PowerPoint Presentation

Presented byGlendie Domingo, AACE AdvisorOctober 23, 2013

This presentation is intended to assist students complete the UC online application in a easy, worry-free way. While the application is designed for ease of use, this presentation will provide a few basic tips to make the process go as smooth as possible.1

Student PreparationStart earlyResearch campuses /majors; apply broadlyGet feedback on your personal statementCheck your email often

We advise students to start early as there are a lot of important decisions to make in the application process such as which campuses and majors to apply to.The personal statement prompts remain unchanged from last year and available now if your students want to start composing their responses.Have students use an email that will be checked often so reminders and special requests are not missed.

You should also download the Quick Start Guide on How to Apply on our website. The link is available at the end of this presentation.2

Freshman TimelineDateTaskOctober 1Application opens for fall admissionNovember 1 30Submit your UC applicationEarly January Update December test scoresMarch 1 31Notification of admission decisionMay 1Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) deadlineJuly 1Final transcript deadlineHere is this years timeline which is the same as last year with the exception of the final transcript deadline which has moved up to July 1.Also note that Thanksgiving comes late this year (Nov. 28) so for students who may be traveling during this holiday, its a good idea to complete the application before then. The UC Application Center will be open extended hours the last week of November but CLOSED on Thanksgiving Day.3

Getting Started

ALL first-time applicants start hereThe filing deadline for fall 2014 is 11:59 p.m. PST Nov. 30, 2013.

APPLY HERE: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/applyHow to get started.This is a screen shot of our log in page.First, students will need an email account. And it must be a unique account. So if a brother or sister applied last year using the family email, it wont work or it will look like that person is re-applying.Choose a strong password that isnt shared with anyone.Set the password retrieval question as something that is memorable but not something others can easily guess like, Whats my dogs name?Once the account is successfully created, a welcome email is sent to the applicant. If you dont receive the email, check your spam folder for an email from the UC Application Center.4

Term and Level

Selecting the right Term and LevelMake sure the application is for fall 2014. If students started before Oct.1, they may have selected a different application term. If they did choose the wrong term, theyll need to start over after Oct. 1.

Applicants still in high school, regardless how many transfer or AP credits theyll have going into college, still apply as freshmen.If applicants are enrolled in an Early or Middle College high school program earning college credits and maybe even an Associate degree, they still apply as a freshman.

Once a student has graduated from high school and has enrolled in a college or university, he/she becomes a transfer applicant unless the enrollment is during the summer right after high school.

5

NavigatingUse the progress bar above to navigateUse sections on the right for guidanceUse buttons below to move from page to pageNote my uc application, help, and sign out

We recommend completing the application in the order it is presented.But once you have completed the first section (Start), you can use the Progress Bar below the blue banner above to jump around. The orange highlighted section is the one you are on, Light grey sections have not been visited. The darker grey sections have been visited but not necessarily completed.Look at the box on the right to preview whats in the section and review the commonly asked questions. Use the buttons on the bottom of the page to go back to the previous screen or forward to the next screen of the application. Students should not use their browsers navigation buttons which are outside of the application. Each time you move to a different page, your data will be saved and if you sign out, your data is automatically saved.For security, there is a 30 minute time-out so if there is no movement after 30 minutes of landing on a page, the application will time out and you may lose information.In the top right corner, you can jump to your account information to update your e-mail, password, name, and DOB my uc application.HELP provides information for the Help Desk.6

Error Messages

Its possible you will never see this message, but if you do, dont worry. Just follow the messaging on the page.

If you make an error or leave something blank that should be filled in, the application will let you know. It cant, however, catch typos so you will still need to carefully review the information at the end of each section and before the final submission.

7

The Basics

The basic information collected in our application includes valid mailing address information.

Surprisingly, we have hundreds of students each year who do not know how to fill out a mailing address so this year weve developed a graphic of an envelope to help them see how we will use what they enter in the address fields.

