Applying To College
California State University
Because of the current surge in COVID cases due to the highly contagious delta variant, the CSU is looking to maintain the health and well-being of their students, employees, and visitors to the campuses. Although the CSU is still drafting a vaccination policy, they are urging the CSU community to get vaccinated as soon as possible. According to the chancellor’s office exemptions will be made for students and employees who can not be vaccinated due to medical or religious reasons. But all certifications must be completed by September 30th, 2021.
Chancellor Joseph Castro mentioned that campus leaders are setting incentives, such as scholarships, textbooks vouchers or prizes, to encourage their students and staff to get vaccinated.
For further information, please visit the original article or official press release.
University of California
In early July, the UC also announced that it would require students, faculty, and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for campus access. The UC policy explains that students and staff must show proof of vaccination two weeks before the start of the fall term.
Guidelines for how the policy will be implemented systemwide are being finalized and are expected to be issued next week. Look for more information from your campus.
For more info visit the official announcement here.
California Community Colleges
Community Colleges Interim Chancellor Daisy Gonzales urged local community college districts to adopt vaccination mandates. According to this EdSource article, at least 29 of the state’s 115 in-person community colleges have announced some form of vaccine requirement for this fall including the Los Angeles Community College District, the largest community college district in the state.
Applying To College
Summer is just around the corner and for some that may mean relaxing and recharging by going on camping trips or just hanging out with family and friends. But for others, summer break is a chance to catch up or get ahead in classes. Taking a summer class at a community college allows students to narrow their focus on a single subject – rather than your typical four, five or even six classes during the longer semesters. Although taking a summer class may not sound like a fun way to spend your summer break, taking these classes offer several major benefits. Here are some benefits if you are considering taking a summer class:
Benefit 1: You save money
Whether you are a high school or college student, taking summer classes at a community college can save you money in the long run. Community college course credits are typically more affordable than those offered at universities. At a CC you may pay only a few hundred dollars or even less than that if you qualify for fee waivers. At a four year university, you may end up paying a few thousand dollars for the same course credit at a CC. Saving money is important even if you are still in high school.
Additionally if you are a high school student and you want to get ahead in your coursework for college, taking summer classes at a CC may put you ahead of the curve when you apply to college. When you first start college, you will be placed at different levels of mathematics or english classes. To be placed in the correct level course, you need to take a placement test. If you took advanced placement or even college courses, these may count towards your college credits and you will be placed in more advanced courses. This is a benefit as you won’t waste time taking placement tests and in classes you already passed.
Benefit 2: You are able to transfer to a four year institution or graduate faster
If you started your higher education at a community college your main goal may be to transfer in two years. For some fields, like STEM fields, transferring in two years may be challenging as there are many courses to complete. But taking summer classes can help you complete your courses faster and in turn, transfer to a four year institution faster.
Since taking summer classes gives you the opportunity to earn more credits, this brings you closer to graduating faster.
Benefit 3: You complete your core courses and/or are able to catch up on credits
Summer semesters are shorter than your fall and spring semesters, this may be seen as either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you see this. It may be seen as a bad thing because it means you are learning a semester’s worth of material in five or six weeks. The plus side of this is that you are able to put all of your time and energy into a single subject rather than juggling multiple courses. So if you are dreading to take a challenging course during a long semester, consider taking it during the summer.
Benefit 4: Opportunity to study abroad
If summer vacation is about traveling and experiencing new things, why not do it while getting ahead in your studies? Many study abroad programs take place during the summer, and depending on that the school has to offer, it could be a great opportunity to both learn and travel.
Applying To College
Applying to California State Universities is an incredible accomplishment! Congrats to you! Sometimes the process can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. There are several resources out there to help you! Including, our website! So you are in the right place. Whether you are applying to a CSU as a first time student or as a transfer student, the process can be overwhelming. Keep on reading to get started!
* This quick guide is intended to support undocumented first-time freshmen and transfer students applying to the CSUs for Fall 2021* To check which CSU’s are still accepting applications click here.
Applying to the CSU as a first-time student
Overview of Applying to the CSU (for full details and steps click here: Quick Guide for Undocumented Students Applying to the CSU as a First-time Freshmen)
- Visit the Cal State Apply page (Cal State Apply | CSU)
- Completing Your Profile
- Degree goal: Select “First Bachelor’s Degree”
- Current educational goal: As a first year applicant, you will choose “Graduating High School Senior or equivalent” with or without college credit. This is based upon classes completed and your academic transcripts.
- Previous attendance: If you have attended a CSU campus before and are returning to complete an earlier program, make that clear. Contact the campus to find out how to apply for re-admission.
- U.S. Military status: Indicate your current or anticipated U.S. Military status at the time of application.
- Residency: Indicate if you have or will need an F1 student or J1 exchange visa. Undocumented
- My Application Dashboard: Your dashboard gives you access and details to each part of the application you need to complete. The four sections you must submit are:
- Personal Information
- Academic History
- Supporting Information
- Program Materials
NOTE: In order to be officially coded as an AB540/ SB68 student and pay resident fees at the CSU, you must submit your affidavit and an official copy of your transcripts/attendance records to the Admissions offices at each of the universities where you applied. Check with each campus for their deadline.
- Choosing Your Programs
- Selecting programs: Click on the plus icon next to add programs/major. Add alternatives if desired.
