COLLEGE ADMISSIONS GUIDE

2015/2016CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC

HIGH SCHOOL

ACT/SAT HIGH SCHOOL CODE: 052896

C H A P T E R 1

Selection of a CollegePicking a college may be one of the most important decisions you will make dur-ing high school. With more than 4,000 institutions of higher learning in the United States alone, it can seem overwhelming. But the good news is that by fol-lowing a simple strategy and choosing wisely, you will end up at a college you will truly benefit from and enjoy.

To get started, you will want to select an initial pool of colleges for consideration from which you will ultimately narrow down to six to eight that you will make ap-plication to in the fall of your senior year. A recommended guideline to follow is that you will want to end up with two to three reach schools that you have a 10-20% chance of acceptance; three to four target schools that you have a 70-80% chance of acceptance; and one to two safety schools that you have a 100% chance of acceptance. Thus, once you have selected a pool of colleges based on your pref-erences, you will then need to calculate your percentage chances of admission for each, so that you can determine whether you have chosen a sufficient number of reach, likely, and safety schools, making changes if you have a disproportionate number in any one area. If you have an appropriate number of schools in each of the three categories, you will eliminate much of the anxiety students can experi-ence in the college application and admission process.

To create your list of potential schools, you will need to decide what aspects of a college are important to you. Determining application to the right schools varies according to the individual; consequently, the more carefully you research your choices, the happier you are likely to be with your ultimate choice.

1

Some questions you should consider asking yourself are:

What are my values, interests, and abilities?

What size school would I like to be a part of ?

What would I like to major in and what schools are strong in my desired major?

Would I prefer a private school or a public school?

What geographical setting is preferable to me and what type of campus setting would I like?

Would I like a school with a religious affiliation or a school that is non-

denominational?

Would I like a single-sex school or a co-ed school?

Would I prefer a structured or a “free” environment?

Am I looking for a school with sports, and if so, do I want Division I, II, or III?

What financial assistance can I expect from my parents?

If I need financial aid, what is available to me?

Competition-wise, is the school suited to me?

As mentioned before, there are thousands of colleges and universities in the United States, so it is not feasible to research each one. Rather, after asking the previously suggested questions and others, you can eliminate many schools and concentrate on learning more about certain ones.

2

S E C T I O N 1

NavianceA great resource for exploring colleges is Naviance, an easy-to-use, online, person-alized college and career planning and college application tool available to CCHS students. Not only are CCHS students able to do college and career searches on Naviance, but when students become seniors, they will be using Naviance to organ-ize and carry out steps to complete their college applications.

In the early spring of their junior year, students are given thorough instructions on using Naviance for intensive college planning and application processes, as well as reminders about signing up for college visits and searching for scholarships. Stu-dents are encouraged to visit Naviance often and take advantage of the resources it provides for each step of the college planning and application process.

3

S E C T I O N 2

Other Research OptionsStudents are also encouraged to consult reference books, such as Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges, Fiske Guide to Colleges, and Peterson’s Guide to Four-Year Colleges, which are all available in the CCHS Counseling Office. In addition, we suggest you use the Internet to research schools. A listing of helpful college web-sites is available both in the Counseling Office and in Naviance. Also, go directly to schools’ websites, as schools offer their catalogs and course offerings, as well as all sorts of additional information, online. Students are also encouraged to attend local college fairs, particularly the CCHS fair in the fall and the National Associa-tion for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) College Fair held yearly in April, and attend college visits held on our campus. Also, while doing your re-search, make sure to learn each school’s retention rate, the percentage of students who live on campus, and extra-curricula available. Also check the student profile, as this will show the average GPA, ACT/SAT score, and geographic/ethnic back-ground of admitted students.

Throughout this process, keep in contact with your counselor and don’t hesitate to ask for help. Remember that your counselor can’t choose the school for you. It is up to you to do some careful research and make some personal choices. Finally, when your list is down to your final choices, make every attempt to visit the schools.

4

S E C T I O N 3

Selection SummaryIn summary, the suggested procedure for selection of a college is:

Talk to your CCHS counselor during the second half of your junior year and at the beginning of your senior year.

Do online searches using Naviance and check other references to generate a list of schools that meet your criteria.

Check online for school catalogs.

Check the Internet and the Counseling Office for more information, and re- view each school’s profile.

Attend the CCHS College Fair held yearly in October and the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) College Fair held yearly in April.

Attend college visits on our campus. Approximately 175 schools send representa-tives to our campus each year to speak about their schools. These visitations are an-nounced in Naviance and the “CCHS Daily Bulletin” in advance of the visit. You may wish to attend these sessions to learn more about college life on that campus. You will be limited to five of these sessions for your junior year and five for your senior year, and this rule is strictly enforced. Once you sign up to attend a college visit on Naviance, it counts whether or not you attend the visit. The only exception is an absence due to illness.

If possible, visit your top choices. No matter how well you think you know a college or university, you can learn a lot (good or bad) by spending a few hours on campus, including whether or not the college feels like a good “fit” for you.

5

A few other tips to consider:

A college is not necessarily right for you because its name is familiar. Don’t equate educational quality with name recognition.

Don’t choose a college because your friends are going there. Choosing a college be-cause your girlfriend or boyfriend is headed there is one of the worst reasons to se-lect a school.

Separate reality from opinions. Many people refer to a college as “good,” “hard to get into,” “a party school,” “too expensive,” etc., without really knowing the facts. Don’t accept these kinds of generalizations without evidence.

Do not rule out colleges early because of cost. Many colleges offer scholar- ships, financial aid, and tuition installment plans that make them far more afford-able than they may first appear. You won’t know how much it will cost to attend a college until the very end of the process.

Finally, if you have a tough time choosing among two or more colleges or universi-ties, it is probably because you have done a good job putting together your list, and you will be happy at whichever institution you choose. Once you make your choice, don’t agonize over it. If you have done thorough research, there is an excellent chance your final college choice will be a good one.

6

C H A P T E R 2

College Entrance TestsThere are three college entrance tests that you need to be aware of:

ACT

SAT Reasoning Test

SAT Subject Tests

Of these three tests, the ACT and the SAT Reasoning Test are comparable and most four-year colleges require applicants to submit scores from one or the other for admission. The SAT Subject Tests are only required by certain schools, and this requirement will be indicated in each school's admission criteria. Information on Subject Tests follows in its own section below.

Both the ACT and the SAT exams are intended to provide measures of a student’s “college readiness,” and virtually all schools accept either test. While the newly re-designed SAT exam is much more similar to the ACT than it used to be, the two tests still differ in many ways and measure different skills, so it is important to learn about these differences, as students may do better on one test format over the other. Following is a Comparative Features chart (from Summit Educational Group), which has a side-by-side comparison of the current SAT (2015), the newly designed SAT (Spring 2016) and the ACT, to get an initial idea of the differ-ences between the ACT and the SAT.

7

8

When it is released in 2016, the new SAT will be a significant change from the current test. Also, the redesign will affect how we determine whether a student is better-suited for the SAT or ACT. Below is a broad comparison of the new SAT to the current SAT and the ACT.

Current SAT New SAT (Spring 2016) ACT

Description The new SAT will require similar skills and test similar content to that of the ACT and current SAT. Many of the changes to the new SAT’s format will make it look a lot like the ACT, but the SAT will retain its focus as an aptitude test. Among the biggest changes to the SAT are a sharper focus on critical-thinking, an emphasis on real-world problems, a new scoring system, and an overhaul of the essay section. Overall, the redesigned SAT will place a bigger emphasis on problem-solving and understanding context. Comparatively, the ACT will remain more of an achievement test, requiring a broad knowledge of many concepts, as well as considerable speed and endurance.

Format & Length

10 short sections: x 3 Critical Reading; 3 Mathematics;

3 Writing (including Essay); 1 experimental (not scored)

x Questions have 5 answer choices x Total testing time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

5 long sections (comprising 3 “tests” and an optional essay): x Writing & Language; Reading;

2 Math; Essay x Questions have 4 answer choices x Total testing time: 3 hours, 50 minutes

(with essay)

5 long sections (comprising 4 “tests” and an optional essay): x English; Mathematics; Reading;

Science; Writing (optional essay) x Most questions have 4 answer

choices (Math has 5) x Total testing time: 3 hours, 25 minutes

(with essay)

Scoring Combined score: 600-2400 x Critical Reading: 200-800;

Math: 200-800; Writing: 200-800

x Writing score comprised of Multiple Choice and Essay subscores.

x ¼-point deduction for incorrect answers

Combined score: 400-1600 x Evidence-Based Reading and Writing:

200-800; Math: 200-800 x Essay score reported separately x “Cross-Test Scores” report

performance on Science and History/ Social Studies across entire test

x No deduction for incorrect answers

Composite score: 1-36 (average of 4 tests) x English: 1-36; Math: 1-36; Reading: 1-

36; Science: 1-36 x Writing score not factored into

Composite score x Combined English/Writing score

provided separately: 1-36 x No deduction for incorrect answers

Writing/ English

Identify and correct errors in single sentences x standard English grammar and usage x punctuation not tested

Limited and predictable set of errors

Revise and edit a piece of writing for, logical structure, and effective rhetoric x standard English grammar and usage x punctuation x logical structure x effective rhetoric x includes informational graphics

Revise and edit a piece of writing for, logical structure, and effective rhetoric x standard English grammar and usage x punctuation x logical structure x effective rhetoric x commonly confused words

Math Arithmetic, Algebra I and II, Geometry x apply core math skills to solve mostly

non-standard, “tricky” problems x formulas provided

10 Grid-In questions (no answer choices)

Pre-Algebra through basic Trigonometry x strong emphasis on Algebra

Calculator prohibited on one section

12 Grid-In questions (no answer choices)

1 Extended Thinking question (4 points)

Pre-Algebra through basic Trigonometry x math tested in straightforward manner x extensive range of concepts tested x emphasis on word problems x formulas not provided

Reading

Vocabulary-based sentence completions Total of 7 short and long reading passages x many inference, tone, purpose

questions x questions follow order of passage

Vocabulary de-emphasized 4 long passages and 1 paired passage x 2 passages include diagrams/charts x 1 passage from U.S. “founding

document”

4 long passages x very little emphasis on vocabulary x straightforward questions that require

close reading of passage x order of questions is random x less time per question

Science The current SAT does not have a Science section.

The new SAT does not have stand-alone Science section, but Science questions will be included throughout the Math, Reading, and Writing & Language tests.

40 questions distributed over 7 passages x emphasis on charts, diagrams, etc. x Science is a reasoning test—rarely

requires prior science knowledge

Essay

25 minutes, always the first section x broad theme x can be approached formulaically or

creatively

50 minutes, always the last section x analyze a passage and evaluate

author’s reasoning and rhetoric x students’ opinions discouraged x Essay is scored on 2-8 scale on three

traits (Reading, Analysis, and Writing)

30 minutes, always the last test x narrow topic “relevant” to high school

students x demands a more structured response x optional, but required by most schools

(800) MY TUTOR | MYTUTOR.COM

Comparing the SAT (Current and Redesigned) to the ACT A guide from Summit Educational Group

Though both the ACT and SAT tests are offered in all 50 states, it is interesting to note that each test's popularity is often based simply on which state students reside and not by college admissions requirements as sometimes believed. Please review the ACT-SAT preference map (from StudyPoint) below, which shows each state's testing preference. Blue states have more ACT takers, and orange states have more SAT takers.

The following sections will provide more details of each exam (all information has been garnered from their respective websites), but to access all the resources avail-able in relation to these tests, please visit www.actstudent.org for the ACT and sat.collegeboard.org/home for the SAT.

9

S E C T I O N 1

American College Test (ACT)The ACT tests are universally accepted for college admission. All four-year colleges and universities in the United States, including all of the Ivy League schools, accept the ACT (all information on the ACT from ACT, Inc.)

Content and Format

The ACT is curriculum based. The ACT is not an aptitude or an IQ test. Instead, the questions on the ACT are directly related to what is taught in high school courses. The test contains four multiple-choice tests that measure academic achievement in the areas of English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science, as well as an optional Writing Test, for which students complete an essay. The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes three and a half hours to complete without the Writing Test. The ACT Writ-ing Test adds 40 minutes to the testing time.

a.The ACT English Test (45 minutes) contains 75 items that measures your under-standing of the conventions of standard written English (punctuation, grammar and usage, and sentence structure) and of rhetorical skills (strategy, organization, and style).

b.The ACT Mathematics Test (60 minutes) contains 60 items and is designed to assess the mathematical skills students have typically acquired in courses taken up to the be-ginning of grade 12.

c.The ACT Reading Test (35 minutes) contains 40 items and is based on four types of reading selections: the social studies, the natural sciences, literary narrative, and the humanities.

d.The ACT Science Test (35 minutes) contains 40 items and measures interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving skills required in the natural sci-ences.

e.The optional ACT Writing Test (40 minutes) measures writing skills--specifically those writing skills emphasized in high school English classes and in entry-level col-lege composition courses. CCHS recommends that all students taking the ACT take the Writing Test.

10

Test Scores

Scores for the ACT are based on the number of right answers. There is no penalty for guessing. ACT test scores and the Composite score range from 1 to 36; sub-scores range from 1 to 18. The Composite score is the average of the scores on the four subject area tests, and does not include writing. Subscores do not necessarily add up to the score for a subject area test. To figure the multiple-choice test scores and the Composite score, ACT follows this process:

First they count the number of questions on each test that are answered cor-rectly. Points are not deducted for incorrect answers.

Then, ACT converts the raw scores (number of correct answers on each test) to “scale scores.” Scale scores have the same meaning for all the different forms of the ACT, no matter which test date a test was taken.

The Composite score and each test score (English, mathematics, reading, sci-ence) range from 1 (low) to 36 (high). The Composite Score is the average of the four test scores, rounded to the nearest whole number. Fractions less than one-half are rounded down; fractions one-half or more are rounded up.

Then, ACT computes the seven subscores (Usage/Mechanics, Rhetorical Skills, etc.) in the same way, but subscores range from 1 (low) to 18 (high). There is no direct, arithmetic relationship between the subscores and the test scores—this means the subscores don’t add up to the test score.

ACT has developed College Readiness Benchmark Scores to directly measure Col-lege Readiness Standards that are based on actual college performance of students and reflected by specific scores. These scores represent the level of achievement re-quired for students to have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in corresponding credit-bearing, first-year college courses. These college courses include English composition, college algebra, introductory social studies and humanities courses, and biology. If a student scores at or above the following ACT benchmark scores (updated 2013), he or she will likely be ready for first-year college courses—English 18, Mathematics 22, Reading 22, and Science 23.

11

a. Rank

The ACT Student Report indicates rank, which shows the percent of recent high school graduates who took the ACT and scored at or below each of your scores. Students can use the ranks to get a sense of strengths and weaknesses in the four general subject areas represented by the test scores and in the seven specific areas represented by the subscores. A high rank in a content area may suggest a good chance of success in related college majors and ca-reers. A low rank may indicate that the student may need to develop skills more by taking additional coursework in that area.

b. Writing Test Scores

Taking the ACT Plus Writing will provide you and the schools to which you have ACT report scores sent with additional scores. When you take the writ-ing test, you will receive a writing test score on a scale of 1-36 and four writ-ing domain scores (Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organiza-tion, and Language Use and Conventions), each scored on a scale of 2-12. An image of your essay will be available to CCHS and the colleges to which you have ACT report your scores from that test date.

Taking the writing test does not affect your subject areas scores or your Com-posite score; however, without a writing test score, no English Language Arts (ELA) score will be reported. Two trained readers will score your essay on a scale of 1-6 in each of the four writing domains. Each domain score repre-sents the sum of the two readers’ scores. If the readers’ ratings disagree by more than one point, a third reader will evaluate the essay and resolve the dis-crepancy. Your writing score is calculated from your domain scores and is re-ported on a scale of 1-36. Your domain scores do not necessarily add up to your reported writing score. The essay will be evaluated on the evidence it gives of your ability to do the following:

analyze and evaluate multiple perspectives on a complex issue

state and develop your own perspective on the issue

explain and support your ideas with logical reasoning and detailed examples

clearly and logically organize your ideas in an essay

effectively communicate your ideas in standard written English

12

c. Average Scores

The average ACT score of the approximately 1.9 million test takers nation-wide in 2015 was 21.0. The average ACT score of the approximately 122,000 test takers in California in 2015 was 22.5. While college and univer-sity guidelines vary greatly, to get a rough idea of the average composite scores that typically are accepted at colleges or universities, please review the following:

Highly selective (majority of accepted freshmen in top 10% of high school graduating class): scores 25-30

Selective (majority of accepted freshmen in top 25% of high school graduating class): scores 21-26

Traditional (majority of accepted freshmen in top 50% of high school graduating class): scores 18-24

Liberal (some freshmen from lower half of high school graduating class): scores 17-22

Open (all high school graduates accepted, to limit of capacity): scores 16-21

d. New Scores and Indicators

Starting in 2015, students who take the ACT will receive new scores and indi-cators designed to improve readiness and help students plan for the future in areas important to success after high school, such as STEM (science, technol-ogy, engineering and mathematics) and career readiness. The new indicators will be reported to students in addition to the traditional ACT scores and ACT College Readiness Benchmarks. The indicators will describe student performance and predicted readiness levels in categories such as STEM, ca-reer readiness, English language arts and text complexity, giving students a greater and more specific understanding of both their preparation for suc-cess after high school and how to better meet their goals. And, as mentioned earlier, the ACT writing Test will now be evaluated on four domains of writ-ing competency, which will allow students to more fully demonstrate their analytical writing ability.

13

When to Take the ACT

Most students take the ACT during their junior and senior year in high school. It is recommended that students take the ACT at least twice—once in the spring of their junior year and once in the fall of their senior year. Most students improve their score the second time around. In fact, 57% of students who retake the ACT saw an in-crease in their composite score.

14

S E C T I O N 2

Taking the ACTPreparing for the ACT

The ACT measures the knowledge, understanding, and skills that you have ac-quired throughout your education. Although the sum total of what a person has learned cannot easily be changed, your performance in a specific area can be af-fected by adequate preparation, especially if it has been some time since you have taken a course in that area.

a. Three Strategies to Help from ACT

There are three strategies that ACT says can help you to prepare yourself for the content included in the ACT:

1. Familiarize Yourself with the Content of the ACT Tests: Review the infor-mation about the tests provided by ACT. Note which content areas make up a large proportion of the tests and which do not. The specific topics in-cluded in each content area are examples of possible topics; they do not in-clude all of the possibilities. Taking ACT practice tests can help students be-come familiar with the ACT. It is most helpful to take the tests under condi-tions that are as similar as possible to those you will experience on test day.

2. Refresh Your Knowledge and Skills in the Content Areas: Review those con-tent areas you have studied but are not fresh in your mind. Spend your time refreshing your knowledge and skills in the content areas that make up large portions of the tests.

3. Identify the Content Areas You Have Not Studied: If unfamiliar content areas make up major portions of the tests, consider taking coursework to help you gain knowledge and skills in these areas before you take the ACT. Because the ACT measures knowledge and skills acquired over a period of time, it is unlikely that a “cram” course covering material that is unfamiliar to you will help you improve your scores. Longer-term survey courses will be most helpful to you, because they aim to improve your knowledge through sustained learning and practice.

15

b. Additional ACT Preparation Materials (www.actstudent.org/testprep)

1. ACT Online Prep: The only online test preparation program designed exclusively by ACT test development professionals. ACT Online Prep has practice tests with real ACT test questions; practice essays for the optional ACT Writing Test, with real-time scoring; comprehensive content review for each of the ACT’s four re-quired tests—English, Math, Reading, and Science; diagnostic test and personal-ized Study Path; anywhere, anytime access via the Internet. A new version of ACT Online Prep is due to launch at the end of 2015. Highlights include new learning content, a learning path made specific to your needs, a guided plan that will adjust based on your timeframe, tests designed to simulate the actual exam, and a game center to test your knowledge. Students may also get a free mobile app with their purchase of ACT Online Prep for on-the-go reviewing.

2. The Real ACT Prep Guide: This is the official prep book from the makers of the ACT. It includes: five practice tests used in previous actual test administra-tions—each with an optional Writing Test; explanations for all right and wrong an-swer choices; an in-depth look at the optional Writing Test and how it is scored (pre-2015); valuable test-taking strategies for each test section; all you need to know about the ACT—formatting, structure, registration, and how colleges interpret your scores; a review of important topics in English, math, science, and writing; how to prepare—physically, mentally, and emotionally—for test day; and a CD ver-sion that contains supplemental resources to help you explore colleges and get col-lege planning advice.

3. Use ACT Question of the Day (found at www.actstudent.org/qotd/) and read the booklet “Preparing for the ACT,” available in the CCHS Counseling Office.

16

Online Registration

The easiest way to register for the ACT is to do it online at www.actstudent.org. Before you can register, you will need to create a free ACT Web account. This ac-count also allows you to change your test option, test date, or test center; add, change, or delete college choices; receive e-mail updates from ACT about your reg-istration; view your scores at no charge; and request and pay for score reports to additional colleges after you test. At the time of registration, students may desig-nate up to six (four if they register by mail) score recipients (four are included in the test fee). Additions, deletions, and changes may be made up to 12 p.m., cen-tral time, the Thursday after the regularly scheduled Saturday test date. To send reports to more than six colleges and all reports after the change deadline, students must submit and pay for Additional Score Reports after they test.

When you register to take the test, you will need to choose your test option, either the ACT (No Writing), or the ACT Plus Writing (as mentioned before, CCHS rec-ommends that all students taking the ACT take the Writing Test). In addition, you will need to choose your test date and test center location. You also will be re-quired to provide your gender and upload or submit (via ACT website, mobile de-vice, or mail) a recognizable, head-and-shoulders photo of yourself when register-ing. Your gender and photo will be included on tickets, test center rosters, and score reports that are sent to students' high schools. Once your registration is com-pleted, you will be prompted to print your Admission Ticket. You must bring your Admission Ticket (along with an acceptable photo ID) with you to the test center on test day. It has information you will need to accurately complete your answer document; otherwise, your scores will be delayed.

a. High School Code

Students are required to provide their high school to ACT when they register, and score reports will automatically be sent to that high school. Cathedral Catholic High School’s Code is 052896.

17

Late Registration Period

Once the regular registration deadline is past, the late registration period begins for students registering for the ACT. The late registration period generally extends for one to two weeks past the regular registration deadline. Students who miss the regular registration deadline can still register during this period by paying an addi-tional late registration fee. Fee waivers may not be used to pay for the late registra-tion fee.

Standby Testing

If you miss the late registration deadline for a test date, you may choose to try to test as a standby on test day. To be considered for standby testing, you must first register for standby testing and then bring a Standby Ticket for the particular test center you chose and have your name on the Standby Roster at that test center. If you bring a ticket for another test date or a different test center, you will not be ad-mitted. In addition, paper registration folders will not be accepted at the test cen-ter. Standby requests must be submitted during a limited "Standby Request Pe-riod" before the test date. You will not be guaranteed a seat or a test booklet, and only standard time and regular print materials are available for standby testing. Your standby request is valid only if you fully complete all required materials, in-cluding uploading a photo and submitting payment. Test centers admit standbys on a first-come, first-admitted basis and only if there are seats, test materials, and staff available after all registered students have been admitted for their test option. If you are not admitted to test on the upcoming test day, your standby request will not transfer to any other test date. Instead, ACT will refund the fees paid for your standby request.

18

Fee Waivers

The ACT Fee Waiver Program is designed to assist students in the United States, United States territories, and Puerto Rico for whom payment of the basic registra-tion fee could be a barrier to college entrance. Students cannot request a fee waiver directly from ACT; students must contact their counselor to receive an ACT Fee Waiver.

Students must meet all of the following requirements:

Currently enrolled in high school in the 11th or 12th grade.

Either a United States citizen or testing in the U.S., U.S. territories, or Puerto Rico.

Meet one or more indicators of economic need listed on the ACT Fee Waiver Form.

If a student is eligible, he/she may use a maximum of two separate fee waivers to-tal. The waiver is used once a student registers, even if he/she does not test on the requested test date. It is important to note that to take full advantage of the waiver, students must follow through and test on their registered test date.

Fee waivers cover only the basic registration fee for your test option, including up to four college choices (if you provide valid codes when you register). Waivers do not cover the late registration fee, test date or test center changes, standby fee, or any other services.

If you do receive an ACT Fee Waiver Form, follow the “Student Directions” on it for your registration method (or if requesting Special Testing). If you register on-line, and register during the late period or request any additional services, you must enter a credit card to pay those fees before submitting your registration.

19

At the Test Center

a. Arriving at the Test Center

Students are to report to their assigned test center by the time shown on their Admission Ticket, normally 8 a.m. Students will not be admitted to test if they are late. Students should be prepared to begin testing after all exami-nees are seated. A break is scheduled after the first two tests. You will not be allowed to use cell phones or any electronic devices during the break, and you may not bring food or drinks back to the test room.

If you are taking the ACT (No Writing), which is generally not advised by CCHS, plan to be dismissed at about 12:15 p.m. If you take the ACT Plus Writing, you will normally be dismissed about 1:15 p.m. Once the seal on your test booklet is broken, you cannot later request a Test Date Change, even if you do not complete testing. In addition, students (including those who hope to test on a standby basis) will not be allowed to make any test cen-ter or test date changes the day of the test.

b. What Students Should Bring to the Test Center

Students should be sure to take these items to the test center:

Your Admission Ticket. Your scores will be delayed, possibly up to eight weeks, if you do not enter the matching information exactly as it appears on your Admission Ticket onto your answer document.

Acceptable identification. When you arrive at the test center, you’ll be re-quired to show acceptable identification before being admitted to test. The ID you present, including any required signatures, must be original, not a photocopy or reproduction. Only certain forms of identification are accept-able. Your Admission Ticket is not identification. You will not be admitted to test without acceptable identification. Please go to www.actstudent.org for all ID requirements. On test day, test center staff will match the name and photo on the student's ticket, the examinee roster, and the student's photo ID to the examinee who arrives to take the test before granting him or her admission. If students do not bring both their ticket and accept-able photo ID on test day, they will not be admitted to test.

20

Sharpened soft lead No. 2 pencils with good erasers (no mechanical pencils or ink pens).

A watch to pace yourself. The supervisor in standard time rooms will an-nounce when five minutes remain on each test.

A permitted calculator, if you wish to use one on the Mathematics Test. Not all calculators are permitted. For a complete description of prohibited calculators, visit www.actstudent.org.

Students may NOT take any of the following items into the test room: books, dic-tionaries, notes, scratch paper, or other aids; highlighters, colored pens or pencils, or correction fluid; any electronic device other than a permitted calculator (examples include timer, cell phone, media player, PDA, headphones, camera, iPad); reading material; tobacco in any form.

Taking the Test: General Guidelines from ACT

The ACT contains multiple-choice tests in the four areas described earlier in this section: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Each of these tests con-tains questions that offer either four or five answer choices from which you are to choose the correct, or best, answer. The following suggestions apply to all four tests:

Pace Yourself—The time limits set for each test give nearly everyone enough time to finish all the questions; however, the English, Reading, and Science Tests con-tain a considerable amount of text, so it is important to pace yourself so you do not spend too much time on one passage. Similarly, try not to spend too much time on a specific problem on the Mathematics Test. Go on to other questions and come back if there is time.

Read Directions For Each Test Carefully—Before you begin taking one of the tests, read the directions carefully. The English, Reading, and Science Tests ask for the “best” answer. Do not respond as soon as you identify a correct answer. Read and consider all the answer choices and choose the answer that best re-sponds to the question. The Mathematics Test asks for the “correct” answer. Af-ter working out a problem, if your answer is not among the choices provided, re-read the question and consider all of the answer choices.

21

Read Each Question Carefully—It is important that you understand what each question asks.

Answer the Easy Questions First—The best strategy for taking the tests is to an-swer the easy questions and skip the questions you find difficult. After answering all the easy questions, go back and answer the more difficult questions if you have time.

Use Logic on More Difficult Questions—When you return to the more difficult questions, try to use logic to eliminate incorrect answers to a question. Look at the answer choices, as differences may provide clues as to what the question re-quires. Eliminate as many incorrect answers as you can, then make an educated guess from the remaining answers.

Answer Every Question—Your score is based only on the number of questions that you answer correctly, as there is no penalty for guessing.

Review Your Work—If there is time left after you have answered every question in a test, go back to check your work on that test.

Be Precise in Marking Your Answer Document—Be sure to properly fill in the cor-rect ovals on your answer document and be sure that the number of the line of ovals on your answer document is the same as the number of the question you are answering. Mark only one response for each question.

Erase Completely—If you want to change an answer, be sure to use a soft eraser that will not leave smudges and erase the unintended mark completely. Do not cross out answers; you must erase them.

And for the Writing Portion:

Pace Yourself—It is important to pace yourself in the way that best suits your per-sonal writing strategy. Because you have 40 minutes to write your essay, keep in mind that you are unlikely to have time to draft, revise, and recopy your essay. Therefore, take a few minutes to plan your essay. In general, budget your time in the way that feels best to you based on your experience in taking essay tests in school and in other circumstances when you’ve done writing within a time limit.

22

Read the Directions Carefully—Before you begin the Writing Test, read the direc-tions carefully, as they will tell you aspects of writing on which your essay will be evaluated. They will also give instructions on how to write your essay in the an-swer folder.

Read the Writing Prompt Carefully—It is important that you understand exactly what the writing prompt asks you to do. Be sure to have a clear understanding of the issue in the writing prompt and of the question you must respond to before you start to plan and write your essay.

Write (or print) Legibly in the Answer Folder—You may write or print your essay, whichever you prefer, but you must do so legibly using a soft lead No. 2 pencil and only on the lined pages in the answer folder. Do not skip lines.

Make Corrections Clear—If you make corrections by using erasures or cross-outs, do so thoroughly and legibly. You may write corrections or additions neatly be-tween the lines of your essay, but do not write in the margins of the lined pages.

ACT Score Reports

ACT initially prepares three different reports for each student who tests: the Stu-dent Report; the High School Report; and the College Report. The Student Re-port is delivered to your student Web account. It will be delivered about 2-8 weeks after the test date (there is no way to have your tests scored faster). It reports your ACT Scores and college and career planning information. The High School Re-port is delivered to your high school (only if you authorized reporting). It is kept with your school records. It is delivered about 2-8 weeks after the test date. It re-ports ACT Scores and college and career planning information. The College Re-port is delivered to each valid college or scholarship agency code you listed and paid for when you registered or tested (up to six). It is delivered about 2-8 weeks after the test date. It reports everything on the Student and High School report, plus the grades you reported in up to 30 high school courses. It may also include predictions about your performance in specific college programs and courses.

If you take the ACT Plus Writing, an image of the essay you write may be avail-able to the high school and colleges to which you have ACT report scores for that test date.

23

a. Viewing Your Scores and Score Report on the Web

You can view your scores online as soon as they are available through your student Web account. Most multiple-choice scores from National and Inter-national testing, including the Composite score, are posted approximately two weeks after each test date. Writing scores are normally added about two weeks after your multiple-choice scores. You will receive notification when you log in to your account if your Writing scores have been added. Nor-mally, all scores are posted by eight weeks after the test date.

Schedules for posting scores after each test date are at www.actstudent.org along with reasons why some scores take longer.

24

Composite Score

Composite and Subscores: ACT test scores and the Composite score range from 1 to 36; subscores range from 1 to 18. Your Composite score is the average of your scores on the four subject tests. Subscores do not necessarily add up to your score for a subject test.

ACT College Readiness Benchmarks: If your scores are at or above the ACT benchmark scores, you will likely be ready for first-year college courses.

U.S. Rank and State Rank: Your ranks tell you the approximate percentages of recent high school graduates in the U.S. and your state who took the ACT and received scores that are the same as or lower than yours.

Interpreting Your Scores: Test scores are not precise measures of your educational development. ACT scores reported are the midpoint of a score range that represents your educational development at the time you took the ACT. For example, the score range is plus or minus one point for the Composite score. You will find more information about interpreting your scores in the Using Your ACT Results booklet provided with this report and at www.actstudent.org.

Writing: The score ranges from 1 to 36. Writing domain scores range from 2 to 12. Domain scores do not necessarily add up to your score for the Writing test.

English Language Arts (ELA): An average of your English, Reading, and Writing scores. The score ranges from 1 to 36.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): An average of your Math and Science scores. The score ranges from 1 to 36.

Understanding Complex Texts: Measures level of proficiency on a subset of items in the Reading test assessing the ability to identify the central meaning and purposes for a range of increasingly complex texts.

Progress Toward Career Readiness: Based on your ACT Composite score, Progress Toward Career Readiness is an indicator of your potential level of achievement on the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (ACT NCRC). The ACT NCRC is an assessment-based credential that certifies skills critical to your future education and career success.

Learn how NCRC performance relates to job skill requirements at www.act.org/workkeys/briefs/files/NCRCRequirements.pdf.

This information is not to be considered a substitute for actual performance on the ACT NCRC.

College Name (Code)

A dash (—) indicates information was not provided or could not be calculated. | *Institution provided cost information that may reflect more than tuition and fees.

ScoreTest Results

Your College Reports

Student Information

U.S.Rank Scores in Relation to Benchmarks

1̂8 = Benchmark

2̂2 = Benchmark

2̂2 = Benchmark

2̂3 = Benchmark

English Usage/Mechanics Rhetorical SkillsMathematics Pre-Algebra/Elem. Algebra Algebra/Coord. Geometry Plane Geometry/Trig.Reading Social Studies/Sciences Arts/LiteratureScience

Writing Ideas and Analysis Development and Support Organization Language Use and Conventions

ELA

STEM

Understanding Complex Texts

Progress Toward Career Readiness

ACT, Inc.—Confidential Restricted when data present

At your direction, your scores from this test date are being reported to the colleges shown below. College planning information is provided for the first four choices you listed when you registered or tested. Check with colleges for recent changes in information. Note: Your GPA was calculated from the grades you reported.

For more information on college and career planning, interpreting your scores, and sending additional score reports, go to www.actstudent.org.

1 36

1Scale

36

1 36

1 36

1 36

Profile of Enrolled 1st-Year Students

ACTComposite Score

High SchoolClass Rank

High SchoolGPA

Percentage of 1st-Year StudentsReceiving Financial Aid

Need-based Merit-based

Approximate Annual Tuition and Fees

In-state Out-of-statePreferred Program

of Study Availability

Composite Score Class Rank Selected MajorCalculated GPA

Student ReportAnn C Taylor (ACT ID: -54116290)Wheat Ridge Sr High School (061-450) ❘ Apr 2016 National

U.S. Rank 56% ❘ State Rank 58%21

21 Top 25% Accounting3.29

2412121911100923121118

2510080708

24

19

74%72%71%47%57%51%39%66%67%58%32%

79%

70%

40%

Proficient

You are making progress toward a Gold level on the ACT NCRC.

BelowProficient

Proficient AboveProficient

X0000000-000000000

University of Omega (9521)Omega, COwww.universityofomega.edu

Alpha University (9059)University Center, IAwww.alpha.edu

Beta Community College (8866)Clarkston, COwww.betacc.edu

Magna College (8905)Plainview, OHwww.magna.edu

Middle 50%between 18–24

Middle 50%between 21–26

Middle 50%between 16–21

Middle 50%between 21–26

Majorityin top 50%

Majorityin top 25%

Majorityin top 75%

Majorityin top 50%

2.76

3.12

2.49

2.71

67%

85%

58%

90%

20%

27%

18%

35%

$5,600

$9,000*

$4,000

$8,500

$12,000

$15,000*

$4,000

$14,000

4-Yr Degree

4-Yr Degree

Program Available

4-Yr Degree

21

SilverBronze Gold

CompositeScore

1Scale

36

24

19

23

18

25

Sending Scores

When a student registers for the ACT online, he or she can choose up to four score report recipients that are included with his or her registration. A student can also have his or her ACT scores sent to other colleges and scholarship agencies af-ter he or she tests in addition to the ones selected when they registered. Requests are processed after the tests have been scored and all scores for the appropriate test option—ACT (No Writing) or ACT Plus Writing—are ready.

If a student has taken the ACT more than once, ACT maintains a separate record for each test date. If requested to send a report to a college, ACT will release only the record from the test date indicated. This protects students and ensures that they direct the reporting of their scores.

A student may ask ACT to report more than one test date record to an institution. However, he or she may not select test scores from different test dates to construct a new record; a student must designate an entire test date record as it stands. ACT does not create new records by averaging scores from different test dates. If a student wishes to report Writing results, the entire record for that test date must be reported.

When sending scores, be certain to use valid ACT codes only. If the recipient col-lege has more than one campus, you must indicate by city and state the campus where you want your scores sent. The College Code List and the Congressional Code List are available online to provide you with the most updated information. Please note that processing will be delayed if you don’t provide your personal infor-mation (name, date of birth), as well as your Social Security number or ACT ID from your score report and the month and year when you took the test.

25

S E C T I O N 3

Additional Information on the ACTHow Colleges and Universities Use Your Scores

Colleges use ACT results in a variety of ways:

Admissions Decisions—ACT test results, high school grades, academic prepara-tion, out-of-class accomplishments, and future plans—these and other kinds of in-formation help admissions officials identify applicants who can benefit most from their programs.

Course Placement—Colleges usually try to take into account individual strengths and weaknesses as they place students in first-year courses. For example, a col-lege may offer three sections of a subject—developmental, regular, and ad-vanced. A student’s ACT test results, academic background, and high school grades might be used to determine which section would be most appropriate.

Academic Advising—College academic advisors may consider ACT results, the high school academic program, high school grades, planned extracurricular activi-ties, areas in which there is a need for assistance, and part-time employment plans to tailor an appropriate program of study to a student.

Scholarships and Loans—Some scholarship and loan agencies may use ACT test results with other information such as high school grades to identify qualified can-didates. However, the agencies may not look at academic potential alone. The ACT score report provides information about a student’s educational needs, extra-curricular achievements, and educational plans. This information, along with high school grades and test scores, helps the agencies evaluate applications for scholarships, loans, and other financial assistance.

If you took the ACT Plus Writing, the colleges to which you have ACT report your scores will receive your Writing scores and the reader’s comments on your essay along with your subject-area scores and Composite score. These colleges will also have the option to access an image of your essay online. Colleges may choose to review individual essays to help make admissions or course placement decisions.

26

Fairness and Difficulty

It is ACT’s goal to accurately assess what students can do with what they know in the content areas covered by ACT’s testing program. ACT is therefore committed to fairness both in principle and in the interest of accuracy in all its tests. The work of ensuring test fairness starts with the design of the test and test specifica-tions. It then continues through every stage of the test development process, in-cluding item (test question) writing and review, item pretesting, item selection and forms construction, and forms review. ACT makes every effort to see that the ACT test is fair to the population for which the test is intended. The statistical specifications for the ACT indicate the level of item difficulty and the level of item discrimination of the test items to be used. The level of item difficulty for the items in the ACT has been selected to help ensure that the test will effectively measure achievement across a broad range of ability. The standard of item qual-ity for the ACT requires that each item effectively differentiate between students who are well prepared and those who are less well prepared.

27

Upcoming Changes to the ACT

ACT is constantly seeking ways to bring new and innovative features to their cus-tomers. If you are interested in staying abreast on any upcoming changes, and to sign up for updates on progress and new developments, please visit http://www.act.org/actnext.

28

S E C T I O N 4

SAT Reasoning TestThe SAT is a globally available test accepted by colleges and universities through-out the United States and in numerous international locations. It is offered at least seven times a year in the United States and U.S. territories, and up to six times a year internationally.

Beginning in March 2016, the SAT will change. While still assessing skills in read-ing, writing, and math, the redesigned SAT focuses on the knowledge and skills that current research shows are most essential for college and career readiness and success. The SAT redesign centers on eight key changes: Words in Context; Com-mand of Evidence; Essay Analyzing a Source; Focus on the Math that Matters Most; Problems Grounded in Real-World Contexts; Analysis in Science and in History/Social Studies; U.S. Founding Documents and the Great Global Conversa-tion; and No Penalty for Guessing. To learn more about these changes, please visit: http://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org. All information about the SAT in this section is about the redesigned SAT (all information from the College Board).

Content and Format

The redesigned SAT asks students to apply a deep understanding of the knowl-edge and skills most important for college and career readiness and success. The test is composed of three sections, and students have three hours of testing time, plus an additional 50 minutes for the optional Essay (CCHS recommends that all students take the SAT with Essay).

a. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Reading/65 minutes; Writing and Language/35 minutes): Includes a Reading Test and a Writing and Lan-guage Test. The Reading Test measures comprehension and reasoning skills with a focus on careful reading of appropriately challenging passages in a wide array of subject areas. The Writing and Language Test assesses skills in revising and editing a range of texts in a variety of subject areas to improve expression of ideas and to correct errors in grammar, usage, and punctua-tion.

29

b. Math (No Calculator/25 minutes; Calculator/55 minutes): Includes multiple-choice and student-produced response questions based on the math that college-bound students typically learn during their first three years of high school.

c. Essay (optional; 50 minutes): Asks you to read and analyze an argument and write an effective response. CCHS recommends that all students take the SAT with Essay.

Test Scores

All multiple-choice questions are scored the same way: one point for each correct answer and zero points for incorrect answers. No additional points are subtracted for incorrect answers or answers left blank.

Total Score: You will receive one total score, on a scale ranging from 400 to 1600, that is the sum of two section scores:

Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

Math

The three scores for the optional Essay will be reported separately on 2-to-8 scales and will not be factored into the total score.

Section Scores: You will receive two section (domain) scores, reported on a scale ranging from 200 to 800, in 10-point intervals:

Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, which will combine the Reading Test score and the Writing and Language Test score

Math

Test Scores: You will receive three test scores reported on a scale ranging from 10 to 40:

Reading

Writing and Language

Math

30

Cross-Test Scores: You will receive two cross-test scores that are based on items from across the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math Tests. (The cross-test scores are contingent on the results of research). These will be reported on a scale ranging from 10 to 40:

Analysis in Science

Analysis in History/Social Studies

Subscores: You will also receive multiple subscores for Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. In total, the redesigned SAT will report seven subscores, each on a scale ranging from 1 to 15:

The Reading and Writing and Language Tests will contribute questions to two subscores:

--Command of Evidence

--Words in Context

The Writing and Language Test will also report two additional subscores:

--Expression of Ideas

--Standard English Conventions

The Math Test will report three subscores:

--Heart of Algebra

--Problem Solving and Data Analysis

--Passport to Advanced Math

SAT Essay Scoring: SAT Essay responses are scored using a carefully designed process:

Two different people will read and score your essay.

Each scorer awards 1-4 points for each dimension: reading, analysis, and writing.

The two scores for each dimension are added.

You’ll receive three scores for the SAT Essay--one for each dimension--ranging from 2-8 points.

31

Concordance Tables

The College Board will provide the concordance tables college admission officers and others need to compare scores on the redesigned SAT with those on the cur-rent SAT. Because the two tests are different, a numerical score on one will not be strictly equivalent to the same numerical score on the other. Concordance tables linking the redesigned SAT and the ACT will be available as well.

Concordance Table Release Schedule

• Redesigned PSAT/NMSQT to pre-2015 PSAT/NMSQT: December 2015

• Redesigned SAT to current SAT: May 2016

• Derived concordance of redesigned SAT to ACT*: May 2016

*The concordance to ACT will be derived by matching the redesigned SAT to the current SAT, and then the current SAT to the ACT using validated concordance tables.

When to Take the SAT

Most students take the SAT during their junior and senior year in high school. It is recommended that students take the SAT at least twice—once in the spring of their junior year and once in the fall of their senior year. Most students improve their score the second time around.

32

S E C T I O N 5

SAT Subject TestsAbout the Subject Tests

The SAT Subject Tests are one-hour long, content-based tests that are designed to measure students’ knowledge and skills in particular subject areas, as well as their ability to apply that knowledge. Some institutions require or recommend SAT Subject Tests as part of the admission process to assess a student’s academic prepa-ration for college. Some colleges and universities use them for placement or for ad-visement in course selection. A student may even be able to place out of an intro-ductory class or satisfy a basic requirement by submitting SAT Subject Test scores.

All SAT Subject Tests cover content knowledge learned in the classroom, as well as interpretation and problem solving within the context of particular subjects. The foreign language tests measure reading comprehension, language usage and vocabulary. Some language tests have a listening component. The SAT Subject Tests fall into five general subject areas: English; History; Mathematics; Science; and Languages.

Test Scores

Scores for all Subject Tests are reported on a 200- to 800-point scale, where 200 is the lowest score and 800 is the highest. A student’s scaled score is computed by first establishing a raw score:

For each correct answer, the student earns one point.

For a wrong answer to a question with five answer choices, the student loses one-quarter (1/4) point.

For a wrong answer to a question with four answer choices, the student loses one-third (1/3) point.

For a wrong answer to a question with three answer choices, the student loses one-half (1/2) point.

No points are deducted for unanswered questions.33

The raw score is converted to a score on the 200- to 800-point scale. This is the score that appears on the score report.

a. Subscores

Subject Test subscores are used to compute the total score, but their individ-ual contributions (or weights) are not all the same.

For some Language Tests, subscores are provided for listening, reading, and usage.

• For the French, German, and Spanish with Listening Tests, the reading the reading subscore counts twice as much as the listening subscore.

• Subscores for the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean tests are weighted equally.

b. Language Tests and Native Language Speakers

Native speaker scores are grouped with the scores of students who have had less exposure to the language. However, college admissions staff know that native speakers are included in the percentile rankings and take that into ac-count when they review scores.

When to Take the SAT Subject Tests

It is best to take an SAT Subject Test after completing recommended coursework for a subject, bearing in mind any applicable college admission deadlines. Most students take these tests toward the end of their junior year or at the beginning of their senior year, though some may be best taken in the spring of the sophomore year. For the language tests, students should consider taking these tests after they have studied the language for at least two years. Students should be aware that not every subject test is offered on every test date, so it is important to review the SAT Subject Test calendar early and plan accordingly.

