San Diego City College MESA Program San Diego MESA Alliance MESAdvantage Standards COUNSELING Counseling helps you to find the appropriate educational pattern for you. Counselors will make your life easier, save you time, and let you know about different schools and the path you should take in order to transfer to the school of your choice. - -Cynthia Wood, Mathematics Major, City College transfer to UCSD, Fall 2007 Meet with counselor once per semester to review progress in major Complete semester-by-semester transfer track educational plan (ed-plan) Complete time management plan each semester Complete StrengthsQuest assessment Other counseling activities might include enrolling in one of the following programs: - Trio/ASPIRE - DSP&S - EOPS - Honors Following are the guidelines for completing each standard: Need help? Ask a MESA student or the MESA staff. Filename: MESA Orientation Counseling Revised: 9/1/2010
STANDARD: Meet with counselor once per semester to review progress Standard Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to stay up-to-date with your progress in your major and progress with your educational plan. A counselor can help you develop a transfer track ed-plan (see next standard) and will help you to confirm your progress and to learn any new advice on strategies for transfer, especially if you have a need to revise your ed-plan. Recommendations: Schedule an appointment with a counselor. You have a choice of counselors to see for assistance. A counselor from General Counseling has been identified to work with MESA students. If you re in TRIO, EOPS, and/ or DSP&S, there are counselors in these programs that can also help you. Counselor Assessment. For each counseling appointment, ask your counselor to complete a MESA Program Counselor Assessment form. This form is used to document your visit. It identifies the purpose of your visit, any counselor observations, and any counselor recommendations for follow-up or next steps. Assessment forms are VERY important for keeping you on track with your educational plan. Also, having a written record of your counseling visits will make it easier for you to work with one or more counselors. Your counselor may keep the white-colored, original copy or send it to the MESA Program, and you keep the canary-colored copy for your records. Use an assessment form for each visit. Pick-up additional forms in the MESA Center. Documentation to be maintained in student portfolio: MESA Program Counselor Assessment form. One form is required for each visit. Counseling Page 2
STANDARD: Complete semester by semester (transfer track) ed-plan Standard Warning: Some UC s and CSU s only accept Fall transfers. If you plan to transfer in Spring or Winter, see a counselor (and watch your MESA program emails) to confirm that the university will be accepting applications. Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to develop an educational plan of the courses that you will take to successfully transfer from City College to a university. Next are some educational planning basics to help you develop an ed-plan that works best for you. An ed-plan is your road map for taking the right courses at the right time to achieve your educational goals. Like a good map, a good ed-plan will get you to your destination in the best possible way and in the quickest possible time. An ed-plan must satisfy many requirements, but you have many options and resources to help you. Your job is to become familiar with the requirements, the options, and the resources. Note: The following guidelines assume that you are certain of your choice of major. If you are uncertain about your major, then see the MESA staff immediately. Although you re currently a community college student, the MESA Program strongly recommends that you take a 4-year university approach to developing your ed-plan, considering the following steps: 1. Major. Your major is your primary area of study. Each major requires a minimum number of units (or classes) for a degree. Determine which classes in your major will be taken at City College (these are referred to as lowerdivision major classes) and which will be taken at the university (these are referred to as upper-division major classes). The majority of your major classes will be taken at the university, but you will benefit by completing as many major classes as possible at City College prior to transfer. 2. General Education Requirements. You are required to complete general education (G.E.) classes, in addition to classes in your major. Categories for G.E. classes include Oral and Written Communication, Critical Thinking, Physical and Life Science, Mathematics, Arts, Humanities, Social Science, Political Science, and more. G.E. requirements depend on your choice of university for transfer. For this reason, choosing an appropriate G.E. option is very important. Consider the following options for meeting G.E. requirements: CSU G.E. Breadth Requirements. Students who are planning to attend a California State University (CSU, for example SDSU) have the option to follow CSU G.E. Breadth Requirements. Transfer Agreements. Transfer agreements specify the G.E. requirements for transfer from City College to a 4-year university. Where available, students have the option to follow a variety of transfer Counseling Page 3
