El Segundo HS College Night

1. El Segundo HSCollege Night • Public Universities: UC + CSU • Independent/Out of State • Community College • Junior Planning • Senior Timeline • SAT/ACT Testing • Financial Aid • Resources

2. What colleges want Application (essays, extra curriculars, etc.) Standardized test scores Transcript (grades, and what classes you take)

3. Public Universities in California UC: University of California • 10 campuses • Website: www.ucop.edu • Research/Theory Based • Minimum 3.0 GPA Required • SAT + 2 Subject (only for Class of 2011 req.) or ACT +Writing • Holistic Review Process • Personal Statement • Apply Nov 1-Nov 30 CSU: California State University • 23 campuses • Website: www.csumentor.edu • Practical/Hands-On • Minimum 2.0 GPA • SAT or ACT (No Subject/Writing) • No Comprehensive Review • Apply Oct 1-Nov 30

4. Independent Schools/Out of State • Many choices with a variety of requirements • College Matchmaker: www.collegeboard.org • Independent CA Colleges: www.aiccu.org • Common Application: www.commonapp.org • Often require essays, recommendations, secondary reports • Early Action/Early Decision • Deadlines vary

5. Community College Admissions Requirements • 18 years old or HS grad • English/Math Placement • No SAT/ACT or GPA requirement Honors Transfer Program • Priority university transfer admissions to students completing required coursework with 3.25 GPA or higher. • Honors/Scholars Credits for College

6. If it’s not OK for the Front Page of the Newspaper it’s NOT OK for your Facebook status update! • Create your own personal email address with your first and last name to make it easier for admissions officers to contact you • Make sure ALL “public” Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Blogs, etc. are appropriate!

7. Junior Planning • Course Selection: Plan for all A-G coursework • Extracurricular Activities and Community Service • College major and career research • Grades: Repeat “D/F” grades in required coursework • Test prep and register for SAT and/or ACT exams • Letters of Recommendation • Begin to visit college campuses • Athletes register atwww.eligibilitycenter.org(NCAA)

8. Senior Timeline September • SAT/SAT II or ACT Writing Exams • Secondary School report • Request Letters of Rec. • Start Scholarship search October • Attend College Nights • Begin college application process • CSU Oct.1-Nov.30/UC Nov.1-30. November/December • Complete essays/applications • Letter of Rec Materials NOV 7th- LAST DAY to your counselor • Complete CSS Profile if needed. January/February • Get FAFSA pin (www.pin.ed.gov) • FAFSA Online (www.fafsa.ed.gov) • Mid-year reports March • Receive SAR from FAFSA • Acceptances and financial aid notices April/July • Make final decision • Contact financial aid office • Plan for housing/other college needs

9. College Admissions Testing: What You Need to Know

10. What is the PSAT? • Practice version of the SAT • For many students, the first exposure to college admissions testing • PSAT is also a part of the National Merit Scholarship Program • Most importantly : a chance to figure out areas of strength and weakness before the “real” tests!

11. The PSAT Critical Reading 1 25 minutes Math 2 25 minutes Critical Reading 2 25 minutes Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

12. Going from the PSAT to SAT • Length is the single most important difference 4 hours + for the SAT! • Essay section is added on the SAT • A handful of new Algebra 2 topics on the Math

13. The SAT Reasoning Test • The SAT has three sub-sections : Math, Critical Reading, and Writing • Each sub-section is scaled from 200-800 • The national average for each section is roughly 500

14. The SAT Reasoning Test Critical Reading 1 25 minutes Math 3 20 minutes Critical Reading 3 20 minutes Math 1 25 minutes Writing 2 10 minutes Experimental Section 25 minutes Essay 25 minutes Writing 1 25 minutes Critical Reading 2 25 minutes Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes Math 2 25 minutes

15. SAT Subject Tests • Each test is one hour in length • Achievement-based tests, measuring knowledge learned from college-level courses in the following areas: ENGLISH - Literature HISTORY - U.S. History, World History MATH - Mathematics Level 1, Mathematics Level 2 SCIENCE - Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics LANGUAGES - Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Japanese, Korean

16. ACT • The ACT has four sections : English, Reading, Math, and Science. • Each section is scored on a scale from 1 to 36 • The national average for each section is roughly 21

17. ACT Science 35 minutes English 45 minutes Reading 35 minutes Total Time: 2 hours, 55 minutes or 3 hours, 25 minutes with optional essay Math 60 minutes

18. ACT v. SAT

19. Testing Timeline Sophomore Year Junior Year Senior Year

20. Financial Aid Loans and Grants • Federal Government • State Government • Colleges • Scholarships • Bank Loans Process • FAFSA between Jan 1-Mar 1 of senior year at www.fafsa.ed.gov • Cal Grant GPA Verification by March 2 of senior year. • CSS profile for Independent Schools (College Scholarship Search)

21. Helpful Resources • UC www.universityofcalifornia.edu www.ucop.edu/admissions • CSU www.calstate.edu www.csumentor.edu • Independent http://collegeboard.comwww.aiccu.org ww.commonapp.org • Community College www.cccapply.org www.californiacolleges.edu • SAT www.collegeboard.com • Scholarships www.fastweb.com www.wiredscholar.com • Financial Aid www.fafsa.ed.gov www.finaid.org www.edfund.org • Revolution Prep www.revolutionprep.com 1-877-REV-PREP lauren.cabaldon@revolutionprep.com • ACT www.act.org

22. Your Resources at El Segundo High Schoolhttp://eshscounseling.weebly.com/ • Stephanie Burns Counselor sburns@esusd.k12.ca.us • Tiffani Traina Counselor ttraina@edusd.k12.ca.us