Each year FCS recommends college preparatory courses for every student, but parents make the final decision about course load.

Advanced Placement Classes

College level work Must pass AP TestScore 2 = “D” on college courseScore 3 = “C” on college courseScore 4 = “B” on college courseScore 5 = “A” on college course

Community College ClassesChoose high school credit or college credit. On your student’s transcript, the college counts these credits the same as AP classes.

Volunteer locally, participate in sports and other activitiesKeep an academic portfolio and record of extracurricular activities

Begin to consider school options

Research career possibilities

Leadership matters!Consider Student Council

Extracurricular activities matter!

Develop skills!Music, Foreign Language, Technology

Register for and take PLAN test

Volunteer and keep record ofCommunity Service projects foryour portfolio

Continue to research careerand college options

Keep letters of recommendation from organizational staff members

Register for and take PSAT test

Talk to Administrator or Vice Principal of Academics about PSAT results

Watch grades in upper division classes

Research options for grants, scholarships and work-study programs

Make a list of colleges and degree programs you find interesting

Discuss your list with school staff

Visit colleges and attend college fairs

Check which colleges require ACT, SAT and/or SAT subject tests

Register for ACT, SAT and/or SAT subject tests (access school website for information and testing dates)

Take the appropriate test(s)

Get study guide (Borders or Barnes & Noble) and STUDY!

Obtain all the admissions and financial aid applications from your top college picks

Ask your teachers and administration for recommendations (minimum one week notice)

Visit colleges if still deciding

Complete admission applications and essays in the fall of senior year

Ask school office to send high school academic transcript to chosen colleges

Complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1st (and submit theGPA Verification form to the schoolOffice)

Review Student Aid Report (SAR)

Review college acceptances and financial aid offers

By May 1st, make final decisions, notify the colleges of your decision and submit any necessary documents or deposits

What size school do I want to attend?

Where do I want to live?

What atmosphere do I want?Size, Student Body, Student Life

What special programs do I need?Not every college has a strong programin every area.

The best way to answer these questions is to go through college catalogs, handbooks, internet sites, etc. If you make a list of the most important things to look for in a college, you can then read through the information and begin crossing schools off your list. This will save you time in the long run because it will narrow your options right away; that way you can do more in-depth research on the most likely candidates.

Junior College

Four Year

Admissions Requirements

What is your goal?Degree (AA or AS), Certificate, or

Transfer to University/College

You may wish to receive a 2 year degreein something like: A.A. Audio Technology A.A. Musical Theatre A.A. Liberal Arts Studies

Automotive/Transportation Technology Computer Information Systems Engineering: Drafting Technology Legal Assistant Vocational Nursing Water Technology

Administration of Justice Alcohol/Drug Studies Allied Health American Sign Language Anatomy and Physiology Anthropology Art

Associated Student Body Astronomy Audio Technology Automotive/Transportation Technology Biological Sciences Business Business Administration

www.losrios.edu

If your goal is to transfer to a 4 year University/College, it is essential that you work closely with your community college counselor as soon as you start the enrollment process.

In general only a maximum of 70 semester units or 105 quarter units are transferable from a community college to a four year university, so discuss course selections each semester with an advisor.

For questions if a particular course is transferable, log onto: http://www.assist.org/web-assist/welcome.html

For help with more questions, log onto: http://www.cccapply.org/FAQ/transfer.asp

Earning a degree at a community college does not automatically allow you to transfer to a 4-year university/college.

If you want to transfer to a 4-year university, you must consider. . .

Work with your community college counselor to be sure you are enrolled in one of these plans.

The IGETC (Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum ) is for those wishing to go to a UC campus and….

The CSU Plan is for the California State University system.

If you are attending a local community college, go to http://www.losrios.edu/lrc/lrc_guar_trans.php

American River College

4700 College Oak Drive, Sacramento, CA 95841

(916) 484-8011

Cosumnes RiverCollege

8401 Center Parkway, Sacramento, CA 95823

(916) 691-7344

Folsom Lake College10 College Parkway, Folsom, CA 95630

(916) 608-6500

Sacramento City College3835 Freeport BoulevardSacramento, CA 95822

(916) 558-2111

www.losrios.edu

A-G CourseRequirements forAdmission to UC Colleges

Students who plan to attend a four-year university directly after high school need to consider the universities’ minimum requirements for high school courses in each subject area:

A – History 2 yearsB – English 4 yearsC – Math 3 years*D – Lab Science 2 years*E – Foreign Language 2 years*F – Visual/Performing Arts 1 yearG – College Prep Elective 1 year

Must pass with “C” or better in these classes*At least one additional year beyond the minimum is recommended

A: History/Social Science – 2 years requiredTwo years of history/social science, including one year of world history, cultures and geography; and one year of U.S. history or one-half year of U.S. history and one-half year of civics or American government.

