Senior College & Career Newsletter

Scroll through for important information regarding College/Career

How to reach us?

For general questions and inquiries please email (Please do not use the link at the bottom of this Newsletter to contact us)

Ms Ignaitis: tignaitis@seq.org

All HCA, Study Skills Students and Last names A-L

and/or

Ms Yeager: tyeager@seq.org

All DAA, ELD Students and Last names M-Z

UPCOMING EVENTS/DUE DATES:

Nov 6 - Senior Financial Aid Night (more info to come)

Nov 8- Last day to turn in SR/LOR Form for Common App Schools

OCT 24 - Counselor SR/LOR Session - see below

There will be several mandatory school report/ letter of recommendation make-up workshops. If you are a senior that needs a SR/LOR for regular admissions deadlines, and did not attend a workshop in September, you are required to attend one of these workshops to review the process and receive the required form. *It is too late to request a SR/LOR for early admissions deadlines (early deadlines= Oct 15-Dec 15th).

October 24th

FLEX- Tea Garden Room (next to SAC), under teacher Perez, Melissa

Lunch- Room 128

The counseling office is looking for reliable clerks for 3rd and 4th period. Being a clerk for the counseling office includes helping deliver passes, doing minor clerical work, and helping welcome new transfer students to Sequoia. This is an opportunity to be a leader and also earn elective credit. Visit the counseling office in room 104 if you are interested!

Students completing Edgenuity credit recovery online courses for graduation and/or UC/CSU A-G requirements are required to take unit tests and cumulative tests in the Edgenuity lab in-person. The lab is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4pm-6pm in Room B-8 with Mr. Calles. The deadline for seniors is May 30, 2025.

HOW TO SIGN UP - NEED HELP

How To Video - Sign Up for a College Visit at Sequoia

If you get the email below with the subject Visit Reminder, that is not confirmation that you are signed up for a college visit, it is an invitation to go to Naviance and sign-up.

University of Redlands

Mon Oct 21

8:30 AM

Claremont McKenna College

Mon Oct 21

9:15 AM

Scripps College

Tue Oct 29

11:15 AM

Montana State University

Tue Nov 12

11:15 AM

October 24: Ask Us Anything: College Applications. 8 p.m. ET

We’re calling all seniors to join us for this panel discussion to get application tips from admissions counselors. Featuring: Clark University, Syracuse University, Texas Christian University, and Vanderbilt University.

Register →

The UW application for freshman admission is open! Students may apply using one of two applications — ApplyWeb or the Common App. However, we ask that only one application is submitted for each student. There is no preference of application platform. The applications contain the same questions and undergo the same review process.

Just as a reminder, the freshman application closes November 15, 2024. Students will be notified of their decision March 1–15, 2025.

Questions about the application process? Visit our website or join a webinar for answers.

American Universities Abroad is a group of private American Universities located outside of the United States. AUA Universities are US regionally accredited, non-profit, and operate on US academic credit systems.

All members participate in US Federal Financial Aid along with institutional aid. AUA members encourage international perspectives and global education. Students attending AUA institutions engage in global issues, experimental learning, travel and cross-cultural exchange with an emphasis on global citizenship.

If you are stressed about applying to college and/or you just need some guidance, there are multiple ways to receive help at Sequoia.

FLEX Time - All College and Career Flex Times are for Seniors Applying to 4 Year Colleges through November

Individual Appointments with Ms Ignaitis (A-L) and Ms Yeager (M-Z)

• Come in to sign-up

Process of Submitting Application and School Documents

Student Side of the Process

You submit your documents INDEPENDENTLY of your counselor and teachers– when you are ready to submit an application you do not have to wait for the school!

IF we send documents and you decide not to submit an application, it is okay, they discard if not matched.

Do Not Worry About Teachers Completing LORs on Time.

Where it might be to your advantage to submit earlier than the due date, it is not necessary for our staff to complete their letters of recommendation earlier than the due date listed on Naviance. We take the completion of these documents very seriously!

If close to the deadline, after checking that they are not submitted, a gentle reminder email is appropriate (but understand a lot of teachers submit on the deadline)

University of Texas - Teacher/Counselor documents due Oct 23

University of Georgia - Teacher/Counselor documents due Oct 29

Clemson - Teacher/Counselor documents due Nov 1

Below in University of North Carolina -Chapel Hill - Teacher/Counselor documents due Dec 1

The only transcripts that need to be requested AT THIS TIME are for OUT OF STATE public colleges that are not on Common App and some Non Common App private colleges that do not require a school report or LOR

If you need a transcript sent AT THIS TIME, request on Naviance - Colleges I’m Applying To

*There is a five school day turn around for the Guidance Department to send transcripts.

