SENIOR
COLLEGE
INFORMATION
NIGHT
2
Recommendation Letter
List:

Colleges to which you are applying

Academics: awards, honors, SAT/ACT scores – provide dates

Work experience – include dates

Athletics – include dates, awards and leadership roles

Community Service – include dates & describe the service

Extra-Curricular Activities – (clubs and student government)

include dates, grade levels and offices held

Discuss any circumstances (positive or negative) that have
influenced your life/education

Discuss an incident or experience in life that helped you
develop drive, focus, motivation or maturity

Give reasons why you should be considered for a particular
college or scholarship.
Community Service
Check in the Career Center and the Class of 2015 Senior News

New Hope Care Center

Astoria Gardens

Tracy Animal Shelter

Tracy Boys and Girls Club

Sutter Tracy Hospital

Tracy Library

McHenry House

Tracy Interfaith Ministries

Tracy Convalescent Hospital

Give Every Child a Chance Tutoring

Block W

Key Club
COMMUNITY SERVICE
 LONGEVITY
 SOMETHING
 PEER
YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT
LEADERSHIP
 ETHNIC/RACE
 FAITH
 HOW
COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY
DID I MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN MY
COMMUNITY?
SAT/ACT

SAT website www.sat.collegeboard.org
Test Date: Nov. 7 registration deadline Oct. 9
Dec. 5 registration deadline Nov. 5

ACT website www.actstudent.org
Dec. 12 registration Deadline Nov. 6

Send your scores

UC’s require the writing portion for each test

CSU/ can use highest scores from any test date

UC /uses the highest score from a single test date
SAT Subject Tests
“Recommended by some UC’s”

Berkeley – Chemistry and Engineering

Irvine – Arts, Engineering and CSE

UCLA – Engineering and Applied Science

San Diego – Engineering, Biological or Physical
Science

Santa Barbara – Creative Studies, Engineering,
Computer Science

Riverside – Bourns College of Engineering &
College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences
10
CSU code 3594
PSAT (new test)
TEST DATE: OCTOBER 14TH
WEST HIGH SCHOOL
COST: $20
7:50 AM
ON SALE IN THE BOOKKEEPERS
OFFICE

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP

$180 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIP MONEY

STUDENT SEARCH SERVICES
(COLLEGES REACH OUT TO YOU)
CSU System
13
CSU/UC A-G Requirements

A - History 2yrs
B - English 4yrs

C - Math 3yrs required, 4yrs recommended

( CSU, Algebra1, Geometry, Algebra2)

D - Lab Science 2yrs required, 3 yrs recommended
( 1 biological, 1 physical)



E-
Foreign Language 2 yrs required, 3yrs
recommended (same language)
F - Visual Performing Arts 1yr
G – Elective course 1yr
** Must have a grade of C or better in all A-G
courses**
CSU Application



www.csumentor.edu
Opens October 1st to submit and closes November
30th.
Counselors will be available in the career center
every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in
October and November between the hours of 3:15
and 4:30 for assistance filling out the college
applications.
CSU application workshop
Sign up in the career center
www.calstate/.edu/sas

16
SAT Sample
3.0
10-12 grade academic gpa
X 800
2400
+ 500 SAT math score
+ 500 SAT reading score
3400 = Eligibility Index
ACT Sample
3.0 10-12 grade academic gpa
X 200
600
+180 ACT composite score x 10
780
= Eligibilty Index
SAT/ACT
2900
SAT = 694 ACT
3200
SAT = 720 ACT
Eligibility Indexes
 Local
schools = 2900 and above
CSU Sacramento
CSU Stanislaus
CSU Fresno
 Schools
starting at 3200 and above
San Francisco State
Sonoma State
Eligibility Indexes Cont’d
2900/694
 Bakersfield
 Channel
Islands
 Dominguez Hills
 East Bay
 Maritime Academy
(Global Studies & Business)
Eligibility Indexes Cont’d

Averages from 2015
San
Diego 4000+
3810

San Bernardino 3300
Chico
CSU
3400
Los Angeles 3134 Humboldt 3050
Fullerton
3700
Monterey

