GO SENIORS!!!
CSF/Academic Letter
 Filing Periods:
 October 1st-31st
 March 1st-31st
 Criteria:
 3.4 GPA or above in specific
classes (see application)
 $3.00 Fee
National Honor Society
 NHS at Rio is for Seniors ONLY
 How do I qualify?
 Seniors who have:
 3.4 Unweighted GPA or above
are invited to apply
 Community Service, Leadership,
Extra-Curricular Activities
Reading Your Transcript
Student Name/
Address/Phone
Parent Name
Student Information
GPA
Wtd/Unwtd/Prep
Class Rank by
GPA
Elements of A Transcript
All classes
above the
black line
must be
passed by
graduation
You must
earn at
least 220
credits by
graduation
Final Grades/GPA/
Citizenship/Credits
Progress in meeting
Graduation Requirements
How do I calculate my GPA
(grade point average)?
“A” = 4 points (5 if Honors or AP)
“B” = 3 points (4 if Honors or AP)
“C” = 2 points (3 if Honors or AP)
“D”= 1 point does not count for college
“F” = 0 points does not count for
high school or college
Which classes are A-G?
A---HISTORY-SOCIAL SCIENCE---World History, US History,
American Govt, Psych, Geog, Anthro, Political Science,
Sociology, Philosophy, (all Civitas )
B---ENGLISH--- All classes
C---MATHEMATICS--- ALL classes EXCEPT Trans. to Alg 2
D---LAB SCIENCE---Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physiology
E---LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH --Spanish and
French
F---VISUAL PERFORMING ART--- Art, Digital Art, Drama,
Readers Theatre, Ceramics, Music Appreciation, Band
G---OTHER ACADEMIC ELECTIVE--- Economics, Newspaper,
Yearbook, Speech, Film and Lit, Earth Science, Senior
AVID, ANY A-F course beyond the minimum requirement
Which classes
ARE NOT A-G?
 Transition to Algebra 2
 Student Government
 Woodshop, Home Tech, Robotics
 Health, PE
 AVID I, II and III
Which WEIGHTED classes count for
UC/CSU GPA ?
 AP English Language, AP English Literature
 AP US History
 AP Bio, AP Phys, AP Chem, AP Environ. Sci.
 AP Foreign Languages
 AP Calculus AB and BC
 AP Econ, AP Psych, AP Govt
 Hon. French 3
 Honors Concert Band ( 1 yr only)
(MAXIMUM 8 SEM. FOR WEIGHTED CREDIT)
Which classes are NOT WEIGHTED
for UC/CSU GPA ?
Honors English 1
Honors English 2
Honors World History
Still Need Health Class?
Here are your options:
 At Rio this semester
 Online through BYU-www. elearn.byu.edu
 Cost is $136 approximately
 Final Exam must be proctored by Rio Counselor
or at the district office. You must have
completed the class by end of this semester or
you will be signed up for Health at Rio for the
spring semester!!
 Rio Americano’s school code: 052-730
Options After Rio
Attend college
Enlist in the military
Work
Take a gap year
???
Community College
Requirements
 Must be 18 or have High School Diploma
 SAT/ACT Recommended:
 Can be used for placement freshman math & English
 If you are planning on playing a sport
 If you are applying for Financial Aid
 Can transfer to a 4-year university
 Visit different community colleges to find the best fit
for you
 Start registering for community college in Jan./Feb.
 Currently $46 per unit
Community Colleges
 Transfer
 Talk to college
counselor once per
semester
 Complete required
course work
 Earn a certain college
GPA
 60 units of college
level work
 There are Community
Colleges across the
U.S.
 Career
 Length and kind of
programs vary
 Less expensive than
private vocational
programs
 Examples of programs:
Automotive Collision,
Culinary,
Speech/Language
Assistant, Commercial
Music, Biotechnology,
Paralegal, Real Estate,
and MANY more!
Applying for
Community College
 Register online at losrios.edu (all local community colleges
EXCEPT Sierra) to get your Student ID.
 Complete 3 Assessment/Placement tests
(Make an appointment online or walk-in)
•
•
•
•
Attend orientation session on campus, then meet with
counselor to choose classes
You can apply in January!
Go to the Financial Aid Office on the college campus
Complete the above steps by March 1 so you can get the
classes you want and be prepared to pay for those classes
once you have registered.
California State University
Requirements
 2.0 GPA minimum (A-G courses)
 C’s Get Degrees
 ACT or SAT Reading and Math (Don’t
Count Writing Score) SUPERSCORE USED
 No SAT Subject Tests
 No Extra-Curricular Activities listed on
application
 NO LETTER of RECOMMENDATION or
PERSONAL STATEMENT Needed
Things You’ll Need for
CSU Application
 Transcript
 UC/CSU GPA (Prep GPA)
 Social Security Number
 CSIS Number (on your transcript)
 Credit Card to Pay
 Official SAT/ACT scores
 CSU-SAT Code: 3594
 Check out Preview Days
 Declare a major if you know what you want
Impacted CSU’s
 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
 CSU San Marcos
 San Diego State
 CSU Los Angeles
 Long Beach State
 San Francisco State
 CSU Fullerton
 Cal Poly Pomona
 San Jose State
 Chico State
 Humboldt State
 Fresno State
 Sonoma State
 CSU Northridge