8

More BasicsWe are also asking students to indicate if their phone number is a cell phone or mobile number and if so, to authorize the receipt of text messages. Some campuses are interested in trying this more immediate method of communication in addition to the standard email. But having text messaging is not a requirement.9

ResidencyWe dont have different applications for Californians and non-Californians and we dont ask applicants if they are a resident of CA. What we do is ask a series of questions about high school attended and length of time in CA and the responses will determine how the applicant is reviewed for admission purposes.

The first question helps us determine who might be eligible for AB540 and/or CA Dream Act benefits. The actual decision on eligibility for benefits resides with the campus registrars office. But by answering yes to this question, an undocumented student can be eligible for an application fee waiver assuming the household income and family size qualifies the student for that benefit. Ill explain more about fee waivers towards the end of the presentation.10

CitizenshipStudents must make a selection under country of citizenship whether U.S. or another country. Non-U.S. citizens will indicate their status as legal U.S. permanent resident or non-Immigrant with a valid visa.

For undocumented students including students with Deferred Action/DACA* status, the recommendation for country of citizenship is No Selection.

Students with a social security number are required by the IRS to provide it, but applicants without one should leave this field blank. DACA status students should not enter their ITIN or SSN issued for work authoriztion for this field as there may be adverse consequences downstream after the admission process.

*DACA- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It does not confer lawful status but prevents low priority individuals from being placed into removal proceedings or removed from the United States. Individuals are eligible for a work permit and are issued an SSN.11

Choosing a Major

Click to expand the list of majors Student will choose which campuses to apply to. For each campus, students select a major of interest and an alternate major if available. A few campuses do not have the alternate major option.

Most majors will be open to freshmen for fall 2014 admission in October/November. If the page shows most majors closed, this may be an indication that the term or level selected at the beginning of the application is incorrect or that the application filing period is closed.

Also note, there may be comments or special instructions if you hover or mouse-over a major or department.

Some majors will require a supplemental application, portfolio or audition. If one of these majors is selected, be sure to follow the campus instructions and meet all deadlines.12

Ranking San Diego Colleges

You must click here before ranking the collegesRank order does NOT affect chances of admission.Applicants to UC San Diego must rank the residential colleges in the order of preference to have the best choice of assignment upon enrollment.

In order to see the college choices, applicants need to click on the link the Learn about UCSD colleges which opens up a page in a new window which explains the philosophy behind each college.

Rankings do not affect admission to the major or the campus.13

Scholarships

Review and select up to 16 scholarships that match your characteristics, interests, and background!There are about 250 scholarships available to students with particular backgrounds or career goals.

Open each category and read through the list, selecting any that are applicable. Up to 16 selections are allowed.

Research other campus-based scholarships in the link provided at the bottom of the page.14

About YouIn the About You section, we ask about parents educational level and family income. This information is used to better understand the family situation and does not have any bearing on financial aid determinations.If a student is applying for a fee waiver or interested in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), the income information is required.

And unlike CSU, there is no separate application for EOP participation.15

7th and 8th Grade Courses

Now we are entering the section on Academic History. If students took advanced math such as algebra or geometry, or a language other than English in middle school and received a C or better in these courses, they will count toward the a-g requirement.

A transcript from middle school is NOT required.16

High Schools Attended

For all high schools attended, applicants will need to provide the dates of attendance and other information such as magnet program participation, grading system and the term system. Once this information is added, all the school information will appear in a table for review and editing.17

HS Courses & Grades

Courses are selected or entered by grade level beginning with the ninth grade.For schools with approved a-g courses lists, the courses are available for selection.

Include courses that were later repeated with D or F grades.If you attended more than one school, make sure courses are entered under the correct school.18

HS Courses & Grades

If the school has no UC approved course list or courses are not on the list, they can be self-entered.Check the box that says I dont see all of my courses, which will open up a table for entering courses.For each course, select the subject area.Enter the course name.Select the honors type: AP, IB, UC or Not HonorsEnter grades earned. This example is a one semester course taken in the first term so the second grade is No Course. There is a key available on the page for the Honors and grade abbreviations.19

College Courses Taken in HS

College-level courses taken while in high school are entered separately under the college name.

