Senior College & Career Newsletter

Scroll through for important information regarding College/Career

How to reach us?

For general questions and inquiries please email

Ms Ignaitis: tignaitis@seq.org

and/or

Ms Yeager: tyeager@seq.org

Please do not use the link at the bottom of this Newsletter to contact us

UPCOMING EVENTS/DUE DATES:

October 31- Sequoia Awards Application Due - See Scholarship Section Below

October 31- NO COLLEGE CLUB AFTER SCHOOL, we will be back next week!

Nov 3 - SR/LOR Form Due for Students Applying to Common App School Due AFTER Dec 15

- Only based on volunteering, awards range from $5,000-25,000!

- No official transcript needed, can just send your transcript from Infinite Campus.

- If you already have a teacher letter of recommendation, your teacher can email their letter to Ms. Ignaitis or Ms. Yeager to submit the letter.

Tuesdays 4-5 PM

If you need help applying to college, please come to College Club every Tuesday from 4-5.

If you have a sport or job after-school, please come see us in the College and Career Center to make other arrangements.

Our goal is to get something done every week and we hope to see you there!

If you have questions, please come to College and Career Center

If you missed the Grade Level 4YR College & IB Meeting on August 30th

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

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.

1) IB Course Drops are permitted starting August 23rd. Please contact or visit your assigned counselor to review the required form and process.

2) Edgenuity credit recovery lab will reopen on August 22nd at 4pm with Mr. Calles in Room B-8. The Edgenuity lab will be open weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4pm-6pm in Room B-8. Please contact your assigned counselor if you are not sure if you need to complete Edgenuity credit recovery.

You are not officially registered for a college visit at Sequoia unless you follow the steps below. Putting a school on your “Colleges I’m Applying To” or “Colleges I’m Thinking About” list does not automatically register you for an upcoming college visit. Also, a college may email you saying they are looking forward to seeing you at Sequoia when they visit but that is not an official registration.

High Point University

Mon October 30

8:30 AM

Cal Poly

Mon October 30

9:00 AM

Grinnell College

Wed November 1

8:30 AM

University of Utah

Thu November 2

2:00 PM

Gonzaga University

Mon November 6

8:30 AM

Wednesday, November 1, from 6:00-7:15 p.m.

Redwood City Library (Community Room)

The students who attended my last session were enthusiastic about the idea of an open-ended Q&A for students to ask about applications and application essays/PIQs, public and private colleges, testing, extracurriculars, GPAs, financial aid and scholarships, rec letters, or anything else that’s on their mind. The emphasis of this session is to lower students’ stress level in relation to the college-application process.

The session is for high school seniors only, not students at other grade levels or parents.

Students who plan to attend must pre-register here.

Use these links and language found on each registration page to share our panel discussions:

• Nov. 7: Succeeding in College as a First-Generation Student

• Nov. 28: Preparing to Complete the FAFSA

Nov 16th

Cañada will be hosting a virtual Concurrent Enrollment workshop for SUHSD students on Thursday, Nov. 16th. Plan to attend this workshop if you are interested in signing up for a college class in the Spring.

Nov 17th

Drexel is offering a monthly series of online events designed to help guide students, families, and counselors through important steps of the college application process. Starting August 31st.

• Exploring Your Academic Interests - Nov 17

To register and get more information go to their website

Nov 19

Take your future in art and design above and beyond! Visit with counselors, admissions team members, and faculty from art and design schools for a portfolio review before applying to colleges and universities. The event will be in San Francisco at California College of the Arts. For more information and registration, Click Here

Friday Nov 3rd is the deadline to meet with your counselor to sign-off on your completed SR/LOR Form - If you want a letter submitted by your counselor with your School Report and a teacher to write a LOR for a Dec 15th or later deadline.

Before you make the appointment with your counselor:

• Complete all the activities on the form.

• Register for a required meeting with your counselor to submit your completed SR/LOR Form.

• Complete and submit your application independently.

(IF you need a Letter of Recommendation for a Common App or Private College and DO NOT know how to access the form, contact your counselor immediately!)

1. Sometimes the approved UC/CSU names are not the same name as is on your transcript

• History IB HL1 is the junior year course

• IB History of Americas HL2 is the senior year.

• If you are in a two-year course, look for HL1 for junior year and HL 2 for senior year.

