Get on the
College Track:
Some helpful ideas for
understanding the
college process
College Night for HTLA Juniors and their Parents
The Class of 2017
Welcome and Introductions
Karyn Koven
College Counselor
818-609-2681
Dr.koven@ht-la.org
Nikki Bender
Academic Counselor
818-609-2682
Ms.bender@ht-la.org
Nicole Dorfler
Assistant College Counselor
818-609-2686
Ms.dorfler@ht-la.org
Volunteer College Counseling Assistants
The parent role in the process:
What can you do?
•Talk
about college
•Frequently check on academic
progress (PowerSchool)
•Encourage exploration of colleges and
majors (Naviance/Family Connection)
•Give them responsibility in the process
after all… they are the ones going to
college!
HTLA prepares students to apply
to a four-year college/university:




A-G (California) Eligibility
No grades below a “C” – all fouryear colleges do not consider “Ds”
or “Fs” passing.
UC and CSU Eligibility indexes
We want every HTLA student to be
eligible to apply.
What are colleges looking for?







Grades in college preparatory
courses – best indicator!
Test Scores (SAT or ACT,
subject tests)
Grades in all courses (electives
too!)
“class rank” – compares you to
your peers at your school
Personal Essay – writing sample
Extracurricular activities - (in
school and out of school) clubs,
sports, service, summer
programs, college courses, etc.
Demonstrated interest
What else do colleges look at?





Counselor letter of recommendation
Teacher letters of recommendation
(usually two teachers)
The school you come from (HighTech LA
- school profile) Evaluation in the context of
what is available to you at your high
school.
State of residence
Alumni relations – did a grandparent,
parent or sibling attend the college? Also,
interviews are sometimes available from
local alumni.
How does HTLA help
PREPARE YOU FOR THE
COLLEGE APPLICATION
PROCESS?
Small Group Meetings
Before Winter Break
(December 2015)
 Packets Given Out
 “Homework Assigned” this is an
important assignment!!!
 Let me get to know you. Come in and let
me know when you have done something
or want to share something great…
 January - When the assignment is turned
in we meet in small groups again.

Individual Meetings





Begin in late February
Scheduled throughout the semester
Families are invited.
Usually during X-block or elective
course (afternoon).
Discuss: testing plan, GPA, eligibility,
college major, college list, fee
waivers. STUDENT SPECIFIC
individualized information and
guidance.
We know what we are doing.
University of California:
 UC Los Angeles
 UC Berkeley
 UC Davis
 UC Riverside
 UC Santa Cruz
 UC Santa Barbara
 UC Merced
 UC San Diego
 UC Irvine

California State Univ.











*All UC Campuses


Northridge
Los Angeles
Fresno
Long Beach
Humboldt State
Channel Islands
San Marcos
Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo
Cal Poly Pomona
Monterey Bay
San Diego State U.
Etc…..
More…



















New York University
Brigham Young U.
Barnard College
Smith College
Carnegie Mellon University
Grinnell College
Mills College
Oregon State U.
Otis College of Art
Parsons The New School for
Design
Purdue University
Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute
Santa Clara University
Johns Hopkins University
University of Arizona
Carnegie Mellon University
Cornell University
Chapman University
Gonzaga University
See our school profile
for full list.

















Pepperdine University
George Washington
Chapman University
Kalamazoo College
Rose-Hulman Institute of
Technology
Sci-Arc
Colby College
Claremont McKenna College
USC
U. Wisconsin- Madison
American University
Woodbury University
Worcester Polytechnic
Institute
Florida Institute of
Technology
Boston University
Emerson College
Drexel University
Private/Independent Colleges









Usually take students with 3.0 or above (in general)
SAT or ACT
Personal Statements (student essays)
Letters of Recommendation
Student Resume
Interviews (sometimes)
CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA
Examples locally include: Pepperdine, Loyola
Marymount University, USC, Occidental College,
Whittier College, American Jewish University, Biola
U., Cal Lutheran U., Mills College, U. San Diego, U.
San Francisco, Mount Saint Mary’s College, etc.
Look at CTCL: Colleges that Change Lives
California Master Plan

“Three Tiers” – CA Systems of Higher
Education:

The University of California (UC)




The California State University (CSU)



3.0 or higher GPA (much higher often)
SAT or ACT
Personal Statement
2.0 or hither GPA (much higher often)
SAT or ACT
Community Colleges

All students with a high school diploma are
eligible to attend a community college.
Selectivity
Admissions Statistics for Fall 2015
Campus
Admission Rate
Average High
School GPA
(Grades 10 & 11)
with Honors up
to 8 semesters)
Total University
Enrollment
UC Berkeley
19%
4.14-4.31
35,899
UC Davis
33%
3.96-4.25
34,155
UC Irvine
33%
3.91-4.23
28,184
UCLA
16%
4.11-4.31
42,190
UC Merced
66%
3.44-3.90
6,000
UC Riverside
57%
3.56-4.04
18,079
UC San Diego
30%
4.03-4.28
21,297
UC Santa Barbara
34%
3.92-4.24
21,927
UC Santa Cruz
46%
3.70-4.10
17,203
Are you competitive?






