Diamond Bar High School

SENIOR BULLETIN #1Scholarship and College Information

September 2019

UC/CSU and Financial Aid UC and CSU Application Workshops will take place on

Wednesday, September 25th. We will offer both the CSU and UC workshops on this date beginning at 6:00 pm in the DBHS Theater (UC) and the Golden Horseshoe (CSU). You can go to one workshop at 6:00, then switch to the next workshop during the second session beginning at 7:15. Those who attend both workshops will be done well before 8:30 pm. This is a great opportunity to hear from a representative from each system and ask questions about the application process.

The Financial Aid Workshop will take place on Tuesday, September 17th in the Theater at 6:30 pm. This informative evening will help you understand how the financial aid process works and how you’re going to pay for school so you and your folks should plan on attending. I just read that the average cost of tuition in public universities has gone up 213% over the past 30 years – so terrible! This one evening will answer most of your financial aid questions, and it’s free!

Additional Financial Aid Workshops are sponsored by the California Student Aid Commission’s Cash for College program. You will receive help in completing the FAFSA and learn more about the financial aid process. For more information, go to www.cash4college.csac.ca.gov/. Workshops take place from October through June, but sign up quickly – these workshops do fill up! Mt. SAC will host one on Saturday, October 12th and you can get more information at http://www.mtsac.edu/financialaid/cashfair.html.

Money magazine’s 2019-20 Best Colleges list just came out, speaking of saving money for college. Their list focuses on finding the schools that “successfully combine quality and affordability,” and features 10 California schools in the Top 25, including our very own Cal State Fullerton!

Comprehensive Review – The CSU bases their admissions decisions on your GPA and test scores only, but the UC uses “Comprehensive Review” in deciding who to admit. This means you

really need to think about all of your high school experiences, both here and off-campus, and include as much as possible in your UC application. Comprehensive Review is very similar to the way many private universities evaluate applications as well. Below are the factors they consider:

Academic GPA SAT/ACT scores Number of courses taken beyond the minimum requirements Number of honors/AP/IB courses taken Eligibility in Local Context (being in the top 9% of your class) The quality of classes taken in senior year The level of your academic classes in relation to what is offered here Outstanding performance in a specific subject area Outstanding work in one or more special projects A marked improvement in academic performance Special talents and achievements in a particular field Completion of special projects within the school or community Academic accomplishments in light of applicant’s life experiences Location of the applicant’s school

PRIVATE SCHOOLS The Common Application – Almost 900 private schools now use the

Common Application. Go to www.commonapp.org to see if the schools you’re applying to are Common Application members and to familiarize yourself with their application process.

Look at each individual school’s requirements to make sure you don’t miss something. For example, USC’s deadline for applications for regular consideration is January 15th, BUT their deadline for applications for anyone who wants to be considered for merit scholarships is December 1st. If you wait until January, you’re basically telling them you don’t want them to offer you any help paying for college, and who would say that?

Letters of recommendation – If you’re applying to a private college or university, you probably need letters of recommendation from your GLC and two academic teachers. The first step is to carefully read through the “Private Universities Power Point” located on bottom of the Class of 2020 GLC page - https://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=189640&type=d&pREC_ID=393314. The second step is to download the “Senior Profile 1” packet (located in the same part of www.dbhs.org). This packet allows you to tell the people writing letters for you all about yourself and the accomplishments and experiences you’ve had both on and off campus – spend time working on this so your GLC and teachers can write the best possible letter for you. After reading all instructions and then following all directions, deliver your Senior Profile Packet directly to your GLC and teachers (you must hand it to them directly). You should list all schools you are applying to and the deadlines for those schools on the cover page, but do NOT put UC’s or CSU’s on this list – UC’s and CSU’s don’t need letters of recommendation. The Early Decision/Early Action deadline is September 5 th , 3:00 pm , and the absolute deadline to turn in a letter of recommendation request is September 26 th , 3:00 pm but you are strongly encouraged to deliver them sooner.

Online application via www.commonapp.org – You and your GLC will be required to submit all Common Application papers online. To notify your GLC that you would like him or her to complete his or her part (Secondary Report) online, you need to invite him or her through the Common Application. Once you complete your part of the application, including senior classes for both semesters, you are ready to send the email notification to your GLC. You will need their correct email addresses:

mnatividad@wvusd.k12.ca.us or gauten@wvusd.k12.ca.usor jsalas@wvusd.k12.ca.us

SAT/ACT Time to take those tests. You must have a score for either the SAT or the

ACT with writing for all CSU’s, UC’s, and private schools. If you haven’t taken either test, you only have a few more chances. The deadline to register for the October 5th SAT is September 6th and the deadline to register for the October 26th ACT is September 20th! Go to www.collegeboard.org or www.act.org to sign up for either test. If you plan to take a December test, the UC wants you to indicate the planned test date on your admission application.

WARNING: San Diego State, San Jose State, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo have said in the past that November is the last test they will accept, and Cal Poly SLO has indicated they prefer the ACT. If that’s what they prefer, that’s what you should give them.

SAT Subject Tests are no longer required by the UC, but the UC has said some majors (usually engineering and science) at some campuses may still recommend particular tests and students are still encouraged to send in Subject Test scores to be considered during the comprehensive review process as this extra information can only help. In addition, several private schools still require or encourage Subject Tests, and if they say they’d like to see a certain test, you want to provide it. Look at each school’s admission requirements carefully to find this information.

MISCELLANEOUS INFO The District College Fair will be held at Walnut High School on Thursday,

September 12 th from 6:30 – 9:00 pm, with workshops (financial aid, reducing anxiety in the college search, standardized testing) beginning at 6:00 pm. This is a good evening to gather information about universities and chat with representatives about their campuses. While this is a great event, you should also be researching potential universities online RIGHT NOW! Some great places to start looking at which schools might be right for you are:

o www.petersons.com o www.unigo.com o https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search

Parchment is another great research tool! Parchment is the company you’ll use if you ever need to send your official transcript to a school, but don’t wait until then to log on and create an account. If you create an account now, you can use their handy “My Admissions Chances” feature. You make a profile with your unweighted and weighted GPA, your test scores, and a few other items, and then for every potential university you plug in, you’ll get a rough estimate of your statistical chance of admission. It’s not a perfect tool of course, but it sure helps with determining which schools are a reach, a good chance, or a safety. It will also generate a few “College Matches” based on your list and profile. To log in, go to https://www.parchment.com/u/auth/login.

Military Service Academy Night is presented by the office of Representative Gil Cisneros on Wednesday, September 4 th , 2019 at Glen A. Wilson High School in Hacienda Heights from 6:00-8:00 pm and again on Wednesday, September 18 th , 2019 at Troy High School in Fullerton from 6:00-8:00 pm . This is a great opportunity to learn about the U.S.A. military academies and their highly selective admissions process. Looking ahead, all materials for those requesting a nomination are due to Representative Cisneros by Friday, October 25th, 2019 at 5:00 pm. If you have questions, contact Stephanie Wade at stephanie.wade@mail.house.gov.

Colleges visit DBHS all the time! For a complete schedule, visit the Career Center or look at their calendar - https://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=58834&type=d&pREC_ID=calendar.

Embrace the college search and application process! Applying to colleges can be a stressful, anxiety-inducing experience filled with worries about not having done enough in the past or messing up in the present, but it doesn’t have to be. Do your best to remember that the ability to apply to universities is an extraordinary privilege, that you’ve done good, hard work to make this a reality, and that this is really in many ways an exciting adventure, not a chore.

SCHOLARSHIPS Keep an eye out! There will always be scholarships listed in the Senior

Bulletin, but this should not be your only resource. Ask your parents about scholarships through their jobs and keep an eye out for scholarships within the community. You can also go to www.fastweb.com or www.goingmerry.com for free scholarship searches. There are thousands of scholarships available out there, like this one that awards scholarships to brave souls who manufacture prom clothing out of duct tape - http://stuckatprom.com/.

QuestBridge College Match Scholarships – QuestBridge is a national college match program which assists outstanding low-income students in gaining admission and full four-year scholarships to leading colleges such as MIT, Princeton, Stanford and Yale. In 2016, over 1500 Questbridge applicants gained admission to their partner colleges, and over 750 of these students were offered full four-year scholarships – tuition, room & board. For information go to www.questbridge.org . Scholarship varies depending on the school but can include the full cost of tuition and room and board. Deadline is September 26, 2019 .

The Gates Scholarship – This scholarship is “a highly selective, full scholarship for exceptional, Pell-eligible (low income), minority high school seniors. Applicants must have at least a weighted 3.3 GPA, demonstrated financial need as identified by the FAFSA, and be a USA citizen, national, or permanent resident. Applicants should also have “an outstanding academic record (top 10% of class), demonstrated leadership ability, and exceptional

personal success skills.” This is a mighty scholarship – it will cover the full cost of attendance (tuition, books, room, board, transportation) that is not covered by any other scholarships. For more information, go to https://www.thegatesscholarship.org/scholarship. Deadline for applications is September 15th, 2019.

Coca Cola Scholars Foundation – The Coca Cola Company supports over 1400 students with $3.45 million dollars’ worth of scholarships each year. 150 students are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship. They are looking for “well-rounded, bright students who not only excel academically, but are also actively involved in their schools. These leaders are passionate and service-oriented, and demonstrate a sustained commitment to bettering their community.” Applications must be submitted online at https://webportalapp.com/sp/login/ccsf . Deadline is October 31 st , 2019.

The Romero Scholarship for Excellence in Spoken Word – This scholarship is sponsored by a DBHS alumni, that’s right a former Brahma offering his own hard-earned cash to help you! $500 will be awarded to one senior “for the creation of a poem with themes pertaining to social justice.” To download an application and for FAQ’s, go to https://www.davidaromero.com/scholarship. Applications, poems, and letters of recommendation must be emailed to davidaromero@gmail.com by November 20th, 2019.

Prudential Spirit of Community Awards - This award is to recognize students who have demonstrated exceptional citizenship through exemplary, self-initiated community service/ volunteer work. Examples might be working with the disabled or with the elderly. The activity must be either self initiated or the individual must demonstrate exceptional leadership in group activities. Go online to http://spirit.prudential.com to submit an application by November 5th, 2019. After you submit, you must tell Mr. Desmond you have entered your name - DBHS can only forward one representative for the state judging and a chance to earn $1000 and a trip to Washington DC. If you don’t tell us you submitted, you’ll have no chance of being our school nominee.

Horatio Alger Association Scholarship – This organization will provide awards ranging from $6000 - $25000. Applicants must have household earnings of less than $55,000, a 2.0 minimum GPA, be involved in extra-curricular and community activities, and “have exhibited determination, integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity.” Apply online at https://scholars.horatioalger.org/scholarships/ – application deadline is October 25th, 2019, BUT this one also requires GLC certification – notify him or her and apply by October 18th, 2019.

US Senate Youth Program – Are you interested in a chance to win a $10,000 scholarship? Seniors who plan on pursuing a career in public service can apply for the chance to be one of only TWO seniors from California to attend the 2020 United States Senate Youth Program. In order

to qualify, you must be currently serving in an elected or appointed leadership capacity in a student government, civic, or educational organization for this school year. You must be in a qualified leadership position and actively representing a constituency in organizations that relate to government, education, public affairs, and/or community service. Examples of this would be: Student Body President, Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer; Class President, Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer; Student Council Representative; National Honor Society Officer; Student Representative elected or appointed (appointed by a panel, commission, or board) to a local, district, regional or state-level civic, service and/or educational organization approved by the state selection administrator. If you’re interested, go to https://ussenateyouth.org/about_overview/ to learn how to apply. The California deadline is October 4th, 2019.

Diamond Bar High School

SENIOR BULLETIN #2Scholarship and College Information

October, 2019

UC/CSU CSU and UC Applications are available online right now. Applications for

UC have been available since August 1st and can be worked on now and then submitted between November 1 st and November 30 th . The final due date for CSU applications is also November 30th, but you can submit your CSU application as early as October 1st. The earlier you submit, the earlier the CSU can let you know you’ve been admitted. The UC will notify students about admission decisions between March 1st and March 31st, 2020. The CSU notification period varies, but all students will be notified by March 31st, 2020. Hopefully you know all of this because you attended the UC and CSU application workshops in September!

SAT Scores need to be sent directly to all schools to which you are applying through www.collegeboard.org. DBHS does NOT send any SAT or ACT scores. The UC website states: “If you're a freshman applicant, be sure to have your ACT and SAT scores sent by the testing agency. If you have your official score report sent to one campus, it will be available to all

campuses to which you applied.” Make sure you have the ACT with writing for the UC. For the CSU, “If you list a CSU campus as an SAT (or ACT) score report recipient, your scores will automatically be sent to all campuses to which you’ve applied.” As long as you send your scores to one UC and one CSU, you’re covered for all UC’s and Cal States to which you apply! To send your ACT scores to schools, log onto www.act.org.

Online applications are convenient and available at https://www2.calstate.edu/apply for the CSU and https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/ for the UC.

o Applying online helps you to fill out your application accurately because the program takes you through the application step by step and often won’t let you go on if you’re missing information or have done something incorrectly.

o Save your application often while working on it, and prepare your personal insight responses (more on that in the next Senior Bulletin) as a word document and then cut and paste to make sure they come out just the way you want and the program doesn’t time out while you’re composing.

o Be very accurate when self-reporting grades, classes and extracurricular activities to the UC. Self-report all A-G courses taken, including all repeated courses/grades. They will compare your application to your final transcript and everything must match so you should use a transcript when reporting grades.

o There is a section of the UC application that asks for classes like Algebra, Geometry, or the first year of a foreign language taken in 7th or 8th grade. Don’t worry about these grades negatively impacting your application – the UC just wants to see that you actually took these classes so be sure to list them in this section.

o Fee waivers will automatically be awarded to those who need one based on the information you provide regarding your parents’ adjusted gross income from last year’s taxes.

o On the CSU “High Schools Attended” page, be sure to label our school as “semester” based. If you say “year long,” you won’t be able to put in both of your semester grades per year.

o On the CSU “Coursework Completed” page, be sure to include the classes you’re taking in senior year (“In progress” for first semester, “Planned” for second semester). It is possible to submit your application without this information, and you can’t revise it after submission so it will automatically look like you’re missing a year of English (that’s not

good). Also, enter summer school classes twice (once for each semester).

o On the CSU “A-G” page, Change Civics from area A to area G when you update, and it’ll show a year of G. Look at this page carefully to ensure that you’ve input all of your courses. Again, it’s possible to submit an incomplete application so you want to make sure this page looks complete.

