Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 1
2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook A reference guide for junior and senior students and parents School
CEEB
&
ACT
Code:
052077
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 2
August
2014
Dear
Students
and
Parents:
The
Guidance
and
Counseling
Office
at
Saint
Francis
High
School
is
dedicated
to
facilitating
a
successful
experience
with
the
college
admissions
process.
Our
goal
is
to
help
each
student
make
an
informed
decision
regarding
the
best
match
for
his
or
her
future.
This
process
should
include
the
student,
the
parent,
and
the
counselor
working
together
as
partners
in
one
of
life’s
most
important
decision‐making
experiences.
This
discovery
process
is
dual
tracked.
It
includes
self‐discovery
by
the
student
of
what
criteria
he
or
she
values
most
in
a
college,
and
then
the
research
of
what
schools
best
meet
his
or
her
plans.
This
handbook
is
designed
as
a
resource
for
juniors
and
seniors
to
use
in
the
college
exploration
process.
Please
read
it
carefully
‐
it
covers
most
of
the
main
topics
you
will
need
to
consider
in
your
decision
process.
The
more
you
are
familiar
with
its
contents,
the
more
informed
a
decision
you
will
make,
and
the
more
productive
our
meetings
will
be.
We
look
forward
to
helping
you
through
this
exciting
time!
Sincerely,
Guidance
and
Counseling
Saint
Francis
High
School
Director of Guidance and Counseling: Michael
Conley
Counseling Department Personnel Counselors
can
be
reached
by
email
or
phone.
Please
dial
(650)
968‐1213
and
the
appropriate
extension.
Hector
Camacho
‐
Freshman Counselor
hectorcamacho@sfhs.com
Ext.
287
Michael
Conley
–
College Counselor michaelconley@sfhs.com
Ext.
250
Matt
Essary
–
Sophomore Counselor mattessary@sfhs.com
Ext.
693
Donna
Feizzadeh
‐
College Counselor
donnafeizzadeh@sfhs.com
Ext.
223
Carrie
Jorgenson
‐
Freshman Counselor
carriejorgenson@sfhs.com
Ext.
268
Sally
Leitch
Holden
‐
Sophomore Counselor
sallyleitchholden@sfhs.com
Ext.
251
Annette
Nassir
‐
College Counselor
annettenassir@sfhs.com
Ext.
222
Dan
Quinn
‐
College Counselor
danquinn@sfhs.com
Ext.
679
Sherrie
Tasnady
‐
College Counselor
sherrietasnady@sfhs.com
Ext.
224
Martha
Weber
‐
Administrative Assistant
marthaweber@sfhs.com
Ext.
219
President: Kevin
J.
Makley Principal: Patricia
Tennant Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5
Communication Etiquette.…………………...………………………………………………………………..
6 Email………………………………………………………………………………………………………........
6 Online
Identity…………...………………………………………………………………………………....
6 Student
Portals……………………………………………………………………………………………..
6
Checklist for Juniors (Class of 2016)……………………………………………………………………..
7 Checklist for Seniors (Class of 2015)…………………………………………………………………..
10 Beginning the College Search Process…………………………………………………………………
13 Know
Yourself……………...………………………………………………………………………..……
13
Research…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
13
College
Fairs…………………………………………………………………….…………………………
14
Guide
Books…………………………………………………………………..……………………………
14
The
Internet………………………………………………………………...……………………..………
15
Rankings………………………………………………………………………..………………………...…
15
Admission
Counselor
Visits…………………………………………………………………………
15
Building Your College List………………………………………………………………………...…………
17 Factors
to
Consider…………………………………………………………………………..…………
17
Safety,
Target,
Reach,
Statistical
Reach………….……………………………………..………
18
Selectivity………………………………………………………………………………………………...…
18
How
Colleges
Report
Data……………………………………………………………...……………
18
Visiting College Campuses…………………………………………………………………………...………
20 Importance
of
Tours……………………………………………………………………………………
20
Types
of
Tours
and
How
to
Set
Up
a
Tour……………………………….……………………
20
College
Visit
Checklist…………………………………………………………………………………
20
Virtual
College
Tours
and
Other
Useful
Websites………………………………….………
21
Components of the Application…………………………………………………………...………………
22 Early
Action
and
Early
Decision
Plans.……………...………………………………….………
22
Writing………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
23
Grades…………………………………………………………………………………..…...……………….
24
Resume/Activities
List……………………………………………………………………………..…
24
Interviews…………………………………………………………………………………………..………
26
Letters
of
Recommendation………………………………...………………………………………
28
Sending
Scores/SFHS
CEEB
Code…………………………………………………………………
28
High
School
Documents………………………………………………………………….……………
29
Standardized Testing……………………………………………………………………………..……………
30 PSAT/NMSQT.……………………………………………………………………………….……………
30
ACT
Vs.
SAT…………………………………………………………………………………...……………
30
SAT
Subject
Tests……………………………………………………………………………..…………
31
AP………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
32
Preparing
for
the
Test…………………………………………………………………………………
32
Testing
Schedule…………………………………………………………………………………………
32
Important
Websites
Related
to
Testing.………………………...…………..…………………
32
Colleges by Type………………………………………………………………………………………………….
33
California Public Universities………………………………………………………...……………………
35 Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 4
The
University
of
California…………………………………………………………………………
35
UC
Admission
Statistics
by
Campus……………………………………………………………...
36
A‐G
Requirements…………………………………………………………………………….…………
36
UC
Eligibility
and
Holistic
Review.………………...………………………..……………………
36
UC
Application
Deadline………………………………………………………………...……………
38
Important
Websites
Related
to
UC…………………………………………….…………………
38
California
State
University…………………………………………………………...………………
38
CSU
Eligibility…………………………………………………………………………………………..…
39
Eligibility
Index………………………………………………………………………………..…………
41
Impaction………………………………………………………………………………...…………………
41
CSU
Application
Deadline…………………………………………………………………….………
41
Important
Websites
Related
to
CSU…………………………………………………………..…
41
Checklist
for
completing
the
UC
and
CSU
Applications………………………….………
42
Saint
Francis
Courses
Given
Honors
Credit
by
UC
and
CSU……………………………
42
The Common Application……………………………………………………………………………………
44 Essay
Prompts………………………………………………………….....................………………….
44
Financial Aid…………………………………………………………………………………………..……………
45 Types
of
Aid…………………………………………………………...........……………………………..
45
FAFSA……………………………………………………………………………………………...…………
45
CSS
PROFILE……………………………………………………………………………….………………
45
Scholarships…………………………………………………………………………………….…………
46
Negotiating
Your
Aid
Package………………………………………………………...……………
46
After you Apply……………………………………………………………………………………………………
48 Checking
Portals…………………………………………………………………………………………
48
7th
and
8th
Semester
Grades…………………………………………………………………………
48
May
1
Deadline………………………………………………………………………………………...…
48
Waitlists/Appeal
Process……………………………………………………………………….……
48
Reporting
to
Colleges……………………………………………………………………….……….…
48
Special Populations…………………………………………………………………………………………..… 50
Athletes………………………………………………………………………………………………………
50
Special
Talents……………………………………………………………………………………………
50
Learning
Differences…………………………………...………………………………………………
52
College Terms Defined…………………………………………...……………………………………………
54 Financial Aid Terms Defined…………………………………………………………….………………… 61 Appendix……………………………………………………………………………………………...………………
64 References.…………………………………………………………………………………………………..………
72
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 5
INTRODUCTION
Role of the Counselor Role of the Student Junior Year: Junior Year: Role of the Parent Junior Year: ‐
Assist
students
in
the
selection
of
courses
most
helpful
in
matching
student
eligibility
requirements
for
college
as
well
as
college
goals. ‐
Classroom
presentations
on
the
college
search
and
making
the
appropriate
match.
Direct
student
to
sources
for
research
as
well
as
provide
information
and
guidance. ‐
Meet
with
juniors
to
guide
Internet
research
on
college
matching. ‐
Provide
information
on
standardized
tests.
PSAT,
SAT,
ACT
‐
Assist
in
making
a
tentative
list
of
colleges,
discussing
reach,
target,
and
safety
schools.
‐
Monitor
course
selection
and
sign
course
selection
form.
‐
Participate
in
college
discussion;
visit
colleges
with
your
student
when
feasible.
‐
Monitor
test
registration
deadlines
and
discuss
potential
test
preparation
options.
‐
Be
aware
of
tentative
student
deadlines.
Senior Year: ‐
Provide
students
with
the
Senior
Guide
to
the
College
Admissions
Process
at
the
beginning
of
the
senior
year
and
review
all
deadlines,
procedures,
and
meet
with
student
to
review
final
college
choices.
‐
Provide
information
about
college
representative
visits
to
the
Saint
Francis
campus.
‐
Write
letter
of
recommendation
when
requested.
‐
Monitor
all
aspects
of
the
college
application
process.
‐
Work
with
the
student
to
define
a
timeline
for
completing
applications.
‐
Provide
information
to
students
on
academic
and
merit
scholarships.
Encourage
students
to
use
Family
Connection
as
a
resource
for
scholarship
information.
‐
Carefully
consider
course
selection
with
college
goals
in
mind.
Take
the
most
rigorous
courses
available.
‐
Take
notes
during
classroom
presentations.
Determine
important
criteria
when
considering
colleges.
Conduct
research
using
guidebooks,
videos,
college
tours,
etc.
‐
Participate
in
counselor
presentations
and
use
the
Internet
for
further
college
research.
‐
Register
for
standardized
tests
on
time.
‐
Work
with
counselor
in
creating
a
list
of
reach,
target,
and
safety
schools.
Senior Year: ‐
Read
the
College
Counseling
handbook
to
better
understand
the
process.
‐
Attend
college
representative
visits
when
an
appropriate
school
comes
to
visit.
‐
Give
letter
of
recommendation
request
to
counselor/teacher.
‐
Work
with
your
college
counselor
to
define
your
final
list,
keeping
in
mind
Safety,
Level
and
Reach
and
all
information
learned
in
presentations
and
boot
camp.
‐
Write
college
essays
and
send
in
applications.
‐
Take
SAT,
SAT
Subject
Tests
or
ACT
in
the
fall.
‐
Monitor
applications.
‐
After
graduation,
make
sure
your
final
college
choice
is
accurate
on
Family
Connection.
‐
Continue
to
check
mail,
email
and
portals
once
applications
are
submitted.
Senior Year: ‐
Attend
Senior
Parent
Night.
Assist
student
in
procedure
as
appropriate.
‐
Continue
to
review
college
list
and
have
active
and
collaborative
conversations
with
your
child.
‐
Support
your
student
throughout
the
process
and
recognize
that
the
student
should
be
the
main
contact
with
the
college.
‐
Monitor
test
registration
deadlines.
‐
Check
in
with
student
as
appropriate.
‐
Attend
appropriate
financial
aid
workshops.
Apply
for
and
keep
a
copy
of
the
parent
PIN
and
assist
your
student
in
completing
the
FAFSA
and
CSS
Profile
if
applicable.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook COMMUNICATION ETIQUETTE 6
Email We
strongly
encourage
you
to
use
your
assigned
Saint
Francis
email
when
corresponding
with
colleges.
It
is
important
to
consistently
provide
an
appropriate
email.
Colleges
typically
use
email
as
the
preferred
method
of
communicating
information,
so
it
is
imperative
you
check
your
email
daily.
When
emailing
colleges,
use
proper
grammar,
don’t
abbreviate
and
avoid
using
slang
such
as
LOL
or
BTW.
Try
to
maintain
a
professional
identity
as
much
as
possible
with
all
correspondence.
Online Identity This
may
come
as
a
shock,
but
more
and
more
admission
offers
are
being
rescinded
due
to
inappropriate
online
behavior.
The
last
thing
you
or
your
parents
would
want
is
for
a
social
media
horror
story
to
occur.
Keep
your
Facebook,
Twitter,
blogs
etc.
private.
Think
before
you
post
an
inappropriate
picture
or
comment
and
follow
all
rules
outlined
in
the
Saint
Francis
2014‐2015
Student
Handbook.
Student Portals Many
colleges
require
students
to
set
up
what
is
referred
to
as
a
student
portal.
After
you
submit
your
application,
the
college
will
likely
send
you
an
email
with
a
link
to
set
up
your
portal.
Be
sure
to
write
down
your
username
and
password
for
each
school’s
portal
on
the
Usernames
and
Passwords
to
Remember
form
(appendix).
Each
college
uses
portals
differently,
but
most
commonly
a
portal
is
used
as
a
means
of
communication.
Notification
of
missing
documents,
confirmation
that
all
documents
have
been
received
and
admission
notices
are
common
uses
for
the
portal.
Once
you
enroll
as
a
student
at
a
particular
college,
you
will
likely
register
for
classes
and
pay
your
tuition
through
your
portal.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook CHECKLIST FOR JUNIORS (CLASS OF 2016) To­Do 
Research
colleges
via
Family Connection,
books,
the
internet
and
college
visits.
Begin
thinking
about
potential
college
majors.

Get
to
know
your
junior
year
teachers,
as
they
will
likely
write
your
letters
of
recommendation.
Focus
on
at
least
one
or
two
teachers
who
may
be
future
sources
for
letters
of
recommendation.

Attend
at
least
one
College
Fair:
Case Studies Colleges That Change Lives College Fair NACAC Performing Arts College Fair WACAC College Fair When:
April
2015
Location: Archbishop
Mitty
Registration:
TBD
When:
Monday,
July
28,
2014
Location: Santa
Clara
Convention
Center
Registration:
Not
Required
When:
Sunday,
October
26,
2014
1:00
pm
‐
3:30
PM
Location: South
San
Francisco
Conference
Center
Registration:
nacacnet.org
When:
Thursday,
May
7,
2015
Location: Mission
College
(Santa
Clara)
Registration:
TBD
When Junior Year Junior Year Junior Year 
Take
on
leadership
roles
in
the
extra‐curricular
activities
you
care
most
about.

Sign
up
to
meet
with
college
representatives
as
they
visit
SFHS.
Juniors
may
attend
any
meetings
held
at
lunchtime
or
collaboration.

Read
the
Saint
Francis
High
School
College
Counseling
Handbook.

Athletes:
Register
with
NCAA
Eligibility
Center
if
applicable
–
www.eligibilitycenter.org

Set
up
College
Board
Account/ACT
Account.
Record
usernames
and
passwords
into
Username
and
Passwords
to
Remember
form
(appendix).

Develop
a
tentative
Testing
and
Preparation
Plan.
Start
to
research
the
differences
between
the
SAT
and
ACT.
Take
practice
tests
as
much
as
possible.
Junior Year Junior Year October 2014 October 2014 October 2014 October 2014 7
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 
Insert
resume
entries
into
Family Connection
and
map
out
your
activities
and
community
service
for
the
remainder
of
high
school.

Once
a
testing
plan
is
in
place,
register
for
appropriate
SAT
and/or
ACT
test
dates:
October 2014 October 2014 SAT ACT Register By: Test Date: Register By: Test Date: September
12,
2014
October
11,
2014
August
8,
2014
Sept.
13,
2014
October
9,
2014
November
8,
2014*
Sept.
29,
2014
Oct.
25,
2014
Nov.
6,
2014
Dec.
6,
2014
Nov.
7,
2014
Dec.
13,
2014
Dec.
29,
2014
Jan.
24,
2015
Jan.
9,
2015
Feb.
7,
2015
February
13,
2015
March
14,
2015**
March
13,
2015
April
18,
2015
April
6,
2015
May
2,
2015
May
8,
2015
June
13,
2015
May
8,
2015
June
6,
2015
**
Only
time
language
with
listening
is
offered
for
SAT
subject
tests
*
No
SAT
Subject
tests
offered
on
this
date

Take
the
PSAT
(at
Saint
Francis)
to
be
eligible
for
the
National
Merit
Scholarship
competition.

Receive
and
review
your
PSAT/NMSQT
results
with
your
counselor
and
parents.
Use
the
results
to
refine
and
finalize
your
testing
plan.

Plan
on
visiting
colleges
spring
break
of
Junior
year
(April,
2014)
is
a
great
time
to
visit
schools
on
your
college
list.
Remember
to
use
www.welcometocollege.com
as
a
resource
for
college
visits.

Sign
up
for
appropriate
AP
tests.
Instructions
will
be
provided
in
AP
courses.

Plan
a
challenging
Senior
year
schedule
(a
rigorous
Senior
curriculum
communicates
you
are
ready
for
college‐level
work).

Finalize
your
“Colleges
I’m
Thinking
About”
list
in
Family October 15, 2014 December 2014 Winter 2014 March 2015 Spring 2015 April 2015 Connection.
Your
list
should
include
10‐12
schools.

Sign
up
for
the
mailing
list
for
each
of
your
target
schools.
This
communicates
your
interest
in
the
school
and
can
be
completed
by
visiting
the
admission’s
page
of
each
school’s
website.
April 2015 8
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 
Athletes:
Request
a
6th
Semester
Transcript
be
sent
to
the
NCAA
May 2015 Eligibility
Center
at
the
end
of
your
Junior
year.
(Order
forms
in
main
office).

Athletes:
If
you’re
done
testing,
send
your
official
SAT
and/or
ACT
June 2015 scores
to
the
NCAA
Eligibility
Center
by
using
the
code
“9999.”

Complete
testing
if
you
are
planning
to
apply
Early
Decision
or
June 2015 Early
Action.
October
may
be
the
last
date
accepted
by
early
plans.

Spend
your
summer
productively!
Visit
colleges,
enhance
your
resume
and
begin
the
essay
writing
process.
Summer 2015 9
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 10
CHECKLIST FOR SENIORS (CLASS OF 2015) To­Do 
Read
your
SFHS
email
daily!

Check
“My
Planner”
in
Family Connection
for
tasks
assigned
to
you
by
your
counselor

Get
ahead
of
the
game
and
start
filling
out
the
2015‐2016
UC
Admissions
Application
and
Common
Application
now.

Get
organized!
Create
a
digital
filing
system
to
keep
track
of
emails,
essay
drafts
and
all
things
college‐related.

Make
sure
your
College
Board
and
ACT
accounts
have
your
full
legal
name
(as
seen
on
your
social
security
card).

Begin
recording
usernames
and
passwords
for
all
college‐related
accounts
in
the
Username
and
Passwords
to
Remember
form
(appendix).

Register
for
SAT/ACT
if
you
are
planning
to
take
the
test
one
final
When Senior Year Senior Year August 1, 2014 August 2014 August 2014 August 2014 August 2014 time.
Check
college
websites
to
see
if
you
have
completed
required
testing
for
admission.
Some
colleges
require
subject
tests.
SAT ACT Register By: Test Date: Register By: Test Date: September
12,
2014
October
11,
2014
August
8,
2014
Sept.
13,
2014
October
9,
2014
November
8,
2014
Sept.
29,
2014
Oct.
25,
2014
Nov.
6,
2014
Dec.
6,
2014
Nov.
7,
2014
Dec.
13,
2014

Finalize
your
“Colleges
I’m
Applying
To”
list
in
Family Connection.
Share
your
list
of
colleges
with
your
parents
and
counselor.
Involve
important
adults
in
the
process!

Identify
all
application
deadlines
for
your
schools
and
fill
out
College
Application
Deadlines
form
(appendix).

Request
interviews
for
private
colleges
on
your
list
(if
offered
by
college).

Draft
your
UC
Personal
Statement.

Deadline
to
ask
your
teachers
for
a
letter
of
recommendation.
September/ October 2014 September 2014 September 2014 September 2014 October 3, 2014 Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 
Begin
submitting
rolling
applications.

If
applying
for
fin.
aid,
file
the
CSS
PROFILE
registration
form.

Have
test
scores
sent
to
schools
for
which
you
applied
Early
Decision,
Early
Action
and
Rolling
Admission.

Male
students
who
are
U.S.
Residents
or
Citizens
(upon
turning
18)
must
register
with
Selective
Service
‐
www.sss.gov
–
required
for
financial
aid
purposes.

Deadline
to
submit
Early
Decision
and
Early
Action
applications
–
check
each
school’s
dates
accordingly.

Submit
SAT/ACT
scores
to
all
colleges
after
your
last
time
sitting
for
the
test.
Send
AP
scores
to
colleges
if
AP
scores
are
strong.

Athletes:
If
you’re
done
testing,
send
your
official
SAT
and/or
ACT
scores
to
the
NCAA
Eligibility
Center
by
using
the
code
“9999.”

Submit
your
University
of
California
(UC)
and
California
State
University
(CSU)
applications
online.
UC Application Filing Period: November
1
–
November
30,
2014
CSU Application Filing Period:
October
1
–
November
30,
2014
11
October 2014 October 2014
October 2014
October 2014 November 1 & 15, 2014 November 2014 November 2014 No later than November 30, 2014 November, 2014 ­ February, 2015 December 
Last
chance
to
take
standardized
tests
if
applying
regular
decision.
2014 Differs for 
File
the
CSS/Financial
Aid
PROFILE
at
least
two
weeks
before
the
each earliest
college
or
scholarship
priority
filing
date
you
need
to
meet.
participating This
date
is
the
college
or
program’s
deadline
for
submitting
a
school completed
PROFILE
application.
February 
Ask
your
counselor
to
send
transcripts
and
mid‐year
reports
if
2015 needed.
No later than 
If
applying
for
Financial
Aid,
file
FAFSA
between
January
1,
2014
March 2, and
March
2,
2014
‐
the
sooner
you
file,
the
better.
www.fafsa.ed.gov
2015 March 2015 
Colleges
begin
notification
of
admission
decisions.
All
admission
decisions
should
be
received
by
mid‐April.
April 2015 
View
and
print
your
Student
Aid
Report
(SAR)
which
has
your
Estimated
Family
Contribution
(EFC
–
how
much
your
family
is
expected
to
pay
each
year)
–
www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Meet
appropriate
college
deadlines.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 
Check
portals
for
each
college
you
applied
to
and
submit
any
12
April 2015 pending
paperwork.

Attend
campus
Admit/Preview/Open
House
Days.

Select
your
college
–
you
must
decide
by
May
1!

Review
and
compare
financial
aid
award
letters.

Accept
attendance
and
submit
your
Statement
of
Intent
to
April 2015 April 2015 April 2015 May 1, 2015 Register
(SIR)
and
send
your
college
your
deposit.
Notify
all
other
colleges
that
accepted
you
and
let
them
know
you
will
not
be
attending
their
school.

Apply
for
housing
(most
require
a
deposit).

Once
you
have
submitted
your
Statement
of
Intent
to
Register
May 2015 May 2015 (SIR),
accept
the
financial
aid
award.

Register
and
pay
for
new
student
orientation.

If
attending
a
UC
and
you
don’t
have
a
30
or
better
on
ACT,
680
or
May 2015 May 2015 better
on
SAT
writing
or
a
3
or
above
on
AP
English
test
by
4/1,
register
for
the
Analytical
writing
exam
‐
http://www.ucop.edu/elwr/

Create
your
campus
email.

Check
your
college
email.
Colleges
will
send
important
emails
to
May 2015 June 2015 your
college
email
account
only.

Final
Transcripts
–
SFHS
counselors
will
send
your
final
SFHS
June 2015
transcript
(with
senior
year
grades)
to
your
future
college
as
soon
as
grades
are
available.

If
you
took
a
course
at
a
community
college,
request
a
sealed
June 2015
official
transcript
and
send
it
to
your
University’s
admissions
office.

Consider
creating
a
budget
for
the
upcoming
school
year.

Send
AP
Scores
to
your
university’s
office
of
admission
and
records.
You
may
receive
college
credit
and/or
be
waived
out
of
courses
by
sending
your
scores.
To
send
your
scores
call
(609)
771‐
7300.
You
will
be
charged
$15
to
send
a
score
report.

If
you
are
taking
out
student
loans,
complete
MANDATORY
Entrance
Counseling
Session
and
sign
your
Master
Promissory
Note.
Login
to
https://studentloans.gov
using
your
FAFSA
PIN
to
complete
this
process.
Parents
may
need
to
complete
this
process
too.
June 2015 After July 1, 2015 After July 1, 2015
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook BEGINNING THE COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESS 13
Know Yourself Who
are
you?
This
question
may
seem
odd,
but
it’s
an
important
one!
Your
own
assessment
of
your
interests,
attitudes,
and
abilities
is
central
to
finding
the
right
college.
The
purpose
of
searching
for
colleges
is
to
find
the
right
match.
Presenting
yourself
in
an
authentic
way
will
make
it
more
plausible
for
you
and
your
prospective
college
to
find
a
perfect
match.
Honestly
assessing
your
interests,
personality,
goals,
aptitudes
and
characteristics
will
be
beneficial
for
the
college
application
process…
and
you
may
even
learn
something
new
about
yourself
along
the
way!
In
getting
to
know
yourself,
remember
to
examine
yourself
as
a
person
and
as
a
student.
A
few
resources
to
help
you
understand
who
you
are:
• Family Connection:
Family
connection
allows
students
and
their
parents
to
utilize
college
search
tools
with
data
results
specific
to
Saint
Francis
students.
Students
were
given
their
personal
access
codes
by
the
Guidance
Counselors
to
register
and
set
up
their
login
and
password.
To
login
go
to
the
Family Connection
website
and
login
using
the
login/password
set
up
by
the
student
(recommended
login
–
Saint
Francis
login
and
password).
Family connection
can
also
be
accessed
from
the
Saint
Francis
Guidance
and
Counseling
Department
website
under
College
Guidance.
• California CareerZone: CA
CareerZone
is
a
website
designed
for
high
school
students
to
take
self‐assessments
and
explore
college
and
career
options.
The
interest
profiler,
skills
profiler
and
quick
assessment
will
be
especially
helpful
in
understanding
your
interests,
skills
and
personality
type.
Assessments
are
easy
and
quick!
‐http://www.cacareerzone.org/
For
a
list
of
useful
questions
to
ask
yourself
in
terms
of
finding
the
right
college
match
see
Questions
for
Self‐Research
(appendix).
Research Deciding
where
to
apply
and
attend
college
is
one
of
the
biggest
decisions
of
your
life,
if
not
the
biggest
decision
you’ve
made
to
date.
Spending
quality
time
and
energy
researching
appropriate
schools
will
pay
dividends.
The
college
application
process
can
be
a
daunting
one;
however,
if
you
are
equipped
with
the
right
information,
the
process
becomes
much
more
streamlined.
There
are
a
few
rules
to
live
by
when
conducting
your
college
research:
• Be open­minded: There
are
thousands
of
colleges
in
the
United
States
and
abroad,
and
it
is
likely
that
you
could
find
your
place
at
the
majority
of
them.
Try
not
to
exercise
too
much
judgment
on
a
school
until
you
have
taken
the
time
and
energy
to
fully
understand
all
of
the
institution’s
offerings.
Don’t
let
one
aspect
of
the
school
(i.e.
an
undesirable
location)
deter
you
from
digging
deeper
and
finding
out
if
the
school
is
a
match
for
you!
• Ask questions: In
conducting
your
research,
if
there
is
information
you
come
across
that
you
don’t
understand,
ask
your
counselor,
parent
or
a
friend.
The
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook •
•
14
college
world
should
be
foreign
to
you,
so
it
is
only
natural
that
questions
will
arise
in
your
research.
Don’t get caught up with the numbers: Statistics
allow
us
to
gain
an
understanding
of
how
one
school
stacks
up
to
another.
However,
at
the
end
of
the
day,
statistics
are
simply
numbers.
Reading
statistics
with
a
cautionary
eye
is
always
recommended.
One
statistic
that
can
be
particularly
telling
about
a
school
is
graduation
rates.
A
school
with
a
high
graduation
rate
likely
has
fewer
impacted
majors
and
students
carrying
an
exorbitant
amount
of
debt.
Gathering quality information:
It
is
cruical
to
gather
information
from
multiple
sources
when
conducting
college
research.
Luckily,
we
live
in
a
time
where
information
is
easily
accesible.
It
is
up
to
you,
however,
to
be
the
smart
consumer!
In
addition
to
Family Connection,
we
recommend
the
following
resources
when
conducting
research:
College Fairs Attending
a
college
fair
is
a
great
way
to
learn
about
many
schools
at
once.
A
college
fair
is
a
gathering
of
many
colleges
in
one
place,
each
with
its
own
table
of
resource
materials
and
representatives
ready
to
talk
to
prospective
students
like
you.
For
tips
on
what
to
do
before,
during
and
after
a
college
fair
visit:
http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/articles/Pages/College‐Fair‐Tips.aspx
There
are
several
college
fairs
held
through
out
the
Bay
Area
each
year:
• Colleges that Change Lives (CTLC)
‐
Every
summer,
usually
in
late
July,
the
Colleges
that
Change
Lives
organization
holds
a
free
event
in
the
Bay
Area.
It
starts
with
a
half‐hour
presentation
based
on
topics
from
the
book
aimed
at
making
your
college
search
more
meaningful.
The
goal
is
to
have
you
find
colleges
that
are
the
best
fit
for
you.
After
the
presentation
there
is
a
college
fair
with
representatives
from
the
colleges
featured
in
the
book.
• NACAC College Fair ­
The
National
Association
for
College
Admissions
Counseling
holds
free
college
fairs
throughout
the
country.
The
San
Francisco
fair
is
usually
held
mid‐April.
• NACAC Performing & Visual Arts College Fair
‐
NACAC
also
holds
a
free
college
fair
for
performing
and
visual
arts
colleges.
The
San
Francisco
fair
is
usually
held
in
mid‐October.
• Northern California Catholic College Fairs
‐
For
the
last
few
years,
the
Catholic
Diocese
of
Northern
California
have
held
free
college
fairs
for
all
prospective
college
students
and
their
families.
The
fairs
are
generally
held
in
early
October.
• WACAC College Fair ‐
The
Western
Association
for
College
Admission
Counseling
holds
a
free
college
fair.
The
Bay
Area
fairs
are
usually
about
a
week
before
the
NACAC
fair
in
mid‐April.
The
WACAC
fair
often
has
"big
name"
schools.
Guide Books
• College Admission by
Robin
Mamlet ‐
Written
by
the
former
dean
of
admission
at
Stanford
University,
College
Admission
is
“the
ultimate
user’s
manual
and
go‐to
guide
for
any
student
or
family
approaching
the
college
application
process.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook •
•
•
15
Featuring
the
wise
counsel
of
more
than
50
deans
of
admission,
no
other
guide
has
such
thorough,
expert,
compassionate
and
professional
advice.”
College Handbook 2014
‐
A
handbook
that
“contains
objective
information
on
every
accredited
college
in
the
United
States—2,200
four‐year
colleges
and
universities,
and
1,700
two‐year
community
colleges
and
technical
schools.
With
its
clearly
laid‐out
entries
and
more
than
40
indexes,
the
College Handbook
2014
is
also
the
fastest,
easiest
way
for
students
to
narrow
a
college
search
and
compare
the
schools
that
they’re
interested
in.” Colleges That Change Lives by
Loren
Pope
‐
"Prospective
college
students
and
their
parents
have
been
relying
on
Loren
Pope’s
expertise
since
1995,
when
he
published
the
first
edition
of
this
indispensable
guide.
This
new
edition
profiles
41
colleges—all
of
which
outdo
the
Ivies
and
research
universities
in
producing
performers,
not
only
among
A
students
but
also
among
those
who
get
Bs
and
Cs." The Fiske Guide to College 2014
by
Edward
Fiske
‐
"For
more
than
20
years,
this
leading
guide
to
more
than
300
colleges
and
universities
has
been
an
indispensable
source
of
information
for
college‐bound
students
and
their
parents.
Hip,
honest
and
straightforward,
The Fiske Guide to College 2014 delivers
an
insider's
look
at
the
academic
climates
and
the
social
and
extracurricular
scenes
at
the
"best
and
most
interesting"
schools
in
the
U.S.,
plus
Canada
and
Great
Britain." You
can
check
out
the
above
texts
in
the
Saint
Francis
Guidance
and
Counseling
Center.
Internet Combing
the
internet
is
a
great
way
to
find
information
on
specific
schools.
Each
college
has
a
robust
website
with
more
information
than
you
could
imagine.
Visiting
a
school’s
website
is
a
valuable
way
to
see
the
school
from
their
own
lens.
Rankings Rankings
can
be
useful,
but
it
is
important
to
realize
that
each
person's
college
list
is
unique
to
him
or
her.
What
may
be
considered
a
"best"
college
may
not
be
the
best
fit
for
you.
Also,
remember
that
rankings
are
generated
each
year
by
private
companies.
Consider
Money Magazine's list
of
America's
Best
Jobs.
Would
you
agree
that
we
should
all
aspire
to
be
registered
nurses
because
it
is
ranked
as
the
number
one
job?
Some
popular
rankings
include:
• U.S. News & World Reports • Forbes • The Daily Beat • Washington Monthly • The Princeton Review • College Prowler Admission Counselor Visits Each
year,
Saint
Francis
hosts
admission
officers
from
all
over
the
country.
The
admission
officers
enjoy
visiting
our
campus
because
it
gives
them
a
chance
to
meet
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 16
prospective
students
and
educate
you
about
their
school
and
unique
programs.
Admission
officers
often
provide
advice
regarding
the
application
and
use
these
school
visits
as
an
opportunity
to
meet
prospective
students.
Seniors
need
teacher
permssion
to
attend
meetings
held
during
class
time.
Juniors
are
welcome
to
attend
any
meeting
held
during
lunch
or
collaboration.
140
admission
officers
visited
Saint
Francis
last
year.
For
an
up‐to‐date
schedule
on
when
admission
officers
will
be
visiting,
visit
the
Saint
Francis
Guidance
and
Counseling
homepage
or
ask
Mrs.
Weber
in
the
Guidance
and
Counseling
Center.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 17
BUILDING YOUR COLLEGE LIST (Adapted
from
College Admission
by
Robin
Mamlet
and
College
Board’s
BigFuture)
Factors to Consider There
are
several
big
factors
to
consider
when
developing
your
college
list.
• Academic Programs:
What
courses
of
study
does
a
school
offer?
Does
it
offer
a
major
in
the
specific
subject
you’re
interested
in?
If
you’re
undecided,
does
the
school
offer
a
range
of
courses
and
majors
that
may
ultimately
satisfy
what
you
want
to
do?
Can
you
change
from
one
college
to
another
within
the
university
–
for
example
from
engineering
to
liberal
arts?
Does
the
school
have
a
core
or
open
curriculum?
Are
classes
large
lectures
or
small
seminars?
Do
faculty
or
graduate
students
teach
introductory
courses?
• Athletics:
Do
you
want
to
be
at
a
school
with
NCAA
Division
I
athletics?
Is
a
“big‐game”
atmosphere
important
to
you?
Is
it
important
to
you
to
be
able
to
participate
in
intramural
or
club
sports?
• Campus and Housing: Do
most
students
live
on
or
off
campus?
Is
the
campus
considered
a
commuter
campus?
Is
housing
guaranteed
for
first‐year
students?
Is
housing
guaranteed
for
all
undergrads?
Where
do
students
live
if
they
don’t
live
in
the
dorms?
Is
housing
coed?
Are
cars
allowed
on
campus
for
freshmen?
• Campus Culture: What
is
the
social
climate?
Is
it
dominated
by
a
Greek
system?
Populated
by
artsy
students?
Is
it
known
as
a
party
school?
Is
the
library
busy
on
a
Friday
night?
What
type
of
people
do
you
encounter
on
the
quad?
Is
reputation
or
prestige
a
factor
for
you?
• Cost:
If
cost
is
a
concern
for
your
family,
keep
this
in
mind
as
you
look
at
schools.
But
if
you’re
a
student
with
good
grades
and
test
scores,
don’t
rule
out
any
school
at
this
point
on
the
basis
of
cost
alone;
just
be
sure
your
list
includes
colleges
with
a
range
of
price
points
and
financial
aid.
• Diversity: What
is
the
ethnic
breakdown
of
the
student
population?
Does
the
school
have
a
specialized
mission
around
diversity
(Historically
Black
College
or
Hispanic‐Serving
Institute)?
Is
the
school
religiously
affiliated?
How
much
does
religion
play
into
student’s
lives?
Is
a
diverse
student
body
important
to
you?
Is
there
an
active
religious
community?
• Extracurricular Activities: What
kind
of
entertainment
is
available
–
music,
art,
theater,
improvisational
comedy?
Is
there
a
lecture
series
and
if
so,
whom
do
they
bring
to
campus?
What
kind
of
public
service
and
volunteer
opportunities
are
there?
Is
there
a
strong
internship
program?
Are
there
ethnic
organizations?
Is
there
an
activity
you
can’t
live
without?
Are
fraternities
and
sororities
available?
• Location:
Location
encompasses
considerations
of
geography,
climate
and
distance
from
home.
Are
you
ready
to
be
far
from
home?
Do
you
want
to
live
in
a
part
of
the
country
or
world
you’ve
never
experienced?
Are
you
ready
for
the
cold
winter
of
a
campus
in
the
Midwest
or
Northeast?
• Setting: Do
you
want
a
school
with
an
urban,
suburban
or
rural
setting?
Do
you
want
the
peace
and
quiet
of
a
college
located
in
a
quiet
suburb,
the
isolation
of
a
school
in
the
Rockies,
or
the
hustle
and
bustle
of
a
big‐city
campus
with
access
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook •
18
to
museums,
shopping
and
entertainment?
Are
there
services
available
–
medical,
dry
cleaning,
and
restaurants?
Type of School: Do
you
prefer
to
attend
a
public
or
private
school?
Single‐sex
or
coed?
Religiously
affiliated?
Does
the
size
of
the
school
matter? School
enrollments
can
range
from
a
few
hundred
students
to
tens
of
thousands.
Size
can
impact
the
range
of
majors
offered,
a
school’s
athletics,
extracurricular
activities,
opportunities
for
involvement,
the
sense
of
community
and
the
amount
of
attention
a
student
will
receive
from
faculty
and
staff
Safety, Target, Reach, Statistical Reach Only
apply
to
schools
you
would
attend.
Plain
and
simple.
That
being
said,
it
is
important
to
be
realistic
when
crafting
your
college
list.
Take
some
time
to
reflect
on
all
of
the
research
you
have
conducted.
Once
you
feel
you
know
enough
about
a
good
handful
of
schools
and
why
each
of
those
schools
would
be
a
good
fit,
it
is
time
to
develop
a
well‐balanced
college
list.
We
recommend
you
apply
to
no
more
than
10
colleges.
Trust
us,
you
will
be
overwhelmed
with
more
than
10
applications.
Of
those
10
colleges,
3
should
be
safety
schools,
4
should
be
target
schools
and
3
should
be
reach
schools.
• Safety:
A
school
that
rarely
denies
students
with
your
credentials
• Target:
A
school
where
your
chances
of
being
accepted
are
better
than
your
chances
of
being
rejected,
though
there
is
no
guarantee
of
admission.
• Reach: A
school
where
your
chances
of
being
rejected
are
higher
than
your
chances
of
being
accepted.
But
some
students
with
credentials
like
yours
have
been
admitted.
• Statistical Reach: A
school
you
would
like
to
attend
but
where
your
chances
of
acceptance
seem
slim.
No
one’s
chances
of
admission
at
these
schools
are
high.
Selectivity Here
is
a
reassuring
statistic:
“more
than
80
percent
of
the
2,600
four‐year
colleges
and
universities
in
the
United
States
accept
more
than
half
the
students
who
apply”
(Mamlet
134).
Selectivity
is
determined
through
a
simple
formula.
• Selectivity: Number
of
Students
Admitted/
Number
of
Students
who
Applied Information
on
a
school’s
selectivity
can
often
be
found
on
the
school’s
website
by
searching
for
the
freshman
class
profile
or
Common
Data
Set.
While
it
is
always
difficult
to
predict
who
will
be
admitted,
it
is
important
and
relevant
to
know
a
school’s
selectivity
when
building
your
college
list.
How Colleges Report Data Mamlet
(135)
notes,
“GPAs
are
most
often
reported
as
the
percentage
of
admitted
students
who
fell
within
given
ranges.”
For
example,
the
freshman
profile
at
a
highly
selective
college
might
look
like
this:
GPA
3.75
or
higher:
63
percent
GPA
3.50
to
3.74:
25
percent
GPA
3.0
to
3.49:
10
percent
GPA
2.0
to
2.99:
2
percent
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 19
SAT
and
ACT
test
scores
are
shown
as
a
range
for
the
middle
50
percent
of
enrolled
freshman.
For
example,
a
highly
selective
school
may
have
the
middle
50
percent
range
for
Critical
Reading
on
the
SAT
as
a
660
to
740.
This
means
that
25
percent
of
accepted
freshmen
did
better
than
740
and
25
percent
of
accepted
freshmen
did
worse
than
a
660
so
the
middle
50
percent
were
somewhere
in
between.
If
your
scores
are
well
above
the
top
of
the
middle
50
percent,
in
this
example
740
and
your
GPA
is
in
the
top
reported
range,
this
specific
school
would
likely
be
a
level
or
a
reach.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook VISITING COLLEGE CAMPUSES 20
Importance of Tours How
will
you
know
which
college
is
right
for
you?
There
is
no
better
way
to
get
to
know
a
college
than
by
visiting
the
campus.
By
visiting
a
college’s
campus,
no
longer
is
the
school
something
you
read
about
in
a
book
or
on
the
internet.
Instead
it
comes
to
life,
and
you
can
gain
a
sense
of
the
school’s
climate,
atmosphere
and
student
body.
Types of Tours and How to Set Up a Tour Most
colleges
offer
a
visit
program,
which
can
include:
student
led
campus
tours,
classroom
visits,
admissions
group
sessions,
seeing
dormitory
life,
discussions
with
professors
and
interaction
with
current
students.
Tours
can
be
set
up
by
calling
the
admission
office.
It
is
best
practice
to
have
the
student
call
to
set
up
the
tour;
this
illustrates
initiative.
College Visit Checklist (Adapted
from
Nacacnet.org) When
touring
a
campus
there
is
a
lot
of
information
to
take
in.
Follow
this
simple
checklist
and
you
will
be
sure
to
develop
a
thorough
understanding
of
the
school.
Formal: (Activities that will likely need to be scheduled in advance)  Take
a
campus
tour
 Have
a
meeting
with
an
admission
officer
 Participate
in
group
information
session
at
the
admission
office
 Sit
in
on
a
class
(or
two!)
 Talk
to
a
professor
(or
two)
in
your
chosen
major(s)
 Talk
to
a
coach
in
your
chosen
sport
 Talk
to
a
student
or
counselor
in
the
career
center
 Spend
the
night
in
the
dorm
with
a
current
student
Informal: (Those pieces of information you can gather as a “fly on the wall”)
 Read
the
student
newspaper,
even
the
ads
 Try
to
find
other
student
publications—department
newsletters,
'alternative'
newspapers,
literary
reviews
 Eat
in
the
cafeteria
 Ask
a
student
why
he/she
chose
this
college,
and
what
their
favorite
part
about
it
is
 Wander
around
the
campus
by
yourself
 Search
for
your
favorite
book
in
the
library
 Read
the
bulletin
boards
in
the
student
union
and
in
the
academic
department
you're
interested
in
 Ask
a
student
what
he/she
dislikes
about
the
college
 Browse
in
the
college
bookstore
 Eavesdrop
on
students
to
hear
what
they’re
talking,
or
complaining
about
 Surf
the
Net
in
the
student
computer
center
 Walk
or
drive
around
the
community
surrounding
the
campus
to
explore
the
surrounding
area
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 21
 Find
out
if
there
is
public
transportation
or
if
you
can
have
your
vehicle
on
campus
 Ask
a
student
what
he/she
does
on
weekends
 Ask
career
services
about
upcoming
job
opportunities
 Look
into
clubs
and
organizations
on
campus
that
interest
you
 Listen
to
the
college's
radio
station
 Try
to
see
a
dorm
that
you
didn't
see
on
the
tour
 See
if
you
can
imagine
yourself
at
this
college
Virtual College Tours and Other Useful Websites If
physically
visiting
a
certain
college
campus
isn’t
feasible,
the
next
best
thing
is
taking
a
virtual
college
tour.
We
recommend
taking
a
virtual
college
tour
prior
to
visiting
and
as
part
of
the
research
process
so
you
are
as
informed
as
possible.
• CampusTours: http://www.campustours.com/
‐
CampusTours
allows
students
to
take
virtual
tours
of
colleges
and
universities.
In
addition
to
vide
tours,
students
can
view
photorealistic
interactive
campus
maps,
and
take
mobile
walking
tours.
• CollegeWeekLive:
http://www.collegeweeklive.com/
‐
CollegeWeeklive
helps
students
with
their
college
search.
The
website
enables
students
to
live
chat
with
admissions
representatives
and
students
from
hundreds
of
U.S.
universities
and
to
watch
presentations
from
education
experts
on
topics
such
as
mastering
the
SATs/ACTs,
writing
a
standout
college
essay,
choosing
a
college,
and
more.
• Welcome to College: http://www.welcometocollege.com/default.aspx
‐
A
website
that
allows
you
to
keep
track
of
your
various
college
visits,
plan
your
visits
(booking
tours,
finding
hotels)
and
reading
about
your
peer’s
experience
as
well.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook COMPONENTS OF THE APPLICATION 22
Early Action and Early Decision Plans • Early Action: Some
colleges
offer
an
opportunity
to
apply
early
and
receive
an
answer
early.
Normally,
the
student
applies
in
November
and
would
receive
a
response
in
December.
This
is
a
non‐binding
admission
plan
and
the
student
does
not
need
to
reply
until
May
1.
If
you
are
deferred
under
this
plan,
you
will
be
reconsidered
with
the
regular
applicant
pool.
Early
action
applicants
tend
to
be
more
competitive
for
admission
than
those
in
the
regular
pool,
so
applying
under
early
action
rarely
enhances
the
chances
of
admission.
Of
course
the
major
benefit
to
early
action
is
that
you
will
know
your
admission
outcome
much
sooner
than
if
you
applied
under
regular
decision.
• Early Decision: With
an
Early
Decision
(ED)
plan,
the
student
applies
in
November
and
would
receive
a
reply
in
December.
Acceptance
is
binding,
and
the
student
must
attend
if
accepted
and
withdraw
all
other
applications.
If
you
are
deferred
under
this
plan,
you
will
be
reconsidered
with
the
regular
applicant
pool.
If
you
are
denied
under
this
plan,
your
application
will
not
be
further
reviewed.
Mamlet
(251)
writes
there
are
four
main
benefits
to
apply
ED: 1. Applying
ED
lets
the
college
know
you
have
decided
it’s
the
one
you
most
want
to
attend.
2. Cost
savings
–
if
you
are
accepted
ED,
you’ve
filed
just
one
application
and
paid
only
one
fee.
3. A
less
stressful
senior
year.
You
are
free
from
the
anxiety
of
waiting
to
hear
from
multiple
schools.
4. A
jumpstart
on
getting
to
know
the
school
where
you
will
spend
the
next
four
years.
• Early Decision II: ED
II
is
a
binding
early‐decision
process
with
later
deadlines
than
ED.
Typically,
the
application
deadline
is
the
same
as
for
the
regular
admissions
process,
but
a
decision
is
sent
far
sooner
with
ED
II.
• A Key Point:
Suppose
half
a
selective
college’s
freshman
class
seats
are
taken
by
students
who
applied
ED.
Because
ED
is
binding,
admission
officers
will
know
exactly
how
many
seats
are
available
when
selecting
candidates
through
RD.
Because
students
accepted
through
regular
decision
(RD)
do
not
have
to
commit,
the
college
can
and
has
to
admit
more
students
under
RD
to
fill
all
of
the
necessary
seats.
When
offering
admissions
during
RD,
colleges
are
especially
mindful
of
yield,
or
the
percentage
of
students
offered
admission
