College/Career Center Bulletin - Jan. 29, 2012
Please remember to take advantage of our voice message and e-mail system to contact your student’s counselor.
Report Cards
Report cards were mailed home on Friday, January 27th. The report will also be available on our PASS system at https://acalanes.k12.ca.us for two weeks. Log in with your student’s current district user name and password (handed out at registration). This is the same account that your student uses to log into the district’s network, wireless system, and Blackboard. Once logged in, highlight the Grades menu, and choose Grades to view your student’s current grades.
Course Selection for 2012-2013
Counselors will enter World History, English 2, and US History classes February 1, 2 & 3 to hand out registration material and transcripts and spend the period discussing course selections for the 2012- 2013 school year. Students will have one week to discuss course choices with parents, teachers and peers. Courses will be selected through an online process this year. Counselors will return the week of February 6th to collect course selections.
CSF
Students who qualified for CSF (the California Scholarship Federation and Las Lomas Honor Society) pay sign up and pay the $5 dues Tuesday, February 7 and Thursday February 9 1 in the College/Career Center at lunch only. Lists of students who are eligible for CSF are posted in Counseling Office windows. See Mrs. Smith with questions.
Tutors
Lists of student tutors (volunteers) and adult tutors (paid) are available in the College/Career Center. Also, Knights’ Tutoring by Las Lomas teachers is available on campus. http://www.laslomasptsa.com/CollegeCareer/Tutoring_Schedule_11-12.pdf
Scholarships and Contests
Many scholarships and contests are posted in the College/Career Center, on Naviance and on the PTSA website at http://www.laslomasptsa.com/CollegeCareer/Scholarships.html . Although most scholarships are for current seniors, other students can also find scholarship opportunities. The various contests (writing, speech, poster, etc.) are for students of all grade levels.
Seniors
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
Planning to apply for financial aid? Check out FAFSA on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. FAFSA Worksheets for 2012-2013 are available online for students who will be college freshman in the fall of 2012. (Do NOT use the site FAFSA.com.) Prior to completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) both the Parent and the Students should obtain a PIN (Personal Identification Number) used as an electronic signature at www.pin.ed.gov. You may want to try FAFSA4caster, a financial aid estimator, at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov. Some private schools also require the CSS Financial Aid Profile available at www.collegeboard.com (fee charged by College Board).
The Cal Grant GPA Information Release Forms are available in the C/CC, and can be submitted to the LL Counseling Office through March 2.
Financial Aid Deadlines Vary
Be sure to check with the colleges you are applying to for their Financial Aid Deadlines. Some private colleges and universities have early priority deadlines for students who plan to apply for financial aid.
Transcripts
Most private colleges require that a transcript be submitted with the application as part of the college application process (showing grades through the end of the junior year). Private colleges also request that students send Mid-Year Reports. Mid-year reports and accompanying transcripts (printed after semester grades are posted) must be ordered on Naviance. Write “Mid Year Report” on receipt when ordering transcript.
California Public Colleges: UC and CSU campuses do not want a transcript at this time unless they specifically request one from your student. These institutions base their admissions decisions on the "self-reported" grade information in the application. Students should check email and the web portal created for him/her by each college.
To Request a Transcript
1. Request all transcripts through Naviance Family Connection
2. Print out the Transcript Status page
3. Bring the following to the Counseling Office:
•
Transcript Status page
•$4.00 per transcript
SAT/ACT
SAT Reasoning Test/Subject Tests Schedule: www.collegeboard.com
Mar. 10; deadline Feb.10
May 5: deadline Apr 6
Jun 2: deadline May 8
ACT Schedule: www.actstudent.org
Feb. 11: deadline passed
Apr. 14: deadline Mar 9.
Jun. 9: deadline May 4
Practice SAT or ACT
Saturday, February 11, 2012, 8:30 am at Las Lomas. Fee $10 in advance, $20 at the door
Follow up stategy session, Thursday, February 12, 2012, 7 pm in the Las Lomas cafeteria
All proceeds benefit the College/Career Center
Senior Athletes: If you plan to play a sport in college, you need to register with the NCAA and send an official transcript. You are required to complete 16 core academic courses for Division I and 14 core courses for Division II. Go to the NCAA Website to register. See your counselor if you have questions.
Juniors
College Visits
Plan now for a visit during spring break or this summer to the colleges or universities that your student is most interested in attending, or even to begin the process of deciding which colleges would be a good fit.
Practice SAT
A good opportunity to practice the SAT or ACT is by taking it under simulated testing conditions. The College/Career Center is presenting an opportunity to take a Mock SAT or an ACT on Saturday, February 11 at 8:30 AM. It is $10 in advance / $20 at the door and all proceeds benefit the College/Career Center. Sign up in the C/CC.
It is recommended that juniors take the SAT or ACT in spring of 11th grade (March, May, June). Be sure to sign up early to get assigned to your preferred testing site. Sign up now for SAT and SAT Subject tests at www.Collegeboard.com, or for the ACT at www.actstudent.org
Lending Library
Remember that the College/Career Center has many books available to be checked out by students and parents. These include many test prep books (PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP, etc.), books about colleges, majors and the college admission process, college catalogs, and other college and career related materials. The Parenting Library is also located in the College/Career Center.
Community Service Opportunities
Many students and families are interested in participating in community service opportunities. The Volunteer Center of Contra Costa web site is www.helpnow.org
Events
DVC Information Night: February 1, 2012, 7:00 - 8:00 PM LL Theatre
Student Days at Tao House: Students meet with career professionals in Art, Drama, Photography and Writing from the Eugene O’Neill Foundation, Tao House, Danville. Applications due February 14. Applications are available in the College/Career Center or online www.eugeneoneill.org.
Bay Area Gap Year Fairs
- Marin: March 1, 6-8:30, Sir Francis Drake H. S., 1327 Frances Drake Blvd., San Anselmo
- San Francisco: March 4, 1-3:30 PM, Jewish Community H. S., 1835 Ellis Street, SF
For more information, go to: usagapyearfairs.org.
Summer Programs: Arthritis Foundation Summer Science Internship www.SummerScienceInternship.kintera.org
Application Deadline, Friday, February, February 24. For more information contact Beth Miller at 415-356-4583 or bmiller@arthritis.org