Every year the UC randomly audits some applications and asks students to provide verification of their extracurricular activities. Don’t worry if this happens – it’s random and just means you’ll have to provide some proof. The only way it could hurt you is if you lied about your activities or grades. If the UC determines anything in your application has been falsely reported, you will NEVER be allowed to enter the UC system for the rest of your life. And you’d be slimy, so don’t do it.

Don’t wait until the last minute! Every year there are stories about people who wait until midnight November 30th and then can’t submit their application for some reason at the last minute. It would be a shame to have all your hard work these last several years go to waste just because you procrastinated. Submit before Thanksgiving and enjoy tossing the ol’ football and munching on stuffing and cranberry sauce!

FINANCIAL AID The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the key to

receiving any kind of financial aid when you go to school. Regardless of whether or not you think you will receive any financial aid, you and your parents should fill this form out. The FAFSA is required to apply for federal and state student aid, as well as some college and private aid, and even if you don’t qualify for need-based aid, your FAFSA information reminds colleges that you’re interested in merit-based aid. If you don’t fill the FAFSA out, you are essentially guaranteeing that no one can help you pay for college. WARNING: There are several look-alike websites out there that have “fafsa” in the name and they’ll try to get you to pay for help in filling out the FAFSA, but the first F stands for FREE. If you go to www.fafsa.ed.gov , you’ll find all the information and instructions and be able to apply for financial aid without paying anyone a dime.

You can submit the FAFSA beginning October 1st, 2019 at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA used to be submitted on January 1st, but now they’ve moved the date up three months. Unlike college applications which have no advantage for early submission, the sooner you submit the FAFSA, the better your chances of receiving financial aid. Every college’s

financial aid office has a set amount of money they can offer to prospective students in the form of grants, scholarships, etc., and once they give it away, it’s gone. You want them to have your FAFSA information when they’re beginning to make financial aid offers so they can give you the best possible package. The deadline for filing the FAFSA is March 2nd, 2020.

You will need several things to fill out the FAFSA. You must have a social security number and your parents’ financial information (last year’s 2018 federal income tax return, assets such as savings and stocks). In fact, you’ll need Mom or Dad there with you to help fill all of the FAFSA out - it’s fairly detailed and asks all sorts of questions about things you’ve probably never discussed with your folks. In years past, you needed a PIN, but now you need a FAFSA ID, which you can create at https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm. You can actually complete the FAFSA without the FAFSA ID by using your social security number, but they encourage you to get a FAFSA ID because “it is the fastest way to sign your application and have it processed. It is also the only way to access or correct your information online.” You can also get an estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid instantly, even before senior year, by using the forecast tool at https://fafsa.ed.gov/spa/fafsa4c/?locale=en_US#/landing.

Cash for College event at Mt. SAC. This free workshop is sponsored by the California Student Aid Commission’s Cash for College program. You will receive help in completing the FAFSA and learn more about the financial aid process. For more information, go to www.cash4college.csac.ca.gov/. Workshops take place from October through June, but sign up quickly – these workshops do fill up! Mt. SAC will host one on Saturday, October 12th and you can get more information at http://www.mtsac.edu/financialaid/cashfair.html.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Letters of Recommendation – As you were told several times, letter

requests were due to your GLC’s by September 26 th at the very latest. If you are reading this after 09/26/19 and have not turned in your request, that ship has sailed and you need to focus your energies on colleges that do not require a letter of recommendation.

The September 26th Deadline was for you to have your request and supporting documents to your GLC. It is NOT the due date for you to submit supplemental documents and essays to your prospective universities. Adhere to the universities’ deadlines for those documents.

The Common Application – You must invite your GLC on your Common Application. Prior to inviting your GLC, you must complete the “Education” and “Academics” sections of your application. Be sure these sections are completed, and then proceed to the “School Forms” section to invite your GLC. Be sure to get the email addresses right or you won’t appear in your GLC’s queue – mnatividad@wvusd.k12.ca.us, gauten@wvusd.k12.ca.us , jsalas@wvusd.k12.ca.us.

Pause before sending reminders to your GLC’s or teachers about deadlines for letters of recommendation (and then really think about whether or not this is a good idea). Your focus should be on your own deadlines and making sure your pieces to your applications are turned in on time. Trust your GLC’s and teachers to take care of their respective parts, but if it’s two days before a deadline and you see something is missing, a reminder might be OK. And one more word of warning - don’t ever give your own personal deadline that’s sooner than the university’s actual deadline. That’s the opposite of OK.

SAT – UC’s and most CSU’s (not Cal Poly SLO, Long Beach, Humboldt, or San Jose State) will accept the December SAT or ACT, but some private schools may not. Check on private college websites to be sure, and sign up for the November SAT just to be safe.

Private School Research – If you haven’t done so already, you should really research the schools you’re considering. Research allows you to weigh all the factors involved with this major decision – distance from home, area surrounding the college, size of the school population, campus atmosphere, specifics about the major you’re interested in, opportunities available, etc. Some of you don’t even know the state in which some of your prospective colleges are located, and that’s just silly when you think about it.

Don’t put too much emphasis on rankings. Many parents and students emphasize internet rankings too much, thinking a school in some guy’s list is #19 so it has to be better than his #32 ranked school. The problem is, the factors he’s using for his ranking methodology might not be the same you would use. An article in Philadelphia magazine put it well: “College rankings are … really reflections of their creators, not unbiased scientific observations.” In other words, it’s a mistake to view rankings as completely accurate, and you would be much better served doing your own research based on factors that matter most to you. Now is also the time to look beyond the schools everyone has heard of. Those schools are great, but there are many, many wonderful schools, and some you haven’t heard of yet might be a perfect fit for you. The key word in that last sentence is “you” –

listen to the opinions of family and friends, especially your parents, but you’re the one going there so you need to pick a school that suits you.

Don’t stress about your rank or the fact that DBHS does not weight our GPA. We know that much of the information online refers to rank or weighted GPA, but universities know DBHS doesn’t provide a weighted GPA and that won’t hurt you at all. Universities understand which classes are harder and more rigorous, and each school will give you the credit you deserve for challenging yourself. You have to trust that admissions officers are smart people looking for other smart people. Representatives from elite schools like Harvard and Princeton have said the following to us: “We know that #80 at a competitive high school could be a great fit for our schools, but #1 at a less competitive school might not make the cut. Rank is all relative.” “We prefer unweighted GPA’s because many schools calculate them differently. Our computer re-calculates the GPA on the transcript anyway.”

CSS (College Scholarship Service) Profile – This is a form provided by College Board for high school seniors who are looking for financial aid, and it’s required by many private colleges and universities. The UC and CSU systems use only the FAFSA and don’t need it, but several private schools want this form prior to the FAFSA to determine the level of financial aid they will offer you. The CSS Profile is available beginning October 1st at http://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile , and the sooner you fill it out the better. Unlike the FAFSA, which is entirely free, College Board does charge a fee for the CSS Profile ($25 for the first college and $16 each for any more colleges) so be sure this is something a university to which you’re applying really wants before you fork out the money. The following link will take you to a list of schools that College Board says want the CSS Profile, but verify with each school - https://profileonline.collegeboard.org/prf/PXRemotePartInstitutionServlet/PXRemotePartInstitutionServlet.srv.

Early Admission – Early decision and early action plans allow you to apply early (usually in November) and get an admission decision from the college by December or January. While this seems like a great way to lessen the stress of the college application process, it may not be the best choice for you. Read the following information (some of which has been taken from www.collegeboard.org) to help you make the right decision:

o Early decision plans are binding. You agree to attend the college if it accepts you and offers an adequate financial aid package. Although you can apply to only one college for early decision, you may apply to other colleges through the regular admission process. If you're accepted by

your first-choice college early, you must withdraw all other applications. If there’s a university you absolutely love, this is a good option for you and a great way to show they’re your favorite.

o Early action plans are similar to early decision plans, but are not binding. If you’ve been accepted, you can choose to commit to the college immediately, or wait until the spring. Under these plans, you may also apply early action to other colleges. Usually, you have until late spring to let the college know your decision. If you’re not certain of your favorite school but want to get the ball rolling and find out early if a school will accept you, this is a good option.

o It is a common misconception that early admission plans provide you with an advantage, but this doesn’t make sense. Students who are accepted early are exceptional and would have definitely been granted admission through the regular admission process. Selective universities have been doing this for a long time – they wouldn’t accept a marginal student early and then realize they made a mistake. If there is a school you love above all others, however, this certainly is a good way to show them. And that’s why the acceptance rates are higher for Early Decision over Regular Decision – the schools are taking several students who have declared they want to attend one school over any other, and the universities are snatching up these quality Early Decision students before anyone else gets to offer them admission.

o You can’t compare financial aid packages if you are accepted through Early Decision because you have already committed to attend that one school. You’d be surprised at how the financial aid package offerings vary from school to school, and students who aren’t accepted with an Early Decision have the option to shop for the best offer.

NATIONAL MERIT The following students took the PSAT last year and their scores placed them

in the top 1% out of about 1.6 million juniors who took the test. This places them in the nation’s elite group of National Merit Scholar Semifinalists, one of the most prestigious honors a senior can receive. This year’s Semifinalists are:

o Courtney Chano Sean Chango Tiffany Chango Valerie Chang

o Michelle Chaoo Joshua Chungo Mena Hassano Jonathan Ho

o Yewon Leeo Ryan Louo Catherine Luo Tom Murickano Mason Pan

o Karen Shaoo Keshav Sririamo Jessica Yeno Jolynn Zhango Justin Zhang

SCHOLARSHIPS

Free Scholarship Search Engines:

o www.fastweb.com

o https:// bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college

o www.finaid.org

o http:// www.mycollegescholarship.org/

Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund – This scholarship is for any U.S. citizen of “Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity as defined by the U.S. Census” with a minimum GPA of 2.7. Awards range from $2,500 to multi-year $20,000 awards, and their focus is on underserved APIA students who live at or below the poverty level, are the first in their families to attend college, and have done well in community service, leadership, and academics. Visit www.apiasf.org for more information. Deadline for applications is January 22nd, 2020.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest – The John F. Kennedy Library invites high school students to write an essay inspired by JFK’s Profiles in Courage. They are asking students to “describe an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born. Include an analysis of the obstacles, risks, and consequences associated with the act.” For information, registration and to submit your essay go to https://www.jfklibrary.org/Education/Profile-in-Courage-Essay-Contest.aspx. Essays due 1/17/20. Cash prizes for the Top 25, and first place gets $10,000! The winner and her family will be flown to Boston and provided lodging in order to attend an awards Ceremony at the JFK Presidential Library.

NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing – “Aspirations Award recipients are chosen for their outstanding aptitude and interest in computing, proven leadership ability, academic performance, and plans for post-secondary education.” Each national winner receives various prizes (in the past it’s included $500 and a laptop), and a trip to the National Award Celebration in March, 2020. We’ve had students win this award in the past! Apply at https://www.aspirations.org/participate/high-school by 11/05/19.

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation – This foundation will provide up to $40,000 a year for as many as 40 low-income students each year. To be eligible, students must have achieved at least a 3.5 and scored a 1200 or above on the SAT math and reading sections or a 26 on the ACT, and they must “demonstrate significant unmet financial need.” They also like to see “determination and perseverance in the face of challenges…ability to organize and positively influence others… and purposeful and meaningful commitment to others.” The application “opens in late September and closes November 13th, 2019 so go to http://www.jkcf.org/scholarships/college-scholarship-program/ if interested. We’ve had a few win this one as well!

Ron Brown Scholarship - Named for the late secretary of commerce and inspired by his dedication to public service, the Ron Brown Scholar Program offers a $40,000 scholarship to up to 30 African American high school seniors each year based on academic excellence and commitment to public service. Recipients are young African Americans of outstanding promise who are offered intensive mentorship, service opportunities, leadership experiences,

and extensive professional development throughout all stages of their careers. Apply by the early deadline of November 1st, 2019 or the regular deadline of January 9th, 2020. For more information, go to https://www.ronbrown.org/section/apply/rbsp-application?SFMC_cid=EM190588-&rid=29342607.

National Security Agency – Stokes Educational Scholarship – This is a very unique scholarship for anyone planning to major in computer science or electrical engineering. Scholarship winners receive up to $30,000 per year for tuition and mandatory fees paid to the college of their choice, reimbursement for books, and an annual salary (paid bi-weekly to cover room, board, and other personal expenses). You’ll also have full-time employment in a job related to your major during the summer, full insurance and retirement benefits, and a guaranteed position with the Defense Intelligence Agency after graduation. Not many people will have a deal like that, earning a salary at the same time as your schooling is getting paid for! In exchange, Stokes recipients work summers for the DIA, and upon graduation agree to work for the DIA for at least 1 ½ times the length of study. Apply at https://www.intelligencecareers.gov/icstudents.html by November 15 th , 2019.

