PREPARING FOR COLLEGE 101 Adopted from Saanjh College Workshop

WHY GO TO COLLEGE?  Discover your calling  Increase understanding of the world  Learn successful skills  Critical Thinking  Communication Skills

MONETARY VALUE OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION Median Income of someone with a  High School Diploma--$32,500  Associate’s--$42,000  Bachelor’s--$53,000  Master’s--$63,000  Advanced (PhD, MD, etc…)--$100,000+

PATHWAYS AFTER OMI OMI 4-year college/university2-year college work military Vocational college

TYPES OF COLLEGES  2-year Colleges/Community Colleges  4-year Universities/Colleges (undergraduate education) 1. Public 2. Private  Trade Schools/Vocational

2-YEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE  Public college  Grant Associate’s Degree  Examples: Laney College, DVC, Berkeley City  For a complete list of community colleges in CA,  Complete transferring courses to transfer to 4-year colleges PROSCONS Inexpensive Convenient Locations Small Class Sizes More interaction with professors Easy to get stuck and lose time Smaller variety of courses/majors Difficulty transferring credits

4-YEAR PUBLIC UNIVERSITY  90% of funding comes from state  Grant Bachelor’s and higher degrees  California State University,  University of California, PROSCONS Affordable Tuition Dynamic Atmosphere (Social, Diverse) Flexibility Numerous Majors Knowledgeable Professors Very large student populations Access to information Lack of availability of class seats Lack of access to Professors

4-YEAR PRIVATE UNIVERSITY  Privately funded  Different academic standards and mission statements  Grant Bachelor’s and higher degrees  Ivy League: Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Penn, Cornell, Dartmouth  California: PROSCONS Academic Excellence Close-knit community Students tend to be more involved academically Smaller class size Offer Merit Scholarships Less diverse student population Cost of Tuition

What it takes to get into 4-year college  Good Grades: Difficulty of course selection is also measured  Test Scores: SAT Reasoning, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests  Involvement in Extracurricular Activities: Passionate involvement and leadership  Essays and Personal Statement: Clearly communicate what your goals are  Letters of Recommendation: Pick teacher and people who know you the best  Standing out: Leadership and being unique

9 th GRADE  Get off to a good start with your grades. The grades you earn in the 9 th grade will be included in your final high school GPA and class rank  Explore your interests and possible careers  Get involved in extracurricular activities (both school and non-school sponsored)  Use the internet to check out colleges  If possible, tour nearby colleges  Read a lot  Investigate summer enrichment programs

10 th GRADE  Keep your grades up so you can have the highest GPA and class rank possible  Continue to explore interests and careers  Begin zeroing on the type of colleges you would like to attend,  Continue to participate in community service projects and extracurricular activities—consider taking on leadership roles  Become familiar with general college entrance requirements  Take the PSAT in October even though it’s not required  Continue to read  Work on your writing skills

11 th GRADE  Take the PSAT in October, at least 1 SAT Reasoning and ACT in the Spring, and SAT Subject Tests in June. Ask counselor for fee waivers if qualified  Check your class rank  Make sure you have a social security number  Make a list of colleges that meet your criteria  Write down college application procedures and deadlines for interested colleges  Attend college fairs  If you want to play sports in Division I or II colleges, talk to your counselor  If you are interested in military academies, talk to counselor to start application process  Stay involved with extracurricular activities  Take community college courses if qualified

12 th GRADE  Application filing period for CSU-Oct 1-Nov 30  Application filling period for UC-Nov 1-Nov 30  Application for private colleges are varied, check school for deadlines Most private colleges use,  Send SAT and ACT scores to colleges applied  Attend CASH FOR COLLEGE to fill out FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) by Feb. 1 for private colleges and Mar. 2 for CA colleges. Private colleges require PROFILE too.  Watch your mail between Mar 1-Apr 15 for acceptance notification letters  Send in SIR (Student Intent to Register) by May 1  Complete follow-up paperwork immediately after SIR