Now more than ever, we need to help counselors and schools prepare our students for college. Join our group of lay-college counselors, aka high school teachers, with these 12 May 2012 tips. Use TAs and seniors to help you.

1. Develop a college readiness area in your classroom.

• Post deadlines for testing, summer programs, and major scholarships. Remember to order enough fee waivers as kids can take each test twice for free.

• Friday, May 4 is the deadline to sign up for June 9^th ACT
• Tuesday, May 8 is the deadline to sign up for June 2^nd SAT and SAT Subject Tests
• Saturday, May 5 is the current test day for the SAT. Kids can try to walk in if they must.

•  Post new A-G requirements and tips for advancing and for making up failed or missed classes. This is the link to the UC site for counselors. http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/counselors/index.html.

• Post posters of major tests. You can contact the College Board http://www.collegeboard.org/ for SAT deadlines and the ACT for ACT deadlines http://act.org.
• Post pictures of former students at their colleges.
• List names of the colleges your former students have attended.
• Feature different colleges each week or month.

2. Ask current college students who are just now returning for the summer to speak at your school.

• With seniors-they can talk about getting ready to start college.
• With juniors-they can talk about getting ready to apply and find financial aid and scholarships.
• With younger students-they can talk about being serious in school and getting active in and out of school.
• With parents and teachers-they can talk about why college is awesome and provide some useful tips for surviving    and thriving in college.

3. Put up a college board of your own college years. Post pictures, a copy of your diploma, and some memorabilia. Contact your college to send you free stuff.
4. Begin to collect books about college readiness. Start with

• The Fiske Guide          • College Finder  •College Board’s Book of Majors

• CSO’s College Access and Opportunity Guide [1]

5. Make college awareness and readiness websites as favorites on your classroom computers. Some great ones to start with…The College Board. ACT. Unigo. Cappex, Center for Student Opportunity, CSU Mentor, Hispanic College Fund, Latinos in College, and my site: Get Me To College
6. Collect lists of colleges that offer fly-in programs for under-represented students and provide some kind of major aid to undocumented students. I have these lists if you want them.
7. Please, please find free or reduced cost SAT/ACT readiness workshops in your community. These are desperately needed for your students.
8. Participate in online workshops with your students. College Week Live has ongoing free workshops, online college fairs, and so much more. http://www.collegeweeklive.com/
9. Find college fairs for your students to visit. NACAC comes to cities around the country. So do other groups of colleges. http://www.nacacnet.org/college-fairs/Pages/default.aspx. Columbia, Brown, Rice, Cornell, and University of Chicago travel around the country.  http://www.exploringeducationalexcellence.org/
10. Begin to book colleges to visit you next year. Find out if local colleges will send outreach programs and students to your school.
11. Sign up for college information tips.
• The UCs have a counselor newsletter you can receive.  They have all kinds of free guides as do the CSU’s.
• Unigo sends out expert advice daily.
12. Use FB. If you have a teacher FB page, like as many college readiness sites as possible. My college name is getmetocollege freeadvice. CSO, Hispanic College Fund, Latinos in College, California Dream ACT, Undocumented Students, AB 540, and hundreds of colleges have pages.  Have your students friend me as well.
13. Develop college readiness links into your lessons. For example, use California Reality Check to help students see links between occupations, income, and college. http://www.californiarealitycheck.com/
14. Help seniors planning to go to community college get ready. It’s the toughest year yet to go to community college. For example, help them understand how to afford textbooks or find programs to help them transfer. http://www.ugeducation.ucla.edu/aap/cccp/overview.html is a great program for kids interesting in transferring to UCLA. Deadlines are this and next month for high school seniors and current CC kids.

15. There are still scholarships available for seniors. Each college has alumni scholarships and there are many non-profits with deadlines.
16. Don’t forget major scholarships for kids. POSSE deadlines are soon-Mid to late May. This is an amazing scholarship for under-represented kids in key cities. Yet, remember, it only covers tuition. Kids have to find other aid to cover the rest. You need to become a nominator. http://www.possefoundation.org/about-posse/program-components/recruitment/nomination-process
17. Contact Dr. Joseph to see if she can offer free workshops or connect you with folks who can.

Five Fun College Facts:

1. Kids can take each test-SAT, ACT, and/or SAT Subject Tests- for free if they qualify for fee waivers. Legal status does not matter. They must qualify for free or reduced lunch and get waiver from counselors or non-profits.

