Part A - Know the required college prep courses and meet with your counselor to create a 4-Yr plan.
Going directly to a 4-Yr university
UC/CSU A-G required courses (must have a C or better in all) A. History/Social Science, 2 years required B. English, 4 years required C. Mathematics, 3 years required, 4 years recommended D. Laboratory Science, 2 years required, 3 years recommended E. Language other than English, 2 years required, 3 years recommended F. Visual and Performing Arts, 1 year required G. College Preparatory Elective, 1 year required
Starting at a community college and transferring to a 4-Yr university
If you intend to begin your college experience at a community college, plan to complete the UC/CSU course sequence. Doing this will help you avoid remedial community college courses that do not transfer to four year colleges.
Attending a community college and getting a certificate
Collegiate Athletics
Freshman Year - Work with your counselor to create a HS Course Sequence Plan. Check the NCAA List of Approved Core Courses to ensure minimum eligibility (DC's school code is 050915).
Sophomore Year - Review your transcript and make any necessary adjustments to the 4-yr plan.
Junior Year - Take the SAT or ACT in the spring. Register for the NCAA Clearinghouse at the end of the year
Senior - retake the SAT or ACT as necessary. Request from the school registrar that your transcript be sent to the NCAA Clearinghouse.
NCAA Clearinghouse - information on NCAA eligibility. This is a new website. If you registered last year as a junior you will need to transfer your information to this link.
All colleges and universities require either the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT. The University of California and some selective independent universities also require two SAT Subject Tests. **Beginning with the HS class of 2012 students will not be required to take the Subject tests for general UC admittance (some specific majors at specific UC's may still want to see them).
You should begin taking these exams in the spring of your junior year. All testing must be concluded by December of your senior year.
You can register for these exams online at the following sites:
Colleges prefer online applications. November 30th is the deadline for the UC and the CSU system. Independent colleges set their own deadlines, which run from November 30th to February 15th.
Writing the Personal Statement or essays Tips on writing your personal statement UC Personal Statement Workshop - October 20 at 3pm in the DC library Workshop Handout
See the financial aid webpage for deadlines, definitions, and important links.
Financial Aid Workshop - a guest speaker formerly of the California Student Aid Commission will be at DC to answer all your questions - Tuesday, January 5th, in the ACC from 6:30-8pm
Choosing your College
Colleges send out their letters of admission in the spring. May first is the most common deadline for students to accept one of the offers of admission.
All admission decisions are conditional on the successful completion of your senior year. Colleges may rescind admission to students who earn low grades in college preparatory classes during their senior year.
Filling out the application