Jefferson Scholars Foundation Scholarship – This is for students hoping to attend the University of Virginia – go Cavaliers! The award is “intended to cover the entire cost of attendance for four years at the University of Virginia plus coverage of the supplemental enrichment experiences.” That’s valued at over $280,000 for us Californians! They say they’re looking for “individuals of extraordinary intellectual range and depth who possess the highest concomitant qualities of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship.” If you know the definition of “concomitant” already, you probably have a leg up on much of the competition! For more information, go to http://www.jeffersonscholars.org/scholarship. If you are applying to University of Virginia and would like to be the ONE student our school nominates, please see Mrs. Auten or Mr. Natividad before 10/15/19 .

Washington University in St. Louis – If you are planning on applying to Washington University in St. Louis, they are looking for nominees for the Danforth Scholars Program. They’re looking for students “who exhibit qualities that embody the essence of the Danforths – maturity, strong moral character, selflessness, a passion for helping others, and a commitment to the community.” Danforth Scholars receive full or partial-tuition scholarships. This scholarship used to require a nomination, but now you just have to apply to Washington University and then submit a second application for the Danforth Scholarship. For more information go to https://admissions.wustl.edu/Financial_Aid_Scholarships/First_Year_Academic_S

cholarships/Pages/Danforth-Scholars-Program.aspx. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 pm central time on January 2nd, 2020.

The Eugene McDermott Scholars Program – This one is for students hoping to attend University of Texas at Dallas. “Valued at more than $250,000 for out of state students, it covers tuition, stipend, study abroad, and professional development funding.” For more information, go to http://www.utdallas.edu/mcdermott/. Application deadline is December 12th, 2019.

UOP Powell Scholarship – If you’re applying to the University of the Pacific, you should definitely apply for this $41,000 scholarship that’s renewed annually! Can you believe someone is going to get $164,000 over four years to go to school? To apply, you need to apply to UOP, have at least an unweighted 3.7 GPA and a 1350 on the SAT or a 30 on the ACT, along with “demonstrated superior leadership skills in two or more areas.” If that’s you, go to https://www.pacific.edu/about-pacific/administrationoffices/office-of-financial-aid/scholarships-grants-loans-and-work-study-/undergraduate-student-scholarships-and-grants/powell.html for more information and apply by December 1st, 2019.

Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship – The Elks National Foundation will be awarding 500 four-year scholarships ranging from $1000 to $12,500 a year! Applicants need not be related to a member of the Elks and will be judged on scholarship, leadership, and financial need. For more information and an application, go to https://www.elks.org/scholars/scholarships/mvs.cfm. Applications due November 5th, 2019.

The Romero Scholarship for Excellence in Spoken Word – This scholarship is sponsored by a DBHS alumni, that’s right a former Brahma offering his own hard-earned cash to help you! $500 will be awarded to one senior “for the creation of a poem with themes pertaining to social justice.” To download an application and for FAQ’s, go to https://www.davidaromero.com/scholarship. Applications, poems, and letters of recommendation must be emailed to davidaromero@gmail.com by November 20th, 2019.

Miss any scholarships from the last Senior Bulletin? Go to the Guidance Office – all past scholarships will remain on display until their deadline.

Diamond Bar High School

SENIOR BULLETIN #3Scholarship and College Information

November, 2019

UC/CSU The CSU online application is found at https://www2.calstate.edu/apply

(select “Fall 2020” and click apply for the application. This is a site they began using a couple years ago, and as you may have discovered, there are some issues. Here are a few highlights. Most importantly, DO NOT manually input a class if you can’t find it in the dropdown menu – it will red flag your application. The classes are all in there, just some are harder to find (e.g. If you can’t find English IV under the dropdown menu for English, it may be under “IV”). Hopefully they’ve worked out some of these glitches by the time you apply, but just keep looking for a dropdown until you find it so your class is linked to a six-digit code. Also, you should change Civics from an A category class to a G category class on the A-G area so that you show a full year in the G category with Economics. Also, be sure to put “In progress” as your grade for all classes you’re taking this semester and “Planned” for all second semester classes to make the A-G Subject Totals accurate. This will also ensure that you’ve provided your senior year info – again, if you don’t provide senior year classes, it will look like you’re not taking a senior year and you won’t qualify for admission. Also, if you have 7th and 8th grade classes like Spanish I or Geometry, they can be entered as DBHS courses (you won’t be able to select your middle school) - you just need to create a 7th and/or 8th grade. One more thing, check the box to agree to release your information to other campuses – if you check it, campuses you didn’t apply to within the CSU system may offer you admission if they have extra spaces!

The UC online application is located at https://admissions.universityofcalifornia.edu/applicant/login.htm. Students who need help on their application can call the UC Application Center at 800-207-1710 or email ucinfo@applyucsupport.net. You can work on applications and submit any time within the month of November, but, again, we always recommend submitting before Thanksgiving. Students who wait until the November 30th deadline run the risk of something going wrong and missing the chance to apply to the UC or CSU. They don’t give second chances. Put down the cranberry sauce and fill out that application!

The UC Personal Statement is broken into four Personal Insight Questions, and you have eight questions from which to choose. Students often fret and worry about this, but try to look at it as an opportunity to choose topics that speak to you and four chances to convey who you are to the UC. You don’t need to list your academic achievements because those are evident in your transcript, and you don’t need to itemize your extracurricular experiences because those are listed in another part of the application. Take your time, revise and proofread, and above all, be honest and sincere in your responses. Don’t waste time trying to write what you think someone wants to read, and don’t get too overwhelmed trying to follow someone else’s rules or suggestions for these prompts. If you truthfully share thoughts about your world and your life experiences, you’ll provide the UC admissions counselors with exactly what they want – a better sense of the person behind the application. The UC also suggests writing an answer for all 8 PIQ’s and then choosing your best four responses, and again, write them out on a word document so you can cut and paste rather than trying to write in the small amount of time allotted when filling out the application. For the actual questions and some tips from the UC about how to answer them, go to https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-freshman/personal-insight-questions.html.

There is an “Additional Comments” section after the Academic History section, and this is a space “to explain course selection decisions, a circumstance that prevented the student from taking more rigorous courses” and other academic notes. There is another “Additional Comments” section after the Personal Insight questions, and this is an area to talk about “a learning difference… or uncommon events that provide context” (e.g. a long hospitalization in the middle of sophomore year). It is NOT a place to add more to your personal insight responses.

ELC or Eligibility in Local Context is a program from the UC which guarantees the Top 9% of every high school’s graduating class admission into the UC System. While these students are offered a spot in the UC System, there is absolutely no guarantee of an offer of admission from any particular UC school. Think of it as a guarantee to get into UC Merced, which our Top 9% would be able to do on their own, but it is nice because “ELC students not admitted to any of their campus choices are offered a spot at a UC campus that has space.” ELC status will be determined using self-reported grades after students submit their applications. Students can log in on the My UC Application website about six weeks after they have submitted their applications to view their ELC status.

You do NOT need to send official transcripts to the UC or CSU. You only need to send one to the school you’ll be attending, and that isn’t sent until after graduation. You should have a copy of your unofficial transcript (which you can print out yourself from Parent Portal) next to you as you fill out your online application because all the grades you put in for 9th-11th must match exactly with the final transcript you’ll be sending. Remember, as we cautioned in the last Senior Bulletin with your self-reported extracurricular activities, if the UC determines anything has been falsely reported, you will NEVER be allowed to enter the UC system for the rest of your life.

You’ll be asked for your California Statewide Student Identifier (SSID) for the CSU and UC applications. It is optional, but it helps them identify you. It is located at the bottom left corner of your transcript, or on Parent Portal under the Student Profile page.

Foreign Transcripts – If you transferred any time in the last three years to DBHS from a school outside of the country, the UC’s will need to have your official transcript from your former school. It may take a while to get transcripts from another country so they suggest that you begin ordering them now.

Choose a major that’s right for you. Even if it’s an impacted major, if that’s truly what you want to study, you should apply to that major, regardless of how impacted it is. A UC admissions counselor said, “There’s no secret way to get into our school, like choosing an easier major. If you are admitted as a less selective major and try to transfer to an impacted major, you probably won’t be able to transfer unless you’re a great student. And if you were a great student, you should have applied directly to that impacted major in the first place.” In other words, don’t think you can “sneak” your way into a school as an entomology major and then switch easily into their impacted engineering program.

If your major is impacted, be sure to pick a non-impacted alternate major. While it’s good to apply to the major of your dreams, many universities encourage you to list an alternative major as well, especially if the major of your dreams is capped or impacted. Students often flood to the same majors, but could get into a great school with an alternate major that they’d also enjoy studying. Warning: local area students have an admission advantage at Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Fullerton because we are in their service area, BUT we have no advantage for impacted majors.

When looking at schools, it’s important to know how to read GPA and SAT information from websites. If you research schools on a site like www.collegeboard.org, you’ll find GPA and SAT information, but it’s hardly ever the averages. For example, the College Board site reports that 86% of

students applying to UC Santa Barbara had over a 3.75 GPA. If you have under 3.75, that doesn’t mean you can’t get in, but it does mean that it would be much less likely for you than someone with a 3.9 GPA. It also reports that the middle 50% of students admitted to UCSB earned 1200-1420 on the SAT, which means 25% of admitted students scored below a 1200, and 25% of admitted students scored above 1420. Someone with a 1430 is NOT guaranteed admission to UCSB, and someone with an 1190 is not necessarily going to be rejected, but these ranges, along with the GPA, should give you a sense of how competitive a school is in comparison with other universities. Use this information to gauge your chances of admission, and always do enough research so you apply to a few schools that you know you should get in.

Try researching at www.unigo.com – this is a great site for researching schools (not just privates) because you have access to tons of information about the universities you’re considering, including hundreds of reviews and interviews from current students, video summaries, and plenty of statistics.

Remember, you should apply to three levels of schools: 1-2 dream schools (regardless of what some website or person tells you about your chances), 3-5 schools that, based on your research, you have a good, legitimate chance of getting in, and 1-2 schools that, again based on your research, you should definitely get in (and you would truly like to go to there – there’s no point in applying to a back-up school you wouldn’t actually want to attend).

If you missed the UC Application Workshop, UC Santa Barbara made a step by step webinar and posted it online so you can answer many of your questions here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpA3tMovN9A&feature=youtu.be.

SAT/ACT SAT scores need to be sent directly to all schools to which you are applying

through www.collegboard.org. DBHS does NOT send any scores. To send the SAT to multiple Cal States, use the Cal State Apply code of 3594 so any CSU campus can retrieve your score. For the UC’s, if you report your scores to one campus, they will be shared with every campus to which you’ve applied. When Collegeboard sends scores, they send an SAT transcript with EVERYTHING, all SAT scores from every sitting and all SAT

subject scores. Again, our advice, and the advice of the UC’s, is to NOT use Score Choice.

ACT scores also need to be sent directly to all schools to which you are applying via www.act.org, but the process is different - students need to make separate requests for each test administration. For example, if you took the test in March and September, you would have to make separate requests and separate payments to send each of those test results to universities. If you have one notably better test result, you could send only that one test result to schools, but don’t forget that several schools “superscore” tests, using your best results from each section in multiple sittings. Just last year I got an email from Columbia saying: “Starting this year, ACT test-takers with multiple sittings will be assessed based on their best result in each individual section (“superscoring”). We will also continue to superscore the SAT.” Gee, it’s almost as if universities are really trying to use your best score and it’s in your best interests to take these tests a few times, as your GLC’s have been telling you for years… imagine that.

Columbia just announced last year that they’re allowing students to self-report SAT/ACT scores. Students can just input scores as part of the Common Application, so that’s one way to save money with at least one school. Only admitted students who enroll need to send their official scores afterward. Rice and Tufts announced they’re using that same policy last year so check to see if any of the other schools to which you’re applying have a similar policy.

December scores can be rushed to schools for a fee. If the schools to which you are applying say they’ll accept December scores, like the UC’s have stated, you should be fine with the regular process. The UC’s and most CSU’s will accept December scores, but San Jose State, San Diego State, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo have stated that they are NOT accepting December SAT scores. Additionally, Cal Poly SLO prefers the ACT.

Your SAT/ACT score is just one of many pieces that admissions officers consider when looking at your application. If you’re disappointed with your scores, remember that they won’t necessarily hold you back from your goals. You did your best, and now you need to move on and finish well in the classroom. We have a tendency to fixate on certain numbers in this community, but most of that unhealthy anxiety is self-induced and not a real reflection of the college admissions process. As many admissions officers acknowledge, what you’ve done in the classroom for three years is a much better indicator of your future success on a college campus than what you did in a three hour test. You’ve probably heard that several schools are

moving toward making the SAT or ACT optional for admissions, like Hofstra University who has “concluded that standardized tests are not the most important predictors of academic success at Hofstra.” A recent Time article said several other schools have “diminished their (tests’) role in the admissions process” because “the tests’ predictive power for college success is overrated.” At a recent conference with Harvard, Yale, Wellesley, Virginia, and Princeton, admissions officers said the following: “The SAT is a part of the application, but we don’t emphasize it as much as students and parents think. We use testing to answer this question: Can this student be successful on our campus?” Have you heard enough? Don’t let that number define you!

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Transcripts are sent with the School Report. If you asked your GLC to fill out

the School Report through the Common Application or Send Edu, that covers the letter of recommendation, official transcript, and school profile, and you don’t need to request transcripts from the registrar for that school. If you have any questions, contact your GLC.

Open houses are taking place on several college campuses. The open house experience usually involves staying overnight, meeting with college representatives, and attending an actual class in the hopes of helping you appreciate what that school has to offer. Many schools offer open houses for admitted students who are trying to make a decision, but some offer open houses for prospective students even before they apply. See if any of the schools you’re considering offer this type of opportunity and apply to see if you can go.

