[BHS etree] COLLEGE|CAREER: Advisor's Bulletin for Thursday, Jan 11, 2007

[bhs at idiom.com]

College Advisor's Bulletin
Thursday, January 11, 2007

SAT WORD OF THE DAY:   INNATE – inborn; not learned or acquired later 
in life.  The instinct for cats to chase mice is innate; it's not 
something they have to be taught.

*PARENTS – We are looking for a volunteer to sit at Ms. Harris' desk 
every Tuesday from 1-2 pm so that Ms. Harris can go to lunch and Mr. 
Saraceno and I can assist students.  If you are able to cover this 
shift until the end of the school year, please e-mail me.  Thanks.

FOR SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS
Are you interested in going to a college that is made for high school 
students?  Do you want more control over what classes you take and how 
you use your time?  Are you ready to move far from home?  Come to a 
presentation by a Berkeley High grad who attends Simons Rock College in 
the East Coast.  Wednesday, January 17 at lunchtime in Conference Room 
B.

FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS
*Black College Expo – Saturday, January 20, 9:00-4:00, Hangar 12, 
Oakland/Alameda.  (1050 West Tower Avenue).  Meet with representatives 
from many Historically Black Colleges & Universities, attend seminars 
on preparing for college, hot careers and more.  Seniors – bring your 
transcripts and test scores for the opportunity for on-the-spot 
acceptance and the opportunity to win scholarships.  For more 
information, go to www.blackcollegeexpo.com.  Cost $10.

Thursday, January 11, 7:00 pm in the BHS Library / College and Career 
Center - What's Up With College? a reality check!  Come hear the true 
story about going away to college.  Recent Berkeley High graduates will 
visit Berkeley High to tell personal stories about their 
college experiences. There will be an informal discussion with students 
from a wide range of schools. While the students talk in the 
College/Career Center, parents/guardians of recent grads will be in the 
Library to share their first hand knowledge of sending their children 
off to college.

FOR SENIORS
FINANCIAL AID – Now is the time to start your application for financial 
aid. All colleges require the Free Application for Federal Student Aid 
(FAFSA).   I strongly recommend that you apply online at 
www.fafsa.ed.gov  This is the only official site for filling out the 
FAFSA.  Beware of other sites that charge money to fill out the FAFSA.  
In order to file electronically, you will need two PIN numbers – one 
for one parent and one for the student.  These are your electronic 
signatures.   You can apply for the PIN numbers at www.pin.ed.gov   If 
you haven’t done so already, I recommend that you do so now.  You can 
start the FAFSA while you are waiting to receive your PIN numbers.

FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOPS – We will be holding workshops on filling out 
the FAFSA both before and after school. I will post the dates later 
this week, once they are confirmed.  There will also be a Cash for 
College workshop on Tuesday, February 13 at 6:30 pm in the BHS library. 
  At the workshop, held in both English and Spanish, you will be able to 
get help on filling out the FAFSA.  One participant in the workshop who 
completes the FAFSA and the Cal Grant form by March 2 will be awarded a 
$1,000 scholarship.  For additional Cash for College workshops at other 
locations and dates go to www.calgrants.org and click on the 
“Workshops” tab.

CHECK FOR FINANCIAL AID DEADLINES AND REQUIRED FORMS FOR EACH SCHOOL – 
Although all colleges require the FAFSA, some schools require 
additional forms.  Financial aid deadlines vary from school to school.  
Some schools have January or early February deadlines.  The deadline to 
file the FAFSA for all UC’s, Cal States and community colleges is March 
2, although I recommend that you file sooner if at all possible.  The 
financial deadline for each college can be found on its website or by 
calling the financial aid office.  Make a list of each schools’ 
financial aid deadline and the forms they require.  I have a form 
available in the College/Career Center to help you keep track of this 
information.  If you don’t file by the deadline, you are likely to get 
less financial aid.  The most important thing is meeting the deadline, 
not having the exactly correct information.  You can always go back and 
update your information once you complete your tax forms.

CAL GRANTS – Cal Grants are free money from the state of California 
based on the student’s GPA and family income. The money may be used at 
any accredited California college, public or private. Applying for the 
Cal Grant is very easy – just fill out and submit the FAFSA by March 2 
listing a California college to receive the information and fill out 
the Cal Grant Information Release Form, available in D173 and D221.  
This is a very simple form which takes less than 5 minutes to complete. 
  Deadline to turn in the form is January 30.