by
a
specific
college
or
university
that
ultimately
enrolls.
Colleges
will
admit
students
on
the
wait list when
their
yield is
lower
than
expected.
The
yield
is
often
extremely
high
at
selective
colleges. Please discuss all EA and ED plans with your counselor. You must submit an ED agreement, which requires the student, a parent and your counselor’s signature. Your counselor will submit this form. Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 23
Writing The
writing
component
(typically
referred
to
as
the
personal
statement,
supplement
or
essay)
is
the
highest
ranked
non‐academic
feature
of
the
application.
The
less
a
college
relies
on
grades
and
tests
scores,
the
more
important
the
writing
becomes.
The
writing
component
is
the
one
thing
over
which
students
have
absolute
control.
It
provides
a
sample
of
your
writing
and
a
reflection
of
your
interests
and
values.
The
writing
component
will
range
anywhere
from
200
to
1,000
words
with
varying
topics
ranging
from
“tell
us
about
yourself”
to
“describe
a
character
in
fiction,
a
historical
figure
or
a
creative
work
that
has
influenced
you.”
Try
to
view
the
writing
component
as
an
opportunity
to
express
who
you
really
are.
• The UC Personal Statement: (Adapted
from
admission.universityofcaliforna.edu)
“Your
personal
statement
should
be
exactly
that
—
personal.
This
is
your
opportunity
to
tell
us
about
yourself
—
your
hopes,
ambitions,
life
experiences,
inspirations.
We
encourage
you
to
take
your
time
on
this
assignment.
Be
open.
Be
reflective.
Find
your
individual
voice
and
express
it
honestly.
As
you
respond
to
the
essay
prompts,
think
about
the
admissions
and
scholarship
officers
who
will
read
your
statement
and
what
you
want
them
to
understand
about
you.
While
your
personal
statement
is
only
one
of
many
factors
UC
considers
when
making
their
admission
decision,
it
helps
provide
context
for
the
rest
of
your
application.”
• The Rules:
All
applicants
must
respond
to
two
essay
prompts
(Prompt
1
&
2).
 Responses
to
your
two
prompts
can
be
no
more
than
a
maximum
of
1,000
words
total.
 Allocate
the
word
count
as
you
wish.
If
you
choose
to
respond
to
one
prompt
at
greater
length,
UC
suggests
your
shorter
answer
be
no
less
than
250
words.
• Prompt 1: Describe
the
world
you
come
from
—
for
example,
your
family,
community
or
school
—
and
tell
us
how
your
world
has
shaped
your
dreams
and
aspirations.
• Prompt 2:
Tell
us
about
a
personal
quality,
talent,
accomplishment,
contribution
or
experience
that
is
important
to
you.
What
about
this
quality
or
accomplishment
makes
you
proud
and
how
does
it
relate
to
the
person
you
are?
*Students
are
encouraged
to
write
about
special
circumstances
that
have
influenced
their
educational
experience
to
provide
the
reader
with
context
(i.e.
learning
or
physical
challenge,
major
life
event).
• Advice for the Personal Statement:
(Adapted
from
Nacacnet.org)
“Look
critically
at
the
information
in
your
application:
your
grades,
awards,
activities
and
work
experience,
family
and
income.
Anticipate
questions
an
admissions
evaluator
will
have
after
reading
your
application.
The
personal
statement
is
your
opportunity
to
answer
those
questions. Present
your
information
and
ideas
in
a
focused,
thoughtful
and
meaningful
manner.
Support
your
ideas
with
specific
examples.
A
personal
statement
that
is
simply
a
list
of
qualities
or
accomplishments
is
usually
not
persuasive.
Your
personal
statement
should
reflect
your
own
ideas
and
be
written
by
you
alone,
but
others‐‐family
and
teachers‐‐can
offer
valuable
suggestions.”
• Selecting a Topic: Mamlet
(206)
candidly
writes,
“It’s
a
waste
of
time
trying
to
figure
out
exactly
what
they’re
looking
for
because
the
list
is
endless
and
ever‐
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook •
•
24
changing.
It
might
be
niceness
or
a
sense
of
humor,
an
interest
in
algorithms
or
activism,
the
boy
who
is
fluent
in
French
or
the
girl
who
raises
pigs
in
4‐H.
No
college
is
saying
‘we
must
have
a
cook.’
They
are
looking
for
the
way
students
come
across
when
they
write
about
why
they
like
to
cook.
Simply
be
genuine
so
they
can
see
who
you
are
for
themselves.”
Into, Through and Beyond: Lead
the
reader
INTO your
story
with
a
powerful
beginning—a
story,
an
experience.
Take
the
reader
THROUGH your
story
with
the
context
and
keys
parts
of
your
story.
Make
sure
the
reader
understands
your
initiative,
leadership,
development
and
continuity.
Leave
your
reader
with
the
BEYOND message
about
how
this
story
has
affected
who
you
are
now
and
who
you
want
to
be
in
college
and
potentially
after
college. Writing Advice For Students:
(adapted
from
Baltimore
&
New
Orleans
NACAC
conference
notes)  Always
write
in
the
first
person;
college
essays
are
autobiographical.
 Find
ways
to
reveal
different
core
qualities
in
each
essay.
 Use
active
writing:
avoid
passive
sentences,
use
power
verbs.
 Don’t
write
about
something
you
don’t
want
readers
to
know.
 Never
make
excuses.
 Essays
don’t
make
up
for
poor
grades
or
scores
but
they
can
provide
context.
 Essays
can
tip
you
in.
 Use
them
again
for
scholarships.
 Let
your
personality
emerge.
 The
more
specific
to
you
the
better.
 If
a
story
starts
in
the
past,
very
quickly
get
it
to
the
present
day.
 Use
the
1/3‐2/3
rule
if
writing
about
someone
else
or
an
external
event:
1/3
on
the
event
and
2/3
on
its
effect
on
you
with
specific
and
then
more
general
examples.
 Too
many
chefs
ruin
the
pot.
 Be
proud
of
your
life
and
accomplishments.
 You
only
have
two
to
five
minutes
to
grab
the
attention
of
an
essay
reader.
 You
will
need
weeks,
not
days,
to
write
effective
college
essays.
Grades Many
applications
require
students
to
self‐report
their
academic
history.
It
is
crucial
you
are
accurate
when
entering
your
grades.
Please
be
sure
to
refer
to
your
transcript
as
you
are
filling
out
your
academic
history
and
triple
check
each
entry.
All
information
will
be
verified
when
the
college
receives
your
official
transcript.
Resume/Activities List Traditionally,
resumes
are
used
in
the
job
application
process;
however,
creating
and
using
a
resume
for
the
college
application
process
will
be
valuable.
Think
of
the
resume
as
a
document
that
highlights
your
extracurricular
accomplishments
and
provides
the
viewer
with
a
reflection
of
who
you
are.
Not
only
will
it
be
beneficial
for
you
to
create
a
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 25
resume
for
the
college
application
process,
but
also,
you
will
now
be
prepared
for
upcoming
internship
and
job
interviews.
• When to Use Your Resume: If
used
appropriately,
this
one‐page
snapshot
can
assist
you
throughout
the
application
process.
We
recommend
creating
a
resume
as
soon
as
possible
because
there
are
several
opportunities
throughout
the
college
application
process
where
a
resume
will
be
handy.
 Letters of Recommendation:
Providing
your
recommenders
with
your
resume
is
best
practice.
It
is
likely
your
recommenders
are
only
familiar
with
one
aspect
of
your
high
school
identity,
but
with
your
resume
on
hand,
your
recommendation
will
be
more
comprehensive
and
reflective.
 Interviews: Arriving
to
an
interview
with
your
resume
communicates
professionalism.
Additionally,
the
resume
can
often
structure
the
flow
and
conversation
of
an
interview.
Be
sure
to
print
several
copies
for
the
interview
on
resume
paper
because
you
never
know
how
many
people
will
interview
you.
 While Completing Your Applications: The
Common
Application
and
UC
Application
require
applicants
to
fill
out
an
activities
and
awards
section.
A
complete
and
accurate
resume
will
tremendously
assist
you
in
this
tedious
process.
• Creating a Resume: Your
Family Connections
account
will
allow
you
to
easily
create
a
resume.
A
finished
product
will
include
the
following
sections: Name
and
Contact
Information
Objective
Summary
Work
Experience
Education
Volunteer
Service
Extracurricular
Activities
Awards/Certificates
• Resume Do’s and Don’ts: Resume Do’s:  Limit
resume
to
one
page.
 Avoid
overcrowding.
Make
your
resume
well
spaced
and
organized
so
that
it
can
be
easily
screened
by
the
reader.
Leave
at
least
one‐inch
margins
on
the
top,
bottom
and
sides.
 Use
readable
font.
Use
size
11‐12
point
and
common
fonts
such
as
Sans
Serif,
Arial,
and
Times
New
Roman.
 Emphasize
headings
with
bold
print,
CAPITAL
LETTERS
and/or
underlining.
 Use
“bullet”
statements
to
highlight
your
accomplishments.
 Quantify
results
(i.e.
use
numbers)
whenever
possible.
 Be
honest
about
your
accomplishments.
 Proofread
carefully.
Double‐check
spelling
and
make
sure
grammar
and
punctuation
are
correct.
 Use
high
quality
paper
to
print
your
resume.
 Save
your
resume
as
a
.PDF
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook •
26
Resume Dont’s:  Include
references
on
your
resume
or
end
your
resume
with
“References
Available
upon
Request.”
 Include
personal
information
such
as
marital
status,
social
security
number,
age,
or
national
origin.
 Use
flashy
graphics
or
colored
paper.
 Mention
controversial
activities
or
associations.
Highlighting Leadership: Generally,
colleges
are
interested
in
depth
over
breadth;
meaningful
involvement
in
quality
activities
is
preferred.
We
caution
students
from
becoming
involved
in
too
many
activities
because
colleges
can
interpret
this
as
padding
your
resume.
It
is
preferable
to
participate
in
fewer
activities
but
pursue
a
leadership
position
whenever
possible.
Taking
a
leadership
role
demonstrates
commitment,
passion
and
initiative
–
3
qualities
admission
officers
love
to
see
in
applicants.
Another
possibility
is
starting
your
own
club,
project,
activity
or
endeavor.
Interviews A
college
interview
is
an
opportunity
for
students
to
talk
about
their
accomplishments,
goals
and
interest
in
the
respective
school.
Few
colleges
require
an
interview,
but
many
offer
an
evaluative
or
informational
interview
as
an
option.
An
evaluative interview
is
one
that
is
used
by
an
institution
as
another
means
of
evaluation.
The
evaluative
interview
is
intended
to
assist
the
admission
officer
in
assessment
of
the
candidate.
The
interviewer
(usually
an
admission
officer,
alumni
or
faculty
member)
meets
with
the
student
and
the
evaluation
becomes
a
part
of
the
student’s
application
file.
An
informational interview
is
intended
to
give
the
student
information
about
the
institution.
While
an
informational
interview
is
often
more
relaxed,
the
interviewer
is
still
likely
evaluating
the
candidate.
Interviews
can
take
place
on
or
off
campus.
If
an
interview
is
an
option,
it
is
usually
beneficial
because
it
is
a
way
to
bring
your
application
to
life
and
demonstrate
your
interest
in
the
college.
• Setting up an Interview: Each
college
has
a
unique
protocol
for
securing
an
interview.
Visit
the
school’s
website
as
early
as
possible
and
follow
directions
accordingly.
If
you
know
you
will
be
visiting
a
school
at
a
specific
time,
call
the
admissions
office
to
request
an
interview
and
provide
the
dates
you
will
be
on
campus.
For
interviews
off
campus,
colleges
will
usually
have
alumni
or
faculty
members
conduct
the
interviews.
Palo
Alto,
Santa
Clara
and
San
Francisco
are
popular
destinations
for
alumni
interviews.
• Preparing for the Interview:  Be On Time:
Punctuality
is
key
with
interviews.
Interviewers
often
have
a
full
day
of
interviewing
and
can’t
afford
to
rearrange
the
day’s
schedule
if
you
are
late.
Being
on
time
(on
time
means
10
minutes
early)
communicates
professionalism.
 Dress Appropriately:
Dressing
as
you
do
for
Liturgy
days
will
be
appropriate
dress
for
the
college
interview.
 Bring Your Resume: Come
prepared
with
several
copies
of
your
resume
printed
on
resume
paper.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook •
27
 Identify Your Interviewer:
At
the
end
of
the
interview,
ask
your
interviewer
for
his
or
her
business
card.
If
they
don’t
have
one,
write
down
the
person’s
full
name
and
address.
 Write a Thank You Note: Using
the
business
card
you
were
given
or
the
contact
information
you
wrote
down
at
the
end
of
the
interview,
send
your
interviewer
a
thank
you
note.
A
thank
you
note
should
be
sent
within
one
to
two
days
after
the
interview.
In
a
few
sentences,
let
your
interviewer
know
why
you
enjoyed
the
interview
and
that
you
appreciate
his
or
her
time.
Sample Interview Questions: Robin
Mamlet,
author
of
College Admission,
provides
her
readers
with
great
insight
into
the
interview.
Below
are
some
sample
interview
questions
she
anticipates
students
will
be
asked.
If
you
spend
some
time
formulating
your
answers
and
pondering
the
“why”
of
your
answers,
you
will
have
plenty
to
say.
It
is
never
recommended
to
memorize
answers
to
these
questions.
You
will
come
across
as
rehearsed
and
inauthentic.
 Why
are
you
interested
in
this
college?  What
do
you
hope
to
get
out
of
college?  What
is
your
favorite
subject
and
why?
Least
favorite
subject
and
why?  What
did
you
do
last
summer
and
what
did
you
gain
from
that
experience?  What
are
your
plans
for
this
coming
summer
and
what
do
you
hope
to
gain
from
that
experience?  How
do
you
choose
to
spend
your
free
time?  How
do
you
think
your
friends
would
describe
you
if
you
were
not
in
the
room?
Your
teachers?
 What
are
you
reading
for
pleasure
these
days?  What
event
going
on
in
the
world
right
now
has
most
caught
your
interest
and
why?  Tell
me
about
your
favorite
teacher.
What
makes
this
person’s
style
good
for
you?  How
about
your
least
favorite
teacher?  What
do
you
do
for
fun,
just
to
relax
or
let
off
steam?  Which
of
your
activities
mean
the
most
to
you?
Why
did
you
start?
Why
do
you
continue?  Where
do
you
hope
to
go
with
it?
Do
you
see
yourself
continuing
this
activity
in
college?  What
are
you
really
excited
about
doing
in
college
that
will
be
new
to
you?  What
are
your
apprehensions
about
college?  Do
you
have
brothers
or
sisters?
What
role
do
they
play
in
your
family?  Do
you
feel
that
your
grades
and
test
scores
are
an
accurate
reflection
of
your
ability?
Why
or
why
not?  Do
your
studies
come
easily
to
you
or
do
you
have
to
work
hard
for
the
grades
you
receive?
 Which
subjects
come
more
easily
than
others?  Tell
me
about
a
class
project
you
have
had
were
you
knocked
yourself
out.
Why
did
you
work
so
hard
on
that
particular
project? Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook •
28
 If
you
had
a
year
off
from
school
and
could
choose
to
do
anything
at
all,
what
might
you
do?
 When
you
think
about
the
“college
you”
how
do
you
imagine
yourself?
How to Ace your Answer:  Allow
yourself
time
to
think
before
you
answer
questions.
It
is
appropriate
to
ask
the
interviewer
to
repeat
a
question
that
is
unclear.
 Be
specific
and
give
examples
when
answering
questions.
This
adds
credibility
to
statements
you
make
about
your
qualifications.
It
is
better
to
make
a
few
strong
points
than
many
brief,
unrelated
points.
 Try
to
avoid
saying
“uh,”
“like,”
and
“you
know!”
Letters of Recommendation UC
and
CSU
campuses
will
not
accept
letters
of
recommendation.
Most
private
Common
Application
schools
and
private
schools
require
or
accept
letters
of
recommendation.
With
competitive
admission
standards,
a
compelling
letter
of
recommendation
can
make
all
the
difference.
Recommendations
give
colleges
valuable
information
about
you
as
both
a
student
and
as
a
person.
Look
for
specific
guidelines
from
school
to
school
on
how
many
recommendations
are
required
and
from
whom.
This
will
vary
from
school
to
school.
• Who to Ask: You
should
give
careful
thought
to
those
you
will
ask
to
complete
your
recommendations.
Ask
teachers
who
know
you
well
and
can
comment
on
both
your
intellectual
skills
and
potential,
as
well
as
your
personal
strengths.
Recommendations
should
come
from
teachers
in
grades
11
and
12
in
academic
subjects:
math,
science,
foreign
language,
history
or
English.
Your
counselor
will
typically
complete
a
Secondary
School
Report
for
you,
which
includes
a
letter
of
recommendation.
• How to Ask: Please
consult
the
Guidance
and
Counseling
page
on
the
Saint
Francis
High
School
website
for
up‐to‐date
directions
on
how
to
request
letters
of
recommendation.
Sending Scores/SFHS CEEB Code Send
test
scores
to
ALL
universities
or
systems
for
which
you
applied.
Consult
the
checklist
at
the
beginning
of
the
handbook
for
information
on
when
to
send
your
test
scores.
Saint
Francis’
CEEB Code is: 052077.
Memorize
this
number.
You
will
need
it
every
time
you
fill
out
an
application,
take
a
test
or
request
scores.
• Tips on Sending Your Scores:  UC
–
if
you
send
to
one
UC
campus,
all
campuses
will
receive
your
scores.
 CSU
–
if
you
send
your
SAT
scores
to
CSU
Mentor,
Long
Beach
–
3594,
all
CSUs
will
receive
your
SAT
scores.
 Send
your
ACT
scores
to
one
CSU
and
release
scores
to
all
via
CSU
Mentor’s
“ACT
Score
Manager.”
 SAT
Score
Choice:
Students
can
select
which
scores
are
sent
to
colleges
by
test
date
(i.e.,
3/13
but
not
10/13).
Colleges
do,
however,
have
the
option
of
requiring
applicants
to
submit
all of
their
SAT
scores
and
students
must
follow
the
instructions
of
the
colleges
to
which
they
apply.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 29
High School Documents (Transcript, School Profile, Secondary/Mid­Year Report) There
are
four
documents
your
counselor
will
send
on
your
behalf
if
requested
by
the
college.
It
is
your
responsibility
to
request
these
documents
be
sent
and
to
give
your
counselor
plenty
of
time
to
adhere
to
all
deadlines.
• Transcript: You
will
be
asked
to
provide
your
classes
and
grades
in
most
of
your
applications.
Some
colleges
use
this
self‐reported
data
instead
of
an
official
transcript
initially.
Colleges
that
rely
on
self‐reported
data
will
ask
for
an
official
transcript
once
you
are
accepted.
Other
colleges
may
want
an
official
transcript
sent
with
the
application
and
then
again
after
your
first
semester
grades
from
senior
year
are
available.
Read
all
instructions
carefully,
adhere
to
deadlines
and
don’t
send
colleges
documents
they
did
not
request.
• School Profile: The
school
profile
is
designed
to
give
a
college
context
on
your
educational
setting.
• Secondary School Report:
Be
prepared
to
ask
your
counselor
to
fill
out
a
Secondary
School
Report
for
most
of
the
schools
on
your
college
list.
A
Secondary
School
report
is
a
supplemental
form
that
your
counselor
will
complete
and
mail
directly
to
the
college.
Information
requested
on
the
report
usually
includes
GPA,
disciplinary
history
and
several
open‐response‐questions
relating
to
your
academic
and
personal
character.
The
main
function
of
the
Secondary
School
Report
is
to
allow
the
counselor
to
elaborate
on
any
special
issues
of
which
he
or
she
thinks
the
college
should
be
aware.
• Mid­Year Report:
The
mid‐year
report
is
typically
requested
if
no
senior‐year
grades
were
available
when
your
transcript
was
sent.
The
mid‐year
report
validates
why
it
is
so
crucial
to
not
slack
off
during
your
senior
year,
because
with
a
decline
in
grades
admission
may
be
completely
rescinded.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook STANDARDIZED TESTING (Adapted
from
Nacacnet.org)
30
Have
you
ever
wondered
why
colleges
require
standardized
test
scores
as
a
criterion
for
admission?
High
schools
use
various
grading
scales
and
curricula,
which
can
make
it
difficult
for
college
admission
officers
to
accurately
compare
students’
grades.
Standardized
tests
provide
colleges
with
a
common
measure
to
help
them
sort
through
credentials
from
thousands
of
applicants.
Additionally,
standardized
tests
can
help
indicate
a
student’s
readiness
to
complete
college‐level
work.
In
some
cases
test
scores
may
be
used
as
a
criterion
for
awarding
merit‐based
financial
aid.
Standardized
tests
are
a
part
of
the
college
admission
process
that
often
causes
anxiety
for
students.
However,
it
is
essential
to
remember
that
standardized
test
scores
are
never
the
sole
factor
in
making
admission
decisions.
PSAT/NMSQT The
ACT
and
College
Board
are
the
two
major
testing
agencies.
Each
offers
a
practice
test
for
the
ACT
and
SAT,
called
the
PLAN
and
PSAT/NMSQT
respectively.
Saint
Francis
students
take
the
PSAT/NMSQT
in
October
of
the
sophomore
and
junior
year.
Practice
tests
are
designed
for
sophomore
and
junior
students
as
a
preparation
tool.
The
PSAT/NMSQT
is
a
practice
test
for
the
SAT.
It
measures
critical
reading,
math
and
writing
skills.
It
is
also
the
qualifying
test
for
the
National
Merit
Scholarship
Competition.
The
PSAT
is
offered
in
the
fall
and
is
designed
for
juniors
as
preparation
for
the
spring
SAT.
It
can
be
a
useful
tool
because
the
score
report
gives
a
customized
analysis
of
the
results
for
each
student,
indicating
where
their
strengths
and
weaknesses
lie
and
what
they
might
do
to
improve.
Junior
year
PSAT
scores
may
qualify
a
student
for
the
National
Merit
Scholarship
Competition,
the
National
Achievement
and
the
National
Hispanic
Scholars
Programs.
Even
though
these
scores
will
not
be
used
for
college
admission,
it
is
still
a
good
idea
to
take
the
PSAT.
ACT vs. SAT The
ACT
and
SAT
are
different
tests
that
measure
similar
but
distinct
constructs.
ACT
and
the
College
Board
have
completed
a
concordance
study
that
is
designed
to
examine
the
relationship
between
two
scores
on
the
ACT
and
SAT.
These
concordance
tables
do
not
equate
scores,
but
rather
provide
a
tool
for
finding
comparable
scores.
To
further
understand
the
differences
between
your
scores
a
Concordance
table
exists.
‐
http://www.act.org/solutions/college‐career‐readiness/compare‐act‐sat/
Purpose Format ACT The
ACT
measures
achievement
related
to
high
school
curricula.
 4
multiple
choice
tests:
English,
Math,
Reading
and
Science
+
writing
 2
hours
and
55
min.
+
30
min.
writing
 Test
is
always
given
in
the
same
order
(English,
math,
reading,
science,
writing)
SAT The
SAT
measures
general
verbal
and
quantitative
reasoning.
 10
separately
timed
sections
including
student
produced
answers
in
the
Math
section
 Always
begins
with
a
25
min.
essay
 3
hours
and
45
min
 Test
sections
are
given
in
a
random
order
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook Content Scores English
(75
questions,
45
minutes)
Measures
standard
written
English
and
rhetorical
skills.
Math (60
questions,
60
minutes)
Measures
math
skills
students
typically
acquire
in
course
taken
up
to
beginning
of
grade
12.
Reading (40
questions,
35
minutes)
Measures
reading
comprehension.
Science (40
questions,
35
minutes)
Measures
the
interpretation,
analysis,
evaluation,
reasoning
and
problem‐
solving
skills
required
in
the
natural
sciences.
Writing
(1
prompt,
30
minutes)
Measures
writing
skills
emphasized
in
high
school
English
classes
and
in
entry‐
level
college
courses.