2. After this year, seniors can take the SAT in the fall in October, November, and December. The ACT is offered in September, October, and December. The UCS are no longer requiring SAT Subject Tests but they are required still for top private colleges and can help with others.

3. The California Dream Act passed. As of January 1, 2012, students can now qualify for private scholarships at CA public colleges . Starting next January students can qualify for Cal Grants and California Community College Board of Governor Fee Waivers. Some go into effect January 1, 2013 and others for the 2013-2014 school year. This year, there is a new online financial aid application students can use instead of FAFSA. http://www.csac.ca.gov/dream_act.asp

4. The UCS are requiring kids to complete 11/15 A-G requirements by end of the summer before senior year. So juniors need to clear failing grades this summer or through Adult School by November.

5. Low-income students can apply to four UC campuses for free (including AB540 students), four CSU campuses for free (not yet for AB 540 students), and unlimited private colleges for free (including AB 540 students).

OTHER FINAL TIPS FOR SENIORS

Remind them they must

1. submit their Statement of Intent to Register May 1.
2. keep in contact with any waitlisted colleges.
3. finalize financial aid forms, including submitting the California Dream Act application by May 10.
4. pay for housing and arrange for orientation programs.
5. complete placement tests-for CSUs, UCs, Community Colleges, and others.
6. sign-up for summer bridge programs. They fill fast. USC has an amazing program for kids accepted to top four year colleges. Unfortunately, they always post late, and we just missed this year’s deadline. Perhaps, you can contact them and ask for an extension for top kids. http://www.uscrossier.org/pullias/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/st-2012-application-rec-letter.pdf
7. fulfill preliminary remediation requirements as stated by each CSU campus before enrolling in the fall.

Congratulations for making it this far. You most likely many good colleges options already or on the way, but if you really want to go to a waitlisted school, follow as many of these 10 tips as possible. Do not do this for a school you will not attend. Colleges often take kids off waitlists often who can afford to pay outright, have special connections, fulfill regional needs, or make a spectacular case. Remember, spots only open if the college has available spaces.

Ten Tips to Get Off A Waitlist (or Deferral List)

1. Be happy with another college to which you got accepted. Because if these tips don’t work, you can and will find happiness at another school. Many, many students do and never look back.

2. Make sure you accept the waitlist invitation. It is no longer assumed you will accept so send in the form asap.

3. Write a letter to the Admissions Committee. Stress your interest in your waitlisted institution and why you feel you are still an appropriate candidate for admissions. Consider this a cover letter to your overall waitlist application. Do not restate all that you said earlier in your application. But really express passionately your commitment to the campus. Commit to going there if you get off. You can even mention where else you got in if these schools are peers or close matches to the waitlisted school.

4. If you can, visit the institution one more time and revisit the admissions office to remind them of your interest. Contact anyone in the admissions office whom you met in person or via email.

5. Ask a senior year teacher, who has not already written you a letter to this school, to write you a letter of recommendation. This letter should really emphasize your academic talents and why you will thrive at that college.

6. Get an updated letter of recommendation from your guidance counselor or even have your counselor contact the school personally.

7. Contact your alumni interviewer–if you think you had a good interview…Thank the interviewer again and then ask for any advice about moving from waitlist to admissions.

8. Make sure you update the academic portion of your application. This would include third-quarter grades (which will play an important role in your re-review). Mention exemplary academic projects.

9. Consider updating the non-academic portion of your application. Though not required, an updated resume and an additional letter of recommendation (especially from a senior year teacher) can always help. Just make sure anything you add does contribute in a new way to your application. Do not be redundant.

10. Do not ask people who do not have major contacts with school to contact school. Do not have anyone other than school teachers and officials write letters. The only other exception would be someone for whom you did a major project this year…volunteer leader, youth group…only someone who can attest to new work this year and who knows you really, really well.

Thanks to JHU for many of the ideas included in this note.

As many juniors plan their senior year schedules, they often choose the path of least resistance. Yet, senior year should be a time for mastery, of exploration, and of rigor. Colleges want students who take their academics to the next level.

So juniors, need to plan their senior years wisely. They need to keep going with content areas and not abandon anything. It is so hard doing college math if someone skips math senior year, and so on.

I’m sorry for seniors who want free periods and early dismissals. Parents, teachers, and counselors, you need to be strong.

Juniors–We know you’re tired and that junior year is so challenging, but you have one more year to show your academic talents and passions to colleges. Please plan your senior year very wisely.

