Senior College & Career Newsletter

Scroll through for important information regarding College/Career

How to reach us?

For general questions and inquiries please email (Please do not use the link at the bottom of this Newsletter to contact us)

Ms Ignaitis: tignaitis@seq.org

All HCA, Study Skills Students and Last names A-L

and/or

Ms Yeager: tyeager@seq.org

All DAA, ELD Students and Last names M-Z

THE COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER WILL BE CLOSED WED-FRI THIS WEEK FOR A CONFERENCE.

UPCOMING EVENTS/DUE DATES:

Aug 25 - Last day to contact counselor about errors on your current transcript

Aug 25 - Last day to turn-in concurrent enrollment transcript to add to your current transcript

Aug 28 - Senior Grade Level IB/4 Year College Meeting

Aug 28- First College Visit at Sequoia!

Aug 30 - Senior Transcripts

Wed, August 28th: General College Application Help

Thurs, August 29th : No Flex Scheduled in the College and Career Center

Are you confused or do you have a lot of questions about the process for submitting your letters of recommendation and/or just about general requirements and procedures at Sequoia for submitting your applications and school documents???

PLEASE ATTEND the Grade Level Meeting in Carrington Hall on , Wednesday, August 28 for students and families More information below.

• Wednesday, August 28th at 7pm

  The annual Four-Year College/IB meeting for students and parents/guardians is specifically focused on senior year application and IB process at Sequoia
  

  Ms. Nino-Sears (IB Coordinator)/ Ms Galvan (Counselor) will go over the requirements, deadlines and procedures for the IB Program and IB Diploma.

  Ms. Ignaitis/Ms. Yeager (College/Career Advisors) will present information about applying to Four Year Colleges including UC,CSU, Common Application, Out of State Public Colleges, and Coalition. Some of the other topics include:

  How to Officially Request Transcripts if Needed

  Early Action/Early Decision

  Letters of Recommendation that are specific to Sequoia.

  
  

  All GRADE LEVEL MEETINGS will be:

  
  

  • Presented in person (English speaking in Carrington Hall)

  • Presented separately for Spanish speaking parents/guardians in the MPR

  • SLIDES will be Posted on the SHS College and Career website

  • Links will be available in the Weekly Newsletter

  
  

Due Aug 24th

Seniors, if you want a concurrent enrollment course added to your Sequoia High School transcript, you have until Friday, August 24th.

Please submit an official transcript from the institution where you completed your concurrent enrollment course to the Counseling Office.

Please email your counselor if you are not sure if you need to add your concurrent enrollment course to your Sequoia High School Transcript.

By August 30th

If needed, contact your counselor to make changes. This transcript is the one that will be used for your fall college applications.

August 29th

For high school seniors only: Did you miss the UC PIQ and Common App presentations last spring? If you missed them, you’re in luck! Alice Kleeman will return to the Redwood City Public Library on Thursday, August 29, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m in the Community Room. She will share everything you need to know to write fantastic responses to the UC Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) and Common App essays and supplements. Offered as two separate sessions last spring, Alice will combine them into one session for students who hoped to attend but could not. Resister here. (If you attended last spring, there’s no need to repeat—but do please tell your friends to sign up!) Students in past years have said:

"Attending Alice's sessions was one of the best decisions I have made. Alice offers some of the most genuine and helpful college-admissions advice, and her insight helped me immensely during the essay-writing process."

“The sessions are informative, clarify any misconceptions about the college-admissions process, and give helpful guidance on how to write college essays.”

“Sessions with Alice were informative and engaging, and her help over email with my essays was unmatched. Would 10/10 recommend for an easier college-app experience!"

Two Virtual Presentations: Sept 3 & 8th

Two In Person Presentations: Sept 11th & 12th

Learn about 8 Highly Selective Liberal Arts Colleges at one event.

Claremont McKenna, Colorado College, Connecticut, Grinnell, Haverford, Kenyon, Macalester, and Sarah Lawrence College will be hosting an informational meeting for students and parents.

For more information and a full list of presentations CLICK HERE

San Francisco Registration

San Jose Registration

A great opportunity to learn about small liberal arts colleges!

Because we are a big school and don't want you to use the phrase "I didn't know", we have created a consistent method of getting out information.

FIRST: WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

It is the student's responsibility to read/skim through each week. This is where we list upcoming events and opportunities, specific college, required steps, financial aid, scholarships, contests, volunteering, and job information.

Instead of individual emails throughout the week, we send it once a week on Sundays!

SECOND: EVENING EVENTS

Throughout the year, we hold evening college informational meetings/events for both students and parents/guardians. These meetings have specific content students are responsible to know and understand. If both a student and parent/guardian can't attend, the presentations are available on the school website under the College and Career Department section.

THIRD: COLLEGE AND CAREER WEBPAGE

Located on the SHS website under Departments, our webpage includes student opportunities and scholarship monthly lists, How To videos, posted presentations from evening meetings, old Newsletters, CSF forms as well as other post secondary resources.

We will go over the process on how to request official transcripts at the Senior Grade Level 4yr College/IB Meeting on August 28th

Summer work needs to be added and counselors need to make sure they are correct before we upload them to send to colleges!

You can download your unofficial transcript off of Infinite Campus

The CSU Application YOU NEED AS A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL will not be available until October 1st

As a first time freshman, you will need to choose Fall of 2025

If you apply now using Spring of 2024, you application will not be considered.