Private Schools have scholarships that they can give out to whomever they want. Don’t let the sticker price of $50K or more necessarily scare you away from applying to a school that’s right for you. Scholarships and grants can help tremendously, and many private school students don’t pay the full advertised cost of attendance. Of course, there are no guarantees when it comes to who gets that financial aid or how much they’ll offer, so you should also apply to a few schools you know you can afford without much aid.

If a school offers you the opportunity to have an interview, you should take it! This is a chance for you to sit down with someone and discuss the school and really show who you are. Instead of stressing out about “getting it right,” try as much as possible to relax and just be yourself. You’re not trying to fool them or be someone you aren’t – you’re just trying to show the cool person you are and hopefully they’ll see that and want you. If live interviewing sounds tough, some schools like Brown will allow you to submit a 2 minute personal video portfolio -

https://www.brown.edu/admission/undergraduate/apply/first-year-applicants/alumni-interview.

University representatives visit DBHS all the time. For a current schedule of upcoming visits, see the Career Center page (linked to Guidance) on our website – https://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=58834&type=d&pREC_ID=calendar.

FINANCIAL AID REMINDER: The FAFSA is open and has been open for use since

10/1/19 at www.fafsa.ed.gov . The earlier you get your information in, the more time schools have to put together a financial aid package for you, and you want them putting that package together when they have plenty of money, not at the end of the application process. Give yourself a little time to fill this out – similar to signing up for the SAT or ACT, there are many steps. And again, use a non-DBHS email when filling out your application – you need to use a personal email so you can still access your account after you graduate! Remember the FAFSA is due at the absolute latest by March 2 nd , 2020 .

You never know what kind of financial aid package you’ll be offered from each school that accepts you. After you’re accepted, each school will look at your financial information from the FAFSA (more on this whole process in next month’s bulletin) and their financial aid office will tell you what they can offer you. Sometimes schools can offer much more than you would guess, and many schools offer merit-based financial aid regardless of your financial need so we always tell students to apply to the schools they love and hope for the best. I know people who’ve paid less at Chapman than at a CSU because of their package.

CSS (College Scholarship Service) Profile – Don’t forget the CSS Profile mentioned in last month’s bulletin - this is a form provided by College Board for high school seniors who are looking for financial aid, and it’s required by many private colleges and universities. The UC and CSU systems use only the FAFSA (more info on that later) and don’t need the CSS, but several private schools want this form prior to the FAFSA to determine the level of financial aid they will offer you. The CSS Profile is available beginning October 1st at https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/ , and the sooner you fill it out the better. Unlike the FAFSA, there is a cost per school for the CSS, but considering it could lead to thousands of dollars’ worth of financial aid, it’s probably worth it.

Free FAFSA workshops are available courtesy of San Gabriel Valley ROP. This is a great way to get expert help in filling out the FAFSA or Dream Act applications. Upcoming sessions will be held on November 13th, December 4th,

and December 18th from 5:00-7:00 pm at 1501 Del Norte Street, West Covina, 91790. For more information, contact Linda Lopez at bloera@esgvrop.org or cvillagomez@esgvrop.org.

Common FAFSA Mistakes:o Listing only one college to receive your FAFSA datao Not using the IRS Data Retrieval Toolo Including assets that should be excluded (e.g. value of primary

residence)o Incorrectly inputting information (mixing student/parent, missing

numbers) FAFSA has a YouTube channel! No more wasting your time on cute cat

videos, now you can spend hours looking at videos of all sorts of financial aid topics at https://www.youtube.com/user/FederalStudentAid. They also offer online assistance - https://studentaidhelp.ed.gov/.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE Students planning on applying to community college: announcements

and information will be in the Senior Bulletin in the coming months. Deadlines for four-year universities fall much earlier than admission deadlines for community colleges, but we have not forgotten about you! Keep an eye out in the Senior Bulletin, GLC Notes, and the school bulletin for information about Mt. SAC and Fullerton College, and if you are anxious about finding information in the meantime, you can speak with Mrs. Romero in the Career Center.

NATIONAL MERIT COMMENDED STUDENTS The following students did very well on the 2018 PSAT, scoring

approximately in the 96th percentile, and have been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program as Commended Students. Congratulations to:

Belliganud, AadarshChan, JustinChan, ValerieChao, DonnaChao, JacquelineChen, Xinyi

Cheng, RaymondCheng, SiyuanCheung, KellenChu, StefanFang, MatthewGani, Anastasia

Giang, WinstonHan, AndrewHong, EmilyHsieh, KevinHuang, FionaHung, Roy

Jin, EmersonJoe, MorganKim, WoolimLee, BrianLee, CharlesLee, IrisLee, SolLennon, JacksonLi, HuijieLiang, KelseyLiao, EthanLiu, JohnLiu, MandyLiu, Justin

Majumdar, ProkkawnMarkowitz, JamesMo, HaroldMolina, KylanPan, AmberPark, HeegunPeng, ElizabethRu, SeanSiri, JaySu, KarenTan, JonathanTang, AlexTarng, EstherTian, Laura

Tseng, DaisyUng, CalvinWang, AllenWang, LawrenceWang, SimonWong, BrennenWu, HamlinWu, PhoebeWu, SabrinaXiao, HenryYang, ArellaYang, EmilyYuh, AdrienneZhu, Ryan

SCHOLARSHIPS Boston University Trustee Scholarship – Each winning scholar

receives a renewable scholarship covering full undergraduate tuition plus orientation and undergraduate student fees for four years. Essays and applications must be submitted by December 1, 2019 at http://www.bu.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/scholarships-financial-aid/first-year-merit/trustee/. BU also has a renewable $25,000 Presidential Scholarship that you’ll automatically be in the running for as long as you apply to BU by 12/1/19.

Cal State Long Beach President’s Scholars Program – This is a tough one to qualify for – students must be either ranked #1 in their class, National Merit Semifinalists, National Achievement Program Semifinalists, or National Hispanic Recognition Scholars. Recipients are awarded full tuition and fees, priority registration, meal plan, book allowance, and even parking. To apply, you must submit an application to CSULB by November 30th, 2019 and then “qualifying CSULB freshman applicants will be invited to apply for our President’s Scholarships.” If you’re even close to those tough qualifications and CSULB is a possibility, apply and see if they invite you to apply. As they say on their site, “If you are invited to apply to receive a President’s scholarship, embrace the opportunity. You will be choosing a transformational path.” For more information, go to https://www.csulb.edu/university-honors/presidents-scholarships.

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship – This scholarship provides up to $7,000 a year for four years to attend a university! Also each March, Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars travel to New York City for four days of developmental workshops, career exploration seminars, meetings with key public and private sector leaders, cultural and recreational outings and practical life skills classes. Applicants must be seniors who show leadership potential, demonstrate a dedication to community service, present evidence of financial need, and have a minimum SAT of 1,000 (math and reading) or an ACT of 21. For more information and applications, go to www.JackieRobinson.org. Applications must be submitted online by February 1st, 2020.

GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship – “Exceptional student leaders” are invited to apply for this scholarship honoring the legacy of President Ronald Reagan. The program awards up to 20 college bound students who demonstrate “the attributes of leadership, drive, integrity, and

citizenship” with $10,000 renewable scholarships (up to $40,000 per recipient). For more information and applications, go to https://www.reaganfoundation.org/education/scholarship-programs/ge-reagan-foundation-scholarship-program/. Applications must be submitted online by January 3rd, 2020.

Edison Scholars – Edison International is awarding $40,000 scholarships to “the makers of tomorrow.” Applicants must be seniors who show financial need, have at least a 3.0, and plan on majoring in computer & information systems, engineering, mathematics, natural resources & conservation or physical sciences. For more information, “all future game-changers” are encouraged to apply at https://www.edison.com/home/community/edison-scholars.html by December 16th, 2019.

McDonald’s HACER Scholarship – McDonald’s, through its HACER scholarship, has granted millions of dollars in Hispanic scholarships. HACER scholarships are available to seniors with at least a 3.0 GPA and at least one parent of Hispanic heritage. For more information, go to https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/community/hacer.html. Application deadline is February 5th, 2020.

Anne & Allegra Ford Scholarships – The National Center for Learning Disabilities offer these two scholarships for seniors “with documented learning disabilities and/or ADHD who are pursuing post-secondary education.” For more information and an application, go to https://www.ncld.org/scholarships-and-awards/ and apply by January 17th, 2020.

Milken Scholars Program – This scholarship provides a $2000 award for all four years of college, ongoing career and academic counseling, assistance with internships, and a graduate fund to help students in graduate school. Applicants must be nominated by their GLC and meet the following criteria: have at least an unweighted 3.6 GPA, have at least a 1350 on the SAT or a 29 on the ACT, have a record of leadership and active participation in community service, and be able to demonstrate “financial or other obstacles.” For more information, go to http://www.milkenscholars.org/scholars.taf. To be nominated, see your GLC by 11/8/19.

LA Clippers Stay in School Scholarship – The LA Clippers are offering six $4000 stay in school scholarships for college-bound seniors living in the greater Los Angeles area. They should be a pretty good team this year also, not that that has anything to do with your scholarship. For more information and the online application, go to

https://laclippersfoundation.fluidreview.com/. Applications are due February 15th, 2020.

Unigo Scholarship – “Imagine a historical figure is brought back to life. Who is it? What’s their favorite mobile app?” That’s a fun, thought-provoking prompt, and I also like this one because it’ll hopefully get you to take a look at unigo.com (mentioned earlier) – it’s a great research tool featuring reviews on all sorts of topics from current students at the universities you’re researching. For more information, go to https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/unigo-10k-scholarship and apply by December 31st, 2019.

Chairish Scholarship – This scholarship is for students “who are majoring in design-related fields such as architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and engineering fields.” For more information, go to https://www.chairish.com/pages/scholarship?utm_source=SIFM_P4&utm_medium=SIFM_email&utm_campaign=SIFM. Applications are due January 1st and June 30th, 2020.

Driver Education Initiative – This driving and traffic school is providing a $500 scholarship based on an essay (less than 500 words) highlighting the importance of being a safe and educated driver. For more information and an application, go to https://www.dmvedu.org/scholarship/. Applications due November 30th, 2019.

Dr. Juan Andrade Scholarship – The U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute sponsors this scholarship for “Hispanic students who share Dr. Andrade’s lifelong commitment to servant leadership.” $500 for two year college, $1000 for a four year college, plus a scholarship to the USHLI National Conference. For more information and an application, go to https://www.ushli.org/dr-juan-andrade-scholarship-for-young-hispanic-leaders/. Applications due November 30th, 2019.

Barbara Lotze Physics Teacher Scholarship – If I chuck a stapler across the room, do you know how long it will take to reach the ground? This $2000 renewable scholarship is for anyone who will be pursuing a course of study leading toward a career in physics teaching in the high schools. For more information and an application, go to https://www.aapt.org/programs/grants/lotze.cfm. Applications including letters of recommendation due December 1st, 2019.

Diamond Bar High School

SENIOR BULLETIN #4Scholarship and College Information

December, 2019

FINISHING THE APPLICATION PROCESS SAT/ACT scores must be sent directly to all schools to which you are

applying through www.collegeboard.org or www.act.org respectively. DBHS does NOT send any SAT or ACT scores. If you take either test in December, the scores will arrive in time to be included in your application for UC’s and other schools that accept December tests, but you must arrange to have the scores sent now, in December, through the websites above. Remember – if you send scores to one UC, they’re available to all UC’s, and if you send scores to 3594, it will be available to all CSU’s.

Score Choice is NOT recommended by the UC because it delays delivery of test scores. They “strongly encourage students to report all scores and only use the highest score at a single sitting for admission consideration.” There are all sorts of fears about that one lower test

score, but let’s be logical about this - all universities know Score Choice exists, so why would they ever punish someone for sending in all of their scores and having one lower score when they know other applicants could have “hidden” a lower score with Score Choice?

You do NOT need to send official transcripts to the UC or CSU. You only need to send one to the school you’ll be attending, and that isn’t sent until after graduation. The one exception with a UC or CSU would be if they contact you and request a 7th semester transcript. For example, in the past Cal State Monterey Bay has requested that students send 7th semester transcripts. In this case, you would go to the “Transcripts” link under “Students” on www.dbhs.org and order an official transcript to be sent to that one school via Parchment (https://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=167814&type=d&pREC_ID=345011).

If you asked your GLC to fill out the School Report and a letter of recommendation for a school through Send.edu or the Common Application, you don’t need to request transcripts for that school – they have been sent with the GLC’s report and letter.

Your UC and CSU applications have been submitted, but you are not done! You need to work hard in the classroom all year to maintain the same level of performance you had through junior year. If you earn a D or an F in any of your classes, or if you drop a class that you told colleges you were going to take, you must notify all the schools to which you have applied (UC, CSU, and all privates). They are deciding whether or not to grant you admission based in part on the classes you are taking and the assumption that you will earn similar grades to those you have earned in the past. If your grades drop or the rigor of your schedule changes, you need to let them know now so they can factor that into their decision. If they don’t find out about a grade or change until June when they receive your final transcript, they may rescind their offer at that time, and that’s a major bummer.

Campus visits are essential to making a good decision about where you’ll attend so you should make every effort to visit each school (UC, CSU, and privates) you’re considering. Think of questions and concerns to bring up when you visit, and try to go beyond the tour to get a real feel for campus life. Stop by a lecture hall to observe a class, swing by the food court to grab a bite, hang out in the student center and observe your future classmates, and drive through the surrounding area to see the neighborhood. And for those of you who

want to go to school away from California, you might want to see what that school is like in the dead of winter and not just rely on that nice summer visit - #lifeisdifferentinthesnow. You’re going to live there for at least the next four years – you better make sure you’ll like it. Or, of course, you could always “randomly pick” as Grace Lee suggested in her great satire in the Bull’s Eye - https://dbbullseye.com/2018/odds-of-acceptance/.

