COUNSELING CORNER

Greetings from your CVCS Counseling Department! We are looking forward to working with you this year and helping you with high school graduation, college and career exploration, taking college classes while in high school, and anything else we can support you in reaching your post-graduation plans.Our newsletter will be sent to your school email quarterly, and will always be posted to the website. We hope you find this information helpful! You can reach us via phone, email, or make a Zoom appointment. You will find our contact info at the end of this newsletter. We hope to meet you soon!

Interested in taking a college class while in high school? Colleges are starting their Spring 2025 registration process in October.

• Start here: The CVCS Guide to Concurrent Enrollment Programs includes live links to everything needed to register!

• See the Important Dates document link for individual colleges’ registration deadlines. The Counseling team will update as information becomes available.

• Check colleges’ Class Schedule to see Spring offerings and colleges’ CE Guide for the specific college courses that fulfill high school graduation requirements.

• Don't know which class to take?

• Check this Recommended First College Classes
• Review the Dual/Concurrent Enrollment sample IGP that shows how college courses can meet high school graduation and AG requirements

Join us for a live Concurrent Enrollment Information Session presented by the CVCS Counseling Team! Wednesday, October 16th at 6pm Slides with recording link

Join us for live information sessions offered this Fall! Links to the slides and recording will be made available here after the session.

• Taking college classes in high school (Concurrent Enrollment)
  
• Wednesday October 16th at 6pm Slides with recording link
• Scholarships
  
• Tuesday October 22nd at 6pm Slides with recording link
• Financial Aid and the FAFSA and CADAA
• Wednesday November 13th at 6pm Slides with recording link

Bulldog Bound is a great way to become familiar with Fresno State and the college process in general! Fresno State Bulldog Bound ensures that qualified students have a clear, tangible path to a college by supporting students and their families with admission preparation as early as ninth grade.

Register for the next information session happening on September 30th at 5pm to find out more!

College doesn't just mean a 4-year university. Our California Community College system can prepare you for the world of work by earning a short-term certificate for a specific job, an AA (2-year degree) in a specialized field, or transferring to a university to continue your education. The more education you get after high school, the more likely you are to be employed and earn more money in your lifetime. The first step in planning life after high school is to figure out what your interests are and what kind of careers match those interests. Keep reading...

Our high schools are happy to announce the availability of CaliforniaColleges.edu for College & Career Exploration. This platform provides the tools to match student interests and skills to college and career opportunities. Take career assessments and use search tools to develop college, major, and career lists, write goals and journals, track activities, and read and complete lessons on all things college, career, and financial aid! You can also launch Cal State Apply, CCCApply, and your financial aid application right from their account! It's a one-stop-shop for planning your future! Student login information was sent to the student's school-based email. You will be reminded to complete this step during your LP3 meeting as well as complete one or more Career Interest Inventories. Please click on the flyer for links to resources on how to register as well as how to use the tools.

UPDATE: it has come to our attention that not all CVCS students have been able to register for a CaliforniaCollege.edu account. Unfortunately this is due to a state wide rollout of the platform. All CVCS students will have access to CaliforniaCollege.edu in 2025-2026 when we become a partner district. If you were unable to register for an account, please use the following sites for college and career exploration:

Building your college list? Want to find out more info before deciding where to apply?

Check out these events below..

College Expos

Central California College Fair (online)

Christian Colleges Fair

WACAC College Fairs

NACAC College Fairs

UC campus fall events for prospective students

Campuses may offer a range of opportunities, including college fairs, appointments, admissions sessions, tours and videos on admission, housing and/or financial aid and scholarships. Some will be hosted in person, while others will be offered virtually. Programming for counselors, students and families will be available.

UC Berkeley: Open House Sat November 2nd; programming throughout September and October

UC Davis: Open House events throughout October

UC Irvine: Discover UCI October 19

UCLA: Open House October 14

UC Merced: Programming in October

UC Riverside: Discover UCR October 5

UC San Diego: Fall Showcase October 5

UC Santa Barbara: Programming throughout October and November

UC Santa Cruz: Open House November 2

CSU Campus Events for Prospective Students

CSU Monterey Bay Open House

October 5, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Immerse yourself in college life and learn more about transitioning to college for the first time. Dive into a catered academic showcase, explore first-year residence halls and experience our vibrant student life.

CSU Stanislaus -Warrior Expo 2024

Saturday, October 19, 2024

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Stan State - Turlock Campus

Join prospective and current students, families, friends and esteemed alumni come together to immerse themselves in the true Warrior experience. Whether you’re curious about our academic programs, looking for financial aid advice, or excited to experience campus life, Warrior Expo is your chance to see it all firsthand.