You DO NOT REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS FOR:

1. UC/CSU - Not required with your application

2. ANY College Listed on your School Report/LOR Form- They will be sent automatically by your counselor with your school report

Always Check School’s Website - Example University of Washington

The Guidance Department is CANCELING all requests for Common App, UC and CSU at this time!

Deadline to Turn in SR/LOR Form is Nov 8 for college deadlines AFTER Dec 15th that require letters of recommendation.

Some Guidelines to Help:

If it is a Common App College exclusive school, YES

If it is a California Public College (CSU/UC), NO

If it is a Coalition College that needs a school report (SR) and LORs, YES

Univ of Washington does not require SR or LOR

Univ of Texas does not require SR but LOR are optional

If it is a Private College with its own application that needs a school report (SR) AND letters of recommendation (LOR), YES

Out of State Public Colleges, VARIES (Read Below)

Sometimes the school asks for LORs that do not go through Naviance (teachers will be sent a link) if this is the case, NO

Seniors, it is your responsibility to do the research and find out the APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS for each college you're thinking of applying to this fall.

Launching your UC and CSU applications on CaliforniaColleges.edu is an efficient way to enter your coursework accurately.

It is VERY important to carefully go through each grade level and check each course and make sure they are correct against your transcript.

Because it is a new system, there are some quirks we have noticed.

1. If you took an IB Math Prep course, it is listed as Common Core Math.

1. You need to add the course from the Drop Down menu (do not write in your course)and then remove the Common Core Math course.

2. If you took IB Spanish SL, it is coming up Spanish IV

1. You need to add the course from the Drop Down menu (do not write in your course)and then remove the Spanish IV course.

3. PE Dance - check to make sure it is a Quarter course.

You need to change your graduation date to June 2025

1. All of your senior year courses, state NO COURSE for the 2nd Semester

1. You need to change those courses to PLANNED, if it is a yearlong course. (English, Math, History, World Languages, for example)

2. If you are taking American Government, it is only a semester SO leave the No Course AND you have to ADD Economics-P from Drop Down (No Course 1st Sem and PLANNED second semester)

What if a course is Missing (are you taking an Edgenuity course?)

1. You can add it - BUT - DO NOT write in a course or check - I do not see my course

1. ONLY use the Drop Down

PLEASE GET Your Courses Check - Come into the College and Career Center at lunch or flex

Watch the videos below for information about how to link California Colleges and CSU Apply so your classes will be imported to your application.

Video #1 and Video #2

Common Issues:

• Need to change graduation and end date at Sequoia to June 2025

• The IB Math Applications and Analysis Prep courses are loading incorrectly as CA-Common Core Algebra II, hit the edit button next to the course and change to your course.

Additional CSU application notes:

1. If you took Algebra, Geometry, Spanish I or French I in 8th grade, don't forget to add them under 8th grade on the CSU application. For grades, you will list pass, pass.

2. If you took Spanish II/III ICAP or any class that was two years of a subject in one year, relist the course for that school year and put your grades in as pass, pass.

The most important change this year is that students can "Launch" their applications from the Californiacolleges.edu website - ALL your courses load on to CSU Application

Most students created an account during a visit to College and Career Center in your social studies class. You need to use your seq.or email (sign on with Google not username and password). Use this worksheet to prepare to apply. Below is a checklist from CSU

One of the first steps of your CSU application asks you to choose a major or program. Use the Impacted Majors list to figure out which majors are impacted and use the Supplemental Factors by Campus list to see what additional criteria is used to admit those majors.

Good news, 18 out of the 23 CSU Campuses accept students who meet the minimum requirements in most of their programs.

Go here to check out the CSU campuses offering preview days in the next month.

UC Application Support - UCSB is here to help! Encourage your senior students seeking UC application support to register for our UC application virtual workshops that focus on providing guidance on the Personal Insight Questions and Activities & Awards sections of the UC application.

College of Engineering Overview - Do you have students wondering about our admission selection into engineering or computer science? Encourage them to join our virtual presentations on October 22 at 6pm PT, or November 19 at 4pm PT.

View all Virtual Freshman Events

If you have students applying to music or dance, they are required to register for an audition in January/February. Also, any applicant to a major in the College of Creative Studies (CCS) will need to submit their UC application and a CCS supplemental application. The CCS supplement deadline is January 6, 2025.

