News

University of California Virtual Event

September 2020

The University of California (UC) has asked counselors to share information about virtual events for students who will be applying to the UCs this fall.

The following information has been provided by the University of California:

"This year UC is hosting virtual system wide events for students and families. These free events feature admission staff, current students and parents, UC faculty and UC alumni. There is no fee, and each event has a maximum capacity of 3,000 attendees.

The UC for You events are intended to help students and families who will be applying this fall get to know the nine undergraduate campuses. These events are an excellent opportunity to ask questions about admission selection, majors, pre-professional programs and more.

October 3, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. - California first-year students

October 10, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. - California transfer students

October 17, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Non-resident/International students

Please email ucforyou@ucop.edu for more information. Registration is now open!"

Do students still need to take the SAT or ACT?

January 2020

The short answer is yes. Although California’s Compton Unified School District has sued the University of California demanding that the SAT/ACT testing requirement be eliminated, and some colleges and universities accept applications without SAT/ACT testing, most institutions of higher learning require that students submit either SAT or ACT scores as an element of their applications.

College testing is considered a junior year rite of passage – a stress-provoking task that must be undertaken. However, I encourage students to view college tests as an opportunity to demonstrate proficiency, rather than a burden. The PSAT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Exam), SAT (a standardized college admission test), SAT Subject Tests (college admission exams on specific subjects), ACT (a standardized college admission test administered by the ACT, a non-profit), and Advanced Placement tests (examinations on college level curricula) all play a role in the application and evaluation process. Each of these exams gives students the ability to add value to their applications. A high school “A” grade, supported by strong scores in national testing, tells an admissions officer that a student has truly mastered the material and is prepared for collegiate work.

Even though the prospect of skipping junior year testing may sound enticing, students who do so will drastically limit their application opportunities. So, for 2020 at least, students should select their preparation method of choice and do their best for this element of the college application process.

College Applications are Live Online!

August 2019

Rising seniors, open your laptops! The 2019-2020 Common Application (an online application used by 800 colleges and universities) and the University of California (UC) application (an online application utilized by the nine UC campuses with undergraduate programs) went live on August 1, 2019. The seven Common Application main essay prompts and the eight University of California Personal Insight Questions are available for students’ perusal and selection. Students respond to one of the Common Application main essay prompts and four of the University of California Personal Insight Questions.

For The Common Application, students create their individual college lists and their selections appear on a personal Dashboard. Most private colleges request supplemental essays beyond the main essay, and the tabs for the chosen colleges lead students to the supplemental prompts. Sample prompts include: When were you exposed to a new idea? What would you like to say to a future roommate? What is intellectual courage? What social issue is meaningful to you? Schools pose questions such as these in order to identify the students they believe will be the best fit at their universities.

Although the task is daunting, by making a spread sheet and tackling one component at a time, the essays and applications do get written. Each year I help seniors see the overview and organize their thoughts and words so they may present themselves in their most favorable light. Every student has something about them that is unique and this is the chance to write about one’s individuality.

The applications, the essays, the insight questions: although the requirements may seem an onerous chore, they also present opportunity. This is a chance to add value to one’s application, to explain to an admissions officer why a letter of acceptance should be offered.

So time to start -- colleges are waiting to hear from you! Happy writing!

What is a SIR?

April 2019

A SIR, or a Statement of Intent to Register, is a student’s communication of his or her acceptance of a college or university’s offer of admission. For students starting as freshmen, SIRs are due to the college or university on May 1st. Some schools have a later due date for transfer students. For example, for the University of California campuses, the SIR deadline for transfer applicants is June 1st. Students may ethically accept only one offer of admission. However, a student may accept an offer to ensure a place in the fall, and simultaneously decide to maintain spots on waitlists at other universities. If a waitlist offer turns into an offer of admission, a student may then withdraw the SIR that they initially submitted to the other school.

What are the University of California Freshman Admission Rates for Fall 2018?

February 2019

Each year the University of California’s Undergraduate Admissions Office releases data about the freshmen admitted the prior year to the nine UC campuses. The following are the fall 2018 admittance rates and the GPAs of the middle 25% to 75% for California residents.

What are the University of California Freshman Admission Rates for Fall 2017?

July 2017

The University of California has released the Freshman Admission Rates for Fall 2017. The following are the number of students who applied, the number of students admitted, and the admissions rates for California, out of state, and international students.

Congratulations on Early Admission Offers!

