[BHS etree] COLLEGE|CAREER: Advisor's Bulletin for Oct. 6, 2008

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Do not reply to this e-mail, contact Ilene Abrams at iabrams at berkeley.k12.ca.us

College Advisor's Bulletin
Monday, October 6, 2008

SAT WORD OF THE DAY: RUDIMENTARY -- basic; fundamental; primitive.  Before children start school, it is helpful for them to has learned rudimentary skills such as speaking and drawing pictures.    

PSAT -- REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8.  Berkeley High School is offering the PSAT on Wednesday, October 15 from 8:30-11:30 at school. Room assignments will be announced closer to the test date.  All sophomores will automatically be registered for the test and can take it for free, due to a generous donation from an anonymous donor.  Juniors can register with Ms. Reed in D173 at lunchtime and immediately after school.  Cost is $15.  Fee reductions are available for low income students.  The PSAT is an excellent practice test for the SAT, which is required by the UCs, Cal States and many private schools.  For juniors only, it is also the qualifying exam for National Merit scholarships.   

FOR ALL STUDENTS
COLLEGE FAIR -- Saturday, October 11, 8:30 am to 1:00 pm, UC Berkeley, Wheeler Hall.  Over 60 public and college and university representatives will be available to speak with you.  Pre-register online (not required, but helpful) at www.eastbayconsortium.org.  For more information, call 510-238-9450.  

FOR SENIORS
*Both the UC application (www.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply) and the Cal State application (www.csumentor.edu) are now available online. The deadline for the UC application is November 30.  The priority deadline for the Cal State applications is also November 30.  For many Cal State campuses, this will be the final deadline.  Those campuses definitely include:  Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly Pomona, Sonoma State, Fullerton, Long Beach, San Diego State.  However, many other Cal State campuses may close applications on November 30 as well, so consider this to be the final deadline.  We urge you to get your applications in by November 30th, and preferably earlier as both websites get extremely busy (and slow) at the end of November.  Check the schedule for workshops on essay writing and completing these applications. The schedule is available on both the Daily Bulletin and the College Advisor's Bulletin, as well as on the College Advisor’s website.

Both college advisors are also available to review your applications before they are submitted, but will need a day or two of turn-around time, so don’t wait until the last minute.

SENIOR PARENT COLLEGE NIGHT -- Tuesday, October 7, 6:30 pm, BHS library.  This is a great opportunity to get information directly from representatives of the UCs, Cal States, community colleges and private schools.  

FINANCIAL AID PART 1 FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS -- Thursday, October 16, 6:30 pm, BHS library.  Sue Kim, a financial aid expert, will explain how financial aid is calculated for both public and private schools and answer your questions.  She will also provide information on merit aid.  

*ESSAY READERS -- Get feedback on your draft of your college essay/personal statement from experienced essay readers.  Readers will be available on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at lunchtime.  First come, first served.

ESSAY WRITING WORKSHOPS
Sign up in advance in the College/Career Center to attend.	
Wednesday, 10/8, 3:30 pm, College/Career Center	
Tuesday, 10/21, 3:30 pm, College/Career Center	  

COLLEGE APPLICATION WORKSHOPS – ALL HELD IN THE LIBRARY COMPUTER LAB
You must sign up in advance in the College/Career Center to attend.  15 person maximum per workshop.
Thursday, 10/9, 3:30 pm -- UC/CSU
Friday, 10/10, 7:30 am -- UC/CSU
Wednesday, 10/15, 7:30 am -- Common Application
Wednesday, 10/15, 3:30 pm -- UC/CSU
MORE TO COME

COLLEGE VISITS
Over 100 college representatives visit Berkeley High's College/Career Center every year.  Seniors may attend up to 10 of those meetings, with the permission of the teacher whose class they are missing.  Sign up in advance in the College/Career Center and pick up a permission slip.  The complete October list is available at http://bhs.berkeley.net/index.php?page=finding-a-college.

TODAY -- Monday, October 6
8:30 U of Pennsylvania
9:30 Carleton (MN)
10:35 Bowdoin (ME)
12:20 Humboldt State (CA)
1:20 UC Berkeley 
2:20 Cornell (NY)

Tuesday, October 7
8:30 Emerson (MA)
9:30 UC Davis
10:35 Cal Arts
12:20 Yale (CT)
1:20 Cleveland School of the Arts
2:20 Williams (MA)

Wednesday, October 8
8:30 Pitzer (CA)
9:30 Pomona (CA)
10:35 Academy of Art (CA)
12:20 Vanderbilt (TN)
1:20 Scripps (CA)
2:20 University of the Pacific (CA)

Thursday, October 9
8:30 College of Wooster (OH)
10:35 University of Richmond (VA)
12:20 Dartmouth (NH)
1:20 University of Southern California
2:20 Emory (GA)

Friday, October 10
8:30 Barnard (NY)
1:20 Johns Hopkins (MD)
2:20 Cornish College of the Arts (WA)

*SAT/ACT TEST DATES -- Friday, October 10 is the late registration deadline for the November 1 SAT and SAT subject tests. This is the last SAT accepted for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a few other Cal State campuses.  November 7 is the regular registration deadline for the December 13 ACT.  This is the last ACT accepted by all UC campuses and many Cal State campuses.  Fee waivers for low income students are available in D221.  

COLLEGE INFORMATION SESSIONS IN THE BAY AREA
1. Whitman -- Monday, October 6, 7:00 pm, Sheraton Palo Alto, 625 El Camino Real, Palo Alto.  
2. Yale -- Monday, October 6, 7:00 pm, Urban School, 1563 Page St., SF.  OR Wednesday, October 8, 7:00 pm, Oakland Tech, 4351 Broadway, Oakland.  RSVP at http://admissions.yale.edu/events .  
3. UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture -- Thursday, October 9, 7:00-8:30 pm, Hilton Garden Inn, 1800 Powell St., Emeryville. RSVP REQUIRED at www.arts.ucla.edu/rsvp or call 310-825-8981.  

SCHOLARSHIPS 
Ron Brown Scholarship -- Open to African-American or Black high school seniors who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership ability, participate in community service activities and demonstrate financial need who are US citizens or permanent residents.  Up to 20 students will receive $10,000 per year for four years.  Two deadlines:  November 1 (considered for Ron Brown Scholarship and forwarded to additional colleges and scholarship providers) and January 9 (considered for Ron Brown scholarship only).  Apply at www.ronbrown.org. 
 
Gates Millennium Scholars Program -- Open to African American, American Indian/Alaska Natives, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students who are citizens, nationals or legal permanent residents of the US, with a minimum cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale who have demonstrated leadership abilities through participation in community service, extracurricular or other activities and meet the Federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria.  Deadline:  January 12, 2009. Applications available in D221 or at www.gmsp.org. 

California Museum's Dreamers Challenge -- Submit an essay, video, audio or artwork to tell us how your dream will leave a lasting mark on the state, nation and the world.  Must be a senior and California resident.  Award is $5,000 cash and invitation to attend the California Hall of Fame Events.  Application available in D221 and at www.CaliforniaMuseum.org.  Received deadline: October 10.

*New to the bulletin today