September 19th

The CSU is proud to host five College Nights at different locations across California this fall. These events are free and open to any high school, community college or returning students. Parents, family members and educators are encouraged to attend. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from all 23 CSU campuses and learn about how to prepare best prepare for CSU admission.

Please join us in spreading the word about this year’s CSU College Nights. Share our promotional video

To register for one of the dates and locations listed below, visit www.calstate.edu/collegenights.

The UC Application is now open for the Fall of 2025

Students can submit the application between Oct 1-Nov 30 2024

There will be flex workshops available and several UC are visiting Sequoia this fall.

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

There is a specific process for Sequoia High School.

Please attend the grade level meeting August 28th

Official Class Size

Will be in the weekly newsletter SEPTEMBER 15th

1. Create a Common Application account
2. Add in Sequoia High School (052605) on the Education tab
3. Add at least one college to your account on the College tab
4. Sign FERPA Waiver located on the left hand side of the individual college

Our recommendation is that you Waive Your Rights because that is what colleges want you to do. Counselors and some teachers will not write a letter if you do not waive your rights.

What is the FERPA Waiver? (From Common Application website)

Since FERPA is a complex law, we want to provide some key information before you respond to the FERPA waiver question.

1. How does FERPA relate to your college application?

FERPA regulates the privacy of student education records, which could include your application to the college where you enroll. FERPA also gives you the right to review confidential letters of recommendation provided as part of that application after you enroll.

2. In the application you'll be asked if you want to waive the right to review confidential letters of recommendation. What you should know about this waiver?

• Waiving your right lets colleges know that you do not intend to read your recommendations, which helps reassure colleges that the letters are candid and truthful.

• Some recommenders may decline to write a letter for you if you do not waive your rights. Check with your counselor or teachers to see if any of them follow such a policy.

We will focus on the community college application process the second semester of school.

SAVE THE DATE: Community College Info Night and Fair will be February 6, 2025

The steps to enroll are different for each site. Go to the websites below for more information.

• Canada College: https://canadacollege.edu/admissions/new-student.php

• Skyline College: https://skylinecollege.edu/outreach/pep.php

• De Anza: https://www.deanza.edu/apply-and-register/index.html (not available for Fall 2025 until the spring)

• Foothill: https://foothill.edu/reg/admission/highschool.html (not available for Fall 2025 until the spring)
  

Click HERE to go directly to the Sequoia High School website for the most updated scholarship and student opportunities lists.

If you find a scholarship you are interested in and want the link to the website or more information be sure to log in to your Naviance account, under the College tab, click on Scholarships and Money, then Scholarship list, and put the name of the scholarship in the search box, then click on the name of the scholarship.

DUE: September 10th

ELIGIBLE GRADES: 9-12th

Two Separate Scholarships

ESSAY Scholarship - How we can protect our democracy from becoming a theocracy and unite against religious bigotry $1000.00

VIDEO Scholarship: How can we protect our democracy from becoming a theocracy and unite against religious bigotry? $750.00

Grades: 9th-12th

MIT OpenCourseWare is a free and open collection of material from thousands of MIT courses, covering the entire MIT curriculum. No registration. WEBSITE

Can Apply All Year

All Grades

Rhizome, a nonprofit organization built by and for students, is offering a community service, leadership, and civic engagement opportunity through their Civic Service Fellowship. Their website includes info on how the Fellowship boosts mental health determinants, leadership skills, and community connectedness while making an impact and receiving service hours. Check it out if you’re interested in civics, service leadership, or learning how to make a genuine impact.

Project Read has some upcoming training for teens who would like to volunteer on

September 10

October 8

This is a great opportunity for SHS students to be matched with a younger student to tutor once or twice a week.

If interested contact:

Email - rclread@redwoodcity.org

Phone- 650 780-7077

For more information go to their website and scroll down to the Teen Volunteer Section.

(Flier in College and Career Center)

ELIGIBLE GRADES: 9-12th Grade

There are both year around and summer volunteer opportunities at the Marine Science Institute. This is a great place for volunteers interested in science to help younger students learn about science.

WEBSITE

CityTrees loves working with volunteers from our community. The easiest way to volunteer with CityTrees is to sign up for an upcoming event.

At CityTrees, diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of who we are. Our commitment to these values is central to our mission. We know that working together and having varied perspectives helps generate better ideas and will result in a larger and healthier tree canopy.

There are opportunities all year round

WEBSITE

Sequoia Union High School District will submit your GPA to Cal Grant in September.

Make sure your Infinite Campus information (name and address) is correct to avoid matching problems. If something needs to be change, contact the counseling office

No Verification Form is needed AFTER submitting your FAFSA/Dream Application!

ELIGIBLE AGE/GRADE: 16yr+ (Must have own transportation)

Looking for high school students with exceptional math skills through Algebra I and Geometry to join our team! We offer competitively paid part-time jobs at Sequoia Station with flexible scheduling and ongoing training opportunities. Join us for the opportunity to make a REAL difference in a child’s life by passing on a love for math!

Our starting salaries are $17.00-$19.00 depending on what level of math the instructors can teach.

If interested, please apply online

Pick up a flier in the College and Career Center

ELIGIBLE AGE/GRADE: 15yr+

Part-time work is available teaching after-school group Piano Classes at local elementary schools, as well as private lessons (in all instruments) in-person or online. Pay is $60/hour for group classes and $45/hour for private lessons. Please apply online at http://hummingbirdmusicschool.com/about

Students: visit the website for a number of How-To videos that Sequoia Counselors made for help with common application, scholarships and much more!

no past newsletters for 2024-2025