Community Colleges Career and Technical Education Programs

Look for your area of interest here or watch videos from some area community colleges's programs:

• Fresno City College video Tech & Trades Police Academy
  
• Clovis Community College Mechatronics Wastewater Treatment Occupational Therapy
• Madera Community College Truck Driving Speech Pathology Assistant
• Merced College video Radiologic Tech Auto Technology Welding Tech
• Monterey Peninsula video Ready to Work program with an emphasis on Hospitality.
• Reedley College Wildland Fire Program Flight Science Program Forestry
• College of the Sequoias video Cosmetology Landscape Design Industrial Automation
• Porterville College CTE programs
• Bakersfield College ASL Interpreter Commercial Music Hospitality Management

Serving 486,000 students across 23 campuses, the California State University system plays an integral role in transforming the state and the lives of its people through higher education. The CSU is the largest and one of the most affordable university systems in the U.S! 21 of 23 campuses are Hispanic Serving Institutions and the CSU confers more than half of undergraduate degrees earned by California’s Latinx, African American and Native American students.

CSU Fresno is located in the heart of the Central Valley. The most popular majors at California State University--Fresno include: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Health Professions and Related Programs; Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities; Psychology; Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services; Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields; Social Sciences; Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology; Engineering; and Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs. You can request an in-person campus tour or visit virtually here.

The University of California is a public research system founded on a bold idea: All students should have a shot at a world-class education. Each campus ranks among the best in the world! UC undergraduates come from all over California, the United States, and the world!

Did you know we have a UC campus right in our own Central Valley backyard? Yes, it's UC Merced! Check out their page for events to learn more about UC Merced, UC application tips, Financial Aid, tours (in-person and virtual), and more!

Did you know you don't have to be a senior to search for scholarships? You can start now! Join Going Merry for YVCS or MRA to create a profile and get a personalized list of scholarships. It's free, safe, and used by school districts across the country!

CalKIDS is a California children’s savings account program that offers ALL newborns and eligible low-income public school students in California between $25 and $1,500 to start saving for college and career training. Families are encouraged to build on this investment by opening and contributing to a ScholarShare 529 account of their own and see their college savings balances all in one place. Visit www.calkids.org today to learn more about eligibility, registering for the program, and getting started on your savings!

Open to current high school juniors and seniors for flight training and seniors for aircraft mechanics.

Deadline is October 1st, 2024. Apply here!

The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test for 10th and 11th graders is a standardized test administered by the College Board during the month of OCTOBER. While optional, the PSAT/NMSQT can qualify you for the National Merit Scholarship Program and other scholarships. Find out more here.

Central Valley Charter Schools do not provide a testing site, however, some local private and public charter schools have allowed our students to test with them in the past. Find a school here.

Email your interest along with the student's first and last name, and grade level. The test fee is $18. It is required that the students have a student ID to identify them on the test day.

While UC (University of California), CSU (California State University), and many private colleges are not requiring the SAT or ACT for admission, some colleges may use scores for placement and some scholarships may request scores with applications. Please research whether the SAT or ACT will benefit you!

• Check here to see if your school requires test scores.
• Click here for information about Fee Waivers.
• Go here for free SAT prep from the College Board and Khan Academy or here for free SAT Bootcamps through Schoolhouse!

See our Important Dates Calendar here for the full 2024-2025 calendar

October 18, 2024

Registration deadline for November 2, 2024 SAT

Students who wish to apply to 4-year colleges or universities that require an SAT or ACT will need to register. Late registration deadline: October 22, 2024.

• Registration Website: SAT Registration | Coll Board

• Practice Exams: Free Official SAT Practice Tests | College Board

• SAT vs. ACT: SAT vs ACT: Which Test is Right for You?

October 26, 2024

Test Day: ACT

Students must bring an admission ticket, an acceptable photo ID, two No. 2 pencils with erasers, and an approved calculator.

• Test Day Checklist: ACT Test Day - The ACT Test

November 2, 2024

Test Day: SAT

Students must bring an admission ticket, an acceptable photo ID, two No. 2 pencils with erasers, and an approved calculator.

• SAT Test Day Checklist | SAT Suite of Assessments – The College Board

November 8, 2024

Registration deadline for December 14 ACT

Students who wish to apply to 4-year colleges or universities that require an SAT or ACT will need to register. Late registration deadline: November 22, 2024.

• Registration - The ACT Test

• Practice Exams: ACT Test Preparation - The ACT Test

• SAT vs. ACT: SAT vs ACT: Which Test is Right for You?

November 22, 2024

Registration deadline for December 7, 2024 SAT

Students who wish to apply to 4-year colleges or universities that require an SAT or ACT will need to register. Late registration deadline: November 26, 2024.

• Registration Website: SAT Registration | College Board

• Practice Exams: Free Official SAT Practice Tests | College Board

• SAT vs. ACT: SAT vs ACT: Which Test is Right for You?

December 7, 2024

Test Day: SAT

Students must bring an admission ticket, an acceptable photo ID, two No. 2 pencils with erasers, and an approved calculator.

• SAT Test Day Checklist | SAT Suite of Assessments – The College Board

High School Counselor

Last Names A-L

carmen.marroquin@centralvcs.org

(209) 720-7177

Schedule an appointment

High School Counselor

Last Names M-Z

yessenia.medina@centralvcs.org

209-720-7577

Schedule an appointment