The Cal Grant is a California-specific financial aid allocation that does not need to be paid back. Cal Grant applicants must apply using the FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application by the deadline and meet all eligibility, financial, and minimum GPA requirements of either program. Grants are for students attending Universities of California, California State Universities or California Community Colleges, or qualifying independent and career colleges or technical schools in California.

There are three kinds of Cal Grants — A, B and C — but you don’t have to figure out which one to apply for. Your eligibility will be based on your FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application responses, your verified Cal Grant GPA, the type of California colleges you list on your application and whether you’re a recent high school graduate.

Cal Grant Information

SVUSD College Fair

SVUSD’s 2023 College & Career Fair, which is being held October 11th from 6-8pm on our Mission Viejo High School Campus. SVUSD’s College & Career Fair recognizes that everyone has their own path after high school. For some it is college, for others it’s the trades, perhaps cosmetology school or a career in the arts!  This event will have resources & opportunities for all students. There will be representation from over 100 college & career representatives.  There will also be valuable presentations for college prep, trade schools, sports eligibility, special education transition information, essay writing & so much more.  

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
• UC System Plans to Increase State Resident Student Admissions

College Counseling Info:

• What is demonstrated interest and why is it important?
• The Importance of the High School Resume
• Here’s Why You Should Only Apply to Colleges You Actually Want To Go To
• E.D. II: The Not-So-Early Decision

Application Tips:

• How to Make Your Extracurriculars Look Best on Your College Applications
• Countdown to College: Don’t make these applications mistakes
• Your Early Decision College Application Checklist
• College Essay Tips

College Visits:

• Don’t skip the college visit
• November is the perfect month for college visits

Gap Year Info:

• How I Took a Year Off Before Starting College, and Why You Should Too
• 5 tips for taking a gap year before college

Financial Aid:

• 4 Steps for Getting the Best Financial Aid
• 7 Steps to Filing the FAFSA

Concurrent enrollment provides high school students the opportunity to take college courses. High School may be eligible to enroll at Saddleback Community College (SCC) and Irvine Valley College (IVC). Please check SCC and IVC for a list of courses. Enrollment fees are waived for concurrently enrolled students in grades 9-12 but students are responsible for payment of the nonresident tuition, student health fee, material fees, and parking fee, if applicable.

Students must complete the following steps to enroll:

1. Complete the online application for the community college. (IMPORTANT – write down your username, password, student ID number, and PIN, you will need this information to complete the registration process.
2. Complete and submit the K-12 Admission Request form to your Counselor to sign. (You will need your ID to complete this form.)
   • Saddleback Concurrent Enrollment Form
   • IVC Process here
3. Receive completed K-12 Form from your Counselor, and submit electronically to the college (some have different processes).
4. Register for the course. (You will need your student ID number and PIN number to register.)
5. Purchase the required class materials.

We would be pleased to write a letter of recommendation, but we need your help to complete the process. Please follow these guidelines and allow four weeks lead time prior to the deadline for this process to be completed. Before any letter will be written by the COUNSELOR/ADMINISTRATOR, you will receive an overview of the procedures in your senior Social Science class [Econ/Civics/Gov’t] by the Counseling Department. You will then need to make an appointment with your assigned letter writer to discuss your plans and provide the items indicated. Lack of providing the requested information or proper preparation may result in significant delays.

Letters of Recommendation Packet

Please a make a copy of the Letters of Recommendation Packet in your google drive. Once you have completed your packet, please share your google document with your assigned counselor/administrator (see chart below).

COUNSELOR/ADMINISTRATOR STUDENT

Letter Request from TEACHERS: Teachers will not complete a letter of recommendation without you first asking them if they would be able to perform this task. Three-four weeks advance notice is required for them as well. They will be writing their letters based on your academic performance and their experience with you in their class or related activity. 

Transcripts: Remember, it is your responsibility to submit your transcript to the universities to which you are applying via parchment.