agreements. For example, there is a Transfer Agreement Guarantee (TAG) available from City College to UCSD and Transfer Studies Degree Agreement (TSDA) for SDSU. Check with the City College Transfer Center for more details. IGETC. The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (also known as IGETC) identifies the G.E. requirements for transfer to all CSU and most UC campuses/majors. It is also accepted by some private, independent, or out of state universities. This option is recommend for students who are undecided about transferring to a UC or a CSU. After choosing a G.E. option, determine which G.E. classes will be taken at City College (these are referred to as lower-division G.E. classes) and which will be taken at the university (these are referred to as upper-division G.E. classes). The majority of your G.E. classes will be taken at City College. Be careful to understand ALL the G.E. requirements that apply to you. 3. Electives. Students must complete a minimum number of transferable units for transfer to a UC or a CSU. Major classes and G.E. classes account for the majority of these units. However, electives are classes that students take to complete any missing units. Electives provide you with flexibility in your educational planning. Think of electives as an opportunity to choose the classes that match your interests. This is your chance to take fun classes. As you will need to complete electives at City College for transfer, be aware that you will also need to complete electives at the university to meet graduation requirements. If you plan early and plan well, you can use your electives to complete a Minor or a Second Major, as discussed below. 4. Minor. As your major is your primary area of study, a minor is a secondary area of study. You can maximize your educational experience and your career potential by choosing a minor that complements your major. For example, a computer science major may choose to minor in psychology. A minor requires a minimum number of units, but not as many units as your major. If you plan your electives well, you can complete a minor by taking minor-related classes at City College and at the university. You will discover that you can complete a major and a minor at the same time, without extra work. A minor will strengthen your degree and help you to stand out from the rest! 5. Second Major. A second major is an option for students who are ambitious and really plan ahead. Like your first major, your second major also requires a minimum number of units. If you choose your electives to complete a second major, then once you complete your degree for the first major, you will ONLY need to complete several more classes to satisfy the requirements for your second major. The extra classes and time is a small price to pay for a second major. A second major isn t right for everyone, but it s important to be aware of this option if it s right for you. Counseling Page 4
Recommendations: Your first step for developing an ed-plan is to see a counselor. You are strongly advised to become as familiar as possible with the requirements, the options, and the available resources for developing an ed-plan. See the following on-line resources: ASSIST.ORG. ASSIST is an on-line information system (www.assist.org) for students planning to transfer. ASSIST contains articulation agreements that identify the courses that are approved for transfer credit between community colleges and universities. Use ASSIST to determine which City College classes are transferable to UC s and CSU s. ASSIST contains information on UC and CSU transferable courses, CSU GE-Breadth Certification List, IGETC courses, and Articulation Agreements between community colleges and universities. CSUMentor. CSUMentor is an online resource (www.csumentor.edu) designed to help students and their families learn about the CSU system and get answers to frequently asked questions. Use CSUMentor to tour CSU campuses online, compare CSU campuses and find the CSU campus that meets your needs. CSUMentor provides information on admission requirements and helps students to plan the courses to take prior to transfer to a CSU campus. CSUMentor allows students to apply for admission to the CSU campus of their choice and provides information on which campuses are accepting applications. CSUMentor also provides financial aid information and helps students to plan for college costs. Use CSUMentor to determine an estimate of your financial aid eligibility and estimated award amount. UC Pathways. UC Pathways (www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/) is an online resource designed to help students and their families learn about the UC system and get answers to frequently asked questions. UC Pathways provides information on minimum admission requirements for transfers, transfer GPA, concurrent enrollment, cross enrollment, transfer admission programs, transfer credit, general education requirements, intersegmental general education transfer curriculum (IGETC), undergraduate major preparation, application procedures, student programs and services, housing, cost to attend, financial aid, undergraduate majors, and a UC directory. UC Pathways allows students to apply for admission to the UC campus of their choice. MESA Program emails. Check your email regularly for information on Transfer information University contacts Application deadlines GE requirements Other transfer tools MESA Program website: www.sdccmesa.com Counseling Page 5
