[BHS etree] COLLEGE|CAREER: Advisor's Bulletin for Dec. 2, 2008

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

College Advisor's Bulletin
Tuesday, December 2, 2008

SAT WORD OF THE DAY:  RAZE -- to tear down completely.  Rather than rebuild it, San Francisco razed the earthquake-damaged Embarcadero freeway.  

FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS 
*Morris Weiss Scholarship -- open to 11th and 12th graders from the Bay Area.  Scholarship awarded based on an essay discussing Acts of Kindness during the Holocaust.  The entry will be judged on both the quality of writing & research, and the ability of the author to meaningfully connect the essay topic to the lessons of the Holocaust.  The student with the winning essay will be awarded a $1,500 scholarship to be used towards their post-secondary education.  For more information, go to www.hcnc.org/scholarship.html .  Deadline:  February 26.  

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.  

FOR SENIORS
*Presentations
Thursday, December 4, 10:35 -- National Guard.  Sign up in D221 to attend.

UC APPLICANTS -- If you haven’t done so already, you must arrange for your official test scores to be sent to each UC campus you have applied to.  You can do this in two ways:

1.  If you have completed all of your testing, go to either www.collegeboard.com and/or www.actstudent.org and click on the “send scores” link.  Then list each UC campus (and any other schools you are applying to which require test scores) to receive those scores.  YOU MUST ARRANGE FOR YOUR SCORES TO BE SENT THIS WEEK OR THEY WILL NOT ARRIVE IN TIME TO BE CONSIDERED WITH YOUR APPLICATION.  YOU DO NOT NEED TO RUSH SCORES.  

2.  If you are planning on taking any of the December tests, you must list each of your UC campuses on the registration form for this test.  For the SAT or SAT subject tests, you can go to www.collegeboard.com and update your December test registration form to include all of the UC campuses.  For the ACT, go to www.actstudent.org and click on “make changes to your registration.” You can also make changes by calling 319/337-1270.  
Students will receive acknowledgment of their UC application by e-mail four to five weeks after they submit their applications. The acknowledgment will include the student's application ID number, which should be referenced in any correspondence with UC. Students also can go to Application Status website (https://www.ucapplication.net/ucap/ ) , and review their personal and background information, their choices of campus and major, and their test scores. 

While the Application Status website allows prospective students to revise parts of their applications, those who wish to apply to additional campuses must send their request in writing to: University of California Undergraduate Application Processing Service, P.O. Box 4010, Concord, CA 94524-4010. They should include their application ID number, Social Security number, the campus or campuses to which they want to apply, and a check or money order for $60 for each additional campus ($70 for international applicants), payable to the Regents of the University of California. 

Students should also research the University's scholarship opportunities, including those associated with individual campuses. While many scholarships are automatic, and awarded on the basis of information students provide in the application for admission, some scholarships require supplemental applications or other documentation. 
For more information, see the Scholarship Opportunities web page at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/scholarships.html.

CSU APPLICANTS -- If you are applying to any Cal State campuses, you are required to take the ELM and the EPT tests (assessment tests in math and English).  You are exempt from the EPT (English assessment) test if your SAT Critical Reading score is 550 or above, if your ACT English score is 24 or above or you have a score of 3, 4 or 5 on either the AP Language and Composition or AP Literature and Composition test.  You are exempt from the ELM (math assessment) test if your SAT math reasoning test score or SAT subject test math score is 550 or above or your ACT math score is 23 or above or your AP test score in AP Calculus or AP Statistics is 3 or above.  You can take these tests at any Cal State campus.  The website at CSU East Bay is http://testing.csueastbay.edu/eptelm/eptelmwho.php and the SF State website to sign up for testing is http://www.sfsu.edu/~testing/eptelm.html.  You can also find practice materials and other helpful information at
 http://www.csumentor.edu/planning/high_school/ept.asp and http://www.csumentor.edu/planning/high_school/elm.asp.

CSU applicants must send official test scores from College Board or ACT.  See directions on sending your scores above in the UC applicants section.  

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.  This event is for senior families only as there is not enough room in the library to accommodate additional people.  We are working on setting up a financial aid event for junior families second semester.

ESSAY READERS -- Get feedback on your draft of your college essay/personal statement from experienced essay readers.  Readers will be available every day at the beginning of lunchtime.  First come, first served.

SAT/ACT TEST DATES -- December 26 is the regular registration deadline for the January 24 SAT test. January 6 is the regular registration deadline for the February 7 ACT.  Fee waivers for low income students are available in D221.  For seniors, some colleges will accept test scores from these tests as part of the application process.  Don’t forget to list the colleges you want to receive these scores on your registration form.  

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

eQuality Scholarship -- open to residents of northern or central California who have completed or will complete high school between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2009 who plan to attend an accredited college, university or trade school in the US for the first time in 2009, who have demonstrated service to the LGBT community (applicants of all sexual orientations and gender identities are eligible) and will be available for an interview in person or by phone on March 29 or April 4, 2009.  Applications available in D221.  Deadline:  February 21.  At least 10 scholarships of $5,000 each will be awarded.

California Association of Collectors, Inc -- open to seniors planning to attend any accredited college, university or trade school.  Winners are chosen based on writing an essay entitled “Importance of Establishing and Maintaining Good Credit During Your College Years.”  Applications available in D221 and at www.cacesf.org.  Awards range from $1,500-$2,500.  Deadline:  February 2.

PDK Prospective Educator Scholarship -- open to high school senior planning to major in education or undergraduate members of PDK who are enrolled in an education program at the college level.  Deadline:  February 1.  Applications available in D221.  One $1,000 local scholarship will be awarded as well as national scholarships.  

Ronald McDonald House Charities Scholarships -- There are four different scholarships -- one for each of the following: African-American students, Hispanic students, Asian-Pacific students, and one for any senior.  The scholarships are open to students eligible to attend a two or four year college, university or vocational-technical school who are legal residents of the US and are under 21 years old.  Students may apply for only one of the scholarships.  Applications are available in D221.  Scholarships awarded are a minimum of $1,000.  Deadline:  February 16. 

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