January 2017

Congratulations to the 2017 graduates who have received early admission offers from colleges and universities. For those students who received early decision offers (an early decision application requires that a student accept an offer if one is given), you may attend spring open houses and plan freshman housing with the comfort of knowing your college selection has been made. For those who received early action offers (an early action application allows a student to wait until May 1st to decide whether to accept the offer), you are confident of a place at one of your preferred universities while you consider additional options. Some students who submitted regular applications this fall have also been pleasantly surprised by admission offers mailed in December. Of course more offers will arrive in mail boxes and by e-mail in January, February and March, so for all of you who have worked so hard to be at this point in your senior year, enjoy 2017!

New Essay Prompts for University of California Freshman Applicants

July 2016

The University of California campuses have adopted eight new personal statement prompts, now called personal insight questions, for the Fall 2016 application period.

While many students may be apprehensive about changes to the application process, I am advising students that the new questions are a positive improvement to the application. Students can think of these essay responses as a written interview. The new questions allow students to elaborate on the strengths of their applications and are a great opportunity to present their case as to why they should be admitted.

The eight freshman applicant questions are listed below. Applicants choose four of the eight questions to answer, and each response may be up to 350 words.

The Personal Insight Questions for Freshman Applicants:

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

6. Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has influenced you.

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

8. What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidates applying to the University of California?

Who is guaranteed admission to the University of California?

May 2016

California high school students who meet the requirements of a statewide eligibility path or a local eligibility path are guaranteed admission to the University of California (UC). Preliminarily the students must meet the basic course requirements (commonly referred to as the “a”-“g” requirements) for the University of California. Secondarily, the students are selected on the basis of academic achievement.

The statewide path offers guaranteed admission to the top nine percent of California high school students based on academic achievement. Students’ grade point averages (GPA) and ACT or SAT test scores are used to determine an academic index score and select the top nine percent.

The local path, called Eligibility in the Local Context, evaluates and compares students within an individual high school, rather than on a state wide basis. If a high school elects to participate in the Eligibility in the Local Context program, the top nine percent of students at the individual high school, again based on academic achievement, are guaranteed admission to the University of California. Tenth and eleventh grade GPAs are utilized to select the top nine percent from individual high schools.

The guarantee ensures admission to one of the nine University of California campuses but does not allow students to select the campus of their choice. Students who are guaranteed admission under either the statewide or local paths, but are not offered admission at a University of California campus to which they applied, are offered a position at UC Merced. UC Merced is the newest campus in the University of California system.

University of California 2015 Admission Data

March 2016

Each year the University of California’s Undergraduate Admissions Office releases data about the freshmen admitted the prior year to the nine UC campuses. The following are the fall 2015 admittance rates and the average GPAs for California residents.

Holiday Wishes!

December 2015

Congratulations to the students who have submitted their early decision and early action applications and their University of California applications.

For all, may your holiday season bring you happiness and peace!

Do high school seniors need letters of recommendation for the University of California?

September 2015

The University of California does not require letters of recommendation for high school seniors. However, starting in the fall of 2015, UC Berkeley will be inviting some freshman applicants to submit two letters of recommendation as a supplement to their applications. The request for letters of recommendation will not be part of the initial online UC application. Instead UC Berkeley will email requests for letters to selected students after their online applications have been received, likely in November. The invitations will only be sent to freshman applicants as UC Berkeley is not inviting transfer students to submit letters in the Fall 2015 application period.

Graduation!

June 2015

May and June are a time of happy school traditions. High school graduations embrace gowns in school colors, processions led by junior class honor chains, balloons, leis, cameras, happy families, and grad nights.

Colleges have their traditions as well. Our family gathered at Brown University for graduation this May, sharing the pathways with happy and celebratory students, family and alumni.

A special Brown tradition is the Friday night dance on the College Green. Graduation weekend is a time that alumni also come back to Providence to celebrate and the dance draws Brown graduates from decades of graduations years. Parents watched with pride as the graduates gathered on the steps for a rendition of the Alma Mater at midnight. Saturday was the Baccalaureate ceremony, and as they have for over two hundred years, the graduates processed from the campus to the First Baptist Church in America.

Sunday brought the actual graduation day. Graduates returned to the First Baptist Church for the College Ceremony, marched back up the hill to the green for the University Ceremony, and then went with their families to smaller venues for the Diploma Ceremonies. Conducted by the university departments, the Diploma Ceremonies were the smallest and most personal. At the Archaeology and Egyptology ceremony that we attended, graduate students receiving doctorates and undergraduates who had written senior theses were invited to speak briefly about their work and thank their mentors and families.

Thousands of high school and college students joined the ranks of the newly graduated this spring. Each celebrated with their school’s public traditions as well as their own private and personal traditions. However, each has earned the universal message from friends and families: a hearty and heart felt congratulations!

What are the early admission rates for the Class of 2019?