34

S E C T I O N 6

Taking the SAT and Subject TestsPreparing for the Tests

Students can best prepare for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests by taking the most challenging courses available and by reading and writing as much as possible. Col-lege admissions staff are more impressed by an academic record that shows real ef-fort and achievement than they are by test scores alone. Students are reminded that test scores are only one part of the admissions decision.

a. Strategies to Help from College Board

Before taking the SAT and SAT Subject Tests, students should:

take the PSAT/NMSQT

become familiar with the test’s format, directions, answer sheet, and questiontypes

take rigorous courses, study hard, and engage in learning activities

read and write as much as possible in and out of school

use SAT and SAT Subject Test practice and study materials

go to https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/practice for a variety of practice options

check out practice materials available with Khan Academy, as the College Board is now in partner-ship with Khan Academy for SAT Prep. Students may access additional SAT practice materials, watch videos of Khan working through SAT problems, and access additional SAT tutorials. Apps for iPhone, iPad, and iPod are available.

b. Additional SAT Preparation Materials for the Current SAT

1. Official SAT Study Guide with/without DVD: The best selling Official SAT Study Guide, available with a DVD companion featuring bonus SAT practice test, exclusive Math Concepts review and Skills Insight vid-eos, SAT Test Timer that allows students to hear actual instructions and timed full length practice tests. The study guide is the only guide with actual practice tests from the creators of the SAT.

35

2. The Official SAT Online Course: This online course features interac-tive lessons, auto essay scoring, and much more. It’s personalized, com-prehensive, easy to use, and available anytime.

3. The Official Study Guide for All SAT Subject Tests: This is the only study guide with actual, previously administered tests for all 20 SAT Sub-ject Tests to provide you with real test-taking experience.

Online Registration

Students must register in advance for the SAT and the SAT Subject Tests. This en-sures that enough test materials are at the test center. Please note that students may not take both the SAT and SAT Subject Tests on the same day. The easiest w a y f o r s t u d e n t s t o r e g i s t e r i s o n l i n e a t : https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register. Students will need to cre-ate a free personal account and will need a credit card to register online. If stu-dents qualify for a fee waiver (see below), they are also eligible to register online. Students who register online can print their Admission Ticket anytime and will not be mailed a paper Admission Ticket. Students will also be given instructions for providing a photo for the ticket during the registration process.

Once a registration has been completed, a student cannot make changes to per-sonal identifying information (e.g., name, birth date, gender) without contacting Customer Service. The information on a student's Admission Ticket must match the roster at the test center, so any corrections needed must be submitted well in advance of the test date. If a student's address or high school information changes after an Admission Ticket is generated, he or she should contact Customer Service or make the change through his or her online account as soon as possible.

Changes to registrations can be made for a nonrefundable fee, payable by credit card. Students can use their online accounts to change their test type, test date or test center. They can also call Customer Service to make these changes. Students must make their request no later than the date listed on their Admission Tickets. Once a registration is updated, the student must print a new Admission Ticket for test day.

36

Test-day changes are not permitted at any test center. Supervisors will not admit a student who is not on their roster, nor will they generally allow a student to sit for a different test type than is specified on the roster. There are special rules regarding changes to SAT Subject Tests, so please check the College Board website for more information.

When a student registers for the SAT or SAT Subject Tests, the student may pick up to four score report recipients, and the cost is included in the registration fee. Stu-dents may use their online accounts to change their score report recipients if neces-sary.

a. High School Code

Students are required to provide their high school to SAT when they register, and score reports will automatically be sent to that high school. Cathedral Catholic High School’s Code is 052896.

Late Registration Period

Once the regular registration deadline has passed, the late registration period begins for domestic students. The late registration period generally extends for 14 days past the regular registration deadline. Students testing in the United States and U.S. territories who miss the regular registration deadline can still register during this pe-riod by paying an additional late registration fee; however, those students who are eli-gible for a fee waiver may use a fee waiver to register for any test date through the late registration period and no late fee will apply.

Standby Testing/Waitlist Status

Standby test-taking is not permitted; however students who miss the late registration deadline may be able to go online until five days before test day to request waitlist status through their online account up until five days before test day.

37

Waitlist Status Restrictions pertinent to CCHS students:

There is no waitlist status offered for Language with Listening Subject Tests. Waitlist re-quests are accepted for all other SAT Subject Tests.

Fee waivers cannot be used for waitlist status.

Students with Waitlist Tickets should bring the following to the test center: Wait-list Ticket, with photo and accurate and complete test-taker information that matches the center attendance roster; acceptable photo ID that is issued by a school or the government located in the country in which the center is located; a copy of an Eligibility Approval Letter for testing with SSD accommodations of-fered in test centers (school-based accommodations with specific test formats or equipment cannot be offered in waitlist status).

Waitlist test-takers are seated on a first-come, first served basis, determined by when they arrive at the center. They can be seated only after all regularly regis-tered test-takers have been admitted and only if sufficient test materials, staff and seating are available. If they are seated, students will be charged the applicable fees.

Fee Waivers

The fee waiver service assists high school students for whom payment of fees for the SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject Tests may be a barrier to applying for college. Fee waivers are available for low-income, college-aspiring high school stu-dents who meet the eligibility guidelines. Students apply for fee waivers through their counselor, and the fee waivers may be used for online or mail registration. A CCHS student who is eligible for fee waivers can receive the following services free or at a reduced price:

38

Up to two registrations for the SAT (with or without the SAT Essay) and up to two registrations for the SAT Subject Tests--a total of four fee waivers. One fee-waiver card covers one SAT registration or up to three SAT Subject Tests on one test day

Four limited-time score reports plus four to use at any time

Four college application fee waivers

The Question-And-Answer Service or the Student Answer Service if ordered when registering

A fee reduction for multiple-choice score verification or essay score verification

At the Test Center

a. Arriving at the Test Center

Students should plan to arrive at the test center at the time indicated on their Admission Ticket. For most students taking the SAT with Essay, the test day ends by 1 p.m. SAT Subject Test-takers will likely finish earlier, especially if they are taking fewer than three tests.

b. What Students Should Bring to the Test Center

When taking the SAT SAT Subject Tests, students should bring the following to the test center:

Admission Ticket displaying a recognizable photo of the student. Students must keep the ticket ready for inspection at all times while at the center.

Acceptable photo identification (government- or school-issued) in English is required for admission to the test center and will also be checked during the test.

Two or more No. 2 pencils (soft lead), as a pencil is required for the multiple-choice sec-tions AND the essay. Essays written in ink will receive a score of zero. Students should not bring pens or mechanical pencils. Soft erasers are also recommended.

Acceptable calculator for the mathematics section of the SAT or the Subject Tests in Mathematics

Acceptable battery-operated CD player with earphones for the Language with Listen-ing Tests only

Snacks--Please see the College Board website for complete details on snacks

39

Taking the Test: Guidelines from the College Board

Here are some general guidelines for students who are getting ready to take the SAT:

All questions count the same, so answer easier questions first.

Make educated guesses. You have a better chance of guessing the correct answer if you can rule out one or more answer choices for the multiple-choice questions.

Skip questions that you really can’t answer—no points are deducted if an answer is left blank.

Keep track of time, i.e., don’t spend too much time on any group of ques-tions within a section.

Use your test booklet as scratch paper. Be sure, however, to record your an-swer on the answer sheet. You won't be given credit for answers written in the test book.

In the test booklet, mark the questions that you skipped and to which you want to return.

Check your answer sheet to make sure you are placing your answers cor-rectly.

Make sure you use a No. 2 pencil.

Be sure to fill in the entire circle on the answer sheet. If you change your answer, erase it as completely as possible.

Do not skip sections. Doing so could result in score cancellation and/or de-lays.

40

SAT Score Reports

The SAT Program provides students detailed information about their perform-ance on the SAT and/or SAT Subject Tests. Students receive their scores online free of charge. A few weeks after the test administration they can check their full online score report. All students can request to receive paper reports, which begin mailing about six weeks after the test. Students who register by paper and who do not have an online account will automatically receive a paper score report. For the first few administrations of the redesigned SAT, scores will take longer to re-port. For example, students should expect to receive SAT scores from the March administration in early May. This additional time is used for statistical analyses and to derive the concordance between the current and redesigned SAT.

a. Cumulative Score Reporting to Students and High Schools

The student’s score report contains scores from up to six previous SAT and six previous SAT Subject Test administrations, along with the most recent score. These scores are also sent to CCHS.

b. Online Score Reports

For students taking any of the SAT Suite of Assessments, their online score report allows them to see detailed and personalized information about their scores. To access the report, students should log in with their usernames and passwords to http://www.studentscores.collegeboard.org. They will see all of their SAT, SAT Subject, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9 score his-tory in one place.

41

My SAT Online Score Report helps students to:

Get detailed insights into how they performed on each component of the test, including responses by question type and difficulty.

Understand specifics about how the test is structured and scored.

See how their scores compare with those of nationally representative samples of students.

Determine whether they might benefit from taking the test again and working to improve their scores on a future test through targeted practice through Khan Academy and other resources.

Search for the right colleges, majors and careers based on their scores.

View a printable copy of their actual Essay response and see sample Essays that received various scores.

Sending Scores

Students have the following options for sending official score reports to colleges and scholarship programs:

Choose up to four institutions to receive scores at the time of registration. These score reports are sent at no additional charge and are available through the date listed on the student’s Admission Ticket (usually nine days after the test date).

Choose additional institutions at registration, or anytime after, to receive scores.

--Additional score reports are subject to a fee unless the student is eligible for a fee waiver.

--Ordering scores online is easy, but scores can also be ordered using the Addi-tional Score Report Request Form, which can be downloaded from sat.org/contact and select Send scores. Codes of score recipients are provided online.

42

Please note the following about sending additional scores:

Only score reports from completed and scored tests will be sent. Scores that have not yet been released, or from tests that the student has not yet taken, will not be included.

Scores are provided within three weeks after the request is received.

Rush reporting is available for an additional fee. Rush scores are normally sent two business days after the student’s request is received and processed.

If a student orders score reports with a registration, those reports will not go out until after the administration takes place. For example, if ordered in No-vember as part of a January registration, score reports will not be delivered un-til January scores are available in mid-February.

a. “Score Choice”

“Score Choice” gives students the option to send scores from selected or all SAT and SAT Subject Test dates, as requested by each institution’s score-use practice. “Score Choice” is optional, and if students choose not to use it, all scores will be sent automatically. “Score Choice” only affects scores submit-ted to colleges and universities and scholarship programs; all scores still ap-pear on score reports given to students and counselors. Since most colleges only consider students’ best scores, students should feel comfortable reporting scores from all of their test dates. Colleges and universities continue to follow their own score-use practices, which may vary from college to college. The College Board includes institutions' score-use practices as part of the score-sending process; however, students should check with the colleges to which they are applying to ensure that they report the right scores.

43

The College Board encourages students to use their registration score sends, since these are the quickest way to get scores to colleges and can often serve as a “demonstration of interest” in that college. “Demonstrations of inter-est” are often considered in a college’s admission decision. Additional infor-mation about “Score Choice” is available on the College Board website.

44

S E C T I O N 7

Additional Information on the SAT TestsHow Colleges and Universities Use Your Scores

The following list illustrates some of the ways SAT scores might be used at differ-ent colleges and universities:

Use SAT and SAT Subject Test scores to better understand other information in the applicant’s folder, such as grades and courses taken.

Include SAT and SAT Subject Test scores as predictors in an admissions index to determine basic qualifications, or for use in preliminary screening.

Review SAT and SAT Subject Test scores to identify students who might be “at risk” and who might benefit from special advisors, developmental programs, and/or persistence support.

Recruit students (through College Board Search or from among those who have sent scores) who have SAT scores similar to those of accepted or enrolled students at that institution.

Conduct research on SAT and SAT Subject scores and other criteria to identify characteristics used in decision making that predict success in course placement, completion of freshman year, and/or graduation.

Include information about SAT and SAT Subject Test scores (such as the middle 50 percent) of all applicants, accepted students, or enrolled freshmen in promotional materials so that students and counselors can develop an understanding of how the student might fit in that particular institution.

Use SAT Subject Test scores as placement tools to ensure students enroll in courses at the appropri-ate level.

Use SAT Subject Test scores to gain deeper insight into a student's achievement in specific subject areas.

Review SAT Subject Test scores to determine a student's readiness to take college-level courses in a specific subject area, relative to other students or prospective students at the institution.

The SAT with Essay provides an opportunity for students to provide evidence of their writing abili-ties and demonstrate college and career readiness proficiency. Colleges and universities are able to gain additional information about students’ proficiency in reading, writing, and analysis, as well as compare students’ SAT Essays with their application essays. The Essay is also used as additional in-formation for placement.

45

Test Design

To establish a strong foundation for validity, the new test design is based on the most current national and international research on the skills and knowledge needed for success in college and career. On an ongoing basis, the College Board will review student performance metrics to ensure that assessment questions and test forms are measuring the knowledge and skills they are intended to measure.

Review of the Changes to the SAT

As a review, please see the next page from the College Board for a table which pro-vides a comparison of the major features of the current SAT and the redesigned SAT.

46

Comparison of the Major Features: Current SAT vs. Redesigned SAT

47

Category Current SAT Redesigned SAT

Total Testing Time*

*Redesigned SAT testing time subject to research

3 hours and 45 minutes 3 hours [plus 50 minutes for the Essay (optional)]

Components

1. Critical Reading2. Writing3. Mathematics4. Essay

1. Evidence-Based Reading and Wring• Reading Test• Writing and Language Test

2. Math3. Essay (optional)

Important Features

• Emphasis on general reasoning skills

• Emphasis on vocabulary, often in limited contexts

• Complex scoring (a point for a correct answer and a deduction for an incorrect answer; blank responses have no impact on scores)

• Continued emphasis on reasoning alongside a clearer, stronger focus on the knowledge, skills, and understandings most important for college and career readiness and success.

• Greater emphasis on the meaning of words in extended contexts and on how word choice shapes meaning, tone, and impact

• Rights-only scoring (a point for a correct answer but no deduction for an incorrect answer; blank responses have no impact on scores

Essay

• Required and given at the beginning of the SAT

• 25 minutes to write the essay• Tests writing skill; students take

a position on a presented issue

• Optional and given at the end of the SAT; postsecondary institutions determine whether they will require the Essay for admission

• 50 minutes to write the Essay• Tests reading, analysis, and

writing skills; students produce a written analysis of a provided source text

Score Reporting*

*Redesigned SAT scores subject to research

• Scale ranging from 600 to 2400• Scale ranging from 200 to 800

for Critical Reading; 200 to 800 for Mathematics; 200 to 800 for Writing

• Essay results scaled to multiple-choice Writing

• Scale ranging from 400 to 1600• Scale ranging from 200 to 800

for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing; 200 to 800 for Math; 2 to 8 on each of three traits for Essay

• Essay results reported separately

Subscore Reporting None

Subscores for every test, providing added insight for students, parents, admission officers, educators, and counselors

S E C T I O N 8

Extended Time and Other AccomodationsStudents with documented learning disabilities (from a public school I.E.P. or test-ing by a professional in the private sector) may take the ACT and SAT tests with extended time or other accommodations. Please contact the Director of the Learning Center for the requirements and documentation required.

48

C H A P T E R 3

Types of Colleges

In this section, we will offer information on those schools that fall into one of the following five categories:

The California State University System (CSU)

The University of California System (UC)

Private Colleges and Universities

Military Academies

Community Colleges

49

S E C T I O N 1

The California State University SystemThe California State University (CSU) is the largest, the most diverse, and one of the most affordable university systems in the country. The CSU offers more than 1,800 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in some 357-subject areas. Cur-rent enrollment totals approximately 460,000 students, taught and assisted by some 47,000 faculty and staff. The CSU plays a critical role in preparing outstand-ing candidates for the job market. With 95,000+ annual graduates, the CSU is the state’s greatest producer of bachelor’s degrees and drives California’s economy in the agriculture, information technology, business, hospitality, life sciences, health care, public administration, education, media and entertainment industries (all in-formation on the CSU from CSUMentor and the California State University web-site, www.calstate.edu).

50

Requirements for Admission to Cal State Universities

The CSU requires a minimum 15-unit pattern of courses for admission as a first-time freshman. Each unit is equal to a year of study in a subject area. A grade of C or higher is required for each course you use to meet any subject requirement.

Please note that if you can demonstrate competency in a language other than Eng-lish that is equivalent to or higher than that expected of students who have com-pleted two years of language other than English study, you may be allowed a waiver for this language requirement. For further information, contact the CSU campuses to which you are applying.

51

Area Subject Years

a.History and Social Science (including one year of U.S. history

or one semester of US History and one semester of civics or American government AND one year of social science)

2

b. English (four years of college preparatory English composition and literature) 4

c. Math (four years is recommended) including algebra I, geometry, algebra II, or higher mathematics (take one each year) 3

d. Laboratory Science (including one biological science and one physical science) 2

e. Language Other than English (two years of the same language; American Sign Language is applicable) 2

f. Visual and Performing Arts (dance, drama or theater, music, or visual art) 1

g. College Preparatory Elective (additional year chosen from the University of California “A-G” list) 1

Total Required Courses 15

The California State University Freshman Eligibility Index

Students must meet the CSU Eligibility Index using their grade point average and test scores to be admitted to the CSU. California residents must have a minimum eligibility index of 694 using ACT scores or 2900 using SAT scores. The ACT score component for CSU is the composite score. The SAT score component for CSU is the sum of the mathematics and critical reading scores. Neither ACT nor SAT writing scores are included in the calculation of the CSU Eligibility Index.

To calculate your eligibility index, first calculate your grade point average (see di-rections below), then use one of the following formulas based on whether you are using your ACT or SAT score:

--ACT Scores: (Your GPA) x 200 + (10 x ACT Comp) = Your Eligibility Index

--SAT Scores: (Your GPA) x 800 + Your SAT Total = Your Eligibility Index

The grades you earn in high school are the most impor-tant factor in CSU admission decisions. Your high school GPA is calculated using the total number of grade points you earned, divided by the to-tal number of units you took. For all your college prep “a-g” (UC "a-g" course list) work completed in the 10th and 11th grades, you will receive the following points per grade earned: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0. Your 9th-grade courses do not count in your GPA calculation (however, please note that Cal Poly SLO counts 9th grade). Plus and minus grades do not affect the GPA calculation.

52

The CSU assigns extra points for up to eight semesters of approved honors level, AP or IB courses taken in the last three years of high school: A=5 points, B=4 points, C=3 points. No more than two approved honors level courses taken in the tenth grade may be given extra points. Extra points cannot be earned for honors, IB or Advanced Placement courses where the grade of D was received. In order to be an “approved honors level course,” that high school course must be identi-fied as honors level on the CCHS high school “a-g” course list.

Courses taken in the summer are counted in the grade level AFTER the summer in which you took the course (for example, Geometry taken between the 9th and 10th grades is listed as a 10th grade class).

1. Repeating Courses

Courses used to satisfy the “a-g” requirements for the first time in the 10th-12th grades in which D or F grades are earned are treated as subject omis-sions. If the courses are not repeated, the D or F grades are used in calculat-ing the GPA. If you have repeated a course, you will only count the course in which you receive the higher grade.

53

2. Subject Matter Validation

For all courses in mathematics (c), all courses in language other than English (e), and for all chemistry courses (d), if you receive a grade of “D” in the first semester and a grade of “C” or higher in the second semester, you will re-ceive two semesters of subject requirement credit.

Satisfactory completion of a final year of study validates prior study in math, language other than English, and chemistry. Completion of an advanced course in the same subject presupposes knowledge of the previous course(s).

In mathematics:

A grade of C or better in the second semester of a mathematics course validates a D/F in the first semester

A grade of C or better in the first semester of algebra II validates both semesters of algebra I, but it will NOT validate geometry.

A grade of C or better in trigonometry or pre-calculus validates the entire high school college pre-paratory requirement

A grade of C or better in statistics for which algebra II is a stated prerequisite will validate only Al-gebra I and Algebra II, not geometry

For language other than English:

A grade of C or better in in a second semester of a higher-level course validates a lower-level course

A higher-level LOTE course can validate the appropriate number of years based on the level

A college course can validate a high school LOTE course; the level of validation depends on the college course prerequisite and description

For chemistry:

A grade of C or better in the second semester of chemistry will validate the first semester.

54

Test Score Requirements

As you can see in the Eligibility Index above, test scores are required unless you have a grade point average above 3.0 and are a resident of California. Even if you have a GPA above 3.0, it is useful to take either an ACT or SAT, as the score may indicate if you do not need to take English and math placement tests after you are admitted and before you enroll at the CSU. In addition, while ACT/SAT test scores are not required to establish the admission eligibility of California resi-dents with high school GPAs of 3.0 or above, impacted campuses and impacted first-time freshmen enrollment categories often include test scores among the sup-plemental criteria required of all applicants to those campuses and enrollment categories.

As mentioned before, the CSU uses a combination of your high school grade point average and your score on either an ACT or SAT. The CSU collects but does not use the Writing Scores on the ACT or SAT for admission decisions.

1. Sending ACT Scores to the CSU

When registering for the ACT, if you list a CSU campus as a score report re-cipient, you can use the ACT Scores Manager to release your score to addi-tional campuses. Before you can use the ACT Scores Manager, you must first have arranged for your scores to be sent to a CSU campus.

To use the ACT Scores Manager, you must log on with your CSUMentor ac-count and complete an online form. If the system locates your ACT informa-tion, the ACT test information available for release will appear. You may se-lect any of the ACT tests available for release and send them to any CSU campus or campuses.

55

If a match is made from data in your undergraduate admissions application, available ACT test information will be displayed at the end of the application process and you may release these scores to the campus to which you are ap-plying.

If you do not arrange for your ACT scores to be sent to a CSU campus when you register or test, you can send scores later by going to www.actstudent.org/scores/send/index.html.

2. Sending SAT Scores to the CSU

When filling out the SAT score report form, you should list CSUMentor as a SAT score recipient. The SAT institution code for CSUMentor is 3594. List-ing 3594 will send your score to all CSU campuses for one price. CSUMen-tor will then store your scores for ALL CSU campuses to utilize. Please go to sat.collegeboard.org/scores/ to send scores to either a CSU campus or to CSUMentor.

Selection and Improving Your Chances for Admission

The key to improving your chances for admission is under your control. Working hard, earning good grades, and taking the right classes will improve your chances for admission. Taking either the ACT or SAT on a timely basis is also helpful. Re-member that you must meet the minimum CSU admission requirements, but high-demand majors and competitive admission campuses may require higher standards.

56

Impacted CSU Campuses and Majors

Campus impaction (otherwise known as campus-wide impaction) means that a campus has exhausted existing enrollment capacity in terms of the instructional re-sources and physical capacity of the campus. Because the campus receives more eligible applicants during the initial admission application filing period than can be accommodated, the campus must restrict enrollment to the campus for a spe-cific enrollment category (i.e., first-time freshmen). Therefore, impacted campuses are authorized to use supplementary admission criteria to screen applications.

Across the CSU, higher standards than the basic admission standards are used for high demand majors. These high demand majors are referred to as impacted ma-jors. A major may be declared impacted when the campus receives more eligible applicants than it can accommodate during the initial filing period (October 1 through November 30 for the following fall term). Several programs may be im-pacted at one or more but not necessarily all of the campuses offering the pro-gram. If you are interested in an impacted major, you will be subject to additional admission criteria and might not be accepted into the program. In order to maxi-mize your options for study at CSU, you should apply to additional campuses within the CSU system. Applicants should review program descriptions in cam-pus catalogs before filing their application since similarly named programs may dif-fer from campus to campus. Students should be aware that if they are applying to an impacted major, they can still be admitted to the campus in an alternate major or they may eventually be admitted to the over-subscribed major provided they meet the supplementary admission criteria.

