What
is "College Prep"?
College prep includes everything you need to do in order to get
ready to go to college. College prep starts early in high school,
and includes doing things like:
- Learning
about the different kinds of colleges you could attend (State
Universities, private schools, community colleges, etc.).
- Taking
the high-school classes required by the college.
- Improving
your study habits.
- Planning
your high school future, including extracurricular activities.
- Exploring
the different kinds of college degrees you could get.
- Taking
the tests and entrance exams (SATs, etc.) required by the college.
- Learning
about the college majors available.
College
prep can seem overwhelming and scary, but with the right help and
planning, it’s no big deal. College Knowledge offers
all kinds of assistance to make the process
easier.
Why
Go to College?
It’s a fact that people who go to college make more money,
have better career options, and tend to feel better about themselves—whether
they get 2- or 4-year degrees.
Choosing
the Right College
Where you go to college may depend on what kind of career
you’re interested in, what kind of degree you’ll need,
and what kind of person you are. Keep in mind, it’s okay to
go to college even if you don’t know what career you want to
pursue. College is a place where you can explore interesting subjects.
There are lots of resources for finding out more about colleges.
You can:
- Explore
our handy list of websites.
- Talk
to your guidance counselor or teachers.
- Ask
the school librarian for help.
- Call
colleges and have them send you their catalogs, which are very
informative.
- Call
a college admissions office and set up a campus tour.
What Kinds of Colleges Are There?
The following gives you the rundown on the colleges within California.
For more information about colleges outside of California, explore
our links.
California
Community Colleges
These are 2-year colleges throughout the state that offer technical
training or basic college coursework that can be transferred to
a 4-year university. There are 108 of these schools located throughout
California. High school graduates or anyone over the age of 18 are
eligible for admission. Tuition is low and financial aid is available.
Many students who attend work part time and commute to a local community
college.
California
State University (CSU)
There are 23 CSU schools throughout the state. All are 4-year colleges
that offer instruction for a broad liberal education and a variety
of professional careers. Students are admitted from the upper 1/3
of California high school graduates. Many community college students
transfer to State Universities. Some students live at home while
attending State Universities, and many live on campus in dorms or
off campus in apartments.
University
of California
There are 10 UC campuses that offer a range of 4-year programs for
undergraduates in the arts and sciences. UC’s first-year students
come from the top 12.5 percent of California high-school graduates.
Many students transfer to UCs after completing two years of study
at a community college. Some students live at home while attending
a UC, and many live in on-campus dorms or off-campus apartments.
California
Independent Colleges and Universities
There are more than 60 independent colleges and universities in
the state, which vary in size, location, and programs offered. Most
of these emphasize the liberal arts and have differing entrance
requirements and costs depending on the school. More than 2/3 of
all students receive financial aid. Most students live on or near
campus.
High
School Planning
It might seem like meeting your high school graduation requirements
will be enough to get you into the college of your choice, but that’s
not always true. If you want to go to a 4-year school, you may need
to take specific classes and push yourself to take challenging subjects.
Meet with your guidance counselor to create
your 4-year high school plan, then make a class schedule each year
that will be sure to get you in the door of the college of your
choice.
College Prep Resources
Links
California
Community College Websites
This
site links to all the California Community College websites and
is a great resource if you’re interested in a 2-year college.
College
of the Redwoods
This is College of the
Redwood’s EOPS (Educational Opportunity Program and Services)
website. It has information explaining services available for eligible
students. Please contact the EOPS offices at the community colleges
you’re interested in for information about their services.
CSU
Mentor
This
site tells you how to apply and get into any of the 23 California
State University campuses and makes the whole process easier. Start
early with this site if you’re interested in the CSU system.
Educational
Opportunity Program
This
site describes the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) for the
CSU system. EOP provides admission, academic, and financial assistance
to EOP-eligible undergraduate students.
University
of California
This
site has links to all the University of California websites and
fills you in on how to apply to a UC school.
UC
System’s EOP Program
This
site explains the UC System’s Educational Opportunity Program
(EOP). Students eligible for EOP may be admitted to a UC campus
by fulfilling alternative admission requirements.
The
California College Explorer
This
site lets you search for information about any kind of college that’s
located in California.
www.Collegeboard.com
This
site helps you find the right college for you. It also has lots
of info on getting in and paying for college and taking the SATs.
Embark
This
site is chock-full of college info, with just about everything you
need to know, including online college applications, financial aid,
SATs, and ACTs.
CampusTours.com
This
is a great place to research colleges, and it even lets you take
virtual tours of campuses!
Educaid
This mega-site has everything from college planning calendars,
college searches, tools to choose the right college, and info on
financial aid and scholarships. You can sign up here for a free
email newsletter that’ll keep you in the know about upcoming
deadlines, college info, financial aid, and more.
ACT
Site
This is the site for any questions
you have about taking the ACT.
US
News.edu
This site is a great place to research
schools. It ranks every
kind of college imaginable, from liberal arts schools to community
colleges. It also lets you search for community colleges by location,
academic programs, and student services. The site also has an alphabetical
list of all colleges and their national rank.
SuperCollege.com
This
site has a college matchmaker, SAT prep resources, scholarship search,
and much more for students interested in finding the right college.
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