• 
  

2. Select Course Type Dropdown

• If a class gets IB or Honor status IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY appear when you add the name of the class. If you have to add the course type for CSU, ALWAYS choose – none.

3. World Studies 1-2 - no grade first term then add your second semester grade

• Both the quarter of WS 1 and Life Skills are not A-G eligible

4. NEVER - Choose - I do not see my class or add a course on your own that you took at SHS

It takes less than 15 minutes to check your courses are correct. Come in during lunch, before school, FLEX, or if you have a free period email Ignaitis (A-L) or Yeager (M-Z)

VIDEOS

California State University Application (CSU Apply):

• Part 1: How to Enter Sequoia High School (Especially if you took a dance class)

• Part 2: How to Enter High School Coursework Section: Basic

• Part 3: How to Enter High School Coursework Section: Summer School and D/F grades

• Part 4: How to Enter High School Coursework Section: Adding 8th Grade Foreign Language and/or Math

• Part 5: How to Check your Coursework in A-G Matching

Question: If a student takes courses at a community college and does not transfer the credits earned to her high school transcript, are those courses and grades included in the GPA calculation? The student is wondering if she should put the college courses she took on her high school transcript to boost her GPA.

Response: UC does not require college courses to be posted to the high school transcript. If a student completes college courses, they must report them as college courses on the UC application in the College portion of the Academic History section. Only UC-transferable college courses worth a minimum of 3 semester or 4 quarter units (each) and which clearly fall within the A-G subject areas should be reported. College courses completed in 10th and 11th grades, including the summers following 9th, 10th and 11th grades, will be included in the GPA calculation, regardless of whether they are included on the high school transcript. Note: even if the high school posts college courses to their own transcript, students who are offered admission to UC will be required to submit official college transcripts for all college coursework attempted. College courses outside A-G areas can be reported in the Activities and Awards section under “additional coursework.”

A-G Courses include 9th-12th grade.

GPA is 10th and 11th grade.

If you want your application reviewed by Ms. Ignaitis or Ms. Yeager, come by to make an appointment.

The UC Application is now open for the Fall 2024

Students can submit the application between Oct 1-Nov 30 2023

Sign-up for flex sessions to get support completing your application.

Every UC has great information and tips on completing the application - Check out UCSB page:

We offer helpful webinars on the UC application and Personal Insight Questions for both high school and transfer applicants. Visit our Virtual Admissions Events page for more information. Our UC Application Tutorial YouTube playlist also offers a step-by-step guide to each section of the UC application. We even have the UC Application Tutorial in Spanish!

Evaluation for California Residency

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.

SSID # (State ID)

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

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)

For 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.

Common Application:

• How to Create a Common Application Account & Matching your Naviance Account (Includes FERPA Information)

• How to add Current High School Courses at Sequoia

• FROM COMMON APP WEBSITE: That is correct, only classes that award high school credit should be inputted in the "Current Classes" section. The student may elaborate on non-high school credit courses in the "Additional Information" prompt within the "Writing" section of the Common App tab.

• How to add in IB exams and Should I add my SAT or ACT tests here? If you add your SAT/ACT, you need to send them through College Board and/or ACT

• How to add in Courses & Grades on Common App (updated Sept 2022)

• FROM COMMON APP WEBSITE: When high school students simultaneously take college courses through a college or university, this is known as dual enrollment. For Courses & Grades, only courses receiving high school credit (i.e. appearing on your high school transcript) should be reported in this section. If you are not receiving high school credit for the course, you do not need to report this course in Courses & Grades.

• How to report a college concurrent enrollment course (updated Fall 2023)

• How to add a summer school or middle school math course (updated Sept 2022)

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

• Should I apply Early Action/Early Decision (updated Fall 2023)

Located on school website under Departments, College & Career Center, FA!?How to Videos

For the Education – Grades Section of the Common Application

• Class Rank Reporting – Do not rank

• Graduating Class Size – 509

• GPA Scale – 4

• GPA Weighting – Weighted

• Guidance FAX – (650) 306-8893

• Graduation Date – June 7, 2024

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

Updated scholarship list for OCTOBER and NOVEMBER deadlines is available on the College and Career page on the school website for all grades or in the outside bin at the College and Career Center

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: 9-12th

Audio-essay program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. Although U.S. citizenship is not required, students must be lawful U.S. permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence. Topic 2023 “What Are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy? Go here for more information.