What is your GPA?
What is your PSAT then SAT or ACT score?
What are your interests? Passions?
You need to be thinking about looking at all
options that may be open to you. Public,
private, in state, out of state…
You still have about 35 weeks of junior year
to step it up.
Remember you are gaining skills in high
school that you will NEED for college.
ESTIMATED COSTS
*Fees will increase with the 2015/2016 School Year
AVERAGE
CAMPUS
CSU
(CSUN)
UC
(Average)
Fees
$6,564
$13,400
Books and
Supplies
$1,860
$1,500
Health/Misc
Fees
$1,905
$2,100
Room and
Board
$9,962
$14,200
Personal Items
$2,772
$2,400
Total
$23,063
$33,600
Students have to
DO THE WORK


9th grade – study skills, foundations
10th and 11th grade

2 GPAs: Cumulative and UC/CSU
Still time!!! Work at it now!!!
Minimums:
 2.0 + SAT = CSU
 3.0 + SAT = UC
 High School Diploma = any

Community College with the possibility
of transferring

=Postsecondary Possibilities
for all
“Tools” to Help






Naviance – web-based
software
College Center – books,
files, resources
Internet tools
Browsing in bookstores
College Fairs
College Visits at HTLA
and around the city. Find
information on Naviance.
College trip this Fall …
Nor Cal College Trip (see flyer for details)
 November 18-20, 2015
 6 colleges: UCSB, CalPoly SLO, San Jose State U.,
Santa Clara U., UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz.
 San Luis Obispo downtown, San Francisco (Pier 39)
 Deposit due by 9/25/15. $100.
 Total cost = $310 due by pre-departure meeting on
November 4,2015.
Spring Break Boston and New
York College Tour


Boston U., Boston C. Northeastern U.,
Babson, Tufts, Harvard, Brown, U. Conn.,
NYU, Columbia, Fordham U. (final colleges
to be determined)
Guided sightseeing, Boston, Broadway
show, Empire State Building, 9/11
memorial, Rockefeller Center
PSAT – Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015





Here at HTLA. All 11th grade
students.
8:45 a.m. – no make ups!
$15 if you are not on free/reduced
Helps to prepare you for the SAT in
the spring and also enters you into
National Merit Scholarship
Corporation competitions.
Students will been given practice test
booklets.
SAT & SAT Subject Tests
www.collegeboard.org
to register


Two fee waivers are available for
students on free/reduced lunch.
Why lunch forms are
important…



UC apps - $70/each
CSU apps - $55/each
Sending test scores –
$8/report
Students have the option to
take the ACT with Writing
www.act.org
I recommend all Juniors take:



SAT Reasoning
Test in May
SAT Subject
Tests in June
(math2 & 1
other)
All students may
take the tests
again in the fall
of their senior
year.

If you would
like, you can
take the ACT on
June 11, 2016.
Summer Plans
Do Something, participate, learn,
be a part of…volunteer, work… check Naviance
under “enrichment programs” for free
programs/opportunities
 Personal Statement “Boot Camp” – June and
Aug. 2016
 Scholarships – look for them – start now
 Write, read (a lot)
 Some colleges accept applications to over the
summer
 Community College Classes (free) but hard
to get into!
 Visit colleges over the summer and in the
fall.
 Update your resume regularly.

Applications – Fall Senior Year


Many applications are available at the start of
the school year
Common application: www.commonapp.org
UC & CSU – Oct. 1 – not before.
Due November 30. Get those essays ready!!!



Private colleges require letters of
recommendation from 2 teachers and
counselor– no letters to public schools (in
most cases)
Organization and time management are key.
Financial Aid






File Taxes as early as possible during the
student’s senior year and every year after
while they are in college.
FAFSA www.fafsa.ed.gov Jan. 1 – March 2.
CAL Grant filed here at the school. Students
are given the form and need to return it to
Dr. Koven – GPA verification.
Scholarships – www.fastweb.com
AB540 – Undocumented Students – See Me
for scholarship lists and resources.
Counseling/Financial Aid Packages arrive in
the spring AFTER admissions decisions
only.
Big Tips
 Stick
to Deadlines
 Keep a Calendar
 Plan Ahead
 Keep Organized – folders, one
place for all materials and
correspondences, email folders
to store important letters… go
on Naviance - OFTEN
Naviance/Family Connection
Parents, if you haven’t logged
into Naviance before, please let
me know by calling my office or
emailing me so I can help you!
Thank you!
QUESTIONS? PLEASE CALL
818-609-2681 OR EMAIL
DR.KOVEN@HT-LA.ORG