Here are some tips to guide you through your course selection for senior year.

1. Do not take a light senior year. Colleges worry about students who take easy senior years with only a few core classes and fewer activities.
2. Do not abandon more than one subject area. That means if you are not taking a foreign language anymore, you must not give up history or science. If you dislike science, then take a foreign language and social science. Remember, you have to take math and language placement tests. If you don’t take those content areas senior year, those tests will be harder for you.
3. Take at least four core classes, not including electives. Five cores plus one elective are ideal. Colleges want to see academic interest, not abandonment.
4. Take as hard a year as you can. If you took some AP and honors classes in 11^th grade, then take more senior year. If you didn’t take any, try one honors or AP class. Even though some public universities don’t see your senior year grades during the admissions process, they do count the number of AP and honors classes you take during senior year.
5. Follow your interests. Senior year is often the only time in high school that you can take more than one elective. If you are interested in medicine or sports, take anatomy and physiology. If you’re interested in teaching or helping people, take psychology. If you’re an artist, take another field of art. Try new content areas.
6. Pick classes in which you can do well. Private colleges see your fall grades. Waitlisted or deferred colleges may ask for spring grades. All colleges you decide to accept ask for spring grades. If your grades drop, they often drop you.
7. Use your summers to take more classes. Classes you take during the summer can enhance your GPA. They can help you clear away Ds and Fs. College classes often count as AP level classes. Classes you take during the summer can enable you to take more electives senior year.
8. Plan to take one community college or college class during the summer or fall. If you have an academic interest, take a community college or college class during the summer and/or fall. They add to your GPA. They show how much you want to go to college. Colleges are looking for students with academic passions and interests. UCLA, for example, has a regular summer session.
9. Remember, colleges want students who like to go to class. If they see that you abandon classes and/or choose a really light senior year, they will worry about your approach to school once you go to their college. In college, you usually only take four classes at a time. Look forward to that.
10. If you do take an easier schedule, then you must fill your time with a job, volunteer work, or internship. Dedicate the amount of time you would have been in that class to an activity. Colleges also want students who use their time productively.

UCs and Cal States are accepting students now. You must fulfill all requirements so you can attend in the fall.

1. Save all emails and set up accounts. Each campus will send you an email after you apply. In this email, the campus will explain how to set up a campus account. Most will notify you of key deadlines and ACCEPTANCES via this method. So do NOT delete these emails. Keep track of passwords and pins and usernames.

2.  Complete all financial aid and scholarship forms. Make sure you meet all deadlines and get in all tax documents. The UCs have a Blue and Gold Plan that helps students whose families make less than $80K attend. Please be willing to consider loans. Financial aid plans come with or soon after your acceptance. Read the offers carefully and make sure you send your FAFSA and Cal Grant papers to the college you decide to accept.

3.  Take placement tests.

UC:      UC bound students must take a free writing placements test unless you are exempt. See below for Writing Test Exemptions. Once accepted, you will the test in May at a location near you. If you opt not to take the class, then your campus will place you in a remedial class that will not count towards graduation. http://www.ucop.edu/elwr/index.html

CSU:    CSU bound students must take placements tests to determine your reading and math levels. If you DO NOT TAKE them or are NOT EXEMPT, you CANNOT enroll in the fall. Take them beginning in January at any CSU campus near you. That CSU will send your scores to the CSU you decide to attend.  PLEASE TAKE THESE TESTS SERIOUSLY AS THEY DETERMINE HOW LONG YOU WILL BE IN COLLEGE.

Register.:  You must register for the tests http://www.ets.org/csu/test_administration/dates/

Pay:       You will have to pay $18 per test and pay on the day of the test. http://www.ets.org/csu/test_administration/registration/

Prepare:   Take these tests as seriously as you can as they will determine whether you have to take several math and reading remedial courses and risk losing your place if you don’t pass them within in a year.

See below for ways to be exempt.

4. Deciding Which Campus to Accept

Each Cal State or UC campus releases acceptances individually. UC campuses release freshmen decisions between March 1-30. Cal States can notify you anytime between now and April. You do not need to accept until May 1, so evaluate each acceptance. Each campus will have open houses for accepted students, so you should try to attend one. Bring your family if you can. If not, see if the campus will bus or fly you to visit.

Look at the financial aid offers. See what kinds of support programs the campuses offers. Determine if you need to appeal a financial aid offer. You will not get a great offer unless your financial aid materials are submitted.

