SEPTEMBER 2020

IS A 4YEAR COLLEGE RIGHT FOR ME?

YES!

A four-year college is the right choice for you. We need hardworking students like you who will persevere and earn a four-year degree. Right now, we don’t have enough people in the workforce with bachelor’s degrees to ll the jobs we have in San Diego.

Many students choose not to apply to a four-year college because they think it is too expensive, or that going to a community college is a better choice, or that college applications are expensive. But don’t let these concerns keep you from applying.

I’M HERE TO TELL YOU...

College is more aordable than you think. Most students don’t pay the college sticker price.

Four-year colleges provide more support so that you graduate on time.

You can get fee waivers for the applications so that you don’t pay anything to apply.

Most students like you will apply to ve or more four-year colleges this year.

Use this packet to start your college application today. We’re counting on you!
Liliana Silva

Sweetwater Union High School District, Counselor

SECTION I: NET PRICE

Most students don’t pay the college sticker price.

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ATTENDING

FOURYEAR COLLEGES	PUBLISHED COST OF
	WHAT OTHER STUDENTS ACTUALLY PAID BASED ON HOW MUCH THEIR PARENTS EARNED
PARENTS EARN LESS THAN	PARENTS EARN BETWEEN	PARENTS EARN BETWEEN $30K PER YEAR                 $30K AND $48K           $48K AND $75K
	
San Diego State University
	$28,224
	$7,430
	$9,406
	$13,827
	
UC San Diego
	$32,163
	$8,424
	$9,822
	$13,329
		
CSU San Marcos
	$24,066
	$6,663
	$8,086
	$11,364
	
University of San Diego
	$65,426
	$24,449
	$26,590
	$27,901

UC Irvine
	$33,858
	$9,026
	$10,302
	$13,674
		
UC Riverside
	$34,663
	$7,809
	$8,263
	$10,885
		
CSU Long Beach
	$24,066
	$5,588
	$7,459
	$10,754
	
CSU Fullerton
	$27,342
	$3,472
	$4,761
	$8,749

Northern Arizona University
	$40,705
	$11,930
	$12,117
	$14,837
		
Arizona State University
	$42,132
	$7,300
	$8,466
	$13,994
		
Stanford University
	$68,572
	$1226
	$113
	$451

KNOW THE NET PRICEOF THE COLLEGE YOU PLAN TO ATTEND!

WHAT IS NETPRICE? HOW DO I KNOW WHAT I’LL PAY?

Net price is the amount that a student pays to attend an institution in a single academic year AFTER subtracting scholarships and grants the student receives. Scholarships and grants are forms of nancial aid that a student DOES NOT have to pay back.

Some students only pay $3,472 to attend CSU Fullerton, not the $27,343 sticker price

Net price and calculators
When you use the Student Union college match tool in Section III, it will tell you the net price of the schools you plan to attend.

WHAT CAN I DO?

Create a list of colleges you might attend.

Identify the net price based on your parents’ income levels.

SECTION II: GRADUATION RATE

Some colleges help students get through college better than others.

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DON’T JUST GET IN, FINISH!

PUBLIC OR FOURYEAR COLLEGES	PRIVATE

GRAD RATE

WHITE GRAD RATE

BLACK GRAD RATE

HISPANIC GRAD RATE

ASIAN GRAD RATE

CSU San Marcos	San Marcos, CA
	Public
	51%
	54%
	58%
	50%
	49%
	
San Diego State University	San Diego, CA
	Public
	68%
	73%
	52%
	64%
	68%
	
UC San Diego	San Diego, CA
	Public
	87%
	88%
	78%
	78%
	90%
	
University of San Diego	San Diego, CA
	Private
	79%
	80%
	56%
	83%
	81%
	
UC Irvine	Irvine, CA
	Public
	86%
	87%
	85%
	79%
	90%
	
UC Riverside	Riverside, CA
	Public
	69%
	72%
	66%
	70%
	76%
	
CSU Long Beach	Long Beach, CA
	Public
	65%
	67%
	59%
	64%
	71%
	
CSU Fullerton	Fullerton, CA
	Public
	56%
	57%
	56%
	58%
	65%
	
Northern Arizona University	Flagsta, AZ
	Public
	52%
	59%
	41%
	48%
	61%
	
Arizona State University	Tempe, AZ
	Public
	66%
	67%
	59%
	63%
	70%
	
Stanford University	Stanford, CA
	Private
	95%
	95%
	90%
	93%
	95%

GRADUATION RATES ARE ONE OF THE BEST INDICATORS OF SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING COLLEGE

GRADUATION RATE QUESTIONS

Graduation rates are for four-year colleges only. The average graduation rate and transfer rates at two-year colleges is less than 30%. Fewer than three in 10 students who go to a community college complete a degree or transfer.

Some colleges help students better than others, so graduation rates are not the same across schools or student groups.

WHAT CAN I DO?

Create a list of colleges you might attend.

Determine the graduation
rate for each college/university where you plan to attend.

SECTION III:COLLEGE MATCHING

You have more 4-year college options than you think.

Apply to a 4-year college that best ts you and where you have the best chance to
complete.

BUILDING THE COLLEGE

PERFECT LIST

SCAN THIS

Use the QR code or visit https://cappex.com and sign up for an account.

Next, select your college preferences.

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BUILDING THE COLLEGE

PERFECT LIST

Explore the colleges that match your interests.

Create a list of colleges that are “reach,” “target,” and “likely” schools. Reach schools are more diicult to gain admission but you still have a good chance. Target schools are just right. These are schools where you should apply. Likely schools are schools where you have the best chances of being admitted.