Plan on taking the TOEFL if you attended school for more than one year in another country and your Language of Instruction was not English. Scores must be reported to the undergraduate admissions office at each campus to which you applied and received no later than January 2020. For more information visit https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/freshman-requirements/english-language-proficiency.html.

FINANCIAL AID You have been able to submit the FAFSA since October 1st, 2019

at www.fafsa.ed.gov, and again, the sooner you submit the FAFSA, the better your chances of receiving financial aid. The deadline for filing the FAFSA is March 2nd, 2020.

Cal Grant GPA Verification Forms are now sent automatically! The Cal Grant is “free money” to help you pay tuition and school fees for schools in California. We used to require students to fill out a form in the Guidance Office (I only bring this up in case parents or older siblings tell you to do this), but now DBHS does a mass load so all seniors automatically had their GPA information sent to Cal Grant. Just make sure you fill out the FAFSA by 03/02/2020, and if you qualify for a Cal Grant, colleges will include it in the financial aid package they offer you. Note: even if you’re applying to mostly out of state schools, make sure you include at least one California school in the “School Selection” of the FAFSA so you’re Cal Grant eligible.

After you submit the FAFSA, you will receive the Student Aid Report (SAR). This computerized summary of all the information on your application will arrive within three days of submission. If any information is incorrect, you need to correct it before the wrong information is sent to colleges.

The most important figure on the SAR is your EFC (Expected Family Contribution). Along with your parents’ income and assets, the FAFSA factors in the number of family members in your household

and the number of children who will be in college during the coming school year. All of this information gives you your EFC, the amount your family is expected to contribute toward your education. This number rarely corresponds to what you and your family would be willing to pay for college, but it’s what your finances say you could afford, and all financial aid is based off of this figure. Every school you apply to and list on your FAFSA will receive your EFC and use that to determine what kind of financial aid package to offer you.

Basic Equation of Need:Cost of Attendance (COA)

- Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = Student’s Financial Need

Here are a few rough examples for someone with an EFC of $10,000 who will be living away from home. These are just estimates, but close enough to help you see how a financial aid office would determine your financial need.

Institution CSU UC StanfordCollege Cost $29,000 $36,000 $74,000EFC $10,000 $10,000 $10,000Financial Need $19,000 $26,000 $64,000

As you can see, the EFC stays constant, regardless of where you apply. Your financial need changes depending on how much it costs to attend that school. Financial aid offices use this to determine what kind of a financial aid package they’ll offer, but much of the aid may come in the form of loans you’ll have to pay back.

You can get a quick, accurate estimate of your EFC by using Wellesley College’s handy MyIntuition tool - http://www.wellesley.edu/admission/affordable/myintuition#0ItobkgBocOedwAe.97 (there are many cost estimation tools like this on other school’s websites as well). I punched in approximate numbers in about five minutes and came within $1000 of the EFC that FAFSA gave our family last year so it’s pretty accurate. WARNING: Just because it’s accurate doesn’t mean it’ll be good news - their estimation of what my family can afford was vastly different than mine!

Financial Aid Packages can include grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. The different packages will vary from school to school so you and your parents need to review them carefully to determine what will work out best for you. More on financial aid packages in future bulletins!

Can’t fill out the FAFSA because you are not a U.S. Citizen? You can still receive financial aid through the California Dream Act. The California Dream Act allows undocumented and nonresident students (U.S. Citizens and eligible non-citizens) who qualify for a non-resident exemption under Assembly Bill 540 (AB 540) to receive certain types of financial aid such as: private scholarships funded through public universities, state administered financial aid, university grants, community college fee waivers, and Cal Grants. In addition, the California Dream Act, allows eligible students to pay in-state tuition at any public college in California. For more information and to apply, go to https://dream.csac.ca.gov/. The deadline is the same as the FAFSA deadline – March 2nd, 2020.

FAFSA has a YouTube channel! No more wasting your time on cute cat videos, now you can spend hours looking at videos of all sorts of financial aid topics at https://www.youtube.com/user/FederalStudentAid. They also offer online assistance - https://studentaidhelp.ed.gov/.

RECOGNITION NHRP – The following students are recognized as National Hispanic

Recognition Program participants for scoring in the top 2.5% among all Hispanic and Latino 2017 PSAT/NMSQT test takers:

Nikki LiceaKalvin Alrez

Ariel CardonaSooyeon Eun Llovet

SCHOLARSHIPS Visionary Scholarship Program – This scholarship is available to

freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors and they say multiple winners will receive awards from $1000-$5000. Apply at https://americancollegefoundation.org/college_planning/visionary_scholarship_terms.aspx by May 1st, 2020.

Sons and Daughters of Italy Scholarship – This scholarship is available for anyone “wholly or partially of Italian descent” who will be enrolled at a trade school, community college or university in fall of 2019. They also have “Italian language study grants in Italy for high school seniors for the summer of 2019.” This year they’ve added an Athletic Scholarship for students “pursuing a degree in a sports related field such as Sports Medicine.” For more information and applications, go to http://www.osiaca.org/Scholarships/How-To-Apply . Deadline for all applications is March 1 st , 2020.

California Wine Grape Growers Foundation – If you are related to someone who is a wine grape grower, you can apply for this scholarship which awards at least two 4-year $8000 scholarships to a UC or CSU and at least four 2-year scholarships to California Community Colleges. Download an application at http://cawgfoundation.org/ . Completed applications must be postmarked by March 6th, 2020.

DREAMers National Scholarship – “DREAMers are undocumented immigrant youth who came to this country at a young age” and don’t have access to federal or state student aid. Graduating high school seniors with DACA, TPS, or who are DACA eligible can apply for the National Scholarship. “While we consider your GPA and test scores, we place great emphasis on your demonstrated commitment to community service and your ability to overcome the barriers and challenges that DREAMers face each and every day.” For more information and the application, go to https://www.thedream.us/scholarships/national-scholarship/. Application closes February 27th, 2020.

Beverage Industry College Scholarship – This scholarship is for a student whose parent or grandparent is a full-time employee with a company holding a valid liquor license.

Examples given are restaurants, stores, breweries, wineries, distributors, etc. Awards range from $3000 - $6000. Apply at www.christermon.com – applications must be submitted online by February 15th, 2020.

University of LaVerne Performance Scholarship – The University of LaVerne is offering “two $25,000 scholarships with fourth year full-tuition in each of the featured performance areas for the 2020-21 academic year.” Applicants must apply to LaVerne and submit the performance scholarship application and recommendation form electronically by January 10th, 2020. For more information, go to https://artsci.laverne.edu/scholarship/.

Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California Scholarship – This one is for students of Portuguese descent. Applicants must have a 3.5 GPA, participate in at least 3 extracurricular activities, and provide three letters of recommendation (at least one from a principal, dean, or counselor and another from a teacher). $500 awards. Download an application at www.cabrillocivicclubs.org /scholarship.asp . Application deadline must be postmarked by March 15th, 2020.

SMU Hunt Scholarship – This one is in here partially because one of our best and brightest went to Southern Methodist near Dallas, and partially because it’s such a sweet deal. They’re looking for “outstanding students who have an impressive mix of high academic achievement and prove leadership capabilities,” and Hunt Leadership Scholars will receive an annual award of $43,000 (total of $172,000 over four years) – cha-ching! For more information and to learn how to apply, go to https://www.smu.edu/academics/hunt. Applications to SMU and the Hunt scholarship must be submitted by January 15th, 2020.

AXA Achievement Scholarship – Students have the opportunity to win $2,500, $10,000, or a $25,000 scholarship, and what’s more, for every student who wins a scholarship, $1,000 goes to their high school. Come on, Brahmas! They’re looking for high-achieving students and “because reducing risk is woven into the fabric of our company, special consideration is given to achievements that empower society to mitigate risk through education and/or action in areas such as financial, environmental, health, safety and/or emergency preparedness.” For more information and to apply, go

to https://us.axa.com/axa-foundation/AXA-achievement-scholarship.html. Applications are due by December 15th, 2019.

Cirkled In No Sweat Scholarship – Cirkled In is a free portfolio platform (seems like a place to collect and display all of your achievements and then send them to others), and their No Sweat scholarship just requires making an account (which is pretty much their point). For more information and an application, go to https://www.cirkledin.com/scholarships/. Applications due December 31st, 2019.

Diamond Bar High School

SENIOR BULLETIN #5Scholarship and College Information

January, 2020

THE END OF FIRST SEMESTER If you have dropped a class for second semester, you must

notify all of the schools to which you have applied so they know there is a change in the original information on your application. Remember: the university or college that you finally commit to will require a final transcript, and if the final transcript does not have a class they were expecting to see, they may rescind the offer of admission. Don’t run the risk of surprising a university with your transcript.

Colleges also notice a drop-off in performance so you need to maintain the types of grades you have earned in the past. If you earned a D+ or lower in any class, you obviously need to notify the schools to which you have applied so they aren’t surprised by what they see on the final transcript. You never want to surprise

a school with a D or F, and if you don’t tell them, they may rescind the offer of admission when they discover the poor grade. If you have always earned A’s and B’s, you want to keep it that way. This is a very competitive time to be applying to college, and drifting down to C’s is the type of thing that might make a school reconsider its offer of admission. It’s not certain C’s will impact you, but why slack off and risk problems?

To tell the UC about a drop or a grade below C-, you must notify the UC Application Center - ucinfo@applyUCsupport.net . Your email must include your name, UC Application ID number and your signature, and it will be shared with all the campuses to which you applied. For Cal States and private schools, you’ll have to notify each individual school. Send an email so you have proof you notified them (For Cal State Fullerton use admission@fullerton.edu, for Cal Poly Pomona use admissions@cpp.edu, for all other schools, look it up on your own). Don’t worry about phrasing – just keep it short and sweet and to the point.

Midyear Reports are due for several private colleges. Your GLC’s are fully aware that midyear reports are due as soon as possible, and they will process those reports as soon as possible. While some universities have already told students that they want mid-year reports, they do also understand that those reports can only be sent after 7th semester grades have been finalized, and your application will not be delayed at all. Please keep in mind that UC and CSU campuses do NOT have a mid-year report. It is not necessary to send your grades to a UC or CSU unless you have received a request from a specific campus to do so. The request often shows up as something for your to-do list. If a UC or CSU does request a 7th semester transcript, it is your responsibility to send a transcript through Parchment via our website at http://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=167814&type=d&pREC_ID=345011 .

Different names on official documents will cause all sorts of problems for you. The name on your DBHS transcript, the name on your college applications, and the name for your SAT/ACT accounts all need to match. If you have legal names in one place and nicknames in another, colleges will be confused and that’s never good. Different names can also confuse things when requesting transcripts. See your GLC as soon as possible if you have any questions.

If you have been randomly selected for an audit by the UC or another institution, don’t panic. The key word is random – they really do select random applications and ask students to verify information. Of course, this is the reason it’s very important to just tell the truth when reporting grades and extracurricular activities, but as long as you were honest, you have nothing to worry about. Just follow their instructions and make sure you respond to the UC by January 31st, as failure to do so “will result in cancellation of the application.” And of course if you weren’t honest in your application, you’re toast, and that’s the way it should be.

If a university to which you have applied tells you to create an account with their portal or system, uh…. create an account with their portal or system! Every year, several seniors fail to sign up for the portal accounts universities have instructed them to create, and then they wonder why they aren’t getting a lot of information from the schools! These accounts are how schools plan on communicating with you as far as application problems, updates, financial aid information, and miscellaneous announcements. If you don’t sign up, who knows what you’ll be missing! Do you see a recurring theme here? Don’t surprise, confuse, or ignore a college you’re trying to get into! And make sure you review the “To-Do List” for anything you’re missing.

Early Decision and Early Action mean early results, but unfortunately, it’s not always the news you want to hear. For those of you who got into the school of your dreams, congratulations! For those of you who were denied, that’s definitely a bummer, BUT don’t get too down and remember they all have to reject highly qualified students who they know would do very well at their institution. They can only take so many people, so don’t view it as a condemnation of who you are, and please be realistic about the many other wonderful opportunities still available to you at other incredible institutions. For those of you who were deferred, remember that this means you are still in the running and still may get in!

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The Mt. SAC Honors Program provides a great opportunity to have smaller class sizes, work more closely with faculty and many of the most motivated students on campus, and strengthen your transfer application with a rigorous curriculum. All of these benefits improve your chances of transferring to the four-year school of your dreams. I know many DBHS students who have gone this route and credit Mt. SAC Honors for preparing them well and putting them into a wonderful four-year school. For more information, go to https://www.mtsac.edu/honors/.

The Fullerton College Honors Program is another great opportunity and more information is available at http://honors.fullcoll.edu/. If attending Fullerton College (the community college, not CSU Fullerton) is even a possibility, you should consider provisionally applying. Being in the Honors Program provides registration benefits and a much higher transfer rate to the four-year school of your choice than non-honors students, and applying does NOT mean you are committed to attend.

Both programs, like honors programs at any school, come with many benefits, but of course, you need to work very hard to earn these benefits. It’s very difficult to give a minimal effort in senior year of high school and then flip a switch and act like an honors student the next year. This would be a good time to begin acting like an honors student.

January is the time MT.SAC will be visiting DBHS.  On January 22nd, MT. SAC will meet with all senior English classes to discuss the Connect 4 program. All interested seniors will have the opportunity to sign up to be part of the Connect 4 program at that time. Listen for announcements and stop by the Career Center ASAP to see Ms. Romero for additional information.  She can help you learn the steps for signing up and help you stay on track with upcoming workshops and assessment testing.

