Diamond Bar High School

SENIOR BULLETIN #2

Scholarship and College Information

October, 2011

UC/CSU

·         UC Application Workshop will be held on our campus on Wednesday, October 12^th at 7:00 pm in the Theater.  This is a great opportunity to go over the application in detail and have all your questions answered.

·         CSU Application Workshop will be held on our campus on Monday, October 17^th at 7:00 pm in the Theater.  This is the same great opportunity, but this workshop is for schools in the Cal State system like Cal State Fullerton and Cal Poly Pomona.

·         CSU and UC Applications are available online as of October 1^st, 2011.  Applications for UC can be worked on now and then submitted between November 1^st and November 30^th.  The final due date for CSU applications is also November 30^th, but you can submit your CSU application as early as 10/1/11.  The earlier you submit, the earlier the CSU can let you know you’ve been admitted.  The UC will notify students about admission decisions between March 1^st and March 31^st, 2012.

·         SAT Scores need to be sent directly to all schools to which you are applying through www.collegeboard.org.  DBHS does NOT send any SAT or ACT scores.

·         Online applications are convenient and available at www.csumentor.edu for the CSU and www.universityofcalifornia.edu for the UC. 

o   Applying online helps you to fill out your application accurately because the program takes you through the application step by step and won’t let you go on if you’re missing information or have done something incorrectly. 

o   Save your application often while working on it, and prepare your personal statement as a word document and then cut and paste to make sure it comes out  just the way you want it.

o   Be very accurate when self-reporting grades, classes and extracurricular activities to the UC.  They will compare your application to your final transcript and everything must match.  Additionally, every year the UC randomly audits some applications and asks students to provide verification of their extracurricular activities.  If the UC determines anything has been falsely reported, you will NEVER be allowed to enter the UC system for the rest of your life.

o   Don’t wait until the last minute!  Every year there are stories about people who wait until midnight November 30^th and then can’t submit their application for some reason at the last minute.  Submit before Thanksgiving and enjoy that turkey!

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

·         Letters of Recommendation – As you have been told several times, letter requests were due to your GLC’s by October 3^rd at the very latest.  If you are reading this after 10/3/11 and have not turned in your request, that ship has sailed and you need to focus your energies on colleges that do not require a letter of recommendation.

·         SAT – UC’s and CSU’s will accept the December SAT or ACT, but some private schools may not.  Check on private college websites to be sure, and sign up for the November SAT just to be safe.

·         Private School Research – If you haven’t done so already, you should really research the schools you’re considering.  Research allows you to weigh all the factors involved with this major decision – distance from home, area surrounding the college, size of the school population, campus atmosphere, etc.  Some of you don’t even know the state in which some of your prospective colleges are located, and that’s just silly when you think about it.

·         Early Admission – Early decision and early action plans allow you to apply early (usually in November) and get an admission decision from the college by December or January.  While this seems like a great way to lessen the stress of the college application process, it may not be the best choice for you.  Read the following information (some of which has been taken from www.collegeboard.org)  to help you make the right decision:

o   Early decision plans are binding. You agree to attend the college if it accepts you and offers an adequate financial aid package. Although you can apply to only one college for early decision, you may apply to other colleges through the regular admission process. If you're accepted by your first-choice college early, you must withdraw all other applications.

o   Early action plans are similar to early decision plans, but are not binding. If you’ve been accepted, you can choose to commit to the college immediately, or wait until the spring. Under these plans, you may also apply early action to other colleges. Usually, you have until the late spring to let the college know your decision.

o   It is a common misconception that early admission plans provide you with an advantage, but this doesn’t make sense.  Students who are accepted early are exceptional and would have definitely been granted admission through the regular admission process.  Selective universities have been doing this for a long time – they wouldn’t accept a marginal student early and then realize they made a mistake.

o   You can’t compare financial aid packages if you are accepted through Early Decision and thus bound to attend that one school.  You’d be surprised at how the financial aid package offerings vary from school to school. 

SCHOLARSHIPS

·         Free Scholarship Search Engines:

o    www.fastweb.com

o    www.collegeboard.org/pay

o    www.collegenet.com/mach25

o    www.finaid.org

o   www.scholarshiphelp.org

·         Washington University in St. Louis Danforth Scholars – If you are planning to attend Washington University in St. Louis, the Danforth Scholarship honors students who embrace high ideals and whose life choices are guided by personal integrity, selflessness, a commitment to community and a dedication to leadership and academic excellence. Full or partial scholarships are available. Must be nominated by DBHS. See Mr. Desmond to be nominated.

·         Spotlight  Visual Arts Awards – This is a competition sponsored by the Music Center. They offer scholarships in two areas: Performance Art and Visual Art. Prizes award from $100 Semifinalist to $5,000 Grand prize. Apply online at www.musiccenter.org/spotlight.  The deadline is 10/17/2011 for Performance Art and 12/1/11 for Visual Art.

·         University of Maryland Meyerhoff Scholarship Program – This scholarship is open to all high-achieving high school seniors who are interested in pursuing a doctorate in the sciences or engineering at University of Maryland, Baltimore County and are interested in the advancement of minorities in the sciences and related fields. Based on GPA and outstanding SAT. Award includes 4 years of tuition, room and board and fees. See Mr. Desmond to have your name placed on the nomination form by October 15^th.

·         John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest – The John F. Kennedy Library invites high school students to write an essay on an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official. For information, registration and to submit your essay go to www.jfklibrary.org. Essays due 1/7/12.  Five $500 awards, one $1,000 award and a first place award of $10,000. This will be presented by Caroline Kennedy at an awards Ceremony at the JFK Presidential Library.

·         Beverage Industry College Scholarship – This scholarship is a unique for a student whose parent or grandparent is a full-time employee with a company holding a valid liquor license. Examples given are restaurants, stores, breweries, wineries, distributors, etc. No specific $ amount given. Apply at www.christermon.com by February 1^st.

·         NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing – This is the same scholarship you’ve heard about through Brahma Tech announcements in the Bullsheet.  It focuses on girls in grades 9-12 who have at least a 3.0, demonstrated leadership, and demonstrated aptitude and interest in IT/computing.  Each national winner will receive $500 in cash, a laptop, and a trip to the Technology Showcase and Awards Ceremony in North Carolina.  Apply at www.aspirationsaward.org by 10/31/11.

·         Miss any scholarships from the last Senior Bulletin?  Go to the Guidance Office – all past scholarships will remain on display until their deadlines have passed.

NATIONAL MERIT COMMENDED STUDENTS

The following students just missed the cut-off index selection score on the PSAT to qualify as National Merit Semifinalists.  They have been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program as Commended Students.  Congratulations to: