Mission Hills High School Counseling Department Tuesday, February 12, 2013 Counseling Department Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Transcription

1 Mission Hills High School Counseling Department Tuesday, February 12, 2013 Counseling Department Tuesday, February 5, 2013

2 California College Systems Community Colleges CCCApply.org Reasons to Attend Palomar College EAP Transfer Path UC TAG Financial Aid Q&A

3 System Number of Campuses College Entrance Test Degrees Offered Community Colleges More than 120 None Associate degrees and vocational certificates California State University (CSU) 23 SAT Reasoning Test and/or ACT Bachelors and Masters University of California (UC) 10 Recommended: 2 SAT Subject Tests (check with each school and major) AND SAT Reasoning Test and/or ACT with Writing Bachelors, masters, Doctorates, and professional degrees Independent/Private Colleges and Universities More than 70 Varies: Check with college or university Associates, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorates, and professional degrees

4 CCCApply offers several tools to help you find the educational program and college that is right for you. Locate & Compare Colleges- Find the California community college that is right for you based on location or the programs offered. ASSIST- See how courses you've taken will transfer to other colleges and universities in California. California Virtual Campus-Find online courses offered by California colleges. CalAbroad- Check out opportunities to study abroad through the California Community Colleges. California Career Zone- An interactive tool for exploring exciting jobs. California Career Center- A career planning website for middle and high school students.

5 1. Increase Your Earning Power. College graduates make more money on average than high school graduates. In fact, many employers now hire only college graduates, even for entry-level positions. But that doesn't mean you need four years at a major university. Even if you plan to get a bachelor's degree, starting out at a community college may be your best choice for a number of reasons. The following chart shows the ways that education pays.

6 2. Spend a Lot Less. Everyone knows that costs at four-year colleges are high and going higher. On the other hand, California Community Colleges have the lowest fees in the nation. Even if you can afford the cost of a four-year college, you've probably got other things you could spend that money on. 3. Take the Most Direct Route to the Job You Want. Spending four years getting a bachelor's degree may not be the route you want to take. Maybe you want to be a chef, a medical or dental assistant, or work in law enforcement. California Community Colleges offer lots of programs that can have you job-ready within two years or less. 4. If You're Not Sure, Explore.*** Some students enter college knowing exactly what they want to study, but most do not. If you're not sure about the educational path you want to follow, community colleges are a great place for career exploration. 5. Experience a Different Educational Environment. Even if your goal is a bachelor's degree, there are often good reasons for not spending four years at the same college. By first attending community college and then completing your degree at a four-year college, you'll have two college experiences instead of one. Your education will be broadened and enriched by two different student bodies, two different campuses, perhaps two different geographic regions all of which will help prepare you for what comes after college.

7 6. Find Classes to Fit a Busy Schedule. Not everyone has the luxury of being "just" a college student. You may need to make college fit in with a job or family responsibilities. With classes in the evening, on weekends, and even online, community colleges offer the flexibility to help you proceed with your education while doing the other things you need to do in your life. 7. Go to College without Leaving Home. If you're going directly from high school to college, community college gives you the option to continue living at home. This can help lower the cost of college, as well as let you focus on education rather than the lifestyle changes that come with going away to college. 8. Learn in Smaller Classes from Experienced Instructors. At four-year colleges, it's common for many of the classes you'll typically take in your first two years to be huge (sometimes more than 300 students), relatively impersonal, and conducted by teaching assistants rather than professors. At a community college, class sizes will be much smaller, and classes are taught by experienced instructors who can give you personal attention when you need it. 9. Get a Second Chance at Your Four-Year Choice. If, coming out of high school, you were not accepted by your chosen four-year college, that doesn't mean you can never go there. Find out from the four-year college or your community college transfer center what you can do to strengthen your admission application as a transfer student.

8 California Community Colleges can contribute to your success in numerous ways: Associate degree Transfer to a 4-year college/ university Occupational certificate Job skills Continuing education Basic skills Meeting high school requirements Additionally, California Community Colleges offer: Lowest fees in the nation Board of Governors Waiver (BOGW), which waives the entire per-unit fee.

9 Palomar College Early Acceptance Program (EAP) is an event designed to assist incoming high school graduates in assessment, orientation, and registration of classes at Palomar College. There are 3 steps to participating in EAP: March: Complete the assessment at Palomar (Sign up in the MHHS College & Career Center) April May: Attend orientation/counseling session June: Register for classes

10 - Applying to Palomar College - 1. Obtain a Palomar ID number 2. If not age 18 by August 2014, complete a k-12 Verification form 3. Sign up/participate in the EAP. Are you exempt from taking the assessment test? Bring your SAT/ACT or AP or CSU EAP test scores. 4. Apply for financial aid online at from January 1 - March 2 5. Apply for Palomar scholarships at - deadline is February You must apply online through Palomar College s eservices. You will need to submit one letter of recommendation. 6. After testing at Palomar College, you will receive instructions on how to access your scores and sign up for an orientation. By participating in the orientation, you will be able to meet with a Palomar counselor, pick your classes, and have priority registration for FALL 2013 Prepare for the Assessment: (click on study guides)