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MY COLLEGE LIST

Build out your college list using the schools you saved from the cappex.com website and other schools where you SHOULD apply.

COLLEGE

JUST RIGHT, STRETCH, MOONSHOT

GRADUATION RATE

NET COST

DISTANCE FROM HOME

GOOD FIT?

SCHOOLS I SAVED FROM STUDENT UNION WEBSITE

APPLY TO AT LEAST 2 OF THESE SCHOOLS

APPLY TO AT LEAST 3 OF THESE SCHOOLS

Chapman University Claremont McKenna College
Arizona State University Tempe Stanford University

University of California Irvine University of California Santa Cruz University of California Riverside University of California Merced

San Diego State University San Jose State University
California State University San Marcos California State University Long Beach California State University Fullerton
California State University Channel Islands

STRETCH MOONSHOT JUST RIGHT MOONSHOT

MOONSHOT STRETCH STRETCH JUST RIGHT

MOONSHOT STRETCH JUST RIGHT MOONSHOT JUST RIGHT
JUST RIGHT

74%	$26,119 90%           $7,701 63%          $8,555 95%          $2,203

86%         $10,302 77%          $12,602 69%          $8,263 64%          $10,472

66%	$8,790 52%          $10,516 50%          $8,086 65%           $7,459 56%           $4,761 62%          $11,172

91 MILES         YES 119 MILES         YES 355 MILES        YES 478 MILES        YES

82 MILES 462 MILES
95 MILES	YES 397 MILES

9 MILES	YES 459 MILES
34 MILES	YES 104 MILES
117 MILES

176 MILES

Add all the “Good Fit” colleges to your Common Application using the College Search tab.

GOOD FIT?
STRETCH,
NET COST
MY COLLEGE LIST

Use this area to list the schools where you will apply. Use the schools you saved from cappex.com.

Remember to apply to at least ve colleges from this list.
	JUST RIGHT,	GRADUATION	DISTANCE MOONSHOT                   RATE                                        FROM HOME

						

						

						

APPLY TO A MINIMUM OF 2 UC SCHOOLS BELOW
						
University of California Irvine
		86%
		82 MILES
		
University of California Santa Cruz
		77%
		462 MILES
		
University of California Riverside
		69%
		95 MILES
		
University of California Merced

APPLY TO A MINIMUM OF 3 CSU SCHOOLS BELOW
		64%
		397 MILES
		
San Diego State University
		66%
		9 MILES
		
San Jose State University
		52%
		459 MILES
		
California State University San Marcos
		50%
		34 MILES
		
California State University Long Beach
		65%
		104 MILES
		
California State University Fullerton
		56%
		117 MILES
		
California State University Channel Islands
		62%
		176 MILES

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SECTION IV: FEE WAIVERS

Don’t let fees get in the way of applying for college.

A fee waiver removes the cost of applying to a 4-year college. Turn the page to gure out how to apply for fee waivers.

FEEWAIVER INSTRUCTIONS

Use the QR code (or visit https://www.commonapp.org/how-apply) to log onto Common App.

Go to the prole section and locate the common application fee waiver request.

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FEE
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY (CSU)

WAIVER INSTRUCTIONS

Use the QR code (or visit https://calstate.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login) to complete the California State University application. Remember that a fee waiver allows you to apply to up to four campuses.

Complete the “My Application” and “Add Program” sections.

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FEE
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY (CSU)

WAIVER INSTRUCTIONS

Once you have fully completed the application, you will see the “Check My Fee Waiver Status” link. Click on the link to determine your eligibility.

Avoid common errors that may cause you not to receive an application fee waiver:

1. If you report yourself as a dependent applicant with a family size of one.

2. If you report the same dollar amount in the Adjusted Gross Income eld as well as in the Untaxed Income eld.

3. If you select “none” in answer to “What U.S. State/ Possession do you regard as your permanent home?”

If you still have questions, talk with your counselor.

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FEE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (UC)

WAIVER INSTRUCTIONS

Use the QR code (or visit https://apply.universityofcalifornia.edu/my-appli-cation/login/logout) to complete the University of California application. Remember that a fee waiver allows you to apply to up to four campuses.

In the “About you” section of the application, complete the “Family Size & Income” accurately and completely. You cannot go back and change this answer and apply for the fee waiver again.

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FEE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (UC)

WAIVER INSTRUCTIONS

During the submission process, click “APPLY FOR A FEE WAIVER” (Step 6 of the Review & Submit section) and the system will automatically grant the waiver if you are eligible.

If you don’t get a fee waiver, talk to your counselor because you have other options through College Board. Select the “Check (by mail)” payment option and talk to your counselor about sending a College Board waiver with the application receipt to the UC Application Center or submitting submit a letter with your receipt explaining your situation. Fee waivers may be granted for special circumstances on a
case-by-case basis.

If you still have questions, talk with your counselor.

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SECTION V: TIMELINE AND CHECKLIST

NOTES:

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IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES

Identify dates you plan to take the SAT/ACT and sign up

AUG.

Make a list of colleges and create a calendar with important dates for each school

SEPT. Apply to and visit colleges OCT. File the FAFSA
DEC. Check with colleges about important deadlines APR. Narrow your college choices
MAY Make your college decision and submit a deposit

NOTES:

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IS A 4YEAR COLLEGE RIGHT FOR ME?

Ms. Liliana Silva Diaz

Counselor on Special Assignment (COSA) Phone: 619-796-7748
Email: Liliana.silva@sweetwaterschools.org