Visit the City College Transfer/Career Center in room A-111 for the following: Discover software program. Use the Discover software program to research majors. The Discover program is strongly recommended. If you re uncertain about your major, then you should start with the Discover program. UC s versus CSU s. See the California Three-Tiered System handout in the General Information section for information on the differences between the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) schools. Catalogs. Find more information on majors in the university catalogs and the information drawers in the College Catalogs area. Websites. Visit university websites for on-line information on majors. Most university web sites are accessible through the Discover software program. Information packets for local transfer universities (SDSU, UCSD, CSU San Marcos, USD, and National) are available in the cubbyholes in the Transfer Programs area. Meet with a university advisor for the latest information and tips for transfer. Most local universities have advisors that visit City College on a regular basis. See the City College Transfer/Career Center calendar for the schedule of advisor dates. You can sign up for an appointment at the Referrals desk.. Ask other MESA students for advice, tips, and lessons learned on educational planning. Ask to see their transfer-track educational plan. If possible, work to find a MESA student with your same major and same choice of university for transfer. Schedule an appointment with a counselor to develop your City College Student Education Plan (SEP). The SEP outlines exactly what courses are needed for transfer and provides a checklist for requirements completed and remaining. The SEP should reflect your plans for major, G.E. s, electives, minor, and/or second major. If you attended another college prior to enrolling at City College, then you should contact your former college to send your official transcripts to the City College evaluations office. Your transcripts must be evaluated and on file before you can obtain an official SEP. A counselor from General Counseling has been identified to work with MESA students. If you re in TRIO, EOPS and/ or DSP&S, there are counselors in these programs that can also help you. Visit the City College Counseling center in room A-110 for the following: Requirements for Majors Transfer Courses. Courses that count for credit at one or more universities. Articulation Agreements. Articulation agreements identify the City College courses that are approved for transfer credit between City College and another university. CSU General Education. Students who are planning to attend a California State University (CSU) have the option to follow a CSU G.E. plan. Counseling Page 6
Transfer Agreement. Transfer agreements specify the G.E. requirements for transfer from City College to a 4-year university. The following transfer agreements are available for City College students: UCSD UniversityLinks. Guarantees admission to UCSD only. Does NOT guarantee admission to a specific UCSD college or major. For first-semester City College students. UCSD Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG). Guarantees admission to a specific UCSD college and admission in the quarter selected by the student. Does NOT guarantee admission into major. SDSU Transfer Studies Degree (TSD). Guarantees admission to impacted majors at SDSU during any semester. CSU Northridge TAG. Guarantees admission to CSU Northridge. UC Davis Transfer Admissions Agreement (TAA). Guarantees admission to UC Davis during the fall quarter only. UC Irvine Preliminary Admission in the Field (PAIF). Specific GPA requirements see counselor for more information. UC Santa Barbara Transfer Admissions Agreement (TAA). Maintain a GPA of at least a 2.7. UC Santa Cruz GATE. Guarantees admission to UC Santa Cruz during the fall quarter only. Honors Transfer Agreement. Provides transfer priority to some UC and CSU s in fall and/or spring semesters. For honor students only. Cross-Enrollment. Cross-enrollment allows you to enroll in one undergraduate course per semester at SDSU or UCSD, while you re a student at City College. Cross-enrollment only costs $18 per unit. This is a great way to develop a connection to the university before you transfer. For example, a MESA student took advantage of cross-enrollment to enroll in a research course at SDSU for only $18 per unit. Restrictions apply. See a counselor for details. Complete a MESA Program Transfer-Track Individual Learning Plan (Community College Plan). This is a semester-by-semester ed plan for transfer. Documentation to be maintained in student portfolio: Copy of requirements for major from university catalog or website. Student Education Plan (SEP) prepared by a counselor MESA Program Transfer-Track Individual Learning Plan (Community College Plan) Contract for transfer agreement (TAG, IGETC, etc.), if applicable. Counseling Page 7