January 2015

December brought holiday cheer to the high school seniors whose early applications yielded offers of admission. A sampling of early admission rates for Ivy League and other selective colleges for the Class of 2019 is listed below. Admission rates for regular decisions applicants, whose offers are issued in the spring, are usually considerably lower than early application admission rates. Additionally, some early admission applicants receive a deferral (a postponement of the decision) to the spring consideration round, rather than an offer or a rejection.

Holiday Wishes for Happiness

December 2014

Congratulations to the students who will receive early decision and early action offers of admission this December!

For all, may your holiday season bring you good will and happiness!

What is a NCAA core course?

November 2014

A core course is a high school class that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) accepts to fulfill academic eligibility requirements. The course must be:

1) an academic course in English, mathematics, natural or physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion, or philosophy;

2) considered a four-year college preparatory course; and

3) taught at or above a high school’s regular academic level. Remedial courses

do not satisfy core course requirements.

High schools’ lists of NCAA Courses may be found at the Resources tab on the NCAA’s eligibility website (www.eligibilitycenter.org). High school courses taken in middle school (for example, math or foreign language) may be used to fulfill core course requirements if: (i) the course is on the student’s high school transcript with a grade and credit and (ii) the course is listed on the high school’s List of NCAA Courses.

How important is your application essay?

October 2014

How important are students’ application essays and personal statements? Colleges indicate the relative weight they give to essays, as compared to other admission factors, in their annual Common Data Set information releases. The following chart reports the responses from twenty popular colleges and universities on the question of essay importance.

Sources: 2013-2014 Common Data Sets for respective colleges and universities

* 2011-2012 is the most current Common Data Set posted online for this institution

University of California Admission Data

September 2014

Each fall the University of California’s Undergraduate Admissions Office releases data about the freshmen admitted the prior spring to the nine UC campuses. The following are the fall 2014 admittance rates and the average GPAs for California residents.

Need Blind, Need Sensitive, and Need Aware – Understanding These and Other College Admissions and Financial Aid Terms

August 2014

“Need blind,” “need sensitive,” and “need aware” are all concepts related to college admissions and a student’s financing of college. Need-blind admissions means that an admissions office will not know what information a family has submitted to the financial aid office or whether a student is requesting financial aid. Need sensitive or need aware means an admissions office may know whether an applicant is requesting financial assistance, and may take the request for financial aid and the school’s available funds into consideration when determining whether to offer admission.

However, need-blind admissions does not mean that a college can or will meet 100% of a student’s demonstrated financial need. Put another way, the fact that a college has need-blind admissions does not mean that the institution has the financial resources to offer the necessary financing to all students that are offered admission. A university must have a substantial endowment in order to be able to guarantee that the school will provide financing for all admitted students.

Other financial terms that families will encounter are “estimated family contribution,” “cost of attendance,” and “demonstrated financial need.” The estimated family contribution is the amount that a family is expected to contribute to college costs for the upcoming year. The cost of attendance includes tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, personal items, and transportation. Demonstrated financial need is the difference between the cost of attendance and the estimated family contribution.

The estimated family contribution calculation is based upon the information provided on financial aid forms and the calculation may vary from college to college. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the first form that a family submits. In addition to the FAFSA, colleges will also ask a family to complete their institutions’ financial aid forms. If a family would like an unofficial preview of their estimated family contribution, the family may utilize the interactive “net price calculators” that are located on colleges’ financial aid web pages. With many private college’s annual tuition fees in excess of $50,000, and public university annual costs of attendance often topping $30,000, many families qualify for financial aid.

Families should understand that colleges’ and universities’ formulas for calculating estimated family contributions may vary substantially, however. The figure that is provided by the FAFSA is a starting point and the contribution that an individual college or university calculates may be significantly higher than the FAFSA calculation.

Families should also understand that financial aid is not a synonym for grants or merit scholarships. Financial aid awards may include grants, federal work study fund allocations, and loans. For some colleges, loans may be the greatest part of the package.

So what do families do to navigate the financial aid process? The answer is to be proactive and to be an informed consumer. As students write applications, parents should be simultaneously utilizing net price calculators and examining the costs of different institutions. If students are considering early application dates, parents should also be ready to file financial aid applications in the fall of the senior year when applications are being filed. The cost of a college education may be one of the largest expenses that a family undertakes. Families who invest time in examining college finances early in the process will be those who will ultimately be the most satisfied with their outcomes.

How do student athletes obtain their NCAA eligibility numbers?

July 2014

The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) requires high school students who would like to play for NCAA Division I or II colleges or universities to obtain eligibility numbers. High school student athletes usually register at the beginning of their sophomore year but are welcome to register as freshmen or rising sophomores if they prefer. A student must be registered with the Eligibility Center for a college to invite the student athlete for an official visit.

Students create an account and register online at www.eligibilitycenter.org . The registration includes questions about the student, high school classes, the sport the student plans to play in college, club teams a student has played on, and athletic events the student has participated in during his or her high school career. The registration fee will increase to $75 on September 1, 2014. Students who have been granted a fee waiver by the SAT or ACT testing services are also eligible for a NCAA fee waiver.

What are the average GPAs for California State University incoming freshmen?

June 2014

High school students’ grade point averages (GPA) are a starting point for evaluating students’ potential for admission to colleges and universities. Some universities post their Common Data Set information online and unweighted GPA averages for incoming freshmen are included in the survey information. The following table shows unweighted GPA averages for popular California State Universities that have posted their information through their Common Data Sets. (Unweighted GPAs do not take into account AP classes graded on a 5 point scale.)

What are the Ivy League Admissions Rates?

May 2014

The Ivy League colleges and universities lead the nation in admission competitiveness. Each year thousands of high school students apply to these eight schools even though the acceptance rates range from six to fourteen percent. The data for this year’s admission cycle (high school class of 2014, college class of 2018) for applications, admission offers, and admission rates is as follows:

What Do You Do About Acceptances If You Are On a Wait List?

April 2014

Statements of Intent to Register (SIR) are due to colleges and universities on May 1st; however, you may have been offered a place on one or more wait lists. So what do you do? The first step is to accept an offer of admission from a school that has admitted you, even if you would rather attend the “wait list” school, to ensure your place at a school in the fall. Although you may ethically accept only one college or university, an exception is made if a student is offered a place on a wait list. The next step, if you want to attend your wait list school, is to follow the instructions to opt in to the wait list. Some schools require just a note or post card return. Others ask for a supplemental essay to help their admissions office staff make their final decisions. Accepting places on more than one wait list is also allowed. Should a wait list position turn into an offer of admission, you may then withdraw the SIR that was given to the other college.

San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering Workshop, 2014

March 2014

If you are interested in studying science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) at one of the University of California campuses, Mrs. Roddy will be presenting a complimentary workshop on the 2014 UC freshman admission requirements on Thursday, March 20th from 8:00 to 9:00 PM. The location is the Twin Peaks Middle School Little Theater, 14640 Tierra Bonita Rd., Poway. RSVPs to collegiate.roddy@gmail.com are appreciated but not required. Packets with presentation materials will be prepared for families who RSVP.

The workshop is one of the 2014 San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering events. For the workshop link see:

http://www.sdsciencefestival.com/festival-week/2014-university-california-science-admissions-standards

For more San Diego Festival information see: http://www.sdsciencefestival.com/

What GPAs and test scores are needed for Pac-12 universities?

February 2014

High school juniors planning spring break college tours frequently ask what grade point averages (GPA) and test scores are needed for prominent west coast universities. Although the numbers are only a part of the application process, they still provide guidance as to the probability of an offer of admission. The average unweighted GPAs (not including an extra point for AP classes graded on a 5-point scale) for incoming freshman for Pac-12 schools are provided below. 75^th percentile test scores are also provided. The 75^th percentile score is the score that 25 percent of the incoming freshman scored at or above.

* estimate, GPA not published in Common Data Set

** data not provided

Source: Common Data Sets

What high school classes should a student athlete take?

January 2014

Student athletes will soon be turning in course request forms for the next high school academic year. In order to be academically eligible to play NCAA Division I sports in college, a student athlete must complete 16 core courses in eight semesters of high school. The required courses are:

- 4 years of English

- 3 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)

- 2 years of natural or physical science including one year of lab science if offered by the high school

- 1 extra year of English (2 English classes would have to be taken simultaneously), math or natural or physical science

- 2 years of social science

- 4 years of extra core courses from any category above, or foreign language, non-doctrinal religion, or philosophy.

Additionally, for students who will be enrolling in college in August 2016 or later, 10 of the high school core courses, and at least 7 of the English, math and science courses, must be completed before the start of the high school seventh semester (beginning of senior year).

Student athletes must earn the required GPA in addition to taking the required classes. Division I of the NCAA maintains a sliding scale in relation to GPA and SAT or ACT scores. The lower the GPA, the higher the SAT or ACT must be for academic eligibility. For students starting college prior to August 2016 the lowest allowable high school GPA is a 2.0 (with a SAT minimum of 1010 for the math and verbal sections [writing is not included] or an ACT minimum of 86 for the math, science, English and reading subsections of the ACT). For students enrolling in college in August 2016 or later, a 2.3 high school GPA is required to play a college sport. Students with GPAs between 2.0 and 2.3 will be classified as academic redshirts.

