[BHS etree] COLLEGE|CAREER: Advisor's Bulletin for Tues., Jan 15, 2008

[bhs at idiom.com]

College Advisor's Bulletin
Tuesday, January 15, 2008

SAT WORD OF THE DAY:  CONFLAGRATION – a large fire; war-like conflict.   
The conflagration in the San Diego area this fall burned hundreds of  
homes and caused widespread destruction throughout the area.

FOR ALL STUDENTS
*California Climate Champions Program – Students ages 16-18 can enter a  
competition where you will have a chance to become one of 20 Climate  
Champions for California. As a champion, you'll get to participate in a  
range of activities, including a "climate camp," where you will learn  
more about the issue and plan activities for your time "in office." You  
might also get to take part in meetings in England and Japan with other  
champions from around the world! Entries using audio, video or in  
writing should take the form of a news report, which will help  
applicants demonstrate their communication abilities and their passion  
about addressing climate change. Received deadline:  February 11.   
Applications available in the College/Career Center and at  
http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/climatechampions/climatechampions.htm .

FOR JUNIORS
COLLEGE INFORMATION NIGHT FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF JUNIORS – Tuesday,  
February 5, 6:30-8:30 pm in the Berkeley High library.  Enter at 1980  
Allston Way.  Angela Price and I will provide an overview of all  
aspects of the college admissions process.  This meeting is for adults  
only since the students will be receiving this information in their  
English classes.  Come with all of your questions!

Ms. Price and I will be speaking to the junior English classes at the  
beginning of February.  Following the presentations, juniors will be  
able to sign up for individual appointments with their College Advisor.

FOR SENIORS
FEBRUARY 1 IS THE LAST DAY TO FILE APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO ANY  
CSU CAMPUS STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.  This change is due to budget  
cuts.  If you are considering applying to any of the open campuses  
(Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Chico (except nursing and recording arts  
majors), Dominguez Hills, East Bay, Fresno, Fullerton (open to  
engineering and computer science majors only), Los Angeles, Monterey  
Bay, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco (deadline – 1/15/08),  
San Jose, San Marcos (if space is available), Sonoma (except for  
interdisciplinary studies, human development, liberal studies and  
nursing) and Stanislaus) and need help with your application, please  
see Ms. Abrams or Ms. Price as soon as possible.  We are happy to help.

FINANCIAL AID – Now is the time to work on 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 in the Berkeley High library.  
The next two workshops are:
Wednesday, January 16, 3:30 pm
Thurs., February 7, 7:30 am  
Evening Workshop, Thursday, January 24, 6:30 pm, BHS library
Please sign up in advance in the College/Career Center so that we have  
enough computers for everyone.  Prior to the workshop, pick up the  
FAFSA on the Web Worksheet so that you can prepare the necessary  
information.  For a complete list of workshops, go to  
http://bhs.berkeley.net/index.php?page=workshops .

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 school’s  
financial aid deadline (some are as early as January 15) and the forms  
they require.  We 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.

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 number 10 business sized envelope with one first class stamp  
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 Wednesday, January 16.  You must have  
a separate envelope for each college requiring your first semester  
grades.  This is not necessary for any UC campuses, but some Cal State  
campuses are requiring a copy of your first semester grades.

If you missed the presentation on filling out the FAFSA on December 4,  
you may sign up to borrow the DVD for up to 2 nights.  Please e-mail a  
request to Angela Price (angela_price at berkeley.k12.ca.us) along with  
your student’s name, and she will let you know when it is available.   
Senior families only, please.

SAT/ACT TEST DATES – January 18 is the late registration deadline for  
the February 9 ACT test.  January 29 is the regular registration  
deadline for the March 1 SAT tests. Subject tests are not offered on  
this test date.  Fee waivers for low income students are available in  
D221.

SCHOLARSHIPS
For the complete list of applications available in the College/Career  
Center, go to  
http://bhs.berkeley.net/uploads/career_center/Scholarships_2007 
-2008%20for%20website.doc

PDK Prospective Educator Scholarship Program – Open to any high school  
senior intending to major in education.  A variety of scholarships will  
be offered.  Applications available in D221.  Deadline:  February 1.

Community Network, Lewis Latimer – Open to African-American seniors  
with a minimum GPA of 2.5 who plans to attend a two or four year  
accredited college or business school (majoring in computer science or  
relating to the telecommunications industry).  Scholarships of at least  
$500 will be awarded.  Applications available in D221.  Deadline:   
February 29.

Tom Joyner Foundation Full Ride Scholarship – Provides a full ride to  
an Historically Black College or University.  Open to current seniors  
who are U.S. citizens with an unweighted GPA of 3.5 and minimum SAT  
score of 1300 (math and critical reading only) or ACT score of 28 who  
have demonstrated leadership abilities through participation in  
community service, extracurricular or other activities.  Application  
available in D221.  Postmark deadline: January 18.

Best Buy Scholarship – Open to graduating high school seniors living in  
the United States or Puerto Rico who live within 75 miles of a Best Buy  
Store in the United States or Puerto Rico, have a minimum cumulative  
high school grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, demonstrate  
commitment to and involvement in volunteer community service or work  
experience and plan to enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of  
study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or  
vocational-technical school in the United States or Puerto Rico no  
later than fall 2008. 1,500 students will each be awarded $1,500; 51  
students will each receive $10,000.  Apply online at  
www.bestbuy.com/scholarships .  Deadline:  February 15.

Janice Scott Memorial Scholarship Fund – Open to seniors with an  
unweighted 2.5 or above who is planning to go to a 4 year college or  
university next year who has demonstrated leadership abilities and is a  
U.S. Citizen or permanent resident.  Application available in D221.   
Five $2,500 scholarships will be awarded.  Deadline:  March 15.

SBC Memorial Foundation – Open to graduating seniors or college  
students who have volunteered for a significant number of hours within  
the last 18 months, have a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0, are residents  
of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and plan on attending a two or  
four year academic, vocational or technical school in the fall.   
Scholarship:  $1,000.  Applications available in D221 and at  
www.sbcfoundation.org .  Deadline:  March 1.

Scholarships for Latino students - http://www.latinocollegedollars.org/

SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES
*Information on many more programs is available in D221.

California State Summer School for the Arts (Innerspark) – Program runs  
from July 12-August 8 in a variety of subjects including animation,  
visual arts, dance, music, film/video, theatre and creative writing.   
Applications available at www.innerspark.us Scholarships are available.  
  Application deadline:  February 29.

*New to the bulletin today.