11 Being a transfer student means that you are beginning your bachelor s degree at Palomar College. As a transfer student you will be continuing your education at a four-year college or university, usually after completing at least 60 transferable units at a community college. Here s how it works: UNIT REQUIREMENT: The average bachelors degree program requires that you complete semester units. Those units are divided into lower division (freshman and sophomore) and upper division (junior and senior) coursework. You must complete at least 60 transferable units to reach junior standing (upper division status). Like other community colleges, Palomar offers lower division course accepted as comparable to the ones that freshman and sophomores must take at the university (thus, they are transferable). Community colleges do not offer upper division coursework, so you will transfer to a university to complete those units and graduate with a bachelor s degree. SUBJECT REQUIREMENT: In addition to the unit requirement for your degree, there are subject area requirements. Those requirements may be for general education or major preparation. If you complete all of your subject requirements and have not reached 60 units, you will take transferable elective courses to reach the 60 units before you can transfer. GENERAL EDUCATION (GE) - Courses from a variety of disciplines that help you develop a wellrounded or liberal education. Typically, many of your lower division courses will be for the purpose of general education. For example, you must complete at least 48 units of GE to graduate from a California public university, 39 of which are lower division. The GE requirements for independent and out-of-state university may differ. Each institution has its own GE pattern that describes the number of units in each subject area that you must complete for graduation. There are also GE patterns that are accepted by the entire California State University and University of California systems for transfer to any of their campuses. Individual schools have different rules regarding whether all GE must be complete before transfer, see a counselor.

12 HOW TO TRANSFER MAJOR PREPARATION: Your bachelor s degree will be granted in a specific discipline (your major). The university faculty that teaches in your major determines the unit and subject requirements for the degree. Among those requirements is lower division major preparation. Courses in your main area of academic interest. The courses you take will depend on your transfer major and university. Some majors require very little preparation, while other majors require many courses. Some of the preparation for your major can also be used to meet GE requirements. It is important to choose a major early and find out about preparation that you will need to be admitted into your major. Some schools and/or majors require that students complete most, if not all, of their major preparation before transfer, especially if the school or major is designated as impacted. IMPACTED: An impacted major or program is one where more applications are recieved from eligible students during the initial filing period than the campus can enroll.these high-demand majors, universities or programs will have additional admission criteria above the minimum admissions standards. Several campuses across the CSU and UC are impacted. Many majors within UC or CSU are also impacted. If you are interested in applying to one of these impacted programs, in your first semester at Palomar make an appointment with a counselor to create an educational plan. GRADES: Your overall academic performance, as measured by your grade point average (GPA), is another factor in being admitted to a university and earning your degree. There are minimum GPAs set for transfer students that vary by system, institution and or major. A higher minimum GPA is required for admission to impacted campuses or majors. It is important for you to find out how to do well in your classes in order to increase your transfer choices and chances.

13 WHY SHOULD YOU TRANSFER? The purpose of transferring is to earn a Bachelor s degree. Students choose to earn a Bachelor s degree for many different reasons, including: Academic interest Future income potential Personal growth and development Preparation for a specific career or occupation Preparation for a higher-level degree (Master s or Doctoral degree) Visit for more information about transfer and links to helpful websites!

14 Articulation Articulation is the process of evaluating courses to determine whether coursework completed at one institution (Palomar College) will meet the requirements at another (UC, CSU or private university). The best and most current articulations within the public higher education schools in California are on the ASSIST website: GE General Education is one of three groups of classes that students will typically take in preparation to transfer along with major preparation and electives. GE classes are required by all students regardless of their major. They include classes such as English composition, college level math, humanities, social sciences, life and physical sciences, etc. GPA Grade Point Average is the main indicator of your academic performance in college. Each grade is given a numerical equivalent as follows: A=4, B=3, C=2, D= 1, F=0. Each class grade is multiplied by the number of units in that class to get the grade points for that class. The grade points are added together and then divided by the number of units attempted. There are different types of GPAs. A cumulative GPA includes everything ever done at the college level. A transferable GPA includes only the classes that will transfer to a college/university (remember that some classes may transfer to a CSU but not to a UC- always check assist.org, be sure to put in the correct year and institution in which you took the course).. Lower Division Transfer Transfer students are considered to fall into 2 categorieslower division transfer or upper division transfer. Lower division transfers are those with less than 60 semester units or 90 quarter units. Upper division transfers will have 60 or more semester units (90 or more quarter units) at the time of transfer. Major preparation These are the required courses taken at the lower division (freshman, sophomore) level in preparation for the major (taken at the upper division- junior/senior level). The number of major preparation classes vary significantly depending on a student s intended major. In most cases students may use major preparation classes towards their GE requirements as well. Semester A time period by which a college or university runs its academic calendar that runs weeks. Typically these schools will offer a fall and spring semester with an optional summer session. Palomar runs a 16 week semester system. Most CSU campuses are on a semester system. Quarter A time period by which a college or university runs it academic calendar that runs 10 weeks where there are Fall, Winter, Spring and an optional summer quarter in an academic year. Most UC campuses are on the quarter system.