If you are a student with the athletic talent to interest NCAA Division I coaches, make sure to enroll in the required classes and deliver the GPA and test scores needed for academic eligibility.

Happy Holidays!

December 2013

Congratulations to all the students who submitted their University of California, California State University, and private and public college applications due in December. Congratulations also to the students who have received early acceptances!

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

When are applications due?

November 2013

The fall college application season is underway. The following are upcoming application due dates and procedures for Pac-12 and Big 10 universities.

To understand application procedures, you have to know some terminology.

• • Rolling Admissions

    • • Schools that utilize rolling admissions evaluate applications as they are received and issue decisions throughout the admissions period.

  • Early Action

    • • Colleges that offer early action allow students the option of applying by an early action date in order to receive a decision earlier than the school’s regular response date. Unlike early decision, early action is non-binding.

  • Regular Decision

    • • Colleges with regular decision dates require applications by a due date and issue decisions by a specified date or within a specified time period.

Pac-12:

Big 10 Conference:

What are the California Public University Acceptance Rates?

October 2013

College acceptance rates are a frequent question. The following are acceptance percentages for freshman applicants to California public universities.

University of California

2013 California Resident Freshman Acceptance Rates:

Berkeley: 21%

Davis: 39%

Irvine: 39%

Los Angeles: 18%

Merced: 74%

Riverside: 60%

San Diego 33%

Santa Barbara: 39%

Santa Cruz: 49%

California State Universities

2012-2013 Freshman Acceptance Rates

Cal Poly Pomona 55% CSU Northridge 62%

Cal Poly Sal Luis Obispo 37% CSU Sacramento 67%

CSU Bakersfield 67% CSU San Bernadino 58%

CSU Channel Islands 54% CSU San Marcos 59%

CSU Chico 74% CSU Stanislaus 77%

CSU Dominguez Hills 53% Humboldt State 81%

CSU East Bay 36% San Diego State 33%

CSU Fresno 60% San Diego/Imperial Valley 44%

CSU Fullerton 47% San Francisco State 67%

CSU Long Beach 30% San Jose State 75%

CSU Los Angeles 69% Sonoma State 85%

CSU Monterey Bay 47%

Application Essay Prompts

September 2013

The Common Application

The Common Application has published new prompts for 2014 applications. Students select one of the following topics and submit essays of 250-650 words.

Option #1: Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Option #2: Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

Option #3: Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

Option #4: Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

Option #5: Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

University of California

The University of California is maintaining its Personal Statement prompts. Students are asked to answer both of the following questions, with up to a total of 1,000 words allowed for both essays.

Freshman applicant prompt: 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.

Prompt for all applicants: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

College application season has arrived!

August 2013

Rising seniors, open your laptops…college application season has arrived! The Common Application, an admissions application service utilized by nearly 500 colleges and universities, schedules their annual online application launch for August 1st. Many private and public universities that utilize individual online applications also go live on August 1, or will do so during August or by September 1st. California State Universities and the University of California bring up the rear with online applications opening on October 1st.

The Common Application has new essay prompts this season. The permissible length of the essay has been increased and questions have changed. Many colleges also request additional essays in their required supplements. The University of California campuses are utilizing the same prompts for the requested Personal Statements: describing (1) the world one comes from, and (2) a personal quality.

Each year I help seniors organize their thoughts and words for their applications so they may put their best foot forward and present themselves in their most favorable light. Every student has something about them that is unique and special and this is the chance to share one’s individuality with an admissions office.

Step beyond the boxes and grids of the application forms and tell the reader why their college should offer you a letter of acceptance. It’s time to get started. Happy writing!

Are you ready for sorority rush?

July 2013

Many campuses conduct sorority membership recruitment (commonly known as rush) during the first week of the fall term. New students are embracing their first college classes, dorm housing, dining halls, roommates, and for some, their first substantial time away from home. Layered on top of all these new experiences is sorority rush. Sororities are wonderfully supportive once a young woman is a member. However, depending on the campus, the membership recruitment process may be more competitive and stressful than college admissions. Speakers at Panhellenic (the organization that runs campus sororities) orientation meetings will explain that membership recruitment is a process by which sororities and potential new members (PNMs but more commonly known as rushees) mutually select each other. Realistically, sororities have the most control over the selection of their new members. So if a young woman wants to be offered a place in a pledge class, how does she get picked?