East San Gabriel Regional Occupation Program is a good option for anyone A) interested in technical training for a career or B) trying to get more of their general education classes out of the way. Several of their classes transfer to the community college so if you’re having trouble getting all of your breadth requirements taken care of at Mt. SAC or Fullerton College, this

might be another option. Look at www.esgvrop.org for more information.

FINANCIAL AID FAFSA is open and has been since October 1st! Go online as

soon as possible to fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Don’t wait until your parents’ tax return is ready – you’ll use the information from their 2018 tax return. Again, it’s best to get your FAFSA filled out as early as possible, and the F in FAFSA stands for free, and if you’re ever on a website that asks for you to pay them money, you’re in the wrong place.

Community College and Vocational Education students should fill out the FAFSA as well! Sometimes students have the misconception that financial aid is only for four-year schools, but there is a lot of financial aid available for community college certificate programs and vocational education, and some of it doesn’t even have a GPA requirement. Every student should complete a FAFSA so they at least have a chance of receiving some financial aid.

The financial aid package each school offers you will vary, as discussed in the last bulletin, so you need to know the different types of aid available.

o Grants – This is basically a gift from the school, money you don’t have to pay back, which makes it the best available obviously. This is what we all hope for.

o Work Study – This usually comes in the form of an on campus job. I still remember the good ol’ days of driving the campus shuttle. My wife was an official note-taker for her classes. There are all sorts of way to help pay for school.

o Loans – This is often the bulk of your financial aid package, and while it does help cover the cost, you will have to pay this money back. These loans are usually through private banks but at a relatively low rate. The government sometimes pays interest on the loan while the student is in school, and payments usually don’t begin until 6 months after the student graduates. WARNING: These loans will be in the student’s name and will be his

or her responsibility, not their parents, when they graduate. Be careful about taking a loan, especially through a private company, and incurring more debt than you can handle upon graduation. TIME magazine recently referenced a student who graduated from NYU with $169,934 worth of debt that will equal $350,000 with the interest added in over the next 26 years – that’s no way to get started as an adult.

Everyone should fill out the FAFSA, just in case. I often hear parents and students say they don’t plan on filling out the FAFSA because their families make too much money and won’t qualify for financial aid. That could definitely be true, but situations change (e.g. having two kids in college at the same time vs. only one) and financial aid offers can as well. Additionally, filling out the FAFSA at the very least puts you in the conversation for financial aid, and if someone has even a tiny chance of offering me money, I want them to know I’m interested. As the UC states, “Almost two-thirds of UC students qualify for some type of financial assistance.”

Can’t fill out the FAFSA because you are not a U.S. Citizen? You can still receive financial aid through the California Dream Act. The California Dream Act allows undocumented and nonresident students (U.S. Citizens and eligible non-citizens) who qualify for a non-resident exemption under Assembly Bill 540 (AB 540) to receive certain types of financial aid such as: private scholarships funded through public universities, state administered financial aid, university grants, community college fee waivers, and Cal Grants. In addition, the California Dream Act, allows eligible students to pay in-state tuition at any public college in California. For more information and to apply, go to https://dream.csac.ca.gov/. The deadline is the same as the FAFSA deadline – March 2nd, 2020. NOTE: If you do fill out a Dream Act application, you must submit the “non-resident tuition exemption” to the school you’ll attend in order to qualify for in-state tuition!

If you’ve applied to more than ten universities, your FAFSA information will only be sent to the TEN schools you listed on the FAFSA. To get that information to all of your schools, you must remove schools that have already shown you they received

and processed your FAFSA information and then add more schools to your FAFSA list.

Cal Grant GPA Verification Forms are now sent automatically! The Cal Grant is “free money” to help you pay tuition and school fees for schools in California. We used to require students to fill out a form in the Guidance Office (I only bring this up in case parents or older siblings tell you to do this), but now DBHS does a mass load so all seniors automatically have already had their GPA information sent to Cal Grant. Just make sure you fill out the FAFSA by 03/02/2020, and if you qualify for a Cal Grant, colleges will include it in the financial aid package they offer you.

SCHOLARSHIPS CSU Fullerton President’s Scholars Program - As they say

on their website, this is “much more than a scholarship.” Participants in this program receive full tuition and fees, stipend for books and supplies, a laptop computer, priority registration for classes and housing, complimentary parking, and a variety of work, service, and leadership opportunities. Applicants must receive acceptance to CSUF, have a minimum weighted GPA of at least 3.75, “above average scores” on all sections of the SAT or ACT, and evidence of significant contributions to school and community service activities during high school. Apply for this and other CSUF scholarships at www.fullerton.edu/scholars - the application is open now and closes February 22nd, 2020.

Asian Pacific Fund Scholarship – This foundation facilitates 13 scholarship programs ranging from $1,000-$20,000. For information about the different scholarships and how to apply, go to http://asianpacificfund.org/what-we-do/scholarships/apply-for-scholarship/. Application deadline is March 2nd, 2020.

Italian Catholic Federation – $400 awards for winners. Applicants must be Roman Catholic seniors of Italian descent with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2. This one is kind of cool because if you get it the first year, you’re eligible to earn $500 for your second year, $600 for your third year, and $1000 for your fourth year of college – the gift that keeps on giving! For more information, visit their website at www.icf.org. Application deadline is March 15th, 2020.

KPMG Future Leaders Program – This program is “focused on developing future generations of women leaders.” KPMG Future Leaders receive $10,000 per year for 4 years of college, a three-day women’s retreat in Orlando, Florida, and pairing with a female executive leader who will mentor them through freshman year of college. That’s an awesome package, and because this is affiliated with the LPGA, they even provide some golf instruction (feel free to give Mr. Desmond advice upon your return)! Applicants need a 3.5 minimum GPA and interest in a business or STEM major. For more information and an application, go to https://womensleadership.kpmg.us/charitable.html. Applications are due January 31st, 2020.

Los Angeles Black College Expo – This scholarship is for juniors or seniors, but “Winners must attend the Black College Expo to receive their scholarship.” Speaking of which, the Black College Expo “highlights historically black colleges and universities plus other colleges/universities from across the country” and takes place at L.A. Convention Center on February 1st, 2020. The due date for the scholarship is January 9th, 2020, a few weeks before the Expo, so you need to get moving. For more information about either the scholarship or the Expo, go to https://www.thecollegeexpo.org/events/los-angeles.

Mattress Advisor’s Sleep Science Scholarship – Mattress Advisor is a website focused on helping people “understand the importance of sleep and its impact on every aspect of health and well being.” I know we here at DBHS are concerned about the lack of sleep for many of our students and are well aware that “Students are faced with challenges that interrupt their sleep including increased stress and anxiety from the pressures to succeed, dealing with the difficulty of balancing a social life, and troubles managing their own time.” If you’re interested in sleep science, are passionate about dreams, or just interested in improving your sleep quality, they may have a scholarship for you. For more information and an application, go to https://www.mattressadvisor.com/sleep-scholarships/. Applications due March 20th, 2020. Uncertain if this scholarship is for you? Maybe you should sleep on it!

Ron Brown Scholars – This is a huge $40,000 scholarship ($10,000 per year) for “young African Americans of outstanding promise.” In addition to the financial help, “scholars are also provided with the nurturing and mentorship to succeed and flourish in college and

beyond.” For more information, go to https://www.ronbrown.org/section/apply/program-description. Applications are due January 9th, 2020.

Diamond Bar High School

SENIOR BULLETIN #6Scholarship and College Information

February, 2020

ADMISSION DECISIONS As Tom Petty said, “The waiting is the hardest part.” (If you

haven’t heard of him, go on Youtube and expand your musical repertoire). While some schools like Cal State Fullerton and APU have rolling admissions and have already notified many people of their admission status, most other schools will not announce until at least a month from now. Stanford, for example, will announce admission decisions by 4/1/2020 (like some warped April Fool’s joke?), Brown says they’ll let you know “by the end of March,” for scholarship purposes 8% of UC Berkeley’s admissions will be told in February, and most of the UC’s will notify students between March 1 st and March 31 st .

You will never know for certain why you did or didn’t get into any particular school. Every March, I hear students explaining to each other why they didn’t get into a school or why another student did get in, but they don’t really know and it makes me crazy! “My AP Chemistry grade was a B-,” “he was in

orchestra for three years instead of four,” “I got a 3 on the AP Calc test,” “she is the Girls League secretary,” “I volunteered at the animal shelter instead of the library,” “he played baseball for 3 years instead of running track for two…” These are all just guesses. Even if you talked to two admission officers from the same school, they could take educated guesses about why you did or didn’t get in, but you’d almost certainly get two different guesses. Cal State decisions are easier to figure out because they only consider grades and SAT scores, but the UC’s and most private schools consider such a wide variety of factors that it’s very difficult to pinpoint one reason for a decision. So don’t waste your time with the negative energy of dwelling on possible reasons for a decision – spend your time positively by looking more closely at the schools that have accepted you and trying to figure out which will be the best fit for you.

Reminder, if you dropped a class or earned a grade below C for first semester, you must alert the schools to which you applied. The UC website says “If you add or drop a course, fail to earn a C or better in a course or enroll in a new college after you submit your application, log back in and update your information online .  If you receive an offer of admission, be sure to confirm with the campus admission office that they are aware of the deficient grade or schedule changes.” For all CSU’s and privates to which you applied – contact the admission office of each school, and include your full name and any ID # they’ve given you in all correspondence.

If you took a class off-campus at another school besides Walnut HS (eg – a class at Fullerton College, Mt. SAC, BYU online, Rio Hondo College, etc.), you will need to request that school to send an official transcript to any private schools to which you’re applying, unless they say they don’t need that.  Even if the class is posted on our transcript, they want to see an official transcript from the actual school where the class was taken.

Midyear reports have been submitted by your GLC’s via Common Application or Send.edu.  We understand that your universities have told you that your applications are incomplete until the midyear report is submitted, and we understand that many universities have heightened anxiety by saying the reports are due as soon as possible, but universities also understand that

we can only submit midyear reports after first semester grades are finalized.

Again, the UC and CSU do not want transcripts at this time.  If a UC, CSU, or school outside of the Common Application or Send.edu requests an official transcript from you, you must request it through Parchment.  Follow the instructions on our website - http://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=167814&type=d&pREC_ID=345011.

FINANCIAL AID The FAFSA has been open since October 1st. If you haven’t

filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid at www.fafsa.ed.gov yet, you’re behind several other people. As a side note for parents who’ve filled it out in the past, it’s easier now that you can have your tax return information from last year automatically uploaded to the FAFSA, so don’t delay. There are Pell Grants and Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants and other types of aid that financial aid offices can help you receive based on financial need. The sooner you get the FAFSA filled out, the better your chances of receiving financial aid. Research has shown a strong correlation between filling out the FAFSA and succeeding in college, so take this first step on the road to success!

Cal Grant GPA Verification Forms have already been sent in. DBHS does a mass load so all seniors automatically have their GPA information sent to Cal Grant. Just make sure you fill out the FAFSA by 03/02/2020, and if you qualify for a Cal Grant, colleges will include it in the financial aid package they offer you. If you are notified that you qualify for a Cal Grant, you MUST create an account on the Web Grants 4 Students page (https://mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov/ ) in order to claim your award. Students who do not claim their award will have it withdrawn at the end of the academic year!

Future teachers can apply for the Federal TEACH Grant. This grant (free money you don’t have to pay back) can be up to $4,000 a year if you sign an agreement to serve as a paid full-time teacher in a high-need field serving low income students. Visit https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/teach or

contact the financial aid office at the college or university you plan to attend.

If you need a loan for school, look into federal student loans before going with a private bank. With a federal loan, you’ll get a fixed interest rate, more flexibility in repayment plans, and you won’t have to start repaying the loan until six months after you graduate. Be careful with the loans offered by universities because they might be with private banks that start charging interest immediately while you’re still in school – yikes!

o Federal Stafford Loan – This is a loan for students at all types of colleges who attend at least half time. The interest rate is fixed at 4.529% for the 2019-20 academic year.

o Federal PLUS Loan – This is a loan that allows your parents or grandparents to help pay for college costs. The PLUS loan is currently fixed at 7.08% for the 2019-20.

Cash for College Financial Aid Fair takes place on Saturday, February 8th, 2020. They offer free assistance with the FAFSA, scholarship workshops, and Mt. SAC admission and enrollment information. Space is limited – register at http://www.mtsac.edu/financialaid/cashfair.html . They’re supposed to have free food, too, which is always nice… because it’s free… and it’s food.

Community College and Vocational Education students should fill out the FAFSA as well! Sometimes students have the misconception that financial aid is only for four-year schools, but there is a lot of financial aid available for community college certificate programs and vocational education, and some of it doesn’t even have a GPA requirement. Every student should complete a FAFSA so they at least have a chance of receiving some financial aid.

Financial aid questions? Feel free to speak to your GLC, but there is another great resource as well. At the Financial Aid Workshop on our campus a few years ago, the Mt. SAC presenters said they would be happy to answer any of your financial aid questions, even if you’re not planning on going to Mt. SAC, because we are in their service area. Their phone number is 909-274-4450.

Would you like to text someone with your financial aid questions? Well, you’re not going to get any texts from me, but this company – Money Mentor – offers a money mentor who will text back and forth with you regarding all of your financial aid questions. They continue to offer this service throughout your time in college in an effort to help students reduce the amount of debt incurred while earning a college degree. It seems like a great, free service, so take a look at https://www.money-mentor.com/.

Mt. SAC Information & Dates February 12, 2020: Application Workshop period by period, in

the LINC March 17, 2020: Assessment and Account Claim period by

period, in the LINC. April 8, 2020:  Next Step Workshop in the LINC, period by

period. April 28, 2020: Mt. SAC representative will be in the Career

Center from 9am-3pm, to answer any questions you may have. If you still want to sign up for Mt. SAC and haven’t yet, stop by

the Career Center and speak with Ms. Romero in the Career Center ASAP.