15 1) Learn how to be a successful college student. Enroll in one or more of the following: Counseling 45-Basic Study Skills, Counseling 48 -Overcoming Test Anxiety, Counseling 110 -College Success Skills, Counseling 120-Quest for Identity and Life Skills 2) Learn about the requirements for transfer. Choose a counselor and meet with him or her regularly. Know counselor s name & contact info. 3) Choose your career field. Ideally, you will identify your intended career field, then you will know what type of degree you will need and what you can major in. However, some students do choose majors based on their interest in studying in that field. Remember 80% of jobs require a bachelor s degree in an unspecified area. Enroll in one or more of the following: Counseling 165-Career Search, Counseling 115-Career/ Life Planning, My intended career field is: 4) Choose your major. Many of the courses you take will be determined by your major, which is the field of study you will emphasize. Enroll in Counseling 170-Major Search My intended university major is: 5) Complete transfer level English and math courses early. 6) Choose some target universities. Students are encouraged to have 2-3 top choices. Read Choosing a University. Enroll in Counseling 101-Transfer Success My preferred transfer university is: Possible alternatives: 7) Connect with your transfer universities Get connected early to your future university to make a smooth transition from community college. Visit the university and meet with university representatives who visit Palomar. Check with the Transfer Center for a schedule of visiting university representatives or visit the web site.

16 8) Create an educational plan. An education plan is a list of courses you will complete to transfer to your desired school and major. You can develop your educational plan with a counselor. 9) DATES AND DEADLINES It s important to make sure you complete all your transfer requirements on time. List your transfer deadlines here: 10) Learn about the application process Attend application workshops and make sure you apply on time! 11) APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID Apply between January 1 and March 2 prior to the academic year you plan to transfer. Click here for link 12) APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS Get free money for continuing your education after Palomar from your transfer university or other sources. Click here for a informative link Visit for more information about transfer and links to helpful websites!

17 Seven University of California (UC) campuses offer guaranteed transfer admission to students from all California Community Colleges (CCC). By participating in a TAG program, you can ensure your admission to a specific UC campus. To pursue a TAG, you must: Complete the online UC TAG application Fulfill all coursework and GPA requirements designated in your TAG agreement Apply for admission to UC Students are strongly encouraged to consult with their community college counselor prior to completing/submitting the TAG application. Please note: The UC San Diego TAG program is being phased out. The last available term for TAG admission will be Fall To apply for Fall 2014, you must submit your TAG online application (and the UC application for admission) in Fall Transfer students do not have to participate in TAG to be considered for admission. Non-TAG students must also apply for UC admission during the appropriate application filing period (see

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19 What is Financial Aid? Gift Aid Scholarships Grants Grandpa, Rich Uncle, etc. Self-help Aid Loans Employment Savings

20 STATE Cal Grants Chaffee Grants CSU - State University Grant (SUG) CSU - Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) FEDERAL Federal Pell Grants Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG); 1 st or 2 nd year of college National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART); 3 rd or 4 th year of college Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)

21 FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid Web site: To apply for financial aid from the federal government, including the Pell Grant, Perkins Loan, Stafford Loan, and work-study, you must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Submitting the FAFSA is also required by all state and many school student assistance programs. When you use this CCCApply entrance to the FAFSA, the data you've entered in CCCApply will be transferred automatically to the FAFSA, making your application much easier and faster.

22 There are several ways to get financial assistance if you need it, including federal financial aid, fee waivers, loans, grants, and scholarships. Where Can I Get Aid? Websites icanaffordcollege.com Brought to you by the California Community Colleges. FinAid.org is the national student aid website, which also offers a list of online resources in Spanish. CaliforniaColleges.edu provides financial information for all colleges in California. Contact the financial aid office of the college you wish to attend The college may have additional aid available, and can help you find the financial aid available to you.

23 How Do I Apply for Financial Aid? Choose a college. Gather your financial documents, like tax returns and income records. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA). The FAFSA makes available several types of loans and grants from the federal government. Apply for the California Board of Governors (BOG) Fee Waiver. The BOG Fee Waiver can waive enrollment fees for qualified students. Contact the college of your choice for more information and opportunities. You can apply for financial assistance either before applying for admission to college or after... but the sooner, the better.

24 Student and Parent Financial Aid Workshops will be available next year. Federal Work-Study (FWS) Federal Perkins Loans Stafford Loans PLUS Loans

25 Assist-check courses that transfer to other colleges and universities in California: California Colleges:CaliforniaColleges.edu California Community College Application: California Community Colleges Scholarship Info: icanaffordcollege.com National Student Aid:FinAid.org Palomar College: TAG Application: uctag.universityofcalifornia.edu University of California Application: