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College Application Tips

CSU Application

You can find the Online Application for CSU's on Cal State Apply.

  • Timeline for CSU Application - October 1 - December 4th   (Apply Early! HINT! HINT!)

What you need to fill out the CSU Applications:

  1. A copy of your transcript
  2. To qualify for a fee waiver - you will need annual income information from your parents
  3. Your Social Security Number
  • Each application is $70
  • Fee Waiver requests for the CSU applications are at the end of your application.  You apply for a CSU Fee Waiver and once you hit "submit" they will tell you immediately if you qualify or not. If you do qualify you can apply to four CSUs for free.
  • CSU application does not require an essay or personal statement.
  • CSUs take priority admissions for students living in their local attendance zone.  SF State & Cal State East Bay are your "local attendance zone."
  • Finish one application completely and all that data will re-populate itself into all other CSU Applications!
  • EOP - Educational Opportunity Program is a wonderful program that offers scholarship opportunities as well as academic support and counseling.  It is a program for historically low-income and educationally disadvantaged students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college.   IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING APPLYING FOR EOP:  To begin an EOP application, you must first submit an online undergraduate application to the campus to which you are applying for EOP.

"What do I do after I submit an application?"

  • Print out a confirmation receipt for your records
  • Check your Email!!  Schools will communicate with you via email.  If they have a question about your application or they want you to send your score reports, they will send you an email.  You should check your email weekly.
  • The first thing a CSU is going to ask you is to send you SAT or ACT score reports.  The SAT code for all CSUs is 3594. ACT does not have one code for all of the CSUs. You must send your scores to each CSU you applied to.
  • Wait for their decision - then send your transcript & score reports

UC Application

The video was made in 2008 but still great information!  Note the one big change for current applicants is that UC no longer requires two SAT subjects tests.
 

The UC Application is online. As of August 1st, you can begin your UC application. 

  • Timeline for UC Application: You can SUBMIT your UC Application between November 1st - November 30th.

What you will need to fill out your UC Application:

  1. Your Transcript
  2. Test Scores
  3. Social Security Number
  4. Citizenship status
  5. Annual income: for 2010 and 2011 (your parents' income if you're a dependent; your income if you're independent.) This is optional unless you're applying for a fee waiver or the Educational Opportunity Program.
  6. Two Personal Statements: Your personal statement should be exactly that -- personal. This is your opportunity to tell us about yourself -- your hopes, ambitions, life experiences, and inspirations. We encourage you to take your time on this assignment. Be open. Be reflective. Find your individual voice and express it honestly.
  7. Credit Card - each application is $70 per school. You can apply for a fee waiver within the online application and be notified immediately whether you have qualified. You will need to provide your family's income and the number of people supported by that income. If you qualify you will be given four application Fee Waivers.

What to do after you apply?

  1. Print your receipt
  2. Check your email regularly! If they have a question about your application they will contact you via email.
  3. Order your Test Score Reports - If you are applying to more than one UC you can send your scores to only one school and they will add them to your UC application for all the other UCs. * Not necessary for 2020/2021 application year
  4. Look for your Application Acknowledgment
  5. Update your Application
  6. Await the decision
  7. Submit your transcripts (if admitted)
  8. Changes in your academic record

Common App

Applying to Private Colleges? Here are some tips for using the Common App:
  • Create an account.
  • Choose the schools that you are going to apply to and add them to your "My Colleges" list.
  • Each school may have "Supplements" (or additional essays) so you need to check to see how many supplements you will need for each of the schools you are going to apply.
  • Make sure you have completed your brag sheet (download it to your computer/flash drive from the C&C Center Locker and type your answers, please.
  • You will need to get Letters of Recommendation from two teachers and a counselor. Everyone will ask you for your brag sheet so make sure you have completed this and you can send it electronically to each person.
  • You need to give teachers and counselors at least TWO WEEKS notice if you need them to write a recommendation.  Do Not wait until the last minute to ask or you may not get a glowing recommendation.
  • Each school may have different deadlines so be aware of DEADLINES!  Late applications will not be accepted period.
  • Along with the FAFSA, many private schools will request that you complete the CSS Profile as well.  Each school will have a different deadline for this.  You will need to stay on top of DEADLINES!   The CSS Profile is run by the Collegeboard, so it is NOT free.
  • Print out confirmations and applications after you submit them.  Keep copies of everything
  • Check your email several times a week.
  • Apply for scholarships while you are waiting to be accepted.
  • Good Luck!

Out-of-State Tuition

Are you interested in getting out of CA for college, but think you can't afford it? That may not be true.  As a CA resident, you are eligible to request a reduced WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange) tuition rate of 150% of the resident rate at one of the 145 participating schools in the West.   For a list of participating institutions please follow the link to WUE.