Senior College & Career Newsletter

Scroll through for important information regarding College/Career

How to reach us?

For general questions and inquiries please email tignaitis@seq.org

If a college comes to Sequoia that you are applying to , you should make every effort to attend the visit!

At this time please come in person to make an appointment

UPCOMING EVENTS

Oct 7 - Senior Financial Aid Evening (see below)

Oct 9 - Cash for College at Sequoia (see below)

Nov 5- Last day to Turn in SR/LOR Form to Counselor for Apps Due AFTER Dec 15

Nov 12- PTSA Reflection Contest Submission Due

8:30-12:00

Sequoia Cash for College Event – Saturday Oct 9th 8:30am-11:30pm

If you need help with completing your FAFSA or Dream Application, make a Calendly appointment to come to College & Career Center on Saturday Oct 9th. If you have any questions, come see Ms Ignaitis.

It is important to bring the necessary documents and at least one parent/guardian. Families members can come but due to Covid, we are going to limit each group to two people inside the classrooms.

Links to Flier Below or come by College and Career Center for a copy of what to bring.

What to Bring to Cash for College

Qué traer /saber para completar FAFSA - Spanish

ALSO - it is best to get your FAFSA ID BEFORE attending Cash for College (if applying for FAFSA only) - See Financial Aid Section Below

What is Cash for College?

From CA Student Aid Commission: Starting October 1 through March 2 Cal Grant deadline, students and families can attend FREE Cash for College workshops across California for help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act (CADAA) and Chafee Grant for Foster Youth applications. Our mission is to help low-income and first generation college-goers complete the application process so they can access financial aid for education and career/technical training beyond high school. List of what you need to bring is attached in Spanish and English

How To Videos on College and Career Center Webpage

Common App/FERPA/Other Recommenders, CSU App Common Errors, College Visit, Naviance Activities

Process to Request a School Report(SR)/Letter of Recommendation(LOR) at Sequoia Video by Counseling Department

The grade-level presentation (with and without the recording) and handouts will also be available on the website following the meeting. Goes Over the Process for 4 Yr Colleges (UC/CSU/Common App/Private/Out of State)

Copy the link below to share this recording with viewers:

Presentation Recording in English Passcode: dY6Z?Oeg

Presentation Recording In Spanish (no passcode needed)

Handouts - Sending Transcripts and Test Scores, Student and School Responsibilities and Guidelines

Always Welcome to Drop In the College and Career Center at Lunch or Come to College Club on Tuesday between 4-5pm

If you have a sport or job after-school, please come see Ms Ignaitis at lunch for an alternate time

Our goal is to get something done every week

Hope to see you there!

If you have questions, please come see Ms Ignaitis

If you need help signing up for a college visit, come by College/Career Center or watch How To Video - Sign Up for a College Visit at Sequoia

The University of Alabama

Mon Sept 27 11:30 AM

Elon University

Mon Sept 27 2:00 PM

California Lutheran University

Tue Sept 28 8:00 AM

Whittier College

Tue Sept 28 9:30 AM

Sarah Lawrence College

Tue Sept 28 11:30 AM

St Olaf College

Tue Sept 28 2:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Wed Sept 29 7:30 AM

Reed College

Wed Sept 29 8:30 AM

Menlo College

Wed Sept 29 11:15 AM

University of Miami

Thu Sept 30 8:00 AM

Stony Brook University

Thu Sept 30 10:30 AM

Humboldt State University

Thu Sept 30 11:30 AM

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Thu Sep 30 2:00 PM

University of La Verne

Fri Oct 1 8:00 AM

Holy Names University

Fri Oct 1 10:30 AM

Gonzaga University

Fri Oct 1 11:00 AM

Tufts University

Mon Oct 4 8:00 AM

Oregon State University

Mon Oct 4 10:30 AM

The American University of Paris

Mon Oct 4 2:00 PM

Columbia University, the University of Chicago, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Michigan, and Yale University

Throughout the fall we will also host a series of virtual events for prospective students and families. Please share these details with your school community. The sessions will cover academics campus life, financial aid and admissions process at all five schools.

Thursday September 30

8 pm EDT / 7 pm CDT / 6 pm MDT / 5 pm PDT

Event Registration

Thursday October 7 / Jueves 7 de octubre

Spanish Information Session / Sesión de Información en Español

8 pm EDT / 7 pm CDT / 6 pm MDT / 5 pm PDT

Event Registration

Thursday October 14

8 pm EDT / 7 pm CDT / 6 pm MDT / 5 pm PDT

Event Registration

Drexel University Application Workshop Series

Drexel is offering monthly series of online events designed to help guide students, families, and counselors through important steps of the college application process

• Crafting Your Portfolio for College Success - Oct 20
• Exploring Your Academic Interests - Nov 17

To register and get more information go to their website

Stanford University Community Conversations

Sept 27-Oct 20 (session take place between)

Community Conversations is a series of virtual information sessions providing culturally inclusive and relevant information to students about Stanford’s admission process, campus community centers, and our diverse student body.

Link to Registration Page

Saint Louis University Financial Aid Presentation

Sept 29

Join Student Financial Services from Saint Louis University as we discuss the Financial Aid process and answer your questions regarding paying for a college education.