Cal Poly Pomona
Long Beach 4100
Bay 3100
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Pomona, San Jose,
San Diego is based on the major

San Marcos 3200
Northridge’s 3700 (at least 3.2 gpa)
CSU English/ Math Assessments
“READY”
 ELM/Math
550
AP
on SAT, 23 on ACT,
Calculus or AP Statistics Exam: 3+
CAASPP
EAP: Standard Exceeded
 EPT/English
500
AP
on SAT, 22 on ACT,
Language/Literature 3
CAASPP
EAP: Standard Exceeded
CSU English/Math Assessments
“Conditionally Ready”
ELM/Math

CAASPP EAP: Standard Met

ACT 20-22, SAT: 490-540

Complete a senior year-long math course with Algebra
II as a prerequisite
EPT/English

CAASPP EAP: Standard Met

ACT 19-21, SAT: 460-490

Complete an approved senior year-long English course
of ERWC, or AP English 4
Educational Opportunity Program
Designed to improve access and retention of
historically low-income and educationally
disadvantaged students.
 EOP students have the potential and demonstrated
motivation to perform satisfactorily at a CSU, but they
have not been able to realize their potential because
of their economic or educational background.
 The program provides admission and academic
assistance to EOP-eligible undergraduate students.
 The program offers financial assistance to eligible
students.
 Campuses tailor their programs to accommodate the
needs of their student population.
www.csumentor.edu/admissionapp/eop_apply.asp.

UC System
UC Irvine
UC Berkeley
UC Davis
UC Application

www.universtiyofcalifornia.edu/admission

Opens August 1st, but can only submit
November 1st - 30th.

UC application workshop.
Sign up in the career center.

Fee waivers

$70
Average UC Cost of
Attendance (2015-16)
The net cost actually is
much less for about
two-thirds of UC’s
undergraduate
students because they
receive gift aid.
COUNSELOR CONFERENCE 2015
UC Eligibility

Complete a minimum of 15 college-preparatory courses (a-g
courses), with at least 11 finished prior to the beginning of your
senior year.

Earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better with no grade
lower than a C-.

Meet the examination requirement by taking the ACT With Writing
or the SAT Reasoning Test by December of your senior year. We
don't require SAT Subject Tests, but certain programs on some
campuses recommend them.
Requirements vs. Selection

Every UC campus gets the same application

Every UC campus you apply to will evaluate if
you have met minimum admissions
requirements with the same GPA and test
scores

Each UC campus will review your application
for admission individually using the information
in the application

Each UC campus places a different
value on each section of the
UC application
Comprehensive Review of
the Application

What do the UC campuses look for?
 Good
grades & test scores
 Well-rounded
 Assess
students
the student within his/her context
 Not
just the personal statement; the full applicant
and the full application are important
 Take
the time to fill out all of the application
completely and accurately
Comprehensive Review








Grade-Point Average
Test Scores
Courses
Completed/Planned
Honors Courses
Eligibility in the Local
Context (ELC)
Quality of Senior-Year
Program of Study
Academic Opportunities in
California High Schools
Performance in Academic
Subject Areas

Achievements in Special
Projects

Improvement in Academic
Performance

Special Talents,
Achievements, and Awards

Participation in Educational
Preparation Programs

Academic Accomplishment
Within Life Experiences

Geographic Location
43
44
The Personal Statement
Statement #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.
Statement #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?
Additional Comments:
Use this space to tell us anything else you want us to know about
you and your academic record that you have not had the
opportunity to describe elsewhere in the application. Limit your
response to 550 words or less.
Letters of Recommendation
•
No UC campus requires letters of
recommendation at the time of application
•
Campuses often request additional information
from students, including letters of
recommendation

