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Las Lomas High School

Junior/Senior Parent Information Night

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Michael Constantin

(Last Names: A - Dill)

Maria Sabeh

(Last Names: Dis - Jen)

Kara Bloodgood

(Last Names: Jes - Nap)

Sara Feinberg

(Last Names: Nav -Schla)

Jenny Smith

(Last Names: Schlo - Z)

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Las Lomas Counseling Team

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What can counselors help with

  • Keeping students on track towards Graduation/College Admission Requirements
  • Help students prepare for life after high school
  • Provide students with resources to build on good study habits - learning tools
  • Help connect students to resources
  • Help students deepen their involvement on and/or off campus
  • Encourage students to create a good balance between academics and wellness
  • Encourage students to be self advocates

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Junior appointment

  • Every student gets a 30 minute junior appointment in March
  • Counselors send an email with a link for students to pick a date and time that fits their schedule
  • Go over graduation requirements
  • Explore pathways after high school and share resources
  • Go over things they can work on over the summer to get ready for senior year
  • Review the college application process along with required documentation (letters of recommendation, transcripts etc)
  • Introduce MAIA

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Senior appointment

  • Every senior gets a 30 minute senior appointment usually mid September to end of October
  • Counselors send an email with a link for students to choose a date and time that fits their schedule
  • Students must complete all steps in MAIA slide presentation prior to appointment
  • Go over graduation requirements
  • Review the application process and required materials based on their college lists
  • Remind students about the DVC Kickstart program.

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Graduation vs College Admission Requirements

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Class of ‘25 Post-Grad Plans

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COLLEGE AND CAREER

The Data

Based on senior survey responses

  • Community college 26% (mostly DVC)
  • UC system: 16%
  • CSU system: 14%
  • Private 4-year institution: 9%
  • OOS public institution: 13%
  • International college: 0.5%
  • Other: 1%
  • No response: 21%

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College & Career Advisor:

Elizabeth King

Providing support with post-grad planning:

community college + four-year college + the trades

+ the military + the work force + a “gap year”

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My weekly bulletins are the BEST way for students and families to stay informed about opportunities & events.

The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.

~B.B. King

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Non-College Post Grad Pathways

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  • Workforce
    • Meaningful careers w/o degree requirement
  • Apprenticeships
    • Learn while earning & doing (on the job training + instruction)
    • Benefits, retirement, more
  • Military
    • Job training, benefits, free education & more
  • Gap year
    • Many options

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Apprenticeships

Military

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Types of Colleges

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Vocational Schools (Tech & Trade)

  • Characteristics:
    • Career-focused
    • Hands-on learning
    • Completed in avg 1-2 years
    • Flexible scheduling
  • Ex: Construction, carpentry, health care, electrical, plumbing, auto-body, & cosmetology
  • No degree granted. Students earn a certificate for employment
  • Cost $$, but aid & scholarships are available

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Community College

  • AAs, AA-Ts, certificate programs
  • Reasons to choose CC
    • Hands-on training for good jobs w/o degree requirement
    • Financial: First time + full time = FREE! Must do FAFSA/CADAA
    • Academic clean slate
      • Opportunity to improve grades
      • Easier to get into competitive UCs and CSUs as a CC transfer
        • TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee) at 6 UCs
        • CSU Transfer Pathways
    • Time to grow and explore interests before taking four-year plunge
  • Residential housing available at 14 California CCs (see Housing)
  • Several local CCs Each has its own “specialties”
  • See 2025-25 CC slide presentation here

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FIRST TIME

FULL TIME

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First-time

college student

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Enroll in

12 units or more

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Complete FAFSA or CADAA

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Complete 12 units or more

= 2.0 GPA or higher

+

= FREE TUITION (Community College )

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Diablo Valley College

  • Kickstart Program
    • Seniors. Starts October 1
  • Top ranked for transfers to UC & CSU
  • Small campus & classes
  • Trade programs: culinary, IT, dental hygiene…
  • Learning Communities
    • First Year Experience, MESA, Puente, Umoja, STEM…

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Kickstart Info

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UC & CSU CC Transfer Pathways