1. UCI majors quiz

2. All UCs search

3. Know that within a field of study, like psychology, there are three different ways to study it (at UC Irvine)

Here is a tutorial for launching the UC App via CaliforniaColleges.edu

Things to note for Sequoia specifically:

• Update your graduation date and end date for Sequoia to June 2025, it defaults to Dec 2024.

• 9th grade history/social science will only have one semester of Ethnic Studies when you import your grades, that is correct.

• Use your transcript to check that all of your A-G Courses are listed correctly by selecting the edit function for each grade level to confirm.

• 12th grade courses will import as IP (in-progress) for first semester but you need to switch second semester to PL (planned).

• American Government should be IP first semester and NO for second semester.

• Add Economics-P as NO first semester and PL for second semester.

This page has great resources for many of the platform's functions: https://cacollegeguidance.org/resourcehub/tutorials/ -Students would reference the partner account tutorials

Each UC is Different Comprehensive Review at the UCs (From the UC Freshmen Selection Document)

THIS IS IMPORTANT RESEARCH - What you check can depend if you are admitted.

From UC Conference 2024

What are Selective Majors?

• Can’t take all applications
• Have to go beyond minimum requirements
• General interest in subject area - Both in and out of the classroom

Look at EACH college you are applying to

They all use different terms for Selective Majors

• Selective - Merced, Irvine, Davis, Riverside, UCLA, UCSB
• Screening - UCSC
• High Demand - Berkeley
• Capped - UCSD

Review the document below to check out what universities admit by major, factors considered in comprehensive review, freshman admissions profiles and specific policies for each campus.

Quick Reference Guide to UC Admissions Selection Process 2024

When the UC Application asks for SSID# they are asking for your State ID from the top left of your transcript

The UC Application will ask multiple questions about whether you attended and will graduate from a California high school. Additionally, you will be asked “Do you want to be evaluated for California residency for tuition purposes?” ANSWER YES TO THIS QUESTION IF YOU DON’T WANT TO PAY OUT OF STATE TUITION.

From UC: The UC application for fall 2025 opened. UC encourages students to spend ample time on their application, developing each section to reflect the accomplishments, challenges, opportunities and talents of each student within their own family, school and community context.

The UC application provides built-in help and support throughout each section of the application. Applicants can view answers to their commonly asked questions on each page of the application by clicking ‘Help’ on the top navigation bar or by clicking on the blue ‘i’ icons seen throughout the application. Students needing further assistance can contact the UC Application Center via phone or email. The center is available Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. (Pacific Time).

• (800) 207-1710 (within the U.S.)

• (925) 298-6856 (outside the U.S.)

• ucinfo@applyucsupport.net (email)

Click HERE for the How to Apply webpage on the UC website

For the colleges that allow “Other Recommenders” you must do those requests in the Common Application, they do not go through Naviance. Other Recommenders can include a coach, community member, etc. To see if a college on your list allows one, go to the My Colleges tab, and then go to FERPA and Recommenders

• How to request "Other Recommender" Letter on Common App and Naviance

As you complete your application, you will see as you add colleges that some require you to input your grades and some do not. See below for image of what it looks like in the application. After you submit, some colleges also require you to submit Self-Reported Grades in their portals. Come to flex sessions if you need help completing these steps. See the Common App How To Videos for more help.

For the Education – Grades Section of the Common Application

• Class Rank Reporting – Do not rank

• Graduating Class Size – 464

• GPA Scale – 4

• GPA Weighting – Weighted

• Guidance FAX – (650) 306-8893

• Graduation Date – June 6, 2025

• Your Official GPA- Overall weighted GPA - first one listed on your transcript

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT SR/LOR FORM TO COUNSELOR

Nov 8th - for application deadlines AFTER Dec 15th

There is a required process and form, as well as deadlines. All students needing a SR/LOR for early action/decision must complete the process, form, and meet with their counselor by Sept. 20th. Students applying for regular decision admissions must complete the process no later than Nov. 8th. Please note that the workshops are for students only and that the UC/CSU/California Community Colleges do not accept SR/LORs as part of their applications.

SEE COUNSELOR ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO GET THE REQUIRED FORM

We will focus on the community college application process the second semester of school.

SAVE THE DATE: Community College Info Night and Fair will be February 6, 2025

The steps to enroll are different for each site. Go to the websites below for more information.