AskUC@ucop.edu – Subject Line: “Letters of
Recommendation”
COUNSELOR CONFERENCE 2015
ELC / Eligibility in the Local Context
Guaranteed
UC.
The
acceptance into a
other UC’s will count ELC as
one of the 14 comprehensive
review standards.
High School Weighted GPA of
Incoming Freshmen, 2000 and 2013
100%
90%
80%
70%
4.2 and above
60%
3.8 to 4.19
3.4 to 3.79
50%
3 to 3.39
40%
2.99 and below
30%
Unknown
20%
10%
0%
00 13
00 13
00 13
00 13
00 13
00 13
00 13
00 13
05* 13
UCB
UCLA
UCSD
UCD
UCSB
UCI
UCR
UCSC
UCM
COUNSELOR CONFERENCE 2015
BLUE & GOLD PLAN
For California residents whose families
earn less than $80,000 and who qualify
for financial assistance, the plan will fully
cover UC’s system wide tuition and fees.
Middle Class Access Plan (MCAP)
Sets a 15% cap of parental income for
families with gross income from 80k to 140k
annually
$1000 minimum deduction
July 1 Transcript Deadline
•
Postmarked or electronically received by July 1
•
Send all high school and college transcripts.
(Note: Send the college transcript even if the
college course grade appears on the high school
transcript.)
•
School can’t meet the deadline?
•
Send a note to AskUC@ucop.edu--Subject line:
“Transcript Deadline”
COUNSELOR CONFERENCE 2015
For More Information
Paying for UC
admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/payingfor-uc
UC Online Admissions Application
universityofcalifornia.edu/apply
Electronic FAFSA
fafsa.gov
California Dream Act Application
dream.csac.ca.gov
COUNSELOR CONFERENCE 2015
U.S. Dept. of Ed. &
FAFSA Processing
1-800-433-3243
ed.gov
Cal Grant Information
1-888-224-7268
csac.ca.gov
Campus Financial Aid
Resources
UC Berkeley
(510) 664-9181
UCLA
(310) 206-0400
financialaid.berkeley.e fao.ucla.edu
du
UC Davis
(530) 752-2390
financialaid.ucdavis.e
du
UC Irvine
(949) 824-8262
www.ofas.uci.edu
COUNSELOR CONFERENCE 2015
UC Merced
(209) 228-7178
UC San Diego
(858) 534-4480
fao.ucsd.edu
UC Santa Barbara
(805) 893-2432
financialaid.ucmerced.edu finaid.ucsb.edu
UC Riverside
(951) 827-3878
UC Santa Cruz
(831) 459-2963
finaid.ucr.edu
financialaid.ucsc.edu
Private/ Out of State Eligibility
You need to check each individual
private or out of state school for:
 Application
 Freshman
deadlines
admittance requirements
 Scholarships
 Costs
 Application
 Common
Fee Waivers
Application
Western Undergraduate
Exchange
WUE

www.wue.wiche.edu

If you are a resident of a WICHE state, you are
eligible to request a reduced WUE tuition rate of
150% of the resident rate at one of the 145
participating schools in the West.

WICHE states include: Alaska, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon,
South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.
NCAA/NAIA

National Collegiate Athletic Association
www.ncaa.org/eligibility SAT code 9999

National Association Intercollegiate Athletics
www.playnaia.org SAT code 9876

Cost
NAIA $60
NCAA $60

Eligible for a Fee Waiver if you received a fee
waiver for the SAT or ACT

Must submit a final transcript
FAFSA / FAFSA4caster

Free Application For Federal Student Aid

Opens January 1st and Closes March 2nd

www.fafsa.ed.gov

Attend a FAFSA workshop

Do not wait to do your taxes to fill out FAFSA.
Complete your taxes as soon as possible, and
then, update you Student Aid Report (SAR).

Review your Student Aid Report

Cal Grant GPA Verification
FINANCIAL AID
COSTS

TUITION AND FEES

COST OF LIVING IN DORMS

MEAL PLANS

BOOKS & SUPPLIES

PERSONAL EXPENSES

TRANSPORTATION
TOTAL COST OF - EXPECTED FAMILY = FINANCIAL NEED
ATTENDANCE
CONTRIBUTION
(EFC)
What You Will Need

Drivers license/California ID

Social Security number

Alien registration number if not a U.S. citizen

Student’s 2015 income information

Parent’s 2015 income information

Final 2015 paystub

Records of untaxed income: (welfare, child
support, social security benefits)

List of colleges you are interested in attending
FSA ID

The FSA ID allows students and parents to identify themselves
electronically to access FSA Web sites.