SCHOLARSHIPS Student-View Scholarship Program – One $5,000

scholarship, two $1,000 awards, and 10 $500 scholarships are up for grabs through this website. Just fill out the 15-25 minute survey about colleges in the area – scholarships will be awarded via a random drawing of all completed applications. You hear me, those of you with low self-esteem? Random. For more information, go to www.student-view.com. Application deadline is April 22nd, 2020.

UCLA Alumni Scholarship – I know you don’t know if you got in or not at this stage, but if you applied to UCLA, you should apply for one of their alumni scholarships. “Since 1936, UCLA

Alumni have supported our newest Bruins through Alumni Scholarships. If you have demonstrated academic excellence, powerful leadership and a desire to effect positive change, apply to become an Alumni Scholar!” Award range is $6000-$20000 a year! For more information and to apply, go to https://alumni.ucla.edu/scholarships/prospective-students/. Deadline for applications is March 10th, 2020.

Taiwanese American Scholarship – There are 10 $5000 scholarships for U.S. citizens who are a “direct blood descendant of a Taiwanese citizen,” plan to attend a university in the fall, have at least a 3.0 GPA, and have a household income “at or below the Federal/State/County Low Income Level.” For more information, go to https://tascholarshipfund.org/2020-tasf-scholarship-overview/. Applications must be received by 11:59 pm, March 25th, 2020.

Orange County Chinese-American Chamber of Commerce Foundation – Don’t be discouraged by that “Orange County” in the name! The OCCACCF scholarship can be won by students in Los Angeles County “and other nearby cities,” as evidenced by one of our 2018 graduates winning this one. Scholarship winners need a 3.5 GPA and at least a 1200 on the SAT, and they earn $5,000 a year for four years for a grand total of $20K! For more information and to apply, go to http://www.occaccf.org/e/scholarship.html. Application deadline is February 28th, 2020.

ECLIPSE Scholarship – ECLIPSE is an organization offering $1000 awards to African-American students “who have demonstrated commitment to furthering their education.” For more information and an application, go to http://eclipse-inc.org/scholarship-application. The application must be uploaded to www.eclipse-inc.org by March 10th, 2020.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Scholarship – This sorority is offering this scholarship for African-American female seniors planning on attending a four-year institution in fall 2020. Applicants must be local and provide a transcript, letter of recommendation, and essay on “how college will enable you to fulfill your future career goals and ambitions.” Students must also be ready to participate in an interview at a later date. For more information and an application, go to http://www.pvacdst.org/scholarships. Applications must be postmarked by Friday, February 28th, 2020.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund – The Hispanic Scholarship Fund awards a variety of scholarships ranging from $500 - $5000, as well as leadership development, mentoring, and career service opportunities. For more information and an application, go to https://www.hsf.net/scholarship. Application deadline for Phase One is February 15th, 2020.

Summer Medical Career Program – This one isn’t a scholarship so much as a cool experience. “This program is best described as a medical mentor program… participants shadow various medical professionals (nurse, nutritionist, pharmacist, lab technician, physician).” There are 2, 3, and 4-week sessions available in July and August, and the program is available to current juniors or seniors with a birthdate on or before 4/1/04. For more information and an application, go to http://www.lapedsoc.org/summer. Applications are due February 17th, 2020.

UC Irvine Cancer Research Institute – This is another cool opportunity instead of a scholarship, a six week laboratory experience for current juniors or seniors. “The overall goal is to build the pipeline for the next generation of cancer researchers.” For more information, go to http://cri.bio.uci.edu/sample-page/youth-science-fellowship-program/. Applications are due February 28th, 2020.

Cirkled In No Sweat Scholarship – Cirkled In is a free portfolio platform (seems like a place to collect and display all of your achievements and then send them to others), and they only require you to create an account. For more information and an application, go to https://www.cirkledin.com/scholarships/. Applications due March 31st, 2020.

Women’s Cyber Security Scholarship – This is for women with at least a 3.3 who will be “pursuing, or plan to pursue, a degree with a focus on cybersecurity or information assurance.” Up to ten scholarships of at least $1000 will be awarded. For more information, go to https://iamcybersafe.org/s/womens-scholarships. Applications due February 19th, 2020.

Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship – Put down that tofu burger and take a look at this one. This group offers two $5000 and one $10,000 scholarship for a student who has promoted vegetarianism in their schools and/or communities. For more information, go to https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm. Applications due February 20th, 2020.

Diamond Bar High School

SENIOR BULLETIN #7Scholarship and College Information

March, 2020

ADMISSION DECISIONS As Twenty One Pilots sang, “Wish we could turn back time

to the good old days when our mamas sang us to sleep, but now we’re stressed out.” Acceptance letters are wonderful, but they don’t define you. It’s so great to have a school recognize all of your hard work and tell you that they want you to be a part of their campus community. It’s also tremendously disappointing when a school does not accept you, but remember that there are an incredible number of factors going into their decision and you’ll never really know why you did or didn’t get into a particular university. Remember also that there are tons of qualified candidates out there and so many admissions officers have told me they’re frustrated by the fact that they have to say no to capable, wonderful students who they know would do really well at their school. Here’s how a retired high school counselor put it on his website aimed at lowering stress over college admissions (https://lesshighschoolstress.com/):

Over 3.6 million students graduated from American high schools in 2018. Probably at least 10% entered high school thinking they

might have a chance at admission to one of the most selective colleges in the US. That’s 360,000 kids—and their parents—who might have had this picture in their minds through most or all of their time in high school.

How many seats were there at the most selective colleges for the class of 2018 for students from US high schools? After removing those who are from other countries, the eight universities in the Ivy League had a bit under 13,000 seats, or enough for about 3.6% of the top 10% of students.

Please try to not think of it as a rejection so much as a school that just isn’t able to offer you admission – there’s a big difference in those two perspectives! Instead of looking at admission decisions as a judgment of who you are, you would be better off reflecting on the things that really define you – how you cherish your friends, how you value your family, how you pursue your passions, how you treat those less fortunate than you, how you strive to do the right thing.

Choose the school that is right for you. Hopefully you’re going to receive more than one acceptance letter, and that means you’ll have to start spending some serious time thinking about which school will work out best for you. Don’t give in to the temptation to just pick the school that has the most prestige or name recognition unless that truly is the best fit for you. In the short term, you and your parents will have the thrill of saying you’re going there, but bear in mind that you’ll be spending at least four years of your life in this place. Consider factors like the size of the student body, average class size, weather (if you think it’s been chilly here, wait til you face a Chicago winter wind), majors, distance from home (needing a plane to get home is very different from needing a car), and the surrounding community when deciding if a school is the one for you. Remember, there is still time to visit schools and there is no substitute for walking around a campus and speaking with students and observing classes to help you see if it’s the right school for you.

There is much more to life than the name of the university you attend – like happiness and quality of life. You may find those things at that prestigious school that accepted you, but not necessarily. Click here for a thought-provoking article about doing what we just said in the last bullet point – making a

decision that’s right for you! https://www.huffpost.com/entry/asian-american-ivy-league-college-dropout_n_5db061eee4b0a7dbe8e28816?ncid=engmodushpmg00000006.

Time to pivot. I was speaking with another high school counselor at a conference recently, and she alluded to the idea of her students needing to “pivot” in terms of shifting their view of what universities would be acceptable or not acceptable. It reminded me that a few decades ago when I started this career (and you students weren’t born), DBHS students used to view UC Irvine as a mediocre, safety school, whereas now we all recognize UC Irvine as a highly respected first choice university with programs that contend with other top universities. What happened? We’ve had a societal pivot over the years and now recognize this school and others for what they are – great schools. Maybe it’s time for you to make a personal pivot regarding some of the schools you weren’t that excited about and recognize their great qualities and give them real consideration. Be open-minded and spend some time really trying to figure out the school that will work out best for you.

You had your chance to drop classes. If you’re doing poorly in a class and you chose not to drop it when you had the opportunity, then it’s time to live up to your choice and do as well as possible. Remember – schools have the right to rescind an offer of admission because of D’s or F’s or even a lower overall performance. You don’t want to receive a letter from the school you commit to like this one a former student received from a UC: “Regretfully, I must withdraw our offer of admission because you did not meet the conditions of admission. In particular, you failed to successfully complete your senior year with satisfactory grades.”

Appeals to a UC should only occur if there is an error or “compelling new information” that will dramatically alter your application. If you didn’t get into the UC of your choice, don’t appeal just because you hope they’ll like your application better when they read it in April than they did when they read it in December. Overturning an admission decision is, according to the UC site, “extremely rare.”

Online College Guide – Consumer Affairs has created an online college guide. Click here for reviews and comparisons of

several online colleges - https://www.consumeraffairs.com/education/online-colleges/.

FINANCIAL AID The Cal Grant GPA Verification Form has already been

electronically submitted, as we’ve told you in the last two Senior Bulletins! Please tell your friends who don’t read this to stop asking!

If your family’s financial situation has changed (e.g. – a parent has lost a job, your parents have declared bankruptcy), notify the financial aid offices of the schools to which you have applied immediately. That’s a tough situation for your family, but it could also alter the financial aid packages offered to you.

The Middle Class Scholarship was enacted by the California State Legislature to make college more affordable for middle class families. It began with the 2014-15 school year and is aimed at reducing CSU and UC fees by 10-40% for “families with incomes too high to qualify for existing financial aid programs but still unable to afford the fees without relying heavily on student loans.” If you haven’t filled out the FAFSA yet, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov right now! The California state deadline for the FAFSA is March 2nd, 2020. If you are selected to receive a Middle Class Scholarship, you will be notified by the California Student Aid Commission, and “your UC campus financial aid office will let you know your actual scholarship amount.”

The UC Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan “will cover your system-wide fees if you are a California resident whose family earns less than $80,000 a year and you qualify for financial aid.” Similar to the Middle Class Scholarship, UC students are automatically considered for this program if they complete their FAFSA.

Reminder for anyone who filled out a Dream Act application: If you do fill out a Dream Act application, you must submit the “non-resident tuition exemption” to the school you’ll attend in order to qualify for in-state tuition!

See if you can opt out of the insurance plan at your university to be. At some of the UC’s, the health insurance fee

can be $2,000 or more per year, but you should see if it’s possible to opt out if you’re already covered by your parent’s insurance. You’ll probably have to identify a doctor close to school, but that’s well worth 2,000 clams!

There are several other ways to cuts costs. Are you a sociable sort, able to get along with multiple people? Consider rooming in a triple instead of a double, and definitely instead of a single. Both my children chose this option, partially as a way to defray costs, but they also both liked the idea of meeting more people! The transportation budget is another place to look at cutting costs, as are book costs – you can probably find a ton of your books for used book prices (maybe an off campus store or Amazon) instead of buying them brand new at the bookstore. Renting an apartment after the first year and coming up with your own meals can also really cut costs. Many universities require living in the dorms freshman year, and that’s a wonderful, unforgettable experience, but you can save a lot of dough over the next several years by living off campus and befriending cup noodles and mac and cheese.

MT. SAC CONNECT FOUR DATES March 17th, 2020 Assessment/Account Claim  Workshop in the

LINC – Students will participate by Elective class - 45 students per session/period in the LINC. There’s really no better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! Be sure to check your student email on March 13th for an email from Ms. Romero telling you which period to attend. 

If any of this is confusing you, speak with Ms. Romero in the Career Center ASAP.

SCHOLARSHIPS Diamond Bar Woman’s Club Scholarship – This is a great locals

only scholarship, and every year they don’t get as many applications as they’d like – so apply! This $1,000 scholarship is open to graduating seniors (male or female) from Diamond Ranch or Diamond Bar High School who demonstrate “a sincere desire to pursue post-secondary education.” The gracious ladies of the Diamond Bar Woman’s Club are offering two scholarships, one for

students headed to a four-year university and the other for kids headed to community college or a trade school! Applicants must have a 2.5 GPA and letters of recommendation from both school and off-campus, and they must provide an autobiography with an emphasis on community service. A personal interview might also be required, and if you win, you must be able to attend the award luncheon on Wednesday, May 20th. Pick up an application in Mr. Desmond’s office. Applications must be postmarked no later than March 27th, 2020.

Feliz Dia! Scholarship – This $500 scholarship is dedicated in loving memory to Ernesto Aparicio, “Hero and Dad” of Ms. Aparicio, one of our teachers here at DBHS. His kind, intelligent, loving example taught her many lessons and she has created this scholarship in his honor to help others achieve their dreams. Please submit the following to Ms. Aparicio: two-page essay about your own personal hero and one-page essay describing your plans after high school. Scholarship submissions are due to Room 709 by 3:00 pm, May 1st, 2020.

Diamond Bar Black Women’s Association – Another nice local scholarship, for $500. To be eligible, the applicant must be an African-American (male or female) graduating from a local high school (only around Diamond Bar so that really gives you a much better chance at this scholarship) with at least a 3.0 GPA and plans to attend an institution of higher learning. Pick up an application in Mr. Desmond’s office. Application packages including letters of recommendation must be received no later than April 28 th , 2020 .

Walnut Valley Educators Association Pamela Booth Memorial Scholarship – The WVEA will be offering two $500 scholarships for WVEA Members’ children, stepchildren, and grandchildren who are graduating in May and will be pursuing higher education, or who are currently enrolled in higher education and are not a previous recipient. Applications can be downloaded at http://www.wvea.info/ and must be postmarked no later than March 27 th , 2020 , no exceptions .

