to Research Careers and Majors Visit the Career Center (re-)take Career Cruising or other assessment Reflect on what you’re passionate about Talk to people in the field Use connections – job shadow, work, intern this summer Read, listen to the news: what is interesting to you and where is it happening? Research Tool #3 Career Cruising (or other assessment) Follow your interests and aptitudes

Career Cruising id: castrovalley pw: trojans

Social/Environmental Fit Research Tool #4 Visit colleges and universities Many 4-year colleges within 90 minutes of Bay Area Even more 2-year, technical, and vocational colleges Research Tool #5 www.youniversitytv.com

Financial Fit And, work. Cal Grants Board of Governors Fee Waiver (Comm. College) Scholarships “Institutional” scholarships (merit and need) – know if you need to file the CSS Profile Private scholarships Do not have to be repaid, but there are conditions (scholarship, units) – need to be aware of whether “renewable” or not Loans Student Secured Unsecured Parent Parent Plus Work Study Awarded after filing FAFSA Must be repaid (or work to receive) And, work.

Financial Fit: Things to Know Research Cost of Attendance (COA) Understand Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Learn what constitutes Financial Aid Understand risks of student loans Consider schools where you might receive merit or need-based aid

Financial Fit: Things to Do Apply for scholarships in your senior year! From your college (some automatic, some you must search out) Your high school, local Ed Foundation, parent workplace, service organizations, cultural organizations Other major scholarships (e.g. PGE) Deadlines come up early! Be realistic: consider your options Research Tool #6 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Priority Deadline: March 2 Make sure to use this site: www.fafsa.ed.gov Do NOT pay for online help with FAFSA What is FAFSA? Free Application for Federal Student Aid First step in receiving financial aid, grants, work study, loans Need Social Security #, tax returns to complete Student and Parent(s) must file if student is “dependent” Parents need to share financial information with students Priority Deadline: March 2

Parents: Take the time to learn about types of financial aid. Begin early. Talk to a tax advisor or financial planner. Read Wall Street Journal online article “How Not to Blow It with Financial Aid”. Financial Aid

Financial Fit Research Tool #7 Net Price Calculators

So, What’s Next? College Fairs Focus on academics WACAC College Fairs: wacac.org/fairs Sat. May 11 from 1-4 p.m. at St. Mary’s in Moraga Other days/locations available Specialty Fairs Exploring College Options (Duke, Harvard, Penn, Georgetown, Stanford) May 12-17 – register now Colleges That Change Lives (July 29-30) Focus on academics Prepare for the SAT/ACT Correlation between GPA/scores and admissions Extracurricular activities – depth, leadership Experiences that add dimension to your life Summer programs on my Facebook page Western Association for College Admission Counseling

Student Admittances Brigham Young University California State University Channel Islands Chico East Bay Humboldt San Jose Maritime Monterey Polytechnic - Pomona Polytechnic - San Luis Obispo San Diego San Francisco Sonoma Georgia Institute of Technology Gonzaga University Hawaii Pacific University Lewis & Clark Notre Dame de Namur New York University Occidental College San Francisco Art Institute Stanford University University of California Berkeley Davis Irvine Los Angeles Merced Riverside Santa Barbara Santa Cruz San Diego University of Colorado University of Hawaii, Manoa University of the Pacific University of Puget Sound University of Redlands University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Utah Villanova University Willamette University

Please let me know if I can help True North College Advising Thank You! Please let me know if I can help s.travers@yahoo.com 510.733.5796 Facebook True North College Advising www.truenorthcollegeadvising.com