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: Nov. 8

Good Tidings Foundation encourages and supports the growth of marginalized children in the Bay Area by creating spaces for athletics, artistic activities, education, and wonder.

Our purpose is to provide opportunities that otherwise would be unavailable to kids regardless of their financial status, ethnic origin, or religion. Our scholarships award high school seniors based on the greatest service and financial need. Go here to find out more.

Due: Nov 13th

Honors Latinx high school seniors who excel in the classroom and community and for their excellence in various categories including: Community Service, Education, Engineering, Entrepreneurship & Business, Green Sustainability, Healthcare & Science, Media & Entertainment, Public Service & Social Justice and Technology.

Due: November 14th

The Elks National Foundation (ENF) awards 500 four-year scholarships based on academics, leadership, and financial need. National awards range from $1,000 per year to $12,500 per year. The national awards will be announced in April 2023. Our Redwood City Lodge will award 10 students with $1,500.

MVS scholarships are for students pursuing a four-year degree on a full-time basis (minimum of 12 semester hours), at a U.S. college or university next school year. Some important applicant details include:

• Current high school seniors (or equivalent) who are citizens of the United States are eligible to apply.

• Applicants do not have to be related to a member of the Elks.

• Male and female students compete separately.

Students choose Redwood City Elks Lodge #1991 as their sponsoring Lodge. Our Redwood

City Lodge will send our best six students to the Bay District competition with the opportunity to

go to the state and Grand Lodge finals

Applications can be found online at enf.elks.org/MVS.

The application deadline this year is November 14th.

DUE: Nov 16th

Criteria:

• Family Income up to 95K

• Academic ability and achievement: Strong academic record, academic awards and honors, and substantive assessments by educators providing confidential recommendations. We also look at:

• GPA (minimum of 3.5, unweighted)

• participation in available advanced courses

• commitment to learning

• intellectual curiosity

• Leadership: Considered a positive role model, takes initiative, and contributes meaningful service efforts to a community or social issue.

For more information, CLICK HERE

DUE: Nov 15th

Eligible Age: 14 Yrs or older

1) In 10 words or less, tell us why you deserve the $1,000 scholarship. Please write your answer below.

2) Before or After writing your Answer you will also need to "Like" our Facebook page at facebook.com/myscholarships. Note we will only read the answers provided by people that have "Liked" our page.

To Apply CLICK HERE

Grades: 10-12th

MONTHLY

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. Go here to learn more.

Due Nov 1

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives host a district-wide Congressional App Challenges for middle school and high school students encouraging them to learn to code and inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science. For more information; Congressional App Challenge

Students can register as individuals or as teams of up to four.

Due: Nov 12th

This year’s theme: I am hopeful because…

Enter your artwork and reflect about its meaning to you in one of six categories.

1. Dance Choreography

2. Film Production

3. Literature

4. Music Composition

5. Photography

6. Visual Arts

7. Special Artist Division

All entries will be recognized for their artistic achievement. Participation itself is a meaningful contribution to the Sequoia community! First-place finishers in each category enter the district competition, district winners move on to the state competition, and state winners move on to compete nationally.

Be sure to review the rules and category information on the Reflections page of the PTSA website.

DUE: Nov 15

Eligibility Grades: 10-12th Grade

Focus of the work is Photojournalism. Foundation will select 4 high school students for video work and 1 for still photography. For more information and details go to their website

Must be a US Citizen.

Due: October 31st

Ages: 16 or older

If interested, email Mary Martinez at mmartinez@redwoodcity.org and she will walk you through the process.

NeuroNetwork Career Symposium (NNcs) - Navigating towards careers in brain research

Nov 4th

In-person event on November 4th, 9am-130pm at the Google campus in Sunnyvale.

Students will have 2 hours of seminars where they will learn the differences between brain-related academic departments and careers, what the day-to-day life is like within brain-related types of research (e.g. clinical vs basic), hear about on-going research that recent college-graduates are working on, and have the chance to meet in small groups with professionals (a clinical research neurologist, industry-based clinical psychologist, clinical research neuropsychologist, neuroscientists, engineer, and UX designer).