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CSU Pathways

UC TAG Info

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DVC Learning Communities

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  • 22 campuses
  • Minimum GPA: 2.5 in 10th-11th. (SLO also considers 9th)
  • Most impacted majors at CSU campuses (C.S., Psych, Nursing, Biology, Business, Engineering)
  • Admission priority for local students

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California State University (CSU)

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University of California (UC)

  • 9 campuses
  • Holistic/comprehensive review
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0* (10th-11th)
  • Highly competitive admissions (except Merced). *3.0 ≠ admission

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CSU and UC Applications

  • One application for each system; Due December 1 (this year)
  • Cost:
    • CSU: $70 per campus
    • UC: $80 per campus
    • FEE WAIVERS AVAILABLE (4 per system)
  • No letters of recommendation & no standardized test
  • Self-reporting of academics (no transcripts)
    • Be careful here! Can’t correct errors.
  • GPA generally based on 10-11 grade coursework
  • UC only: “Holistic/Comprehensive” review

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Private & Out of State Colleges

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  • Most are on the “Common Application”
    • Students complete ONE application for all common app schools
    • Fees vary
  • Some institutions have their own app (ex: MIT)
  • Various admissions rounds
  • Testing & letters of recommendation requirements vary
  • Extracurriculars and awards
  • Essays:
    • Common App essay (650 words)
    • May also require supplemental essays

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Out of State Public/WUE Schools

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COLLEGE AND CAREER

  • Good financial & academic options exist outside of California
  • Many on Common App; others have own app.
  • Some offer:
    • Honors colleges
    • Tuition discounts and/or scholarships
    • Subset: WUE (1.5 x cost of in-state for THAT state
      • requirements/major constrictions vary by campus

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International Colleges

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Applications and requirements differ from US schools

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Admission “Rounds”

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Rolling Admission

  • Applications are reviewed as received
  • Decisions generally made quickly

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Early Decision

  • Pros: early notification; admissions boost!
  • Cons: binding; single choice
  • Are you SURE you want this school and can pay?

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Early Action

  • Pros: earlier notification; more favorable review

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Regular Decision

  • Pros: More time for applications; bump from fall grades?
  • Can lower chance of admission
  • UC/CSU

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Admissions Tests: SAT & ACT

College Policies Vary

Test required: student must submit test scores

  • Trending!
  • Purdue, Georgia, Stanford, Military Academies

Test-optional: student may submit scores

  • Can boost application
  • USC, Oregon

Test-blind: no test scores accepted or considered

  • UCs, CSUs.

Check each institution’s website for test requirements

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What’s In A Name?

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  • Rankings do not indicate quality or success:
    • A good school is one that is a fit; one size doesn’t fit all
  • There are over 3,000 public and private colleges in the US and MOST of these schools are not selective.
  • Excellent options exist at ALL levels of selectivity.
  • Being open-minded will open doors and increase the likelihood of finding a college that is a good fit.
  • “HOW” one goes to college is much more important than “WHERE” one goes to college.

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Unforced Errors

A lack of imagination about schools & majors results in:

  • Students aiming for the same small set of schools
  • Hyper-focus on a few ultra-selective majors
    • Selected major can impact admissions decision
      • Many students change major
      • Job landscape in 5+ years is uncertain
    • Consider alternative majors
    • Consider building transferable skills

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What is Fit?

Broad areas to consider when determining whether a school is a fit:

  • Setting
  • Academics
  • Finances
  • Extracurriculars
  • Social opportunities & vibe

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Setting

  • Location
    • Distance from home (proximity to airport, etc.)
    • Urban, rural, suburban, etc.
    • CA fever: LL students strongly favor CA colleges, which restricts options
  • Climate
  • Regional culture
  • Size of campus, student population

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Academics

  • Academic strengths & major options
  • Typical class sizes & access to professors
  • Style of instruction (lectures, seminars, hands on learning)
  • Internships & research opportunities
  • Job placement
  • Student support services
    • DSS?
    • Health & wellness?
  • Academic match: GPA/Rigor/SAT/ACT

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Financial

  • Think about budget NOW. Be clear about family expectations.
  • Cost of attendance
    • Tuition
    • Fees
    • Transportation
    • Living expenses
    • Campus fees
  • Run “Net Price Calculators” (Student Aid Index - SAI)
  • Merit Aid vs. Demonstrated Need
  • WUE schools/OOS bargains

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Financial aid & scholarships can make college accessible for lower-income students

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Extracurricular/Social/Vibe

  • Spirit
  • Sports (NCAA, club, intramural)
  • Housing/food
  • Clubs
    • Affinity groups?
    • LGBTQ+?
  • Greek life
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Campus culture/vibe: how does it feel?