*UPDATED INFORMATION - MIDYEAR REPORTS – If you applied to any schools 
which require your first semester grades as part of the admissions 
process, you must turn in the Mid-Year Report form and a completed 
Transcript Request Form with the words “Mid-Year Report” written across 
the top, paper-clipped to a stamped, business sized envelope addressed 
to the Office of Admissions of the college with a return address of 
BHS, 1980 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA  94704. The deadline to turn these 
in to D173 or D221 is Tuesday, January 16.  You must have a separate 
envelope for each college requiring your first semester grades.

SENIORS – don’t forget to send your OFFICIAL SAT or ACT scores to each 
college you applied to.  For SAT, go to www.collegeboard.com and click 
on “Send Scores.”  For ACT, go to www.act.org and click on “Send 
Scores.”

If you missed the presentation on filling out the FAFSA on December 7, 
you may sign up to borrow the DVD for up to 2 nights.  Please e-mail me 
a request (iabrams at berkeley.k12.ca.us), along with your student’s name, 
and I will let you know when it is available.  Senior families only, 
please.

CAL STATE APPLICATIONS – many Cal State campuses are still accepting 
applications.  They are:  Cal Maritime, Bakersfield, Channel Islands, 
Chico, Dominguez Hills (deadline is April 1), East Bay, Fresno, 
Fullerton (open only to Computer Science and Engineering majors), 
Humboldt (tentative deadline is June 1), Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, 
Northridge, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco (deadline is 
January 15), San Jose (deadline is March 1), Sonoma (deadline is 
January 22), Stanislaus.  If you need help with your applications, see 
Ms. Abrams or Mr. Saraceno in D221.

UC Riverside and UC Merced are still accepting applications.  To apply, 
download a paper application from 
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/download For more 
details about which majors are open at each campus, see 
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/openmajors  Mail the 
application to:
UC Undergraduate Application Processing Service, P.O. Box 4010, 
Concord, CA 94524-4010

SAT/ACT TEST DATES – January 19 is the late registration deadline for 
the February 10 ACT test.  Register at www.act.org.  February 2 is the 
regular registration deadline for the March 10 SAT test.  Register at 
www.collegeboard.com.

SCHOLARSHIPS
*Kiwanis Club Scholarship – Open to graduating seniors.  One 
scholarship is for students who are planning to attend a four year 
college.  The other is for students who are planning an alternative or 
trade school path.  Essay and recommendations are required.  Deadline:  
March 29.  A total of $40,000 will be awarded.  Applications available 
in D221.

Community NETwork Scholarship – Open to African-American seniors with a 
minimum GPA of 2.5 who plan to attend a two or four year college in the 
fall or an accredited business school.  Minimum of $1,000 will be 
awarded.  Deadline:  February 23.  Applications available in D221.

Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards –  Open to seniors of Hispanic heritage 
(at least one parent of Hispanic ancestry) who are a U.S. Citizen or 
permanent resident who are intending to enroll as a full-time college 
student next year and has a minimum GPA of unweighted 3.0.  Apply 
online at www.hispanicheritage.org Scholarships range from 
$1,000-$3,000.  Deadline, February 2

Bay Area Council Scholarship Program – open to graduating seniors who 
plan to attend one of the following colleges full-time in 2007: Mills, 
Santa Clara, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, University of San 
Francisco and who lived in an underserved neighborhood (at 80% of area 
median income or below – check at www.ffiec.gov/Geocode/default.aspx).  
Applications available in D221.  Awards range from $5,000-$10,000.  
Deadline:  March 26.

Kaiser Permanente Asian Association Scholarship - Graduating senior of 
Asian descent  with a minimum GPA of 2.5 who demonstrates the potential 
to be an Asian leader through school or community activities or in the 
face of unusual circumstances.  Five scholarships of $2,000 each. 
Deadine:  March 2.

SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS
Below are a few of the summer opportunities available.  Check out the 
“Summer” box in the College/Career Center to read about many more.

Intern Exchange International – London-based program offers internships 
in a wide variety of areas and Career-Plus programs in fashion & 
design, journalism, photography, theater and video production.  For 
more information, go to www.internexchange.com or call 561-477-2434 or 
610-527-6066.

Service Learning in Paris – this program offers a mixture of language 
and academic classes in your choice of art & architecture, politics & 
history or writing & literature, together with work at social service 
agencies, July 1-29.  Applications available in D221 or by calling 
802-362-5855 or e-mail iss at study-serve.org.  Some financial aid is 
available.

Summer in New York City at Barnard College – coed programs available 
for four weeks (June 24-July 21) or one week (June 24-30).  Apply 
online at www.barnard.edu/pcp or call 212-854-8866.   Some financial 
aid is available.

*New to the bulletin today.