For more information or student registration, please follow this link:

The 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 from 4-6pm in Redwood City

If you are interested, email, call or text Mason Lok

650 474-1394 mlok@smcgov.org

Pick up a flier in the College and Career Center

Can Apply All Year

All Grades

Rhizome, a nonprofit organization built by and for students, is offering a community service, leadership, and civic engagement opportunity through their Civic Service Fellowship. Their website includes info on how the Fellowship boosts mental health determinants, leadership skills, and community connectedness while making an impact and receiving service hours. Check it out if you’re interested in civics, service leadership, or learning how to make a genuine impact.

Nov 5th

Looking for volunteers for the upcoming Día de los Muertos event at the San Mateo County History Museum (2200 Broadway, Redwood City) on Sunday, November 5. Traditionally, this is our biggest event of the year with over 3,000 people anticipated in a 4-hour time span. Volunteers are needed to assist younger kids with craft activities. This year the craft activities include making a calavera or skull, crafting paper flowers and designing barriletes or kites. Volunteers are needed from 3:45 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. If necessary, we can split this into two shifts, but the second shift will have to allow extra time to find parking and get into the building.

Any interested students can contact me at education@historysmc.org by Thursday, November 2 at 5 p.m..

Project Read has some upcoming training for teens who would like to volunteer on

November 7

This is a great opportunity for SHS students to be matched with a younger student to tutor once or twice a week.

If interested contact:

Email - rclread@redwoodcity.org

Phone- 650 780-7077

For more information go to their website and scroll down to the Teen Volunteer Section.

(Flier in College and Career Center)

For Complete Article

Changes are coming to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – the form students and families use to apply for federal financial aid for college. Here’s what you need to know.

The FAFSA Simplification Act represents a significant overhaul of the processes and underlying formulas used to award federal student aid starting with the 2024-2025 award year and includes multiple changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application form. Here are some key changes to be aware of in the 2024-2025 FAFSA.

1. THE FAFSA WILL BE AVAILABLE LATER THAN USUAL

Sometime in December

Be sure to check your state and college filing deadlines.(which have also changed)

2. THE FAFSA FORM WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER

only about 36 instead of the previous 108.

3. AUTOMATED TRANSFER OF TAX DATA WILL BE REQUIRED

Beginning with the 2024-25 FAFSA, users of the online FAFSA will be required to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to provide their tax information.

4. THE EFC IS NOW THE SAI

As part of the FASFA changes, the term “Expected Family Contribution” or “EFC,” which has been used for many years to calculate students’ expected financial need for college, will be replaced with the term “Student Aid Index” or “SAI”. Both are used to determine a student’s financial need by subtracting the EFC or SAI from the cost of attendance (COA).

5. STUDENTS MAY AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR PELL GRANTS

The 2024-2025 FAFSA changes how eligibility for Pell Grants (which are a type of need-based financial aid) is determined. Students will now automatically qualify for Pell Grants based on family size and income and will know the amount of their Pell Grant much earlier in the process — before they apply to colleges.

6. STUDENTS CAN SEND THE FAFSA TO MORE COLLEGES

Students will be able to list up to 20 schools to receive their FAFSA information.

7. STUDENTS MUST REPORT THE INCOME OF THE PARENT WHO PROVIDES THE MOST SUPPORT

In the past, dependent students of divorced or separated parents were required to report the income of the parent they lived with most of the year. The updated FAFSA requires dependent students of divorced or separated parents to report the income of the parent who provides the most financial support.

DON’T FORGET TO FILE THE FAFSA!

It’s important to stay in the know about updates to the FAFSA and to keep track of the FAFSA deadlines for your colleges and your state. Colleges often award financial aid on a first-come, first-served basis, so it’s important to complete and submit the FAFSA as soon as you can after it becomes available. Even if you think your family will not qualify for federal student aid, you should complete and submit the FAFSA to be considered for federal student loans and possibly scholarships or other financial aid provided by your college. For more information about the upcoming changes to the FAFSA and the availability of the 2024-2025 form, visit the Federal Student Aid Website.

What is an FSA ID?

It is a username and password combination that allows you to sign your FAFSA form electronically. Your FSA ID also can be used to access the myStudentAid app, sign loan contracts, and access certain information online.

Why do I need one, if I haven’t started the FAFSA Application?

Getting it ahead of time and using it to begin your FAFSA form on fafsa.gov or on the myStudentAid mobile app cuts down on errors and delays.

Does my parent(s)/Guardian(s) need to get one too?

