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College is an exciting time, but getting there involves preparation that begins long before that first university class. Parents and students must begin early to make plans to attend the 23 California State University (CSU) campuses. Waiting until high school could be too late financially and academically to get admitted to the CSU of first choice. These annual checklists will help students, parents and school counselors prepare for a CSU education. Also, check out the CSU website, www.calstate.edu , or call (562) 951-4000 for more information.
...and Remember
Eligibility for admission for first-time freshmen is determined by an eligibility index based on the GPA earned in the last three years of high school (exclusive of P.E. and JROTC) and the scores on the SAT I or the ACT college entrance tests. Eligibility index for California residents is presented below:
|
GPA |
*2.00 |
2.20 |
2.40 |
2.60 |
2.80 |
2.99 |
**3.00 |
|
SAT I |
1300 |
1140 |
980 |
820 |
660 |
510 |
|
|
ACT |
30 |
26 |
22 |
18 |
14 |
10 |
|
*Below 2.00 not eligible
**3.00 and above eligible with any score
Note: Chico, San Diego, and San Luis Obispo require a higher eligibility index for admission. The ACT and SAT must be taken by the November test date; the San Diego campus strongly recommends and prefers that the admission test be taken no later than the October test date.
Grades in Honors Level Courses: Up to eight semesters of honors level courses taken in the last two years of high school are accepted. Each unit of "A" in an honors level course will receive a total of 5 points; "B" is 4 points; and "C" is 3 points.
6th Grade
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Visit the middle school counselor and schedule courses such as Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and foreign language classes. Find out if your school participates in the Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) to measure readiness for mathematics courses.
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Strive to maintain "A" and "B" grades in all classes.
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Begin using CSUMentor <http://www.csumentor.edu>,CSU's electronic admission and planning website, to consider college opportunities. Take a virtual campus tour. Make electronic mail connections with CSU campuses and ask specific questions.
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Attend college information day programs at your school to obtain information about CSU admission requirements. Family members should attend and then discuss the information.
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Stress the importance of a college education; go on a field trip to a CSU campus; start saving for college.
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Help your student with homework and to develop independent and critical thinking skills.
7th Grade
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Make an appointment in the fall term with school counselors and schedule classes to help students prepare for the CSU.
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Strive to maintain "A" and "B" grades in all classes, especially in Algebra I, English, and any foreign language classes.
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Attend regular meetings with your student's counselor or call the counselor at least twice a term and inquire about your student's academic progress.
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Establish an educational partnership between parent and student.
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Continue to use CSUMentor to explore CSU campuses and ask questions. Take virtual campus tours or access specific campus information by clicking on each campus web page.
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Spark a desire for a college education with your child; continue to attend College Information Days.
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Participate in academic enrichment programs offered at school and through local colleges and universities, such as the EAOP, MESA, CalSOAP, and PAD.
8th Grade
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Enroll in a mathematics and foreign language class each year in middle and high school. Courses needed are Algebra I and II/Geometry, and language classes such as Spanish, French, Italian, Latin, or German.
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Encourage students to maintain "A's" and "B's" in their classes.
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Meet with the counselor to inquire how well your student is progressing in the needed academic classes.
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Sign up to take the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test) in September of the 8th and 9th grade in preparation for the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) in high school.
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Continue to talk about opportunities within the CSU.
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Attend a "College Day" or "College Night" at your child's school.
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Continue to use CSUMentor.
9th Grade
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Attend Back-to-School Nights to find out the requirements in all classes.
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Become familiar with high school graduation requirements.
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Begin to review CSU entrance requirements.
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Develop a "Student Planner" on CSUMentor to maintain an academic portfolio of courses. This planner will help you decide the appropriate high school courses in which to enroll to meet CSU admission requirements; provide SAT and ACT test dates; and give the grade point average needed to meet current admission requirements based upon completed coursework.
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Participate in school orientation to find out about activities available in high school.
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Begin a sequential Career Orientation Program in the Career Center and classrooms.
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Turn in your student report card for California Scholarship Federation (CSF) membership. (CSF is a statewide organization that promotes academic achievement.)
10th Grade
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Continue to participate in academic enrichment programs and special summer workshops ans camps offered bt CSU campuses in music, science, engineering, writing, filmmaking, theater/language, and other subjects.
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Update the "Student Planner" on CSUMentor with completed courses from 9th grade and input 10th grade classes. Continue to take virtual campus tours of CSU campuses and access CSU campus web pages.
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Visit local CSU campuses, take tours and ask the guides about their college experiences.
11th Grade
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Check with your high school counselor to make sure you are on track to take the college preparatory requirements necessary for CSU admission.
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Maintain "A's" and "B's," which are especially important during the junior year.
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Update the "Student Planner" on CSUMentor with completed courses from 10th grade and input 11th grade classes. Take advantage of the free e-mail account available on CSUMentor and e-mail questions to CSU campuses.
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Attend college and university night programs and visit with CSU campus outreach representatives when they visit the high school.
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Continue to visit CSU campuses. Call ahead for a campus tour and presentations about academic programs, admission requirements, and financial aid. Bring student transcripts or a list of courses completed since the 9th grade.
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Register in October for the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test), a practice exam for the SAT I, which is required for several national scholarship programs, such as National Merit, National Achievement, and National Hispanic Scholarships.
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Take the PSAT. Use the results to get an idea of student strengths and the areas needed to improve in preparation for admission to CSU.
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If taking Advanced Placement subjects, register to take the AP exams in the spring. Scoring well will enable you to earn credit for college-level courses.
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Use the Diagnostic Writing Service (DWS) to have a university essay reader evaluate student writing skills and provide diagnostic statements about strengths and weaknesses.
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Start thinking about when and how often to take college entrance exams (SAT or ACT). CSUMentor can provide test dates and locations. Taking the SAT or ACT in the spring or summer will allow you to receive the results and meet with your counselor to see if you need to retake the test in the fall. Register for these exams one month in advance of the test date. Add test results to the "Student Planner" on CSUMentor.
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Prepare for the SAT I or ACT by using books and manuals with testing tips and sample questions. These can be found in bookstores, libraries, and schools, or accessed on the Internet or on CD-ROM. Attend workshops on how to prepare for these entrance exams. Financial support may be available for some workshops or for the test fee.
12th Grade
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Review class schedules with high school counselors to ensure that college preparatory requirements are being satisfied.
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Early September: Register for the SAT or ACT. The high school counselor will provide registration forms and information about fee waivers.
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Update the "Student Planner" on CSUMentor with 11th grade completed courses and input 12th grade classes. Continue to e-mail questions to CSU campus representatives.
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October: Begin the application process on CSUMentor.
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Continue to visit a shortlist of CSU campuses and meet with admission and outreach officers.
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Continue to attend college and university night programs, and visit with CSU campus outreach representatives when they visit high schools.
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Frequently check with high school counselors or career center directors for scholarships awarded by schools, local companies, and community groups. Search for this information at public libraries or on the Internet.
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November 1-30: Apply to a CSU campus during this initial admission application filing period. Some campuses may continue to accept applications after November 30.
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January: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) accessible through CSUMentor, which also provides financial aid opportunities and eligibility information and can calculate an estimated financial aid package.
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March and April: If required, take the English Placement Test (EPT) and Entry Level Math (ELM) exam at a CSU campus. A passing score in EPT or ELM is required for placement into the first college-level courses in English or mathematics.
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May: Take AP exams for any AP subjects taken in high school.
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Summer: Participate in any summer orientation programs for incoming freshmen. Obtain academic advising.
Fall: See you at the CSU!