Students interested in an impacted campus or major must apply for admission dur-ing the initial admission application filing period of October 1 through November 30 for fall admission. Applicants to majors that are impacted at every CSU cam-pus where offered should apply to additional CSU campuses to maximize opportu-nity for admission. Impacted campuses and majors accept no applications for ad-mission after the initial filing period.

57

Due to the ever-changing climate at all CSU campuses, students should refer to www.calstate.edu/SAS/impactioninfo.shtml for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding impacted campuses and majors at the CSU.

a. Impacted Programs—Supplementary Admission Criteria

In such instances where an undergraduate campus or major is designated as impacted, CSU campuses have been authorized to use supplementary admis-sion criteria to screen applicants. These supplementary admission criteria may include, but are not limited to the following:

Cease accepting admission applications at the conclusion of the initial fil-ing period;

Require submission of the ACT or SAT regardless of the high school grade point average;

Rank order first-time freshmen by eligibility index;

Set a higher minimum eligibility index than required for CSU admission;

Review additional characteristics such as socioeconomic or educational factors, space availability in a program or major, indications of overcom-ing educational obstacles, or exceptional talents; and

Require completion of specified lower-division general education require-ments for transfer applicants.

58

Approximate Expenses for Cal State Schools

For 2015-16, California residents attending a California State University campus as an undergraduate will pay the systemwide Tuition Fee, which is currently $5,472 per academic year for students enrolling in more than six units per term and $3,174 for undergraduates enrolling in six or fewer units. Each campus also has mandatory fees that all students must pay, and these fees vary by campus. Stu-dents will also have expenses for books and supplies, food and housing, transporta-tion, and other miscellaneous personal expenses while attending college. These ex-penses vary depending on where the student lives while attending college, and also depending on where in the state the student’s college residence is located. Since the CSU has 23 campuses throughout the state, the variation in living costs can be significant. Please view the following page for the 2015-2016 Standard Student Expense Budget for all of the CSU’s campuses.

59

60

Bak

ersf

ield

C

hann

el Is

land

sC

hico

D

omin

guez

Hill

sEa

st B

ayFr

esno

Fu

llert

on

Hum

bold

t Lo

ng B

each

Lo

s An

gele

s M

ariti

me

Mon

tere

y B

ay

Livi

ng W

ith P

aren

tsTo

tal F

ees

$6,8

11$6

,532

$7,0

22$6

,278

$6,5

64$6

,311

$6,4

36$7

,190

$6,4

52$6

,344

$6,7

86$6

,119

Boo

ks a

nd S

uppl

ies

$1,8

60$1

,860

$1,7

64$1

,764

$1,5

00$1

,794

$1,8

60$1

,628

$1,8

60$1

,860

$1,6

36$1

,311

Food

and

Hou

sing

$4,7

70$4

,770

$4,7

70$4

,770

$4,7

70$4

,770

$4,7

70$4

,782

$4,7

70$4

,770

$4,7

70$4

,770

Tran

spor

tatio

n$1

,485

$1,4

84$1

,084

$1,4

78$1

,314

$1,1

68$1

,450

$1,0

52$1

,486

$1,4

85$1

,126

$1,4

85

Per

sona

l$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

90$1

,392

$1,3

78$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92

Tota

l Bud

get

$16,

318

$16,

038

$16,

032

$15,

682

$15,

540

$15,

433

$15,

908

$16,

030

$15,

960

$15,

851

$15,

710

$15,

077

Livi

ng In

Cam

pus

Hou

sing

Tota

l Fee

s$6

,811

$6,5

32$7

,022

$6,2

78$6

,564

$6,3

11$6

,436

$7,1

90$6

,452

$6,3

44$6

,786

$6,1

19

Boo

ks a

nd S

uppl

ies

$1,8

60$1

,860

$1,7

64$1

,764

$1,5

00$1

,794

$1,8

60$1

,628

$1,8

60$1

,860

$1,6

36$1

,311

Food

and

Hou

sing

$12,

561

$14,

858

$12,

234

$12,

790

$12,

849

$9,1

08$1

4,57

4$1

2,11

4$1

1,88

0$1

2,83

4$1

1,75

6$1

0,54

2

Tran

spor

tatio

n$1

,380

$1,3

80$1

,084

$856

$1,1

82$8

90$1

,380

$1,0

52$1

,380

$1,3

80$8

56$8

55

Per

sona

l$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

90$1

,392

$1,3

78$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92

Tota

l Bud

get

$24,

004

$26,

022

$23,

496

$23,

080

$23,

487

$19,

493

$25,

642

$23,

362

$22,

964

$23,

810

$22,

426

$20,

219

Livi

ng O

ff C

ampu

sTo

tal F

ees

$6,8

11$6

,532

$7,0

22$6

,278

$6,5

64$6

,311

$6,4

36$7

,190

$6,4

52$6

,344

$6,7

86$6

,119

Boo

ks a

nd S

uppl

ies

$1,8

60$1

,860

$1,7

64$1

,764

$1,5

00$1

,794

$1,8

60$1

,628

$1,8

60$1

,860

$1,6

36$1

,311

Food

and

Hou

sing

$12,

380

$13,

434

$10,

996

$12,

888

$12,

849

$11,

594

$13,

434

$12,

114

$12,

492

$13,

434

$11,

984

$14,

434

Tran

spor

tatio

n$1

,446

$1,4

46$1

,084

$1,4

78$1

,314

$1,3

14$1

,450

$1,0

52$1

,446

$1,4

46$1

,270

$1,4

47

Per

sona

l$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

90$1

,392

$1,3

78$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92

Tota

l Bud

get

$23,

889

$24,

664

$22,

258

$23,

800

$23,

619

$22,

403

$24,

572

$23,

362

$23,

642

$24,

476

$23,

068

$24,

703

Nor

thrid

ge

Pom

ona

Sacr

amen

to

San

Ber

nard

ino

San

Die

go S

an D

iego

-Sa

n Fr

anci

sco

San

Jose

San

Lui

s O

bisp

o*Sa

n M

arco

s So

nom

a St

anis

laus

Livi

ng W

ith P

aren

tsIm

peria

l Val

ley

Tota

l Fee

s$6

,564

$6,9

76$6

,872

$6,5

79$6

,976

$5,7

06$6

,476

$7,3

78$9

,000

$7,2

64$7

,324

$6,7

04

Boo

ks a

nd S

uppl

ies

$1,8

60$1

,650

$1,7

64$1

,764

$1,8

04$1

,804

$1,8

60$1

,860

$1,8

12$1

,764

$1,7

64$1

,780

Food

and

Hou

sing

$4,7

70$4

,770

$4,7

70$4

,770

$4,1

97$4

,197

$4,7

70$4

,770

$4,7

70$4

,770

$4,7

70$4

,770

Tran

spor

tatio

n$1

,484

$1,3

00$1

,134

$1,1

34$1

,499

$1,4

99$1

,486

$1,4

85$1

,200

$1,1

32$1

,484

$1,3

50

Per

sona

l$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92

Tota

l Bud

get

$16,

070

$16,

088

$15,

932

$15,

639

$15,

868

$14,

598

$15,

984

$16,

885

$18,

174

$16,

322

$16,

734

$15,

996

Livi

ng In

Cam

pus

Hou

sing

Tota

l Fee

s$6

,564

$6,9

76$6

,872

$6,5

79$6

,976

$5,7

06$6

,476

$7,3

78$9

,000

$7,2

64$7

,324

$6,7

04

Boo

ks a

nd S

uppl

ies

$1,8

60$1

,650

$1,7

64$1

,764

$1,8

04$1

,804

$1,8

60$1

,860

$1,8

12$1

,764

$1,7

64$1

,780

Food

and

Hou

sing

$9,9

62$1

5,23

8$1

3,46

0$9

,372

$15,

826

$15,

826

$13,

434

$14,

217

$12,

009

$13,

240

$12,

814

$9,5

08

Tran

spor

tatio

n$1

,380

$900

$864

$999

$1,4

53$1

,453

$1,4

86$1

,380

$1,2

00$8

62$1

,380

$980

Per

sona

l$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92

Tota

l Bud

get

$21,

158

$26,

156

$24,

352

$20,

106

$27,

451

$26,

181

$24,

648

$26,

227

$25,

413

$24,

522

$24,

674

$20,

364

Livi

ng O

ff C

ampu

sTo

tal F

ees

$6,5

64$6

,976

$6,8

72$6

,579

$6,9

76$5

,706

$6,4

76$7

,378

$9,0

00$7

,264

$7,3

24$6

,704

Boo

ks a

nd S

uppl

ies

$1,8

60$1

,650

$1,7

64$1

,764

$1,8

04$1

,804

$1,8

60$1

,860

$1,8

121,

764

$1,7

64$1

,780

Food

and

Hou

sing

$10,

996

$12,

792

$11,

970

$10,

998

$11,

444

$11,

444

$13,

434

$13,

434

$12,

009

$12,

826

$13,

434

$11,

500

Tran

spor

tatio

n$1

,446

$1,3

00$1

,278

$1,2

78$1

,864

$1,8

64$1

,486

$1,4

47$1

,200

$1,2

76$1

,446

$1,3

50

Per

sona

l$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92$1

,392

$1,3

92

Tota

l Bud

get

$22,

258

$24,

110

$23,

276

$22,

011

$23,

480

$22,

210

$24,

648

$25,

511

$25,

413

$24,

522

$25,

360

$22,

726

*Fee

s va

ry b

ased

on

stud

ent's

pro

gram

or c

olle

ge

The

Cal

iforn

ia S

tate

Uni

vers

ity 2

015-

2016

Sta

ndar

d St

uden

t Exp

ense

Bud

get

Bud

get C

ateg

ory

Expe

nse

Bud

get C

ateg

ory/

Expe

nse

For an additional comparative view of fees and costs, as well as setting and loca-tion information, of each campus of the California State University system, please use the following link: http://www.csumentor.edu/select/compareview/.

Please note that fees listed in published schedules or student accounts may need to be increased when public funding is inadequate. Therefore, CSU must reserve the right, even after initial fee payments are made, to increase or modify any listed fees, without notice, until the date when instruction for a particular semester or quarter has begun. All CSU listed fees should be regarded as estimates that are subject to change upon approval by the Board of Trustees.

To learn about financial aid at the CSU, please check on CSUMentor. For gen-eral information, visit Financial Aid Overview; if you have additional questions, visit the Financial Aid section of the Frequently Asked Questions.

61

When to Apply and Other Admission Requirements for the Cal State Schools

Applications are available online at www.csumentor.edu and should be sent Octo-ber 1 - November 30. Please check the websites for each individual campus for fur-ther details and testing deadlines. After the initial application period, some cam-puses continue to accept applications on a space-available basis, so be sure to check the Application Status page for the campus(es) in which you are interested. Each admission application you file requires a $55 application fee. This fee is non-refundable and may not be transferred to another term. In case of financial hard-ship, campuses allow a limited number of application fee waivers for residents of California. When applying via CSUMentor, the fee waiver request is included in the online system as part of the application process. You will be notified at the time you apply online if you qualify for the fee waiver. In situations where the on-line application is unable to determine your eligibility for a fee waiver, you will need to submit the “Request for Application Fee Waiver” directly to the campus admission office(s). The campus will inform you if you do not qualify for the fee waiver. Students may use a maximum of four fee waivers.

Each campus has its own timeline for notifying students of admission. Some cam-puses begin notifying applicants of an admission decision soon after the receipt of an application and all necessary documents. Other campuses notify all applicants at the same time. It is not uncommon for there to be a several-month period be-fore admission decisions are mailed to the applicants.

Provisional Admission

Each Cal State campus may provisionally admit first-time freshman applicants based on their academic preparation through the junior year of high school and planned for the senior year. The campus will monitor the senior year of study to ensure that admitted students complete their senior year of studies satisfactorily, in-cluding the required college preparatory subjects, and graduate from high school.

62

Students are required to submit an official transcript after graduation to certify that all course work has been satisfactorily completed. Official high school tran-scripts must be received prior to the deadline set by the university. In no case may documentation of high school graduation be received any later than the census date for a student’s first term of CSU enrollment.

A campus may rescind admission decisions, cancel financial aid awards, withdraw housing contracts and cancel any university registration for students who are found not to be eligible after the final transcript has been evaluated.

Applicants will qualify for regular (non-provisional) admission when the university verifies that they have graduated and received a diploma from high school, have a qualifiable minimum eligibility index, have completed the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory “a-g” subjects, and, if applying to an impacted program, have met all supplementary criteria.

63

Early Start Program

Entering resident freshmen who are not proficient in math or “at risk” in English will need to start the remediation process before their first term at a CSU. All new freshmen students who have not demonstrated college-readiness in mathematics and English will need to begin work on becoming ready for college-level mathe-matics and English by entering the “Early Start” program. In particular, Early Start is required for incoming students who have not fulfilled the Entry Level Math and/or English Placement Test proficiency requirements.

Students are required to participate in the Early Start Program if their Entry Level Mathematics Exam (ELM) score is less than 50 and/or their English Place-ment Test (EPT) score is less than 147 (students are required to take these exams if they are not deemed exempt based on ACT/SAT/AP scores, etc.). Newly admit-ted freshman students who are required to complete Early Start will be notified of the requirement and options for completing the program as part of campus com-munications to newly admitted students. Early Start math and English courses are available at every CSU campus, at a few community colleges, and online. Finan-cial aid is available for those who demonstrate need.

Housing at the CSU

Students should contact the Housing Office at the campus they wish to attend to learn about housing on and off campus and housing applications should be sub-mitted before any deadline dates. Some campuses may have additional require-ments or early deadlines for campus housing. It is important to note that students are not automatically eligible for housing if they apply for admission and are ad-mitted.

64

S E C T I O N 2

The University of California System (UC)The University of California is one of the finest research universities in the world. Undergraduates find an unmatched range of distinguished academic programs, more of which are rated among the top 10 nationally than at any other public or private university. There are nine undergraduate campuses (UC San Francisco is devoted to the health sciences, offering professional programs in dentistry, medi-cine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy and dental hygiene, as well as graduate programs in the health and social sciences). The 10 campuses offer more than 700 majors, with even more emphases. The UC family includes more than 238,000 students, more than 190,000 faculty and staff, and more than 1.7 million living alumni (all information on this section from the University of California website, www.universityofcalifornia.edu).

1. Map of the University of California Campuses

65

!

Freshman Eligibility Requirements

For California high school seniors to be entitled to a comprehensive review of their applications at each University of California campus to which they apply, stu-dents must satisfy the three following minimum admission requirements:

Complete a minimum of 15 UC-required college-preparatory (“a-g”) courses, with at least 11 finished prior to the beginning of the start of 12th grade

Earn a GPA of 3.0 or better in these courses with no grade lower than a C

Meet the examination requirement by taking the ACT Plus Writing or the SAT with Essay by December of your senior year; SAT Subject Tests are not required, but certain programs on some campuses recommend them

Applicants should be reminded that admission to the University of California is competitive, and most applicants present more than the minimum requirements when applying for admission.

Each of the three admission requirements is described below.

a. “A-G” Subject Requirement:

Freshman applicants will be required to complete a minimum of 15 yearlong “a-g” courses in grades 9-12. Seven of these courses must be taken in the last two years of high school. Eleven of the 15 required courses must be com-pleted by the end of 11th grade in order for applicants to receive a review of their application. No particular course pattern is required to apply for admis-sion; however, a specific 11-course pattern is required for consideration in UC's Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) program (described in a section below) and must be completed prior to the beginning of 12th grade. Courses taken in summer school after 11th grade will be considered. Although a mini-mum of 11 courses are required for admissions consideration, completion of at least the full 15 yearlong college-preparatory required courses will be ex-pected of all students by the end of their senior year. (Although not covered in this Guide, students may also meet subject requirements by completing col-lege courses or earning certain scores on SAT, Advanced Placement or Inter-national Baccalaureate exams; please see the UC website for more informa-tion).

66

a: History/Social Science -- Two Years Required

Two units (equivalent to two years) of history/social science, including one year of world history, cultures, and historical geography; and one year of U.S. history or one-half year of U.S. history and one-half year of civ-ics or American government.

b: English -- Four Years Required

Four units (equivalent to four years) of college-preparatory English composition and literature, integrat-ing: extensive reading of classic and modern literature and content-rich works of nonfiction; frequent writing, from brainstorming to final paper; and practice listening and speaking with different audiences. No more than one year of an ESL/ELD course can be used to meet the four-year requirement. A non-ESL/ELD college-prep English course is required in the senior year; a senior-year-level course in English composition/literature is not specifically required.

c: Mathematics -- Three Years Required, Four Years Strongly Recommended

Three units (equivalent to three years) of college-preparatory math, including or integrating the topics covered in elementary and advanced algebra and two- and three-dimensional geometry. Math courses com-pleted in the seventh and/or eighth grades and approved integrated math courses may be used to satisfy part or all of this requirement. A math course (e.g., algebra) taken over three or four semesters is acceptable; it will earn only one year of credit.

d: Laboratory Science -- Two Years Required, Three Years Strongly Recommended

Two units (equivalent to two years) of laboratory science providing fundamental knowledge in two of the following: biology, chemistry and physics. The final two years of an approved three-year integrated science pro-gram that provides rigorous coverage of at least two of the three foundational subjects may be used to fulfill this requirement.

e: Language other than English -- Two Units (equivalent to two years or through the second level of high school instruction) Required, Three Units (equivalent to three years or through the third level of high school instruction) Recommended

Two years of the same language including emphasis on speaking and understanding, development of aware-ness and understanding of the cultural context around the target language, practice with reading and composi-tion, and instruction on grammar and vocabulary. Language courses taken in seventh and/or eighth grades may be used to satisfy part of this requirement. American Sign Language and classical languages, such as Latin and Greek, are acceptable.

f: Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) – One Unit (equivalent to one year or two one-semester courses from the same discipline) Required

One year chosen from the following disciplines: dance, music, theater, visual arts (e.g., painting, web/graphic design, film/video, inter/multimedia arts)

g: College Preparatory Electives – One Unit Required

One year (two semesters), in addition to those required in “a-f ” areas above, or one year (two semesters) approved in the elective category.

67

The courses taken to fulfill the Subject Requirement must be on Cathedral Catholic High School’s University-certified course list. To review what cur-rent CCHS courses meet the requirements for admission to the UC, visit http://www.ucop.edu/agguide/.

b. GPA Requirement:

In order to be considered for admission, applicants must have earned a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better in all “a-g” courses completed in grades 10 and 11, with no grade lower than a C. The UC awards extra grade points for grades received in approved honors-level courses to a maximum of eight semesters, including no more than four semesters taken in the 10th grade.

All campuses use the same method of calculating a preliminary grade point average. UC calculates the GPA based on all “a-g” subjects completed in grades 10 and 11. This includes summer sessions; the courses taken the sum-mer after the ninth grade are reported with 10th-grade courses, and the courses taken the summer after 11th grade are considered 11th-grade courses. Grades earned for courses completed in the ninth grade are not counted in the GPA—if the course was completed with a grade of C or bet-ter, however, it can be used to meet the Subject Requirement.

To calculate the GPA, point values are assigned to the grades a student earns in these courses, and the total is divided by the number of “a-g” course units. Points are assigned as follows: A=4 points, B=3 points, C=2 points, D=1 point, and F=0 points. Pluses and minuses are not used; for example, a B-plus, a B and a B-minus are each assigned 3 points.

68

The University assigns an extra grade point for each successfully completed semester of a UC-certified honors-level, Advanced Placement and/or desig-nated International Baccalaureate course, and also for transferable college-level courses in the “a-g” subjects. Students may earn up to eight semesters of honors points. Grades of D are not assigned extra points.

A maximum of four semesters of honors courses taken in grade 10 are as-signed honors grade points. Honors points will be awarded for honors courses taken in 10th grade only if they have been certified by the University as honors-level courses.

A student’s GPA is based on semester grades, unless the high school gives only year grades.

Repeating Courses

For freshman applicants, a grade of C or better is required to fulfill a subject requirement. D and F grades are not acceptable and must be cleared by re-peating a class, completing advanced work in the same subject area of se-quential knowledge (math or language other than English) or attaining cer-tain minimum scores on SAT, AP or IB examinations.

There is no limit to the number of repeated courses applicants may present. The University of California does not accept pass/fail grades for freshman admission. If a student repeats a course used to satisfy the "a-g" require-ments in which he or she originally earned a grade of C or higher, the re-peated grade will not be used in calculating the GPA. The student must self-report the grades for both courses on the application, and the University will determine which course and grade will be used in the GPA calculation.

69

Validation

When a student has successfully completed advanced work (earning a grade of C or better) in an area of sequential knowledge, the student is presumed to have completed the lower-level coursework (e.g., Spanish 2, successfully completed, validates Spanish 1). Validation can occur with just a semester of a higher-level course. For freshman applicants, validation applies to courses in mathematics and languages other than English (please note that UC does not allow the validation of chemistry).

Some examples in mathematics:

A grade of C or better in the second semester of a mathematics course validates a D/F in the first semester.

A grade of C or better in the first semester of algebra II validates both se-mesters of algebra I.

A grade of C or better in trigonometry or pre-calculus validates the en-tire high school college preparatory requirement.

--Please note that the omission of a geometry course (or a series of integrated math courses containing geometry content) cannot be validated by any higher-level coursework. However, the omission of the first semester of ge-ometry can be validated by successful completion of the second semester.

Examples in language other than English:

A grade of C or better in a higher-level course validates a lower-level

course.

A higher-level LOTE course can validate the appropriate number of years based on the level.

A college course can validate a high school LOTE course. The level of

validation depends on the college course prerequisite and description.

70

Please be aware that validation is not the same as repeating a course to clear the initial D or F grade. If a student uses a higher-level course to validate a lower-level course, both grades are used in calculating the GPA.

c. Exam Requirements

Freshman applicants must submit the following test scores: ACT Plus Writ-ing or SAT with Essay. SAT Subject Tests are no longer required for admis-sion; however, students may submit scores if they wish to showcase academic mastery, just as scores on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaure-ate tests show ability and subject mastery. Competitive majors on some cam-puses may recommend particular SAT Subject Tests to demonstrate subject proficiency. Please see the section below for additional information on SAT Subject Tests.

Students applying for admission for the fall term must take these tests no later than December of their senior year, and preferably earlier.

Students should report their ACT and/or SAT score on their application, and then request that an official copy of the scores be sent to UC from the testing agency. Students can have their official score report sent to one UC campus, and all campuses they apply to will receive it.

Students are advised to have the testing agencies report all scores. The Uni-versity will use the highest scores from a single test administration.

For the ACT Plus Writing Test, the University will focus on the highest com-bined score from the same test administration.

71

For the SAT with Essay, the University will focus on the highest total score from a single test date. The UCs require all scores and will use the highest scores from a single administration.

1. SAT Subject Tests

While SAT Subject Tests are not required for admission to the Univer-sity, some campuses recommend that students take certain SAT Subject Tests for specific colleges, schools, and majors. Because they are only rec-ommendations, and not mandated, you will not be penalized for failing to take the SAT Subject Tests; however, they do add merit to your appli-cation. The following are recommended SAT Subject Tests for the cur-rent year. Please note that if a major you are interested in is not listed, then there is no recommendation at this time.

