College Options
InTheCity, Inc. Workshop Series
Thursday, January 22nd, 2015
Amaru Tejeda
What we’re going to talk about:
• Breakdown of Types of Colleges
• Requirements
▫ A-Gs
▫ SAT vs. ACT
▫ Applications, etc.
• How do I choose what’s right for me?
▫ Case studies
• Q&A
Why College?
College 101
• Choose a “Major”
▫ List of classes you need to take before they hand you a
degree. i.e. “Requirements”
▫ Not all colleges offer all majors. Research!
• YOU choose your classes! Choose well!
▫ They must fulfill requirements dictated by your Major,
or you do not graduate
• It requires money
▫ But there is financial aid
▫ Different colleges have different price tags
 HINT: “Better” schools usually have more financial aid
available—you can get PAID to go to school
Undergraduate Degree Options:
What are the different types of
colleges?
California State Universities (CSUs)
• Public universities with 23 campuses in CA (7 in LA)
CSUs in LA County
*Cal State LA
Miles from
Lincoln
Heights
5
*Cal State Dominguez Hills
21
*Cal State Northridge
(CSUN)
27
Cal Poly Pomona
27
Cal State Long Beach
28
Cal State Fullerton
36
Cal State San Bernardino
62
*Accepts any qualifying LA County HS Graduate
CSUs: Pros & Cons
PROS
CONS
 Wide variety of campus
locations and majors
 Cheapest university option
 Relatively easy application
 Less prestigious, lower
graduation rates
 Overcrowding can make it
difficult to graduate in 4
years
 Fewer resources for more
students
University of California
Public Universities with 9 undergrad campuses in CA
Undergrad Campuses
UC Los Angeles
Miles from
Lincoln
Heights
20
UC Irvine
43
UC Riverside
UC Santa Barbara
56
107
UC San Diego
109
UC Merced
278
UC Santa Cruz
347
UC Berkeley
373
UC Davis
399
UCs: Pros & Cons
PROS
CONS
• Best public schools in
California
• Some are rated the best in
the nation
• Wide variety of majors
• Reasonably priced for a
world-class education
• More intensive application –
Includes Essays
• Stricter admission
requirements
• Costs a lot more than a CSU
• Campuses are large and can
also be overcrowded for
undergrads
Private Colleges & Universities
• Do not receive government funding to operate
• The small ones are often referred to as “Liberal
Arts” – i.e. Well Rounded
Private Campuses in California
Miles from
Lincoln Heights
Occidental College (Oxy)
4
University of Southern California (USC)
9
5 Claremont Colleges – Scripps, Claremont McKenna,
Pomona, Harvey Mudd, Pitzer
Cal Tech
33
8
University of San Diego (USD)
118
Stanford
357
…and More!
Private Colleges – Pros & Cons
PROS
CONS
• The best schools in the nation
• Some are only average
• Smaller campus, smaller
• Lower rated schools have less
classes  most resources for
financial aid and can leave
fewest students
students in lots of debt
• Provide interdisciplinary
• Liberal arts colleges may not
education
offer technical majors such as
• Very expensive, but best
engineering, business, nursing or
schools have Financial Aid
accounting
• (Most schools ranked in the top
20 charge no tuition for
families making <$60k/year)
For-Profit Schools: Stay Away!
• Do NOT go to a for-profit school! Examples:
University of Phoenix, American Career College,
West Coast University
• Advertisements make them look great, but their goal
is to make money, not for you to succeed.
• Help students take out lots of loans and put them in
classes without proper preparation.
• University of Phoenix: After 6 years, only 4.3% of
students who started have graduated.
• For profit colleges leave more than 50% of their
students with over $30,000 of debt and no degree.
• Subject to government investigations for scandals.
Community Colleges
• Let you earn a certificate, Associates degree, or
transfer to a 4-year (but no Bachelors degrees)
Local Community Colleges
Miles from
Lincoln Heights
East Los Angeles College (ELAC)
8
Pasadena City College (PCC)
9
Glendale Community College (GCC)
Los Angeles Trade Tech
7
7
Los Angeles City College
8
Community Colleges are great if you:
• Want to pursue a certificate program
▫ Electrician, Drug and Alcohol Counseling,
Nursing, etc.
▫ Practical 2 year programs that lead to high
demand jobs with decent salaries
• Haven’t fulfilled A-G requirements
▫ Better support systems for basic Math and English
• Are committed to completing a transfer degree
• Want the absolute cheapest option
• Join a sports team or special program for extra
academic support
Dangers of Community Colleges
• Lots of people enter community college, get
stuck, bounce between schools, and never
graduate
• Budget cuts have make is hard to get classes, talk
to a counselor, and graduate on time
• Local community colleges have low transfer rate
to 4-year schools (13-24%)
Community College – Pros & Cons
PROS
CONS
• The cheapest option
• If you are unfocused, it can take
• An opportunity to make up A-G
longer to transfer than it would
courses
to graduate
• There are many campuses to
• CANNOT grant a 4-year BA or
choose from locally
BS degree
• Grant certificate degrees
• Some campuses are VERY
needed for jobs like nursing,
crowded, and it can be hard to
electrician, accounting, etc.
get the classes you need when
• Provide extra support and
you need them
guidance to students doing
sports
Requirements:
How do I get In?
