JUNIOR AUDITS For CLASS of 2010 The Rest of High School and Beyond

You can find almost all answers to your questions on our website at and then click on “Counseling”

Read the Counseling Connection for information about: Career Exploration College Testing Scholarships (for all grade levels) Visit Nadine in our College and Career Center room 41 Log on to for: Career, college and scholarship searches

High School Graduation Requirements my.sduhsd.net  English 40 credits  Math30 credits (Alg I)  Science20 credits  Social Science30 credits  Health 5 credits  PE 20 credits  Practical Arts 5 credits  Visual/Performing Arts10 credits  Pass English and math CAHSEE  Earn 230 credits

POST SECONDARY OPTIONS ENTRY LEVEL JOB OR APPRENTICESHIP/ROP BUSINESS/TECHNICAL/CAREER SCHOOL Certificate, Associate’s, Bachelor’s Degrees MILITARY Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy COMMUNITY COLLEGE Certificate, Associate’s Degree, Transfer Program to 4 year colleges UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate Degrees CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate Degrees PRIVATE/ OUT OF STATE COLLEGES Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate Degrees

Community College  Combined SDA/LCC Community College Night: February 10, 6PM at LCC Theatre  100 campuses in California; many with housing  Admission requirements: High School Graduate or age 18  SAT and ACT are not required  Placement Tests in math and English: SDA Field Trip to Mira Costa your senior year.  Mira Costa Ambassador, Billy Buster (SDA alumni) is here Tuesdays from 9-noon in the CCC.

California State University System  23 campuses; Cal State San Marcos is SDA’s affiliate campus  Transfer partners with California Community Colleges  Admission Requirements: –High grades –UC/CSU a-g subject requirements –SAT Reasoning Test or ACT + Writing

University of California System  10 campuses  Transfer partners with California Community Colleges  Admissions Requirements: –High Grades –SAT Reasoning Test or ACT + Writing –2 SAT Subject Tests –Essay –Extra-curricular activities are helpful

Private Colleges  75 campuses in California  Admission Requirements vary, but most recommend: –High Grades in college prep classes; Honors and AP classes are helpful –SAT Reasoning Test or ACT + Writing; highly selective colleges require 2 or 3 SAT Subject Tests –Essay –Letters of recommendation –Extra-curricular activities are helpful

Student Athletes  Be sure to register after your junior year with the NCAA to determine your eligibility to play sports at any Division I or II colleges.  Be sure to register after your junior year with the NCAA to determine your eligibility to play sports at any Division I or II colleges.   See the following websites if you are interested in playing at the community college or NAIA (small colleges) www2.niaaa.org or Division III colleges

UC/CSU a-g Subject Requirements  a. History/Social Science 2 years required  b. English 4 years required  c. Mathematics 3 years required (AlgI, geom, Alg. II) 4 recommended  d. Laboratory Science 2 years required (1 yr. biological & 1 yr. physical; 3 recommended  e. World Languages 2 years required, 3 recommended  f. Visual/Performing Art 1 year required (10 credit courses only) only)  g. College Preparatory Electives 1 year required  Must earn a “C” or better in each quarter of the courses  These “minimum” requirements allow a student to apply to college. More than the minimum requirements will create a better opportunity to be accepted by the college of your choice. UC’s and CSU’s count only these a-g classes in determining their grade point averages, with a weighted point for all AP classes and Honors Pre-Calculus

TESTING SAT and ACT  Almost all 4 year colleges require and accept either the SAT Reasoning Test or ACT + Writing  Selective colleges also require (2 or 3) SAT Subject Tests  SAT: Critical Reading, Math and Writing each worth 800 points for a possible total SAT score of 2400 (1500 is the national average)  ACT: English, Math, Reading, Science Reasoning each worth 36 points. A Composite Score is the average of the four tests. (21 is the national average)  Register now for spring testing! Continued on next page

Placement Tests: to determine eligibility for classes  Required from the college you will be attending.  Mira Costa field trip senior year  UC Placement Exam: May, senior year (if not exempt)  CSU: EAP with STAR test and essay at SDA, junior year, to determine possible exemption

Financial Aid  Money is available for almost every student through scholarships, grants, work study and/or loans.  Start applying for scholarships now and continue through your senior year. (see SDA Counseling Connection)

WHAT DO COLLEGES WANT?  Rigorous courses (more than the minimum UC/CSU a-g requirements), especially junior and senior years  High grades  High SAT/ACT test scores  Extra-curricular activities (quality over quantity)  Good essay

WHAT DO YOU WANT? “Good fit” or “good college”? Personal inventory:  What are your strengths and weaknesses?  What are your positive/negative high school experiences?  What is your learning style? Continued on next page

 Why do you want to go to college?  What do you expect to get out of college?  What type of college do you want to attend?

What is important to you?:  Distance from home  Size of school  Urban/suburban/rural  Weather  Academic challenge  Diverse student body  Interaction with professor Continued on next page

Continued from previous page  Major  Class size  Big name school  Dorm life  Social opportunities  Sports/clubs/activities  Cost

Do you have the qualities that employers and colleges are looking for?  Promptness  Responsibility to perform well  Initiative to do more than asked  Resiliency to do what you have to do whether you want to or not Continued on next page

Continued from previous page  Demonstrate open-mindedness  Act with integrity  Respect yourself and others  Feel comfortable and confident in meeting and conversing with adults

What You Can Do…  Take the most rigorous courses you can in senior year.  Earn the highest grades you can this term and senior year.  Continue extra-curricular activities  Take the practice Kaplan ACT/SAT tests on February 28. (sign up at the SDA Finance Office)  Take the ACT and/or SAT this spring (and Subject Tests if applying to selective colleges). Register online now) continued on next page

continued from previous page What You Can Do…  Visit college campuses this summer.  Attend College Visits at SDA this spring and next fall.  Attend the National College Fair April 14 5:30- 8:30, at the San Diego Convention Center.  Read our Counseling Connection every two weeks.  Organize your college search process. Document everything!  Check out our Counseling website often.

 I will be glad to help you with anything.  You can drop in to see me before or after school or during lunch without an appointment.  If your questions will take longer than a few minutes, come in during the above mentioned times to make an appointment.