College Planning

The Union Newspaper
Grass Valley, California

Do you know your learning style? For some people, learning is best when it is applied to real-life situations. Today, there is good news for those who prefer to learn outside of a traditional classroom setting. Work-based and experiential learning opportunities are on the rise. “Hard skills,” such as college degrees, certifications and experience are important for employers. Soft skills, like being able to think critically, communicate clearly and lead a team, are also desirable traits in a new hire. There are many routes one can take to find a pathway to a satisfying career and gain the skills needed. Perhaps one of the following avenues will assist in developing essential work skills for someone in your family.

The Union Newspaper
Grass Valley, California

Do you know which state has the largest, most diverse university system in the Nation? Yep, you guessed it, California!!

The University of California (UC) is part of the state’s three-tier public higher education system. It also includes the California State Universities (CSUs) and California Community Colleges system.

The CSUs have 23 campuses spreading from Humboldt to San Diego. The prestigious UC system provides world-class educational opportunities spanning nine undergraduate campuses. If a student is a California resident, a state college can be an affordable option. For resident students at the UCs, 56% of undergraduates find their tuition is fully covered. The average debt upon graduation from a UC is $19,200, which is about $10,000 less than the national average. The average annual tuition for the 23 CSUs in 2020-21 was $5,742. The graduates of the CSUs, of which 95% come from California, tend to stay in state to apply their skills and knowledge, helping California’s economy thrive. We are fortunate to have such robust institutions of learning within our reach.

The Union Newspaper
Grass Valley, California

One of the most important actions families can take to pay for college is filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you, or your child, are thinking about attending a university, community college or trade school in the next year, the following information may be helpful.

Oct. 1 marks the first day families can access, complete and submit the 2022-2023 FAFSA Application. Some families will skip the application, but I would like to provide you with some essential reasons to not pass up the opportunity to fill out this free application for need-based aid. By filing the FAFSA as early as possible, more time is available to research options and create your college fund availability.

Not completing the FAFSA in a timely manner could be a costly mistake. Nearly all students who apply will qualify for some type of aid. By filing the FAFSA, and for resident undocumented students, a CA Dream Act application, students may be offered government grants, low-interest loans as well as scholarships.

For high school seniors applying to college in the 2021 admissions cycle, things are more uncertain than ever. College admissions officials are currently rewriting the wholistic review process.  The pandemic that hit the U.S. in early spring had a huge impact on the metrics that had been used to differentiate candidates from each another.  Many students are missing letter grades on their transcripts due to high schools turning to pass/fair grades. Students are missing core activities they would have been involved in if school had been in session.  Not to mention, most universities have now made the SAT and ACT optional due to the lack of testing opportunities for students.  Your child’s college list may be solid, but what about their application strategy?  Here we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of applying early action and early decision for college applications.

Approximately 450 colleges have early decision or early action plans. Applying to colleges early decision (ED) or early action (EA) should be carefully thought out and understood.

The differences are defined as:  

Early Decision – A student who is accepted early decision must attend the university if they are accepted.  They will usually see their offer of acceptance by January.  They will need to pay their deposit in advance of May 1^st and withdraw all applications from other institutions.  Students cannot apply to more than one school using early decision.

Early Action –  Is non-binding.  A student who is accepted early action has until May 1^st to make the decision about attending, but they will receive the response of acceptance much earlier than regular applications.  Students can apply to more than one school using early action.

Single-Choice Early Action – A small number of universities offer the single-choice early action option.  A student may not apply ED or EA to any other college.

The following questions will help your child and family determine if an early application is appropriate in their situation.  It is also important to know that The Common Application and some college application forms, require a student applying under early decision, as well as the parent and guidance counselor, to sign an ED agreement form spelling out the plan’s conditions.  It is important to obtain this in a timely matter.

My child was thinking of applying ED to their top choice, is this a good idea? 

If your child has researched all schools on their list and has a top choice that is above all other schools, if your child is a strong fit with their top choice university and financial aid and scholarships will not be a determining factor, then applying ED may be a benefit.

Students are unable to compare financial aid packets with each school when they decide to apply ED.  They would need to accept it, with the package the school offers and not have the opportunity to see what other universities may have offered.  Since aid varies greatly, this could be a negative factor.

It is possible that ED might increase your child’s chance of being accepted.  It also saves time and the cost of submitting additional applications.  When the student is accepted early they can begin looking at housing or other college preparation activities. They can focus on finishing off their senior year with a strong academic focus.  It does reduce stress overall to not have to wait for decisions and weigh them out in late spring.