- Residency: The state where you claimed residency in the profile section will already be entered. Visit your profile section to change it. Select the state you claim as your permanent home. If you qualify for AB540/SB68, choose “yes” for California residency. Enter the date your present stay began.
- Race and Ethnicity: Indicate how you identify. You may decline to answer these questions.
- Parent/Guardian Information
- Other Information
- Academic History
- High Schools Attended
- High School Coursework
- College Coursework
- Submitting Your Application
- Be sure to review each section to ensure that your information has been properly entered. Mistakes could complicate or prevent your admission to the CSU.
- When you apply through Cal State Apply, you are automatically considered for an application fee waiver based on the information you entered.
- REMEMBER: Undocumented students who will qualify for AB 540/SB 68 non-resident tuition exemption can be considered for the fee waiver.
For the full guide, go Quick Guide for Undocumented Students Applying to the CSU as a First-time Freshmen
Applying to the CSU as a transfer student
Overview of Applying to the CSU as a transfer student (for full details and steps click here: Quick Guide for Undocumented Students Applying to the CSU as a Transfer Student
- Visit the Cal State Apply page (Cal State Apply | CSU)
- Completing Your Profile
- Level of degree you’re seeking: Select “First Bachelor’s Degree”
- Entry status: As a transfer applicant, you have two options:
- If you are transferring with an Associate Degree for Transfer, select “Transferring with an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T, AS-T) from a California Community College.” Indicate your community college and ADT program. You may enter up to two.
- If you are transferring from a CA community college or another college, select “Transferring from a California community college or from another two-year or four-year institution.”
- Choosing Your Programs
- Selecting programs: Click on the plus icon next to add programs/major. Add alternatives if desired.
- You may be asked to select an alternate choice for certain programs that are impacted. Impacted programs are majors that receive more applicants than available spaces. You will automatically be enrolled in this alternate program should your first choice become unavailable.
- My Application Dashboard
- Personal Information
- Academic History
- Supporting Information
- Program Materials
NOTE: In order to be officially coded as an AB540/ AB2000/SB68 student and pay resident fees at the CSU, you must submit your affidavit and an official copy of your transcripts/attendance records to the Admissions offices at each of the universities where you applied. Check with each campus for their deadline.
- Submitting Your Application
- Be sure to review each section to ensure that your information has been properly entered. Mistakes could complicate or prevent your admission to the CSU.
- When you apply through Cal State Apply, you are automatically considered for an application fee waiver based on the information you entered.
- Payment: Cal State Apply charges $70 to apply to each program
- REMEMBER: Undocumented students who will qualify for AB 540/SB 68 non-resident tuition exemption can be considered for the fee waiver.
For the full guide, go Quick Guide for Undocumented Students Applying to the CSU as a Transfer Student
Provided by:
Applying To College
When choosing what college to attend, one of the most important components to consider is the campus’s diversity. Not only in terms of race or ethnicity of the student population but also considering how diverse the campus is in terms of cultural background, geographic location, sexual orientations, gender identities, and abilities. These components tend to get overlooked because we are caught up in the beauty of the campus or its reputation.
Diversity is crucial. You must be able to relate to your peers and feel comfortable knowing that your values align with the campus you will earn your degree in.
To learn more about why and how to consider diversity when comparing schools, download this guide Diversity. Guide provided by DecidED
Applying To College
By
MONICA AGUILERA
Boba-drinking, Zelda-playing, Horror-watching brown girl from Oaxacalifornia.
Welcome to Community College! Community college is a great option for students who are looking to save money, want to explore different career options, hoping to raise their GPA to transfer, etc. In addition, community colleges offer affordable summer and winter courses that can help you speed up your GE requirements if you already attend a UC or CSU! In California, there are over 116 community colleges you can apply to.
According to the CCC Chancellor’s office:
- Nearly half of students earning a bachelor’s degree from a University of California campus in science, technology, engineering and mathematics transferred from a California community college.
- Twenty-nine percent of University of California graduates and 51% of California State University graduates started at a community college.
- Students earning a degree or certificate from a California community college nearly double their earnings within three years.
If these stats are something that you want to be a part of, great, keep following along!
How to Apply
- The first thing you want to do when applying to community college is visit https://www.cccapply.org/en/apply. This helpful source lets you easily go down the list of 116 community colleges in California.
- After selecting the college that interests you the most, (visit our college list if you’re still searching for your just right college), you will be redirected to the college’s personal application.
- While every application is different, a majority of applications will consist of:
- Your Full Name
- Mailing Address
- Social Security (SSN)
- Driver’s License Number
- High School Transcripts
- Latest English and Math Classes Completed
- After the application is finished, you then complete your FAFSA or Dream Act Application and connect the school you are applying to using their school code.
- U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or eligible non-citizens with a valid Social Security number
- California AB540 eligible students
If you need support applying for FAFSA, find our guide here
- After finishing your application, your college will most likely request for you to attend orientation, take a math/ english placement test (if you were not able to send in your high school transcripts), and meet with an academic counselor to plan out your courses.
- Finally, you start registering for classes and wait for the semester to begin. You are now a college student!
Here are some important dates:
FAFSA: Opens October 1st- Closes June 30th, 2020
Class Registration: Varies per Campus (check on their personal website)
Other Important Sites to pay for Community College:
CCC Money
CCC California Promise Grant