Berkeley

College of Chemistry and College of Engineering: Math Level 2 and a science test (Biology E/M, Chemistry, or Physics) closely related to the applicant’s intended major

Davis

SAT Subject Tests are not recommended for any area

Irvine

Henry Samueli School of Engineering: Math Level 2 and a science test (Biology E/M, Chemistry, or Physics) closely related to the applicant’s intended major

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences: Biology M, Chemistry, and/or Math Level 2

School of Physical Sciences: Chemistry and Math Level 2 for chemistry, earth system science, mathematics, and physics majors

Program in Public Health: Biology E, Biology M, and/or Chemistry for public health science ma-jors; Biology E, Biology M, and/or World History for public health policy majors

72

Los Angeles

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science: Math Level 2 and a science test (Biol-ogy E/M, Chemistry, or Physics) closely related to the applicant’s intended major

Merced

SAT Subject Tests are not recommended at this time

Riverside

College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and Bourns College of Engineering: Math Level 2 and Chemistry or Physics, for all majors

San Diego

Jacobs School of Engineering and Biological or Physical Sciences Majors: Math Level 2 and a sci-ence test (Biology E/M, Chemistry, or Physics) closely related to the applicant’s intended major

Santa Barbara

College of Engineering: Math Level 2

College of Creative Studies:

Math Level 2 for math majors

Math Level 2 and Physics for physics majors

Biology for biology majors

Chemistry for biochemistry and chemistry majors

Math Level 2 for computer science majors

Santa Cruz

SAT Subject Tests are not recommended for any area

73

Guaranteed Admission for California Residents

Two groups of California-resident students are guaranteed admission to a UC campus:

those who rank in the top nine percent of all high school graduates statewide, according to the UC’s admissions index. This is referred to as the Statewide path.

those who rank in the top nine percent of their own high school graduating class at the end of the 11th grade. This is referred to as “Eligible in the Local Context” (ELC).

It is important to understand, however, that these students are not guaranteed ad-mission to the UC campus or campuses to which they apply. Some campuses and majors are extremely competitive and aren’t able to accommodate every qualified student who wishes to attend. In those instances, students will be offered admis-sion to a UC campus with available space.

Students must complete the UC’s course and test-taking requirements by the end of their senior year in high school to be considered fully qualified to enroll.

a. Statewide Path

Students who are in the top nine percent of California high school graduates and aren't admitted to any of the UC campuses they apply to will be offered a spot at another campus if space is available. The UC uses a formula, called an admissions index, to determine if students fall in that group. They convert your ACT or SAT scores to a UC score, which they then match to your GPA. If your UC score is equal to or greater than the score required for your GPA, then you’re in the top nine percent of California high school graduates. To calculate if you will be in the top nine percent, you will first need to calculate your grade point average and convert your test scores to a UC Score total.

74

Please go to the following website for thorough instructions on this process and to review the UC admissions index for nine percent statewide: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/california-residents/admissions-index/.

b. Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC)

Under the Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) pathway, the top nine per-cent of students at each participating California high school can be desig-nated UC-eligible. If an ELC student is not admitted to a UC campus he or she applied to, the student will be offered admission to another UC campus if space is available. For a student to become ELC-eligible, the student must complete 11 UC-approved courses by the beginning of their senior year. The 11 units include:

a: History/social science 1 year

b: English 2 years

c: Mathematics 2 years

d: Laboratory Science 1 year

e: Language other than English 1 year

f: College-preparatory elective 4 yearlong courses (chosen from the subjects listed above or another course approved by the university)

Students must also have a GPA that meets or exceeds the school's benchmark ELC GPA (minimum 3.0). Benchmark GPA's are set using historical tran-script information to determine a cutoff for the top nine percent of the sen-ior class. Schools are periodically asked to submit transcripts so that the UC can monitor and adjust benchmark GPAs. 

75

As an applicant from California, your application will be automatically screened for ELC eligibility when you apply. There’s no extra paperwork.

After submitting the application, you can return to the My UC Application page to see whether or not you’ve been designated as being in the top 9 per-cent of your class.

For further information on the ELC program, go to the following website: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/california-residents/local-path/index.html.

76

The Selection Process

When UC campuses receive more qualified applicants than they have room to ac-commodate, they turn to something called comprehensive review. Using this proc-ess, evaluators look beyond test scores and grades to evaluate applicants’ academic achievements in light of the opportunities available to them and the capacity each student demonstrates to contribute to the intellectual life of the campus.

To guide the campuses in their comprehensive review of applicants, UC faculty de-veloped a list of 14 selection factors, which are listed in the table on page 78. All campuses place the highest importance on academic achievement in evaluating ap-plications. However, the evaluation process and specific weight (if any) given to each factor differs from campus to campus and year to year. The most current de-scriptions of how each campus applies these factors are available on the UC web-s i t e a t : http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/how-applications-reviewed/index.html.

Keep in mind that the pool of students who apply to UC is different every year. The level of academic performance you’ll need to be admitted to a particular cam-pus or major will vary as well. Acceptance rates depend on the number of other applicants, their academic qualifications, and the number of available spaces.

77

SELECTION FACTORS FOR FRESHMAN APPLICANTS

1. Academic grade point average in all completed “a-g” courses, including additional points for com-pleted UC-certified honors courses.

2. Scores on the ACT Plus Writing or SAT with Essayt (SAT Subject Tests are not required but are recommended by some majors on some campuses).

3. Number of, content of and performance in academic courses beyond the minimum “a-g” require-ments.

4. Number of and performance in UC-approved honors courses, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate Higher Level and transferable college courses.

5. Identification by UC as being ranked in the top nine percent of your high school class at the end of your junior year (Eligible in the Local Context or ELC).

6. Quality of your senior-year program as measured by the type and number of academic courses in progress or planned.

7. Quality of your academic performance relative to the educational opportunities available in your high school.

8. Outstanding performance in one or more specific subject areas.

9. Outstanding work in one or more special projects in any academic field of study.

10. Recent, marked improvement in academic performance as demonstrated by your academic GPA and the quality of coursework completed or in progress.

11. Special talents, achievements and awards in a particular field, such as visual and performing arts, communication or athletic endeavors; special skills, such as demonstrated written and oral profi-ciency in other languages; special interests, such as intensive study and exploration of other cul-tures; experiences that demonstrate unusual promise for leadership, such as significant community service or significant participation in student government; or other significant experiences or achievements that demonstrate your promise for contributing to the intellectual vitality of a cam-pus.

12. Completion of special projects undertaken in the context of your high school curriculum or in con-junction with special school events, projects or programs.

13. Academic accomplishments in light of your life experiences and special circumstances, including but not limited to: disabilities, low family income, first generation to attend college, need to work, disadvantaged social or educational environment, difficult personal and family situations or circum-stances, refugee status or veteran status.

14. Location of your secondary school and residence.

78

Impacted UC Campuses and Undergraduate Programs

Virtually all UC campuses may be considered impacted in the sense that simply meeting the eligibility requirements will not secure admission. Freshman Admis-sion Profiles, which summarize the academic qualifications of applicants and ad-mitted freshmen to each UC campus for fall 2015, are found online at: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/profiles/index.html. Please be cautious in drawing conclusions from this information. The data are useful only as a general guide to selectivity, rather than as a predictor of your chances for admission to a particular campus or program. These figures are preliminary, as of June 18, 2015. Some campuses admitted students after that date, which may af-fect their statistics. In addition, when reviewing the data, it is important to keep the following in mind:

The data reflect the selection process for fall 2015 applicants. The selection process may vary from year to year; therefore, the results may differ signifi-cantly.

Data for several colleges on a campus are grouped together, which masks the differences in the degree of competition for admission among them. Some campuses and colleges admit students directly into individual majors, and the degree of competition among majors may vary widely.

GPA is defined as a student’s grade point average in the “a-g” requirements. The average high school GPA listed for each campus is computed from 10th and 11th grade coursework, including up to eight honors courses. These GPAs are drawn from application data at the system-wide admissions office. Average exam scores are derived from the highest official reported scores from a single test administration.

79

Approximate Expenses at a UC School Per Year for California Residents

The chart below estimates the cost of attending UC for one year as a California resident undergraduate for 2015-16. For a significant proportion of UC students, these expenses are offset by grants and scholarships. In addition, the UC’s Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan ensures that, at a minimum, systemwide tuition and student services fees are covered for eligible students with parent total income of $80,000 or less. For more information on the Blue and Gold Plan, please visit http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/paying-for-uc/glossary/blue-and-gold/index.html.

When reviewing the chart, please note that a student’s total cost will vary depend-ing on his/her personal expenses and the campus he/she attends.

80

Estimated Average Costs for California Residents, 2015-16Estimated Average Costs for California Residents, 2015-16Estimated Average Costs for California Residents, 2015-16 Living On Campus Living Off Campus

Tuition and fees* $13,400 $13,400

Books and supplies $1,500 $1,500

Health insurance allowance/fee $2,100 $2,100

Room and board $14,200 $9,400

Personal/transportation $2,400 $3,100

TOTAL $33,600 $29,500

* California resident undergraduates at all UC campuses pay the same $12,240 in systemwide tuition and fees for 2015-16. The fees figure above includes the average cost of additional campus-based fees. Your total costs will vary depending on your personal expenses and the campus you attend. All fees are subject to change without notice.

When to Apply and Other Admission Requirements for UC Schools

The University offers a secure online application for students to complete. The on-line application period opens August 1 for the fall term. Students may apply to one or more of UC’s nine undergraduate campuses using a single application. There is a $70 application fee for each campus you select. These fees are not re-fundable and are subject to change. The UC will waive application fees for up to four campuses for students who otherwise would not be able to apply for admis-sion. Students who qualify for fee waivers and who select more than four cam-puses must pay $70 for each additional choice. To be accepted for the fee waiver program, a student’s family income and size must fall within specific guidelines. Students can apply automatically for a fee waiver within the online application.

The priority application period for UC schools is November 1-30. Students must apply during this period to be considered for an impacted program (actually for any program or school since most campuses fill up with priority applicants). Your application will be sent to the campus(es) you designate, and it will be considered simultaneously by each one. You may apply to different majors at different cam-puses.

81

Please remember that you must take the ACT Plus Writing or the SAT with Essay no later than December of your senior year to apply as a freshman for the fall term. Students can have their official score report sent to one UC campus, and all campuses they apply to will receive it.

Each campus you applied to during the filing period will notify you whether you have been admitted generally between March 1 and March 31. Each campus that accepts you for admission will issue you a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) form or direct you to a website where you can declare your intent to register. Use this form or website to indicate whether you accept or decline the admission offer. You are strongly encouraged to wait until you hear from each campus you have ap-plied to before you declare your intent to register as you may accept admission to one campus only and you may not transfer your acceptance from one campus to another after you declare your intent to register. A $100 nonrefundable deposit must accompany your acceptance. Students who are admitted as fall-term fresh-men must submit the SIR by May 1.

Provisional Admission

Offers of admission are provisional until the campus receives your final official transcript and verifies successful completion of all coursework required for UC eli-gibility. If any information on your application is found to be incomplete or inac-curate or your performance drops significantly during the senior year, the offer of admission may be revoked. Each campus provides newly admitted students with “Conditions for Admissions” that must be satisfied prior to enrollment.

Housing at UC

The housing office on each campus can provide you with complete information about UC and housing. Admission to UC does not guarantee your assignment to on-campus housing. If you want to live on campus, you should apply for UC hous-ing within the specified deadlines at each campus.

82

S E C T I O N 3

Private Colleges and UniversitiesThere are thousands of colleges in this category and admission requirements, costs, and when to apply vary greatly. Because of the disparities, general informa-tion is indicated below for this group of schools.

General Admission Requirements for Private Colleges and Universities

a. Subject Requirements

Although these will vary, the college is usually looking for a solid college-prep background: four years of English, two to four years of language other than English, two to four years of mathematics, two or three years of laboratory science and two or three years of history.

b. Grade Point Average and Test Requirements

As you know, your Grade Point Average (GPA) is an important factor in the college acceptance process. The more competitive the school, the higher the required GPA. Because private schools dictate their own entrance require-ments and acceptance policies, you will need to check with each individual school for how the GPA is calculated and what the average GPA is for ac-cepted undergraduates.

Just like the GPA, the more competitive the institution, the higher the test re-quirements. Again, you will need to check with each individual school for their testing requirements. Please note that when taking the ACT and the SAT, CCHS recommends that all students take the Writing/Essay portions of each test, as they will be required for many private schools. In addition, many schools will require SAT Subject Tests.

83

Some examples of average high school GPAs and test scores for admitted freshmen are listed below.

Please note that SAT Subject Test requirements also vary from school to school, and each school’s requirements need to be checked carefully before applying.

c. Teacher/Counselor Recommendations

Many schools will require letters of recommendation. Based on the admis-sion requirements of the school, you will most likely need to ask two teachers (whose classes you have done well) and your counselor if they will write you a recommendation. You will want to ask in person at least two weeks in ad-vance of the deadline the school has set for receiving the letters. In addition, you will need to fill out the Senior Recommendation Survey through Navi-ance, as it will allow the teachers and counselor to write the best letter possi-ble, and request letters of recommendation using Naviance as well.

Please see the next section in this Guide for the steps you will need to follow to get your private school applications completed.

84

School Average HS GPA

ACTComposite

Range

SATReading Range

SATMathRange

Loyola Marymount University 3.75 25-30 540-640 560-660

Santa Clara University 3.67 27-32 590-680 620-710

University of San Diego 3.90 26-30 560-650 570-670

University of San Francisco 3.60 22-27 510-620 530-630

University of Southern California

3.73 29-33 620-720 660-760

Information taken from The Best 380 Colleges, Princeton Review, 2016 EditionInformation taken from The Best 380 Colleges, Princeton Review, 2016 EditionInformation taken from The Best 380 Colleges, Princeton Review, 2016 EditionInformation taken from The Best 380 Colleges, Princeton Review, 2016 EditionInformation taken from The Best 380 Colleges, Princeton Review, 2016 Edition

d. Activity and Work Record

Most private schools will be very interested in the extent of your extracurricu-lar activities, such as: student government, school clubs, athletics, commu-nity service, science fair awards, etc. All other things being equal, the student with a record of varied and high-quality extracurricular involvement is more likely to be accepted than a student with only a high GPA and test scores.

e. Rank in Class

Cathedral Catholic High School does not share student ranking.

Approximate Expense at Private Schools (for nine months)

According to the College Board’s Annual Survey of Colleges, Trends in College Pric-ing 2015, published tuition and fees at private nonprofit four-year colleges and uni-versities averaged $31,283 in 2015-16. Average total charges, including tuition and fees and room and board, are $43,921. In 2015-16, full-time undergraduate students at private nonprofit four-year institutions receive an estimated average of about $17,520 in grant aid and federal tax benefits to help them pay for college. Please note that because final financial aid data for 2015-16 are not yet available, financial aid and the resulting prices for 2015-16 are preliminary estimates.

When to Apply and Other Admission Requirements

Check the application deadlines and required procedures for the schools you plan to apply to as they vary from school to school. Take the appropriate admissions tests as early in the first semester of your senior year as possible. Plan to get your applications in early, as it is always best to get them in as soon as possible, espe-cially for the more competitive schools or where on-campus housing is tied to appli-cation dates.

85

S E C T I O N 4

Military AcademiesOverview

There are five service academies in the United States: U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado; U.S. Coast Guard Academy, in New London, Con-necticut; U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York; U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York; and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. These institutions prepare college-age Americans to be officers of the United States uniformed services. Upon graduation, service academy graduates are commissioned as officers in the active or reserve components of the military, the Merchant Marine, or the U.S. Coast Guard for a minimum of five years.

When to Start the Process for Applying to a Military Academy

When a student wishes to apply to an academy, the earlier they begin to prepare, the better. Students should begin the application process at the beginning of the second semester of their junior year. Students should complete pre-candidate questionnaires, consider attending and apply for one of the academy’s summer seminars (described below), start ACT and SAT testing, and apply for nominations from an approved source.

Nominations

In order to attend a U.S. service academy (except the U.S. Coast Guard Academy), you must have a nomination and you should apply for all nominations for which you are eligible. At a minimum, candidates are eligible for a congressional nomina-tion from their representative in Congress, their two U.S. senators, and the vice president of the United States. There are also military affiliated nominations. Eli-gible applicants may apply for and receive a nomination in both categories. Only one nomination is required in order for an academy to offer you an appointment.

86

Applicants wishing to attend the U.S. Coast Guard Academy do not need a nomi-nation and must apply directly to the Academy.

Eligibility Requirements

Each applicant must meet the following basic eligibility requirements as of July 1 of the year they intend to enter a service academy:

Age: Must be at least 17 years old and not have passed their 23rd birthday (age 17 to 25 for the Merchant Marine)

Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen

Marital Status: Must be unmarried, not pregnant and without legal obligation to support children or other dependents

Skill/Fitness: Must meet the medical, physical and academic requirements of the academy

For those students who have earned college credits while in high school, those cred-its are not transferable. However, if you receive a nomination and an appoint-ment, you will be tested and placed at an appropriate academic level upon enter-ing the academy.

Strong math and science courses in high school help prepare students for the acad-emy curriculum. Consideration is given to academic record, class rank, extracur-ricular activities, ACT/SAT test scores, and leadership experiences. It is recom-mended that students take the ACT and/or SAT as early as possible and at least twice. Academies consider the highest test score received in each category, regard-less of when that score was received. Please check with each Academy for their complete ACT/SAT testing requirements.

87

Please review the following table for examples of average high school GPAs and test scores for the most recent class entering the academies.

Candidates are also required to open a file with the desired academy/academies. Upon opening a file with an academy, candidates who meet the academy’s aca-demic standards are scheduled for a physical fitness test and a medical examina-tion by the Department of Defense Medical Evaluation Review Board (DoD-MERB). Most tests and exams are scheduled to be completed at a nearby military facility and it will take 30 to 60 days before the results are received and reviewed by DoDMERB.

Academy Summer Seminars

The academies offer one-week summer programs for high school juniors. The pro-grams are scheduled during June each year and selection is highly competitive. Online applications open in January and close mid-March each year. You will need test scores to apply. Please check the different academy websites for more in-formation about their summer programs.

88

Academy Average High School GPA

ACT Composite Range

SAT Reading Range

SAT Math Range

U.S. Air Force 3.85 28-32 590-680 620-710

U.S. Coast Guard 3.87 26-30 570-660 600-680

U.S. Merchant Marine 3.60 26-30 570-660 610-690

U.S. Military Not Reported 26-31 570-680 590-700

U.S. Naval Not Reported Not Reported 560-670 610-710

Information taken fromThe Best 380 Colleges, Princeton Review, 2016 Edition Information taken fromThe Best 380 Colleges, Princeton Review, 2016 Edition Information taken fromThe Best 380 Colleges, Princeton Review, 2016 Edition Information taken fromThe Best 380 Colleges, Princeton Review, 2016 Edition Information taken fromThe Best 380 Colleges, Princeton Review, 2016 Edition

S E C T I O N 5

Community CollegesA community college is one of the most affordable options in higher education. Whatever your career or higher education goals may be, a community college can help you get there. Whether you are planning to work toward a four-year college or university degree or are seeking an associate degree, community colleges have the courses and programs you need. And if you are interested in eventually attend-ing a four-year college or university, community college transfer students typically save thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars by completing as much of their coursework as possible at a community college campus. In addition, studies conducted by the CSU and UC systems have found that community college trans-fer students perform at least as well in junior and senior year courses and graduate at the same rate as those who begin their studies at the universities. In fact, almost two-thirds of all CSU graduates and one-third of all UC graduates start their aca-demic careers at a California community college.

Requirements for Admission to a California Community College

Nearly 3 million students enroll each year in California’s community colleges. Ad-mission is available to any high school graduate who is a resident of California. For more information about California community colleges, students should visit the California Community Colleges Online Application Center at home.cccapply.org. At this website, students can get information about each of California’s 112 community colleges including location, program offerings, and stu-dent services as well as apply to multiple community colleges using the same data.

a. When to Apply

Students generally apply for the fall term at the end of April or the begin-ning of May of their senior year. Most community colleges accept admission applications through the first few weeks of the term. Some community col-leges have priority deadline dates for priority registration appointments, so be sure to check before applying.

89

Most community college terms begin mid to late August (fall term) and mid to late January (spring term). Colleges on the quarter system offer a winter term between the fall and spring terms. Most community colleges also have summer sessions that begin in late May and June. Because many colleges of-fer classes beginning and ending throughout the semester, you should contact individual colleges for their application dates. The dates are usually included in the academic calendar published with the schedule of classes or published on the college’s website.

b. Process for Applying

For most California community colleges, you can use the CCCApply online application. Colleges not using CCCApply will have their own online appli-cations. If you wish to apply to more than one community college campus when using the statewide online application, you will need to select an initial campus to apply to and then that information from your first application will automatically populate into your next application. You can apply to as many community colleges as you select. Generally, there is no cost to apply to a California community college.

In addition to your application, most California community colleges will re-quest that you submit transcripts from any high schools that you have at-tended. In some situations, college admission officers may request additional information to help them make residency determinations.

ACT and SAT scores are not required to determine your eligibility to be ad-mitted to a California community college, nor may they be used in lieu of community college assessment tests.

Personal essays and letters of recommendation are not required for admis-sion, and extracurricular activities are not considered in admissions decisions.

90

When you are admitted, most California community colleges will contact you as soon as your application has been processed. Typically, you will receive registration information, as well as information about college orientation ses-sions, assessment tests, and advisement.

Approximate Expenses at a Community College

California residents are currently charged $46 per unit for community college courses. A typical course is three or four units, for a cost of $138 to $184. A stu-dent who enrolls in 12 units is considered a full-time student—that student would pay $46 x 12 units = $552 per semester. Colleges may also charge for class materi-als and add fees for things like health services, parking and student government. Fees are generally due when you register for classes.

Other costs associated with your education include books, supplies, transportation to campus and food and housing. Other than housing, books and supplies repre-sent the greatest cost at a community college. The cost of books and supplies var-ies due to the number of courses and number of items required for each course. A full-time student should generally plan on spending approximately $855 each se-mester for books and supplies. Many bookstores offer used books at a lower price.

Financial aid is available to help pay for a community college. Among other finan-cial aid resources, California residents may apply for a California Community Col-lege Board of Governors Waiver (BOGW), which waives the $46 per unit enroll-ment fee as well as exempts students from the health fee. To find out if you qual-ify for a BOGW and for other financial aid information, go to icanaffordcollege.com.

91

Some colleges permit students to pay on an installment plan and other colleges will not. Students are advised to contact the admission office at the college(s) they are interested in attending for more information on when fees are due, etc.

Community College Transfer Programs

When you attend community college, many of the courses you will take may be ap-plied for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. In addition, if you know early on that you want to transfer, particularly to a California State University or University of California campus, there are transfer agreements between commu-nity colleges and CSU and six UC campuses (UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz; the last available term for TAG admission at UC San Diego was Fall 2014) that can either guarantee your en-try as a transfer student or ease the way for your transfer. Since transfer programs vary at each community college, students should contact their community college transfer or counseling centers to learn about the guaranteed transfer agreements that exist. For specific details on transferring from a public California community college to a public four-year university in California, visit the ASSIST (Articula-tion System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer) website at www.assist.org/web-assist/welcome.html. ASSIST is a computerized student-transfer information system that gives students an easy way to access accurate and complete information about transferring from one California college or university to another. ASSIST is the official repository of articulation at colleges and univer-sities and therefore provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about student transfer in California.

Students should also note that after two years at a community college, your high school records may not be needed for transfer purposes.

92

C H A P T E R 4

The College Application Process

Once you have completed your college search and have your list of colleges ready, it is time to apply! Organization is key, so to help, you will want to use your Navi-ance account to stay on top of your applications, tasks you need to complete, and deadlines you need to meet. The more you stay on task and stay organized, the easier the process will be, and, most importantly, you won’t be in danger of miss-ing any key steps or firm deadlines.

The following three segments explain how to apply to the CSU, the UCs, and pri-vate schools, which are likely the three most common places you will be sending applications. In addition, under the Family Connection area of Naviance, there are helpful reference pages available for you to use throughout the application process. These include: "Frequently Asked College Application Questions," which provides answers to many common questions on college applications; "College Ad-missions Requirements," which is an easy to follow chart on admissions require-ments for different types of colleges and universities in which you may be apply-ing; and an "Application Reference Sheet," which gives you a brief description of each step you will need to follow when applying to the CSU, the UC, Common Application Schools, and all other colleges and universities.

93

S E C T I O N 1

How to Apply to the CSU(Information from The California State University Undergraduate Application for Admission Handbook)

Items to Collect for Completing the Application

Your high school transcript for entering classes and grades into the system;

Your test scores: ACT plus Writing, SAT, Advanced Placement, TOEFL (whichever is/are required or relevant). Know the test dates for upcoming ex-ams you plan to take; and

The application fee of $55 (check, money order, or credit card when applying electronically) per campus OR obtain an application fee waiver.

Complete the Application

Almost all CSU applications for admission are submitted online. To apply online for admission to any of the 23 CSU campuses, visit CSUMentor at www.csumentor.edu. CSUMentor is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. For techni-cal support, help is available by calling (800) GO-TO-XAP (468-6927) or by email at: support@CSUMentor.edu.

When you complete your application online, your completed admission applica-tion will be forwarded automatically to the campus(es) of your choice.

You are urged to apply as early as possible. All first-time freshman applicants must apply during the initial application filing period, which is October 1 through No-vember 30.

94

a. Please note that letters of recommendation are not needed to apply to a CSU campus, and transcripts should not be sent unless specifically requested by a campus.

Report Exam Scores

Applicants must provide ACT or SAT scores to be considered for fall admission. Students are advised to check with the specific CSU campus of your choice for re-quired dates in taking the ACT or SAT tests. Most campuses recommend appli-cants take the ACT or SAT no later than November for fall admission considera-tion, some no later than December, and a few no later than October. Direct the testing agencies to report your scores to the appropriate CSU campus, or to CSUMentor. For ACT, when scores are sent to one school, all will have access to your scores through the ACT Scores Manager associated with your CSUMentor account. For SAT, use code 3594 to send to all CSU campuses.

Update Naviance

Once you've applied, you will need to enter your CSU college selections into your Naviance account.

Apply for Financial Aid, If Needed

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be accessed through www.csumentor.edu. You may authorize CSUMentor to begin your FAFSA appli-cation by providing data from your electronic admission application. Please note that changes will be coming to the FAFSA beginning in 2016 for the Class of 2017. First, the 2017-18 FAFSA application period will open on Oct. 1, 2016 (rather than Jan. 1 as in the past), and extend through June 30, 2018. Secondly, the FAFSA will include income from the previous tax year rather than the current tax year. Thus, income from tax year 2015 will be used to complete the 2017-18 FAFSA.

95

You should also submit a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form to apply for a Cal Grant. Make sure to fill out a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form and give it to your counselor by the deadline stated on the CCHS calendar, as our school sub-mits your GPA to the California Student Aid Commission electronically by the March 2 filing deadline.

After Applying, What Happens Next

You will receive an application acknowledgement from the campus to which you applied. Read it carefully and follow any instructions about when to send in documents or when to take placement tests.

If you need to make any changes (address, email, course, etc.), contact each in-dividual campus' admission office to update your file.

You will receive notification of your admission status.

When you are admitted to the campus, you will receive information about ori-entation, registration, and other activities for new students. Some campuses communicate to applicants via email to the email address that is provided on the application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this email and en-sure its accuracy.

Final transcripts must be sent to the campus admissions office once you gradu-ate.

96

English and Math Placement Tests and Early State Program

If you are admitted, arrange to take the English Placement Test (EPT) and/or the Entry Level Mathematics Test (ELM) as soon as possible unless you are exempt. For information and test dates available, check the most current CSU placement test information bulletin OR visit www.ets.org/csu. You may also call the campus testing office where you want to take the test. Based on scores from these tests, stu-dents may also be required to participate in the Early Start Program. Newly ad-mitted freshman students who are required to complete Early Start will be notified of the requirement and options for completing the program as part of campus communications to newly admitted students.

If a First-Choice Campus is Full

If your first-choice campus is unable to accommodate you after the initial filing pe-riod, it may be possible to “re-route” your application to another campus. If you appear to be CSU eligible and your first-choice campus is full, you may be offered a chance to be re-routed to one CSU campus that is “open.”

97

S E C T I O N 2

How to Apply to the UC(Information from the University of California website under "How to Apply.")

Items to Collect for Completing the Application

Your high school transcript: You will need to enter courses and grades from all schools you have attended. Don’t enter information from memory; misreporting your academic record can jeopardize your admission. If you took advanced math and/or a language other than English in middle school, you will need to en-ter how many semesters you completed;

Your test scores: this includes your ACT plus Writing and/or SAT scores and any scores from SAT Subject Tests, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaure-ate, TOEFL or IELTS exams. You should also know the test dates for upcoming exams you plan to take;

Annual Income: for last year and the current year (your parents’ if you’re a de-pendent; your income if you’re independent). This is optional unless you’re apply-ing for a fee waiver or Educational Opportunity Program.

Social Security Number (if you have one): The UC uses Social Security numbers to verify identity and match applications to transcripts and test score reports, and, if you apply for financial aid, your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It is kept confidential;

Citizenship Status: You must enter your country of citizenship (or “No Selec-tion”). If you select a country other than the United States, you’ll need to pro-vide your immigration status and the type of visa you hold (such as F-1);

Statewide Student ID (SSID) (optional): CCHS students do not have an SSID number, as only students in California public schools are assigned this ID num-ber;

The application fee of $70 (credit card when applying electronically; if you prefer to pay by check, you can send your payment by mail, but do not send cash) per campus OR obtain an application fee waiver.

98

Complete the Application

The University prefers that applicants use the online application, which helps you file a more accurate and complete application because error messages will high-light common mistakes and missing information before you file. Additional pri-vacy guards help ensure that your information stays secure.

You may apply to one or more of UC’s nine undergraduate campuses using a sin-gle application. Your application will be sent to the campus(es) you designate, and it will be considered simultaneously by each one. You may apply to different ma-jors at different campuses.

To a p p l y o n l i n e f o r a d m i s s i o n , v i s i t : admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/apply-online/index.html. If you have a question about the application process, call the application center at (800) 207-1710 (within the U.S.) or (310) 513-2715 (outside the U.S.) during nor-mal business hours, or email ucinfo@applyUCsupport.net.

You are urged to apply as early as possible. The University's application opens on August 1 for fall admission. The submission period for applicants for fall is Novem-ber 1-30. Applications are accepted after these periods only if space is available, but be aware that most campuses (if not all) stop accepting applications at the end of the filing period or shortly thereafter.

99

As you enter in your information, be sure to follow directions. Answers to com-mon questions appear on every page. If you can’t find an answer, contact the UC Help Desk at the number or email address listed above. If you take a break from your application, be sure to sign out or click “Next” on any page to make sure your work is saved. Also, be sure to review your summary. Look for any instance where the summary page says “not started” or “in progress.” If you didn’t intend to leave a question blank, click “Edit” to go back and fill it in. Finally, don’t forget to click “Submit your application for UC admission.” Your application won’t be sent to UC until you do. You will be taken to the receipt page, which shows your application ID. It’s a good idea to print this page.

When you apply, pick an email address and stick with it. Campuses email appli-cants to request or clarify information, and they often need a quick response. Pro-vide an email address that you check regularly and keep it until you enroll. Also, update your spam filters to ensure that you receive all UC communications.

a. Your Personal Statement

It is advised to write your personal statement in advance. The UC states that you should think of your personal statement as your chance to tell the UC who you are and what’s important to you. What you tell the UC in your es-says gives them the context to better understand the rest of the information you’ve provided in your application. Be open, be honest, and be yourself.

Tips for completing your personal statement are available on the UC web-site. Remember, your personal statement is just one of the many pieces of in-formation the UC considers in reviewing your application. An admission de-cision will not be based on your personal statement alone.

b. Don't send official transcripts when you apply (unless you are specifically asked by a campus).  If you're admitted to UC, then you must submit final transcripts to your campus admissions office.

100

c. The UC does not generally require (nor read) letters of recommendation at the time of application. A campus may ask for them later as part of a sup-plemental review, so be sure to check your email. Please note, specifically, that UC Berkeley adopted a new freshman admission policy starting in fall 2015. Some applicants to UC Berkeley will be invited to submit two letters of recommendation. This will be optional and not required. All letters will be submitted electronically. Invited applicants will identify letter writers via a link sent to them after their application receives an initial review. Re-quests for letters of recommendation WILL NOT be found within the UC application, which opens Aug. 1; the request will be delivered to your email as a simple supplement.

Report Exam Scores

When you apply as a freshman for the fall term, you must take the ACT plus Writ-ing or SAT with Essay (and any recommended SAT Subject Tests if applicable) no later than December of your senior year. Direct testing agencies to report your scores to one UC campus, and all campuses you apply to will receive it.

Update Naviance

Once you've applied, you will need to enter your UC college selections into your Naviance account.

101

Apply for Financial Aid, If Needed, and Scholarship Information

There is money available to help you attend UC. Even if you don’t think you’ll qualify, applying for aid is the only way to be considered for every type of aid possi-ble, including low-interest student and parent loans. Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) www.fafsa.ed.gov. Please note that changes will be coming to the FAFSA beginning in 2016 for the Class of 2017. First, the 2017-18 FAFSA application period will open on Oct. 1, 2016 (rather than Jan. 1 as in the past), and extend through June 30, 2018. Secondly, the FAFSA will include in-come from the previous tax year rather than the current tax year. Thus, income from tax year 2015 will be used to complete the 2017-18 FAFSA.

You should also submit your GPA for a Cal Grant. Make sure to fill out a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form and give it to your counselor by the deadline stated on the CCHS calendar, as our school submits your GPA electronically for you.

To fin d o u t m o re a b o u t U C ’s fin a n c i a l a i d p ro g r a m s , v i s i t : admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/paying-for-uc/. Here you will find informa-tion on things related to helping you pay for school, from loans and grants to schol-arships and UC’s Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan.

102

After Applying, What Happens Next

Print a copy of your application. You will want to keep a record of your ap-plication ID number and a summary of your application for reference.

Watch for your application acknowledgement. As soon as you submit your ap-plication, you’ll receive an email confirming it has been successfully filed. If you do not receive this acknowledgment, contact the processing center at ucinfo@applyUCsupport.net, or (800) 207-1710 (toll free in the U.S.) or (310) 513-2715 (outside the U.S.).

You will want to update your application if there are any changes to your tele-phone number, email, mailing address, or ACT/SAT test scores. You can also apply to additional campuses if they're still open. This can be done at: admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/after-you-apply/index.html.

If you change schools, add or drop a course, or fail to earn a C or better in a course after you submit your application, you must notify the UC Applica-tion Center by email or postal mail. Your correspondence must include your name, UC Application ID number and your signature (if you mail a letter) and will be available to all the campuses to which you applied.

Minor changes to your activities, awards, volunteer work, employment or per-sonal statement are unlikely to have an impact on your admission decision. However, if you have significant updates in any of these areas, you may no-tify the UC Application Center.

Each UC campus will notify you of its admission decision, generally by March 31, if you're a fall freshman applicant.

Order an official, final transcript (showing your date of graduation) and have it sent to the campus where you plan to enroll. If you are admitted for the fall term, you must arrange to have it sent to the campus admission office no later than July 1.

103

S E C T I O N 3

How to Apply to a Private College or UniversityWhen applying to a private college or university, you will either apply via the Com-monApplication or directly to the school through their own application. Because specific instructions for both avenues can change each year, the counselors always give seniors exact instructions at the beginning of their fall semester to guide them through the process. Thus, this section contains more general information that will be helpful when applying to a private college or university.

Items to Collect/Steps to Follow/Helpful Tips for Completing an Application

The application period varies greatly in the private school category, so pay attention to deadlines.

You will be able to check online at each school’s website through Naviance to see what process is required for applying. Whatever method is required to apply, be sure to start the process with plenty of time to complete everything by all application dates. Remember that missing an application deadline automati-cally means that you’ve missed your chance to apply.

Have a copy of a transcript (unofficial, printed off of Aeries) to use when filling out the application. Also have a list of your activities and awards available to reference.

Make certain to keep track of your login information for each institution you are applying.

Write your essays in a word processing program before typing them on the application itself. Oftentimes, essays can be uploaded directly into your online application, so this can save you time re-entering the in-formation each time you apply.

If you are doing a paper application, remember that neatness counts, so you will want to print or type per-fectly.

When answering essay questions, make your responses interesting! Remember that admissions officers have to read thousands of essays. Be sure your essays are of the desired length and within the requested guidelines. In addition, always use perfect spelling, grammar and punctuation. Make sure to have sev-eral people look over your drafts and offer their comments and suggestions.

Finally, completing college applications requires a large amount of work, so give yourself plenty of time to complete all the steps required. Also, be aware that applying early (more information below) means more work in a shorter period of time, which can impact course work and other activities. While apply-ing early can be beneficial, be sure to think about it carefully and not rush into a decision.

104

Additional Helpful Tips for Completing Applications

Because you want to fill out your applications completely and accurately, and on time, follow these college application tips from Peterson’s College Search:

What to do--

DO read college applications and follow directions carefully.

DO make sure that everything that is supposed to be included is included!

DO fill out your own applications.

DO proofread the applications and essays several times for accuracy. Also ask someone else to proofread them for you.

DO describe how you can make a contribution to the schools to which you ap-ply (if you’re asked).

DO be truthful, and do not exaggerate your accomplishments.

DO keep a copy of all the forms you submit to colleges.

DO be thorough and turn things in on time.

What NOT to do—

DON’T leave blank spaces. Missing information may cause your applica-tion to be sent back or delayed while admission officers wait for complete information.

DON’T be unclear. If the question calls for a specific answer, don’t try to dodge it by being vague.

DON’T procrastinate! Give yourself plenty of time to complete things well before application deadlines.

If you need to complete a paper application, DON’T use correction fluid and DON’T write in script.

105

Making the Decision to Apply Early

If you are thinking about applying early to a school, it is important to understand the differences between the different early admission plans before sending in appli-cations. If you find a college that seems like a perfect fit, applying early may be a good idea. These plans allow you to apply early and get an admission decision from the college well before the usual spring notification date. There are three op-tions that are the most common: Early Decision (ED), Early Action (EA), and Re-strictive Early Action (REA). All three plans typically have application deadlines in October or November, and acceptance decisions reach students sometime in De-cember or January. However, there are important differences between them as well:

Early Decision plans are binding. Here, you agree to attend the college if ac-cepted and if the college offers an adequate financial aid package. Although you can apply to only one college for ED, applying to other colleges through the regular admission process is allowed. If you are accepted by the first-choice college early, all other applications must be withdrawn.

Early Action plans are similar to ED plans, but they are not binding. If ac-cepted, you can choose to commit to the college immediately, or wait until the spring to make a decision at the Regular Admission decision deadline. Under these plans, you may also apply EA to other colleges.

Restricted Early Action is the same as EA except you may be restricted from applying ED, EA or REA to other institutions.

106

Other things to consider if you are thinking about applying under an early admis-sion plan:

ED is the right decision only if you are applying to the college that is right for you--the one that you would choose to attend no matter what. If you are ap-plying ED, remember to also keep up with your Regular Admission applica-tions as a backup.

You should not apply under an early admission plan if you are planning to weigh offers and financial aid packages from several colleges later in the spring. Also, you shouldn’t apply early if it would be beneficial to have more senior year work to show to a college.

There has been definite growth in the number of early admission applications colleges and universities are receiving, but students should not feel pressured to apply early if it is not right for them. While it may seem that there is a bet-ter chance of getting accepted if you apply early, it is important to recognize the level of "competition" during the early pool, which may lead to what ap-pears to be higher early acceptance rates as compared to the school's regular acceptance rates. Often, the students who are in the early pool are extremely talented--one of the reasons that colleges want to accept them quickly. Stu-dents are up against some of the best and brightest in the early pool. Thus, even if data tends to show colleges will accept a higher percentage of appli-cants applying under an early admission plan than during regular admission, this should not be the reason to choose to apply early.

Applying EA is a great way to get applications turned in early and still keep options open in the spring. Another benefit of EA is that by receiving accep-tance decisions from schools, you can get a good idea of where you stand in terms of acceptance into similar schools, which can help as you apply Regu-lar Admission.

107

The Common Application

Many institutions work with The Common Application, a not-for-profit organiza-tion that serves students and member institutions by providing an admission appli-cation online that students may submit to any of their more than 600 member schools. Once the Common Application is completed online, copies of the Appli-cation for Undergraduate Admission can be sent to any number of participating colleges. Because we use Naviance at our school, you will connect your Common App to your Naviance account when applying to Common App schools, and direc-tions for this process will be given to students at the beginning of their senior year.

The following are some important items from The Common Application that you should be aware of when you complete a Common App:

You must submit the Common App to each of your selected institutions. This can be done all at one time, or one at a time. After you have submitted your Common App, you may add additional institutions and submit your application to them as well.

Once you have submitted your Common App to any institution, your application will be locked and you will not be able to make any changes to it. Therefore, you will want to make sure to preview your application carefully prior to submitting it to ensure all of your information is entered correctly. You will not be able to pre-view your application until you have answered all required questions.

Many Common App member institutions require supplemental forms. If a sup-plement is required, you must complete and submit this before your application package will be complete. When you submit your application electronically, you MUST submit your supplement electronically as well.

Each member institution has a specific deadline for when they will accept your Common Application and supplement. Once a deadline has passed, you will no longer be able to submit your forms to this institution. Please note that some insti-tutions have a supplement deadline prior to their Common Application deadline, so don’t wait until the last minute to submit your forms.

108

Make sure your email address is kept accurate so that you can receive important information about deadlines and other admissions information from the Com-mon App or your selected institutions.

Make sure to enter CCHS’s CEEB Code correctly. Our code is 052896. Correct entry of this code is extremely important to the accurate and timely processing of your submitted application.

When you take your college entrance examinations, make sure your test results are sent directly to your selected institutions.

As part of the application process, schools require a variety of information to be provided by teachers and counselors who have interacted with you in the high school environment. Teachers and counselors are able to complete this informa-tion online via Naviance, so it is very important to link your Common App to Na-viance by completing the FERPA in Common App. You will also need to com-plete additional steps in Naviance for letters of recommendation to be completed.

Finally, save your work often, and logout after each session.

Applying to Common Application Schools

Because our school uses Naviance, you will be completing items in both Naviance and the Common Application website when applying via the Common App. Counselors and teachers will also be using Naviance to complete your school re-ports and letters of recommendation, so it is very important to follow all of the steps and make sure that your Common App and your Navaince account are linked.

a. Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation will need to be submitted by your counselor and two teachers. You will want to make certain the teachers you ask to write your recommendation letters know you well and will write you a positive let-ter. Be sure to give counselors and teachers plenty of time to complete their letters, generally at least two weeks before the letter is due. Remember, coun-selors and teachers are usually very busy with other college application re-quests, so allow them enough time to address your needs.

109

To get your letters of recommendation completed:

1. Complete your Senior Recommendation Survey in Naviance. This is lo-cated under the "About Me" tab in the Family Connection. Please an-swer each question thoughtfully and thoroughly. You can save your sur-vey and return to complete it later. Once you click "Save and I am Fin-ished," you will no longer have access to your survey. You must click "Save and I am Finished" before requesting a letter of recommendation through Naviance.

2. Ask your counselor and teachers in person to write you letters before re-questing letters through Naviance.

3. After asking in person, make your request through the link on Naviance.

4. Your counselor and teachers will submit their letters of recommendation online through Naviance. You do not need to provide envelopes or stamps. Any necessary documents, a CCHS profile, and your transcript will be sent automatically by your counselor with his/her letter of recom-mendation.

5. If applying to additional schools later, you must notify your counselor and teachers to let them know so they can send the required materials.

6. Be sure to send thank you letters to each teacher who wrote your recom-mendation letters.

b. Reporting Exam Scores

Most institutions will need a copy of your test scores from the ACT and/or SAT, and possibly SAT Subject Tests. Direct the testing agencies to report your scores to all appropriate institutions. Please note that October is the last test date that makes scores available in time for early decision and early ac-tion programs.

110

Applying to All Other Colleges and Universities

Application policies and requirements will vary from school to school, so you will need to read and follow instructions carefully for each institution. Application peri-ods can vary greatly as well, so pay attention to all deadlines. You will be able to access each college(s) admission website through Naviance, and you will want to add these schools to your "Colleges I'm Applying To " list. You may need letters of recommendation, so you will want to follow the instructions above for complet-ing your Senior Recommendation Survey through Naviance and requesting letters of recommendation. You will also need to be aware of each school's testing dead-lines and complete all testing requirements by those dates as well as submit your scores directly through the testing agencies.

Please note that for the minority of schools that do not accept electronic letters of recommendation, you will need to supply your counselor and teachers the re-quired forms and envelopes. Your counselor will need to receive the paper school report and a large manila envelope, addressed and stamped (three stamps) from you. The counselor will then send a letter of recommendation, your transcript, the school report, and a CCHS school profile. Your teachers will need to receive a paper teacher form (if required) and an addressed and stamped regular-sized enve-lope from you. The teacher will send a letter of recommendation and school form if required. If no counselor report or recommendation is required, you must make a request for an official transcript to be sent to the school directly from the CCHS registrar.

111

After Applying, What Happens Next

Once you apply, you will need to continue to monitor your applications and con-firm that the schools have everything they request. Set up any required interviews, and be sure to submit your first semester senior grades (Mid-Year Reports) to the schools that require them. Continue to keep your senior grades up, as colleges have been known to rescind a decision based on final transcripts. If you are ac-cepted, you generally have until May 1 to make most college decisions. If you de-cide you want to accept an offer, don’t forget to send in all the forms your college will need: AP exam scores, housing deposits, etc. Meet all required deadlines, and send in your deposit to secure your spot. Finally, notify the other schools that have accepted you that you will not attend.

Applying for Financial Aid

To apply for financial aid, first contact your selected institution(s) to ask for their financial aid application and make note of all deadlines. Some private schools re-quire you to file both the FAFSA and an addition form (“PROFILE”) or other forms specific to that institution, so be sure to complete and file all forms necessary by the deadlines. Please note that changes will be coming to the FAFSA beginning in 2016 for the Class of 2017. First, the 2017-18 FAFSA application period will open on Oct. 1, 2016 (rather than Jan. 1 as in the past), and extend through June 30, 2018. Secondly, the FAFSA will include income from the previous tax year rather than the current tax year. Thus, income from tax year 2015 will be used to complete the 2017-18 FAFSA.

You should also submit your GPA for a Cal Grant if applying to any school in Cali-fornia. Make sure to fill out a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form and give it to your counselor by the deadline stated on the CCHS calendar, as our school sub-mits your GPA electronically for you.

112

C H A P T E R 5

Frequently Asked College Application Questions

Rank: CCHS does not rank students. Simply put “NA” on your application

Senior Class Size: (Updated each year)

Counselor Title: Counselor

Grading System: ABCDF

Grading Scale: 4.0

CEEB Code or School Code: 052896

Fax Number: 858-523-4063

Phone Number: 858-523-4000

Address: 5555 Del Mar Heights Road, San Diego, CA 92130

113

CSSID or SSID number: Simply leave blank. You are not assigned a number.

What GPA Do I Use?

For the CSU’s and UC’s you will use your UC approved courses, 10-12 weighted GPA (Cal Poly SLO looks at 9th grade coursework)

For all other universities you will use your 9-12 weighted GPA.

When/Where Do I Get a Transcript?

CSU's and UC’s – No transcript is required at the time of application unless re-quested by the school; if required, order transcript through the CCHS Registrar (see directions below)

Common App – Transcripts will be sent automatically through Naviance by your counselor

CCHS Registrar -- Only when colleges do NOT accept electronic documents. Go to CCHS website and click on “Academics” to locate our transcript request form.

When Do I Need an Envelope?

Only when colleges do NOT accept electronic documents.

114

C H A P T E R 6

Financial AidFederal and state policies on financial aid are based upon an expectation that par-ents will pay for their son or daughter’s undergraduate college education, to the ex-tent they are able to do so. It is the role of state and federal funds to help those whose parents are not able to pay part or all of the costs. To determine if you need financial aid, you must estimate your total expenses for going to college (tui-tion, fees, books, transportation, supplies, room and board, personal expenses, etc.). Next, estimate what you and your parents can contribute (*family contribu-tion) and subtract this from the total expense. Any difference is an estimate of your financial need:

Total Cost $26,000

(Minus) Family Contribution $16,000

Equals Your Financial Need $10,000

* You can calculate your family contribution in more detail at www.finaid.org/calculators/.

115

S E C T I O N 1

Overview for Applying for an Receiving Financial Aid1. To help you with the financial aid process, please review and use the Senior

Year Student Financial Aid Checklist at the end of this section.

2. When you apply for financial aid (and even some merit scholarships), you will be required to fill out a form called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA. The FAFSA application is the foundation for any financial aid money given, paid or loaned to help pay for education. You will use it to apply for federal student financial aid, such as the Pell Grant, student loans, and college work-study. In addition, most states and schools use FAFSA information to award their financial aid. You should complete and submit your FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, as it is the fast-est and most accurate way to apply for student aid. Once you have submit-ted your form, your FAFSA responses will be put into a formula (known as the Federal Methodology), to find out your Expected Family Contribution, or EFC. The EFC is a preliminary estimate that measures your family’s finan-cial strength. It is subtracted from the Cost of Attendance at the school(s) you plan to attend to determine your eligibility for federal student aid. You will then get a report, called a Student Aid Report (SAR), which lists the in-formation you reported on your FAFSA. At the upper right of the front page of the SAR, you will find your EFC. Schools will use your EFC to prepare a financial aid package (grants, loans, and/or work-study) to help you meet your financial need. Financial need is the difference between your EFC and your school’s cost of attendance (which can include living expenses).

116

3. Students are encouraged to file their FAFSA as early as possible. Please note that changes will be coming to the FAFSA beginning in 2016 for the Class of 2017. First, the 2017-18 FAFSA application period will open on Oct. 1, 2016 (rather than Jan. 1 as in the past), and extend through June 30, 2018. Sec-ondly, the FAFSA will include income from the previous tax year rather than the current tax year. Thus, income from tax year 2015 will be used to com-plete the 2017-18 FAFSA.

4. Some private schools require both the FAFSA and an additional form (“PRO-FILE”), or other forms specific to that institution. It is necessary to check with each college you are applying to see which form(s) it requires and the deadline(s).

5. If you are applying to any California school, you should also apply for a Cal Grant, which requires filling out a GPA Verification Form (available on Navi-ance when the California Student Aid Commission releases them each year) and turning it in to the Counseling Office so that they may submit it electroni-cally to the California Student Aid Commission system by the deadline stated. The Cal Grant program enables you to compete for free money (Cal Grant A, B, and C). Cal Grants are described later in this section.

6. California also offers the California Dream Act for students who aren’t eligi-ble to complete the FAFSA and who meet the qualifications of Assembly Bill (AB) 540, AB 130 and AB 131. The California Student Aid Commission processes these applications. Any aid received can only be used at eligible California institutions. For more information on the California Dream Act, please visit http://www.caldreamact.org.

117

7. Students should be aware that colleges will have their own scholarship and fi-nancial aid filing deadlines. Students should check online with every college under consideration for the school’s scholarship and financial aid deadlines.

8. Questions on completing the FAFSA can be made to the Federal Student Aid Information Center at (800) 433-3243. Students with Cal Grant questions can call (888) 224-7268.

9. The CCHS Counseling Office offers a college financial aid night for parents every school year. Make certain your parents attend. A financial aid officer from a university will review the financial aid process, including a review of the FAFSA.

10. Log on to your Naviance account to review scholarship opportunities that are available to you. The scholarship list is updated weekly. There is also informa-tion in the Counseling Office regarding scholarships. Review these sources during your college application process, and apply to those scholarships that you are eligible to receive.

11. When searching for scholarships, grants and financial aid packages on your own, be cautious of unscrupulous companies. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), students should look and listen for the tell-tale lines of companies that should be avoided:

“The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.”

“You can’t get this information anywhere else.”

“I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholar-ship.”

“We’ll do all the work.”

118

“The scholarship will cost some money.”

“You’ve been selected” by a “national foundation” to receive a scholar-ship – or “You’re a finalist” in a contest you never entered.

12. The California Student Aid Commission, in partnership with the Educa-tional Credit Management Corporation (ECMC), gives these tips as well:

Scholarships and grants are free money--you should never have to pay to find, apply for or receive them.

Watch out for companies that make promises, charge you money to apply for or receive a scholarship, or try to get you to send money by claiming you're a finalist in a scholarship contest.

Be wary of seminars, websites or "consultants" that want to charge you for financial aid information that is readily available for free.

Never give your credit card information, bank account information, So-cial Security Number or student identification number over the phone or Internet unless you initiated contact and know who you're dealing with. You shouldn't need to provide financial information to obtain a legiti-mate scholarship or grant that you've been awarded.

Don't fall for claims that "guarantee" a scholarship. Reputable companies neither guarantee scholarships nor use aggressive tactics.

Do your own research before spending your money. If you choose to pay a scholarship search service, be sure you understand what you're getting for your money.

To learn more, please visit the following website: www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0082-scholarship-and-financial-aid-scams and www.fraud.org. You can also visit the Federal Student Aid website at www.studentaid.ed.gov/.

If you believe you've been a victim of scholarship fraud, contact the Cali-fornia Attorney General's office at http://oag.ca.gov/consumers.

119

120

Senior Year Student Financial Aid ChecklistSenior Year Student Financial Aid ChecklistMake a list of every college under consideration. Visit the websites of these schools and read the financial aid office (FAO) information. Note the deadlines of all required forms and the total cost of attendance.Develop a comparison chart of realistic and specific costs for each college. Start with the FAO standard student budgets and build upon these. Add unique expenses you might face.Determine if any college(s) on your list require the PROFILE and determine the deadline date(s). To do this, a) Go to https://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile; b) Click on the link to check if the colleges on your list require the PROFILE; c) Register for and complete the PROFILE, if required, by the deadlineDetermine if any college(s) on your list require other forms specific to that institution and complete any requirements by the deadline.Both the student and parent must get a FSA ID, which will be used as your electronic passport to federal student aid online. Apply for your FSA ID at https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm. Please note that the U.S. Department of Education eliminated the use of the four-digit PIN and replaced it with the FSA ID in May 2015. Students and parents who already have a PIN will be able to link that code to their new FSA ID. Gather all income/asset information together and complete the FAFSA. Apply online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The 2017-18 FAFSA application period will open on Oct. 1, 2016 (rather than Jan. 1 as in the past), and extend through June 30, 2016. The FAFSA will include income from the previous tax year (rather than the current tax year as in the past). Thus, income from tax year 2015 will be used to complete the 2017-18 FAFSA. Meet the earliest deadline on your list of colleges. Once your FAFSA is submitted, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from Federal Student Aid within three to five days if you submitted your FAFSA online with a valid email address. This report will summarize your FAFSA information and will display your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which is used to determine eligibility for federal aid, and a Data Release Number (DRN), which is used to send the SAR to additional schools. Check the accuracy of the information you submitted. Follow directions for making any necessary corrections.California also offers the California Dream Act for students who aren’t eligible to complete the FAFSA and who meet the qualifications of Assembly Bill (AB) 540, AB 130 and AB 131. The California Student Aid Commission processes these applications. Any aid received can only be used at eligible California institutions. If you need to submit under the California Dream Act, please visit http://www.caldreamact.org..If you are applying to a school in California, submit your Cal grant GPA Verification Form to your counselor before the CCHS deadline (at the end of February). Forms are available starting in October. Your GPA must be sent to the State electronically, and the Counseling Office does this for you before the deadline.With a submitted FAFSA (or California Dream Act Application) and GPA to the California Student Aid Commission, you should create a WebGrants 4 Students (WGS) account. Go to https://mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov/ and register for “WebGrants” to monitor your State grant status, change your address, view your your California Aid Report (CAR), report your college of attendance, view your payment history, and submit School Change (SC) or Leave of Absence (LOA) requests.

Search for scholarships and begin/finalize applications. Keep this up throughout your senior year.

Follow the individual instructions received from each college FAO. Most colleges will have an electronic link to your file status. If you do not hear from a college when you expect a response, check with them for follow-up requirements. IMPORTANT...send everything requested and do so immediately. If you don’t understand a request, call or email the FAO right away.If you are admitted to the college, you will receive a financial aid offer. When the offer arrives, read the whole package and follow all instructions. Contact the FAO if you have questions. If you have applied to a community college, your offer of financial aid will probably come later (possibly June or July).Decide which college you will attend. Do not make a May 1 deposit until you are sure of an offer of financial aid that is comfortable for you and your family. Work with the FAO and Admissions Offices if you have concerns. Notify Cal Grant (through WebGrants) if you change your college choice from the one on the Cal Grant record.Notify the college FAO immediately if you receive any additional financial resources (like a scholarship) after you receive your offer of financial aid, or if there are other significant changes in your circumstances.Read the college website and materials to learn how and when you will receive your financial aid and how your bill to the college will be handled.

If you receive a loan offer, you will be required to do entrance counseling before getting the proceeds.

If you receive an offer to do Federal Work Study, find out from the college how you get a job.

Remember...you must renew your FAFSA every year. Follow college instructions!

S E C T I O N 2

What Happens When One Has Financial Need?The computer analysis of your FAFSA form (and Cal Grant GPA Verification form, if appropriate) is sent to the financial aid offices of the colleges of your choice. This analysis will show how much need (if any) you have. For example, if the analysis shows your financial need to attend a given college to be $4,000, the financial aid office at that school will attempt to make up a $4,000 financial aid package for you. Your financial aid package is composed of one or all of the four kinds of components shown below to meet your $4,000 need.

Cal Grant Programs

Cal Grants are free money for college that are awarded to students who meet eligi-bility, income, and academic requirements. They can be used at any California State University, University of California, California community college, most in-dependent colleges, and many career or technical schools in California [informa-tion on Cal Grant programs from the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) and the CalGrants website, http://www.csac.ca.gov.]

To apply for a Cal Grant, you will need to submit the FAFSA (or California Dream Act Application) and a verified Cal Grant GPA by the necessary deadlines. The deadline to apply for a Cal Grant is March 2 (of your senior year in high school). To submit a verified Cal Grant GPA, you will need to fill out a GPA Verifi-cation Form, available through a link on Naviance, and return it to your counselor. The counselor will then calculate your GPA and the Counseling Office will submit it electronically to the California Student Aid Commission for you. Please be ad-vised that the form must be turned in to your counselor by the date stated on the CCHS school calendar (which will be a few days before the official March 2 Cal Grant deadline) in order for it to be submitted electronically by CCHS.

121

To qualify for a Cal Grant, students must:

submit the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application and your verified Cal Grant GPA by the deadline,

be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen or meet AB 540 criteria,

be a California resident or meet AB 540 criteria,

have a Social Security Number or meet AB 540 criteria,

attend a Cal Grant eligible school,

not have earned a bachelor's degree,

not be incarcerated,

have family income and assets below the established ceilings,

meet any minimum GPA requirements,

maintain satisfactory academic progress to receive payment,

be enrolled at least half-time,

males must meet U.S. Selective Service requirements, and

not be in a grant repayment or in default on a student loan.

If you meet the Cal Grant application requirements and qualify for a Cal Grant, you will receive an award letter, also known as the California Aid Report, or CAR, as early as February. It will give you all the information you will need to activate your Cal Grant award.

122

The following is a description of the different Cal Grants available:

a. Cal Grant A

Cal Grant A Entitlement awards can be used for tuition and fees at public and private colleges as well as some private career colleges. At CSU and UC schools, this Cal Grant covers system-wide fees up to $5,472 and $12,240 re-spectively. If you are attending a private nonprofit college or a for-profit col-lege accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it pays up to $9,084 toward tuition and fees. If you are attending most other career colleges, it pays up to $4,000.

b. Cal Grant B

Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards provide low-income students with a living allowance and assistance with tuition and fees. Most first-year students re-ceive an allowance of up to $1,656 for books and living expenses. After the freshman year, Cal Grant B also helps pay tuition and fees in the same amount as a Cal Grant A. For Cal Grant B, your coursework must be for at least one academic year.

c. Cal Grant C

These awards help pay for tuition and training costs at occupational or ca-reer technical schools. This $547 award is for books, tools and equipment. You may also receive up to an additional $2,462 for tuition at a school other than a California community college. To qualify, you must enroll in a voca-tional program that is at least four months long at a California community college, private college, or a career technical school. Funding is available for up to two years, depending on the length of your program.

*Please note that all Cal Grants awards are tentative and subject to final approval of the State Budget Act.

123

d. CSAC 2016-17 Cal Grant Program Income and Asset Ceilings

e. CSAC 2016-17 Cal Grant Program Asset Ceilings

f. Middle Class Scholarship

The California Student Aid Commission also offers the Middle Class Scholar-ship (MCS), a program that provides undergraduate students with family in-comes up to $150,000 and a maximum annual household asset amount of $150,000, a scholarship to attend University of California or California Uni-versity campuses. Students apply via the FAFSA or the California Dream Act Application. The award is determined after you are awarded any Federal Aid, State Aid and Institutional Aid for which you are eligible. The final award amount will also be based on the number of students eligible for the MCS statewide and the funding allocated by the State Budget.

124

Cal GrantA and C

Cal Grant B

Dependent students and Independent students with dependents other than a spouseDependent students and Independent students with dependents other than a spouseDependent students and Independent students with dependents other than a spouseDependent students and Independent students with dependents other than a spouseFamily Size:Family Size:

Six or more $104,600 $57,500

Five $97,000 $53,200

Four $90,500 $47,600

Three $83,300 $42,800

Two $81,300 $38,000

Independent studentsIndependent studentsIndependent studentsIndependent students

Single, no dependents $33,200 $33,200

Married, no other dependents $38,000 $38,000

All ProgramsAll Programs

Dependent students* $70,000

Independent students $33,300*This ceiling also applies to independent students with dependents other than a spouse.*This ceiling also applies to independent students with dependents other than a spouse.

Federal Pell Grants

The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income under-graduate and certain post-baccalaureate students to promote access to postsecon-dary education. Students may use their grants at any one of approximately 5,400 participating postsecondary institutions. Grant amounts are dependent on: the student's EFC, the cost of attendance (as determined by the institution); the stu-dent's enrollment status (full-time or part-time); and whether the student attends for a full academic year or less. Students may not receive Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time (information on Federal Pell Grants from Fed-eral Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education).

A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. The maximum Pell Grant award for the 2015-16 award year (July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016) is $5,775. The maximum amount can change each award year and depends on pro-gram funding. Students apply for a Pell Grant by completing the FAFSA. Finan-cial need is then determined by the U.S. Department of Education using a stan-dard formula, established by Congress, to evaluate the financial information re-ported on the FAFSA and to determine the EFC. Students will be notified if they are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant on their SAR. As of July 1, 2012, students may not receive the Federal Pell Grant for no more than 12 semesters or the equivalent (roughly six years).

125

Campus-Based Aid

There are three campus-based aid programs available: the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Work-Study (FWS), and Fed-eral Perkins Loan programs. These are called campus-based programs because they are administered directly by the financial aid office at each participating school. Not all schools participate in all three programs, so you will need to check with your chosen school’s financial aid office to find out which programs are avail-able to you (information on Campus-Based Aid from Federal Student Aid, an of-fice of the U.S. Department of Education).

How much aid you receive from each of these programs depends on your finan-cial need, on the amount of other aid you receive, and on the availability of funds at your chosen college or career school. Campus-based programs provide a cer-tain amount of funds for each participating school to administer each year; there-fore, when the money for a program is gone, no more awards can be made from that program for that year. Make sure you apply for federal student aid as early as you can. Each school sets its own deadlines for campus-based funds, and those deadlines are usually earlier than the Department of Education’s deadline for fil-ing the FAFSA.

a. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)

These grants are for undergraduates with exceptional financial need. Pell Grant recipients with the lowest Expected Family Contributions (EFCs) will be the first to get FSEOGs. These grants do not need to be paid back. Stu-dents can receive between $100 and $4,000 a year, depending on when you apply, your financial need, the funding at the school you will be attending, and the policies of the financial aid office at that school. Once the full amount of the school’s FSEOG funds has been awarded to students, no more FSEOG awards can be made for that year. Therefore, make sure you apply for federal student aid as early as you can.

126

b. Federal Work-Study (FWS)

The FWS Program provides funds that are earned through part-time employ-ment to assist students in financing the costs of postsecondary education. The program emphasizes employment in civic education and work related to the recipient's course of study.

Undergraduate students are paid by the hour, and no FWS student may be paid by commission or fee. The school must pay you directly (unless you di-rect otherwise) and at least monthly. Wages for the program must equal at least the current federal minimum wage but might be higher, depending on the type of work you do and the skills required. The amount you earn can't exceed your total FWS award. When assigning work hours, your employer or financial aid administrator will consider your award amount, your class schedule, and your academic progress.

If you work on campus, you’ll usually work for your school. If you work off campus, your employer will usually be a private nonprofit organization or a public agency, and the work performed must be in the public interest. Your chosen school might also have agreements with private for-profit employers for Federal Work-Study jobs. This type of job must be relevant to your course of study (to the maximum extent possible). If you attend a career school, there might be further restrictions on the jobs you can be assigned.

If you are interested in getting a Federal Work-Study job while you’re en-rolled in college or career school, make sure you apply for aid early. Schools that participate in the Federal Work-Study Program award funds on a first come, first served basis.

127

c. Federal Perkins Loans

A Federal Perkins Loan is a low-interest (5 percent) loan for both undergradu-ate and graduate students with exceptional financial need. Federal Perkins Loans are made through a school’s financial aid office. Your school is your lender, and the loan is made with government funds. You must repay this loan to your school. You can borrow up to $5,500 for each year of under-graduate study (the total you can borrow as an undergraduate is $27,500). The amount you receive depends on when you apply, your financial need, and the funding level at the school. Other than interest, there are no other charges for this loan. However, if you skip a payment, if it's late, or if you make less than a full payment, you might have to pay a late charge plus any collection costs. If you’re attending school at least half time, you have nine months after you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time status be-fore you must begin repayment.

Federal Student Loans

Federal loans are borrowed funds that you must repay with interest. A federal stu-dent loan allows students and their parents to borrow money to help pay for col-lege through loan programs supported by the federal government. Federal student loans offer borrowers many benefits not typically found in private loans. These in-clude low fixed interest rates, income-based repayment plans, cancellations for cer-tain employment, and deferment (postponement) options, including deferment of loan payments when a student returns to school. Also, private loans usually re-quire a credit check. For these reasons, students and parents should always ex-haust federal student loan options before considering a private loan (information on Federal Student Loans from the U.S. Department of Education).

Please review the following chart for details on the four federal student loans avail-able to undergraduates: the Federal Perkins Loan (the college is the lender) and the three federal student loans made directly through the U.S. Department of Edu-cation.

128

For definitions of financial aid terms in this chart, visit Student.Aid.gov/glossary

129

Federal Loan Program

Loan Details(subject to change)

Annual Award(subject to change

Federal Perkins Loan * For undergraduate and graduate students

* Eligibility depends on student’s financial need and availability of funds at the college. If you have questions about Perkins Loan eligibility, please contact the college’s financial aid office

* Interest is 5%

* College is the lender; payment is owed to the college that made the loan

Undergraduate students: up to $5,500; graduate and professional students: up to $8,000

Total amount may not exceed $27,500 for undergraduates and $60,000 for graduate students (including amounts borrowed as an undergraduate)

Direct Subsidized Loan

* For undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need

* Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2015, and before July 1, 2016, interest rate is 4.29%

* Student is not usually charged interest on the loan during certain periods

* The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is the lender; payment is owed to ED

$3,500-$5,500, depending on grade level

For total lifetime limit, go to StudentAid.gov/sub-unsub

Direct Unsubsidized Loan

* For undergraduate and graduate students; financial need is not required

* For loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2015, and before July 1, 2016:- 4.29% interest rate for undergraduate students, and- 5.84% interest rate for graduate and professional students

* Student is responsible for interest during all periods

* ED is the lender; payment is owed to ED

$5,500-$20,500 (less any subsidized amounts received for same period), depending on grade level and dependency status

For total lifetime limit, go to StudentAid.gov/sub-unsub

Direct PLUS Loan * For parent of dependent undergraduate students and for graduate or professional students; financial need is not required

* Student must be either a dependent undergraduate student for whom a parent is taking out a Direct PLUS Loan or a graduate or professional student who is receiving a Direct PLUS Loan

* For loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2015, and before July 1, 2016, interest rate is 6.84%

* Borrower must not have negative credit history

* Borrower is responsible for interest during all periods

* ED is the lender; payment is owed to ED

Maximum amount is cost of attendance minus any other financial aid student receives; no minimum amount

S E C T I O N 3

Financial Aid for Military ProgramsReserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Scholarships

Founded in 1926, ROTC is a college program offered at more than 1,000 colleges and universities across the United States that prepares young adults to become offi-cers in the U.S. Military. In exchange for a paid college education and a guaran-teed post-college career, cadets commit to serve in the U.S. Military after gradua-tion. Each service branch has its own ROTC program. If you are interested in an ROTC scholarship, it is best to see your counselor by the end of your junior year.