YES! If you’re a dependent student, one of your parents whose information is reported on the FAFSA form will also need an FSA ID so that he or she can sign your application electronically.

(It is ok if your parents/guardians do not have SSN but they have to wait until December)

Where do I go to get an FSA ID?

Get started here!

Need help

Watch this six minute video from the Department of Education on how to create a FSA ID account

Video para ayudar a crear una FSA ID en español

There are many changes coming to the 2024-2025 FAFSA this year, namely that it will not be available in October, as it has in previous years. The most up-to-date information that we have from Federal Student Aid states that the FAFSA will open in December 2023 — however, the FAFSA Simplification Act states that it can be open no later than January 1, 2024.

California Student Aid Commission has also extended the priority deadline for the Cal Grant to April 2.

More information to come next month

Must have license and be able to drive others.

We're looking for an after-school driver to pick up our 2 kids, firstly from Orion Elementary, and then Nesbit Elementary school, and then drop them off at home in the Hallmark neighborhood of Belmont. It'd be about an hour everyday, with first pickup at 2:40pm at Orion, except Thursday's pickup at 1:40pm. Contact angelabunner@gmail.com / 408-368-9943. If you want more hours and $, we're happy to have you help do writing homework help too! Thanks for your help!

Ages: 16 and older

City of San Carlos Parks and Recreation Department. is looking for part-time recreation leaders to oversee gym rentals and sporting events.

Pick up a flier in the College and Career Center

Flexible hours, Free Meals, Gain Work Experience

$21.00 hour

Apply at In-N-Out.com or

Pick up a flier in the College and Career Center

Footsteps Child Care, located in Belmont and Redwood Shores, is a not for profit organization that has been operating for almost 30 years. Next school year we will be providing after school programming for a large group of underserved students, TK to sixth grades and need to hire around 30 additional staff members. You must be either 18 years old or a high school graduate to work for us.

Pick up a flier in the College and Career Center

16 years and older

Will be here on campus Monday August 28th at lunch.

Super Soccer Stars is currently looking for Part-Time assistant and Lead Coaches in the Bay Area for their Fall season (Paid training available starting immediately).Current Openings: https://apply.workable.com/super-soccer-stars/j/52A1133161/

Minimum Age Requirement: 16yrs

Part-time work is available teaching group Piano Classes and Ukulele 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

Pick up a flier in the College and Career Center

No Experience required, Entry level

Paid Minimum Wage

Looking for students with good math and reading skills who are available to work Tuesday and Fridays 3-7pm. If interested email at lihueiw@yahoo.com or text at 650-799-4099

Pick up a flier in the College and Career Center

Minimum Age Requirement: 16yrs

Duties: Filing, Telephones, Giving Appointments etc.

Timings: After School and Weekends

Contact: Walk-in Siva Cherukuri DDS 198 Arch St Redwood City (Across the street from Sequoia HS) or email: sivasch@hotmail.com

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

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

Oct 22-28, 2023 CSU INFORMATION: Why is my A-G gpa Different on My Transcript and CSUapply Account? UC INFORMATION: Maximizing Space on Your Application

Oct 15-21, 2023 GENERAL 4YR: Getting Help FINANCIAL AID: Paying for College is a Family Affair

Oct 8-14, 2023 GENERAL 4YR: Does Submitting My Application Earlier Than The Due Date Give Me an Advantage? Depends on the Type of College FINANCIAL AID: Create a FSA ID

Oct 1-7, 2023 GENERAL 4YR: Research College Majors CSU: Application is NOW OPEN! CAREER: Careers in Engineering

Sept 24 -30, 2023 Updated Only Due to Off Campus Weeklong Conference

Sept 17-23, 2023 GENERAL FOUR YEAR INFO: Transcript Request Info, COMMON APP: Sequoia School Info for Education Tab, CAREER: Public Service Careers that Will Pay for Your College Degree

Sept 10-16, 2023 GENERAL 4YR Do you need the SR/LOR Form?, FINANCIAL AID: Changes to FAFSA/CAADA and FSA ID

Sept 3-9, 2023 GENERAL FOUR YEAR COLLEGE: Updating your resume with reflection CAREER: Careers in the Military

Aug 27-Sept 2, 2023 CSF, How and Why to Sign Up for a College Visit

August 20-26, 2023