B: English – 4 years requiredFour years of college-preparatory English that include frequent and regular writing, and reading of classic and modern literature. No more than one year of ESL-type courses can be used to meet this requirement.

C: Mathematics – 3 years required, 4 years recommendedThree years of college-preparatory mathematics Including algebra, geometry, and algebra 2.

D: Laboratory Science – 2 years required, 3 years recommendedTwo years of laboratory science providing fundamental knowledge in at least two of these three foundational subjects: biology, chemistry and physics.

E: Language Other than English – 2 years required, 3 years recommendedTwo years of the same language other than English. These required 2 years have to be consecutive years.

F: Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) – 1 year requiredA single yearlong approved arts course from a single VPA discipline: drama/theater, music or visual art.

G: College-Preparatory Electives – 1 year requiredOne year (two semesters) of a college preparatory elective in addition to those required in "a-f" above, chosen from the following areas: visual and performing arts (non-introductory level courses), history, social science, English, advanced mathematics, laboratory science and language other than English (a third year in the language used for the "e" requirement or two years of another language).

CSU:-SAT 1 or ACT Test taken No later than December in the senior year

UC:-In addition to SAT I, students must take SAT II also known as the

Subject Test (can take 3 subject tests at one time)-3.0 Minimum Grade Point Average over High School Career-Personal Statement (2 prompts)

Private Schools:-May require essay/personal statement/interview-May require SAT, ACT, SAT II or a combination of all 3. -Check with each private school you are applying to for admissions

requirements and deadlines. Keep in mind that most deadlines for applications are in the fall of the senior year.

Go to CSU Mentorhttp://www.csumentor.edu/

Apply online to one or all 23 CSU campuses. CSU Mentor is free to use. The student will only pay the application fee

charged directly by the CSU campus when an application for admission is submitted. ($55/App)

CSU Mentor is the preferred method of application for CSU universities.

Create an Account Once you create an account, you can start

and save any application at any point. You do not have to finish and submit it in one sitting.

Read the directions. The CSU mentor provides a tutorial if needed.

The Educational Opportunity Program is designed to improve access and retention of historically low-income and educationally disadvantaged students for California residents only

Each CSU campus except California Maritime Academy has an EOP

You must indicate on the application for admission if you are applying through EOP (there is a box asking you if you want to apply)

To become eligible, you need to complete the EOP section on the undergraduate application for admission and complete the EOP application (this is a separate application)

Being accepted to EOP can provide extra financial assistance and ease assimilation on campus. Each campus tailors their programs to accommodate the needs of their student population

Go to UC Pathwayshttp://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergraduate.html

Apply online to one or all 9 UC campuses UC Pathways is free to use The student will only pay the application fee

charged directly by the UC campus when an application for admission is submitted. ($70/App)

UC Pathways is the preferred method of application for UC universities.

Create an AccountOnce you create an account, you can start and save any application at any point. You do not have to finish and submit it in one sitting.Read the directions. UC Pathways provides FAQ’s for your questions.

ompt #1 (freshman applicants)Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school —and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

ompt #2 (all applicants) Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that s important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does t relate to the person you are?

Respond to both prompts (only need to respond o the 2 prompts), using a maximum of 1,000 words total. You may allocate the word count as you wish. If you choose to respond to one prompt at greater ength, we suggest your shorter answer be no ess than 250 words. Stay within the word limit as closely as you can. A ittle over — 1,012 words, for example — is fine.

The top 4% of students in each participating California high school class will be designated UC-eligible based on the coursework taken while in high school. Eligibility is determined during the summer between the junior and senior years of high school. Students are notified of their eligibility in the fall semester of their senior year of high school before they apply to the University.For more information, go to http://www.ucop.edu/sas/elc/

Maintain a 3.0 GPA Complete all coursework requirements for freshman admission by the end of senior year Take two SAT Subject Tests and either the ACT Assessment plus Writing or the SAT Reasoning Test - no later than the December test date, and Apply to the University by the November 30 application deadline.

ebsites with College Search EnginesNaviancewww.collegeboard.com Home of the SAT/PSAT & AP Tests A great college match maker, also great information on college

majors and careerswww.princetonreview.com You need to set up a free account, not as in-depth but worth

investigatingwww.collegeview.com A more simple search engine but can produce some

interesting resultswww.fastweb.com The famous scholarship search website is also pretty good for

college searching. You need to set up free account. There is a lot of advertising on the site, just say no to their offers.

www.studentsreview.comProvides a lot of information from students about their schools.

