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College and Application Information

We encourage students and parents to start early in the college exploration process. We hope the articles and handbook below are helpful in your search.
 
This page is designed to give you valuable information on applying to any type of college. Keep scrolling to find information on Community Colleges, California State University (CSU), University of California (UC), and Private/Out of State Colleges.  
 
What do colleges look for?
  • ACADEMIC RECORD: The most important factor college admissions staff will consider is your academic record. They will consider the rigor and variety of the courses you took. They will note the grades you earned in various subjects, your grade point average and your cumulative academic grade point average. Your academic record is almost always the most important factor in college admissions. It is never too late to improve it. Senior year grades are also very important.
 
  • TESTING: SAT and ACT tests are also very important (not required for Fall 2021 admission to UC or CSU). Before taking the test, most students familiarize themselves with the kinds of questions they will face and practice their test-taking skills. You may want to take a prep course or buy a review book from a book store in order to get ready for the test. 
 
  • LEADERSHIP: Your leadership in various organizations and/or community service is also highly important. A commitment to one or two activities over a period of time is much more impressive than simply being a member of a bunch of clubs. 
 
  • RECOMMENDATIONS: Counselor and teacher recommendations often are important factors. Some colleges do not ask for teacher recommendations, and a few do not require any recommendations. It is important that you follow the college instructions. Due to the high volume teachers and counselors receive, it is imperative you give at least two weeks notice.
 
  • APPLICATION: The application form that you submit may help or hurt your chances substantially. A sloppy, ill-composed application may end your candidacy at a given college. Your essays and/or personal statement should be written by you in your best prose—no grammatical, spelling, punctuation, or stylist errors.
 
  • NON-ACADEMIC: Your nonacademic activities and accomplishments, both in school and out, can also be a significant factor in college admissions. This tends to be the situation more often with selective colleges and definitely with the University of California. Be sure to let the colleges know about your participation in clubs, sports, athletics, leadership roles, community service, notable achievements, and jobs - both volunteer and paid. Colleges look for well-rounded, motivated, energetic leaders. Intensive participation in a few activities or projects usually is more significant than lesser involvement in a larger number. Be specific and detailed about important activities.
  
 
To explore colleges, reviews and rankings visit: https://colleges.niche.com/
 
For a list of California colleges visit: https://www.californiacolleges.edu/#/
  
 
For an informative article on colleges revoking acceptances click HERE

Applying to Community College

  1. Complete an online application
  2. Take placement tests in both English and Math
  3. Attend an orientation
  4. Register for classes

Community Colleges offer several options for students:

  • Associate Degree programs (2 years) in arts (A.A.) or sciences (A.S.)
  • Transfer Options (2-3 years) Many Community Colleges have Transfer Agreement Guarantee (TAG)
  • Certificate Programs (3 months-2 years) in arts, sciences, technical, and occupational fields such as health, business and finance, electronics, computer sciences, agriculture, police and fire science, food science, and building and landscaping trades.
What to do:
  • Apply online at www2.calstate.edu
  • Transcript not needed when applying
  • No letters of recommendation
  • Send official SAT/ACT score reports as soon as possible (not required for Fall 2021 admission)
  • For CSU’s, use code 3594 
NYC has created a very helpful video on using the Common App.
Click the link below to watch the tutorial. 

Common App Tutorial by NYC

 

Applying to private and out-of-state colleges and universities

Common App

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These schools vary in their application procedures and deadlines. Please visit the college website for further information. Most private schools require letters of recommendation and other forms to be completed by teachers and/or counselors. Please organize your paperwork and give your teacher or counselor a minimum of 2 work weeks to complete them. If you ask less than 2 weeks in advance, you are not guaranteed to get a letter of recommendation. Most private schools also require essays or personal statements. The questions vary from school to school, but the strategies for the UC Personal Statement listed below will help you compose your private school essays as well.

Out of State FAQs
Many of the western states participate in the Western Undergraduate Exchange or W.U.E., where qualifying students from California can study in another participating public college or university for 150% of in-state tuition. A great example is Northern Arizona University, which charges approximately $12,000 ($8000 X 1.5) in tuition for those coming from one of the W.U.E. states. Visit www.wiche.edu/wue for more information. More…

Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) FAQs
WUE (pronounced “woo-wee”) is the Western Undergraduate Exchange, and it is coordinated by WICHE. WUE is a regional tuition-reciprocity agreement that enables students from WICHE states to enroll in some 145 participating two- and four-year public institutions at 150 percent of the enrolling institution’s resident tuition. WUE is the largest program of its kind in the nation, and has been in operation since 1987! WUE is not a short term exchange—it is meant to be used for a full degree. More..

Which States and U.S. Territories Participate?

Resident students from the following states and U.S. Territories may participate, if they meet eligibility requirements:

Alaska

Hawaii

New Mexico

Utah

Arizona

Idaho

North Dakota

Washington

California

Montana

Oregon

Wyoming

Colorado

Nevada

South Dakota

Commonwealth of the N. Mariana Islands

Education in Canada
So you want to study in Canada, but you need just a few more facts before committing to the full experience? Here are a few of the many reasons why others have chosen Canada for their study abroad experience. More…

Study in the U.K. – England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales
Gain a world-class education: UK higher education offers you inspiring teaching, excellent facilities and a world-class research environment. Did you know that… More…

 

For more Out of State College Info: Click here! 

For more Western Undergraduate Exchange: Click here!

UC Application is now open!
Applications are available online at: https://apply.universityofcalifornia.edu
You can access the application but you cannot submit it until November 1st.
The deadline to apply is November 30th.
  • Apply online
  • Transcript not needed when applying
  • No letters of recommendation 
  • Send official SAT/ACT score reports as soon as possible (not needed for Fall 2021 admission)
  • For UC’s, send to one campus, and all campuses will receive scores
 
2017 UC Admission Application has updated the "Presenting Yourself on the UC Application" presentations for both freshman and transfer applicants to provide you and your students guidance on how applicants can better present themselves on the application. Students can access the freshman presentation here and the transfer presentation here. Counselors can find it in the downloadable guides section here. Both versions include extensive notes.
 
UC Application Center
Students needing assistance in completing their application can call the UC Application Center, Mon-Fri 10am-6pm (Pacific time) *Extended hours will be available in November.
 
UC FAQ's
Q: Do any UC campuses require SAT Subject Tests? If so, which campuses and which tests?
A: UC does not require SAT Subject Tests from any freshman applicant. Some programs on select campuses, however, may recommend specific SAT Subject Tests. Please note: a recommendation is not a requirement.
 
College Entrance Scattergrams

 

Class of 2018 Statistics

Outcome # of students % of students
2 Yr College 194 45.1%
4 Yr College 162 37.70%
Apprenticeship Program 2 0.50%
Career Education 6 1.40%
College Prep School 1 0.20%
Employed 5 1.20%
Military 10 2.30%
Non-U.S. College (Unspecified) 1 0.20%
Other 14 3.3%
Undecided/No Plans 35 8.1%