• Canada College: https://canadacollege.edu/admissions/new-student.php

• Skyline College: https://skylinecollege.edu/outreach/pep.php

• De Anza: https://www.deanza.edu/apply-and-register/index.html (not available for Fall 2025 until the spring)

• Foothill: https://foothill.edu/reg/admission/highschool.html (not available for Fall 2025 until the spring)
  

As you are considering different schools to apply to, make sure to check out their testing policies. If you need or want to take a test, it is your responsibility to sign-up and register for the tests.

Use these links below to sign-up for the SAT or ACT:

College Board

ACT

November lists are now NOW AVAILABLE.

Click HERE to go directly to the Sequoia High School website for the most updated scholarship and student opportunities lists. How to Access Scholarships on Naviance (9-12th Grades)

If you find a scholarship you are interested in and want the link to the website or more information be sure to log in to your Naviance account, under the College tab, click on Scholarships and Money, then Scholarship list, and put the name of the scholarship in the search box, then click on the name of the scholarship.

Due: 10/28/2024

Earn entries in monthly drawings for $500 and $40,000 scholarships by completing steps to plan for college. The sooner you start and the more steps you complete, the more chances you’ll have to win

Due: 10/29/2024

Eligible Grades: 9-12th

9th-12th grade women, genderqueer, or non-binary students for their computing-related achievements and interests, and encourages them to pursue their passions. Regional winners can move to higher levels.

Deadline October 31st

Do you live in Redwood City and have you made an impact with your community service activities?

The Sequoia Awards provides scholarships to high school seniors who are outstanding community volunteers. To apply for a Sequoia Awards scholarship, you must: have performed voluntary community service; be a high school senior; and reside at a Redwood City mailing address. This includes unincorporated Redwood City, North Fair Oaks, Emerald Hills, and Redwood Shores. For application and more information visit their website here.

Deadline to submit an application and materials is October 31. Upload your transcript from Infinite Campus.

Due: 11/7/2024

Student submits an independent science research project

Due: 11/8/2024

Based on community service and financial need.

DUE: 11/12/2024

Senior who is a US Citizen going to a four year college seeking a degree. Redwood City Elks Lodge will send their best six students to the Bay District competition with the opportunity to go to the state and grand lodge finals (up to $50,000). In addition, Redwood City Lodge will award 10 students with $1,500 scholarship.

Due: Nov 14th

For seniors with financial need (95K family income or lower) who will enroll in a 4-year college the next Fall, have a 3.75+ GPA.

Due: Nov 15th

Be between the ages of 16 and 25 on the day of the deadline.

Have a GPA of 2.5 or greater.

Be a citizen of the United States or Canada

Due: Nov 15th

Grades Eligible: 9-12th

Open to students ages 14-25 attending school in fall of 2024

Write 10 word statement why you should receive scholarship

Important Process Below:

When you are researching colleges to apply to, check to see if they have scholarships and programs that require nominations.

For example, Davidson College has the Belk Scholarships which provides 8 full-ride scholarships to students who are selected. Also, Washington University in St. Louis has the Danforth Scholars Program that awards partial and full-tuition scholarships based on merit and does not consider need as part of the award process. Both of these examples require being nominated in order to apply.

After you research your colleges, if you find a scholarship or program you want to be nominated for, complete this form three weeks prior to the nomination deadline to be considered.

Due: Oct 31st

Grades Eligible: 9-12th

Provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. students must be lawful U.S. permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence. Topic 2024 "Is America Today Our Forefathers' Vision?"

Due: Nov 10th

Grades Eligible: 9th-12th

Explore the arts and express yourself in the PTA’s Reflections Program! Enter your artwork and reflection in one of six categories: Dance, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, or Visual Arts.

First-place finishers in each category advance to the district competition. District winners move on to the state, and state winners ultimately compete at the national level. You can do this! Learn more here (including how to enter).

All entries will be recognized for their artistic achievement. Participation itself is a meaningful contribution to the Sequoia community. Entries are due by Sunday, November 10, 2024 at midnight. Questions? Email us sequoiareflections@gmail.com

Due: Nov 15th

Grades Eligible: 10-12th

Only submit still photographs, “tells a story”, NOT looking for “art” photography. Five (5) Digital SLR Cameras will be awarded to five (5) high school students. Must be US citizen WEBSITE

Grades Eligible: 9-12th

South County Teen Leadership Council run through the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Activities League offers high school students a free program that provides mentoring, travel conferences, field trips, leadership and organizes community service projects. Weekly meetings are on Wednesdays from 4-6pm in Redwood City If you are interested, email, call or text Mason Lok 650 474-1394 mlok@smcgov.org WEBSITE

One way to compare various colleges is to see what happens to their graduates in terms of earning potential.