5.  Support Programs. You will learn about what programs are offering you support. If you receive EOP, sign up right away. If a campus offers you to attend a summer bridge program, ACCEPT IT. These spots fill quickly.

6. Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). You must submit your SIR, you acceptance, to ONE campus by May 1. You can submit online or via hard mail. Read the campus’s requirements. Both the Cal States and UCs now have a $100 deposit that must go with the SIR. Cal States won’t waive the fee; you can ask a UC to do so. That $100 goes towards your costs, but you won’t get it back if you opt not to attend that campus.

7. Housing Deposits. If you plan on living on campus, you need to submit forms to live on campus. The earlier you submit for certain Cal States, like San Francisco State and San Diego State the better. Your housing application must be submitted with a deposit. This deposit can come from your financial aid offer. Again these deposits are non-refundable.

Seriously consider living on campus. Your out-of-pocket costs most likely will not go up because your financial aid package will increase if you choose to live on campus.

8. Orientation. All of the campuses have orientations. Some campus orientations are mandatory and enable you to register for classes. Others are voluntary. Make sure to follow the directions for orientation as you will learn invaluable information about financial aid, enrollment, health care, academic requirements, and other services on your campus. You may have to pay for orientation. See if you can get a waiver. If you can’t, you must pay.

9. Final transcripts. You need to make sure all of your final transcripts are submitted to the campus you opt to attend by July 15. If you receive any Ds or Fs senior year in your A-G classes, you will lose your spot. Significant decreases in grades senior year can lead to your losing your spot. Lying on your self-reported transcripts will result in losing your spot. So keep your grades up!!!

Exemptions from UC and Cal State Placement Tests

CSU Placement Test Reading Exemptions:

A score of “Exempt” or “Ready for college-level English courses” on the CSU Early Assessment Program (EAP) taken along with the English Language Arts California Standard Test in grade 11

A score of 500 or above on the critical reading section of the College Board SAT Reasoning Test

A score of 22 or above on the American College Testing (ACT) English Test

A score of 3 or above on either the Language and Composition or Composition and Literature examination of the College Board Scholastic Advanced Placement Program

Completion and transfer to CSU of the credits for a college course that satisfies the CSU General Education requirement in English Composition, provided such a course was completed with a grade of C or better

CSU Math Placement Test exemptions:

A score of “Exempt” or “Ready for college-level Mathematics courses” on the CSU Early Assessment Program (EAP), taken in grade 11 in conjuction with the California Standards Test in Summative High School Mathematics or Algebra II

A score of “Conditionally ready for college-level Mathematics courses” or “Conditional” on the CSU Early Assessment Program (EAP), taken in grade 11 along with the California Standards Test in Summative High School Mathematics or Algebra II, provided successful completion of a CSU-approved 12th grade math course that requires Algebra II as a prerequisite

A score of 550 or above on the mathematics section of the College Board SAT Reasoning Test

A score of 550 or above on a College Board SAT Subject Test in Mathematics (level 1 or level 2)

A score of 23 or above on the American College Testing (ACT) Mathematics Test

A score of 3 or above on the College Board Advanced Placement Calculus AB or Calculus BC exam

A score of 3 or above on the College Board Advanced Placement Statistics examination

Completion and transfer to CSU of a college course that satisfies the requirement in Quantitative Reasoning, provided such a course was completed with a grade of C or better

UC Writing Test Exemptions

• 30 or better on the ACT Combined English/Writing test; or
• 680 or better on the College Board SAT Reasoning Test, Writing section; or
• 3 or above on either Advanced Placement Examination in English; or
• 5 or above on an International Baccalaureate High Level English A exam
• 6 or above on an International Baccalaureate Standard Level English A exam

Spring is the time of year when many juniors and their parents start visiting prospective colleges. This is the ideal time of year to visit colleges as they are still in session and you can see authentic college life.  By doing an official visit, you also let the colleges know you are serious about the possibility of attending—this is so key for competitive colleges which now value demonstrated interest as a major component of the admissions process.

Here are some tips to help guide you and your child on a college visit.

