Getting Accepted into a UC School

Albany Schools would like all of its students to attend college, of some sort, whether it be a two-year program or a four year university.

WHERE TO FIND THE COLLEGE THAT BEST SUITS YOU

· Colleges will take your best score on either the ACT or the SAT

· Mondays and Thursdays: Ms. Sumberg is available to help you in the library in finding colleges during lunch, in the AHS library

· www.csumentor.edu - search online for the best college based on: geography, setting, total enrollment, average class size, percentage of students receiving financial aid, percentage of freshman living on campus, sports, majors, and average tuition and living costs

· www.collegeboard.com – college searches AND SAT preparation

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

· REASONS PEOPLE CHOOSE TWO-YEAR COLLEGES over FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES or UNIVERSITIES

o It is nearer to one’s family

o The cost is much more affordable

o Students who complete a community college program are guaranteed placement in a UC school. A lot of people DO NOT get accepted into UCs. Students who complete Community Colleges programs are guaranteed placement in a UC school.

· THE APPLICATION PROCESS

o Applications are due usually no sooner than three months before the courses begin.

o Entrance exams will need to be passed at the appropriate level, otherwise, you will have to pass remedial courses BEFORE even being considered to enroll in the classes you will need for your program. For some people, this means that what is usually considered a two-year program can sometimes take some people three years to complete. Some students choose to relax during their high school years and do not push themselves as much as others. As a result, many of these students will need to take remedial courses before being enrolling in the required program classes.

FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

GENERAL INFORMATION

· FACT à As a part of a current trend, it seems to be more challenging to be accepted into UCs, than CSUs

· What makes you more competitive? OR what sets one application apart from another? Your personal statement essay

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE DOING BY NEXT FALL, September 2002?

· Completed at least one round of testing (SAT 1 & 2)

· Have a preliminary list of colleges you wish to apply to

· Draft of personal statement

TESTING LINKS and OTHER PREPARATION

· www.collegeboard.com –SAT preparation AND college searches

· www.act.org - test prep

· http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/sats/ - PBS Frontline: Secrets of the SAT – Why the national obsession with the SAT test? And how fair, reliable and democratic is it?

· Juniors – plan to take the SAT or ACT tests either in the Spring of their junior year, OR in the Fall of their senior year (at the very latest – though they will have to wait for test processing before submitting their college applications)

IMPORTANT DATES

· College Applications are due November 1

· State colleges are actually accepting applications in October

· Private school applicants, the counselors need your student profile by the end of October