Students grade their schools in a variety of different areas and

PSAT 10th -11th Grade SAT or ACT 11th-12th Grade ASVAB 11th Grade

PSAT stands for Preliminary SATThe PSAT is a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test and as a Junior, gives you a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs.

The PSAT Measures:Critical reading skills Math problem-solving skills Writing skills

To receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study. To see how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college. To enter the competition for scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (grade 11). To help prepare for the SAT. You can become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions you will see on the SAT. To receive information from colleges when you check "yes" to Student Search Service.

$30 testing feeThe test is usually the second or third Saturday in October.Tested at Freedom Christian School.Taking the PSAT twice is recommended.

The SAT is typically taken in the spring by high school juniors and in the fall by high school seniors.The exam tests Math, English, and WritingEach one of the test's three sections is scored using the familiar scale of 200-800It is administered seven times a year.

3 hours 45 minutes

10 sections

No Science Section

Doesn’t include Trigonometry

Essay first for 25 minutes, included in overall score

Total score of 600-2400 and score of 200-800 for each section + writing 0-12

¼ point penalty for wrong answer

You decide which test date scores to send to your

Single Subjects Test for UC admissions: (need to take 2 but can take 3 at one time) Literature Biology/Chemistry/Physics Mathematics U.S. History French, Spanish, German, Latin, Italian, &

Hebrew

Juniors should sign up for one or more of the Spring SAT datesPlan to take the SAT again in the Fall semester of Senior yearTo sign up, go to http://www.collegeboard.com/

COST: $52.50 Late Fee: $28 From 8:00-1:00Spring 2015 Dates: March 14 May 2 June 6

Additional fees apply for single subject tests; see website for details

Curriculum based Lower stress (does not “ding” you for

guessing)Students seem to do better on this

test than the SAT

3 hours 25 minutes5 Sections Science SectionIncludes TrigonometryEssay last section for 30 minutes, not included in composite scoreComposite Score of 1-36 and scores of each section 1-36 + writing 0-12No penalty for wrong answersYou decide which test date scores to send to your college

Juniors should sign up for one or more of the Spring ACT datesPlan to take the ACT again in the Fall semester of Senior yearTo sign up, go to http://www.actstudent.org/index.html

COST: $54.50 Late Fee: $24Spring 2015 Dates:

February 7 April 18 June 13

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is the most widely used multiple-aptitude test battery in the world. As an aptitude test, the ASVAB measures your strengths, weaknesses, and potential for future success.

The ASVAB provides you with career information for various civilian and military occupations and is an indicator for success in future endeavors whether you choose to go to college, vocational school, or a military career.

Remember, there are many different kinds of costs:Direct Cost – Tuition, Fees, Books,

Housing, Meals

Indirect Cost – Transportation, Parking, Trips Home, Leisure Activities, Clothing, Laundry

Research in advance will avoid problems later.

Consider a college finance plannerVisit: http://www.get2college.com/ for some helpful resources

Who’s Eligible for Financial Aid? You Are!

Two-thirds of all full-time undergraduate students receive some kind of financial aid. inancial aid is out there, waiting for you to use

it. But you have to apply for it.

Types of Financial Aid Free money = Grants and scholarships

Earned money = Work-study programs.

Borrowed Money = Loans. Loans must be repaid, usually with interest.

pplying for Financial AidGet organized.Keep a financial aid file and set up a deadline calendar.Keep copies of all applications you send.Gather important documents

that you will need to fill out your financial aid application.

ee Application for Federal Student Aid AFSA) is is the number one form to fill out for financial

d (along with the GPA Verification)

e CSS/ Financial Aid ProfileGo to https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp

al Grant GPA Verification FormGo to http://www.calgrants.org/This form must be submitted tothe school office for completiona minimum of 2 weeks before the deadline.

Make sure you turn in your Scholarship ProfileTurn in the Cal Grant ApplicationCheck the Scholarship Alerts for any new scholarships for which you want to apply.Check the college website Go to www.scholarships.com

. Take the SAT or ACT and SAT II

. Turn in Cal Grant Application

. Go to FASFA – Fill out 1st step (Pin)ttp://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm. Submit GPA Verification to the school ffice.. Fill out College Applications. Fill out Scholarships. Get accepted and celebrate!

November 30th – The deadline to apply to MOST 4 year colleges/ Universities.

UC Campuses and CSU Campuses: Apply By November 30th online.

Private Universities: Call each school individually to find out their application deadline and any other importantadmission information you may need to know.

March 2- FAFSA deadline (GPA Verification also due)

AFSA- Free Application for Federal Student AidEveryone who is planning to attend any type of college or trade school should fill out the FAFSA, regardless of your yearly income!

AFSA HelpParents and students can get help filling out the FAFSA on

ll

Freedom Christian Schoolfcssecretary@hotmail.com