1. Visit colleges during your child’s spring break. Most colleges are still in session and you can see authentic campus life.
2. Try to visit a variety of schools on your child’s list. Even if timing or money is an issue, you can visit campuses locally to help expose your child to different forms of campus life. Many kids are very visual and need to see a campus in real life. Show them a variety of campuses so they can see what it means to be at a large urban campus versus a small suburban one.  Please just don’t visit colleges that are unlikely or true stretch colleges. Try to build in visits to 50-50 or likely schools as well.
3. Develop a checklist for your child and you to complete. As you visit, take notes about core factors that are key to your child, such as availability of particular majors, percentage of students who move off campus after sophomore year, the availability of activities on weekends, etc.
4. Book at least a tour, information session, and interview (if offered). You complete reservations online at most schools through the admissions office. Visits ideally last a minimum of three to four hours. Class visits are also available at many campuses. Check for special spring programming. Many colleges host open houses, special information sessions, and extra campus tours during this very busy time of year. Visit the college’s admissions website to see what it offers.
5. Visit with anyone you know. If you know any adults on campus, try to meet with them, especially professors, coaches, and admissions officials. If your child or you know any current students, try to arrange informal overnight visits. Spending the night in a dorm and on campus can really show a junior what that campus is like.
6. Pay close attention to what campus students talk about. Get a sense of what their priorities are at each college. It’s always impressive to see students who are genuinely excited about certain classes, or professors, or an upcoming internship or semester abroad. Yes, college students all want to have fun, but you’ll be especially impressed by a college whose students clearly know the main reason they are there—getting an education!
7. Ask probing questions. Tours often highlight a college’s strengths. Make sure you probe students to also determine some of the college’s weaknesses. Every college has some and you want to make sure they’re ‘acceptable’ weaknesses for you. Do they have programs for your interests-athletic, social, extracurricular, academic, and cultural? What do students do on weekends? Do they have programs to support diverse students?
8. Make sure to let your child go off on his or her on for a bit. Your child may want to go off with a friend or visit some parts of campus on his own. That is fine. Some joint and separate experiences on campus are just fine.
9. Make some brief notes about each visit, including things you liked and things you didn’t particularly like. Take business cards from any adult you meet and write a note on the back about something this adult said during your visit about the college. These notes will be helpful during application and acceptance time next year. Remember to write thank you emails or cards to anyone key you met on your trip within 72 hours of your return home.
10. Use these visits to refine and expand your child’s college list. She may find a kind of college she likes, and you will need to research additional schools. Fall visits are also great and a great chance to visit some top schools or even new schools.

This is the time of year to make exciting summer plans for your child, especially for rising juniors and seniors. Colleges expect kids to use their summers productively aside from academics, test readiness, and family vacations. Powerful, creative summer plans reveal leadership and initiative and can help tip a student into a match college.

During these tough economic times, many families may feel pressure to spend precious family dollars on summer plans for teens to strengthen their college “portfolio,” or readiness. However, colleges do not expect you to spend thousands of dollars on summer plans for your teen. In fact, they admire teens that take the initiative to seek out amazing free or low cost pursuits in their communities. Working at Starbucks or a local cupcake bakeries also reveal strong work ethics.

 Nowadays, kids who go overseas or who do elite private programs can seem privileged. Also one time events can sound staged and not authentically connected to a child’s life during the school year.

 Local plans are often so much more powerful as kids can continue with ongoing projects and build on activities that can extend into the school year. Students going into competitive field majors need to show they have some exposure to the field, and summers are often the best time to do some exploration, because students have such busy lives during the school year. Because colleges know the economy is tough, they understand how people may use connections to help arrange for these summer experiences.

Always remember, there are so many places that need volunteers in your community. In this essay, I count unpaid internships as volunteering as students are not getting paid. It is much easy to arrange for “volunteer hours” as many companies and organizations have strict rules about internships for teenagers. The goal is for kids to volunteer or work 100 to 200 hours. Of course, they can do less if they are athletes or if they are doing summer school, but a few hours at one or two little activities do not really help. The more hours teens work or volunteer the better for them to see what the real world is like and to show consistency to a college. 

 In the rest of this article, I present some tips for free summer plans along with examples of what real teens have done to make their summers meaningful.

1. Local hospitals, businesses, clinics, and labs can all use free labor. Many have pre-existing volunteer and internship programs. Many will accept teens. Connections can help. 

Steven wants to be either a doctor or biochemist.  So after 10th grade, he volunteered in a lab at a local university where his mother worked. This led to an original research project that continued through senior year. He also volunteered at a hospital, shadowing a general surgeon for four weeks so he could see the practical side of medicine. This helped him to get into a competitive bio-medical engineering program at a top private college.