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Likely School

  • Strong chance of admission
  • Academic credentials far exceed middle 50%
  • Schools with a 75+% acceptance rate
  • Like Your Likelys

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Target School

  • Competitive for admission
  • You are in the middle 50%
  • Acceptance rates between 30-70%
  • More highly qualified applicants than spots available

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Reach School

Lower Likelihood of Admission

  • Transcript/rigor/scores below average admitted student; OR
  • Highly-selective college (MANY more highly qualified applicants than spots available)
    • Admit rate between 10-30%
    • Most UCs are in this category; some CSUs

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Dream (Lottery) School

Highly unlikely to get in :(

  • Transcript/rigor/scores below the average admitted student; OR
  • A highly-rejective college (MANY more highly qualified applicants than it accepts)
    • Admit rate 10% or below
    • DREAM for ANYONE regardless of qualifications

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Now, How to Build the List

  • Apply to schools that are
    • good fit
    • student wants to attend
  • List is personal
  • How many?
    • It depends (personal decision)
    • Applications take time & money.
  • Include at least one school where admission is highly likely. DVC?
  • Thinking broadly & being open-minded increases options
  • Can you answer “why” for every school on your list?

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How Selective Are UCs?

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UCLA middle 50%: 4.4-4.73; UCB middle 50% 4.32-4.68*

42% 1G; 42% LI

* Slight discrepancy in #s; this sheet is a work in progress.

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How Students Can Research Colleges

  • Start with personal exploration (who are you? What motivates you, etc.)
  • Ask questions; be curious
  • Attend rep visits (mostly Fall)
  • Take tours (see List Building tab in my my Four-Year College document
  • View college websites & social media
  • Use research websites (also in “List Building” document)

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Application Timeline

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COLLEGE AND CAREER

  • Now: rolling admissions (quick decision)
  • Mid-Oct to mid-Nov: EA/ED deadlines
  • Oct 1: FAFSA & CADAA open
  • December 1: UC & CSU deadlines (this year)
  • December 1-February 1: most RD deadlines
  • December-January: EA/ED decisions released
  • February-April: most regular decisions released
  • May 1: “College Decision Day”

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NOTES:

Colleges may have separate deadlines for scholarships, special programs (e.g., direct admit nursing, and for athlete/arts applicants. Check each school’s website.

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How Applications are Reviewed

Index Review

  • GPA
  • Coursework/rigor
  • Test scores (if accepted)
  • Selected major

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Holistic Review

  • Evaluated in context of high school
  • Quantitative:
    • Grades, coursework, rigor
    • Test scores (if required/submitted)
  • Qualitative
    • Achievement outside classroom: extracurriculars, employment, volunteer
      • Impact? Initiative? Depth?
    • Essays & supplements.
    • Letters of rec
  • Fit for school/program + institutional priorities
  • Selected major/field of study
  • Demonstrated interest (schools protect yield)

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UC’s Holistic/Comprehensive Review: 13 Factors

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Applicants are reviewed in context of High School!

  • Academic qualities: GPA (unweighted/uncapped); ELC; # of A-G, honors, AP & college courses; SENIOR schedule
  • Personal qualities: special talents, achievements, awards; activities/honors/employment; hardship
  • Demographic qualities: geographic location; accomplishment in light of opportunities

Students should use all parts of app to tell story! It’s the only way reader knows! (No School Profile)

  • Academic history (BE CAREFUL)
  • PIQs; Activities
  • Additional info sections

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COLLEGE AND CAREER

13 Factors

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Financial Aid/Scholarships

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COLLEGE AND CAREER

  • All seniors must complete either FAFSA or CADAA
  • Opens Oct 1
  • “Prior-prior” tax returns (2 years before start date)
  • Why complete?
    • Best way to get $$$
    • Includes “Middle Class” scholarships
  • Colleges also offer separate scholarships; pay attention to dates
  • Check college website for college-based scholarships and additional requirements (e.g., CSS Financial Aid Profile)

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CSAC Website

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Types of Financial Aid

Federal Subsidized �(interest free while in school)

Federal Unsubsidized �(interest accrues immediately)

University Loan (higher �interest than Fed loan)

Parent PLUS Loan �(higher interest than �loans above)

  • Pell Grant
  • Cal Grant
  • Institutional Grants

Work-Study

(jobs on campus)

Avoid Bank Loans

Free money

  • Grants
  • Scholarships

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Outside�scholarships.

