APPLYING TO THE UNIVERSITIES

APPLYING TO THE UNIVERSITIES

Private Universities / Out of State Colleges Make sure you check each College/University website for: Application deadlines Admission criteria When choosing a college consider: location, cost, feel /visit the campus See handout on how to choose a college

The Common Application https://www.commonapp.org/login Used by over 500 colleges and universities Only schools that evaluate applications holistically are allowed to use the common application which means, in addition to GPA & test scores, they also need: Letters of recommendation The application essay Must link your Common app account to Naviance in order to request letters of recommendation (attend workshop)

The Common Application LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION Ask a teacher or counselor who can write great things about you. Give your writer a Resume, CV, or Brag Sheet that describes your involvement in activities. Give your writer a reasonable deadline. Ask more than one teacher. Do the same for scholarship applications.

The Common Application: The Essay WRITE ABOUT YOU ------ NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER! The Common App prompts: Select One, 650 Words Maximum 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 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 problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. 5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

California State University (CSU) Apply online at www.csumentor.edu Minimum GPA requirement is 2.0 The lower the GPA the higher test scores See Are you eligible for CSU Handout to calculate your eligibility Index SAT Reasoning or ACT required by December Some campuses required by November (San Diego, San Jose, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo) SAT Subject Tests are NOT required Application filing period is Oct 1 Nov 30

CSU Eligibility Index Calculate GPA using 10 th and 11 th grade 'a-g' Courses SAT SCORE (using EBRW and math scores only do not use essay score) FORMULA: GPA X 800 + SAT SCORE = Eligibility Index GPA X 200 + (10 x ACT comp) = Elig Index Min. Eligibility Index for a Cal State Score is 2900 using SAT and 694 using ACT Many schools require a higher eligibility index (i.e. CSULB requires 3200)

The CSU s Northern California School GPA (average) SAT (average) ACT Humboldt State 3.20 1026 23 CSU Chico 3.44 1012 22 Sonoma State 3.21 1040 22 Cal Maritime 3.10 Sacramento State 3.23 973 21 CSU East Bay 3.14 895 19 CSU Stanislaus 3.36 938 20 San Francisco State 3.30 978 21 San Jose State 3.28 936 CSU Monterey Bay 3.08 975 21 Fresno State 3.34 905 Statistics based on the incoming freshman class for 2015

The CSU s Central and Southern California School GPA (average) SAT (average) Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 3.97 1318 CSU Bakersfield 2.98 880 CSU Northridge 3.24 916 CSU Channel Islands 3.20 994 Cal Poly Pomona 3.41 1014 CSU Los Angeles 3.19 874 CSU Dominguez Hills 3.13 940 CSU San Bernardino 3.17 893 CSU Fullerton 3.39 997 CSU Long Beach 3.50 1051 CSU San Marcos 3.17 1011 San Diego State 3.82 1159 Statistics based on the incoming freshman class for 2015

Impacted CSU Campuses These campuses are impacted in all programs (all majors) CSU Fullerton CSU Long Beach (3200 elig index for local) San Jose State San Diego State - (4215 average cut off for elig index last year) Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Impacted CSU Campuses These campuses are impacted: CSU Chico Fresno State Humboldt CSU Los Angeles Cal Poly Pomona CSU Monterey Bay CSU San Bernardino San Francisco San Marcos Sonoma State Sacramento State CSU Northridge (3900 out of area EI last year)

CSU Campuses that admit Using Eligibility Index Campuses that are not impacted good idea to apply to one of these schools as a back up if your eligibility index is not high CSU Bakersfield Channel Islands CSU East Bay Maritime CSU Dominguez Hills Stanislaus

The CSU Application High School Preparation (continued) Repeated courses = enter highest grade Term type = Semesters 12 th grade classes Fall semester = in progress Spring Semester = planned

University of California Apply online at www.universityofcalifornia.edu Admission is based on GPA, test scores, Personal statement, rigor of courses, extra curricular activities, etc. SAT Reasoning with Essay or ACT with Writing required by Dec. Application filing period is November 1 30 Minimum GPA is a 3.0 (calculated using 10 th and 11 th grade A-G courses)

The UC s Southern California School GPA SAT ACT UC Santa Barbara 4.02 1994 UC Los Angeles 4.10 2067 UC Irvine 4.10 1852 28 UC Riverside 3.76 1739 UC San Diego 4.13 2018 Statistics based on the incoming freshman class for 2015

The UC s Northern California School GPA (Average) SAT (Average) UC Berkeley 4.42 (weighted uncapped) 2071 UC Davis 4.07 1924 UC Santa Cruz 3.82 1782 UC Merced 3.61 1638 UC San Francisco (graduate only) Statistics based on the incoming freshman class for 2015

Sending Your TEST SCORES YOU must send your official SAT and/ or ACT scores to all of your colleges from the testing sites. To send SAT scores, log onto your collegeboard account and click on send scores to colleges SPECIAL CODES: CSU s: CSU mentor code 3594 will send your SAT scores to all of the CSU campuses UC s: If you send your scores to one UC school, all of the UC schools will receive your scores NCAA: NCAA code 9999 to send scores to the NCAA eligibility center

Sending Official Transcripts Some colleges will request you send them an official transcript at the time you apply Most CSU s and UC s will only want a final transcript (at the end of the year) Some CSU s and UC s will request a 7 th semester transcript (transcript with 1 st semester senior grades on it) CHECK YOUR EMAIL AND PORTAL ACCOUNTS PAY ATTENTION TO DEADLINES!!!

Upcoming College Presentations UCLA Oct 6 Biola Oct 11 CSUN Oct 11 CSULB Oct 12 Grand Canyon University Oct 13 UC Riverside Oct 17 All presentations will be held in the career center and require permission slips.

Upcoming Workshops Common App Wednesday October 19 th at lunch in the Career Center (for all students applying to colleges via the common app) Parent College Night Wednesday October 26 th at 6pm Financial Aid Night Tuesday November 8 at 6pm

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