To register and get more information go to their website

International Universities College Fair

Sept 30th

International Universities College Fair hosted by the Association of International Regional Recruiters in North America (AIRR-NA).

You’ll have the opportunity to meet with 27 international universities and find out more about the benefits of studying internationally.

Register HERE

Coalition Application College Panels

Sept 30- Nov 16

The Coalition will host a series of events this fall, including our largest virtual fair We're excited our panel discussions will be hosted concurrently in Spanish, including sessions on completing the FAFSA and CSS Profile, as well as on getting an early start on college planning and attending college as a first-generation student.

Local College Night Sponsored by PAL/College Advising Prep - IN PERSON

Sept 30

Talk with College Reps for UC, CSU, local community colleges, private and out of state colleges. Offered in English and Spanish We will be providing snacks for all families/students, so please encourage any interested student to rsvp with the QR code or tinyurl.com link so we can have an idea of how many people will be attending.

Question of the Month From UC Counselor Bulletin - HOW TO ENTER P/NP

Q: Our high school moved to P/NP grading in spring 2020. When our students fill out their applications, should they select both “A B C D F” and “Other” for the school’s grading system so that they can report their P grades?

A: Because many schools moved to the P/NP (CR/NC) grading in spring 2020, P, NP, CR, and NC grades will automatically be an option for spring 2020 coursework. Students should only select the grading system that is typically used by your school (letter or numerical grades); they should not select ‘Other’ as the grading system.

UCLA Fall Open House

Sept 25th -30th

Our program will be virtual this year and will take place from Saturday, September 25 through Thursday, September 30. To best serve our prospective students and their families, we will offer programming on Saturday and in the evenings Monday through Thursday. Your students and their families will have an opportunity to gain insight about the admission process, learn more about the incredible academic opportunities available to them, participate in student panels, virtually tour campus and experience Bruin pride firsthand.

Registration is required, students can make a reservation here

The UC Application is now open for the Fall of 2022

Students can submit the application between Nov 1-30 2021

There will be workshops available at Sequoia at the end of October

Every UC has great information and tips on completing the application - Check out UCSB page

CSU What to Do Until Application Opens Oct 1st

One of the first questions on the application is-what the major are you applying for?

Majors/Degrees

All of the CSU are not the same and sometimes they have different names for the same subject area. Figure out HERE what degree you are applying for each school on the CSUapply website.

2022-2023 First Time Freshman Supplemental Factors by Campus

When you figure out what major you will be applying see if it is IMPACTED. If impacted, there will be a multiple measure selection process, again, different for each campus.

Summary of Steps to Get a SR/LOR for Regular Decision - Go to the Information Emailed by Mr Rebello for Specific Details

Meeting to turn in completed SR/LOR Form is due to your counselor by Nov 5

If one of the school's you are applying to needs a letter or school report sent, you need to go through a process.

• You should have attended a SR/LOR Form Meeting and received your Pink SR/LOR Form
• If you attended, you received an email from Mr Rebello with the presentation and resources including links and explanations of the process
• After creating a Common App account and getting your teacher(s) to sign the pink SR/LOR form, you needed to sign up for a meeting in the College and Career Center to go over common errors and officially request your teacher LOR.

Sign up for meeting with Ms Ignaitis in College and Career Center

October Calendly Appointments

• Complete all the activities on the Pink SR/LOR Form
• Make a meeting with your counselors to turn in the form by the due date depending on when you are applying (this meeting is not your senior grad check meeting)
• Counselor will make you a copy of the sign formed and you will give a copy to the teachers writing your LOR
• Complete and submit your application independently

ALREADY SUBMITTED YOUR SR/LOR Form and Need to Change/Adjust Your LOR Requests?

Drop by the College and Career Center and Ms Ignaitis will open up the request setting. Come by before school, brunch, lunch or College Club - it only will take three minutes!

There are three community colleges in San Mateo County: Canada College, College of San Mateo and Skyline College. These Colleges serve more than 31,000 students each year and offer the first two years of instruction in a wide variety of degree and transfer programs, as well as vocational-technical programs.

The traditional four-year college experience isn't for everyone. Some students aren't sure what they want to study, while others are looking for a more affordable education. Many students study for two years at community college before transferring to a four-year college, saving significant money on tuition.

Eligibility to Apply:

• High School Diploma or equivalent

• Anyone 18 years of age or older

We will be having our FIRST Canada Application Workshop Nov 4th - Sign up on Naviance under College Visits

Want to get involved and make a difference at Sequoia?

Youth Advisory Board and Peer Mediators are both clubs on campus that work on supporting students and elevating their voices! YAB works towards identifying issues that impact students at Sequoia. Peer Mediators trains students to help others with conflicts. If interested in either of these clubs please reach out to Alicia Siese, alicia.siese@star-vista.org or come by the Teen Resource Center for an application.

Volunteers, aged 14 - 96 years old, provide one-on-one support for children in K-8th grade in San Carlos or Redwood City schools to improve their academic performance, engagement in learning and self-esteem. The need for volunteer tutors grows every year and we hope you or someone you know will get involved in this rewarding volunteer experience.

