Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Testing Timeline for Juniors

JUNIORS – CLASS of 2012

TIMETABLE FOR TESTING – What happens next?

Use your PSAT scores to get ready for the SAT this Spring! Match the answers to the questions in the book. Be sure to understand the strategy of “educated guessing”.

NEXT STEP: Sign up for the SAT Reasoning test and the ACT!

The ACT is an alternative test to the SAT Reasoning test, used by all 4 year colleges and preferred by many. Many of our students do BETTER on the ACT! It does not grade off for guessing, and has a smaller Math section (but it does test in Science)

You should take BOTH. Be sure to take the WRITING option on the ACT.

You no longer need to take the SAT Subject tests for UC admission! BUT – some selective colleges (Ivy League, Stanford etc) still require them, and the UC’s will look at them if they are strong to help you in admission to selective majors (ie, take Math 2 for engineering).

DEADLINES for Spring tests are as follows:
SAT March 12 test - Deadline is FEB. 11
SAT May 7 test – Deadline is APRIL 8
SAT June 4 test – Deadline is JUNE 4

ACT February test – Deadline is JANUARY 7
ACT April test – Deadline is MARCH 4
ACT June test – Deadline is MAY 6

We will be getting more fee waivers if you qualify for free/reduced lunch. You can use 2 SAT fee waivers per year, and one ACT fee waiver per year. You should take 1 SAT and 1 ACT as a Junior, and take the SAT Subject tests in June (along with the SAT Reasoning test) if you are applying for selective colleges.

You have October, November and December of Senior year to re-test. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL SENIOR YEAR TO START TESTING!! SAT and ACT are NOT required or used by community colleges.

We will remind you of deadlines, but it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to be sure to sign up and take the tests! This is the first step toward college admissions.

JUNIOR GRADES are the MOST IMPORTANT! More important than SAT/ACT’s!! Be sure to do well on your finals!!!!!
QUSTIONS?? Please see your counselor!

Monday, December 13, 2010

SENIOR BULLETIN # 12 – SCHOLARSHIP EDITION !!

December 7, 2010
College &Career Center – Room K4

The Senior Bulletins will now start listing scholarships
First, a few important reminders:

EOP – Cal State U Applicants
If you checked YES to the EOP box on your CSU application, you should be completing this application ASAP on csumentor. EOP can help a LOT with admissions, registration, even money, so do a good job! Get this done by mid-December.
If you are using your counselor/teacher as a referral and they don’t know you well, please complete a Senior Data Sheet (available in K4.) We need family background especially.
Counselor emails are our first initial, last name and @rowland.k12.ca.us.
Example: shall@rowland.k12,ca.us, bdenny, asandoval, bdayton
Teachers are the same. Be sure to give us plenty of time, and say thank you!
IF YOU APPLIED TO DOMINGUEZ HILLS, YOU NEED A PAPER APPLICATION!
You can get this from Mrs. Hall, and she will mail or FAX it in. (they closed EOP early)

UC “Paper” Fee Waivers
If you checked the “by mail” option for 4 UC campuses, be sure you send in the green college board fee waiver AND the letter to the UC Processing Center.
If you need help with this, come in ASAP!

READ YOUR MAIL AND EMAIL !!
If you applied for UC, CSU or a private college already, please read every piece of mail and email carefully! They may request transcripts or other info THIS MONTH.
If you are not sure, ASK US. READ EVERYTHING !!
…and be sure to send your test scores directly to the colleges
on collegeboard.com and act.org. Let us know if you need help !!

Private Colleges
We need to focus on private and out of state colleges now –
The selective colleges have deadlines on January 1!
Please look up the info for the college (most are on commonapp.org),
and let your counselor know which schools need to be sent info.
Most need the Secondary School Report (which includes the counselor letter,
the transcript and the school profile) and at least one teacher letter, along with your essays and application – different for every school!
Please get busy NOW to give us time to do a good job.
QUESTIONS?? Please see your counselor.