 Monterey Bay
 Sac State (for non-locals)
CSU San Bernardino
Non Impacted CSU’s
 Sacramento State ( for local students)
 CSU Bakersfield
 CSU Channel Islands
 Cal Maritime Academy
 Stanislaus State
 CSU Dominguez Hills
 CSU East Bay
CSU Eligibility Index:
SAT SCORES
ACT SCORES
(Your GPA ) x 800 +
(Your GPA ) x 200 +
Your SAT Total
(10 x ACT Composite
Score)
=
Your Index
=
Your Index
* Does not including Writing score
CSU Eligibility Index

Bakersfield
2900

Northridge
3700

Channel Islands
2900

Pomona
3800

Chico
3200+

Sacramento (for locals)
2900

Dominguez Hills
2900

San Bernardino
3500

East Bay
2900

San Diego
4200

Fresno
3800

San Francisco
3300

Fullerton
3650

San Luis Obispo

Humboldt
30003200

San Jose
32003600

Los Angeles
3420+

San Marcos
3400

Maritime
3400

Sonoma
3200

Monterey Bay
2900+

Stanislaus
2900
3.98 GPA
University of California
Requirements
 3.0 GPA minimum (10th & 11th grade A-G
courses)
 Weighted vs. Unweighted Prep GPA
 ACT with Writing or SAT Reasoning
 Extra-Curricular Activities
 PERSONAL STATEMENT REQUIRED
 NO LETTER of RECOMMENDATION
Things You’ll Need for
UC Application
 Transcript
 UC/CSU Prep GPA
 Social Security Number
 CSIS Number (on your transcript)
 Credit Card to Pay
 Send OFFICIAL SAT/ACT scores
 SAT Reasoning and/or ACT with writing
 If you send send official SAT scores to one UC
campus that will send them to ALL UC campuses.
UC Rankings

UC Los Angeles

UC Berkeley

UC San Diego

UC Irvine

UC Santa Barbara

UC Davis

UC Santa Cruz

UC Riverside

UC Merced
Private Universities
 Check Application Deadlines & Testing
Requirements
 LETTER of RECOMMENDATION REQUIRED
 Teachers/Counselors need 1 month to prepare
 Re: Common Application: Invite your teacher via
COMMON APP to write a letter for you. Sending
electronic requests to counselor/teacher is FIRST STEP
only.
Private Universities
(cont’d)
 We do NOT USE NAVIANCE FOR LETTERS OF
RECOMMENDATION OR OFFICIAL
TRANSCRIPTS!!
 RIO WILL SEND TRANSCRIPT
ELECTRONICALLY FOR YOU WITH COMMON
APPLICATIONS.
 OTHER TRANSCRIPT REQUESTS MAY GO
THROUGH MRS. CONNELLY IN COUNSELING
OFFICE.
Out-of-State
Public Universities
 Go to the WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange)
website to see which participating out-of-state
community colleges and universities are listed
 If you get a WUE scholarship you will pay only 1 ½
times in-state tuition
 That is a huge savings and some students pay less
than attending a California public college/university
 Many out-of-state universities guarantee you will
graduate in 4 years (more $$$ saved)
 Be open to looking outside of California to go to
college
TOP TEN COLLEGE
APPLICATION MISTAKES
1)
Misspellings and grammatical errors
2)
Applying online and forgetting to SUBMIT application
3)
Forgotten signatures
4)
Not reading carefully
5)
Listing extra-curriculars inaccurately
6)
Not sending official scores!!!!
7)
Writing illegibly
8)
Using an email address that is offensive to colleges
9)
Not checking your email regularly
10)
Having your parent fill out the application for you
Application Filing Deadlines
 California State University (CSU)
 October 1st - November 30th
 University of California (UC)
 Site opens Aug 1
 November 1st – November 30th ( submission only)
 Private & Out-of-State Schools
 Dates Vary
 Check with each individual school
 Community Colleges (ARC, Sierra, FLC, etc…)
 March 1 for Priority Registration
(we recommend applying in January)
How Do I Choose A School?
Your counselor suggests
3 levels:
 Reach
 Target
 Safety
How Do I Pay for College?
 Attend Rio’s Financial Aid Night on Tuesday,
December 9, 2014 from 6:30 – 8:30!
 Go on to FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student
Aid) and get your PIN number
 Put your PIN number in a safe place!
 Submit the FAFSA (Federal aid) beginning January 1,
2014 and no later than March 2, 2015!
 Fill FAFSA out in mid-October by using 2013 tax
information
 There is a step-by-step guide on the FAFSA website
(fafsa/edu.gov) to help you
How Do I Pay for College?
continued
 For Cal Grant (California aid) The San Juan
School District will send in the info for you.
 YOU need to submit FAFSA as well
 Contact your college’s financial aid office
directly to see how they can help you
 Your college’s financial aid officers should
be some of your best friends on campus
Show Me the Money…
 Look at Naviance for scholarships
(rioamericano.com, use YOUR Google
password)
SIGN IN:LAST NAME, INITIAL OF FIRST
NAME,LAST 4 NUMBERS OF STUDENT
ID
 You can nominate yourself for some
awards ( see your counselor)
I Want to Play Sports in
College
 Go to the NCAA Eligibility Center
(eligibilitycenter.org) to register if you
have not already done so
 You will need to submit your official
SAT/ACT scores (Eligibility Center # is
9999)
 You will need to send in an official
transcript
I HAVE
SENIORITIS
 Colleges have rescinded admission for poor senior grades/dropped
classes









UCLA 77 rescinded
UC Berkeley 20 rescinded
UC San Diego 175 rescinded
UC Davis 76 rescinded
UC Santa Barbara 40 rescinded
UC Irvine 151 rescinded
UC Santa Cruz 153 rescinded
UC Riverside 313 rescinded
UC Merced 223 rescinded
 Continue to take ALL classes seriously (even non academic classes!)
 ALL ACCEPTANCES ARE CONDITIONAL!!!
 See your counselor immediately re: any changes or if problems arise
 36 CUTS = NO WALKING at GRADUATION
Naviance- go there!
 Go to rioamericano.com and find the Naviance link on
the left side of the front page
 Use YOUR student ID and YOUR GOOGLE student
password
 Great resources for college matching, career
searches, personal interest surveys & more
 There are scholarships listed on Naviance- a few are
Rio specific
 Go to Naviance, list your colleges you have applied to
and keep it current with admission decisions
 Naviance is FREE for Rio students and families!
Military Options
 There are 5 branches of the military:
Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard
 Speak to a recruiter about enlistment (make sure
you go with a trusted adult)
 Take the ASVAB- the better you perform on this
test, the more options you will have for jobs/career
in the military
 There are other ways to serve: go to college first,
then enlist as an officer or join a ROTC at college
Important Dates
NOVEMBER 4 , 2014 6:00 pm–8:30 pm Library
Help with your Personal Statement with Margie
Amott (bring personal statement in draft form and
application)
DECEMBER 9,2014 6:30 pm-8:30 pm Cafeteria
Financial Aid Workshop
Parents and students encouraged to attend.
YIPPEE, I’m Graduating !!!
 When?
June 3, 2015
 Where?
Memorial
Auditorium