An FSA ID is made up of a username and password and can be
used to log into FAFSA on the Web.

While you are not required to have an FSA ID to complete and
submit a FAFSA on the Web application, it is the fastest way to sign
your application and have it processed. It is also the only way to
access or correct your information online, or to pre-fill a FAFSA on
the Web application with information from your previous year’s
FAFSA.

If you do not already have an FSA ID, you can create an FSA ID.

A Parent also needs to create a FSA ID.
Undocumented Students
•
May qualify for a nonresident tuition exemption under AB 540
and for state and UC financial aid under the California Dream
Act.
• The student must attend a CA high school for three or more years
and graduate and
• Certify that he or she is taking steps to legalize his or her
immigration status or will do so as soon as eligible to do so (“AB
540” application/affidavit).
•
These students must file a California Dream Act Application
and submit a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form by March 2.
COUNSELOR CONFERENCE 2015
DACA-eligible Students
•
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) entitles
students to be employed legally—which makes it much
easier to find jobs to help cover some of their educational
costs.
•
DACA is a separate program from AB 540, and has no effect
on eligibility for the AB 540 tuition exemption or financial aid.
•
Some UC campuses are setting up programs so that AB 540eligible students with DACA certification may work in
institutional work-study programs. DACA students can qualify
for in-state fees.
COUNSELOR CONFERENCE 2015
Undocumented Students
• UC will be implementing the DREAM Loan
program to allow undocumented AB 540eligible students to choose to borrow.
• Outside agency loans, grants or
scholarships are the only option if students
are not eligible for AB 540 status.
COUNSELOR CONFERENCE 2015
Cash For College Workshop
 Free
Application for Federal Student
Aid/FAFSA
 January 28, 2016

3:30-7:00pm Career Center
 California
Dream Act Application
 Scholarship
AP Exams
Earn
college credits
Save money
Student Portal Email Accounts

Create an e-mail account for each school you
apply to

Check each e-mail account on a regular basis

Make sure you take care of “to do list” items in a
timely manner or by stated deadlines

Read the whole e-mail

Write down your passwords and SAVE them!!!
Student Housing

Check each schools website for housing
deposit deadlines. Each school varies

Some schools guarantee freshman housing

Some schools require freshman to live on
campus unless they live within a specific mile
radius from the college
Acceptance Letters/
Financial AID Award Letters

March/April

Pell Grants

Cal Grants

University Grants

Work Study

Subsidized Loans

Unsubsidized Loans

Parent Loans
Letter of Intent/ Deposits
 The
National Letter of
Intent deadline is May 1st.
It
is strictly held to by all
schools
Schools may require a
deposit at this time
Final Transcripts
 Make
sure you fill out a form with the
West High registrar to have your final
transcript sent to the college you have
chosen by their deadline.
 Most
deadlines are anywhere from the
middle of June to the beginning of July
 UC
 UC
Transcripts are due by July 1st
- AP test score submittal deadline
July 15
General Information
 Open
a bank account
 Make
sure you have an ID card or drivers
license
 Always
use the same name that is on
your social security card
 Good
 Do
e-mail addresses
not link your Facebook to your e-mail
Junior Colleges
San Joaquin Delta College
www.deltacollege.edu
Modesto Junior College
www.mjcyosemite.cc.ca.us
Los Positas Junior College
www.laspositascollege.edu
Junior Colleges

You do not need to take the SAT/ACT

You do need to take a Math & English placement
test

You need to apply for financial aid / FAFSA

BOG / Board of Governor Fee Waiver

Most UC’s/CSU’s require you to complete 60 credits
to transfer.
TAG
Transfer Agreement Guarantee
Scholarships
 Check
in the career center often
 Check your Current 2015 Senior
News
 Listen for the daily
announcements

www.fastweb.com

www.scholarships.com

www.scholarshare.com