# of questions 31
215
Writing
(1
prompt,
25
minutes)
Measures
a
student’s
ability
to
develop
and
express
a
point
of
view
on
an
issue.
Writing Multiple Choice (Section
1:
35
questions,
25
minutes,
Section
2:
14
questions,
10
minutes) Asks
students
to:
recognize
sentence
errors,
choose
the
best
version
of
a
piece
of
writing,
improve
paragraphs
Critical Reading (Section
1:
24
questions,
25
minutes,
Section
2:
24
questions,
25
minutes,
Section
3:
19
questions,
20
minutes) Asks
students
to:
Identifying
main
and
supporting
ideas,
determining
the
meaning
of
words
in
context,
understanding
authors'
purposes,
understand
the
structure
and
function
of
sentences
Math
(Section
1:
20
questions,
25
minutes,
Section
2:
18
questions,
25
minutes
–
multiple
choice
‐
Student
produced
responses)
Produced
Response,
Section
3:
16
questions,
20
minutes)
The
questions
require
students
to
apply
mathematical
concepts
and
to
use
data
literacy
skills
in
interpreting
tables,
charts
and
graphs.
They
cover
skills
in
four
major
areas:
Number
and
operations,
algebra
and
functions,
geometry
and
measurement,
data
analysis,
statistics
and
probability
Variable (25
questions
in
25
minutes).
Unscored,
multiple‐choice
section
that
may
have
critical
reading,
mathematics
or
multiple‐choice
writing
questions.
Your
Composite score
and
each
 ¼
a
point
deducted
for
wrong
test score
(English,
answers
Mathematics,
Reading,
Science)
 The
highest
possible
SAT
score
range
from
1
(low)
to
36
(high).
is
800
in
critical
reading,
800
in
The
Composite
Score
is
the
mathematics
and
800
in
writing.
average
of
your
four
test
scores,
 Each
section
is
scored
on
a
200
rounded
to
the
nearest
whole
–
800
point
scale.
Total
score
is
number.
out
of
2400
There
is
no
point
penalty
for
guessing
140
SAT Subject Tests The
SAT
Subject
tests
are
available
in
20
different
subject
areas
and
are
designed
to
measure
your
knowledge
and
skills
in
a
particular
subject
area.
Up
to
three
tests
can
be
taken
on
a
test
date
(with
the
exception
of
the
March/April
test
administration)
and
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 32
each
test
is
one
hour.
Language
with
listening
tests
are
only
offered
in
November.
Students
should
consider
taking
a
SAT
Subject
Test
upon
completion
of
their
highest
level
of
high
school
preparation
in
that
subject.
AP
While
Advanced
Placement
(AP)
tests
are
not
specifically
used
for
college
admission,
AP
is
a
program
in
which
college‐level
courses
are
offered
to
high
school
students.
If
a
student
scores
high
enough
on
an
AP
exam,
he
or
she
may
be
able
to
qualify
for
credit
or
exemption
from
an
introductory
college
course.
Saint
Francis
offers
20
AP
courses.
AP
exams
are
given
in
May
of
each
year.
AP
test
results
do
not
appear
on
your
official
Saint
Francis
transcript.
For
admission
purposes
you
will
likely
be
required
to
self‐
report
your
scores.
If
you
have
scored
high
enough
to
earn
college
credit
(usually
a
3
or
better),
your
official
AP
scores
can
be
sent
directly
from
ETS
to
your
college.
Students
can
view
and
send
their
AP
scores
in
the
beginning
of
July.
See
https://apscore.collegeboard.org/scores
for
details
about
how
and
when
students
will
get
scores.
Preparing for the Test Test
prep
has
become
a
big
money
making
business.
We
encourage
you
to
first
explore
all
free
resources
that
are
available
(guidebooks
or
computer
programs)
and
then
decide
if
you
would
like
to
pursue
a
fee‐based
option.
College
Board,
ACT
and
number2.com
offer
free
practice
activities.
If
you
do
decide
paid
test
preparation
(a
course
or
individual
tutoring)
might
benefit
you
and
if
you
are
willing
to
devote
time
to
extra
study,
you
might
find
test
preparation
worth
it.
The
courses
vary
widely
in
quality,
so
investigate
before
investing
the
money.
You
can
discuss
this
with
your
counselor;
they
may
be
able
to
make
recommendations
of
programs
that
have
been
helpful
to
our
students
in
the
past.
Testing Schedule Your
testing
schedule
will
greatly
depend
on
the
selectivity
of
the
colleges
to
which
you
plan
to
apply,
as
well
as
your
original
score.
A
testing
schedule
should
be
discussed
with
your
counselor.
The
student
is
always
responsible
for
registering
for
each
test.
See
the
checklist
(p.
7
for
juniors
and
p.
10
for
seniors)
on
testing
dates
and
registration
deadlines.
Important Websites Related to Testing PLAN: www.act.org/plan
PSAT/NMSQT: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html
ACT:
www.act.org
SAT: www.collegeboard.com
SAT Subject Tests:
http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat‐subject‐test‐dates
AP:
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/home
Fairtest.org (National center for fair and open testing):
http://fairtest.org/
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 33
COLLEGES BY TYPE 4­Year vs. 2­Year Four‐year
colleges
offer
four‐year
programs
that
lead
to
a
bachelor's
degree.
These
include
universities
and
liberal
arts
colleges.
Two‐year
colleges
offer
programs
that
last
up
to
two
years
that
lead
to
a
certificate
or
an
associate
degree.
These
include
community
colleges,
vocational‐technical
colleges
and
career
colleges.
University vs. College Universities
often
are
larger
and
offer
more
majors
and
degree
options—bachelor's,
master's
and
doctoral
degrees—than
colleges.
Most
universities
contain
several
smaller
colleges,
such
as
colleges
of
liberal
arts,
engineering
or
health
sciences.
These
colleges
can
prepare
you
for
a
variety
of
careers
or
for
graduate
study.
Some
colleges
focus
on
a
specific
interest
or
student
population.
These
include:
arts
colleges,
single‐
sex
colleges,
religiously
affiliated
colleges,
specialized‐mission
colleges.
Liberal Arts Liberal
arts
colleges
offer
a
broad
base
of
courses
in
the
liberal
arts,
which
includes
areas
such
as
literature,
history,
languages,
mathematics
and
life
sciences.
Most
are
private
and
offer
four‐year
programs
that
lead
to
a
bachelor's
degree.
These
colleges
can
prepare
you
for
a
variety
of
careers
or
for
graduate
study.
Public Public
colleges
are
funded
by
local
and
state
governments
and
usually
offer
lower
tuition
rates
than
private
colleges,
especially
for
students
who
are
residents
of
the
state
where
a
college
is
located.
Private Private
colleges
rely
mainly
on
tuition,
fees
and
private
sources
of
funding.
Private
donations
can
sometimes
provide
generous
financial
aid
packages
for
students.
You
can
usually
expect:
smaller
class
sizes,
top‐
notch
professors,
more
opportunity
for
merit‐aid
and
academic
excellence.
Selective Selective
schools
have
low
admission
rates.
To
determine
a
school’s
selectivity
rate,
divide
the
number
of
students
admitted
by
the
umber
of
students
who
applied.
Ivy League Ivy
League
actually
refers
to
an
athletic
conference,
however,
the
eight
member
schools
are
better
known
as
academic
and
intellectual
powerhouses.
The
eight
schools
included
in
the
Ivy
League
are
Brown
University,
Columbia
University,
Cornell
University,
Dartmouth
College,
Harvard
University,
Princeton
University,
University
of
Pennsylvania
and
Yale
University.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 34
Religiously Affiliated – Catholic, Holy Cross & Jesuit Religiously
affiliated
schools
are private
colleges
are
connected
to
a
religious
faith.
The
connection
may
be
historic
only,
or
it
may
affect
day‐to‐day
student
life.
Catholic
colleges
typically
operate
with
a
liberal
arts
core,
offer
an
array
of
programs
and
maintain
a
commitment
to
Catholicism.
Sample
Catholic
schools
include:
Catholic
University,
De
Paul
University,
University
of
San
Diego
and
Providence
College.
Holy Cross
education
is
one
of
the
core
ministries
of
the
Congregation.
Founder
Blessed
Basil
Moreau
charged
priests
and
brothers
to
be
“educators
in
the
faith”
and
to
educate
the
hearts
and
the
minds
of
students.
Sample
Holy
Cross
schools
include:
College
of
the
Holy
Cross,
Notre
Dame
University,
Stonehill
College,
University
of
Portland,
St.
Edward’s
College
and
Saint
Mary’s
College.
Jesuit education
stems
from
its
deep‐rooted
history
and
mission
grounded
in
faith
and
intellectual
rigor.
Since
its
beginnings
in
1548
when
the
first
Jesuit
institution
opened
its
doors
in
Messina,
Sicily,
Jesuit
higher
education
remains
committed
to
academic
excellence,
service,
leadership
and
caring
for
the
whole
person.
Sample
Jesuit
schools
include:
Boston
College,
Marquette
University,
Fordham
University,
Georgetown
University,
Loyola
Marymount
University,
Santa
Clara
University,
University
of
San
Francisco
and
Xavier
University.
Military A
Military
Academy
is
an
educational
institution
designed
to
grant
Bachelor’s
degrees
and
prepare
students
for
services
in
the
army,
navy,
air
force
or
coast
guard.
Some
require
sponsorship
by
a
member
of
congress
as
an
admission
criterion.
Please
visit
the
following
website
for
more
information:
http://www.amcsus.org/
WUE Western
Undergraduate
Exchange
(WUE
‐
pronounced
“woo‐wee”)
is
a
program
of
the
Western
Interstate
Commission
for
Higher
Education
(WICHE).
Through
WUE,
students
in
western
states
may
enroll
in
more
than
140
two‐year
and
four‐year
college
institutions
at
a
reduced
tuition
level:
150
percent
of
the
institution’s
regular
resident
tuition.
Students
from
California
are
eligible
to
request
the
WUE
tuition
discount.
See
www.wiche.edu/wue
for
more
detailed
information.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 35
CALIFONIA PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES (Adapted
from
universityofcalifornia.edu
&
csumentor.edu)
California
is
home
to
two
post‐secondary
education
systems
that
grant
Bachelor
degrees.
The University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU)
comprise
these
systems
and
each
offers
students
an
exceptional
education.
There
are
many
factors
to
consider
when
deciding
which
California
university
system
will
be
right
for
you.
The
University
of
California
tends
to
focus
more
on
research
based
learning,
while
the
California
State
University
system
focuses
more
on
the
combination
of
theoretical
with
practical
applications.
University
of
California
may
be
more
appealing
to
students
who
plan
on
pursuing
doctorate
level
studies
or
who
will
go
into
research
and
discovery
based
careers.
The
California
State
University
program
has
proven
to
be
effective
for
students
that
are
looking
to
learn
specific
skills
that
they
can
apply
immediately
as
they
enter
the
workforce,
such
as
accounting,
teaching
and
nursing
careers.
The University of California The
University
of
California
(UC)
system
includes
more
than
220,000
students
and
more
than
170,000
faculty
and
staff,
with
more
than
1.5
million
alumni
living
and
working
around
the
world.
The
UC
System
is
comprised
of
10 campuses.
The
10
campuses
of
the
University
of
California
open
their
doors
to
all
who
work
hard
and
dream
big.
Through
its
teaching,
research
and
public
service,
UC
drives
California's
economy
and
leads
the
world
in
new
directions.
The
10
campuses
include:
*
UCSF
is
the
only
campus
dedicated
exclusively
to
healthcare.
Students
cannot
attend
UCSF
without
first
obtaining
a
bachelor's
degree.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 36
UC Admission Statistics for Fall 2014 (Adapted
from:
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/profiles/)
UC Berkeley UC Davis UC Irvine UCLA UC Merced UC Riverside UC San Diego UCSB UC Santa Cruz Applications Received Students Admitted Percent Admitted 73,771
60,536
66,508
86,521
15,288
34,912
73,454
66,803
40,721
12,795
24,551
23,573
15,760
9,780
19,797
24,528
24,127
23,176
17.3
%
40.6
%
35.4
%
18.2
%
64
%
56.7
%
33.4
%
36.1
%
56.9
%
A­G Requirements
Grades
earned
in
“a‐g”
(see
below)
approved
courses
and
test
scores
are
large
factors
in
the
admission
decision.
To
be
considered
for
admission
to
a
campus
within
the
University
of
California
(UC)
or
California
State
University
(CSU)
systems,
students
must
complete
15
year‐long
high
school
courses
with
a
grade
of
C
or
better
—
at
least
11
of
them
prior
to
their
senior
year.
The
intent
of
the
“a‐g”
subject
requirements
is
to
ensure
that
students
have
attained
a
body
of
general
knowledge
that
will
provide
breadth
and
perspective
to
new,
more
advanced
study.
A ­ History/Social Science (2 years) B ­ English (4 years) C ­ Mathematics (3 years, 4 recommended) D ­ Laboratory Science (2 years, 3 recommended) E ­ Language other than English (2 years or equivalent of 2nd level) F ­ Visual and Performing Arts (1 year) G ­ College Prep Elective (1 year)
Keep
in
mind
that
taking
approved
high
school
(“a‐g”)
courses
isn't
the
only
way
to
satisfy
these
requirements.
You
also
may
meet
them
by
completing
college
courses
or
earning
certain
scores
on
SAT,
AP
or
IB
exams.
Doing
well
in
“a‐g”
courses
will
also
help
you
in
community
colleges,
professional
schools
and
wherever
your
after‐high‐
school
life
will
take
you.
They
provide
an
excellent
foundation
for
future
learning.
UC Eligibility & Holistic Review The
minimum
GPA
for
California
residents
is
a
3.0.
Only
the
grades
you
earn
in
“a‐g”
subjects
in
the
10th
and
11th
grades
are
used
to
calculate
your
GPA.
Courses
you
take
in
9th
grade
can
be
used
to
meet
the
Subject
Requirement
if
you
earn
a
C
or
better,
but
those
grades
will
not
be
used
to
calculate
the
UC
GPA.
12th
grade
courses
will
also
be
used
to
meet
the
subject
requirements.
The
University
assigns
extra
points
for
up
to
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 37
eight
semesters
of
University‐certified
honors
level
and
advanced
placement
courses
taken
in
the
last
three
years
of
high
school.
A
=
5
points,
B
=
4
points,
C
=
3
points.
No
more
than
two
year‐long
UC‐approved
honors
level
courses
taken
in
the
10th
grade
may
be
given
extra
points.
A
grade
of
D
in
an
honors
or
advanced
placement
course
does
not
earn
extra
points.
D
&
F
grades
in
the
“a‐g”
courses
must
be
repeated
with
a
grade
of
C
or
better
in
order
to
count
toward
the
subject
requirement.
In
2011,
the
UC
Regents
committee
endorsed
a
single‐score
holistic
review
method
of
each
applicant.
Please
see
below
for
how
UC
specifically
evaluates
each
applicant
as
described
on
the
UC
Admissions
website.
“We
spend
time
evaluating
your
academic
achievements
in
light
of
the
opportunities
available
to
you
and
your
demonstrated
capacity
to
contribute
to
the
intellectual
life
at
UC.
The
14
factors
we
weigh
are:
1. Academic
grade
point
average
in
all
completed
“a‐g”
courses,
including
additional
points
for
completed
UC‐certified
honors
courses.
2. Scores
on
the
following
tests:
ACT
Plus
Writing
or
the
SAT
Reasoning
Test.
3. Number
of,
content
of
and
performance
in
academic
courses
beyond
the
minimum
“a‐g”
requirements.
4. Number
of
and
performance
in
UC‐approved
honors,
Advanced
Placement,
International
Baccalaureate
Higher
Level
and
transferable
college
courses.
5. Identification
by
UC
as
being
ranked
in
the
top
9
percent
of
your
high
school
class
at
the
end
of
your
junior
year
(Eligible
in
the
Local
Context,
or
ELC).
6. Quality
of
your
senior‐year
program
as
measured
by
the
type
and
number
of
academic
courses
in
progress
or
planned.
7. Quality
of
your
academic
performance
relative
to
the
educational
opportunities
available
in
your
high
school.
8. Outstanding
performance
in
one
or
more
specific
subject
areas.
9. Outstanding
work
in
one
or
more
special
projects
in
any
academic
field
of
study.
10. Recent,
marked
improvement
in
academic
performance
as
demonstrated
by
academic
GPA
and
the
quality
of
coursework
completed
or
in
progress.
11. Special
talents,
achievements
and
awards
in
a
particular
field,
such
as
visual
and
performing
arts,
communication
or
athletic
endeavors;
special
skills,
such
as
demonstrated
written
and
oral
proficiency
in
other
languages;
special
interests,
such
as
intensive
study
and
exploration
of
other
cultures;
experiences
that
demonstrate
unusual
promise
for
leadership,
such
as
significant
community
service
or
significant
participation
in
student
government;
or
other
significant
experiences
or
achievements
that
demonstrate
the
student's
promise
for
contributing
to
the
intellectual
vitality
of
a
campus.
12. Completion
of
special
projects
undertaken
in
the
context
of
your
high
school
curriculum
or
in
conjunction
with
special
school
events,
projects
or
programs.
13. Academic
accomplishments
in
light
of
your
life
experiences
and
special
circumstances,
including
but
not
limited
to:
disabilities,
low
family
income,
first
generation
to
attend
college,
need
to
work,
disadvantaged
social
or
educational
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 38
environment,
difficult
personal
and
family
situations
or
circumstances,
refugee
status
or
veteran
status.
14. Location
of
your
secondary
school
and
residence.”
UC Application Deadline
You
may
submit
your
application
between
November
1
and
November
30.
Applications
submitted
after
November
30
will
not
be
accepted.
The
UC
application
is
now
available
beginning
August
1st.
Important Websites Related to UC A­G Guide: http://www.ucop.edu/agguide/index.html ELC Information: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/california‐residents/local‐
path/index.html
Freshman Admission Profiles:
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/profiles/index.html
UC Application:
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how‐to‐apply/apply‐online/index.html
Individual School’s Websites: UC Berkeley:
http://www.berkeley.edu/
UC Davis:
http://www.ucdavis.edu/
UC Irvine:
http://www.uci.edu/
UCLA:
http://www.ucla.edu/
UC Merced:
http://www.ucmerced.edu/
UC Riverside:
http://www.ucr.edu/
UC San Diego:
http://www.ucsd.edu/
UC San Francisco:
http://www.ucsf.edu/
UC Santa Barbara:
http://www.ucsb.edu
UC Santa Cruz:
http://www.ucsc.edu/
California State University The
CSU
is
a
leader
in
high‐quality,
accessible,
student‐focused
higher
education.
With
23 campuses,
almost
437,000
students,
and
44,000
faculty
and
staff,
the
CSU
is
the
largest,
the
most
diverse,
and
one
of
the
most
affordable
university
systems
in
the
country.
The
23
campuses
include:
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 39
CSU Eligibility
To
be
eligible
for
a
CSU,
you
must
have
a
2.0
GPA.
Each
campus
uses
3
factors
to
determine
eligibility.
Most
applicants
who
are
admitted
meet
the
standards
in
each
of
the
following
areas:
1. Specific High School Courses:
Just
like
UC,
CSU
requires
a
minimum
15‐unit
pattern
of
courses
for
admission
as
a
first‐time
freshman.
Each
unit
is
equal
to
a
year
of
study
in
a
subject
area.
A
grade
of
C
or
better
is
required
for
each
course
you
use
to
meet
any
subject
requirement.
2. Grades in “a­g” course and test scores:
The
grades
you
earn
in
high
school
are
the
most
important
factor
in
CSU
admission
decisions.
Your
high
school
grade
point
average
is
calculated
using
your
grades
in
all
your
college
prep
“a­g”
classes
completed
after
the
9th
grade.
Test
scores
are
required
unless
you
have
a
grade
point
average
above
3.0
and
are
a
resident
of
California.
The
CSU
uses
a
calculation
called
an
eligibility
index
that
combines
your
high
school
grade
point
average
with
the
score
you
earn
on
either
the
SAT
or
ACT
tests.
Even
if
you
have
a
GPA
above
3.0,
it
is
useful
to
take
either
an
SAT
or
ACT
as
the
score
may
indicate
if
you
do
not
need
to
take
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 40
English
and
math
placement
tests
after
you
are
admitted
and
before
you
enroll
at
the
CSU.
*While SAT/ACT test scores are not required to establish the admission eligibility of California residents with high school grade point averages of 3.00 or above, impacted campuses and impacted first­time freshmen enrollment categories often include test scores among the supplemental criteria required of all applicants to those campuses and enrollment categories.
If
you
have
your
high
school
GPA
and
the
results
of
your
SAT
or
ACT
test,
then
you
can
calculate
your
eligibility
index.
From
there
you
can
quickly
see
whether
you
meet
the
minimum
admission
standards.
Remember,
some
campuses
have
higher
standards
for
particular
majors
or
for
those
students
who
live
outside
the
local
campus
area.
3. High School Graduation:
For
admission
to
the
CSU,
graduation
from
high
school
and
receipt
of
a
high
school
diploma
are
admission
requirements.
If
you
are
like
most
students,
this
is
a
logical
conclusion
of
attending
high
school.
So
for
most
CSU
freshman
applicants,
the
other
basic
admission
requirements
—
high
school
coursework
and
grades
and
test
scores
—
should
be
the
focus
of
your
attention.
Eligibility Index The
Eligibility
Index
Table
shows
the
combination
of
test
scores
and
grade
point
averages
required
to
meet
minimum
eligibility
requirements.
The
CSU
does
not
use
the
SAT
Writing
section
or
the
ACT
Writing
score
to
calculate
the
CSU
Eligibility
Index.
You
can
calculate
your
eligibility
index
by
multiplying
your
grade
point
average
by
800
and
adding
your
combined
score
on
the
SAT,
using
the
combined
scores
earned
on
the
critical
reading
and
math
sections.
The
CSU
does
not
use
the
SAT
Writing
score
for
admission
purposes.
You
may
use
the
best
score
earned
in
individual
test
dates.
Or,
if
you
took
the
ACT,
multiply
your
grade
point
average
by
200
and
add
ten
times
the
ACT
composite
score.
ACT
Writing
score
is
not
considered
in
the
composite
score.
California
residents
need
a
minimum
eligibility
index
of
2900 using the SAT
combined
score
for
critical
reading
and
math
sections
or
694 using the ACT. Impaction In
the
California
State
University,
an
undergraduate
major
or
campus
is
designated
as
impacted
when
the
number
of
CSU
eligible
applications
received
in
the
initial
filing
period
(October
1
to
November
30
for
fall
admission)
is
greater
than
the
number
that
can
be
accommodated
by
the
major
or
campus.
In
such
instances,
CSU
campuses
have
been
authorized
to
use
supplementary
admission
criteria
to
screen
applicants
to
these
majors
and/or
campuses.
These
supplementary
admission
criteria
may
include,
but
are
not
limited
to
the
following:
 Cease
accepting
admission
applications
at
the
conclusion
of
the
initial
filing
period
 Require
submission
of
the
SAT
or
ACT
regardless
of
the
high
school
grade
point
average
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 41
 Rank
order
first‐time
freshmen
by
eligibility
index
 Set
a
higher
minimum
eligibility
index
than
that
required
for
CSU
admission
 Review
additional
characteristics
such
as
socioeconomic
or
educational
factors,
space
availability
in
a
program
or
major,
indications
of
overcoming
educational
obstacles,
or
exceptional
talents
 Require
completion
of
specified
lower‐division
general
education
requirements
for
transfer
applicants
Please
consult
the
2014‐2015
Impacted
Major
Matrix
(appendix)
to
learn
more.
CSU Application Deadline The
filing
period
for
seniors
who
are
applying
for
fall
is
October
1
to
November
30.
Applications
submitted
after
November
30
will
not
be
accepted.
Important Websites Related to CSU CSU Application: http://www.csumentor.edu/admissionapp/ Eligibility Index:
http://www.csumentor.edu/planning/high_school/eligibility_index.asp