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FAFSA

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​

based on household income

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NOT

based on

household income

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COLLEGE AND CAREER

FT3*

For CA Community College

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Next Steps Juniors

  • Priority: Academics; most important piece of application
  • Take time to get to know your counselor/teacher
  • Take the SAT or ACT?
  • Make a plan for the Summer
  • Pursue activities that interest you
  • Start a “Brag Sheet” or resume: activities/honors/jobs/achievements.
    • Think broadly: Family and work obligations count! Update it regularly. Include dates, titles, obligations, and any impact you made. Be original.
    • Who are you? Values? Challenges? Obstacles? How are you different?
  • Research schools; keep track and add to Maia if you like
  • Demonstrate interest (colleges websites, request info, follow social media, meet rep)
  • FGLI? Fly-In programs; Questbridge; Scholarmatch/ Matchlighters

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Next Steps: Junior Parent/Guardian

  • Recognize YOUR student’s unique aspirations and abilities. Help them figure out what is right for them AT THIS TIME
  • If student is applying to four-year schools:
    • Help them find schools that are a good fit
    • Explore colleges now. Wide range in SF Bay Area; virtual; rep visits
  • Remind them to:
    • Schedule their Junior appointment (in March)
    • Explore the district’s College and Career 101 website
    • Get familiar with MAIA
  • Remember: this is a growth opportunity. Let your student do the work and develop the skills they will need to succeed post HS
  • Your role is to support them, and to make sure they are taking care of themselves & reaching out for support as needed

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Next Steps Seniors

  • Priority: Academics; finish strong & go to class
  • Finalize college list
    • Kickstart?
    • Demonstrate interest; Visit (rep visits)
    • Complete steps in Maia, Common App, etc.
  • Brainstorm essay ideas
    • Who are you? Values? Challenges? Obstacles? How are you different?
  • Consider which application round is best for you
  • Complete applications
    • Let them marinate. Generally no rush to submit four-weeks early
    • Have trusted person review “final” product. Apps can’t be edited once submitted
  • Complete FAFSA or CADAA (or CSS profile) with parent/guardian
  • Ask for help

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Next Steps: Senior Parent/Guardian

  • Recognize YOUR student’s unique aspirations and abilities. Help them figure out what is right for them AT THIS TIME
  • Discuss budget now
  • If student is applying to four-year schools:
    • Help them find schools that are a good fit; Explore colleges? Rep visits?
    • Help your student get organized
      • Put important dates on the calendar
      • Keep track of Logins and Passwords
      • Check email regularly
    • Complete Parent Statement in MAIA (common app schools only)
    • Make sure student completes all MAIA steps so documents can get sent to colleges
    • For LORs, make sure student asks teacher at least 4 weeks before deadlines to allow staff to write a thoughtful letter
  • Remember: this is a growth opportunity. Let your student do the work and develop the skills they will need to succeed post HS.
  • Your role is to support them, and to make sure they are taking care of themselves & reaching out for support as needed

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UC/CSU Application Support

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COLLEGE AND CAREER

CSU App Guide

UC App Guide

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Two Additional Resources

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COLLEGE AND CAREER

The College Essay Guy’s “application hub”

The District’s College & Career 101…resources for college and career planning!

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Ways for Students to Get Info/Help

  • Read weekly bulletins
  • DVC Kickstart
  • Schedule 1-1 meeting
    • General help with college & career planning
    • Help with essays and applications
  • Attend Academies and/or lunch presentations
  • Resources off campus (highlighted in bulletins)
  • CCC webpage
  • District’s College & Career 101 webpage

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Links to CCC resources are in bulletins & website

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Important Links

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