Get a 3-ring-binder and 18-month-planner to organize your college apps

A fellow mom, Laurie, inquired about the organization of the college applications, so I thought I would address it. There will be an abundance of paper you will accumulate. Although most (if not all) college applications are paperless and submitted online, you will need to print a copy of your app for your records. What I used was a 3-ring-binder (about 1.5”) and an 18-month planner (16-month planner is also fine) starting in July/August 2011. You will eventually have another binder once you get acceptances/financial aid.

1. Three-ring-binder – Using dividers as subjects, you can keep all copies of college apps, supplemental apps, test scores, transcripts, personal essays, recommendations and other college info. It is important to keep a copy of every college you applied to. Your child may be interviewed for an Alumni Scholarship and you want the information handy.


2. 18-Month-Planner – This became my “bible” when I had to keep track of two seniors applying to colleges at the same time. In this planner, I logged on all the due dates for applications, scholarships, financial aid and supplemental apps. UC applications are online starting October 1st, and the deadline to submit them is November 1-30th. As mentioned in a previous post, it is advisable to work on the online application in October and then once finalized, be ready to submit it within the first two weeks of November.

There are usually extra pages in the planner (the planner uses them for contacts, addresses, schedules, etc); use those blank pages up. That is where I kept a record of all SAT/ACT/Subject Test scores and dates, GPAs and weighted GPAs, AP exam scores, college contact info and most importantly, user names and passwords of all online accounts. You will soon realize that every online account from FAFSA to UC apps to The Common App to individual colleges, will need your user name and password. You will need to keep this handy and in one place. We applied to 8 UCs each, and each campus had their own user ID number. Note: Once you apply to UCs, they will give you an “application ID#”—put that number on a post-it in front of you as you will refer to it a lot. When you check online in March for your admission notification, you will need this UC App ID to log in.

Here are a list of numbers/codes you will need to keep handy. So gather this info and put them on a post-it in front of your computer:

• Student’s SS#
• CEEB Code: Lowell is 052970; SOTA is 053033. You can look up other schools.
• UC Application ID#
• California State Student ID# [This is found on top of your SFUSD transcript not the Student ID# starting with an “H”]
• ELC ID# [If you qualify, you will receive a letter with this special ELC code, don’t loose it]
• Student’s cell phone# [found it easier to list their # if the colleges wanted to contact them directly]

When you are filling out those college apps and when you check your application status, these numbers will come in handy.

So get a 3-ring-binder and an 18-month planner soon. [Thanks, Laurie, for the topic idea.]

UC Application fees go up to $70/each campus

Via http://askmssun.livejournal.com/143134.html, UC application fees will be going up to $70/per campus, up from $60 last year.  International students will pay $80/per campus. When you apply to UCs, there is one application (so convenient), and you will "click" which UC campus you want to apply to. Each UC campus you apply to will cost $70/each. There may be application fee waivers if you qualify.

Note: Effective last year, you MUST apply to every UC you plan to attend. In the past, say, if an applicant didn't make Davis, they were automatically accepted and directed into Riverside or Merced. Because of the number of UC applicants, there will be no automatic referrals to other UCs. You must apply to Riverside or Merced if you want that "safety" UC.

Three things that should be demonstrated in your UC application

Aside from good grades, challenging courses and a decent SAT/ACT score, these three things have proven to be important in your UC application:

1. Leadership
2. Commitment
3. Passion

[See also Tuesday, August 2, 2011 post: Start getting things together for your UC application now: http://sfmomof3.blogspot.com/2011/08/start-getting-things-together-for-your.html]

Leadership:  In your UC application, you will have 5 spaces to list the following topics: Volunteer & Community Service; Work Experience; Awards & Honors and Extracurricular Activities. Within one of them, you should have leadership experience. By leadership experience, a strong application demonstrates your ability to lead, take charge, and manage others--any experience that demonstrates “Individual positions of significant responsibility.”

If you are a President (or other senior officer), Founder or co-founder, Editor, Board of Directors, Team Captain, CEO, soloist, lead acting role, concertmaster, composer producer, director, choreographer, section leader, tutor or student member of any Board, Youth Advisory Board, Youth Commissioner, Eagle Scout—you must put this down on your application. This is what the UCs want to see which will strengthen your application for admission. They want to admit students who have leadership and significant responsibility experience because those types of students tend to contribute to their university. How can you benefit the university as opposed to how can the university benefit you?

Note that if you are President of a club, they look for major activities.”Major” activities include leadership in CSF, NHS, ROTC, 4-H, Kiwanis/Key Club etc. Pop-culture and other social groups or organizations such as the anime club, hip-hop club, pep club, chess club are not considered major activities even if the applicant was President. However, if the applicant was founder of the club, it may be considered a major activity.

Commitment: UCs look for “sustained participation (more than a year) in a major organization or group such as: Yearbook, school newspaper, Science Olympiad, Mock Trial, Speech and Debate, Model UN, National Forensics League, youth symphony, visual art exhibit, published author or participation in an adult organization or endeavor (i.e. adult symphony, professional actor), etc.

When listing your Volunteer and Community Service, they want to see how long you have worked with that cause. They don’t like to see a one-time blood drive you just did, or a one-time walk-a-thon, they want to see how long and dedicated you have been to this service.

Passion: In addition to commitment, they want to see your passion. What was the drive that made you want to do this? Where did you get this inner strength and personal interest to pursue this? Why is this relevant to you? [My son was a successful bone marrow transplant patient. And since 9th grade, he has been on the testimony circuit speaking to organizations of the need for more bone marrow donor registrants, using his personal experience as part of his testimony, which explained his passion for this cause.]

Leadership, Commitment and Passion can be either listed under the categories in your UC application or addressed in your personal essay.

Seniors, make sure you list the information above. Juniors, now’s the time to think about “running” for President of a club or student government next year, or getting more involved. UCs don’t like to see a bunch of last-minute extra curricular, volunteer activities right before college apps are due; they will ask how many years, hours and weeks you have been involved. And you don’t want it to look as if there was no long-term commitment and passion.

For an article, which addressed community service in your college apps, click here: http://www.dosomething.org/news/how-important-community-service-college-admissions

SF Mom3 Personal Experience of Cal Move-In Day

Moms,
It wasn't that bad. There may be a bit of heart-pounding for all when you drive into campus, but once your child settles in, your job is done.

We taught them how to walk. Now they must fly.

P.S. It's been 2 days, he's having a blast.