Impacted Majors and Campuses: http://www.calstate.edu/sas/impactioninfo.shtml Individual School’s Websites: Cal State Bakersfield:
http://www.csub.edu/
CSU Channel Islands:
http://www.csuci.edu/
CSU Chico:
http://www.csuchico.edu/
CSU Dominguez Hills:
http://www.csudh.edu/
CSU East Bay:
http://www20.csueastbay.edu/
Fresno State:
http://www.fresnostate.edu/
Cal State Fullerton:
http://www.fullerton.edu/
Humboldt State:
http://www.humboldt.edu/
CSU Channel Islands:
http://www.csulb.edu/
Cal State L.A.:
http://www.calstatela.edu/
Cal Maritime:
https://www.csum.edu/web/mycampus/home
CSU Monterey Bay:
http://csumb.edu/
Cal State Northridge:
http://www.csun.edu/
Cal Poly Pomona:
http://www.csupomona.edu/
Sacramento State:
http://www.csus.edu/
Cal State San Bernardino:
http://www.csusb.edu/
San Diego State:
http://www.sdsu.edu/
San Francisco State:
http://www.sfsu.edu/
San Jose State:
http://www.sjsu.edu/
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo:
http://www.calpoly.edu/
Cal State San Marcos:
http://www.csusm.edu/
Sonoma State:
http://www.sonoma.edu/
Cal State Stanislaus:
http://www.csustan.edu/
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 42
Checklist to complete the UC and CSU Application What you need to complete the What you need to complete the UC Application CSU Application  A
copy
of
your
SFHS
transcript
 A
copy
of
your
ACT
and
SAT
Reasoning
and
Subject
Test
Scores,
and
any
AP
Exam
Scores
 Concise
descriptions
of
your
significant
activities
and
awards
and
length
of
time
engaged
in
each
 The
date
your
parents
moved
to
California,
or
if
they
were
born
in
California,
their
birthdates
 Your
social
security
number
(if
you
have
one)
 Credit
card
information
for
payment
 You
will
not
need
a
Statewide
Student
ID(this
is
only
for
public
high
school
students)
 The
major(s)
you
wish
to
apply
to
at
each
of
your
selected
campuses;
and
if
UCSD
is
on
your
list,
research
and
choose
your
priorities
for
UCSD
colleges
 Word‐processed
and
proofread
essays
to
be
cut‐and‐pasted
into
the
application
 *Important note: UC applications do not require letters of recommendation.  A
copy
of
your
SFHS
transcript
 A
copy
of
your
ACT
or
SAT
Test
Scores,
and
any
AP
Exam
Scores
 The
date
your
parents
moved
to
California,
or
if
they
were
born
in
California,
their
birthdates
 Your
social
security
number
(if
you
have
one)
 Credit
card
information
for
payment
 You
will
not
need
a
Statewide
Student
ID
(this
is
only
for
public
high
school
students)
 The
major(s)
you
wish
to
apply
to
at
each
of
your
selected
campuses
 *Important note: CSU applications do not require personal statements/essays, teacher recommendations, or a list of activities.
Saint Francis Courses Given Honors Credit by UC and CSU Both
the
UC
and
CSU
systems
assign
extra
points
for
up
to
four
units
(8
semester
grades
of
AP
or
Honors
courses:
A
=
5
pts;
B
=
4
pts;
C
=
3
pts;
D
grades
are
not
included
in
these
calculations
and
receive
one
point
only.
SFHS courses include History/Social Science: AP
European
History
AP
Government
AP
US
History
English: AP
English
Language
AP
English
Literature
Math: AP
Statistics
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook AP
Calculus‐AB/BC
Precalculus‐H
Science: AP
Biology
AP
Chemistry
AP
Environmental
Science
AP
Physics
Chemistry‐H
Physics‐H
Foreign Language: AP
French
4
French
5
Honors
Spanish
3‐H
AP
Spanish4/5
AP
Chinese
VPA: AP
Music
Theory
AP
Studio
Art
Electives: AP
Computer
Programming
AP
Psychology
AP
Macroeconomics
Link:
www.ucop.edu/doorways/ 43
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook THE COMMON APPLICATION 44
The
Common
Application
is
an
undergraduate
college
admission
application
that
applicants
may
use
to
apply
to
any
of
the
member
colleges
and
universities.
There
are
more
than
500 member institutions.
These
member
colleges/universities
range
from:
public
and
private,
large
and
small,
highly
selective,
modestly
selective,
and
East
Coast,
West
Coast,
and
every
region
in
between.
In
2013,
the
Common
Application
introduced
a
new
version,
CA4.
Five
sections
exist
within
the
application:
family,
education,
testing,
activities
and
the
essay.
In
addition
to
submitting
the
common
application
to
each
of
the
schools
on
your
list,
many
schools
require
what
is
know
as
a
supplement.
Supplements
vary
from
school
to
school;
however,
most
supplements
collect
more
in‐depth
personal
information
from
the
applicant
and
an
additional
essay
or
series
of
questions
is
required.
Essay Prompts Applicants
are
required
to
respond
to
one
of
the
below
essay
prompts
in
250
–
650
words.
1. Some
students
have
a
background
or
story
that
is
so
central
to
their
identity
that
they
believe
their
application
would
be
incomplete
without
it.
If
this
sounds
like
you,
then
please
share
your
story.
2. Recount
an
incident
or
time
when
you
experienced
failure.
How
did
it
affect
you,
and
what
lessons
did
you
learn?
3. Reflect
on
a
time
when
you
challenged
a
belief
or
idea.
What
prompted
you
to
act?
Would
you
make
the
same
decision
again?
4. Describe
a
place
or
environment
where
you
are
perfectly
content.
What
do
you
do
or
experience
there
and
why
is
it
meaningful
to
you?
5. Discuss
an
accomplishment
or
event,
formal
or
informal,
that
marked
your
transition
from
childhood
to
adulthood
within
your
culture,
community,
or
family.
The Common Application:
https://www.commonapp.org/Login
Member Colleges:
https://www.commonapp.org/Login#!PublicPages/AllMembers
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 45
FINANCIAL AID The
cost
of
attending
college
varies
greatly,
and
students
and
families
should
explore
both
public
and
private
institutions
as
they
look
at
college
costs.
The
Federal
Student
Financial
Aid
homepage
offers
ample
information
about
the
types
of
financial
aid
that
are
available
for
students.
Types of Aid There
are
two
major
sources
of
aid
available
to
families.
• Grants and Scholarships:
Funds
awarded
to
the
student
without
expectation
of
repayment.
Grants
can
come
from
federal
and
state
governments,
colleges,
and
private
organizations.
• Loans:
Loans
are
borrowed
by
students
and
parents
to
help
meet
college
costs.
A
loan
must
be
repaid
with
interest
and
this
type
of
aid
is
available
through
the
federal
and
state
government,
institutions
and
private
lenders.
Be
mindful
of
interest
rates
and
terms,
for
some
loans
are
more
favorable
than
others.
FAFSA The
Free
Application
for
Federal
Student
Aid
(FAFSA)
is
a
free
application
that
each
student
must
file
every
year
to
be
eligible
to
receive
federal
and
state
financial
aid.
The
federal
government
uses
the
information
you
report
on
the
FAFSA
to
determine
how
much
aid
a
student
will
be
eligible
for
based
on
theirs
and
their
parents'
income
(if
the
student
is
a
dependant).
They
determine
how
much
your
Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)
will
be.
EFC
is
the
amount
of
money
the
government
says
that
your
family
can
contribute
to
your
education.
• How to File:
To
file
the
FAFSA
log‐on
to:
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.
Four
to
six
weeks
after
you
submit
your
FAFSA,
you
will
receive
a
Student
Aid
Report
(SAR),
which
will
tell
you
your
expected
family
contribution
(EFC).
The
colleges
you
designated
on
your
FAFSA
will
receive
this
information,
and,
in
conjunction
with
other
data,
each
college
will
come
up
with
a
financial
aid
package.
• Early Estimate:
Want
an
early
estimate
of
your
eligibility
for
federal
student
aid?
Visit:
FAFSA4Caster.
• Deadline/Filing Period: January
1
‐
March
2nd
‐‐>
California
residents
MUST
file
the
FAFSA
on
or
before
March
2nd.
• *
Cal
Grant
GPA
data
will
be
sent
directly
from
Saint
Francis
High
School,
you
do
not
need
to
file
a
Grade
Verification
Form.
CSS PROFILE College
Board
administers
the
PROFILE,
which
is
an
online
application
that
collects
information
used
by
certain
colleges
and
scholarship
programs
to
award
institutional
aid
funds.
Remember,
all
federal
funds
are
awarded
through
the
FAFSA.
Some
colleges
may
require
additional
information,
such
as
tax
returns
or
an
institutional
application.
If
your
parents
are
divorced,
some
colleges
will
also
require
your
noncustodial
parent
to
complete
the
Noncustodial
PROFILE.
It
is
imperative
you
find
out
which
of
the
colleges
you
are
applying
to
require
the
PROFILE.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook •
•
•
46
How to File: To
file
the
PROFILE
visit:
www.collegeboard.org
and
select
CSS/PROFILE
under
the
“paying
for
college”
tab.
Deadline/Filing Period: You
may
file
the
PROFILE
as
early
as
October
1.
It
is
recommended
you
file
no
later
than
two
weeks
before
the
earliest
priority
filing
date
specified
by
your
college.
Pay
close
attention
to
each
of
your
school’s
deadlines!
Colleges That Require The PROFILE: https://profileonline.collegeboard.org/prf/PXRemotePartInstitutionServlet/PX
RemotePartInstitutionServlet.srv
Scholarships • Merit Scholarships:
Some
colleges
and
universities
will
have
scholarships
based
solely
on
merit
and
superior
academic
qualifications.
Requirements
and
processes
vary
from
institution
to
institution.
Checking
appropriate
boxes
on
the
application
form
is
one
way
of
letting
colleges
know
that
the
student
wants
to
be
considered
fro
a
scholarship.
Some
applications
for
scholarship
have
earlier
deadlines.
Winning
such
awards
may
depend
on
an
outstanding
high
school
record
or
talent.
For
many
schools,
the
application
for
admission
will
serve
as
the
application
for
merit
scholarships.
For
other
schools,
a
separate
application,
nomination
forms,
recommendations
and
essays
may
be
required.
The
Guidance
and
Counseling
Office
has
many
resources
available
to
help
research
these
opportunities.
One
such
guide,
Peterson’s College Money Handbook
lists
almost
1700
institutions
and
their
opportunities
for
aid,
average
financial
aid
packages
received,
what
percentage
of
funding
is
need
based
and
what
is
not
need
based.
The
scholarship
binder
in
the
Counseling
Office
and
the
Scholarship
Opportunities
Listing
on
the
Guidance
and
Counseling
website
will
list
any
scholarship
announcements
that
we
have
received.
• Private Organizations and Corporate Scholarships: Numerous
private
organizations
(the
Elks,
Soroptimist,
the
Rotary
Club,
etc.)
and
companies
send
applications
for
scholarship
to
the
Guidance
and
Counseling
Office.
The
criteria
may
range
from
an
outstanding
academic
record
to
the
excellence
of
a
specific
project
to
an
unusually
degree
of
volunteer
involvement
in
the
community.
In
addition,
there
are
a
number
of
competitions
for
scholarships
available
to
students
with
special
qualification
having
to
do
with
ethnic
background,
special
talent,
affiliation
with
a
fraternity
or
sorority,
club
membership
and
religious
belief.
Many
companies
offer
scholarships
to
children
of
employees.
Any
information
received
by
the
Counseling
Office
will
be
posted
in
the
scholarship
binder
and
in
the
Scholarship
Opportunities
Listing
on
the
Guidance
and
Counseling
website.
Negotiating Your Aid Package In
some
cases,
after
careful
review,
you
may
feel
that
an
aid
package
is
inappropriate.
If
you
have
a
special
need
or
a
significant
change
in
resources
has
occurred,
asking
for
consideration
may
be
warranted.
Legitimate
requests
are
considered
based
on
any
situation
which
significantly
reduces
a
student’s
ability
to
pay
for
college.
Some
examples
are:
job
loss
or
change,
serious
long‐term
illnesses,
costs
associated
with
a
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 47
disability,
elementary/secondary
private
tuition
obligations,
natural
disaster,
responsibility
for
elders,
business
reversal
etc.
If
this
is
the
case,
it
is
recommended
to
contact
the
financial
aid
officer
at
the
college
directly
to
see
if
other
arrangements
might
be
made
to
help
you
meet
college
costs.
Prior
to
contacting
an
aid
officer,
it
is
worth
noting
that
majority
of
colleges
have
limited
funds
and
strict
policies
on
adjusting
aid
packages.
Similar
to
the
college
appeal
process,
the
financial
aid
officers
will
be
interested
in
any
compelling
and
supplemental
data
you
can
provide.
Such
data
may
include
letters
explaining
unusual
circumstances
affecting
your
family’s
financial
situation.
Each
school
will
have
their
own
unique
appeal
process.
Be
sure
to
follow
directions
and
adhere
to
all
deadlines.
• Questions to ask your Financial Aid Officer: (Adapted
from
College Admission
by
Robin
Mamlet
and
Collegeboard.org)
1. Does
this
college
meet
the
full
demonstrated
need
of
admitted
students?
2. Does
the
college
offer
institutionally
funded
gift
aid?
What
percentage
of
freshman
aid
recipients
receive
such
aid?
3. What
is
your
average
total
aid
award?
4. Are
merit
scholarships
available?
Are
these
awarded
with
or
without
regard
to
financial
need?
What
percentage
of
freshman
receive
merit
scholarships?
5. What
is
the
average
amount
of
debt
for
your
graduates?
6. How
is
the
first‐year
financial
aid
package
going
to
compare
to
packages
for
the
remaining
college
years?
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook AFTER YOU APPLY 48
Checking Portals Be
sure
to
set
up
all
requested
portals
and
continually
login
to
see
updates.
We
recommend
checking
your
portal
at
least
twice
a
week.
See
p.
6
for
more
detailed
information
on
student
portals.
7th and 8th Semester Grades Keep
your
grades
up!
Contrary
to
a
popular
belief,
your
senior
year
grades
do
count.
While
your
sophomore
and
junior
year
grades
are
most
significant
in
terms
of
calculating
your
GPA
(UC
and
CSCU
particularly),
senior
year
grades
are
important
for
two
main
reasons.
First,
it
is
possible
for
your
admission
offer
to
be
rescinded
after
receiving
low
or
failing
grades
during
the
7th
and
8th
semesters
(first
and
second
semester
of
your
senior
year).
Colleges
have
access
to
your
7th
semester
grades
via
the
mid‐year
reports,
and,
of
course,
a
final
transcript
will
be
sent
to
your
selected
college
once
you
graduate.
Secondly,
slacking
during
the
senior
year
will
make
you
less
prepared
for
the
college‐level
work
that
lies
ahead!
May 1 Deadline May
1st
is
the
universal
reply
date
for
candidates.
May
1st
is
also
the
deadline
to
request
to
stay
on
the
wait
list.
No
college
or
university
belonging
to
NACAC
can
require
a
non‐
refundable
deposit
before
May
1.
May
1st
is
the
absolute
deadline
by
which
to
send
your
SIR
(Statement
of
Intent
to
Register)
to
inform
the
college
of
your
decision.
You
may
ONLY
ACCEPT
ONE
college.
It
is
unethical
to
do
otherwise
(known
as
“double
depositing”),
and
you
could
risk
being
disqualified
from
all
your
schools
if
you
break
this
rule.
It
is
also
best
practice
to
notify
the
schools
you
are
turning
down.
Once
your
final
decision
has
been
made,
notify
ALL
colleges
so
that
your
spot
may
be
offered
to
others.
The
acceptance
packet
that
was
mailed
to
you
likely
included
a
withdrawal
card,
so
be
sure
to
fill
this
out
and
mail
to
the
school
if
applicable.
Remember
to
tell
your
counselor
which
college
you
have
decided
to
attend!
Waitlists/Appeal Process
(Adapted
from
Robin
Mamlet’s
College Admission)
• When to accept a waitlist spot:
Accept
a
waitlist
spot
only
if
there
is
a
strong
possibility
you
will
attend
that
college
if
admitted.
There
are
several
factors
to
consider
when
deciding
to
accept
a
spot
on
the
waitlist.
First,
you
may
not
know
if
you
have
been
admitted
off
the
waitlist
until
sometime
during
the
summer.
Second,
you
will
need
to
make
a
firm
commitment
to
another
school
and
send
in
a
deposit
to
ensure
a
seat
in
the
fall.
Your
deposit
will
be
forfeited
from
the
first
school
if
you
are
accepted
off
the
waitlist.
Third,
make
sure
the
school
were
you
are
waitlisted
will
still
have
aid
available
when
you
hear
about
your
acceptance.
Finally,
be
realistic
about
the
low
acceptance
rate
for
most
waitlists.
It
is
statistically
much
less
likely
to
be
admitted
from
the
waitlist
than
from
the
regular
applicant
pool.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook •
•
49
When to reject a waitlist spot:
If
you
have
been
admitted
to
your
first‐choice
school
and
would
not
attend
the
college
that
offered
to
put
you
on
their
waitlist,
immediately
inform
the
college
that
you
do
not
want
to
be
placed
on
their
waitlist.
If
you
fail
to
do
this,
you
are
taking
away
a
spot
from
a
student
who
would
enroll
in
the
school
if
offered
admission,
and
this
is
unethical.
The Appeal Process: Certain
colleges
offer
denied
students
an
appeal
process.
If
you
were
denied
from
a
top
choice
school
and
feel
you
have
compelling
information
that
will
give
the
admission
office
a
reason
to
reconsider
you,
then
an
appeal
may
be
worth
the
effort.
Instructions
to
appeal
are
usually
found
on
the
school’s
admission
website,
or
by
calling
the
admission
office
directly.
Follow
all
appeal
process
instructions
carefully.
This
is
your
chance
to
update
the
school
with
any
compelling
NEW
information
that
wasn’t
originally
in
your
application,
express
your
interest
and
explain
to
them
that
theirs
was
your
first
choice
school.
Reporting to Colleges (Saint Francis 2014­2015 Handbook) Saint
Francis
High
School
reserves
the
right
to
report
any
serious
academic
or
disciplinary
violations
which
result
in
suspension,
probation
or
dismissal
to
matriculating
schools,
including
high
schools,
colleges
and
universities.
Saint
Francis
will
report
any
illegal
behavior,
repeated
serious
disciplinary
violations
or
any
offense
that
could
cause
harm
to
a
school
community
on
the
Secondary
School
Report
and
the
Midyear
Report
for
colleges.
Any
serious
offense
during
senior
year
that
results
in
suspension
or
probation
will
also
be
reported
to
colleges.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook SPECIAL POPULATIONS, TALENTS AND NEEDS 50
Athletes (Adapted
from
ncaa.org
and
elibilitycenter.org) There
is
a
multitude
of
information
for
you
and
your
family
to
understand
when
preparing
you
for
transitioning
from
high
school
to
becoming
an
NCAA
Division
I,
II
or
III
student‐athlete.
• Factors to Consider for the College­Bound Athlete:
When
selecting
a
school
where
you
will
be
a
student‐athlete,
it
is
important
to
ask
yourself
if
you
will
be
happy
at
college
X
if
you
are
not
an
athlete.
In
other
words,
is
college
X
a
good
fit
besides
athletics?
Every
counselor
and
parent
wants
their
student/
child
to
develop
life
long
skills
in
college.
Playing
college
sports
affords
this
opportunity
in
many
ways;
however,
it
is
essential
to
remember
that
the
vast
majority
of
college
student‐athletes
will
become
professionals
in
something
other
than
sports.
• NCAA: “Founded
more
than
one
hundred
years
ago
as
a
way
to
protect
student‐
athletes,
the
NCAA
continues
to
implement
that
principle
with
increased
emphasis
on
both
athletics
and
academic
excellence.
The
NCAA
is
made
up
of
three
membership
classifications
that
are
known
as
Divisions
I,
II
and
III.
Each
division
creates
its
own
rules
governing
personnel,
amateurism,
recruiting,
eligibility,
benefits,
financial
aid,
and
playing
and
practice
seasons
–
consistent
with
the
overall
governing
principles
of
the
Association.
Every
program
must
affiliate
its
core
program
with
one
of
the
three
divisions.”
Please see your counselor or coach for our comprehensive Student and Parent Guide for the College Bound Athlete. Special Talents (Adapted
from
Nacacnet.org) Students
who
are
particularly
gifted
in
an
extracurricular
area
will
receive
careful
attention
on
their
application
if
the
information
is
adequately
presented.
Special
talents
can
include
activities
like
art,
dance,
music
and
theater.
Some
colleges
require
supplementary
materials,
usually
referred
to
as
a
portfolio.
Several
art
pieces,
a
CD
highlighting
your
musical
talents,
a
video
of
a
recent
dance
competition
or
a
theatrical
video
are
some
examples
of
supplemental
materials.
A
portfolio
is
a
way
for
you
to
bring
your
special
talent
to
life
and
illustrate
your
unique
style
to
the
admission
committee.
These
extra
materials
can
help
the
college
understand
what
makes
a
student
special
and
what
he
or
she
will
bring
to
that
campus.
• The Portfolio and Audition: In
addition
to
completing
a
typical
college
application,
students
in
the
visual
or
performing
arts
should
prepare
a
portfolio
or
audition.
We
recommend
beginning
the
portfolio
process
during
the
junior
year.
Each arts program has different requirements, so you should contact the schools as early as possible to obtain their portfolio or audition requirements.
Although
your
portfolio
or
audition
is
an
important
part
of
the
application,
arts
programs
also
heavily
consider
your
academic
record
and
test
scores.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook •
•
•
•
•
•
51
Artist Resume: In
addition
to
the
portfolio,
it
is
recommended
you
create
an
artist
resume.
The
resume
should
be
unique
to
your
and
your
special
talent
and
provide
as
much
information
as
possible
about
your
specific
artistic
accomplishments
in
and
outside
of
school.
We
recommend
including
contact
information
on
coaches,
directors,
employers,
etc.
Assessing Your Abilities: If
you're
interested
in
pursuing
an
arts
major
and
career,
now
is
the
time
to
seek
objective
opinions
of
your
abilities
in
the
field.
Visual
arts
students
can
receive
portfolio
evaluations
and
college
information
at
one
of
the
National
Portfolio
Days.
The
San
Francisco
Portfolio
day
will
be
held
on
Saturday,
January
17,
2015,
at
the
San
Francisco
Art
Institute.
For
more
information
visit:
http://www.portfolioday.net/
Resources:
Saint
Francis
High
School
teachers
are
a
great
resource
for
the
portfolio.
Ms.
Adams
Ms.
Mitchell‐Carter
Ms.
Durando
Ms.
Rose
Mr.
Gaeta
Mr.
Reutebuch Mr.
Johantgen
Performing and Visual Arts Fair: The
Performing
and
Visual
Arts
Fair
hosted
by
NACAC
each
fall
is
an
excellent
way
for
students
with
special
talents
to
learn
about
educational
opportunities,
admission
and
financial
aid,
portfolio
days,
audition
and
entrance
requirements,
and
much
more
by
meeting
with
representatives
from
colleges,
universities,
conservatories,
festivals
and
other
educational
institutions
with
specialized
programs
in
the
visual
and
performing
arts. The
Performing
and
Visual
Arts
(PVA)
College
Fairs
are
designed
for
students
interested
in
pursuing
undergraduate
degrees
in
the
areas
of
music,
dance,
theater,
visual
arts,
graphic
design,
and
other
related
disciplines. Types of Degrees: Prospective
arts
majors
have
three
degree
options:
a
bachelor
of
arts
(BA)
degree
with
a
major
in
the
arts,
a
bachelor
of
fine
arts
(BFA)
degree
for
artists/performers
or
bachelor
of
music
(BM)
degree
for
musicians.
The
BA
degree
is
the
typical
liberal
arts
degree—students
who
major
in
English,
history,
and
other
humanities
majors
also
earn
BA
degrees.
The
BFA
or
BM
degree
is
more
focused
and
intense. Marching Band:
If
you
are
interested
in
using
the
marching
band
to
facilitate
your
college
admission,
follow
these
outlined
steps.
1. In
the
fall
of
senior
year
in
high
school,
contact
the
marching
band
director
of
the
college
you
wish
to
attend.
The
best
way
to
make
contact
is
through
email.
See
the
College
Marching
Band
Notebook
in
the
counseling
center
for
names
and
email
addresses
of
directors.
In
your
email
indicate
your
interest
in
participating
in
this
college’s
marching
band
and
include
a
brief
music
resume.
2. Music
Resume:
Include
the
following:
a. Your
name,
email
address
and
phone
number
b. Name
and
address
of
your
high
school
c. High
School’s
marching
band
director’s
name
and
phone
number
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 52
d. Instrument
played
and
any
leadership
positions
you
hold
in
the
marching
band
e. Indicate
number
of
years
of
involvement
in
the
marching
band
and
list
any
marching
band
camp
or
workshop
you
have
attended
3. Indicate
your
interest
by
sending
a
CD
of
yourself
playing
your
instrument
and
ask
the
director
for
any
particular
directions
he
or
she
would
like
you
to
follow
in
submitting
this
tape
to
him.
4. After
sending
your
CD,
follow
up
two
weeks
later
to
make
sure
the
director
received
your
CD.
Again,
express
your
interest
in
becoming
a
part
of
this
college’s
marching
band
and
ask
if
there
is
any
additional
information
you
might
be
able
to
provide
that
might
be
helpful
to
the
director.
5. In
January,
have
your
high
school
marching
band
director
follow
up
by
placing
a
phone
call
to
the
college
marching
band
director
and
endorsing
you
for
membership
in
the
college
band.
Special
Note:
Each
college
band
director
had
his
own
system
and
procedure
for
helping
students
to
gain
admittance
to
his
particular
college.
Upon
receipt
of
your
initial
email
and
marching
band
resume,
the
director
will
advise
you
to
his
particular
procedure.
Follow
directions
carefully.
Being
part
of
a
college
marching
band
can
be
a
very
exciting
and
enriching
activity.
It
also
helps
to
make
a
large
university
seem
not
so
overwhelming.
Being
a
part
of
a
marching
band
is
also
a
great
way
to
meet
new
people
and
make
new
friends
at
the
college
level.
Please
see
Mrs.
Leitch‐Holden
in
the
counseling
center
should
you
have
any
further
questions
about
the
marching
band
and
college
admissions.
Please see your counselor for more information concerning special talents. Learning Differences The
college
application
process
can
be
overwhelming
for
all
involved.
This
process
can
be
especially
overwhelming
for
students
with
learning
disabilities,
as
one
considers
admission
standards,
testing
and
access
to
support
services
at
the
college
level.
Luckily,
most
colleges
and
universities
provide
support
for
students
with
documented
learning
disabilities.
It
is
the
student’s
role
to
advocate
for
themselves
and
take
the
initiative
to
seek
out
proper
services.
• Testing Accommodations:
The
College
Board
and
ACT
are
committed
to
providing
accommodations
to
students
with
disabilities.
Each
testing
agency
has
specific
protocol
to
request
accommodations.
Please
consult
your
counselor
to
learn
how
to
apply
for
accommodations.
It
is
important
to
remember
that
not
all
accommodations
will
be
approved,
and
accommodation
requests
go
through
a
lengthy
review
process.
All
documentation
submitted
to
testing
agencies
is
kept
confidential
and
is
used
solely
to
determine
the
applicant's
eligibility
for
test
accommodations.
Score
Reports
do
not
include
any
specifics
about
the
disability
or
accommodations
provided.
Please
find
a
list
of
useful
websites
and
books
below.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook •
•
•
•
•
•
53
SAT Services for Students with Disabilities: http://student.collegeboard.org/services‐for‐students‐with‐disabilities
ACT Services for Students with Disabilities: http://www.actstudent.org/regist/disab/policy.html
Tips for College Bound High School Students with Diagnosed Learning Problems: http://www.ldonline.org/article/7760
Post­High School Options for Students with Learning Disabilities: http://www.ncld.org/adults‐learning‐disabilities/post‐high‐school
Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or AD/HD
–
Peterson’s
K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities
–
Princeton
Review
Please see your counselor or Mrs. Fisher (Learning Specialist) for more comprehensive information on how we can best support you with the college application process. Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 54
COLLEGE TERMS DEFINED (Adapted
from
Nacacnet.org
&
Finaid.org)
A­G:
To
be
considered
for
admission
to
a
campus
within
the
University
of
California
(UC)
or
California
State
University
(CSU)
systems,
students
must
complete
15
yearlong
high
school
courses
with
a
grade
of
C
or
better
—
at
least
11
of
them
prior
to
their
senior
year.
The
intent
of
the
“a‐g”
subject
requirements
is
to
ensure
that
students
have
attained
a
body
of
general
knowledge
that
will
provide
breadth
and
perspective
to
new,
more
advanced
study.
ACT:
The
American College Testing
assessment
is
a
curriculum‐based
aptitude
test
that
includes
four
sections:
English,
Math,
Reading,
and
Science
Reasoning.
Each
section
is
scored
1‐36
and
students
receive
a
single
composite
score
of
1‐36,
representing
the
average
of
the
four
individual
scores.
There
is
an
optional
writing
section
of
the
ACT.
The
ACT
is
accepted
by
all
colleges
in
lieu
of
the
SAT.
Additional
information,
including
practice
questions
and
registration
forms,
can
be
found
at
www.act.org.
AP courses:
Advanced Placement courses
are
offered
in
many
high
schools.
The
courses
are
taught
using
a
standardized
curriculum
and
culminate
in
a
standardized
exam
that
is
administered
each
May.
Based
on
their
scores
on
the
exam,
students
may
qualify
for
college
credit
or
advanced
standing.
AP
courses
are
indicated
as
such
on
the
student’s
transcript.
Applications: Each
college
and
university
will
require
that
students
submit
an
application
to
be
considered
for
admission.
Applications
are
available
from
the
office
of
admission
and
online.
Application Fees:
Each
application
requires
an
application
fee,
with
these
fees
ranging
from
$25‐$100.
Most
colleges
will
provide
fee waivers to
students
who
have
a
demonstrated
financial
need.
Students
can
request
fee
waivers
themselves
or
counselors
can
request
them
by
contacting
the
college
or
university
office
of
admission.
Associate’s degree: A
two‐year
degree
earned
at
a
community
college
(some
abbreviate
A.A.).
Bachelor's degree
(B.A.
‐‐
Bachelor
of
Arts;
or
B.S.
‐‐
Bachelor
of
Science): A
diploma
earned
after
successful
completion
(usually
spanning
four
years)
of
required
courses
at
a
university
or
college.
Campus Visit:
Campus
visits
are
recommended
when
they
are
geographically
and
financially
viable
for
the
student.
Colleges
and
universities
expect
that
students
living
a
reasonable
distance
from
campus
will
make
an
effort
to
visit.
Visits
should
always
be
arranged
through
the
admission
office.
CEEB Code (school code): A
six‐digit
code
assigned
to
each
school
by
ETS
(Educational
Testing
Services)
that
must
be
included
on
all
applications
and
all
standardized
testing
forms.
Saint Francis’ CEEB Code is: 052077.
Memorize
this
number.
You
will
need
it
every
time
you
fill
out
an
application,
take
a
test
or
request
scores.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 55
Class rank: How
a
student's
academic
performance,
as
determined
by
the
grade
point
average,
compares
to
other
members
of
his/her
graduating
class.
Saint
Francis
does
not
assign
rankings.
College: The
term
commonly
used
to
describe
any
institution
of
higher
education.
Strictly
speaking,
it
is
an
institution
with
a
single
type
of
program,
such
as
a
four‐year
course
leading
to
the
bachelor's
degree.
A
college
may
be
one
part
of
a
university
(e.g.,
Yale
College
is
the
undergraduate
division
of
Yale
University),
or
it
may
be
independent.
College Board:
College
Entrance
Examination
Board
(College
Board)
Common Application:
The
Common
Application
is
created
each
year
for
use
by
applicants
to
nearly
500
member
colleges,
in
the
United
States
and
abroad.
Students
are
able
to
complete
a
single
application
and
submit
copies
to
participating
colleges
and
universities.
Many
of
the
institutions
will,
however,
require
that
supplemental
items
be
submitted
before
the
Common
Application
is
considered
complete.
More
information
about
the
Common
Application
is
available
at
www.commonapp.org.
Core curriculum: A
specified
number
of
courses
or
credits
in
the
humanities,
social
sciences,
life
sciences,
and/or
physical
sciences,
required
of
all
students,
regardless
of
major,
to
ensure
a
basic
set
of
learning
experiences.
Deferred admit: The
practice
of
permitting
admitted
students
to
postpone
enrollment,
usually
for
a
period
of
one
year.
In
order
to
request
this,
you
must
apply
and
be
admitted
first.
Deposits:
The
money
required
by
a
college
or
university
to
hold
a
student’s
place
the
entering
class.
There
are
several
types
of
deposits:
Non‐refundable:
Can
be
required
only
on
May
1
or
later;
Refundable:
Can
be
required
at
any
time;
Housing:
Can
be
required
at
any
time,
but
must
be
refundable
until
May
1.
Diversity on Campus:
This
mix
results
when
students
come
from
varying
ethnic,
religious,
geographic,
and
economic
backgrounds.
Diversity
also
includes
sexual
orientation,
political
philosophy
and
national
origin.
Colleges
and
universities
list
existing
student
groups
on
campus
in
their
publications
and
on
their
websites.
Dual degrees: A
program
of
study
in
which
a
student
receives
two
degrees
at
the
same
time
from
the
same
institution.
Early Action:
This
plan
is
similar
to
early
decision,
but
is
non­binding,
meaning
that
although
students
receive
their
decisions
early,
they
remain
eligible
to
apply
to
other
colleges
and
do
not
have
to
make
a
commitment
until
May
1.
Some
colleges
now
specify
whether
a
student
may
apply
to
more
than
one
college
Early
Action.
If
they
are
not
allowed
to
do
so,
this
is
referred
to
as
Single Choice Early Action.
Early Decision:
Under
this
plan,
a
student
applies
to
a
single
college
or
university
(the
student’s
first‐choice
college)
and
makes
a
commitment
to
attend
if
admitted.
In
this
case,
students
apply
by
an
early
deadline
(usually
November
1)
and
are
notified
of
the
decision
by
mid‐December.
If
admitted,
the
student
must enroll
in
that
college
or
university
and
cancel
all
other
pending
applications.
Eligibility in the Local Context: The
ELC
program
ensures
that
academically
talented
and
deserving
students
from
all
over
California
have
the
opportunity
to
join
us
at
UC.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 56
ELC
status
adds
value
to
the
application
and
is
one
of
the
14
factors
considered
when
applications
are
reviewed.
Additionally,
ELC
students
not
admitted
to
any
of
their
campus
choices
are
offered
a
spot
at
a
UC
campus
that
has
space,
if
minimum
UC
requirements
are
met.
If
you
rank
in
the
top
9
percent
of
your
high
school
class
you
may
be
eligible
for
ELC
designation.
ETS: Educational
Testing
Service.
This
is
the
organization
based
in
Princeton,
New
Jersey,
that
the
College
Board
utilizes
to
write
and
administer
its
tests.
General Education Requirements: Also
called
breadth
or
distribution
requirements,
or
core
curriculum
courses,
they
are
required
by
all
majors
for
the
bachelor’s
degree
at
a
particular
institution.
The
number
and
specificity
of
these
course
requirements
vary
greatly
from
institution
to
institution.
GPA:
A
student’s
grade point average (GPA) is
determined
at
the
end
of
each
semester
by
averaging
the
grades
received
in
all
of
the
student’s
academic
courses
for
that
semester
and
all
previous
years.
HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities):
A
group
of
colleges
and
universities
that
were
founded
to
allow
college
attendance
for
African
American
students
before
integration
provided
access
to
all
institutions.
These
institutions
admit
students
regardless
of
race,
but
enrollment
remains
largely
African
American.
Honors courses:
Some
high
schools
offer
honors
courses
with
advanced
content
as
a
complement
or
alternative
to
AP
courses.
Honors
courses
should
be
specified
as
such
on
the
transcript.
Honors program: Any
special
program
for
very
able
students
offering
the
opportunity
for
educational
enrichment,
independent
study,
acceleration,
or
some
combination
of
these.
HSIs (Hispanic Serving Institutions):
A
group
of
colleges
and
universities
where
the
overall
enrollment
is
at
least
25%
Hispanic.
Information
can
be
found
at
www.hacu.net,
the
Hispanic
Association
of
Colleges
and
Universities’
website.
Interview:
A
one‐on‐one
opportunity
to
speak
with
an
admission
counselor.
Some
colleges
and
universities
will
offer
alumni interviews to
students
who
live
too
far
from
campus
to
visit
so
that
students
can
meet
locally
with
alumni
representatives.
Learning Differences:
Learning
differences
(also
known
as
learning
disabilities)
include
a
broad
spectrum
of
conditions
that
complicate
a
student’s
ability
to
learn
in
a
traditional
setting.
Accommodations,
such
as
extended‐time
testing,
verbal
instructions,
and
other
support
services
can
be
made
available
in
school,
based
on
the
results
of
a
student’s
evaluation.
The
Americans
with
Disabilities
Act
requires
colleges
and
universities
to
make
reasonable
accommodations
for
students
with
documented
learning
disabilities.
More
information
can
be
found
at
www.ada.gov.
Legacy: A
college
applicant
who
is
a
son
or
daughter
(or
sometimes
a
more
distant
relative)
of
an
alumna/us.
Private
colleges
are
sometimes
generous
in
admitting
such
candidates.
(At
some,
the
percentage
of
legacies
admitted
is
twice
as
high
as
that
for
all
other
candidates.)
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 57
Letters of Recommendation/Support:
Colleges
and
universities
may
require
up
to
three
letters
of
support
for
each
applicant.
Many
colleges
and
universities
provide
checklists
as
part
of
the
application
as
well
as
including
space
for
written
comments.
Usually,
if
three
letters
are
requested,
two
will
be
from
teachers
and
one
will
be
from
a
counselor.
Teacher
and
counselor
recommendations
are
best
if
they
are
confidential,
and
students
should
be
encouraged
to
waive
their
right
to
see
the
letters
on
the
secondary school report (SSR).
A
universally
accepted
secondary
school
report
can
be
found
at
www.nacacnet.org.
Level of Interest:
Because
colleges
and
universities
are
concerned
about
their
applicant
yield,
many
pay
close
attention
to
an
applicant’s
level
of
interest,
or
how
interested
a
student
appears
to
be
in
the
particular
college
or
university.
In
addition
to
campus
visits,
students
can
use
the
following
to
express
their
interest:
Email:
Students
can
ask
questions
or
make
comments
by
sending
email
to
the
office
of
admission.
Thank You Notes:
Students
who
visit
a
college
campus
should
take
the
time
to
write
or
email
a
few
words
of
thanks
to
the
admission
counselor
with
whom
they
met.
Regional Events:
Students
can
attend
the
information
sessions
and
receptions
that
many
colleges
and
universities
hold
in
different
regions
to
learn
about
the
college
and
meet
representatives
from
the
admissions
office.
Liberal Arts and Sciences: A
breadth
of
intellectual
inquiry
that
broadens
the
student’s
knowledge
and
awareness
in
each
of
the
major
areas
of
human
knowledge:
arts,
sciences,
and
humanities.
A
liberal
arts
education
prepares
one
to:
1)
communicate
thoughts
and
ideas
clearly
and
efficiently,
2)
to
understand
a
wide
variety
of
perspectives
and
values,
to
appreciate
civilization,
beauty
and
natural
processes,
and
to
continually
discover
with
sincere
curiosity
the
world
around
us.
The
liberal
arts
college
offers
a
four‐year
course
of
study,
leading
to
the
B.S.
or
B.A.
degree
and
any
graduate
or
professional
program.
Major: The
field
of
specialization
or
concentration
for
a
college
undergraduate.
The
student
normally
does
from
a
quarter
to
a
third
of
the
total
undergraduate
work
in
his/her
major
field.
Most
often
the
student
is
asked
to
declare
a
major
at
the
end
of
the
sophomore
year.
Matriculate:
A
student
matriculates
in
college
when
he
or
she
enrolls
in
college
for
the
first
time.
A
student
who
just
started
the
freshman
year
in
high
school
will
matriculate
in
four
years.
Minor: A
secondary
area
of
academic
concentration,
which
may
or
may
not
be
required
by
an
institution.
NMSQT:
The
full
name
of
the
PSAT
is
PSAT/NMSQT,
which
stands
for
Preliminary SAT/
National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
PSAT
scores
from
the
junior
year
are
reported
to
the
Nation
Merit
Scholarship
Corporation
for
use
in
determining
winners
of
National
Merit
recognition
and
scholarships.
Of
the
nearly
1.5
million
students
taking
the
test,
those
with
the
top
50,000
scores
are
selected
for
further
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 58
review.
Students
can
be
named
“commended
scholars,”
“semi‐finalists,”
“finalists”
and
“winners.”
Information
about
the
program
can
be
found
at
www.nationalmerit.org.
Personal statement/essay:
Many
colleges
and
universities
require
a
personal
statement
as
part
of
their
applications.
Students
should
take
particular
care
with
the
essay,
as
it
is
an
opportunity
to
showcase
their
writing
ability.
Students
should
also
make
sure
that
their
essay
answers
the
question
completely.
If
no
question
is
provided,
students
can
use
a
brief
biographical
essay,
or
may
use
the
essay
questions
on
the
Common
Application
as
a
guide.
Private Institutions:
These
colleges
and
universities
are
run
primarily
through
the
use
of
tuition,
donations,
and
endowments.
Profile:
The
high school profile is
prepared
by
the
high
school
and
should
accompany
each
student’s
transcript
when
it
is
sent
to
a
college
or
university.
The
profile
should
describe
both
the
school
as
a
whole
and
the
particular
graduating
class.
The
profile
may
also
include
a
grade grid,
or
other
reporting
tool,
with
information
about
the
current
graduating
class’s
performance
over
the
first
six
semesters
of
high
school.
PSAT:
The
Preliminary SAT is
offered
to
students
in
October
of
the
junior
year.
Many
schools
also
offer
the
test
to
sophomores
and
freshmen.
The
test
is
similar
to
the
SAT
but
scores
are
for
preparation
and
guidance
only
and
should
never
be
reported
to
colleges.
The
PSAT
models
the
SAT,
but
does
not
include
a
student‐produced
essay.
When
students
receive
their
scores,
the
original
test
booklet
is
returned
along
with
a
score
report
showing
their
answers
and
the
correct
answers.
The
score
report
also
suggests
areas
where
the
student
needs
to
improve
and
offers
study
tips.
Students
can
also
access
on‐line
assistance
through
My
College
Quickstart
at
www.collegeboard.com/quickstart.
Public Institutions:
Public
universities
are
run
primarily
using
state
and
federal
funds
that
are
supplemented
by
tuition,
fees,
donations
and
endowments.
In
general,
public
institutions
are
less
expensive
than
private
institutions.
Regular Admission:
Under
this
plan,
students
usually
apply
between
January
1
and
March
15
of
the
senior
year.
Once
a
student’s
application
has
been
reviewed,
the
college
or
university
issues
a
decision.
Most
students
will
be
either
admitted
or
denied,
meaning
they
are
either
offered
a
place
in
the
freshman
class
or
not.
Students
will
generally
receive
their
decision
letters
by
April
15.
Students
who
are
not
admitted,
but
who
meet
the
college
or
university’s
criteria
for
admission,
may
be
offered
a
place
on
the
wait
list.
Students
on
the
wait
list
may
be
offered
admission
if
places
in
the
class
remain
available
once
the
May
1
reply
date
has
passed.
Restricted Early Action:
This
plan
is
a
hybrid
of
the
Early
Decision
and
Early
Action
plans.
While
the
decision
from
the
college
is
non‐binding,
students
who
apply
to
college
under
a
Restricted
Early
Action
are
limited
in
terms
of
other
applications
that
they
may
file
simultaneously.
Restricted
Early
Action
policies
vary
greatly,
so
it
is
important
to
read
them
carefully.
Rolling Admission:
Under
this
plan,
the
admission
office
notifies
applicants
as
their
applications
are
processed
rather
than
waiting
for
a
general
spring
mailing.
A
college
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 59
typically
informs
the
applicant
of
his/her
status
within
a
short
time
(usually
four
to
six
weeks)
after
the
application
is
complete.
SAT:
The
SAT reasoning test
is
designed
to
measure
abilities
that
are
related
to
college
success.
The
SAT
reasoning
test
does
not
measure
others
factors
and
abilities
–
such
as
creativity,
special
talents,
and
motivation
–
that
may
also
help
you
do
well
in
college.
The
SAT
reasoning
test
has
three
sections
‐‐
Critical
Reading,
Math
and
Writing
‐‐
each
of
which
is
graded
on
a
200‐800
point
scale.
The
Writing
section
includes
a
student‐produced
essay
graded
on
a
1‐6
point
scale.
Most
students
will
take
their
first
SAT
in
the
spring
of
the
junior
year,
but
the
test
may
also
be
taken
in
the
senior
year.
The
SAT
may
be
taken
multiple
times.
Information
on
the
SAT,
as
well
as
practice
tests
and
other
preparation
tools,
can
be
found
at
www.collegeboard.com
and
other
test
preparation
sites.
SAT Subject Tests: Curricular‐based
tests
given
by
the
College
Entrance
Examination
Board
(College
Board)
to
measure
achievement
in
a
particular
subject.
20
one‐hour
achievement
tests
are
offered,
scored
on
a
scale
of
200
to
800.
It
is
advisable
to
take
an
SAT
Subject
Test
while
studying
or
immediately
upon
completing
study
of
the
subject.
Many
colleges
do
not
require
any
Subject
Tests,
but
colleges
can
require
up
to
three.
As
with
the
SAT,
students
are
able
to
send
colleges
individual
scores.
Subject
Tests
are
offered
6
times
per
academic
year.
Information
on
the
Subject
Tests,
as
well
as
a
test
date
calendar,
can
be
found
at
www.collegeboard.com.
SAT ScoreChoice: Since
the
March
2009
administration,
students
have
been
able
to
select
which
scores
are
sent
to
colleges
by
test
date
(i.e.,
3/12
but
not
10/12).
Colleges
do,
however,
have
the
option
of
requiring
applicants
to
submit
all of
their
SAT
scores
and
students
must
follow
the
instructions
of
the
colleges
to
which
they
apply.
Subject Test Score Choice:
Students
are
able
to
select
the
Subject
Test
scores
that
they
submit
to
colleges.
Selectivity: A
term
used
by
admissions
offices
to
describe
the
ratio
of
admitted
applicants
to
total
applicants
at
a
given
institution.
Single Sex Colleges:
The
majority
of
colleges
and
universities
in
the
United
States
are
coeducational,
but
there
are
institutions
where
men
and
women
study
separately.
In
most
cases,
the
institutions
have
relationships
with
other
colleges
and
universities
in
their
area
that
provide
for
both
academic
and
social
exchange.
Women’s
College
Coalition
(WCC)
www.womenscolleges.org
Men’s
Colleges
www.univsource.com
Special Admissions Categories:
Colleges
and
universities
will
sometimes
admit
students
using
special
criteria
to
fill
specific
needs
on
campus.
These
special
categories
include,
but
are
not
limited
to:
Legacy:
children,
grandchildren
or
siblings
of
alumni
or
current
students;
Athletics:
students
who
will
participate
in
varsity
athletics;
Talent:
students
who
have
a
talent
(i.e.,
music,
theatre,
etc.).
SSD:
Services
for
Students
with
Disabilities
(SSD)
allows
for
special
administrations
of
the
ACT,
SAT
and
Subject
Tests,
with