Enter the school information as you did with the high schools attended. If the college is a CCC, the transferable courses from ASSIST are presented.Expand the departments to display transferable courses.Select the course.Enter the grade(s) earned.Select the a-g subject area.If the school is not a CCC or the course is not transferable to UC, you can self-enter the course as demonstrated in the high school section.20

Academic History Comments

At the end of the Academic History section, students can use the Additional Comments space to explain unusual circumstances about a course, grade, or about the school. For example, a statement about using an SAT subject test to satisfy the LOTE requirement is appropriate here.

The comments are limited to 550 characters. Longer explanations may be provided after the Personal Statements where more space is provided.21

Activities and Awards

Choose up to 5 of your most meaningful experiences for each category.Non a-g CourseworkEducational Preparation ProgramsCommunity ServiceWork ExperienceAwards & HonorsExtra Curricular ActivitiesFor freshman applicants, there are six categories of Activities and Awards, each limited to five entries.Non a-g CourseworkEducational Preparation ProgramsCommunity ServiceWork ExperienceAwards & HonorsExtra Curricular ActivitiesEnter details about each activity.Choose experiences that have meaning, illustrate interests, and/or demonstrate leadership.Students should not exaggerate or make things up because this section is subject to verification, and if a student is unable to provide proof of the statement, the application will be cancelled.

22

Test ScoresSelf-report your scores here and order official scores to be sent to at least one UC campus.Applicants need to take the ACT w/Writing or the SAT no later than the December administration so that scores can be used in the admission review.

For the ACT, weve added a new field to collect the individual writing score. The reason for this is we found students were incorrectly providing this score, which is on a 2-12 scale, instead of the Combined English Writing score which is the one UC wants. The writing subscore wont be used but will help us get the correct Combined score that we want and need.

If tests are taken more than once, enter the single test date and with the highest total score.

Have official scores sent to any UC campus and all campuses will receive them but they must be ordered no later than December to be included in the admission review.23

Test ScoresIn addition to the ACT or SAT, this section is where students also report results of AP, IB, SAT Subject test, and TOEFL if applicable.We have added a new section for international students to report their national or external examinations. Just like AP, IB, and TOEFL, if the exam is not applicable to the student, just click through the section.24

The Personal Statement 2 Prompts applicant must address both

1,000 word total or less

View as a personal interview on paper

Compose responses outside of the application and request feedback from teachers, counselors, parents and/or friends

Paste your responses in plain textThe personal statement prompts are the same as last year.There is no minimum, but we recommend that one response be about 250 words and the other closer to 750. There is a word counter for your convenience.Grammatical and spelling errors can be distracting to the reader so ask for help and submit a clean, typo-free response.

25

The Personal StatementStatement 1: Describe the world you come from for example, your family, community or school and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

Statement 2: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?

Here are the two prompts.

Remember, this is not a creative writing exercise but rather an opportunity for the reader to learn more about the applicant.Use specific, concrete examples to support the point you want to make.Decisions are not made on the personal statement alone.

26

Additional CommentsUse the space provided to describe a situation (personal or academic) that needs further explanation and not fully captured elsewhere in the application.

This is NOT a continuation of the personal statement.Students can use this space to explain a situation that may have affected their schooling but perhaps wasnt appropriate to address in the personal statement.

This section has a 550 word limit.27

Submitting the Application

Disabled until all circles are solid.The Review and Submit section has 7 steps that lead to the submission of the application.First, the application is not ready to submit unless you see all solid green circles on the right.Use the navigation buttons on the top banner to jump to the sections that need completion.Use the View Application button to see and print the entire application.28Completeness Check

For California students, the application performs a completeness check, drawing attention to any coursework or subject area deficiencies that may need attention.