It would also be important that your student has seen the actual campus and knows the environment it is in.  It can be a big shock to find that the campus a student thought they were being accepted to was not what they expected.  Touring campuses may be an issue during this time of COVID-19.

What are the drawbacks to applying early?

One of the difficulties of applying early is when a student is hoping to be notified early and does not complete deadlines for other applications. If they are not accepted ED by a college they will have very little time to send out other applications.  It is important to apply to all schools on the student’s list that are due within the year, just in case they need to focus on applications for other campuses.   

How much of an increased chance is there that my child will be accepted if they apply early?

Early acceptance rates vary greatly across campuses. Colleges vary in the proportion of the class they admit as well as the percentage of early applicants. This application cycle will also be different than last years.  Students can discuss with their admissions officers what the chance may be. 

For more information on early action and early decision for college applications check out the College Board https://professionals.collegeboard.org/guidance/applications/early#:~:text=Early%20decision%20versus%20early%20action,reply%20date%20of%20May%201 or contact me for a 30 minute consultation https://abestfitcollege.com/schedule/

A Student will only need to submit one application, regardless of how many University of California schools they are applying to. Now is the time to begin the application process for students who are currently in their senior year of high school.  The top ten questions for filling out the application are listed below:

When should a student begin their application for the University of CA? The University of California application opened August 1^st.  The earlier a student begins the application process, the less pressure they will have to meet the deadlines. A student can return to the application as many times as they would like after creating their account. The important date to remember is November 30^th, that is the deadline for submitting the completed application.

What does it cost to apply to the University of CA? Each school applied to will cost $70.  Fee waivers are available for qualifying students to use for up to four campuses.  The waiver can be applied for within the application. 

Are the ACT and SAT optional for fall of 2021 applicants?  The University of California system will be test optional for the incoming classes of 2021 and 2022. The Board of Regents voted to eliminate the use of the Writing/Essay portion of the ACT/SAT.  Students who choose to sit for the ACT/SAT during the test optional admissions cycles do not need to sit for the Writing/Essay.  Official test scores do not need to be sent until time of acceptance. 

Last year I received a pass/fail in one of my classes due to moving to distance learning during the coronavirus pandemic.  Will that be held against me? The UCs will allow pass credit grades for A-G courses during COVID-19 impacted terms of winter, spring and summer 2020.

What items will I need to complete the application?

Transcripts-Students will enter courses and grades from each school they have attended, including college classes they’ve taken while in high school. 

Test Scores-Please see question on SAT/ACT test reporting above.  If you have taken a college admissions exam, include your scores.  However, official test scores are not needed until a student enrolls at the university.  Other scores, like Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate will also need to be listed.

Parent(s)’ Annual Income (optional)- Refer to tax records or paystubs for annual pre tax income from 2018. (especially needed if applying for fee waiver).

Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number-The student’s Social Security number or ITIN will be used to verify identity and match the application to transcripts.

California Statewide Student ID (optional) – Students in California public schools are assigned a 10-digit ID number. It should be found on the transcript.  If not, check with the high school registrar.

Credit card– To complete the application students will need the account number, expiration date, cardholder’s name and billing address as well as the security code. 

Will I need to write an essay for the UC application? Yes, students will choose 4 of the 8 personal insight prompts.  These prompts should add to and enhance the other parts of the application.  Students should not wait to draft and redraft their personal insight responses, as these are an important piece to the application and should be carefully prepared. 

What is the purpose of the “additional comments” field? The additional comments can be used if a student wants to address something they did not have the opportunity to discuss anywhere else on the application.  This is for unusual circumstances or anything that might be unclear in parts of the application.  It can also be used if there are any extraordinary circumstances related to COVID-19.

Can I apply to scholarships within this application? Yes, students should select any and all scholarship categories that apply to them.  There is no limit.  Another option one can apply for is the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) which provides support services, if needed. 

Is there a limit of how many extracurricular activities and awards a student can list? Yes, there are five entries that can be made for each category: Coursework for other than A-G, Educational Preparation Programs, Volunteer/Community Service, Work Experience, Awards/Honors and Extracurricular Activities.  Be aware!  There are limitations of each of these for how many characters you can use to describe them.  Character spaces, not word limits, so use your words carefully.  Make concise descriptions of the most significant awards and activities since the 9^th grade.

Are there any other things I should keep in mind? Yes, remember to save each page of the application.  Also, if a student gets up and leaves the computer, it may time out and not save the work they have done.  Always review before submitting to make sure everything is accurate.  Also, provide an email address that the student will check regularly.  It will be important to receive and respond to all UC communications promptly.

For more information on applying to University of California visit https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/