STANDARD - required: Complete time management plan each semester Standard Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to manage your time effectively. You have many demands on your time for school, work and home, but there is only a limited amount of time. The challenge is to have a realistic, WRITTEN plan (i.e. schedule) for managing your time and giving yourself a real chance to take care of business. (Remember MESA Law #3: If you don t write it down, it didn t happen) Once you have a written plan, it is your responsibility to have the discipline to stick to the plan! Time management is only a start. You are strongly encouraged to learn and develop other study skills, including test-taking skills, note-taking skills, listening skills, and stress management skills. Recommendations: Complete a MESA Program Time Management sheet. The Time Management sheet is a timesheet for scheduling your regular activities. Block out the time necessary to accomplish each regular activity, and enter as many activities possible. Use the weekly planner as a tool to manage your time. Remember to be good to yourself and schedule your personal time. Make this time your reward for sticking to the plan. Developing an effective weekly planner takes practice. Don t stress yourself to develop a perfect planner on the first try. Keep it simple. Enter what you think will work and follow the plan for 1 or 2 weeks. Then evaluate and revise the plan as necessary. Ask yourself - Did I schedule enough study time? What activities need more time or less time? Become comfortable with your plan and follow it. Search the Internet for any available study skills resources. Documentation to be maintained in student portfolio: MESA Program Time Management sheet Counseling Page 8
STANDARD - required: Complete StrengthsQuest assessment Standard Purpose: The purpose of the StrengthsQuest analysis is to help you to think about yourself from a position of strength. StrengthsQuest is an assessment tool developed by the Gallup Organization after they surveyed several thousands of people about the strengths they bring to their various positions. They grouped common themes together and came up with 34 strengths that you may or may not have in a greater or lesser degree. Your top five strengths are the ones that drive you that help you accomplish what you do in the world. Knowing these strengths will help you to understand yourself and your motivations. Working to improve your strengths is, believe it or not, a thousand times more valuable than working to improve your weaknesses (and here you must remember that math is a SKILL, not a STRENGTH). Recommendations: In order to complete the StrengthsQuest assessment: o Get a code from your MESA director o You will need internet access and about 30 completely uninterrupted minutes. There is no stopping this test. You have 20 seconds to answer each question, which doesn t allow for running to the bathroom or the fridge, or answering the phone, or talking to the guy next to you. Plan ahead!!! o Go to www.strengthsquest.com and click on New Users, then follow instructions. o As you take the quiz, remember that a neutral response is read by the system as not being inclined to either option. If you feel strongly about both, pick the one that you would keep if you had to choose only one. Your results will come up at the end, with brief descriptions of the traits associated with them. These are your talents. Remember that skill and knowledge are required to turn a talent into a strength, so you may or may not be using all of these talents. Incorporate these into cover letters and job interviews. It will be interesting to see if yours fit for that use. Documentation to be maintained in student portfolio: Submit your five strengths to the MESA program director as soon as you have completed the assessment. Counseling Page 9
STANDARD: Other student support programs at San Diego City College Standard The TRIO program strives to enhance self-esteem, improve retention and persistence, help raise grades, and increase graduation/transfer rates of students. The following services are available to TRIO students: tutoring, counseling, a computer lab, cultural enrichment activities, visits to 4-year universities, and graduation/transfer assistance workshops. Eligible participants should be highly motivated City College students aspiring to transfer to a 4-year institution. Eligible participants must meet at least one of the following criteria: a first-generation college student, or a low-income student, or a student registered with the Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S) Program. TRIO is a federally funded program. Applications for new participants are accepted at the beginning of each semester. For additional information, visit the TRIO Program or call (619) 388-3407. TRIO information is also available on the City College website at www.sdcity.edu/studentresources/trio/default.asp The Disabled Students Program and Services (DSP&S) provides access and accommodations to students with disabilities. DSP&S services include: Campus mobility orientation Computer access and assistive devices DSP&S courses Learning disability assessment Priority registration Specialized