UC and CSU App Tips

The UC and CSU applications can be a little tricky to figure out. Here are some helpful tips and resources.

When in doubt, call the help lines or talk to Ms. Valverde. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL NOV. 30TH TO FINISH AND SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATIONS. The servers tend to crash and you do not want to miss the deadline. You can also contact me if you would like me to review your application as part of my counseling services.

UC Applications: https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply-now.html

CSU Applications: https://www2.calstate.edu/apply

GPA Calculator: https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/eligibility-index (GPA Calculator)

Help Lines:

UC Application Help 800/207-1710 (925) 298-6856 for Outside the USA ucinfo@applysupport.net Nov. 23: Thanksgiving Day - Closed Nov. 24-26: 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. PST Nov. 27-30: 8 a.m. - midnight PST

CSU Application Help 800/468-6927 424/750-3939 https://help.liaisonedu.com/Cal_State_Apply_Applicant_Help_Center calstateapply@calstate.edu Nov. 21-29, 8 am – 11 pm Nov. 30, 8 am – 2 am (Dec. 1) There is an on-line Chat available at certain times

State Student ID:

Both the CSU and UC request that you enter your State Student ID if you know it. THIS ID IS NOT YOUR CCHS “Permanent ID Number” Your State ID is on the lower left corner of your transcript and is a 10-digit number

Parent Level of Education:

CSU: if your parent attended some college, whether they got a degree or not, you can enter “some college”

UC: if your parent did not graduate from a 2 or 4 year college, leave the entry as high school graduate CSU: CAASPP Results Release Statement:

Agree to release of my results: If you do not agree to this then the CSU can’t use your state testing results and you will have to take placement tests.

Name:

Unless you have officially changed your name, you must use your name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card. Nicknames, preferred name, etc. used instead of your “legal name” will not allow the CSU to put all of your academic and financial files together. Make sure to use your legal name on all college applications and forms.

Address information:

CSU: You do not have to fill in Approximate Date through which current address is valid. Please click “YES” for permanent address so they have a current mailing address.

CSU: CA Promise: https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/freshman/getting_into_the_csu/Pages/the-california-promise-program.aspx

If you are a California resident and plan to complete your degree in 4 years, say yes. It will give you priority registration for courses and an assigned advisor.

Parent Level of Education:

CSU: if your parent attended some college, whether they got a degree or not, you can enter some college

UC: if your parent did not graduate from a 2 or 4 year college, leave the entry as high school graduate

Entering Classes and Grades:

How do you know which classes to list? On the transcript, if a class has a “p” in front of it, then it is considered an eligible class in the a-g list for your school. If there is no “p” then it will not come up in the list for either CSU or the UC application. Generally, a class with a “+” is considered an honors level class.

UC: Students can list non-A-G courses under Activities and Awards. This includes AVPA, Chiron,

Health is not an a-g course, so do not enter it. This also applies to AVPA, Chirons, PE

7th-8th Grade Math and Foreign Language courses

CSU: Add these by adding the 7th or 8th grade level. Leave the identified school as your high school and the year as your 9th grade year. You don’t have the option to correct it and the CSU is not concerned about this.

UC: Add these by picking the correct grade level. There is no place to enter grades or the year taken.

Honors or AP Classes:

CSU: Under the course listing, choose Honors or AP, and both semesters. Also click on Credit Earned For: Both Fall and Spring, or only Fall or Spring for a one semester class

UC: Make sure you select the course with H or AP

Global Issues

On UC site: Global Issues is under 9th Grade College Prep Electives Enter the grade for the semester you took it, then enter NO for the other semester

On CSU: Click only on the semester you took it, and mark the other semester as “no grade”

One Semester Classes

UC: Enter the grade for the semester you took it or plan to take it, then enter NO for the other semester

CSU: Click only on the semester you took it, and choose ”No Grade” for the other term when the class was not in session

12th Grade Classes: (see Govt/Econ below)

UC: Enter IP and PL (in progress and planned) for each semester. For single semester courses: US Government, Economics, Psychology, Sociology, see note above.

CSU: Enter Progress and Planned for current and next semester.

US Government and Economics, AP US Gov. and AP Macroeconomics

Each course is a one semester course in the 12th grade year

UC: Enter AP Gov as a one semester class, put NO in the term you are not taking it in the History/Social Science area. Enter AP Macroeconomics or Economics the same way for 12th grade under College Preparatory Electives

Look under College Prep Electives if you cannot find a class.

Dual Enrollment Courses: Either at the community college or taken at the high school:

Enter the community college in your list of colleges attended while in high school. Your status is “freshman.” Get a copy of the transcript from the community college so you can list the class with its official name, course identifier, credits, and grade. You will need your community college ID information

Repeated Courses

CSU: A course is repeated if it is the same-exact course and title, enter only the highest grade for the course. Do not enter this repeated course twice. UNLESS if you are currently taking the repeated course, then enter the original grade when you took it the first time, then enter “In progress” for the current semester and “planned” for the second semester.

UC: The UC requires students to list grades for both original and repeated courses. The UC will determine which grades will be used in the UC grade calculation.

EOP: Educational Opportunity Program

EOP is available to families who qualify as socio-economically deprived. If you are eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch then you may be eligible for EOP which also allows you a fee waiver for up to 4 applications in both the CSU and UC system (4 for each system). Please check with your counselor to see if you qualify.

Demographic Information

On both the CSU and UC applications there are questions about family income, and student sexual orientation. If you do not wish to fill these out, check to see if they are voluntary and not required.

UC Personal Insight Questions

Choose 4 from the 8 available prompts. They are not looking for essays, they are looking for information. None of the insight questions gets more credit than another. Try to answer questions that show different aspects of your strengths as well as personal and academic development and community involvement. Check out this blog post: http://www.getsmartforcollege.com/post/2016/11/17/uc-personal-insight-questions

Write your answers in a Word program, then cut and paste into the application. Double and triple check your grammar and spelling.

Watch your word count

Make sure to answer ALL parts of the prompt.

Use the resources: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/personal-questions/freshman/index.html