In Redwood City, we currently serve Clifford School (K-8th grade), Connect Community Charter School(K-8th grade), Kennedy Middle School (6-8th grade), and Henry Ford Elementary School (K-5th grade). You will be able to choose your preferred school location, age/grade of child, and day/time for tutoring.

Tutor training and orientation for all new volunteers starts in October

For more information about Healthy Cities Volunteer Opportunities: Visit

Volunteering with StarVista is an excellent opportunity to learn more about yourself and receive valuable training while making an important contribution to your Community

For more information

StarVista has helped people throughout San Mateo County navigate life’s challenges. Our counseling, crisis prevention, youth housing, and early childhood programs help tens of thousands of people in our community each year.

The Sequoia Award Scholarship

Deadline October 31st

Do you live in Redwood City and have you made an impact with your community service activities?

The Sequoia Awards provides scholarships to high school seniors who are outstanding community volunteers. To apply for a Sequoia Awards scholarship, you must: have performed voluntary community service; be a high school senior; and reside at a Redwood City mailing address. This includes unincorporated Redwood City, North Fair Oaks, Emerald Hills, and Redwood Shores. For application and more information visit their website here

Deadline to submit an application and materials is October 31

Upload your transcript from Infinite Campus

Due: Nov 12th

This year’s theme: I will change the world by...

Enter your artwork and reflect about its meaning to you in one of six categories.

1. Dance Choreography

2. Film Production

3. Literature

4. Music Composition

5. Photography

6. Visual Arts

All entries will be recognized for their artistic achievement. Participation itself is a meaningful contribution to the Sequoia community! First-place finishers in each category enter the district competition, district winners move on to the state competition, and state winners move on to compete nationally.

Be sure to review the rules and category information on the Reflections page of the PTSA website.

What is an FSA ID?
It is a username and password combination that allows you to sign your FAFSA form electronically. Your FSA ID also can be used to access the myStudentAid app, sign loan contracts, and access certain information online.

Why do I need one, if I haven’t started the FAFSA Application?
Getting it ahead of time and using it to begin your FAFSA form on fafsa.gov or on the myStudentAid mobile app cuts down on errors and delays.

Does my parent(s)/Guardian(s) need to get one too?
If you’re a dependent student, one of your parents whose information is reported on the FAFSA form will also need an FSA ID so that he or she can sign your application electronically. (It is ok if your parents/guardians do not have SSN)

Where do I go to get an FSA ID?
Get started here!

FAFSA opens Oct 1 but it is quicker to complete if you have a FAFSA ID before you start.

The most important step is that you physically have your Social Security Card with you to make sure create your FAFSA with the exact name and number on your card!

RESOURCES

For Help creating a FAFSA ID, watch the short video clip on the College and Career How To webpage

Click on the purple buttons below for more information about FAFSA, CA Dream, and CSS Profile

Crate & Barrel at Stanford Shopping Center is currently building their team. Sales ~ Stockroom ~ Merchandising ~ Customer Service

Flexible hours. Day shifts & Evening shifts. Weekend availability is important.

Please fill out an application online.

Location: Palo Alto

Put my name down as a referral. (John Durkin)

Please fill out the online application. 16 years old with a work permit is the minimum age.

It’s a fun place to work. If hired, you enjoy a nice 30% off employee discount.

Please ask if you have any questions. Please send an email to johnfdurkin@yahoo.com for more details.

Apply at www.cfaredwoodcity.com

Sept 19-25 2021

Click Here to view this week 's College & Career Newsletter/ Haga clic aquí para ver el boletín de la oficina de Colegios y Carreras de esta semana.

Follow-Up SR/LOR Meeting from Counseling

Signing Up for SAT/ACT

GENERAL FOUR YEAR - Do you need a SR/LOR Form

COMMON APPLICATION/PRIVATE COLLEGE INFO: Summary Reminder of Required Process

Sept 12-18

Click Here to view this week 's College & Career Newsletter/ Haga clic aquí para ver el boletín de la oficina de Colegios y Carreras de esta semana.

Follow-Up SR/LOR Meeting from Counseling

Signing Up for SAT/ACT

How to Sign Up for College Visit at Sequoia

GENERAL FOUR YEAR - Requesting Transcripts

COMMON APPLICATION/PRIVATE COLLEGE INFO: Sequoia Class Size for Education Section

JOB OPPORTUNITIES:Stanford Residential & Dining, Menlo Country Club, RWC and San Carlos Kumon Tutors

Sept 5-11

Click Here to view this week 's College & Career Newsletter/ Haga clic aquí para ver el boletín de la oficina de Colegios y Carreras de esta semana.

GENERAL FOUR YEAR COLLEGE INFO: Adding Colleges to Naviance

CSU INFO

COMMON APPLICATION/PRIVATE COLLEGE INFO: SR/LOR Mandatory College and Career Meeting Info

OTHER INFO: Senior Portrait Reminder

August 15-21

COMMON APPLICATION INFO: Letter of Recommendation Info

August 29- Sept 4

COMMON APPLICATION INFORMATION: FERPA Info