The answer, as with many things in life, is planning. If a young woman is a legacy (mother, sister, grandmother, or great-grandmother was a member), then a legacy notification form should be sent to the college chapter. Alumna members may also write letters of recommendation and submit membership reference forms. Resumes and photos should always be sent with these letters so that the sorority can become familiar with the young woman before rush begins.

Some young women (especially on campuses where a large percentage of the student population is Greek) draw up what could comically be considered their battle plans in understanding rush events (parties), recruitment counselors (Rho Chis or Rho Gammas), quotas, releases (cuts), intentional single preference (suicide), preference cards, bids, joining (pledging), and informal rush (COB – continuous open bidding). Others are more casual about the process.

I am available to counsel entering freshman about letters of recommendation, rush party interviews, and the nuances of rush week. One shouldn’t feel silly about asking for help in preparing for rush. Although the events appear to be welcoming and casual, they are in fact carefully scripted and choreographed procedures by which the sororities select their new members. Freshman who understand the process are more comfortable and often happier with the results than those who rush unassisted.

Many of the nation’s sororities are over 100 years old (the oldest, although female, are called fraternities). They have offered young college women the opportunity for friendship, scholarship, leadership and service for more than a century. So if you are interested in the prospect of campus leadership, philanthropy, and lifelong friendships, take some time for planning and consider sorority rush.

Are you on track to be recruited by and admitted to the college of your choice?

June 2013

Summer is here. For student athletes pursuing an offer, the following is a quick overview of recommended activities by grade level.

Rising Sophomores

Athletic: Submit recruit questionnaires and profiles and attend college camps or tournaments.

Academic: Class and activities check-up -- learn what individual colleges prefer before the time to participate has passed.

Rising Juniors

Athletic: You want to be on coaches’ September 1 recruitment lists. Have you submitted recruit questionnaires, profiles, DVDs or online links, recommendations, transcripts, and test scores, processed your NCAA or NAIA eligibility, made your camp and tournament plans, and communicated with coaches?

Academic: Ensure that you are positioned for approval by Admissions Offices.

Rising Seniors

Athletic: You want to be on the July 1 telephone lists for verbal offers. Do coaches have all the information they need to make you an offer?

Academic: Keep your options open and prepare your Common Application, private college, and University of California college essays. Look at college applications. If you are weak in an application area, strengthen the area this summer.

College coaches have limited recruiting resources and they most often make offers to athletes who have presented them with information demonstrating that the athlete would be a valuable addition to the team. Students who understand this process and manage their recruitment are those who receive offers and those most satisfied with their choice of teams and colleges.

What are verbal commitments?

May 2013

Verbal commitments (verbals) are agreements by which a college athletic coach offers a high school student athlete a position on a college team, and the student accepts the verbal offer. These agreements are entered into before National Letters of Intent (explained in the March 2013 article below) are signed in the senior year, or before an athlete may submit an early decision college application for schools that do not utilize letters of intent. The verbal commitments include the financial terms that will later be presented in a formal Athletic Tender of Financial Assistance (accompanies National Letters of Intent) or in an offer of financial assistance (for schools that do not utilize letters of intent). Verbal commitments are not binding on either the institution or the high school athlete although college coaches rarely retract an offer. A recent circumstance, in which a prominent Division I university retracted offers in multiple varsity sports, involved the university deciding to cut the sports, rather than the coaches changing their minds about offers. Students should think carefully before accepting a verbal commitment. Even though the verbal in not binding, one should remember that by accepting a position, that spot on the team is no longer available to another student. Some students enter verbal commitments as early as sophomore year. Many athletes make verbal commitments in the summer as rising seniors.

Statements of Intent to Register Due May 1st

April 2013

April is a happy month. Seniors have received offers of admission and are invited to campus open houses. Some campuses host overnights in the dorms. Others invite students and parents to daytime events. Balloon arches, school colors, and campus bands greet the prospective freshmen. Students have waited months hoping for favorable reviews of their applications. Then letters of acceptance arrive, the tables turn, and colleges are courting the students. As an alumni interviewer explained, if a college wants you, the college wants you to want them.

So April becomes the decision month. This is the time to make one last trip to determine which college is best for you. Institutions will vary as to how they manage their Admitted Students’ Days. Some will have large campus wide events. Others will break meetings down by major and allow prospective students to talk to faculty about the focus and course offerings of the department.

So tour facilities, ask questions, and compare the financial packages. Statements of Intent to Register are due May 1st. Remember there is a right place, a good fit, for everyone. You’ve worked hard -- so finalize your decision and enjoy your moment!

What is a letter of intent?