The tally box on the right displays the number of courses that are missing so if all subject areas are met, expect to see zeroes after each subject.29

Releases & Signature

Students are asked to provide authorization to release information to Parents and Counselors. Without these authorizations, we are not allowed to speak to either party acting on behalf of the student so be sure to have students check these off.

Finally, the application cannot be submitted without the electronic signature and acknowledgement of the Statement of Integrity. This statement acknowledges that all information in the application is accurate and the personal statement was written by the applicant. If information such poor grades is withheld or falsification is detected, the application is subject to cancellation.30

Fees, Payment & Waivers

For domestic students, the application fee is $70 per campus. International students attending a U.S. school will also pay $70. The fee for international applicants from schools outside the U.S. is $80 per campus.Payment is required and non-refundable. Students may pay by credit card or send in a check.

If students meet the low-income criteria used to qualify for free and reduced lunch, they will qualify for an application fee waiver for up to 4 campus choices but will be responsible for payment for additional campuses.The fee waiver can only be attempted once so be sure the income information is correct before applying for the waiver.If a student is denied the online fee waiver, a written request with corrected income and family size information can be submitted to the UC Application Center. We also accept College Board and NACAC fee waivers.As a reminder, fee waivers are for U.S. citizens, permanent residents or students who have attended a CA high school for at least 3 years and do not hold a foreign visa.

31

Submit

Click here and expect thisCheck your email for a submission confirmationHow do you know if youre finished? You will be presented with a receipt showing your application ID number and an email confirmation of your submission. Print a copy of the receipt, and if paying by mail, print a copy of the payment stub to mail in with your check or fee waiver request.

32

After You Submit

What can be done after submission?If a name, email or password needs updating, go to the Account Information.New test scores from November or December can be entered and official test score receipt can be confirmed.From View Application, a copy of the application can be printed.Address changes are made in Personal Information.If campuses are still open, additional campuses can be added.Under application status, students are notified of ELC status.

If students change their schedule or fail to earn a C or better in a course, notify the campuses by sending a letter to the UC Application Center. A copy will be made available to all campuses applied to.33

UC Admissions Home Pagewww.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions

Online Applicationwww.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply

Quick Start Guide: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/apply-online/index.html

Help Deskucinfo@applyucsupport.net1-800-207-1710 (U.S. only)1-661-336-5723 (outside U.S.)

UC Application CenterP. O. Box 1432Bakersfield, CA 93302

ResourcesThank you for your attention and at this time I welcome any questions.34

Presented by Glendie Domingo, AACE Advisor

Single landing page for all users

Home of all support resources

Live social media feeds

Tabs help students navigate through the application to complete various tasks.

Left navigation menu displays main pages within the Common App.

Each page contains several sections but displays only one at a time.

Help Center displays articles relevant only to the task at hand.

Smart, dynamic questions Example below shows display for married parents.

Essay Requirements

New prompts from last yearNew instructionsText entry or cut-and-paste replaces uploadsMaximum 650 word count is enforced

The application displays a word count.

Dashboard displays an overview of theapplication status for each college on a students list.

Clicking the triangle next to a colleges name expands the view to show the status in greater detail.

My Colleges is where students go to take action ontasks specific to each college. Have to clearly identify which deadline you are applying to for each school. (i.e. Early Action, Regular Decision, Rolling Deadline, etc)Cannot Assign Recommenders until the Education section of the Common App is completely done. Need to notify Mrs. Paras at least 3 weeks so that she can do the School Report and other related materials needed from a counselor.

49

The Writing Supplement allows each college to ask short answer and essay questions. Responses can be either text entry or uploador bothdepending on the colleges preference.Things to Keep in MindApplication Deadline for UC Application is November 30. Minimum Day: Wed Nov 27Holidays: Thurs Nov 28 & Fri Nov 29Last day to get help is Tuesday November 26th No separate EOP Application for UC.SAT/ACT must be taken by December test date.Know when the deadline of your applications are! College & Career Center help is Mon-Thurs until 5PM.