accommodations
ranging
from
large‐block
answer
sheets
to
extended‐time
testing.
In
order
for
a
student
to
use
SSD,
the
school
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 60
must
confirm
that
the
student
has
a
valid
Individual
Educational
Plan
(IEP)
or
psycho‐
educational
work‐up
on
file.
State Residents (students
who
can
prove
that
they
live
in
a
particular
state)
pay
a
lower
tuition
at
their
state’s
public
institution
because
it
is
assumed
that
their
families’
taxes
support
the
institution.
Transcript:
The
student’s
high
school
transcript is
the
official
record
of
a
student’s
coursework
and
grades
from
the
four
years
of
high
school.
The
transcript
is
usually
given
considerable
weight
in
the
college
admissions
process.
Undergraduate: A
college
student
who
is
a
candidate
for
a
bachelor's
degree;
a
program
of
study
leading
to
a
bachelor's
degree.
Universal Reply Date:
Colleges
and
universities
that
are
members
of
NACAC
and
have
deadlines,
use
May
1
as
their
reply
deadline
for
accepting
offers
of
admission
and
requests
to
stay
on
the
wait
list.
No
college
or
university
belonging
to
NACAC
can
require
a
non‐refundable
deposit
before
May
1.
University: An
institution
of
higher
learning
comprised
of
several
colleges.
An
undergraduate
division
confers
bachelor’s
degrees
and
provides
facilities
for
learning
to
take
place
through
teaching.
This
undergraduate
division
may
include
a
College
of
Arts
&
Sciences,
a
College
of
Engineering,
a
College
of
Business,
and
a
College
of
Nursing.
Wait list: List
of
students
who
meet
the
admission
requirements
but
will
only
be
offered
a
place
in
the
class
if
space
becomes
available.
Most
offers
of
admission
from
the
wait
list
are
made
prior
to
the
end
of
the
school
year.
Most
wait
lists
are
not
ranked;
instead,
they
will
admit
students
based
on
the
college’s
needs
and
student
interest.
Yield:
The
percentage
of
students
offered
admission
by
a
specific
college
or
university
that
ultimately
enrolls
there.
Colleges
will
admit
students
on
the
wait list when
their
yield is
lower
than
expected.
The
yield
is
often
extremely
high
at
selective
colleges.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 61
FINANCIAL AID TERMS DEFINED (Adapted
from
Nacacnet.org
&
Finaid.org)
1040 Form, 1040A Form, 1040EZ Form:
The
Federal
Income
Tax
Return.
Every
person
who
has
received
income
during
the
previous
year
must
file
a
form
1040
with
the
IRS
by
April
15.
Keep
these
forms
handy
when
filing
out
the
FAFSA
or
CSS
PROFILE.
Base Year:
The
tax
year
prior
to
the
academic
year
(award
year)
for
which
financial
aid
is
requested.
The
base
year
runs
from
January
1
of
the
junior
year
in
high
school
through
December
31
of
the
senior
year.
Financial
information
from
this
year
is
used
to
determine
eligibility
for
financial
aid.
Borrower:
The
person
who
receives
the
loan.
Bursar's Office:
(Also
called
Student
Accounts
Office)
The
university
office
that
is
responsible
for
the
billing
and
collection
of
university
charges.
Cal Grant:
The
Cal
Grant
is
a
state
grant
in
which
California
residents
may
be
eligible.
It
is
granted
based
on
merit
(your
GPA)
and
financial
need.
You
will
not
be
considered
for
Cal
Grant
if
you
do
not
file
your
FAFSA
by
March
2nd.
www.calgrants.org
COA: The
Cost of Attendance
is
the
actual
cost
of
a
student’s
enrollment,
and
may
include
transportation
to
and
from
campus
(as
a
resident
or
a
commuter),
books,
lab
fees
and
clothing.
CSS PROFILE:
The
College Scholarship Search Profile is
a
common
financial
aid
form
used
by
many
private
and
public
colleges
and
universities.
It
is
used
in
addition
to
the
FAFSA
form.
The
form
can
be
found
online
at
www.collegeboard.com/profile.
Unlike
the
FAFSA,
the
CSS
profile
is
generally
available
by
October
of
the
senior
year.
Colleges
and
universities
may
also
require
their
own
financial
aid
forms.
Custodial Parent:
If
a
student's
parents
are
divorced
or
separated,
the
custodial
parent
is
the
one
with
whom
the
student
lived
the
most
during
the
past
12
months.
The
student's
need
analysis
is
based
on
financial
information
supplied
by
the
custodial
parent.
Dependent:
For
a
child
or
other
person
to
be
considered
your
dependent,
they
must
live
with
you
and
you
must
provide
them
with
more
than
half
of
their
support.
Spouses
do
not
count
as
dependents
in
the
Federal
Methodology.
You
and
your
spouse
cannot
both
claim
the
same
child
as
a
dependent.
EFC:
The
expected family contribution is
the
amount
the
government
believes
a
student
and
his
or
her
family
can
pay
for
a
student’s
college
costs.
The
EFC
is
the
same
regardless
of
the
actual
cost
of
the
institution
the
student
attends.
EOP:
The
education opportunity program
provides
admission
and
academic
assistance
to
EOP‐eligible
undergraduate
students.
In
many
cases
the
program
offers
some
financial
assistance
to
eligible
students.
The
program
is
designed
to
improve
access
and
retention
of
historically
low‐income
and
educationally
disadvantaged
students.
FAFSA:
Every
student
who
applies
for
federal
financial
aid
must
complete
the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
The
form
is
available
online
at
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 62
www.fafsa.ed.gov.
The
forms
can
be
filed
no
earlier
than
January
1
of
the
student’s
senior
year,
but
should
be
filed
immediately
thereafter.
The
deadline
to
file
the
FAFSA
is
March
2
of
the
student’s
senior
year.
Students
can
include
up
to
six
colleges
and
universities
in
their
initial
filing,
and
can
add
others
using
the
FAFSA
correction
form.
Families
can
also
use
the
FAFSA4Caster,
found
at
www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov,
to
get
an
early
estimate
of
possible
aid
packages.
Federal Methodology:
The
need
analysis
formula
used
to
determine
the
EFC.
The
Federal
Methodology
takes
family
size,
the
number
of
family
members
in
college,
taxable
and
nontaxable
income
and
assets
into
account.
Unlike
most
Institutional
Methodologies,
however,
the
Federal
Methodology
does
not
consider
the
net
value
of
the
family
residence.
Federal Pell Grants:
The
maximum
grant
for
the
2013‐2014
award
year
was
$5,645.
Maximums
in
subsequent
years
will
depend
on
budgetary
approval.
Students’
eligibility
is
determined
through
their
FAFSA
filings.
Financial Aid Package:
After
receiving
reports
from
FAFSA and
CSS (if
applicable),
each
college
will
prepare
a
financial
aid
offer,
or
package,
for
the
student.
The
package
will
include
a
combination
of
the
following
types
of
assistance:
Need‐based
aid,
Merit‐
based
aid,
Loans,
Grants,
Work
Study.
Grants: Financial
aid
that
is
a
gift
from
the
college
or
university.
Loans:
Financial
aid
that
must
be
repaid,
either
by
the
student
or
parents.
The
federal
student
loan
programs
(FFELP
and
FDSLP)
are
a
good
method
of
financing
the
costs
of
your
college
education.
These
loans
are
better
than
most
consumer
loans
because
they
have
lower
interest
rates
and
do
not
require
a
credit
check
or
collateral.
The
Stafford
Loans
and
Perkins
Loans
also
provide
a
variety
of
deferment
options
and
extended
repayment
terms.
Merit­based aid:
Financial
aid
that
is
based
on
factors
other
than
income,
such
as
SAT
or
ACT
scores, GPA,
special
talents
or
community
service.
Need:
The
difference
between
the
COA
and
the
EFC
is
the
student's
financial
need
‐‐
the
gap
between
the
cost
of
attending
the
school
and
the
student's
resources.
The
financial
aid
package
is
based
on
the
amount
of
financial
need.
The
process
of
determining
a
student's
need
is
known
as
need
analysis.
COA‐EFC
=
Financial
Need
Need­based aid:
Financial
aid
that
is
given
based
on
the
student
and
his
or
her
family’s
income.
Net Price Calculator:
As
of
November
2011,
the
federal
government
has
mandated
that
all
college
and
university
websites
include
a
net
price
calculator,
a
tool
which
allows
prospective
students
to
obtain
an
estimate
of
the
real
cost
of
attending
a
particular
institution.
Net
price
calculators
(and
the
information
required
to
use
them)
will
vary
by
institution,
so
students
should
complete
the
process
at
each
college
or
university.
Pell Grant:
A
federal
grant
that
provides
funds
of
up
to
$5,645
(2013‐14)
based
on
the
student's
financial
need.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 63
Perkins Loan:
Formerly
the
National
Direct
Student
Loan
Program,
the
Perkins
Loan
allows
students
to
borrow
up
to
$3,000/year
(5
year
max)
for
undergraduate
school.
The
Perkins
Loan
has
one
of
the
lowest
interest
rates
and
is
awarded
by
the
financial
aid
administrator
to
students
with
exceptional
financial
need.
The
student
must
have
applied
for
a
Pell
Grant
to
be
eligible.
The
interest
on
the
Perkins
Loan
is
subsidized
while
the
student
is
in
school.
Prepaid Tuition Plan:
A
college
savings
plan
that
is
guaranteed
to
rise
in
value
at
the
same
rate
as
college
tuition.
For
example,
if
a
family
purchases
shares
that
are
worth
half
a
year's
tuition
at
a
state
college,
they
will
always
be
worth
half
a
year's
tuition,
even
10
years
later
when
tuition
rates
will
have
doubled.
Private Loans:
Education
loan
programs
established
by
private
lenders
to
supplement
the
student
and
parent
education
loan
programs
available
from
federal
and
state
governments.
Promissory Note:
A
promissory
note
(or
'note')
is
a
binding
legal
document
that
must
be
signed
by
the
student
borrower
before
loan
funds
are
disbursed
by
the
lender.
The
promissory
note
states
the
terms
and
conditions
of
the
loan,
including
repayment
schedule
(e.g.,
level
monthly
payments
for
a
term
of
10
years),
interest
rate,
fees
(e.g.,
origination
fees,
guarantee
fees,
late
fees,
collection
charges),
deferments,
forbearances
and
cancellations.
It
represents
an
agreement
by
the
borrower
to
repay
the
debt
according
to
the
specified
terms
and
conditions.
The
student
should
keep
this
document
until
the
loan
has
been
repaid.
SAR:
The
student aid report is
sent
to
the
student
once
the
FAFSA
form
has
been
processed.
Scholarships:
Legitimate
scholarships
are
grants
that
do
not
need
to
be
repaid,
and
can
be
awarded
by
the
college
or
university
or
by
an
outside
company
or
organization.
Students
should
take
care
to
seek
scholarships
through
trusted
sources.
Scholarship Scams:
Scholarship
organizations
are
in
the
business
of
giving
money
to
students,
not
taking
money
from
students.
There
should
not
be
any
cost
associated
with
applying
for
legitimate
scholarships
and
students
should
be
suspicious
of
any
scholarship
with
a
fee.
Work Study:
A
federal
program
that
gives
students
financial
aid
based
on
campus
employment.
The
ratio
of
loans
to
grants
within
financial
aid
packages
can
vary
greatly
from
institution
to
institution,
and
students
should
review
the
offers
they
receive
carefully
with
an
eye
towards
their
actual
cost
of
attendance.
Financial
aid
packages
will
not
necessarily
cover
the
total
cost
for
a
student
enrolling
in
the
institution.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook Usernames and Passwords to Remember Source (Example) Common Application Username (Example) Password (Example) Samplestudent@sfhs.com college123 64
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 65
Resume Template SAMPLE STUDENT 123 Sample Street, Mountain View, CA 12345 samplestudent@sfhs.com (650) 111­1111 Education Saint Francis High School Graduation Month, Year (Include GPA, test scores, total number of honors/APs if you feel it will help you) Work Experience Name of Organization, Title • Description
of
organization • Description
of
duties
fulfilled
Month/Year – Month/Year Volunteer Service Name of Organization, Title • Description
of
volunteer
organization • Description
of
your
duties
while
volunteering
Month/Year – Month/Year Extracurricular Activities Name of Activity, Title/Role • Description
of
activity
• Include
specific
accomplishments
and
details Month/Year – Month/Year Awards/Certificates Name of Award • Description
of
award
Month/Year – Month/Year Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 66
College Application Deadlines College/University 1.
2.
Safety Target Reach Application Type (EA, ED, Rolling, RD) Application Deadline 3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 67
CSU 2014­2015 Undergraduate Impacted Programs and Majors Bakersfield:
Impacted
in
basic
and
RN
to
BSN
nursing
programs
Channel Islands:
Impacted
in
the
nursing
(basic)
program
Chico:
Impacted
for
first‐time
freshmen
(FTF)
and
upper
division
transfers
(UDT),
and
programs
in
nursing
(basic)
and
option
in
recording
arts
(BA
in
Music)
East Bay:
Impacted
in
business
administration
and
the
nursing
(basic)
program
Fresno:
Impacted
for
FTF
and
UDT,
and
programs
in
athletic
training
(kinesiology)
and
nursing
(basic)
Fullerton:
Impacted
in
all
undergraduate
programs,
pre‐programs,
undeclared
programs
and
for
FTF
and
UDT
Humboldt: Impacted
for
first‐time
freshmen
(FTF)
and
the
programs
in
biology
(FTF
and
UDT),
botany
(FTF
and
UDT),
environmental
resource
engineering
(upper
division
transfers),
wildlife
(FTF
and
UDT),
and
zoology
(FTF
and
UDT)
Long Beach:
Impacted
for
first‐time
freshmen,
upper
division
transfers,
and
in
all
undergraduate
programs,
pre‐programs,
and
undecided/undeclared
programs.
Los Angeles: Impacted
for
first‐time
freshmen
and
upper
division
transfers,
and
programs
in
biology,
business
administration
(accounting,
management,
and
marketing
management),
child
development,
criminal
justice,
nursing
(general),
psychology,
social
work,
and
undeclared
(with
interest
in
nursing)
Maritime Academy:
Impacted
in
facilities
engineering
technology,
marine
engineering
technology,
marine
transportation,
and
mechanical
engineering.
New
students
in
all
majors
must
complete
a
physical
examination
and
pass
a
health
review
prior
to
enrollment.
Northridge: Impacted
for
first‐time
freshmen
and
for
programs
in
accountancy,
business
administration
(insurance
and
financial
services
option)
Pomona: Impacted
for
FTF
and
UDT,
and
programs
in
animal
science,
animal
health
science,
architecture,
biology,
biotechnology,
chemistry,
communication,
computer
science,
environmental
biology,
engineering
(aerospace,
chemical,
civil,
computer,
electrical,
and
mechanical),
kinesiology
(exercise
science
option),
music
(industry
studies
option),
psychology,
sociology,
and
undeclared
program
Sacramento:
Impacted
for
FTF
and
UDT,
and
programs
in
business
administration
(all
options),
criminal
justice
(general),
graphic
design
(general),
health
science
(all
options),
interior
design
(all
options),
nursing
(general),
photography
(general),
and
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 68
psychology
(general)
San Bernardino: Impacted
for
first‐time
freshmen
and
upper
division
transfers,
and
programs
in
criminal
justice
(all
options),
kinesiology
(pre‐physical
therapy),
nursing
(general),
and
social
work
(pre‐social
work)
San Diego:
Impacted
for
first‐time
freshmen,
upper
division
transfers,
and
in
all
undergraduate
programs,
pre‐programs,
and
undecided/undeclared
programs.
San Francisco:
Impacted
for
FTF
and
UDT,
and
programs
in
apparel
design
and
merchandising,
biochemistry,
biology
(all
options),
business
administration
(accounting),
chemistry,
child
and
adolescent
development
(all
options),
communication
studies,
criminal
studies,
dietetics,
environmental
studies
(all
options),
health
education,
industrial
arts/design
(all
options),
interior
design,
kinesiology
(all
options),
nursing
(general),
psychology,
social
work,
sociology,
visual
communication
design,
and
undeclared
(with
an
interest
in
nursing)
San Jose: Impacted
in
all
undergraduate
programs,
pre‐programs,
and
undecided/undeclared
programs
for
both
first‐time
freshmen
and
upper‐division
transfers
San Luis Obispo:
Impacted
for
FTF
and
UDT
in
all
undergraduate
programs
(and
does
not
consider
alternate
majors)
San Marcos:
Impacted
for
first‐time
freshmen
and
upper
division
transfers,
and
for
programs
in
business
administration,
communication,
kinesiology,
mass
media,
and
nursing
(basic)
Sonoma:
Impacted
for
first‐time
freshmen,
upper
division
transfers,
and
programs
in
biology
(FTF
and
UDT
levels),
business
administration
(pre‐business/
FTF
and
UDT
levels),
communication
studies
(FTF
and
UDT
levels),
criminology
and
criminal
justice
studies
(FTF
and
UDT
levels),
environmental
studies
and
planning
(all
options/(
FTF
and
UDT
levels),
human
development
(UDT
level),
kinesiology
(all
options/
FTF
and
UDT
levels),
liberal
studies
(FTF
level),
nursing
(pre‐nursing
and
pre‐licensure
BSN/FTF
and
UDT
levels),
and
psychology
(FTF
and
UDT
levels)
Stanislaus:
Impacted
in
nursing
(generic
or
basic)
program
Please go to www.calstate.edu/impactioninfo.shtml for the most accurate and up­to­date information regarding impacted campuses and programs at the CSU. For more information, visit a specific CSU campus website at www.calstate.edu. Programs offered through CSU Extended Education may also be available at campuses and are not represented on this grid. Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 69
Questions for Self­Research Interests and Activities 1. What
is
your
favorite
thing
to
do?
2. What
inspires
you?
3. Which
activity
have
you
pursued
outside
of
school
that
has
been
most
meaningful
to
you?
4. What
do
you
hate
to
do?
5. What
are
your
favorite…
books,
movies,
websites,
news
sources,
food,
type
of
music,
TV
shows,
sports
6. How
much
do
you
genuinely
like
to
read,
discuss
issues
and
exchange
ideas?
7. What
did
you
do
last
summer?
8. Is
there
a
career
you’ve
always
dreamed
of?
9. Do
you
see
yourself
as
politically
liberal
or
conservative?
10. Is
there
an
issue
of
local,
national,
or
international
concern
that
you
find
compelling
Personality 11. What
are
the
first
words
that
come
to
mind
when
you’re
asked
to
describe
yourself?
12. How
do
you
go
about
making
significant
decisions?
13. How
have
you
changed
since
9th
grade?
14. Complete
this
sentence:
“People
think
that
I
am…”
15. What
are
you
most
proud
of?
16. What
are
you
afraid
of
being
or
becoming?
17. Name
the
three
values
that
are
most
important
to
you.
18. What
makes
you
happy?
19. Do
you
like
hustle
and
bustle
or
peace
and
quiet?
20. How
are
you
unique?
What
can
you
say
about
yourself
that
is
only
true
for
you?
21. What
do
you
consider
your
coolest
trait?
22. What
do
you
consider
your
worst
habit?
23. Are
you
a
morning
person
or
a
night
person
or
a
night
owl?
Friends and Family 24. What
do
you
most
appreciate
about
your
family
life?
25. How
would
your
parents
describe
you?
What
three
words
would
they
use?
26. If
you
have
siblings,
how
do
you
get
along
with
them?
27. How
would
your
siblings
describe
you?
What
three
words
would
they
use?
28. What
are
you
known
for
in
your
family?
29. Who
are
your
closest
friends?
30. How
would
your
friends
describe
you?
What
three
words
would
they
use?
31. Describe
a
fun
experience
you
have
had
with
a
friend.
32. Describe
a
difficult
experience
you
had
with
a
friend
and
how
you
handled
it.
33. What
person
in
your
life
has
been
most
influential
and
why?
School
34. If
you
could
start
over
at
high
school,
what
would
you
change?
(“Nothing”
is
not
an
acceptable
answer!)
35. What
are
you
known
for
at
school?
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 70
36. How
would
teachers
describe
you?
What
three
words
would
they
use?
37. What
teacher
do
you
have
an
important
relationship
with
and
why?
38. What
do
your
friends
and
teachers
not
know
about
you?
39. What
has
been
your
greatest
challenge
in
high
school?
40. Which
activity
have
you
pursued
in
school
that
has
been
most
meaningful
to
you?
Academics 41. What
is
your
GPA?
What
is
the
highest
GPA
reported
by
your
school?
42. Are
the
majority
of
your
classes
advanced,
such
as
APs?
43. What
is
the
most
intellectually
engaging
class
you
have
taken
in
high
school?
Why?
How
did
it
influence
you?
44. What
do
you
choose
to
learn
when
you
learn
on
your
own?
Consider
what
topics
you
choose
for
research
papers,
lab
reports
or
independent
reading.
45. What
subject
have
you
excelled
in?
46. What
has
been
your
greatest
academic
success?
47. What
are
your
weaknesses
academically?
48. When
you
have
struggled
in
your
class
work,
what
did
you
do
about
it?
49. How
do
you
respond
to
academic
pressure?
Learning Style 50. Are
you
happiest
when
you
are
(a)
significantly
challenged
and
must
be
ever
energetic
in
your
efforts
to
keep
up;
(b)
growing
along
with
the
rest
of
your
classmates;
or
(c)
learning
while
comfortably
at
the
top
of
your
class?
51. Are
there
any
circumstances,
such
as
a
learning
disability,
that
have
impacted
your
academic
performance?
52. What
has
been
the
best
learning
environment
for
you
–
a
large
lecture
class
or
a
small
discussion
group?
53. Is
it
important
to
you
to
have
close
relationships
with
your
teachers?
54. What
kind
of
schedule
is
best
for
you?
The Next Step 55. Why
are
you
going
to
college?
56. Do
you
already
have
an
idea
about
what
you
want
to
study?
57. Is
there
a
career
you
are
intent
on
pursuing?
58. If
not
are
there
professions
you
are
considering?
59. Which
activities
have
you
participated
in
so
far
that
you
are
interested
in
pursuing
in
college
and
what
haven’t
you
been
able
to
pursue
that
you
would
like
to
try
in
college?
60. Is
there
an
activity
that
you
insist
on
continuing
in
college?
61. If
you
took
a
year
off
before
college,
what
would
you
do?
62. What
balance
of
study,
activities
and
social
life
are
you
looking
for?
63. Do
you
like
to
socialize
with
a
group
or
one‐on‐one?
64. Is
being
in
a
leadership
position
important
to
you?
65. Are
there
colleges
that
your
family
has
significant
ties
to
or
is
interested
in
having
you
look
at?
66. Are
you
ready
to
live
far
away
from
home?
67. What
kinds
of
surroundings
are
essential
to
your
well‐being?
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 71
68. Do
you
want
to
live
in
a
community
where
everybody
knows
your
name,
or
one
in
which
you
can
be
anonymous?
69. Are
you
used
to
advocating
for
yourself?
70. Do
you
like
being
around
people
like
yourself,
or
do
you
prefer
a
lot
of
diversity
in
your
friends
or
community?
Saint Francis High School 2014­2015 College Counseling Handbook 72
REFERENCES Antonoff,
S.
(2010).
College math: A blueprint for choosing the best school for you.
(10th
ed.).
Octameron
Associates.
AP students.
(2013).
Retrieved
from
https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/exploreap
College
Board.
(2013).
College handbook 2014.
(51st
ed.).
The
College
Board.
Fiske,
E.
(2012).
Fiske guide to college 2013.
(29th
ed.).
Sourcebooks,
Incorporated.
Kantrowitz,
M.
(n.d.).
Financial aid glossary.
Retrieved
fro
http://www.finaid.org/questions/glossary.phtml
Mamlet,
R.
(2011).
College admission: From application to acceptance, step by step.
New
York:
Three
Rivers
Press.
National association for college admission counseling.
(2013).
Retrieved
from
http://www.nacacnet.org/Pages/default.aspx
NCAA eligibillity center. (2010). Retrieved from http://web1.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp NCAA public home page. (2013). Retrieved from http://ncaa.org/ Pope,
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