November Newsletter

9th-graders

• 100 Brave/Interesting Questions + NYT Writing Prompts for Students: Start keeping a journal—here are some questions for inspiration.

• Could your high school grades be worth $100k? If you’re wondering whether your freshman year grades matter (yes, they do), then read this article to learn more about merit-based financial aid.

• Feeling like you’re falling behind in a class? Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and the sooner, the better. Check in with your teacher. Ask older students and/or peers if they might be open to tutoring. Form a study group.

10th-graders

• Values Exercise (video): Use your priority values to guide your extracurricular choices. This is a great time to deepen your involvement in the clubs/teams/jobs that excite you— maybe take on a leadership role. Or sign up for a new club? Or start your own?

• Tips for Planning a College Visit: Make a commitment to visit one local college between now and the end of the school year. That experience can be a great reference point as you begin to figure out what you’re looking for in a school. And some schools offer incentive grants if you visit campus, either in person or virtually.

• Start thinking about financial fit: As you begin your college search, it’s important to think about cost. Experiment with the Net Price Calculator to get a rough estimate of what you might pay for college, and start the conversation with your parents or guardians.

11th-graders

• How to Create a College List (with spreadsheet tracker) - Use this guide tool to begin building a list of schools you’re excited about. Resources for specific student populations:

• ScholarMatcher: Awesome search tool for low-income/first gen students

• The Hundred-Seven and College Equity Index: Excellent resources for Black students

• College Advising Guide for Undocumented Students

• I’m First: Guide for first-generation college students and their families

• Tips and Campus Pride: Resources for the LGBTQ+ community

• Women’s colleges: Seven reasons you should consider a single-sex school

• HBCUs, HSIs and TCUs: Essential tips when considering one of these institutions committed to serving underrepresented students

• American Indian College Fund: List and descriptions of tribal colleges and universities

• AICAD: List of 42 colleges of art and design that allows you to search by major and by region

12th-graders

• UC and CSU applications are due at the end of the month, so make sure you don’t miss the deadlines for these California universities.

• Supplemental essay responses: This is your go-to guide when applying to colleges that require more than a personal statement.

• Check your applicant portals and emails: Portals are the place where colleges keep applicant information and where you can update contact information, monitor application status, upload and track documents, and view the final admission decision. If you miss a request for more information or a document, it could jeopardize your admission chances, so make it a habit to check regularly.

• The Great College Essay Test: Assess how ready your essays are to submit.

Resources/Reminders:

• CalState Application: https://www.calstate.edu/apply
• UC Application: https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply-now.html
• Common App (for private CA & out of state universities): https://www.commonapp.org/
• Community College Applications for Fall 2023 should be open by January 2023, depends on the community college, check their websites for more information.