This document provides 10 tips for mastering the college application landscape. It summarizes changes to the application processes for California State Universities, University of California schools, and other public and private colleges. Key points include new Cal State and UC application systems, shifting financial aid deadlines, updated SAT/ACT testing, and common application changes. The document offers guidance on organizing applications, identifying match schools, managing essays and recommendations, utilizing available resources, and creating a comprehensive application plan.

1. Get Me To College:
Ten Tips For Mastering The
College Application
Landscape
Rebecca Joseph, PhD
March 14, 2018
rjoseph@calstatela.edu
www.getmetocollege.org

2. Your Presenter
Rebecca Joseph, PhD
• Professor, Cal State LA
• Founder, Get Me To College andAll
College Application Essays
• Current 2016 Unsung Hero, LA
County
Contact rjoseph@calstatela.edu and
getmetocollege@gmail.com
@getmetocollege @allcollegeessay

3. What Colleges Look For
1. Grades
2. Rigor of Academics
3. Testing
4. Activities
5. Essays
6. Applications
7. Connections, legacy, athletics
8. Demonstrated interest
9. Ability to pay
3

4. Many Steps to Class of 2019 and Beyond
College Admissions Process
Organizing YourApplications
University of California
FAFSA Structure and
Opening Date
New Cal State Application and
Impact of Impacted Campuses
Class of 2019 College
Admissions Process
Application Aids
Common Application
SAT/ACT Updates
What Colleges Look For

5. New FAFSA Cycle and PPY

7. California State University System
• 2017-2018 Cal State System
releases new system: Cal State
Apply.
• Most campuses are now
impacted.
• Many majors on campuses are
impacted.
• Cal State LA received over
36,000 applications.
• New focus on deadlines,
deadlines, deadlines

8. Must More Zen
• Must easier. One application
for all.
• Pick one campus and then fill
out each section.
• Easily add other colleges.
• Still four free for all low-
income students.
• No more check payments.
Only credit cards or free
waivers.

9. Four Easy Sections
• Academic history requires
some practice
• It requires students to add
courses by grade. No longer
by A-G
• It does have an A-G tracker
• Students must put in all
grades even Ds and Fs.

10. EOP Shifts
• EOP application is integrated
into Cal State Apply
• Short responses remain the
same.
• New system wide deadlines.
• January 15 for Fall
• August 31 fro Spring

11. California State System Graduation Push
• Graduation Initiative 2025.
• Each university needs over
50 graduation rates within 4
years.
• New dashboards for
analytics.
• https://analytics.calstate.edu/
SASPortal/main.do

12. New Cal State Data Portal
https://www5.dashboards.calstate.edu/static/page/hsdash/
hshome.html?utm_medium=301&utm_source=calstate.ed
u

13. Community Colleges
• More system-wide programs.
• Courses now readily available.
• Different transfer rates by
college.
• Los Angeles College Promise
Promise
• One year of free enrollment to all
full-time students graduating from
LAUSD and charter high schools
beginning with seniors graduating
in 2017. Included in this program
are priority enrollment, placement
in math and English courses
required to succeed in college and
career support and counseling.

14. Los Angeles College Promise
• Great opportunity for many
students
• Pays for one year.
• Provides multiple supports

15. Shifts With Other College Applications

16. University of California
• UCs identify the top 9 percent of students
based on GPA in UC-approved
coursework
completed in the 10th and 11th grades. To
be
considered for ELC, you must have a
minimum
GPA of 3.0 and complete 11 "a-g"
courses
prior to their senior year. Rest
must be completed by end of
senior year.
• While there are no minimum test scores
required, all applicants must complete
either
the ACT with Writing or the SAT
Reasoning exams.
• California residents ranked in the top 9
percent of students in their California
high
school class — and your high school
participates in our ELC program —
you may be eligible for ELC
designation.

17. University of California Challenges
• Numbers of applicants.
Escalating each year.
• Costs. Now capping out of
state and international
enrollments for first time.
• Affordability. Often gapping
poor children and then
expensive for middle class.
• Blue and Gold Program
• CAL Middle Class Program

18. University of California Application Shifts
• Applicants must write 4 short 350
word max essays
• Freshman can choose from 8
prompts
• Transfers have one required and
then seven prompts, of which
applicants must choose 3
• Greater implications for earlier
college readiness

19. UC Freshman and Transfer Prompts
• Freshman Personal Insight Prompts: Answer any 4 of the following 8 questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
• What do you want UC to know about you? Here’s your chance to tell us in your own words.
• Which questions you choose to answer is entirely up to you: But you should select questions
that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.
Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you
have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or
contributed to group efforts over time.
Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many
ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and
artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative
side.
What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you
developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant
educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational
barrier you have faced.
Describe the most significant challenge you have faced andthe
steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this
challenge affected your academic achievement?
Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has
influenced you.
What have you done to make your school or your community a
better place?
What is the one thing that you think sets you apart fromother
candidates applying to the University of California?
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
• Transfers: Personal insight questions: There is one required question you mustanswer
• You must also answer 3 out of 7 additional questions
• What do you want UC to know about you? Here’s your chance to tell us in your own words.
• Which three questions you choose to answer are up to you: But you should select questions
that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.
• Required question
• Please describe how you have prepared for your intended major, including your
readiness to succeed in your upper-division courses once you enroll at the university.
• You will also need to select 3 out of the following 7 questions to answer:
1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively
influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over
time.
Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways:
problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few.
Describe how you express your creative side.
What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed
and demonstrated that talent over time?
Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity
or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have
taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affectedyour
academic achievement?
What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidates
applying to the University of California?

20. The Testing World

21. Testing
• SAT and ACT are equally
valued.
• Few colleges require
writing section. Ucs require
it.
• Most schools now making
SAT Subject Tests optional
• Increasing number of new
test optional colleges.
fairtest.org
• August SAT test date

22. Private Colleges and
Other Public Universities
Often private colleges offer
better financial aid packages and
merit scholarships than publics
.

23. Goldilocks and the Three Bears

24. Private Colleges
Marquette
Lehigh
MIT

25. How Do I Find These Schools?
• First, you need to know match
colleges. These are based on your
academic profile—including
grades and test scores.
• They also depend on level of
involvement in activities and
work. Artistic and athletic talents
can make a difference.
• Passions also matter—as there
are schools for African American
Students, all women, technology,
and more.

26. Visit Colleges
In person
College fairs
Books
Fiske
Colleges That Change Lives
Online
College Week Live
College Greenlight
Big Future
Naviance

27. Upcoming Free College Fairs
Pasadena Convention Center
300 E Green St
Pasadena, CA 91101
Fair Hours:
Thursday, April 26, 2018
April 26, 2018
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
April 26, 2018
6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 29, 2018
11:00 AM & 3:00 PM
Hilton Universal City
Ballrooms A-D
555 Universal Hollywood Dr
Los Angeles, CA 91608

28. Groups of Colleges Now Travel Together

29. Online College Fairs
https://www.collegeweeklive.com/event-schedule

30. Counselor Conferences
WACAC Share Learn Collect, March 21, 2018,
Whittier College
WACAC May 31-June 2, 2018 Monterey
NCAN, September 24-26, 2018 Pittsburgh
NACAC September 27-29, 2018 Salt Lake City

31. Other Sources
http://www.regionaladmissions.com/

32. Western Undergraduate Exchange
http://outofstatecollegefairs.org/western-undergraduate-
exchange-wue-faqs/

33. Affording College

34. Types of Financial Aid: Internal
• Need-based
• Grants/Scholarships
• Work
• Loans
• Student
• Parent
• Merit-based

35. External Scholarships

36. Great Free Guide
https://roybal-allard.house.gov/uploadedfiles/student_resource_guide_2017-2018.pdf

37. Internal Merit Scholarships

38. College Greenlight

39. Common Application
• Allows accounts to roll-over
• Continues to improve transfer
application
• Adds Indiana University,
George Mason University, and
University of Wisconsin-
Madison along with 45 other
new institutions
• Expands outreach including
virtual counselor

40. Little Treasures

41. 2018-2019 Common Application Prompts
250-650 Words 2017-2018 Common Application Essay Prompts
1.Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would
be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
2.The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced
a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
3.Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the
outcome?
4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query,
an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what
steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
5.Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of
yourself or others.
6.Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate
you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
7.Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different
prompt, or one of your own design.

42. Application Enhancements

43. 4 Tips for Getting Firm Footing
1. Find Common Denominator
• Where do most students apply?
• Use that to drive strategies.
2. Identify Components
• All essays? Recommendations? Mix? Early
applications?
• Break down and organize colleges by components.
• Personalize at end.
3. Stay current
•
•
•
What has changed? What is current?
Ensure students are working on CORRECT and
RELEVANT components.
Minimize mistakes and need to back track or rework
information
4. Create plan
• Review past protocols/policies? Do they still work for
students and your organization? Or do you need new
ones?
• Use online application tool/process to track progress.
• Set deadlines.
• Set tasks/assignments.

44. 1. Find Common Denominator
Check or create list with application types. Which application should Andy do?

45. 2. Identify Components
California State
University
University of California California and Out of Out of State Public
State Private Colleges Colleges
Application Application Application Application
SAT or ACT
(check campus requirements)
SAT or ACT
(must have writing)
SAT or ACT SAT or ACT
(with writing as needed) (with writing as needed)
SAT Subject Tests
(as needed)
SAT Subject Tests SAT Subject Tests
(as needed) (check campus for requirements)
High School Curriculum
Self Report on application
High School Curriculum Self
Report on application
Transcript Transcript
Personal Insight Questions
(4 )
Personal Statements Personal Statements
(number varies) (check campus for requirements)
Activity List
(9, 10, 11, 12)
Activity List Activity List
(9, 10, 11, 12) (9, 10, 11, 12)
Counselor Recommendation Counselor or Teacher
& Recommendations
1-3 Teacher/Community (check campus for requirements)
Letters of Recommendation
Applications open Oct. 1
Submit: Oct. 1 - Nov. 30
Applications open Aug.1
Submit: up to Nov. 30
Applications open as early as July 1 (varies)
Submit: Varies (as early as July, as late as May)

46. 3. Stay Current
• More colleges than ever are
filling more than 50% of their
classes with Early Decision.
• More colleges are adding ED 2.
• Applying ED 1 or 2 often
doubles likelihood of admissions
than regular.
• More students are applying to
12+ colleges.
• Deferrals and waitlists more
common than ever.
https://www.iecaonline.com/PDF/IECA_Library_ED-vs-
RD-Acceptances.pdf
Deadlines: EA, REA, ED, 1 & 2?

47. 4. Create a Plan
Create or use online platform to view all application due dates

48. Essay Management

49. Use Available Resources

50. And More Changes
• Other components to manage:
• Recommendations
• Transcript delivery process changing
• Proliferation of student portals –
based on student applications

51. Questions?

52. Seizing the moment

53. Contact Dr. Joseph
• getmetocollege@gmail.com
• www.getmetocollege.org
• Buy my Integrated Website and
Mobile App-All CollegeApplication
Essayswww.allcollegeessays.org
• www.allcollegeessays.org