Payscale’s College ROI Report ranks colleges based on the 20-year salary earnings of college alumni minus the total investment to attend that college (factoring in financial aid) compared to the 24-year earnings of high school graduates without a bachelor’s degree. The report includes breakouts for the best colleges by ROI for individual states, school types, majors, and jobs. The best-value college ranking list is updated annually to show results for the previous year.

Go here to check out the report.

CalKIDS was launched in 2022 to help California children save for post-secondary education including college or career training . Low-income families and disadvantaged communities are encouraged to take advantage of this program.

To check for eligibility and to learn more, please visit: www.calkids.org

Sequoia Union High School District will submit your GPA to Cal Grant in September.

Make sure your Infinite Campus information (name and address) is correct to avoid matching problems. If something needs to be change, contact the counseling office

No Verification Form is needed AFTER submitting your FAFSA/Dream Application!

ELIGIBLE GRADES/AGE: Juniors and Seniors

$17.00 hour Looking for students with good math and reading skills who are available to work approximately 6 - 8 hours per week on Monday and Thursday afternoons. Ideal part time job for high school or college students. Pick up a flier in the College and Career Center

If interested email qualifications and resume to kumonsancarlos@gmail.com

ELIGIBLE AGE/GRADE: 16yr+ (Must have own transportation)

Looking for high school students with exceptional math skills through Algebra I and Geometry to join our team! We offer competitively paid part-time jobs at Sequoia Station with flexible scheduling and ongoing training opportunities. Join us for the opportunity to make a REAL difference in a child’s life by passing on a love for math!

Our starting salaries are $17.00-$19.00 depending on what level of math the instructors can teach.

If interested, please apply online

Pick up a flier in the College and Career Center

ELIGIBLE AGE/GRADE: 15yr+

Part-time work is available teaching after-school group Piano Classes at local elementary schools, as well as private lessons (in all instruments) in-person or online. Pay is $60/hour for group classes and $45/hour for private lessons. Please apply online at http://hummingbirdmusicschool.com/about

Students: visit the website for a number of How-To videos that Sequoia Counselors made for help with common application, scholarships and much more!

Complete the 2024-2025 Meal Application

We want all families to complete this confidential meal application so that qualifying students can receive reduced cost bus passes, internet, prom tickets, grad night tickets, college application fees and IB testing registration. To complete the meal application, click here.

Needs to be completed every year!

If you missed the Grade Level 4YR College & IB Meeting on August 28th

The grade-level presentation in English and Spanish ( without the recording) and handouts are available on the Sequoia College and Career webpage.

August 18-24, 2024

August 25-31, 2024

GENERAL FOUR-YEAR INFORMATION:CaliforniaColleges.edu, Transcript Info CSU INFORMATION: Opens October 1st!, CSU Night Events UC INFORMATION: Launching with CaliforniaColleges.edu, Evaluation for California Residency, Application Now Open, Help on UCSB website

September 1-7, 2024

GENERAL FOUR-YEAR INFORMATION: What Did You Do Over the Summer? Did You Receive Any Awards Last Spring? Reflect on Who You Are as an Applicant While Updating Your Naviance Resume

Sept 8-14, 2024

GENERAL FOUR-YEAR INFORMATION: Do I Need a School Report/Letter of Recommendation (SR/LOR) Form? Depends CSU INFORMATION: Wait to Apply - Lookup Majors and Selection Process UC INFORMATION: Comprehensive Review at the UCs, COMMON APPLICATION INFORMATION: SR/LOR Form & Process Review Meeting, FA: FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the California Dream Application, CalKIDS, Cal Grant Verification

September 15-21, 2024 GENERAL FOUR-YEAR INFORMATION: Requesting Transcript Reminders

September 22-28, 2024 GENERAL 4YR: Researching Majors UC: Launch with CaliforniaColleges FINANCIAL AID: 10 Facts About the FAFSA

Sept 29-Oct 4, 2024 GENERAL 4 YR: Does Submitting My Application Earlier Than The Due Date Give Me an Advantage? Depends on the Type of College How Most Admissions Operate (always check individual websites) CAREER: So You Want to Be a Veterinarian

Oct 6-12th General 4 YR: Keep Your Colleges I’m Applying to Up to date UC:New Campus Majors, CSU Video to Help with Application, FA : : It pays to be involved and get good grades- Check out RaiseMe, CalKIDS, Cal Grant Verification

Oct 13-19th GENERAL 4 YR: Worried about school documents being sent on-time? UC and CSU: Course issues with loading from Californiacolleges.edu