March 2013

A National Letter of Intent is a letter a student athlete signs agreeing to attend a college for one academic year. When a student signs a letter of intent the student also accepts the terms set out in an accompanying Athletic Tender of Financial Assistance. The Athletic Tender of Financial Assistance is a document signed by the college that describes the type and amount of athletic financial aid that a student will receive. The National Letter of Intent (NLI) program has three initial signing dates in each academic year. The first,

in November, is an early signing period for basketball and sports that are not assigned to the February signing period. The second initial signing date, in February, is the regular period date for football, field hockey, soccer, track and field, cross country, and men’s water polo. The third initial signing date, in April, is the regular period signing date for the sports that are not listed above. The National Letter of Intent program is administered by the NCAA Eligibility Center. Over 600 NCAA Division I and Division II institutions

participate.

From the San Diego Science Festival, March 16-23, 2013:

February 2013

Now in its fifth year, the San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering occurs every March and features eight days of interactive demonstrations, hands-on activities and dynamic speakers. It's mission is to engage and encourage kids in science and engineering and work with parents and teachers to inspire today's students to become tomorrow's science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) innovators. The Festival draws more than 60,000 people to their events - including 27,000 to EXPO DAY at PETCO Park - as well as thousands of individuals from San Diego and around the globe to its website and social media outlets, providing a perfect venue to engage with the general public. More information is available at www.sdsciencefestival.com

Have you had your college prep checkup?

January 2013

Have you had your college prep checkup? January brings a new year and a time for assessments. For freshman, sophomores, and juniors this should also be a time for a college prep check-up. Underclassmen with their sights on four year universities need to ensure that their classes and activities will take them where they want to go.

If I first meet a student during the fall of their senior year, I don’t discuss classes that should have been taken or activities that would have made an application stronger. By fall of the senior year many opportunities have passed. When applications are being written it is time to focus on what has been achieved and make the best presentation of the accomplishments.

However, freshmen, sophomores and juniors have time and options. Colleges and majors are not “one size fits all.” They have both official and unofficial requirements. When students give me an idea of the type of college they would like to attend, and a field of interest, I then can recommend appropriate classes, tests, and activities. For high school students who are uncertain of future plans, that’s O.K. I then make recommendations that keep as many options open as possible.

So welcome to 2013. For students who take steps for preparation and planning, a myriad of collegiate opportunities await.

Who offers athletic scholarships?

December 2012

The colleges and universities who are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Divisions I and II, and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) may offer student athletic scholarships. Depending upon the sport and division, the athletic scholarships may be head count scholarships (any amount of financial aid is counted as one scholarship) or may be equivalency scholarships (a full scholarship may be divided among students). Scholarships are available in 23 NCAA sports and 13 NAIA sports. NCAA member schools award over $1.5 billion in athletic scholarships annually and NAIA schools award over $450 million.

Is the college application process more competitive?

November 2012

Is the college admissions process more competitive than in prior years? If so, why? Additionally, and perhaps more importantly if the answer is yes, what does a student do?

The unfortunate answer for high school seniors is yes, the college admissions process continues to increase in competitiveness. Four factors contribute to the increase in competition.

The first is demographics. The United States has significantly more students graduating from high schools than in prior years. The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education estimates that the number of high school graduates has grown by one million students, from 2.2 million to 3.2 million, since the early 1990s. The second factor is that high school students are increasingly encouraged to apply to four year universities. The third factor is an increase in the number of undergraduate applications from international students.

A fourth factor is The Common Application, an admission application service. Four hundred and eighty-eight colleges and universities now utilize the Common Application.

A positive of The Common Application is that the online service streamlines and eases the process of applying to its member institutions. A negative aspect of The Common Application is that the increased ease of application has generated more applications, and thus more competition, per college.

So what does a student do? The answer is to apply both broadly and intelligently.

The old six school recommendation – two “reach,” two “in range,” and two “safeties” -- is woefully inadequate in the current competitive situation. Although varying GPAs will prescribe varying starting points for different students, my general recommendation for California students is seven University of California applications, Cal State or Cal Poly applications if intended area of study or GPA appropriate, and twelve private college or out of state public university applications if highly selective institutions are included on the list. This, or course, is a generic recommendation. When I talk to individual students, lists are customized for each student.

In addition to applying broadly, I also encourage students to apply intelligently. University of California acceptance rates vary significantly between campuses from a low of 19% at UCLA to a high of 78% at UC Merced. California State Polytechnic and University acceptance rates also vary from a low of 19% at CSU San Bernardino to a high of 83% at Humboldt State. Private colleges and other public institutions similarly have widely disparate acceptance rates.

Students, whose ultimate question is, “Who wants me?” need to balance dreams and ambitious goals with a mix of likely-to-be-admitted applications. When parents are paying for applications, transcripts, and college test score transmissions, thoughtful selection is in order.

