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College Systems

College Systems

College & University Information

 

Community College
Cañada, College of San Mateo, Skyline, Foothill, DeAnza;
107 in California (C.A.)

California State University (C.S.U.)
San Jose State, San Francisco State, Hayward State, plus 23 others from Humboldt to San Diego

University of California (U.C.)
Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, San Diego

Private Colleges
More than 70 in C.A.
More than 2,000 in U.S.

Program/
Curriculum

Two-year schools
• Career/job entry majors
• Preparation for transfer to four-year schools
• Associate in Arts (A.A.) degrees
• Vocational certificates

Four-year schools
• Variety of majors towards Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)/Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees
• Pre-professional training
• Graduate degrees

Four-year schools
• Variety of majors towards B.A./B.S. degrees
• Pre-professional training
• Graduate degrees

Varies

Selectivity

Open enrollment (any student may enroll, regardless of Grade Point Average - G.P.A.)

Basic eligibility based on courses taken, G.P.A., and Scholastic Aptitude Test (S.A.T.) I scores
(see Guidance Alert)
Impacted (selective) campuses: Many for 2010-11 —check C.S.U. Mentor or campus web sites

Basic eligibility based on courses taken, G.P.A., S.A.T. and Subject Test scores (no Subject Test scores required for Class of 2012 on)
Admission based on holistic review of 14 selection factors
Most selective campuses: Berkeley, U.C.L.A., and U.C. San Diego

Range from highly selective to not very selective, based on transcript (courses chosen and grades in those courses), test scores, teacher and counselor recommendations, essays, extracurricular activities, and other criteria; requirements vary

Testing Required

No testing required for admission; placement testing required before registration

S.A.T. (or American College Testing - A.C.T.) for admission;
placement testing required before registration

S.A.T. (or A.C.T.)
S.A.T. Subject Tests: two required for class of 2011; none required for class of 2012 on, but some majors may request Subject Tests
All testing must be completed by December of senior year

Depends on campus

Letters of Recommendation

None required

None required

None required

Depends on campus
many schools require one or two teacher recommendations plus a school counselor recommendation

Application Essays

None required

None required

1,000 words (personal statement, two prompts) required

Depends on campus

Application Deadlines

Usually several weeks before beginning of each new quarter or semester

October 1 - November 30 priority filing period; Early Decision Program at Cal Poly, October 31

November 1-30

Depends on campus

Financial Aid

File FAFSA between January 1 and March 2
Federal, state, and institutional aid available

File FAFSA between January 1 and March 2
Federal, state, and institutional aid available

File FAFSA between January 1 and March 2
Federal, state, and institutional aid available

File FAFSA between January 1 and March 2
Federal, state, and institutional aid available
File College Scholarship Service (C.S.S.) profile if college requires it

 

Contact Us

Evestella Hanson
College and Financial Aid Advisor 
650-558-2318  
8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
ehanson@smuhsd.org

Nancy Kane
Career Center Assistant & Career Coordinator  
650-558-2314
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
nkane@smuhsd.org