 2. Parks, schools, and camps all need teens.  Many have summer programs for low-income kids and are looking for volunteers. Many camps have seniors as counselors. Some kids even get paid. Some camps run all summer while others run one intense week. There are non-profits like Camp Harmony in LA that offer one-week camps for homeless kids and are looking for volunteers. Deadlines for these camps are often in February.  

Sarah loves little kids and for three summers in high school, she volunteered 20 hours a week at a head-start program. That led to her starting a supply drive and beginning to do public speeches about why budget cuts hurt these kids. She also had time to intern for two lawyers and to prep for the SAT. She is now attending a great college that has significant service learning and internship programs.

Sam had attended the same camp for eight years. The summer between junior and senior year he was a counselor for two four-week sessions. He had such a profound experience with several international campers that he wrote a great college essay about the power of communication. He got into several top public universities with great communications and language programs.

3.  Many businesses, non-profits, and political campaigns want talented and passionate kids for the summer. Use your contacts to help.  

Kenny wants to go into business. He spent one summer interning for a major restaurant chain and then did an internship at the United Way. He also volunteered for his dad’s international importing company. As a result, he had so much to write about in his applications to colleges with international and social entrepreneurship business programs. 

Four years ago, David volunteered for a presidential campaign and spent 100 hours helping register new Americans to vote. He also spent 100 hours at the local Veterans Hospital helping to transport medical equipment. Both gave him unique experiences with different kinds of organizations and people. He is now a political science major at a top mid-western college.

4.  Self created projects. Many kids have ideas about volunteer projects but need the summer to plan them.  

Sean wanted to start a peer-counseling program at his school. He spent the summer with several friends planning the program, getting trained by a school counselor, and implemented it the following year. A varsity basketball player, he also spent the summer practicing with his school and club teams. He is now a psychology major at a top state college.

Virginia wanted to expand her work as a local representative for an international relief group. She had helped to start the chapter at her school, but needed the summer after junior year to help expand its work, start planning some major fundraisers, and attend some free conferences. She also took a sociology and social welfare course during the regular summer sessions at UCLA as well as continued her volunteer work at a local soup kitchen.

Adam wanted to start a new chapter of a major neighborhood non-profit. He spent one summer helping to start the chapter, and the following summer doing several major events. He was named to regional boards and continued his work throughout senior year. He received a presidential community service award and wrote his common application essay about a unique learning moment that occurred at one event.

Concluding ideas

More than just bolstering a college application, volunteering or interning provides great opportunities for career exploration and humanitarian development. Staying local is also great for kids who want to start prepping for standardized tests, take local courses, and continue with artistic or athletic development. 

There are so many possibilities for your teens in your area. So now is the time to start the summer planning as these endeavors take time to arrange. Yes, we understand kids need to relax and get rejuvenated during the summer, but the summers are long and the more competitive the college, the more that college will expect applicants to use summers in meaningful ways.

1. Send out transcripts. Fall semester is over, and you need to send your transcripts to many of your colleges. Remember, many colleges want your high school transcripts also. Only send official copies of all transcripts. If you take intercession classes, you need to send those grades also. Those students who did not complete formal high school, will also need to submit high school proficiency records.
2. Update submitted applications. Many public colleges, especially the University of California, have you update your submitted application with fall grades online. So remember your username and password and sign in and update grades. Check as all campuses do not use the same procedures. If you take intercession classes, you can update those grades also in February.
3. Complete applications. Many colleges have spring deadlines beginning in January and going through May. Check with each college’s website and make sure you submit completed applications on time. Spend time perfecting each application.
4. Find and submit all forms. Remember, The Common Application does not have online paperwork capabilities for transfer students. So you need to print out all forms, sign them, and give self-addressed forms to instructors and then follow procedures for deans, counselors, and advisors.
5. Submit test scores. Also remember, some colleges want your SAT, ACT, and AP test scores. Again only official score reports count so go track down your usernames and passwords.
6. Write great essays. The colleges often have required essays for undergraduate, EOP, and scholarship applications. Write powerful essays about what your accomplishments since high school. Tell powerful stories. Make sure you find ways to use essays more than once. Do not tell write boring stories.
7. Apply for financial aid and scholarships. You need to fill out financial aid applications and submit them as early as possible to the colleges on your transfer list. Remember, many private colleges also use the CSS profile. Students applying to public colleges in California need to submit their FAFSA by March 2. Also go to your transfer office and see if there are any scholarships they have for students like you. Research the Jack Kent Cooke transfer scholarship if you are a top, top student at a community college.
8. Keep your spring grades high. Some colleges will want to wait to see your spring grades as you often are taking major prerequisites or completing core transfer classes. They may even ask for a mid-semester or quarter update from your instructors. The forms are available online.
9. Complete transfer units. Most schools will not allow for summer classes the summer before you transfer, so you need to finish your transfer requirements by the end of spring. That may mean adding a spring class.
10. Be patient. Transferring is a challenging process. So be patient. And check and double-check that everything you need is submitted.

