•  About College •  Preparing for College

–  Academic preparation –  Admissions requirements

•  Paying for College –  Applying for financial aid –  Scholarships

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey 2011

Community College

(2 years) • Associate’s Degree

University

(4 years) • Bachelor’s Degree

Graduate or Professional school

(2-6 years) • Masters • Doctorate

Proprietary Schools

(6 months- 4 yrs) • Certificate • Associate’s • Bachelor’s • Masters

Things to Consider: •  Majors •  Cost (with financial aid) •  Public or private •  Location •  Size •  Campus life •  Graduation rates (www.collegeresults.org)

•  College Requirements –  Minimum Recommended:

–  4 Years English, 3 Years Mathematics, 2 Years Science, Foreign Language, and Social Studies, and 1 Year Laboratory Science, Performing Arts, and History.

–  Competitive Students: –  Full 4 Years in the Five Core Subjects: English, Mathematics, Laboratory

Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language.

•  College Prep Curriculum –  Math –  English –  Lab sciences

•  Challenge Yourself –  Honors / Advanced Placement Courses –  Community College Courses

•  Grade Point Average •  Maintain Good Grades

–  3.0 – 3.5 GPA (Good) –  3.6 – 4.0 GPA (Great)

•  Get Help in Your Classes –  Teachers –  Tutoring –  Make Sure They Know You Care!

GPA A= 3.5-4.0 (90-100)

B= 2.5-3.4 (80-89) C= 1.5-2.4 (70-79) D= 0.5-1.4 (65-69) F= 0.0-0.4 (0-64)

•  High School Exit Exams –  California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE)  

•  College Entrance Exams –  SAT® / ACT®

•  Take at least twice (beginning Junior year) •  Prepare yourself!

•  Study / Workshop •  PSAT (Preparatory)

–  Fee Waiver Test optional admission:

www.fairtest.org  

•  What is a well-rounded student? –  Solid writing skills –  Community involvement –  Strong leadership & organizational skills –  Extra curricular involvement

school & faith based activities, volunteering, work experience or internships

•  Let teachers know who you are! –  Share your academic goals –  Mentoring & guidance  

•  Letters of Recommendation –  Share your résumé –  Inform them about guidelines –  Provide sufficient time

ü  Teachers ü  Counselors ü  Mentors

ü  Employers ü  Community

leaders

•  Courses •  GPA •  SAT/ACT Scores •  Well-Rounded

Student •  Building Your

Network

2-year Public:

$15,286

4-year Public: In-State: $28,130

Out-of-State: $33,973

4-year Private:

$42,224

Tuition + Room & Board + Books + Expenses = Average Cost

COST PER YEAR

•  Most families do not pay the full cost of college •  71% of undergraduates receive some type of

financial assistance •  $10,800 was the average amount received •  Average of $7,100 in student loans

•  Grants •  Loans •  Work-study •  Scholarships

•  Federal •  State •  Institutional •  Community/

Private

•  Grants –  Pell Grant –  FSEOG  

•  Loans –  Stafford Loan: Subsidized or Unsubsidized –  Perkins Loan –  PLUS (parent loan)

•  Work-Study

•  Grants –  California Student Aid Commission  

– www.ca.gov/Education/  

•  Loans –  Federal Direct Loan (DL) Program

•  Work-Study  

•  Scholarships

•  Grants –  Based on need and/or merit  

•  Loans  

•  Scholarships –  Based on need and/or merit –  Special programs –  Field of study

•  Scholarships –  Based on need and/or merit –  Special programs –  Special circumstances

•  Internships •  College savings plans •  Banks

– Unsubsidized private loans

•  Can attend college •  Citizen or permanent resident for

FAFSA •  In-state tuition •  Private Universities •  Private Scholarships

–  www.latinocollegedollars.org –  MALDEF list of Scholarships

•  Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program (Eligible for HSF Scholarships)

•  This policy would delay deportation •  Authorize a work permit  

•  Criteria —  Not be older than 30 years of age —  Have entered the United States when you were younger than 16 years of age  For more information : •  http://www.uscis.gov/ •  http://www.weownthedream.org •  http://www.nilc.org/DREAMact

Fast, Safe and Secure

Application Process: 1.  Complete the FAFSA online 2.  Apply soon after Jan. 1 of Senior Year 3.  Wait for your Student Aid Report (SAR)

o  Expected Family Contribution (EFC) 4.  Receive financial aid packages from colleges

www.fafsa.ed.gov

•  IRS Retrieval and Transfer Tool –  Automatically transfers data from IRS to FAFSA

•  IRS data available: –  1-2 weeks after electronic filing –  6-8 weeks after paper filing

•  Not required

•  Get a head start on the FAFSA application!

•  Check your financial aid eligibility before 12th grade at:

•  http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov

   

From Student aid on the Web: http://studentaid2.ed.gov/

•  Free money to help you pay for college •  Based on:

–  Financial need –  Merit –  Special Talents –  Experiences, etc.

•  Never pay to access scholarship information!

•  Start researching today! •  Search online, in the library, counselors

office, etc. •  Create profiles to help find scholarships that

apply to you •  It’s an ongoing process…

Apply to as many scholarships as you can, there is no limit!

Maintain  a  College  Calendar  

•  Keep track of important dates that include: Deadlines & Timelines for

–  College & scholarship applications –  Standardized tests –  FAFSA & financial aid package confirmation –  Letter of recommendation & transcripts

2 months: Identify

recommender

Creating a Timeline…to get a letter of recommendation.

1 months: Request letter

2 weeks: Submit application

•  Start earning credits in high school! –  AP and IB courses –  Dual enrollment

•  Explore college options –  Community college, small private college, part-

time, internships, co-op education •  Community service programs  - City Year, Year Up, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps

•  Military Training & Education   - Military Personnel can receive assistance with the post-9/11 GI Bill

1.  Not reading or following instructions -  Not addressing essay question/ too short -  Sending incorrect documents -  Not completing all steps in the application

2.  Improper grammar & spelling 3.  Entering wrong or forgetting e-mail address

-  Not updating account with contact info 4.  Different information in account and documents

-  Ex. Incorrect SSN, birthdate 5.  Mailing  documents  to  incorrect  address  6.  Not  submi9ng  documents  properly  (mail  or  online)  7.  Not  double-­‐checking  answers  before  submi9ng  

•  HSF Scholarship Program –  High School Seniors –  Community College Students –  College Students –  Graduate Students

•  Gates Millennium Scholarship Program

Visit http://apply.hsf.net for more information and the online application!