[BHS etree] COLLEGE/CAREER BULLETIN: Feb. 2-5, 2010

[bhs at idiom.com]

Do not reply to this e-mail; please contact Angela Price [mailto:angela_price at berkeley.k12.ca.us]

COLLEGE ADVISOR'S BULLETIN: Week of Feb. 2-5, 2010

*Indicates new or updated item

SAT WORD OF THE DAY:  Apathy - lack of interest, lack of feeling 

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Homework helper needed in the evenings around 6 p.m. in math and language arts for 9th grade girl. One hour 2 times per week; will pay $12.00 per hour. Located in central Berkeley, about 6-7 blocks from BHS. Prefer Junior in high school. Contact info: E-mail Micky at mickydux at earthlink.net

FOR ALL STUDENTS

1. Education Summit at Cal State East Bay - Saturday, February 20, 8:00 am to 12:40 pm. The FREE summit is open to the public. Parents, high school and junior high school students, school administrators, teachers, counselors, and business and community leaders are encouraged to attend. Topics covered in the workshops and panels (in English and Spanish) will include college information resources; student life experiences on campus; college admissions; and financing a college education through grants, scholarships, and financial aid. Also, on-the-spot admission will be available for Cal State East Bay eligible high school seniors who have submitted an application through the CSU Mentor program and provided transcripts to the university by Feb. 8. Further information is available at www.csueastbay.edu/Summit or by calling (510) 885-3516. A free continental breakfast will be provided at the Summit. Please register online.

2. Saturday, February 20, 2010 – Information Day with the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music: This event is an opportunity to learn about the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and meet the director of the school as well as a number of its world renowned faculty. Presentations will include an overview of UCLA and the Herb Albert School of Music, as well as details about the individual majors offered in the Departments of Music, Ethnomusicology, Jazz Studies, and Musicology. UCLA Arts admission representatives will also be on hand to answer questions about the application process, audition requirements, student life, financial aid and scholarships. If you would like to go you will have to RSVP at http://www.arts.ucla.edu/admissions/rsvp.php?cboUclaEvents=9756.

3. Spring Engineering Education Days: During the four Saturdays in April, students from around the San Francisco Bay Area come to Santa Clara University to participate in both lecture and hands-on courses taught by engineering faculty. Application deadline is February 5, 2010. There is no cost to participate outside of transportation to and from the university. Brochures and applications can be found at http://www.scu.edu/engineering/undergraduate/seeds.cfm If you have any questions contact James Lindfelt at (408)554-4468.

SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS AND SENIORS

1. California Scholarship Federation - Pick up membership packets in the College Center D221. Spring applications deadline is Feb 19. Membership fee is $1.00. The California Scholarship Federation is Berkeley High School's Honor Society. Joining is a great way to show enthusiasm for academic excellence and community service. 

*2. Free SAT Prep Class beginning Feb. 8, at 3:45- 5:30 pm, every Monday and Wednesday. Class will meet in D219. Juniors will be given preference.  The class is being taught by the Peoples Test Prep Service.

JUNIORS

Junior Parent Information Night: Thursday, February 4, 6:30 - 8:30 pm in the BHS Library. For parents only, please come and find out about the College process and how the College Center will be working with your students this year and next year. By now we hope every parent has received the Junior College Handbook, if not please let us know at the meeting that you have not received the handbook.

JUNIORS/SENIORS

SAT/ACT TEST DATES – Feb. 4 is the regular registration deadline for the March 13 SAT test. March 5 is the regular registration deadline for the April 10 ACT.  Fee waivers for low income students are available in D221 see Ms. Sandberg or Ms. Price. 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.  

SUMMER PROGRAMS

1. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program - an 8 week research program at Stanford for current sophomores and juniors. Program dates: June 20-July 25. Application deadline: March 1. For more information and to apply, go to http://simr.stanford.edu.  

2. Summer Program for students from traditionally underserved backgrounds: The Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology (iCLEM) @ UC Berkeley is open to high school sophomores and juniors who are curious about science. The program gives preference to students who are from traditionally underserved backgrounds and have little or no family history of college attendance. The application deadline is March 1. Students are paid a stipend of $2500 and must commit to full-time work from June 21 to August 13. The program teaches basic lab and research skills and provides first-hand experience working on a bioenergy research project in a state-of-the-art molecular biology lab located in Emeryville and easily accessible by public transit. The teaching staff includes two UC Berkeley scientists and two high school science teachers. In addition to basic science and research, the program also exposes students to career exploration and college preparation including field trips to biotech companies, career talks, writing a college statement of purpose, researching colleges, meeting with an admissions officer, and visits to local college campuses. www.synberc.org/iCLEM_internship.

FOR SENIORS

1. MID-YEAR REPORT – DUE NOW! TURN IN ASAP IF YOU ARE APPLYING TO ANY SCHOOLS THAT REQUIRE YOUR FIRST SEMESTER GRADES! If you applied to any colleges which require your first semester grades, Mid-Year Report Forms were due to Ms. Mellion in D173 no later than January 15. Turn in the Mid-Year Report Form that is part of the college's application along with a Transcript Request Form with "Mid Year Report" written across the top and a stamped envelope (4 1/8 x 9 ½" with one 42 cent stamp) addressed to the office of admissions of the college with a return address of Berkeley High School, 1980 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA  94704. The UC's do not require a mid-year report.  

2. 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 (we recommend completing it by February 15) listing a California college to receive the information and fill out the Cal Grant Information Release Form. These forms are available in D173 and D221 and were distributed to all English classes. This is a very simple form which takes less than 5 minutes to complete. Please return completed forms to D173 Registrar's Office.

*3. IT'S TIME TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID - Sign up to attend one of the workshops on filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Prior to the workshop, pick up a FAFSA On the Web Worksheet in the College/Career Center or download one at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/fafsaws90bw.pdf and fill it out as much as you can. You can estimate numbers if necessary. YOU MUST SIGN UP IN ADVANCE TO ATTEND BECAUSE WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF COMPUTERS. All workshops will be held in the College Center.
Tuesday, February 2, 3:30 pm
Friday, February 5, 3:30 pm
Tuesday, February 9, 3:30 pm

4. The financial aid booklet "Fund Your Future" is now available.  Stop by the College/Career Center to pick up your copy and get important information on the ins and outs of financial aid, Cal Grant, and other state and federal aid programs. 

SCHOLARSHIPS

For a complete list of scholarship applications available in the College/Career Center, go to http://bhs.berkeley.net/index.php?page=scholarships or come to the College/Career Center, D221.

1. Free Cash for College workshop:  Wednesday, February 10, 2010 6:30-8:30 BHS Library. Workshop will be conducted by the East Bay Consortium. Volunteers will assist parents and students with the FAFSA online. Students who attend workshop will be entered into a lottery to win $1,000 scholarship for college. 

2. The Princeton Prize in Race Relations In order to recognize, support, and encourage the young people of our country who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the cause of positive race relations, Princeton University annually sponsors an annual awards program for high school students - the Princeton Prize in Race Relations. Applications postmarked by January 31 will be eligible for prizes - including cash awards up to $1,000 for particularly noteworthy work. Phone: (800) 742-1036, e-mail: PPrize at princeton.edu, website: www.princeton.edu/PrincetonPrize.

*3. Berkeley Community Fund Scholarship – The Community Fund offers 10 scholarships of $4,000 per year for four years will be awarded to Berkeley High students. In addition, other one-time scholarships may also be awarded. Sign up in the College Center D221 to attend the meeting.