Dear Teachers and Lay College Advocates:

Happy holidays. December goes by so quickly, so please help kids with their college and scholarship applications. There is still so much we can do to help these amazing kids.

Note: I spoke at LA Cash for College December 7 and 8. You can access presentations from dozens of presenters at http://www.lacashforcollege.org/home.html

Find similar events in your cities or regions.

Here are ten college access tips to get you through the rest of 2011.

1. More applications. You have survived many public application deadlines, but there are numerous private college and scholarship deadlines coming up. Please encourage your students to apply for these. Private colleges are desperate for interested under-represented minority and first generation students. Center for Student Opportunity has a great guide of colleges friendly to these students and has an Opportunity Scholarship for them. http://www.csopportunity.org/

2.  Free applications. Did you know that there are multiple ways for students to apply for free to private and many public colleges?

• Free or reduced lunch gets kids four free apps on the Common Application. They can apply for free to lots of out of state public colleges.
• NACAC provides fee waivers that most colleges accept. The forms require official stamps. Trio programs can provide these stamps. http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/feewaiver/Pages/default.aspx

3. Educational Opportunity Program. Please assist and encourage students to complete their EOP applications and applications for other support programs at college. Each college, including CSU, has a separate deadline. http://www.csumentor.edu/admissionapp/eop_apply.asp

4.  Scholarships. Scholarships. Scholarships. There are multiple ways for first generation and under-represented students to pay for college. The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is due December 15. Many colleges have specific scholarships. Encourage students to find national, state, local, and college specific scholarships. USC for example has the USC Norman Topping Fund that provides scholarships. It is due February 10. http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/ntsaf/prosp_overview.shtml. Undocumented students: Dated but still working links: http://www.maldef.org/leadership/scholarships/2010_Scholarship_List.pdf

5.  Test scores. Students need to send their test scores. Make sure they send them as soon as they can. Students with free or reduced lunch get to send scores for free to eight colleges. If they can’t afford to do this, you can contact a college and see if you can fax the scores to the college for the students. Remember, the UCs and Cal States allow scores to be sent only once. Cal States: CSU Mentor for SATs and ACT Score Manager for ACT. UCs: Just send to one campus and the scores will be distributed.

• January SAT: The next SAT, which can be used for Cal States and UCs, is January 28. Registration is December 30.
• February ACT: Next ACT is February 11. Kids must register by January 13.

6.  Essays. Kids need to keep write powerful college and scholarship application essays. Remind them, they can use essays more than once. They need to push themselves to write specific, empowering essays.

7.  Recommendations. Please, please write as many great, specific letters as you can. Students needs these letters and often ask you rather late. But they need these to get into college and EOP and to receive scholarships. Short letters don’t work. Give specific examples from their assignments, so you may need students to give you their former graded work to remind you. If you don’t have something nice to say, then perhaps refer them to someone else.

8.  Alumni. Remember, your alumni are back in town and eager to help. Ask them to wear their college sweatshirts and to be able to describe how they manage their workloads, social lives, and more. Sophomores are ideal as they have already navigated freshmen year and are not so embedded in upper level experiences yet.

9.  Application Crunch Game. With your younger students, begin to do college access work with your younger grades. USC just released a game. It’s relatively cheap. Perhaps someone can get you this game for a holiday present. http://interactive.usc.edu/2011/09/07/application-crunch-reviewed-on-play-this-thing/

10.  Enjoy your holidays. Please, please help students with any last minute college application questions. Perhaps hold an application party during the break. They shouldn’t wait to the last minute, but they do.

Again, you are the best at what you do. Your students are so lucky. Enjoy this time of year!!! Let me know if I can help in any way.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Rebecca Joseph

www.getmetocollege.org

rjoseph@calstatela.edu

FB: getmetocollege freeadvice

Twitter: getmetocollege

Accepted Early Decision?: Five Things to Avoid  To Keep Your Spot

Congratulations for getting accepted Early Decision (ED) to the top college of your choice.  You deserve knowing that you have found your match college so early. YET, every year I work with students who lose their ED spot, because they enter what I term the “black hole of senior year.” If you mess up, a kid from the school’s waitlist will thank you.