130

C H A P T E R 7

Senior Timeline for the College Bound Student

August

Register for upcoming college entrance exams

Have a preliminary college list to include reach, target and safety schools

Have college application essays drafted

September

Register to take or retake college entrance exams; be aware that deadlines vary by schools and if you are apply-ing early or regular decision

Attend college presentations at CCHS and off-campus

Continue to stay involved in extracurricular activities

Continue to work on college list; limit to six to eight colleges

Keep your Naviance college list up-to-date and complete your Senior Survey in Naviance

Have your parents attend the Senior Parent College Information Meeting and Financial Aid Night at CCHS

Search and apply for scholarships

October

Work on and refine your college admissions essay if required

Take or retake college admissions exams if necessary

Request letters of recommendation if necessary. Ask in person and complete all steps in Naviance

Continue to attend college presentations and the CCHS College Fair

Create a chart of deadlines; pay attention to Early Decision, Early Action and Restricted Early Action deadlines

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - www.fafsa.ed.gov

Check with the schools you are applying to see if they require additional financial aid forms (i.e., the PROFILE); be aware of deadlines and file the PROFILE if necessary by the deadline

If planning to attend college in California, complete a Cal Grant GPA Verification form

131

November

Submit college applications; pay attention to priority deadlines

Take or retake college admissions exams if necessary

December

Keep your grades up...do not fall behind

Meet the CCHS counselor deadline for Letters of Recommendation

Continue to research and apply to scholarship opportunities

January/February

Follow the steps given by the Counseling Office to send your Midyear Reports

Don't panic; many, many decisions are not mailed until April

March/April/May

Keep academically competitive—avoid "senioritis"

Continue to apply for scholarships—be alert to deadline dates

Watch for college acceptances and financial aid awards; pay attention to deadlines for notifying schools and finan-cial aid offices of acceptance

Write thank you notes to those who wrote letters of recommendation

Report all college acceptances/declines in Naviance and complete the “College that I am Attending” section

Pay attention to your college's deposit deadline (usually May 1)

If you have ruled out any college, it is a courtesy to let them know

June

Enjoy being a high school graduate!

Attend orientation events at your college

Find out if your college requires placement tests and take them if necessary

*Please note that this timeline is only an estimated example;

follow dates and deadlines for your particular situation!

132

C H A P T E R 8

Common Oversights Regarding the Application

1. Failure to send transcripts or to send them on time, particularly if not being sent by your counselor with your letter of recommendations. All transcript requests done on your own go through the CCHS Registrar’s Office. Some schools require up to three sets of transcripts to be sent through the school year, so be sure to follow all instructions on your college applications and from the Counseling Office regarding transcripts.

2. Failure to have letters of recommendation sent or not giving ample time to get this process completed. ASK your teachers or counselor with plenty of lead-time. If there is not an online option, you will need to provide ad-dressed and stamped envelopes. Do not hesitate to politely check up on whether or not the letters have been sent.

3. Failure to send in housing requests or applications. Many students receive ad-mission to a college only to discover they did nothing about housing. Each college has different housing application procedures. Check them out care-fully. Don’t wait to be accepted; it may be too late by then, especially at pub-lic colleges and universities.

133

4. Failure to take the ACT and/or SAT on time or to have test results sent. Re-member, test scores must be sent by the testing agency, and you are advised to check each campus of your choice for required dates in taking the ACT or SAT tests.

5. Failure to submit financial aid papers on time. Also, if scholarships are im-portant to you, keep watch of many scholarships that are available by check-ing the list on Naviance and applying by the deadlines. Also, check with the financial aid office of each school you are considering for a listing of all schol-arships available from the school, as you do not want to miss out on a scholar-ship due to ignorance of its existence.

6. Failure to keep your senior grades up! Many schools will rescind your accep-tance if your grades fall significantly.

134

C H A P T E R 9

Information for the Student-Athlete

135

S E C T I O N 1

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)The NCAA, or National Collegiate Athletic Association, was established in 1906 and serves as the athletics governing body for more than 1,100 colleges, universi-ties, conferences and organizations. The NCAA's core purpose is to govern com-petition in a fair, safe, equitable and sportsmanlike manner, and to integrate inter-collegiate athletics into higher education so that the educational experience of the student-athlete is paramount. The NCAA is made up of three membership classi-fications that are known as Division I, II, and III. Each division creates its own rules governing personnel, amateurism, recruiting, eligibility, benefits, financial aid, and playing and practice seasons--consistent with the overall governing princi-ples of the Association. Every program must affiliate its core program with one of the three divisions. To find out more information about the NCAA and the differ-ences among the three divisions, go to their website at www.ncaa.org. You may contact the NCAA at 317/917-6222 (information in this section from the NCAA and the NCAA Eligibility Center websites).

136

S E C T I O N 2

The NCAA Eligiblity CenterThe NCAA Eligibility Center certifies the academic and amateur credentials of all college-bound student-athletes who wish to compete in NCAA Division I or II ath-letics.

To find answers to your questions, students may access the Eligibility Center’s re-source page on its website at www.eligibilitycenter.org, clicking on “Resources” and then selecting the type of student you are. You can then navigate through the resources to find helpful information. One resource found here is the “Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete,” which will have answers to many of your questions. You can also contact the Eligibility Center Customer Service Depart-ment at 877/262-1492.

137

S E C T I O N 3

Steps to Achieving Eligiblity Through Your Junior YearStudents should register with the NCAA Eligibility Center during their sophomore year in high school. The following are the steps one would follow to register with the Eligibility Center.

1. Go online to www.eligibilitycenter.org, and click the link to enter as an NCAA College-Bound Student Student-Athlete. To create an account, ei-ther click on the “New Account” button at the top right of the screen or the cell phone on the left side of the screen. Allow at least 45 minutes to one hour to register completely. If you need to exit and come back at a later time, you can save and exit once your account has been created. You will need to provide a valid email address to create an account and begin the reg-istration process. Be sure you provide an email address that will be active even after you complete high school.

2. After you have entered all required information, your account will be eligible for processing once the registration fee of $75 has been paid (or submission of a fee waiver if you have been granted a waiver). You must pay online by debit, credit card or e-check.

--You are eligible for a waiver of the registration fee only if you have already received a waiver of the ACT or SAT fee. You must have an authorized high school official submit your fee waiver documentation online after you have completed your registration. If you have not yet been granted a fee waiver by ACT or SAT, you are not yet eligible for a waiver of the NCAA Eligibility Center registration fee.

138

3. Once you register online and have completed your junior year, you will also need to submit a transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center. You may do t h i s o n t h e C C H S w e b s i t e a t : https://www.cathedralcatholic.org/academics/transcript-request.

You will need to submit complete information for your request to be proc-essed. Please note that the NCAA Eligibility Center does NOT accept faxed or emailed transcripts or test scores.

4. Double check to make sure the courses you have taken match our school's list of NCAA courses.

5. You must also have your ACT and SAT scores reported to the NCAA Eligi-bility Center by the testing agency. Test scores that appear on transcripts will not be used. When registering for the ACT or SAT, use the Eligibility Center code of 9999 to make sure the score is reported to the Eligibility Cen-ter.

6. Be mindful of the amount of core courses that you will need to complete your senior year for eligibility.

7. Cathedral Catholic has also teamed up with CoreCourseGPA.com to provide custom online software to all student-athletes to assist in tracking their pro-gress toward meeting NCAA init ial el igibi l i ty requirements. CoreCourseGPA.com calculates core course GPA for both Division I and II, provides corresponding minimum ACT/SAT scores, and offers a detailed re-port of core course credits earned and needed. All student-athletes are en-couraged to activate their free membership to begin tracking their core course GPA and learn more about important recruiting topics. To activate your membership:

✦ Go to www.CoreCourseGPA.com

✦ Click “Free New Member Account

✦ Enter School ID (052896) and School Code (789203033)

✦ Complete Registration Form

139

S E C T I O N 4

Steps for Eligiblity During Your Senior Year1. Take the ACT and/or SAT again, if necessary. The NCAA Eligibility Cen-

ter will use the best scores from each section of the ACT or SAT to deter-mine your best cumulative score.

2. Continue to take college-prep courses.

3. Check the courses you have taken to match our school's list of NCAA courses.

4. Review your amateurism responses and request final amateurism certification on or after April 1 (for fall enrollees) or October 1 (for spring enrollees).

5. Continue to work hard to get the best grades possible and graduate on time.

6. After graduation, send your final transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center with proof of graduation.

140

S E C T I O N 5

NCAA Freshman-Eligiblity Standards

141

NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

Core Courses: (16)

x Initial full-time collegiate enrollment before August 1, 2016: o Sixteen (16) core courses are required (see chart below for subject-area requirements).

x Initial full-time collegiate enrollment on or after August 1, 2016: o Sixteen (16) core courses are required (see chart below for subject-area requirements).

� Ten (10) core courses completed before the seventh semester; seven (7) of the 10 must be in English, math or natural/physical science. x These courses/grades are "locked in" at start of the seventh semester (cannot be repeated for

grade-point average [GPA] improvement to meet initial-eligibility requirements for competition). o Students who do not meet core-course progression requirements may still be eligible to receive athletics

aid and practice in the initial year of enrollment by meeting academic redshirt requirements (see below).

Test Scores: (ACT/SAT)

x Students must present a corresponding test score and core-course GPA on the sliding scale (see Page No. 2). o SAT: critical reading and math sections.

� Best subscore from each section is used to determine the SAT combined score for initial eligibility. o ACT: English, math, reading and science sections.

� Best subscore from each section is used to determine the ACT sum score for initial eligibility. x All ACT and SAT attempts before initial full-time collegiate enrollment may be used for initial eligibility. x Enter 9999 during ACT or SAT registration to ensure the testing agency reports your score

directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center. Test scores on transcripts will not be used.

Core Grade-Point Average:

x Only core courses that appear on the high school's List of NCAA Courses on the NCAA Eligibility Center's website (www.eligibilitycenter.org) will be used to calculate your core-course GPA. Use this list as a guide.

x Initial full-time collegiate enrollment before August 1, 2016: o Students must present a corresponding test score (ACT sum score or SAT combined score) and core-course

GPA (minimum 2.000) on Sliding Scale A (see Page No. 2). o Core-course GPA is calculated using the best 16 core courses that meet subject-area requirements.

x Initial full-time collegiate enrollment on or after August 1, 2016: o Students must present a corresponding test score (ACT sum score or SAT combined score) and core-course

GPA (minimum 2.300) on Sliding Scale B (see Page No. 2). o Core-course GPA is calculated using the best 16 core courses that meet both progression (10 before

seventh semester; seven in English, math or science; "locked in") and subject-area requirements.

NCAA Division I Initial-Eligibility Requirements

DIVISION I Core-Course Requirement (16)

4 years of English 3 years of math (Algebra I or higher) 2 years of natural/physical science

(1 year of lab if offered) 1 year of additional English, math or

natural/physical science 2 years of social science 4 years of additional courses (any

area above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy)

DIVISION I – 2016 Qualifier Requirements

*Athletics aid, practice, and competition

x 16 core courses o Ten (10) core courses

completed before the start of seventh semester. Seven (7) of the 10 must be in English, math or natural/physical science. � "Locked in" for core-course

GPA calculation. x Corresponding test score (ACT

sum score or SAT combined score) and core-course GPA (minimum 2.300) on Sliding Scale B (see Page No. 2).

x Graduate from high school.

DIVISION I – 2016 Academic Redshirt Requirements *Athletics aid and practice (no competition)

x 16 core courses o No grades/credits "locked in"

(repeated courses after the seventh semester begins may be used for initial eligibility).

x Corresponding test score (ACT sum score or SAT combined score) and core-course GPA (minimum 2.000) on Sliding Scale B (see Page No. 2).

x Graduate from high school.

142

143

144

S E C T I O N 6

Questions to ask Prospective College Coaches as you Consider Colleges

Please review the following list of suggested questions for prospective college coaches:

ATHLETICS:

What positions will I play on your team?

It is not always obvious. Most coaches want to be flexible, so you might not receive a definite answer.

What other players may be competing at the same position?

The response could give you an idea of when you can expect to be a starter.

Will I be redshirted my first year?

The school's policy on redshirting may impact you both athletically and academi-cally.

What expectations do you have for training and conditioning?This will reveal the college or university's commitment to a training and condition-ing program.

H o w w o u l d y o u b e s t d e s c r i b e y o u r c o a c h i n g s t y l e ? Every coach has a particular style that involves different motivational techniques and discipline. You need to know if a coach's teaching style matches your learning style.

When does the head coach's contract end? How long does the coach in-tend to stay?

The answer could be helpful. Do not make any assumptions about how long a coach will be at a school. If the coach leaves, does this change your mind about the school/program?

145

What are preferred, invited and uninvited walk-on situations? How many do you expect to compete? How many earn a scholarship? Situations vary from school to school.

W h o e l s e a r e y o u r e c r u i t i n g f o r m y p o s i t i o n ?Coaches may consider other student-athletes for every position.

Is medical insurance required for my participation? Is it provided by the college?

You may be required to provide proof of insurance.

If I am seriously injured while competing, who is responsible for my medical expenses?

Different colleges have different policies.

What happens if I want to transfer to another school?

You may not transfer without the permission of your current school's athletics ad-ministration. Ask how often coaches grant this privilege and ask for an example of a situation in which permission was not granted.

What other factors should I consider when choosing a college? Be realistic about your athletics ability and the type of athletics experience you would enjoy. Some student-athletes want to be part of a particular athletics pro-gram, even if that means little or no playing time. Other considerations include coaching staff and style. Of course, the ideal is to choose a college or university that will provide you with both the educational and athletics opportunities you want.

146

ACADEMICS:

How good is the department in my major? How many students are in the department? What credentials do faculty members hold? What are graduates of the program doing after school?

W h at p e rc e n t a ge o f p l a ye rs o n s ch o l a rs h i p g ra d u at e ?The response will suggest the school's commitment to academics. You might want t o a s k t w o f o l l o w - u p q u e s t i o n s : 1. What percentage of incoming students eventual ly graduate?2. What is the current team's grade-point average?

What academic support programs are available to student-athletes?

Look for a college that will help you become a better student.

If I have a diagnosed and documented disability, what kind of aca-demic services are available?

Special academic services may help you achieve your academic goals.

How many credit hours should I take in season and out of season?

It is important to determine how many credit hours are required for your degree and what pace you will follow to obtain that degree.

Are there restrictions in scheduling classes around practice?

NCAA rules prevent you from missing class for practice.

Is summer school available? If I need to take summer school, will it be paid for by the college?

You may need to take summer school to meet academic and/or graduation re-quirements.

147

COLLEGE LIFE:

What is a typical day for a student-athlete?

The answer will give you a good idea of how much time is spent in class, practice, study and travel. It also will give you a good indication of what coaches expect.

W h a t a r e t h e r e s i d e n c e h a l l s l i k e ?The response should give you a hint of how comfortable you would be in your room, study areas, community bathrooms and at the laundry facilities. Also ask about the number of students in a room, coed dorms and the rules governing life in the residence halls.

Must student-athletes live on campus?

If ‘‘yes,’’ ask about exceptions.

FINANCIAL AID:

How much financial aid is available for both the academic year and summer school? What does your scholarship cover?

How long does my scholarship last?

Most people think a ‘‘full ride’’ is good for four years, but athletics financial aid is available on a one-year, renewable basis.

What are my opportunities for employment while I am a student? Find out if you can be employed in season, out of season or during vacation peri-ods.

Exactly how much will the athletics scholarship be? What will and will not be covered?

It is important to understand what college expenses your family is responsible for so you can arrange to pay those. Educational expenses can be paid with student loans and government grants, but it takes time to apply for them. Find out early so you can get something lined up.

148

Am I eligible for additional financial aid? Are there any restrictions? Sometimes a student-athlete cannot accept a certain type of scholarship because of NCAA limitations. If you will be receiving other scholarships, let the coach and financial aid officer know so they can determine if you may accept additional dol-lars.

Who is financially responsible if I am injured while competing?

You need to understand your financial obligations if you suffer an injury while par-ticipating in athletics.

Under what circumstances would my scholarship be reduced or can-c e l e d ?Coaches should be able to give you some idea of how players are evaluated from year to year and how these decisions are made. The college or university may have a policy governing renewal of athletics aid. Ask if such a policy exists and read it.

Are there academic criteria tied to maintaining the scholarship? Some colleges or universities add academic requirements to scholarships (e.g., mini-mum grade-point average).

What scholarship money is available after eligibility is exhausted to help me complete my degree?

It may take longer than four years to complete a college degree program. Some colleges assist student- athletes financially as they complete their degrees. Ask how such aid is awarded. You may have to work with the team or in the athletics depart-ment to qualify for this aid.

What scholarship money is available if I suffer an athletics career-ending injury?

Not every institution continues to provide an athletics scholarship to a student-athlete who can no longer compete because of a career-ending injury.

Will my scholarship be maintained if there is a change in coaches?

A coach may not be able to answer this, but the athletics director may.

149

S E C T I O N 7

How to Help Make an Impression on College Coaches

Effective ways for a player to introduce himself or herself to a college coach:

Send an email or letter

Make a phone call to his/her office number to briefly say hello and that you are inter-ested in his/her program

Send a DVD/Video with a brief note of introduction

How to continue communication with a college coach after you have ex-pressed interest:

It makes a good impression on a college coach when a player keeps them informed of recent tournament results and upcoming events. It will never hurt to send a quick email to a coach letting them know where you will be playing, whether it’s a high school event or a national tournament.

Things to avoid when trying to get a college coach’s attention:

Showing up on campus unannounced

Having your current coaches or parents write letters or call on your behalf (before you have established a relationship with the coach)

Using recruiting services (these can be impersonal and creates unnecessary expenses on recruits. Coaches receive so many mass mailings from recruiting services that it be-comes difficult to “keep up”).

Sending excessive letters or making excessive contacts. However, a follow-up email or phone call can be very effective in making sure a coach received your information.

(Adapted from Kathy Sell, Head Coach Women’s Tennis, Princeton University)

150

S E C T I O N 8

Interesting Facts on College AthletesAccording to the NCAA, there are more than 460,000 NCAA student-athletes, and fewer than two percent will go pro in their sport:

* Percentages based on estimated data

151

Student-Athletes Men’s Basketball

Women’s Basketball Football Baseball Men’s Ice

HockeyMen’s Soccer

High School Student-Athletes 541,054 433,344 1,093,234 482,629 35,393 417,419

High School Senior Student-Athletes 154,587 123,813 312,353 137,894 10,112 119,263

NCAA Student-Athletes 18,320 16,319 71,291 33,431 3,976 23,602

NCAA Freshman Roster Positions 5,234 4,663 20,369 9,552 1,136 6,743

NCAA Senior Student-Athletes 4,071 3,626 15,842 7,429 884 5,245

NCAA Student-Athletes Drafted 45 33 256 731 4 72

Percent High School to NCAA 3.4% 3.8% 6.5% 6.9% 11.2% 5.7%

Percent NCAA to Professional 1.2% 0.9% 1.6% 8.6% 6.8% 1.4%

Percent High School to Professional 0.03% 0.03% 0.08% 0.53% 0.04% 0.06%

LIST OF IMAGESP a g e 3 — h t t p s : / / e n . w i k i p e d i a . o r g / w i k i / C o l l e g e # m e d i a v i e w e r /

File:KingsCollegeChapel.jpg

P a g e 6 — h t t p : / / m y f o o t p a t h . c o m / w p - c o n t e n t / u p l o a d s / 2 0 0 9 / 0 2 /college_acceptance_939615-655x280.jpg

Page 8--http://www.mytutor.com/sites/default/files/imce/SATACTChart.pdf

Page 9—http://studypoint.com/ed/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/SAT.ACT-test-takers-map.jpg

Page 14—http://www.k-state.edu/advising/images/ACT_logo.gif

Pa ge 16—http://ima ges.bet terworldbooks.com/076/The-Real -ACT-Prep-Guide-9780768926750.jpg

Page 24—https://www.act.org/aap/pdf/Student-Report.pdf

Page 27--https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Scales_Of_Justice.svg

Page 28—http://mycutegraphics.com/graphics/school/school-kids/student-using-computer

Page 32--http://sat.collegeboard.org/SAT/public/image/Scores_Retake_SAT.jpg

Page 40—http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAT#mediaviewer/File:New_SAT_Logo_%28vector%29.svg

Page 41--https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:College_board_logo.svg

clii

Page 44--http://www.esatpreptips.com/what-is-the-sat-score-choice-option-and-

how-can-it-help-you/

Page 48—http://www.skileb.com/community/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Mzaar-Extended-Time.jpg

Page 50—http://www.calstate.edu/images/CSUmap.gif

Page 53—http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/images/report2.gif

Page 58—https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Graduation_cap.png

Pa g e 6 0 — h t t p s : / / w w w. c a l s t a t e. e d u / S A S / c o s t o f a t t e n d a n c e / d o c u m e n t s /2015-2016_CostofAttendance.pdf

Page 61—https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dollar_Sign.svg

Page 63—http://listcrux.com/top-10-occasions-considered-milestone-persons-life/

Page 65—http://www2.assist.org/images/california_UCs_smaller_nobg.gif

Page 76—https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/9_playing_cards.jpg

Page 81—http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oOJMYL8TW6E/S9oLZz6EtKI/AAAAAAAAFus/4J2SmlL-v3E/s1600/UC%2520Berkeley_Campus.jpg

Page 96—https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/CollegePlanning/media/image/infographic/4.1.24_FinalTranscript_Art.gif

Page 97—http://goldenwestcollege.edu/transfercenter/images/csu/CSU%20LOGO.gif

cliii

Page 99—http://www.logodesignlove.com/images/monograms/university-california-logo-01.jpg

Page 101—https://openclipart.org/tags/future

Page 106—http://ksm913.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/decision-making-softwaredms21.jpg?w=560

Page 111—http://www.universitylanguage.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/admissions.jpg

Page 115—https://s3.amazonaws.com/graysbooks.com/images/bookstore/content/11/Financial_Aid.jpg

Page 122—http://coyotechronicle.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/cal-grant-color.jpg

Page 125—http://www.americasgotgrants.com/assets/images/education/pellgrant.jpg

Page 129-- https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/sites/default/files/federal-loan-programs.pdf

Page 130—http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r-vF7XPi7H0/TkxxwyiBAiI/AAAAAAAANHQ/DYkUejkBr6w/s1600/rotc%2Bpatch.jpg

P a g e 1 3 4 — h t t p : / / w w w. 3 c s o f t w a r e. c o m / w p - c o n t e n t / u p l o a d s / 2 0 1 0 / 1 2 /MP900442430_OopsSign-595x395.jpg

Page 135—http://watermarked.cutcaster.com/cutcaster-photo-100150134-Athlete-jumping-hurdle.jpg

Page 136—http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Collegiate_Athletic_Association

cliv

Page 137—http://acdmisports.com/how-to-register-for-the-ncaa-eligibility-center-clearinghouse/

Page 141-144—http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Quick_Reference_Sheet.pdf

Page 151—http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Spring03/Var nadore/Football -Player-1small.gif

This document provides general information only and may be subject to change at any time without notice. The Cathedral Catholic High School Counseling Office makes no representation or warranty with respect to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of this information. The information in this document is not a substi-tute for any information from the actual source, and in the event of any inconsistency, the actual source prevails.

clv

clvi