[BHS etree] COLLEGE|CAREER: Advisor's Bulletin for Nov. 20, 2008

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College Advisor's Bulletin
Thursday, November 20, 2008

SAT WORD OF THE DAY:  OBFUSCATE -- to cloud or confuse.  Because of the obscure legal language they use, contracts often obfuscate their purpose, leaving untrained readers confused. 

FOR ALL STUDENTS
*JUNIORS AND SENIORS -- UC Irvine Stay-Over Program 2009.  Students who are at least 16 years old can apply to experience college life first hand -- spend the night in a dorm, tour the campus and residence halls, eat in the dining commons, attend class with your host student and find out about other activities on campus.  Program goes from January 14-March 5.  $25 fee includes two meals and a t-shirt.  A limited number of scholarships are available.  Applications available in D221.  

Want to study abroad? Youth for Understanding and World Affairs Council awards annual scholarships to high school students (only) who want to study abroad for the summer, semester or year. Come to this information session to learn more about the 2009-2010 YFU study abroad programs and meet former Council scholarship winners. Tuesday, December 2, 2008 6:00 PM. To register, contact Katie Walsh at kwalsh at wacsf.org or call 415.293.4650. 

Violet Richardson Award of the Soroptimist Club -- Award of $1,000 to a young woman currently between the ages of 14 and 17 who has demonstrated initiative in both identifying a problem and trying to solve it and who has had significant and noteworthy accomplishments as a volunteer.  Application available in D221.  Received deadline:  December 1.  

SUMMER PROGRAMS
MIT Women’s Technology Program -- A rigorous four week academic and residential experience at MIT for current female juniors, offering the opportunity to explore engineering through hands-on classes, labs and team-based projects.  Students may choose electrical engineering and computer science or mechanical engineering.  Application deadline:  January 15.  For more information, go to http://wtp.mit.edu.  

FOR SENIORS
*FINANCIAL AID PART 2 -- December 2, 6:30 pm, Berkeley High Library.  A representative from the UC Berkeley financial aid office will walk us line by line through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  This form is required by all colleges to apply for financial aid.  Sessions will be offered in both English and Spanish.  If more than 25 students and/or parents attend, one student will win a $1,000 scholarship; if more than 75 attend, two will win a scholarship.  

MANY CAL STATE CAMPUSES WILL CLOSE THEIR APPLICATION PERIOD ON NOVEMBER 30.  WHEN WE GET BACK FROM THANKSGIVING BREAK, IT WILL BE DECEMBER 1!  APPLY NOW!  COME TO THE COLLEGE/CAREER CENTER TO GET WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS ON APPLYING TO UC’S AND CAL STATES OR ATTEND ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS LISTED BELOW.  

ESSAY READERS -- Get feedback on your draft of your college essay/personal statement from experienced essay readers.  Readers will be available every day at 8:00-9:00 am, lunchtime and after school, 2:30-4:00 (except Friday after school).  First come, first served.

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, November 20, 7:30 am -- UC/CSU
Thursday, November 20, 3:30 pm -- UC/CSU

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 November list is available at http://bhs.berkeley.net/index.php?page=finding-a-college.

TODAY - Thursday, November 20
10:35  Sacramento State University

SAT/ACT TEST DATES -- November 19 (note new date) is the late registration deadline for the December 6 SAT and SAT subject tests. November 20 is the late registration deadline for the December 13 ACT. THESE ARE THE LAST TESTS ACCEPTED BY ALL UC CAMPUSES AND MANY CAL STATE CAMPUSES.  Fee waivers for low income students are available in D221.  

SCHOLARSHIPS 
For a complete list of scholarship applications available in the College/Career Center, go to http://bhs.berkeley.net/index.php?page=scholarships .

Elks National Foundation -- 500 four-year scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors who are US citizens, based on scholarship, leadership and financial need.  Scholarships range from $1,000 per year to $15,000 per year.  Applications are available at www.elks.org/enf/scholars .  Received deadline:  January 9, 5:00 pm.  Mail to: BPO Elks, Lodge 1816, 1475 Creekside Dr., Walnut Creek, CA  94596.  

San Francisco Chinatown Lions Club, Miss Teen Chinatown 2009 Scholarship -- applicants must be between 14-18 years on April 11, 2009, be of Chinese descent and be able to write your own name in Chinese characters, minimum GPA of 3.0 for the prior school year.  $2,000 scholarship and round trip to Hong Kong.  Deadline:  December 15.  Applications available in D221.  

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.  Deadline:  January 9.  Apply at www.ronbrown.org. 

*New to the bulletin today