tutoring Any City College student with a verifiable disability should visit the DSP&S office in room A-115. DSP&S information is also available on the City College website at www.sdcity.edu/_dsps/default.asp Students must attend a DSP&S orientation, meet with a DSP&S counselor, and provide documentation of their disability. Once approved for DSP&S, students must update their file with a DSP&S counselor at least once every semester. EOPS is a state funded student services program that serves students who are educationally and economically disadvantaged. The purpose of EOPS is to provide special recruitment, retention, and transition services, including: counseling/advising, EOPS Club & Associated Student Body memberships, financial aid application assistance, newsletter, priority enrollment, 4-year college/university transfer assistance, work-place transition assistance, tutorial assistance, workshops and classes, grants, Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE), book services program, and work study program. Who is eligible: You may be eligible to receive EOPS services if you meet all the following criteria: a) You are a resident of the State of California, as determined by Counseling Page 10
the Admissions Office; b) You are (or plan to be) a full-time student; c) You qualify to receive a Board of Governors Enrollment Fee Waiver A or B; d) You have not completed 70 (or more) units of degree applicable college units, including courses at other colleges; and e) You are determined by EOPS to be educationally disadvantaged). How to apply: 1) Complete a SDCC Application for Admission and submit it to A- 112 or apply on line at www.sdccd.net; 2) Complete and submit an EOPS Application and a Board of Governors Enrollment Fee Waiver Application; 3) Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). When To Apply: Applications are accepted all year. Applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis. Once Accepted In The Program What Is Required of EOPS Students: 1) Fulltime enrollment (12 or more units) each semester; 2) Maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by EOPS and the college; 3) Attendance at required orientations, tutorial sessions, counseling appointments, and other meetings; 4) Compliance with other program guidelines, including enrollment in special blocks of classes as directed. Apply to EOPS if you are eligible. EOPS is located in room L-117. EOPS Office hours are: Monday Thursday 8:00 a.m. 7 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Phone: (619) 388-3209. EOPS information is also available on the City College website at www.sdcity.edu/studentresources/eops EOPS students must attend an orientation, sign an EOPS Mutual Responsibility Contract (MRC), complete progress reports, apply for financial aid on a yearly basis, and meet with an EOPS counselor at least twice per semester. The purpose of the Honors Program is to facilitate transfer of students to 4-year colleges and universities, prepare students for the academic rigor of a 4-year institution, and enhance the overall educational experience of participating students. By completing a fixed number of Honors classes (depending on the agreement with the individual university) students are eligible to participate in our transfer agreements. However, the student must also have completed transfer requirements for the transfer institution along with the necessary prerequisites for their particular major. We recommend that students research the particular requirements by contacting their transfer institution of choice. Whether you complete five or more Honors classes or only one, Honors always looks good on your transcripts and can give students a leg up on being accepted into the 4-year university of their choice! For more information, contact the Honors office at (619) 388-3512 or email: bvalenzu@sdccd.edu Counseling Page 11
There are three ways of participating in the Honors Program: 1. Participate in the Honors Core Classes Sequence: A. English 101 and Anthropology 103 B. English 205 and Humanities 101 C. Humanities 102 To participate in the Honors Core you must submit an application. The applications are available in the Honors Office room A1N. 2. Enroll in an Honors Section Class listed in the Class Schedule. If you choose to do an Honors Section, and your G.P.A. is above 3.25, you can sign up. 3. Arrange an Honors Contract in a regular class section with the consent of the instructor. Honors Contracts will be available at the start of school in the A1N office and must be returned to the Honors Office by the end of the second week of classes. Documentation to be maintained in student portfolio: Copy of acceptance letter from TRIO Program. Copy of TRIO Mutual Responsibility Agreement. Copies of your progress reports for TRIO. Medical verification from a physician OR Learning disability verification from a Learning Disability Specialist. Verification of Eligibility for DSP&S EOPS Mutual Responsibility Contract (MRC) Copy of student transcript listing the Honors Class title OR a copy of a signed Honors Contract. Student transcript listing the Honors Class title with a passing grade of C-or above (not available until after completion of the Honors class) Counseling Page 12