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JanuaryJanuary 1: Priority application period opens to submit FAFSA and Cal Grant GPAVerification Form (opens Jan 1 through March 2). Visit: www.fafsa.ed.govJanuary 4: College Alumni Reunion, Wednesday, January 4, 2012, TBA.January 31: Senior Financial Aid Workshops (Cash for College), from 6:30pm to8:30pm, held in the Oakland Tech Library.Complete FAFSA with parentsContinue applying for scholarships via Fast Web, Oaklandtech.com/scholarship, check thescholarship drawer located in the counseling department, and other sourcesFebruaryKeep your grades up! Schools will not accept Ds and Fs! Applications may be rescinded!MarchMarch 2: Deadline for submitting FAFSA for Cal Grant.Students should sign up early to take ELM &EPT placement tests for CSU admission. Thesetests may be waived if you have the following scores or are EAP exempt: SAT 1 (Math 550,Verbal/CR 550) or ACT (Math 23, English 22). Cost: 18.00 per test.Register at: www.testing.csueastbay.eduAdmission letters from UCs, CSUs and private colleges arrive.Review financial aid options.Once admitted, keep updated on housing applications/reservations, placement testing andany form deadlines.AprilCollege Visit: Attend the 13th Annual Shadow Day at UC Berkeley. Shadow Day will givestudents the opportunity to learn first-hand, from UC Berkeley students, what college isreally like. See Ms. Johnson for details.College Visit: HBCU College Tour, date TBAMake sure all paperwork is submitted and on time to your chosen campus!Senior Community College Workshops, date TBAMayMay 1: National Candidate’s Reply Date – deadline to notify colleges of yourdecisions. You must accept one offer, even if waitlisted at other schoolsScholarship Ceremony, date TBA.Contact all other colleges where you were admitted and withdraw your admissionRemember to keep your final semester grades up! If your grades fall, admission may berescinded!JuneSend final transcript to the college you have chosen. Fill out form with Ms. Nona Conocono,Recorder, Room 120 and OUSD will send transcript during the summer.College Planning Handbook, 2011-2012Page 7

Step One: Admission ProcessYour transcript is the number one indicator of college success. You should know how toread your transcript and understand the grading system used to calculate your grade pointaverage.1.2.Transcript – The transcript is a snap shot picture of your academic achievementfrom grades nine through twelve. At the top of the transcript, you will find yourpersonal information, name, student number, grade, date of birth, and permanentidentification. You should make sure that all information is accurate before sendingto a college. The body of the transcript is divided into semesters. There are twosemesters for each school year. Some of your courses are tagged with a * whichapply to non academic courses and for honors and advanced placement courses.The bottom of the transcript has the summary information for credit, grade pointaverage, and test data.Grade Point Average (GPA) - There are two grade point averages (GPAs)shown on the transcript.Unweighted GPA: The unweighted GPA includes all grades received in all courses. Forexample, the GPA will include grades from P.E., and other courses that are not collegepreparatory courses. A 4.0 is the highest GPA possible in an unweighted calculation.Unweighted GPAA 4 pointsB 3 pointsC 2 pointsD 1 pointsF 0 pointsWeighted GPA:The weighted GPA gives an extra grade point for UC-certified Honors,Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) classes.Weighted GPAA 5 pointsB 4 pointsC 3 pointsD 1 pointsF 0 points(No extra point is given for “D” grades)College Planning Handbook, 2011-2012Page 8

Notes: Weighted Academic GPARemember that the weighted academic GPA has only grades from collegepreparatory courses (a -g courses). For example, do not use PE, IWE, and otherclasses that do not have a “P” shown next to course on transcript.Calculate only grades earned in the 10th through 12th.You must have Cs or better in all classes used to calculate your GPA.If you earned a D in an AP (Advanced Placement) course, only give yourself 1 point.Notes: CSU RequirementMinimum of 2.0 requiredOakland Tech students are eligible for admission to CSUEB and CSUSF, if they meetthe minimum GPA, test scores, and A-G Requirements.If you do not live in the service area of the CSU you apply to, and it is impacted, ahigher admission standard may be used.At UCs and CSUs, as well as many private colleges, the GPA is considered incombination with the student’s SAT or ACT scores: the lower the GPA, the higherthe test scores(s) required. For the CSU system, only the GPA and SAT or ACT isused to determine eligibility.Notes: UC RequirementMinimum of 3.0 requiredMost UC campuses use your grades, test scores, extracurricular activities, and levelof courses to determine eligibility.Most UC’s go through a Holistic Review of your transcript before they notify you thatyou have been accepted. Check your email account often for correspondence,deadline dates, and additional information needed from colleges.It is important to earn good grades in the 12th grade because you are accepted on aconditional basis and your final transcript will be reviewed.College Planning Handbook, 2011-2012Page 9

3.A-G Required CoursesAll students planning to apply to colleges and universities must fulfill the “a-g”requirements. The “a-g” requirements are a specific pattern of courses (outlined below)which are required for admittance to the UC and CSU systems.University of California (UC)California State University (CSU)a.b.c.d.e.f.g.History/Social Science: 2 years required(World History, U.S. History, AmericanGovernment)English: 4 years required of college preparatoryEnglish (you may include up to 1 yr of higherlevel ESL/ELD)Mathematics: 3 years required, 4 yrsrecommended of college preparatory mathincluding algebra, geometry and advancedalgebra. (Courses taken in the 7th and 8th gradesmay be used to fulfill part of this requirement ifyour high school accepts as equivalent to its ownmath courses.)Lab Science: 2 years required, 3 yearsrecommended. (Biology, Chemistry, Physics).Language other than English: 2 years of thesame language required, 3 years recommended.(Courses taken in the 7th and 8th grades may beused to fulfill part of this requirement if yourhigh school accepts them as equivalent to its owncourses.)Visual and Performing Arts (VPA): 1 yearlongapproved arts course from a single disciplinerequired, chosen from the following: dance,drama/theatre, music, or visual arts.College Preparatory Electives: 1 yearrequired, chosen from the following areas: VPA(non-introductory level courses), history, socialscience, English, advanced math, lab science, andlanguage other than English (a third year in thelanguage used for “e” requirement, or two yearsof another language).a.b.c.d.e.f.g.History/Social Science: 2 years required(American Gov. U.S. History, or Social Science)English: 4 years required of college preparatoryEnglish (you may include up to 1 yr of higherlevel ESL/ELD)Mathematics: 3 years required, 4 yrsrecommended of college preparatory mathincluding algebra, geometry and advancedalgebra. (Courses taken in the 7th and 8th gradesmay be used to fulfill part of this requirement ifyour high school accepts as equivalent to its ownmath courses.)Lab Science: 2 years required including onebiological science (biology, physiology), and onephysical science (Chemistry, Physics).Language other than English: 2 years of thesame language required, 3 years recommended.(Courses taken in the 7th and 8th grades may beused to fulfill part of this requirement if yourhigh school accepts them as equivalent to its owncourses.)Visual and Performing Arts (VPA): 1 yearlongapproved arts course from a single disciplinerequired, chosen from the following: dance,drama/theatre, music, or visual arts.College Preparatory Electives: 1 yearrequired, chosen from the following areas: VPA(non-introductory level courses), history, socialscience, English, advanced math, lab science, andlanguage other than English (a third year in thelanguage used for “e” requirement, or two yearsof another language).GPA Requirement: Minimum of 3.0.GPA Requirement: Minimum of 2.0.Exam Requirements: 1) The SAT Reasoning Test orACT Assessment plus writing. (The best test scoresfrom the same sitting will be used to determine youreligibility. 2) SAT II aren’t required; but, they arerecommended for certain selective majors. TwoSAT Subject Tests in two different subject areas,chosen from the following: history, literature,mathematics (level 2 only), science, or languageother than English.Exam Requirements: The ACT Assessment or theSAT Reasoning Test. CSU does not use the SAT orACT writing test score for admission purposes. Youmay use the best score earned in individual testdates.College Planning Handbook, 2011-2012Page 10

Step Two: Searching For SchoolsYou may already know the colleges that you want to apply to. You may have taken into accountthe location, programs, and environment. If you are not sure how to search for a college, do acollege search assessment which will ask questions that will help you narrow down your search.Keep in mind the following when searching for the right fit college:Colleges. Do you want to attend: A. University of California (UC) B. California State University (CSU) C. Historical Black College University D. Out of State College E. Private College/University F. Community College G. Technical School H. Trade/Vocational SchoolAcademics. Does the school offer the majors, minors that I am interested in? Do theyoffer study abroad programs?Cost to Attend. Can I afford this school? What is my EFC? How do I apply for financialaid? Where can I get scholarships?Extracurricular Options. What clubs or organizations are available? How hard is it tojoin a sports club? Do they have volunteer opportunities? Are there opportunities to getinvolved in community activities?Housing. Will I be guaranteed housing? Are there apartments available on campus? CanI afford to live on campus? Are dorms coed? What is the housing like?Learning Environment? How large are the classes? Will I be able to get to know myinstructor? What do other students say about the instructors?Location. Do you want to go to a college that is close to home? Do you want to go tocollege in California? Do you want to go to a college in a large city? Do you want to go toa college with diversity?School Spirit. Is it important to attend a school with a NCAA sports team? Do you wantto go to a college that has lots of sports?Setting of Campus. What type of college setting would you prefer: urban, rural, orsuburban?Size. Keep in mind that schools come in all sizes. What size campus is right for you?College Planning Handbook, 2011-2012Page 11

Kuder NavigatorThe Kuder Navigator assessment can help you locate colleges and careers that are right for you.Kuder Navigator is a user-friendly, internet-based, education and career planning tool for OaklandTech high school students. It can be accessed from home and school. It is free to you. Once you haveregistered, it is yours to use from now on.Getting Started1. Go to www.kudernavigator.com2. In the top right of the web page, click on New Users Register Here3. On the next page, select “Student” and enter grade level.Creating an Account1. Personal Information: name, address, date of birth, graduation year, and expected level ofeducation. You do not have to enter your student ID number.2. Create an Account: Enter your home address, phone number and cell number. An email addressis required.3. Username and Password: Create a username and password.4. Activation Code: N3292669XTXTake an Assessment1. Go to Learn About Myself tab at the top of the page2. Click on Take an Assessment.3. Take the Kuder Career Search with Person Math Assessment. This assessment will ask you torank activities that you like best from 1-3.Plan for Education1. Once you have completed an assessment, you can click on Plan for Education tab at the top ofthe page.2. Click on “National Schools”3. View schools that meet your criteria using the filter options.4. See list of schools meeting your criteria.5. Click on gold star to save to your portfolio.6. Click on school to learn more about general campus information.Explore Occupations1.2.3.4.Click on Explore Occupations tab at the top of the page.Click on “Explore Careers by Assessment Results.”Click on the career title and learn more about it.You may want to search a career that you already have in mind. Click on the ExploreOccupations” tab at the top of the page, then select “Explore Careers by Title or KeywordSearch.College Planning Handbook, 2011-2012Page 12

Narrowing Down the List of Schools (include safety, target, and reach schools)A safety school is a college that you are certain you will be admitted into, that your familycan afford even if you do not get significant financial aid, and that you are willing to attend.A target school is a school you really want to attend and matches your admission profile.A reach school is one that you strongly desire to attend but realize the chances of gettingaccepted are slim.List at least three SAFETY schools:1.2.3.Application Deadline DateList at least three TARGET schools:1.2.3.Application Deadline DateList at least three REACH schools:1.2.3.Application Deadline DateAdditional Tasks:Teacher Recommendation LetterCounselor Recommendation LetterSecondary School ReportMid-year ReportTranscript sentEssay CompletedFinancial Aid form completedCSS Profile completedLetters of acceptance/denial/waitlist receivedCollege Notified of Student Intent to Register (SIR)Housing applied forDeposit given if requestedPlacement tests scheduledOrientation scheduledCollege Planning Handbook, 2011-2012Page 13