How to Order your Transcripts

Saddleback Counselor: Sarah Gross 

Appointments available for High School students on Thursdays from 9:30 -12:30

Schedule Saddleback Counseling Appointment

For accepted students, Saddleback College promises to pay for the first two years of college. Registration fees, book costs, health fee, and ASB stamp are included!

Students must satisfy the following three criteria to be eligible for the Saddleback College Promise Program:

• Be first-time college students; this program is for students who have never attended college (Students who have taken college classes before they graduated from high school are still eligible for the Promise Program, including Dual/Concurrent enrollment students and Special Admit students)

• Be California residents or be eligible by AB 540/Dream Act status

• Be willing to attend Saddleback College full-time

Space is limited and the Saddleback College Promise Program is a first-come, first-served program.

For questions, contact the Promise Hotline at 949-348-6882 or visit our website: saddleback.edu/promise

Mandatory Steps

Submit a Fall 2023 Saddleback College Application, available as of 10/1/22.

Important: Be sure to select a qualifying Educational Goal on your application.

• Obtain an associate degree and transfer to a 4-year institution
• Transfer to a 4-year institution (without an associate degree)
• Obtain a 2-year degree (without transfer)
• Earn a career technical certificate without transfer

Once you have been assigned a Student Number, complete Steps 1-3 outlined below. All steps of the Pre-enrollment Process must be completed by May 9th to qualify for Freshman Advantage Early Registration.

Freshman Advantage Deadline: 5/9/23

More Information on Freshman Advantage

Why do I need to see a counselor for student athletes?

* Understand the rules to compete at Saddleback and NCAA transfer rules
* Help ensure a successful transfer to a 4 year University as an athlete or general student
* Learn how to use college resources, choose a career path and major
* Personal counseling available if needed

So, where do I begin?

* Apply to Saddleback and complete the three step Matriculation process
* If you are not an athlete but would like to become one, contact your prospective coach(link is external)
* If you are new student athlete, check out your New Recruits Game Plan
* Make an appointment with an athletic counselor, call (949) 582-4572 or come by counseling SSC 167
* During your appointment make a MAP (My Academic Plan) to go over the courses needed transfer/graduate
* Use the resources on this page including the Saddleback catalog and class schedule

What are Scholarships?

• They are awarded by private and public organizations and companies.

• There are many available for every type of student

• They are ongoing and continuous with various deadlines year-round

• Awarded based on

  • Need (based on household income)

  • Merit (based on academic performance

  • Requirements outlined by the awarding organization

Current Scholarships

WHY?

The FAFSA/CA DREAM Act application opens October 1.

APPLICATION STEPS

FSA ID/FAFSA APPLICATION FSA I.D. :is needed by both student and one parent to submit the FAFSA electronically. Create your FSA I.D. in advance. Here is a video to help. You’ll need your Social Security number, full name, and date of birth. You’ll also need to create a memorable username and password, and provide answers to some challenge questions so you can retrieve your account information if you forget it.
FAFSA Application: For the FAFSA application you will need your/parents federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned. (Note: You may be able to transfer your federal tax return information into your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.) Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable). Records of untaxed income (if applicable). Independent students will require their own documents 

RESOURCES: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/resources
CA DREAM ACT APPLICATION The California Dream Act Application allows students interested in attending eligible California Colleges, Universities and Career Education Programs to apply for state financial aid. This application is unrelated to the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. An FSA I.D. is not required for the Dream Act Application

RESOURCES: https://www.csac.ca.gov/california-dream-act
CSS ProfileThis is an additional financial aid application used by some Private and out-of-state schools. This application requires more detailed information than the FAFSA/Dream Act and is used by schools of higher cost to determine more demonstrated need. This application is required in addition to the FAFSA for schools using them. RESOURCES: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/

Types of Funding:

Grants: Free Money Scholarships: Free Money Work Study: Free Money Loans: ***MUST BE PAID BACK*** Avoid if at all possible.

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