Students: Truly, keep working hard. Mild senioritis is normal. Extreme is not. Enjoy your summer after graduation. Stay committed to high school.

Parents: You need to keep a keener eye on your Early Decision child than ever before. Contact the school once a month to keep track. Contact teachers and ask for any notifications of lower grades or conduct.

Please read and these examples and avoid THEM!!

1. Do not let your grades fall!! Kids ask all the time, can I let my grades fall now that I’m in to college. NO. What college would want you to slack off so much that your grades go down more than 1/3—B+ to B; A to A-? You must keep up the hard work. KEEP YOUR GRADES UP.

Faith got accepted to her top school. Then she chilled beyond belief in the spring and got two Ds. Her college contacted her and withdrew her acceptance. She had to go to summer school and is now back in but on a provisional basis with a GPA expectation.

2. Don’t skip class or start getting to school late.. Your teachers get very offended if you stop going to class. They can take action in more than just lowering your grade. GO TO CLASS.

Two years ago, Steven decided to start skipping some of his classes. His English teacher gave him a D third quarter, which he raised to a B. He received a C in another key class. In the meantime, his English teacher contacted his college, which withdrew his acceptance. He had to fly there and beg for forgiveness. Not wanting someone who couldn’t take his responsibilities seriously, the college made him take a year off and do an approved program.

3.  Don’t get suspended for pranks on campus. You may feel you’re safe and can do things you’ve never tried before. Don’t even do a senior ditch day if your school has severe consequences.

Orren decided to push authority with a major prank on campus and got suspended. His school contacted his ED college, which required him to submit a series of letters proving his maturity to keep his spot. Are you kidding me?

4. Don’t do stupid things off campus. Again, your college will find out. If you get in trouble for drinking or doing something truly ridiculous on a school trip or event, trouble will follow.

Jenny had too much fun at an off-site school dance. She got busted by her school, which suspended her, and ED colleges require notification. Her high school notified her campus, which has a no tolerance policy. She now attends a community college.

5. Don’t drop classes. You got accepted to your ED college on the presumption your schedule would stay the same. You can’t drop a tough class without replacing it with another one.  You must notify your ED campus of any class changes that you did not put on your application.

Mark got into college ED and decided to drop his math and foreign language class. When his counselor submitted his end of year report card, his college contacted him and said unless he took the classes over the summer, he was out. What a rotten summer Mark had.

Ten tips for Working from Deferral to Acceptance

Getting deferred from a college are good and bad things at the same time. It is good because the college is still interested in you and has put you into the regular applicant pool. It is good because the college can now see your fall grades and learn more about you. It is bad because the odds of deferred admissions are lower than applying regular, and waiting another four months for a potentially negative answer is agony. So these tips are all prefaced on the assumption that you are submitting other outstanding other applications. You will find a college that suits you and makes you happy!!!!

1.  When your first trimester or semester grades come out, write an updated email/letter of interest to the school.

• Highlight your fall accomplishments and stress how these grades reflect your true commitment to academics.
• You can mention a project or paper of which you are very proud.
• Also stress any other updates…such as leadership, athletic or other fall updates.
• In the letter stress your renewed interest in the college.

2.  Make sure your counselor sends in your fall grades along with a mid-year report.

3.  Ask a senior year teacher, who has not already written you a letter to this school, to write you a letter of recommendation. This letter should really emphasize all your talents and reasons why you belong at deferred school.

4.  If possible, put together a portfolio…of one special talent

5.  Get an updated letter of recommendation from your guidance counselor or even have counselor contact the school personally.

6.  Contact your alumni or campus interviewer–if you think you had a good interview…Thank the interviewer again and then ask for any advice about moving from deferral to admissions.

7.  Do not ask people who do not have major contacts with school to contact school. Do not have anyone other than school teachers and officials write letters. The only other exception would be someone for whom you did a major project this year…volunteer leader, youth group…only someone who can attest to new work this year and who knows you really, really well.

8.  If possible, visit the institution one more time and revisit the admissions office to remind them of your interest.

9.  Basically, do at least one new contact with the school per month until April.

10.  Remember, now also focus on the other schools on your list and devote significant time to those applications. There is more than one great college option for you!!!