What you need to apply:
Community Colleges:
1. H.S. Diploma
OR
2. 18 years or Older
CSU (Apply between October 1-November 30):
1. H.S. Diploma
2. A-G Requirements (grade of C or better)
3. G.P.A. of 2.0 or Higher
4. SAT Reasoning or ACT Plus Writing
UCs (Due November 30) /
Private Institutions (Generally due around Jan 1):
1. H.S. Diploma
2. A-G Requirements (grade of C or better)
3. G.P.A. of 3.0 or Higher
4. SAT Reasoning or ACT Plus Writing & (some) SAT Subject Test
5. Personal Statement (essay)
6. Honors / Awards
7. Extra-Curricular Activities
8. Community Service
A-G Requirements
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
History/Social Science - 2 years required:
▫ One year of U.S. History or ½ year of U.S. History and ½ year of civics or
American Government. CSU requires one additional year of Social Science. UC
requires one year of world history, cultures, and geography.
English - 4 years required:
▫ Four years of college preparatory English
Mathematics - 3 years required, 4 years recommended:
▫ Classes must include the topics of algebra, geometry, and intermediate algebra.
Approved integrated math courses can also fulfill this requirement.
Laboratory Science - 2 years required, 3 years recommended:
▫ CSU requires one biological and one physical. UC requires classes in at least two
of the following areas: biology, chemistry, and physics.
Language Other Than English (Foreign Language) - 2 years
required, 3 years recommended:
▫ At least two years of the same language.
Visual & Performing Arts - 1 year required:
▫ One yearlong course in dance, drama/theatre, music, or visual art.
College Preparatory Electives - 1 year required:
▫ One additional year in any of the above A-F areas or other approved elective.
SAT vs. ACT
• Get fee waivers from your counselor!
• The more competitive schools will require you to
take either the SAT II or the ACT Plus Writing, AND
SAT I subject tests
▫ Plan on taking the SAT II (or ACT) once near the end
of your junior year, and again at the start of your
senior year
• Do your research to determine whether the ACT or
SAT is for you
▫ http://www.testprepauthority.com/guides/act-vs-sat/
SAT vs. ACT (cont.)
• Remaining dates for SAT:
▫
▫
▫
▫
March 14th, 2015 – REGISTER by February 13th
May 2nd, 2015 – REGISTER by April 6th
June 6th, 2015 – REGISTER by May 8th
Sign up at: www.collegeboard.com
• Remaining dates for ACT:
▫ April 18th, 2015 – REGISTER by March 13th!
▫ June 13th, 2015– REGISTER by May 8th!
▫ Sign up at: www.actstudent.org
Application Process
• Typically, deadlines to apply for CSUs and UCs for
Fall admissions is : November 1st-30th
• For private colleges and universities, the deadline is
usually: November 30th-December 31st
• For community colleges, deadlines are typically 1-2
months before the start of semester/quarter
• Financial Aid
▫ Fill out Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (and CSS Profile*) – www.fafsa.ed.gov
▫ Know the difference between loans, grants, work
study, and other forms of aid
*if you are applying to private schools
Next Steps:
• 9th and 10th Graders:
▫ Take challenging classes (Honors and AP)
▫ Get As & Bs and NO Ds or Fs
▫ Start researching colleges
• 11th Graders:
▫ Create a College Board account and plan to sign
up for the SAT II OR register for ACT + Writing
• 12th Graders:
▫ Pass all your remaining classes with As and Bs
▫ Take care of any other graduation requirements
▫ Look up information on nearby CCs and when to
register
Case Studies
Case Study 1
Student A is a junior in high school. He knows he
wants to go to college, but doesn’t know what to
study. He has most of the A-G requirements, and
can finish them by senior year, but has struggled
especially in math and science. He has a 2.2 GPA,
and is a 2-sport athlete. Where would you
recommend he goes to college?
Case Study 2
Student B wants to be an engineer. She struggled a
lot her freshman year and even failed a few
classes, but turned it around sophomore and
junior year and earned an A-G GPA of 3.2. She
volunteers once a month with a service club at her
school. She doesn’t want to go too far from home,
but is eager to move out and work hard to become
an engineer. Where would you recommend she go
to college?
Case Study #3
Student C . Her parents are worried about paying
for her school because they make very little money
at their jobs and she has two younger siblings.
Closing Thoughts
• The more research you do, the better
• ASK for help!
• The BEST preparation for college starts now.
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
Do your homework DAILY (before TV, etc.)
Turn in assignments on time
Keep a daily/weekly planner
Keep to your word
Don’t make excuses
Don’t settle for the bare minimum
The End!
References
CSU Guaranteed Admission areas:
http://www.calstate.edu/sas/publications/docum
ents/CSULocalAdmission-ServiceAreas.pdf
A-G Comparison: UC vs CSU:
http://www.calstate.edu/sas/publications/docum
ents/csu-uc-a-gcomparisonmatrix.pdf