AABE Scholarship – The American Association of Blacks in Energy is offering a $1000 scholarship for any “underrepresented minority (African Americans, Hispanic, or Native Americans)” with an unweighted 3.0 GPA who will be “pursuing a business, one of the physical sciences, technology, engineering, or mathematics

field.” Additionally, the top three students receiving awards will be eligible for Western Region and National awards from the same group. For more information, go to https://scholarship.aabe.org. Applications due March 15th, 2020.

Beyond the Cure Ambassador Scholarship - The Beyond the Cure Ambassador Scholarship Program awards college scholarships to childhood cancer survivors who have demonstrated the ability to overcome the difficult challenges of cancer with determination and motivation. If that’s you, way to go! Fifty-eight $3500 college scholarships are awarded each year. For more information, go to https://www.thenccs.org/scholarship. Applications due March 31st, 2020.

Hong Kong Schools Alumni Domestic Scholarship – The HKS Domestic Scholarship was created to benefit students in California and up to 5 scholarships of $2000 will be awarded. Applicants must be graduating seniors, have at least a 3.5 GPA, demonstrate financial need, and be on the way to a four-year university next year. They also take into account extracurricular activities, honors, volunteer work, and an essay. For more information and an application go to http://www.hksaf.org/scholarships/domestic-scholarship/. I couldn’t find a due date, but last year these applications were due in April so I’d get on it.

Jack C. Matthews LA Federal Credit Union Scholarship – The LAFCU is offering five $2000 scholarships to seniors. For more information and an application, go to https://www.lafcu.org/scholarships.html. If nothing else, go to this page to see a picture of overwhelmingly happy people. Applications due April 30th, 2020.

The Nancy McMullen Scholarship for the Visual Arts – This $1000 scholarship is dedicated to the memory of Nancy McMullen, a 30-year teacher and devoted artist. It is awarded by Dedicated to Learning each year to a deserving, graduating senior from Diamond Bar High School who is interested in pursuing an art degree in college. Pick up an application in Mr. Desmond’s office or the Guidance Office, then return completed application package electronically to raymcmulln@aol.com or to Mrs. McCurry in the Guidance Office. The deadline for receipt of the application is Friday, April 24 th , 2020.

UC Davis Leadership Scholarship – Students planning to attend UC Davis can apply for this $1000-$4000 scholarship sponsored by

the UC Davis alumni association. Applicants must have an unweighted 3.50 UC GPA and demonstrate leadership in extracurricular activities, community activities, employment or personal situations. Go Aggies! For more information and an application, go to https://www.alumni.ucdavis.edu/scholarships/caaa-leadership-scholarship. Application closes May 1st, 2020.

Kim and Harold Louie Family Foundation – This one is based on personal achievements, academics, leadership, and community service, but there is “special consideration” for students with parents who didn’t attend college, parents who are military veterans, or students with a documented disability. They plan on awarding about $100,000 in scholarships this year and will determine amounts later. For more information and the online application, go to http://www.louiefamilyfoundation.org/scholarship-application. Applications are due March 15th, 2020.

Scott and Kim Verplank Foundation Scholarship – If you have a childhood diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes, first off, I hope you’re able to manage it and everything is going as well as possible. Secondly, if you’ve also maintained at least a 3.0 GPA and have actively participated in an organized sport, then you’re eligible for this scholarship of up to $10,000 toward tuition and books (and this scholarship is renewable for up to four years). For more information, go to http://verplankfoundation.com/scholarships/. Applications due April 15th, 2020.

Pine Cone Foundation – The Pine Cone Foundation’s scholarship program offers up to $5,500 over three years for books, glasses, and school fees for students with a documented learning disability who are working towards associate, bachelor, and vocational degrees. For more information, go to http://pineconefoundation.org/. Applications due by April 1st, 2020.

Don’t forget that you can research scholarships on your own!

o www.fastweb.com o www.collegeboard.org/pay o www.finaid.org o www.scholarshiphelp.org

Diamond Bar High School

SENIOR BULLETIN #8Scholarship and College Information

April, 2020

STRANGE DAYS ARE THESE As John Lennon sang, “Strange days are these… most

peculiar, mama.” There is a reason that we’ve all heard the word “unprecedented” an unprecedented number of times in the news – it’s the only word that truly fits because none of us has ever seen anything like what’s happening in our world today due to Covid 19. There is so much confusion, frustration, and uncertainty, but as far as college admissions go, please take comfort in the fact that everyone in the entire world is dealing with the same confusion, frustration, and uncertainty. Every day I get emails from universities assuring us that A) their admissions decisions are being released on schedule, and B) they totally, completely understand that everything is in flux everywhere, including your high school. As a result, they are completely ready to handle a wide variety of circumstances as we all figure out how the end of spring semester looks in terms of transcripts and such, and I definitely don’t envision anyone being treated unfairly as a result of whatever happens during this strange semester. For example, this was just stated in the most recent UC Counselor Bulletin:

UC has temporarily suspended the letter grade requirement for A-G courses completed in spring 2020 for both prospective and admitted students. 

I know there is a lot of anxiety out there, but please don’t let this be a source of anxiety for you.

DECISION TIME

Ugh! Rejection letters are such a bummer! For the many who didn’t receive the news you wanted, we feel for you, we really do. So many of you have worked so hard and have done such a good job here at DBHS and you have so much to be proud of, so please don’t take non-acceptance to a school too personally. Every time I talk to admission officers, they say their job is so difficult because the vast majority of applicants are bright, highly qualified students who would do a great job at their school, but unfortunately they have to say “No thanks” to almost all of them. As we said last month, don’t focus on the rejections. That’s negative energy that will just leave you frustrated. Focus on the acceptances and start getting pumped up about where you’re going to go!

And one more thought on that subject – you’re so much more than just the name of the school you attend! We all want to do as well as possible, but the university that you attend is not the determining factor for who you are any more than your last math exam score.

The deadline to submit your SIR (Statement of Intent to Register) is rapidly approaching. For the UC’s and most schools, it’s May 1 st , 2020. If you fail to submit your SIR on time, you have missed the boat and “your provisionary admission is cancelled.” I have not heard of a single university changing the date for the SIR due to the virus, and I don’t envision any university postponing that date so submit your SIR by 5/1/2020 .

Don’t ever send multiple SIR’s! Sometimes I hear about people getting into multiple schools and sending in several SIR’s because they still can’t make up their minds and they’re willing to pay the penalty for rescinding a SIR, but it always strikes me as ridiculous. First off, you’re not supposed to do that and it makes it difficult on colleges to know who’s coming and then work with their waiting lists. Secondly, and more importantly, just make a decision, man! If you got into two or more schools you wanted to, that’s great! Talk to your parents, research the schools and programs a bit more, and then make the decision. Trust that there isn’t a wrong decision at that point and focus on how great it will be instead of worrying about regret. And just in case that little talk wasn’t convincing, a UC admissions

representative recently stated “when we find out a student has submitted multiple SIR’s, we cancel the offer of admission.”

The UC Analytical Writing Placement Examination (AWPE) that was originally scheduled for the second Saturday in May, May 9th, has been cancelled. This exam is for all students who have been admitted to the UC but have not satisfied the Entry Level Writing Requirement by other means (e.g. 30 or better on the ACT Combined English/Writing test, 680 or better on the SAT writing section, 3 or above on the AP Language test). If you have not satisfied the Entry Level Writing Requirement as of April 1st, the UC has stated that you “will have other opportunities” and you’ll hear more about this from your intended university in the coming months.

Waiting lists are exactly what they sound like – a list for people who have to wait. They are certainly NOT a promise that you’ll eventually get into that school. More and more schools are using wait lists, and our sincere hope is that as many of you as possible are pulled from wait lists later on, BUT, for now, it’s still a wait list, not an acceptance. Do not make the mistake of failing to submit a SIR to a school that accepted you because you are falsely banking on the belief that you’ll be pulled off a waiting list for another school. The best plan is to submit a SIR to the school you would go to if you were not pulled off a waiting list. You’ll have to lose your deposit if you’re later pulled off the waiting list for a school you’d prefer, but hopefully your excitement at being called up will soften the financial blow. Remember, if you’ve been offered a spot on a school’s waiting list, you probably need to opt-in to make that spot official, but again, it’s not an offer of admission.

If there’s been a financial change for your family, it’s OK and strongly encouraged to let prospective universities know. Right now the financial aid package they’ve offered you is based on what was filled out in your FAFSA so long ago. Unfortunately there are some families whose financial outlook has dramatically changed as a result of the corona virus pandemic. If your parents have lost jobs or their finances have changed, please contact the financial aid office for the schools you’re considering attending and see if they are able to adjust your financial aid package. No guarantees, but it’s definitely

worth a try. On this subject, here’s what the UC’s wrote in their recent Counselor Bulletin:

UC campuses will provide maximum flexibility to students who need more time to meet registration, deposit and transcript deadlines. The university also expects to work with students to adjust financial aid packages if family financial circumstances have suddenly changed.

Make a decision that is right for you. Remember, you’re picking more than just a name on a sweatshirt – you’re choosing where you’ll be living and learning for the next four years or so. In years past, I’ve advised taking a weekend to visit all of your prospective schools. While that obviously isn’t an option this year, almost every university has virtual tours and many have come up with creative ways for you to learn more about their campus online. Virtually research the schools you’re considering and try to get a final feel for the school that’s best for you. While there certainly isn’t only one right choice for you, you want to make this a well thought-out decision.

Make a choice and embrace your new school! We often talk about finding the one perfect school for you, but in reality, there are many schools that might turn into a perfect fit for you. Once you commit and start attending a school, there’s a strong likelihood you’ll find all sorts of things that make that the perfect school for you. Here’s a quote from a Lewis & Clark University student blog on the same subject:

“I am so glad I chose to come here, out of all my other choices. It was a tough decision trying to narrow it down at the end of senior year, but ultimately, I’m more than satisfied. My words of wisdom to all you prospective students is as follows: You might not see sparks fly the first time you visit a school. And that’s okay. It’s okay if you visit all the schools on your list and don’t fall head over heels with a single one. I visited all of the schools I was thinking of going to (multiple times!) and I still had no idea where I should go. Yes, trying to find the best one is hard, but the guidebooks and websites and all the hype tells you that there’s a “dream school” out there that’s “perfect” and you’ll know it when you see it. That’s simply not true for everyone.

There was never a moment where I was dead sure Lewis and Clark was going to be the right choice until I was actually here, attending classes and making friends and living life. You just have to make the decision and everything will turn out just fine.”

Once you’ve committed to a university, monitor all communications with that school! Many campus offices are closed but they are checking emails. Now more than ever you need to be checking emails and looking to university websites as they are making updates frequently. With the cancellation of many campus tours and outreach events many universities are shifting to virtual tours and online outreach efforts. Please visit the websites of these universities to see all they are doing. In addition, make sure to read all correspondences received via email and check student portals for deadlines, to do lists, and/or next steps. You have worked too hard to jeopardize admittance due to deadlines. 

Community college is a great, cost-saving route. If you have not been accepted to the school of your dreams, attending a community college is a great, valid option. A former student recently wrote to her GLC on this subject, and I think she puts it best:

“I remember feeling so bad about myself for getting 10 rejection letters from colleges.  In the long run, those rejections were some of the best things that happened to me.  I ended up going to community college and learned what it meant to study at a college level.  I had time to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life and try different classes (without paying a lot of money to do so). I also was able to apply to all my big dream schools that I did not even bother applying to my senior year.  I am now at USC studying Biomedical Engineering, Pre-med and have been on the Dean's list since I started here.  I know I would not be as successful if I did not go to community college first.”Two other high-achieving honors students who ended up attending Mt. SAC shared this with me:“I’m so happy at Mt. SAC, and I’m so glad I’ve had the chance to go there and get involved. I’m taking so many classes and working so hard to get great grades, but I’m also enjoying the experience with different clubs and people. I have several friends at four-year schools who are struggling to get as many

classes as I’m getting, and this has turned out to be the perfect place for me at this time of my life.”“Mt. SAC has surpassed my expectations. It is a wonderful school full of smart, determined and motivated people. Every day, I see various types of people, all with the goal to learn and strive for the best. I get inspired by them to work harder and I am grateful to have this experience.”

SCHOLARSHIPS Walnut Valley Educational Foundation Scholarship – That’s

Walnut Valley as in OUR district so you know this one is going to a DBHS student - APPLY! They will award four monetary scholarships to DBHS students, Visual and Performing Arts, Industrial Technology, Teen Citizen, and Ron Hockwalt Educational Scholarship (active participation in tutoring or some other aspect of the educational field), and the application is DUE May 1st, 2020. You can pick up more information and an application in Mr. Desmond’s office, or look under scholarships on http://www.walnutvalleyfoundation.com/apply/. The application must be signed by your GLC and needs to be received by 5/1/20 , either through mail or at WalnutValleyEdFoundation@gmail.com.

Feliz Dia! Scholarship – This $500 scholarship is dedicated in loving memory to Ernesto Aparicio, “Hero and Dad” of Ms. Aparicio, one of our teachers here at DBHS. His kind, intelligent, loving example taught her many lessons and she has created this scholarship in his honor to help others achieve their dreams. Please submit the following to Ms. Aparicio: two-page essay about your own personal hero and one-page essay describing your plans after high school. Scholarship submissions are due via email to taparicio@wvusd.k12.ca.us by 3:00 pm, May 1st, 2020.

Collegiance Campaign – College Board’s sixth annual Collegiance Campaign is live. #Collegiance is a social media contest for student’s making their college decision. Students can share a video about their college decision on Instagram between now and May 15th, 2020 for a chance to win a $5000 grand prize or one of 21 other cash prizes. For more information, go to https://pages.collegeboard.org/collegiance?

excmpid=mtg463-st-1-var. Something tells me you probably have a little extra time to do this this year.