Community Colleges
We will focus on these in early Spring!
Mount SAC will be visiting several times., including the Summer Bridge program.
The earlier you apply, the better chance of getting classes, transferring etc!


SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID
Please see the reverse side for important info!


FINANCIAL AID
The most important source for financial aid is the FAFSA form, which must be filled out for Cal Grants, Pell Grants and some loans, as well as some college scholarships.
EVERY DOCUMENTED STUDENT SHOULD COMPLETE THE FAFSA!
We are having workshops for EVERY Senior during English on Thursday 12/9, and
also giving your parents a “jumpstart” meeting on Tuesday 12/7,
and a line-by-line workshop in January for more specific help.

The FAFSA form is available on fafsa.ed.gov (BE CAREFUL OF OTHER “SCAM” SITES!!)
It can be started now but CANNOT BE SUBMITTED UNTIL JANUARY 1!
Be sure you are applying for the 2011-2012 school year – very important!
DO NOT SUBMIT THIS WITHOUT CHECKING WITH A COUNSELOR.
Simple mistakes cost big bucks!
The DEADLINE for FAFSA is MARCH 2 – but file is ASAP!
(especially for private colleges, which allocate funds as FAFSA’s come in)

SCHOLARSHIPS
There are many scholarship opportunities, and students who are proactive get the most!
Sources include high tech: scholarship searches like fastweb.com, and
Low tech: checking the scholarship box in K4, your parents’ work, stores, radio etc.
You usually need to write an essay, and your UC personal statement usually works!
You also need letters of recommendation for many scholarships = ask teachers EARLY.
Some scholarships are very competitive (Gates Milennium, Coca Cola)
Some are slam dunk (City of La Puente, if you live in city limits)
Some require joining (PTSA – join for $5, eligible for state and local scholarships)
DO NOT PAY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS OR ADVICE! Lots of scams are out there.

Best bets:
Do your FAFSA asap – it’s the best source of money.
Do a search on fastweb.com – they have ALL of the scholarships and it’s NOT a scam.
READ THE SENIOR BULLETIN carefully and check the box in K4 daily !!

CURRENT SCHOLARSHIPS IN THE BOX IN K4:
Black College Expo – 500 word essay on college. DUE DEC. 13!scholarships@thecollegeexpo.org
Young Entrepreneur – must operate own business! Due Dec.31 – www.NFIB.com/YEA
JFK Profiles In Courage Essay – Due Jan. 8 wwwjfklibrary.org
Gates Milennium – super competitive; underrepresented, citizen ,unwt.3.3 gpa, low income. gmsp.org
Washington Crossing – history/govt. interest. Gwcf.org, due January 15
Milken Scholars- 3.6 unweighted gpa, 1850 on SAT or 28 ACT, need – due Jan. 21!
CAC Collectors (essay on credit management req) Postmarked Jan. 31 scholarships@calcollections.net
Christermon Schol – parent/grandparent work in co.w/beverage license. Due 2/1.www. christermon.com
PTA Senior Scholarship – must join PTA! Due at the state office by Feb.1
KFC Colonel’s Scholars – 2.75 gpa, public college, citizen, need. Due Feb.9. www.kfcscholar.org
Girls Going Places – essay on business plans. Due Feb. 28. www.GirlsGoingPlaces.com.
CSU Fullerton Future Scholars – low income, 1st generation, 2.5 gpa. Due March 2.
Cabrillo Club – Portuguese descent. Due March 15www.cabrillocivicclubs.org
US Bank – random drawing, $1000! Apply at usbank.com/scholarship by March 31.


THERE WILL BE MANY MORE !!! K4 also has a printout of random opportunities.
Be sure to: search on fastweb.com
Have your parents check at their work.
Keep your eyes and ears open!

…AND be conscientious about coming by to check, asking for letters, etc!
THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. Please take it seriously!