College Applications
- Steps to Request a Letter of Recommendation
- UC/CSU Application Info
- Community College
- College Testing Information
- Anatomy of College Application
- How Do I Get Into a College?
- College Tips
Steps to Request a Letter of Recommendation
*Cal State and UC do not Require Letters of Recommendation*
Counselor Letter Requests Deadlines
11/01/2020- Earliest deadline of - December 15th 11/15/2020- Earliest deadline of - January 1st |
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1. Letter of Rec Packet In these downloads you will be able to provide some information about yourself to help your counselor in writing a great letter of recommendation on your behalf. Please complete all parts. 2. Upload Completed Packet to your Counselor's Drop Box3. To Request a TEACHER Letter of Rec This form is helpful for your teacher to have to help write your letter. However, you should reach out to the teacher directly to see what they prefer. |
UC/CSU Application Info
UC Application Process
- Obtain an unofficial copy of your high school transcript from the Guidance Office to be used to self-report your classes and grades on your UC application.
- Complete application, college essay and application fee online.
- Send official transcripts ONLY when you are directed to do so. UC will determine your grade point average based on the classes and grades you self report during the application process.
- The UC campus which you commit to attend will prompt you to send an official transcript upon graduation from high school.
- UC does not require letters of recommendation.
CSU Application Process
- Obtain an unofficial copy of your high school transcript from the the student portal to self-report your classes and grades on your CSU application.
- Complete application and application fee online.
- Send official transcripts ONLY when you are directed to do so. CSU will determine your grade point average based on the classes and grades you self report during the application process.
- The CSU campus which you commit to attend will prompt you to send an official transcript upon graduation from high school.
- CSU does not require letters of recommendation or a college essay.
Community College
- Students can apply to take courses at any community college while enrolled in high school.
- All students interested in taking a course will need to talk to their counselor.
- Students are able to take courses to meet Foreign Language, Visual Performing Art requirements or for personal enrichment.
- Students are unable to take core courses at the community college.
- A max of 10 credits per semester will be issued per class on the high school transcript for a college class.
If a student is choosing to take a course to clear the Visual Performing Arts (VAPA) requirement for college or languages, students must complete the Request for High School Credit form, in order to have the course(s) put on the high school transcript.
Who can attend a Community College?
- A community college is a good choice for anyone who may want to attend a four-year university later but who is not yet academically, personally or economically ready to begin study at a university straight out of high school.
- To be eligible to attend a community college, one must be 18 years of age, or possess a high school diploma.
- In the California Community Colleges, you can work toward an associate (two-year) degree in hundreds of academic and technical fields (which will enable you to transfer to a college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree); or, you can complete a one - or two-year training or certificate program in a choice of occupational fields, various health professions, and/or high-technology job fields.
Saddleback College www.saddleback.edu
Irvine Valley College www.ivc.edu
Orange Coast College www.orangecoastcollege.edu
Santiago Canyon College www.sccollege.edu
College Testing Information
Who Requires What?
CSU (California State University) - No longer requires either the ACT or the SAT
UC (University of California) - No longer requires either the ACT or the SAT
Private/Independent Universities - Some private/independent universities will accept the results of either the ACT or the SAT. It is recommended that students visit the website of the private/independent universities they are interested in to determine if the university will require the results of the SAT II Subject Tests.
To Register for the SAT or SAT II please log onto www.collegeboard.org
SAT: It is recommended that students take the SAT during the spring semester of grade 11, or the fall semester of grade 12.
SAT II Subject Tests: Some universities highly recommend or require subject tests. Please visit the website of your specific university to verify.
To Register for the ACT please log onto www.act.org
ACT: It is recommended that students take the ACT during the spring of grade 11 or during the fall of grade 12
Anatomy of College Application
College Application
Universities prefer that admissions applications be completed online. You can access CSU and UC applications through their prospective websites. To complete an admissions application to private universities, you will need to go directly to the school website or through common app. Websites can be found through a search online.
College Application Fee
Application fees will vary per institution, and will be due upon submission of your application. Some universities offer fee waivers for those who qualify.
High School Transcript
To complete your CSU or UC application, you will need an unofficial copy of your high school transcript for self-reporting your classes and grades. Once you have been accepted to a CSU or UC campus, that particular campus will prompt you to have an OFFICIAL transcript sent from SVUSD directly to them upon graduation from high school. If you are applying to a private university, however, an OFFICIAL transcript will be required as part of the application process. To review the most up to date information to order your high school transcript please SVUSD's website
College Admissions Exams/Tests
As of 2020, UC's and CSU’s no longer require or accept SAT or ACT testing as part of the application process. Some private schools/out of state universities may still require students to submit the results of college admissions exams. For more information regarding these exams, please see the College Testing Information on the MVHS Guidance Website.
College Essay or Personal Statement
Private/Independent Universities as well as University of California will require a college essay as part of their application process. The college essay is written in response to a prompt(s) given to the student in the application. A college essay will not be required for applications to the California State University.
Letters of Recommendation
Most private university and scholarship applications will require letters of recommendation. Some will specify who the recommender should be (teachers, counselors, employers, coaches, community and church leaders); others simply indicate how many recommendations are required. Letters of recommendation give evaluators and selection committees alternate information about you the person. Keep in mind that these individuals will already have objective information - your grades, classes and test scores - they want to know about your character and who you are outside of the classroom, more appropriately, how others see you!!
How Do I Get Into a College?
- In the state of California, higher education opportunities can be realized by attending one of the 110 community colleges, 33 public universities (CSU and UC), 75 private/independent universities and many more technical, trade, and art schools.
- To be eligible to attend a community college, one must be 18 years of age or possess a high school diploma.
- Eligibility requirements for the California State University and University of California public systems require completion of the minimum a-g course sequence with grades of C or higher and submission of ACT or SAT college admission tests results.
- Private/Independent university eligibility requirements vary from institution to institution, but follow closely with the University of California a-g course sequence.
- To learn more about each individual institution, it is recommended that students log onto the prospective school websites, or visit the MVHS Guidance Office and Career Center to explore majors and schools in California and nationwide.
College Tips
Specifically for Parents:
• What Every Parent Should Tell Their Son or Daughter When They Apply to College
College Admissions News:
• Colleges cope differently with ACT headache
http://www.examiner.com/article/colleges-cope-differently-with-act-headache
• UC System Plans to Increase State Resident Student Admissions
College Counseling Info:
• What is demonstrated interest and why is it important?
http://www.examiner.com/article/what-is-demonstrated-interest-and-why-is-it-important
• The Importance of the High School Resume
https://www.teenlife.com/blogs/importance-high-school-resume
• Here’s Why You Should Only Apply to Colleges You Actually Want To Go To
http://www.teenvogue.com/story/how-many-colleges-should-you-apply-to
• E.D. II: The Not-So-Early Decision
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/01/education/edlife/ed-ii-the-not-so-early-decision.html?_r=0
Application Tips:
• How to Make Your Extracurriculars Look Best on Your College Applications
• Countdown to College: Don’t make these applications mistakes
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article41179293.html
• Your Early Decision College Application Checklist
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-dankoski/your-early-decision-early_b_8399094.html
• College Essay Tips
http://www.thecollegesolution.com/college-essay-tips-for-parents-and-students/
College Visits:
• Don’t skip the college visit
http://www.examiner.com/article/don-t-skip-the-college-visit
• November is the perfect month for college visits
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/life/2015/10/22/november-perfect-month-college-visits/74212172/
Gap Year Info:
• How I Took a Year Off Before Starting College, and Why You Should Too
http://www.teenvogue.com/story/benefits-gap-year-before-college
• 5 tips for taking a gap year before college
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/college-finance/taking-gap-year-before-college-1.aspx
Financial Aid:
• 4 Steps for Getting the Best Financial Aid
• 7 Steps to Filing the FAFSA
http://www.thinkadvisor.com/2015/10/25/college-planning-7-steps-to-filing-the-fafsa
Helpful Video Tutorials
2020 GaryB UNM: College Search ~ Stress to SUCCESS Presentation!
Finding the Perfect College and How to Pay for It!! with thousands of options available, deciding where to attend college can be a challenging task. However, this presentation will pave the road to the perfect choice and may even help families figure out how to pay for it!! The informative and entertaining workshop covers in-state choices, out-of-state possibilities, the top reasons students choose a college, the various costs, financial aid, and scholarship opportunities including WUE (pronounced “woo-wee”) the Western Undergraduate Exchange. WUE is a regional tuition-reciprocity agreement that enables students from US Western states to enroll in more than 150 participating two and four-year public institutions at reduced tuition.