Part of applying intelligently is also making one’s best effort with each application. In the process of submitting a quantity of applications, the quality of the submissions should not suffer. If you want to receive a card with the college seal and offer of admission, shouldn’t you tender your best representation of yourself to the college’s admission officers?

The reality is that competition is tougher and more effort needs to be dedicated to college application than in prior years. However, for students who are conscientious about their applications, be assured that there is a wonderful college in your future!

Is there a magic essay?

October 2012

Is there a magic essay? Is there a Hollywood “cute meet” essay that will make every admissions officer fall in love with the writer and every university offer the student admission? Are there 500 perfect words that may be submitted to every college in response to every question or prompt? Unfortunately, the answer is no.

Students are evaluated by the totality of their applications. The GPA, the rigor of the courses taken, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes, test scores, honors, school and community activities, service, college preparation programs, employment, special circumstances, interviews, and of course the essays, are all considered. Essays are important, but they won’t generate an offer of admission independent from the other factors of consideration.

That said, care should nonetheless be given to a student’s essays. If you want to be offered a letter of acceptance, take the time to learn what a given college is looking for in a student. Just as people are different, colleges are different, and colleges look for different qualities in essays.

An optimum University of California essay is not the same as a successful Common Application essay. A student does himself or herself a disservice if an essay is written for one purpose and then dropped into all further

applications.

I do understand that students are often at a loss at to what they should write. Some think their lives are too normal or boring for good essay material. One need not lead an Indiana Jones life for a meaningful essay, though. An applicant should think about what a college is looking for in a student and what the student has to offer the college.

Each student that I have counseled is special and unique. I have never met a boring student. To show individual merit, students need to evaluate their accomplishments and decide how their achievements and attributes may be best shared in their personal statements and essays. Essays may be thought of as an interview. They are the student’s chance to step beyond the boxes and grids of application forms and to tell the reader why a college should admit the writer. Think of essays of as a positive moment, rather than a burden, and make the most of this opportunity!

What are junior and senior visits?

September 2012

Football season is here; the calendar has ticked past the September 1 date for letters and e-mails to junior recruits; and high school athletes are receiving college invitations for junior and senior visits. What are these trips? Who pays for them? What do you do?

Seniors: Senior weekends are official visits paid for by the college. The college may pay for a student’s transportation, room and meals, and reasonable entertainment expenses, including complimentary admission to home games. A student may make one official visit per college and a maximum of five official visits to NCAA Division I schools. The NCAA does not limit the number of official visits to Division II colleges.

Juniors: Junior year weekends are unofficial visits. Junior athletes, usually accompanied by their parents, pay for their own transportation, housing, and meals. A college may give a junior three complimentary admissions to home games, and students and parents invited to private junior days often enjoy fabulous seats at football games. Junior days may be private or public. Private junior days are invitations extended to a limited number of athletes, often in the fall. Public junior days, open to all, are usually held in conjunction with a camp or clinic. The NCAA does not limit the number of unofficial visits.

What do you do on junior and senior visits? Students meet the coaches, members of the team, trainers, athletic department staff, and academic advisors. Students are given a tour of the campus and the athletic facilities, and usually see dormitories, dining facilities, and athletic study facilities as well. Football games often finish off the day.

If you are invited to a campus, your long hours of training and practices have been recognized. Congratulations and enjoy your weekend!

What is the best financial deal for college?

August 2012

What is the most economical approach to attending a four year college? Will public institutions cost less than private colleges? The answers depend largely on the income of the students’ parents. The answers also vary from year to year as universities embrace different priorities about the affordability of attendance.

The following are some starting points to help California families examine the cost of college attendance:

University of California: Cost of attendance is estimated at about $32,000 for in-state residents. For family income between $0 and $100,000 the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan and campus financial aid assists with grants and loans on a sliding scale. All students in this family income range are asked to pay about $10,000 through loans and employment. For family income of $20,000 and below, the parent contribution would be $0 and the grant would be about $22,000. For family income of $100,000, the parent contribution would be about $20,000 and the grant would be about $2,000. Families earning around $120,000 would pay full costs.

Private Colleges: Cost of attendance may be as high as $55,000. However, many students receive scholarships and grants that significantly reduce the annual cost. As a very general statement, universities with larger endowments are more able to be generous with aid than those with smaller endowments. As for comparison with the University of California, some families in the $120,000 income range find private colleges to be more economical than the public institution.

Total costs: Examine the total cost, not just tuition. The cost of room and board varies significantly between colleges.

Financial calculators: Institutions have financial aid calculators on their financial aid web pages. Use the calculators to get an idea of what costs would be for your student and your family.