Step Three: Choosing the Right Fit CollegeAbout College MythsThe four years that youth spend in college can either awaken their abilities and talents or theycan become frustrated with the experience and transfer, drop out, or flunk out. Some of theproblem has to do with finding the right fit college. The following are a few college myths thathave been around for years.College MythsThis is an excerpt based on Chapter 1 of the book Looking Beyond the Ivy League: FindingThe College That’s Right For YouMyth: AN IVY OR LITTLE IVY COLLEGE* WILL ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEE THE RICH,FULL, AND SUCCESSFUL LIFE.Not necessarily. Even if the diploma helped you get the first job because it was taken asevidence of your intelligence that would be about the limit of its leverage because mostpeople change jobs at least once in the first five years. Five years out of college, or sooner,a person’s own qualities will be deciding whether he/she gets a raise, promotion, or hasthe vision to see new opportunities and the imagination to create a new career.Myth: A BIG UNIVERSITY OFFERS A BROADER, RICHER UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCEWITH BETTER TEACHING, WIDER COURSE SELECTION, AND A MORE DIVERSE STUDENTBODY THAN A COLLEGE.Quite the opposite! The university is primarily interested in research, publishing,consulting, and graduate teaching. Even some of the greatest universities leave over 70percent of the freshman and sophomore instruction to graduate assistants. In addition,budget crunches have made it difficult to get even the required courses that in many toppublic universities it takes five and a half or six years to get a degree.Myth: YOU SHOULD MAKE YOUR COLLEGE SELECTION EARLY IN YOUR SENIOR YEARAND HAVE ALL YOUR APPLICATION IN BY CHRISTMAS OR THEREABOUTS (CSU ANDUC’S DEADLINES ARE NOVEMBER 30).The sky does not fall on November 30th. Many colleges use rolling admissions – acting onapplication as they come in. Many colleges are taking students into the summer,depending on the flow of applications. But, if you applying to one of the colleges oruniversities that have a firm deadline date, you had better be prompt at getting in yourapplication!*The eight universities constituting the Ivy League are Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth (which calls itself a college)Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale. The little Ivies are Amherst, Wesleyan, and Williams.College Planning Handbook, 2011-2012Page 14

There are four major systems of higher education in California. The California CommunityCollege courses are available to students in high school through concurrent enrollment as well asfor students 18 or over and for students who have graduated from high school. California StateUniversities, Universities of California, and Private Colleges are available for students who havecompleted high school and have met the admission requirements.1. California Community Colleges (CCC) - There are 112 CCC’s in California of which 10are in the Bay Area: Merritt, Laney, City College of Berkeley, Contra Costa College, LosMedanos, Diablo Valley, San Francisco City College, and Ohlone College. Onlineinformation can be found at www.cccco.edu. Click the “Community Colleges” tab to getgeneral information and find links to individual colleges.California Community Colleges need:The student must be 18 years of age, or be a high school graduate. A GED or CaliforniaHigh School Proficiency Exam is acceptable.No Application feeStudents must take a placement test a Math Assessment Test and an EnglishAssessment Test. These tests are given at the Community College.Tuition and FeesCalifornia Resident Fees and/or tuition (excluding room and board). Approximately 624 per

in the College Admission Counseling Program at UC Berkeley Extension. Special thanks to the College Mentor Committee and PTSA for the mini-grant to print copies of this . Saturday, from 10:00am-2:00pm at DeVry University, Oakland Center, 505 14th St., Oakland. Free. October 10 & 11: College Awareness Classroom Presentations, Oakland Tech College