College Office

Welcome to King/Drew Magnet High School's College Office!

Higher Education: A Definite Goal

_{The College Office assists students with exploring their options for higher education and provides them with the tools and resources they need to successfully navigate the admissions and financial aid processes. The College Office also collaborates with representatives of colleges, universities, enrichment programs, and scholarship agencies to inform King/Drew students and parents about the amazing post-secondary options available.}

_{Mrs. Lisa Golden, College Advisor, oversees the College Office and administers its educational and advisory program with the help of College Peer Counselors, a select group of King/Drew seniors that receive special training in the admissions and financial aid processes. Mrs. Golden is extremely excited to support and work with the King/Drew Family each and every year!}

_{College Peer Counselors (CPC's) are seniors who receive special training in the College Admissions Process and are the heart of the college office. They assist their peers in completing college entrance and exam applications, writing personal statements, searching for scholarships, meeting pertinent deadlines, and selecting colleges that meet individual interests and needs. College Peer Counselors are instrumental in the successful 90% senior population that attends college.}_{They organize the Parent College Information Workshops and the 40 college presentations that occur annually.}

^{^{College Peer Counselors 2023-24: Mary Abolarin, Esther Abraham, Ismail Al-Husani, Rubi Alvarez, Sherlyn Aranza Flores, Jahnelle Brown, Tai Burley, Emoni Campbell, Vanessa Chavarin, Savannah Chow, Natalie Coleman, Mia Crockett, Joshua Cruz, Haley Henderson, Sadiq Henry, Julius Hernandez, Nia McLean Waters, Raphie Mercado, Miguel Partida, German Ramirez Aguirre, Janedona Ugwu}}

College Countdowns

The Class of 2023 applied and qualified for college; their diligence these past 4-years has been rewarded with college acceptances across the US. They will attend college despite the pandemic that could have deterred their post-secondary plans. Higher Education is a Definite Goal at KD, and this College Acceptance Report confirms it. Congratulations Class of 2023...Your KD Family is Proud of You!

2024 Financial Aid FAQ

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application for the 2024-2025 school year is now open! To prepare for filling the FAFSA out, please feel free to watch these informational videos that the Federal Student Aid has posted on the new changes within the FAFSA. Videos cover the following topics: what the new changes are, who counts as a contributor, what is needed to fill out the new FAFSA, and what does it mean to provide consent. See FAFSA FAQ Videos Here: 2024-2025 FAFSA FAQS

In addition, if you need an overview on the changes for both the FAFSA and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA), please see the reference guide below. You can also look at the "Commonly Asked Questions About Financial Aid" Handout for more in-depth information.

If you need assistance beyond what Mrs.Golden and Mrs.Kao will provide in January concerning Financial Aid, you may attend one of the Cash 4 College Workshops offered throughout Los Angeles. Register at the following link: Cash 4 College Workshop Registration

CSAC - Financial Aid in 5 Steps

College Application Workshops Sign Up (Scan QR Code Using Phone Camera to Sign Up)

IGP College Info Meeting Packet 09/30/2023

College Application-Information Guide 2023-24 (Senior Parent Meeting)

Important College Information

Preparing for College as an Underclassman (9th-11th grade)

It is never too early to start thinking about college or how to become college ready. If there is even a part of you that knows you would like to attend college, these are some suggested ways to ensure you are college admission ready by the time you are a senior:

Ensure that you are taking courses that will satisfy the A-G requirements. Without fulfilling the A-G requirements completely, you are deemed ineligible to apply to any CSU/UC/Private institution.
Make sure that you obtain a A/B average in the courses that you choose to take. Remember, though D's can count for high school graduation, but D's do not count for college admission. If you have any D's on your transcript, you must retake the courses before your Senior Year to ensure A-G eligibility!
Participate in clubs, organizations, and academic enrichment programs! Colleges will consider your consistent participation with these extra organizations. At the end of your junior year / beginning of your senior year, fill out the "Brag Sheet Template" with all your clubs, organizations, enrichment programs, and achievements. This will help you with college applications as well as letter of recommendations when your senior year comes!
Do research on what different schools exist (whether these schools are local or out of state, what kind of programs and majors they offer how much they cost, admissions requirements) just so you can find the schools that are best for you! In addition, visiting campus or even a school's admissions presentation can give you as a student a better insight on what the campus is really like.
Take the SAT/ACT at least once during 11th grade in order to get familiar with the format of the exam. If you have the capacity to do so, study and then take the test once more to see if you can raise your score!

The "High School College Prep Timeline" document gives you step by step instructions on what to do to ensure that you are college admission ready and prepared. Download that document and read it to ensure that you are doing the best you can to complete every single one of those suggestions. The document covers this in detail, therefore it is best to use this as your reference.

In addition, the "4 Systems of Higher Ed: Explained" document displays the differences between the types of higher education institutions that exist in California (Community College, Cal States, University of California, Private Institutions). It details examples of schools included in that system, cost, majors and programs available, and admissions requirements! It is definitely a good reference guide to understand the nuances between each type of higher education system.

College Application Links & Important Info

Community College	Application Components: Online Application Application Opens: Fall Semester Application Closes: Rolling Admissions Application Fee: Free Application Link: https://home.cccapply.org/en/
California State University (CSU)	Application Components: Online Application (personal essay and CSU application EOP teacher reference required if applying for EOP) Application Opens: October 1st Application Closes: November 30 Application Fee: $70 per school Application Link: calstate.edu/apply Some campuses may accept applications after the November 30 period. If one of the CSU campuses that you are applying to has a deadline of November 30, you must submit your CSU application by November 30
University of California (UC)	Application Components: Online Application, Activities & Awards, & Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) Application Opens: August 1st Application Closes: November 30 Application Fee: $70 per school** Application Link: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply
Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU)	Application Components: Online Application (some may require essays and/or letters of recommendation) Application Opens: August 1st Application Closes: Varies (school specific) Application Fee: $35 for all schools Application Link: https://commonblackcollegeapp.com * Some schools may not use the common black college application and may have their own application on their specific school website OR may be found on the common application
Private Colleges / Universities	Application Components: Online Application, Essays, and Supplemental Questions (school specific) Application Opens: August 1st Application Closes: Varies (school specific) Application Fee: Varies (school specific)** Application Link: www.commonapp.org * Some schools may not use the common application and may have their own application on their school specific website

**College application fee waivers are embedded in CSU, UC, and Common App applications**

Financial Aid Information

Financial Aid Applications - FAFSA vs. CA Dream Act Explained

Financial Aid is essentially forms of money (grants, scholarship, work study, loans) that can be provided to you to help offset the cost of going to college. In order to be considered for Financial Aid, you must fill out a financial aid application. The two types of applications that are available are the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and CA Dream Act. You only need to fill out one of these applications!!

If you are a student that is a citizen of the United States, you would fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- You can find the application here: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
- Application opens: December 1
- Application deadline: March 2
- You need the following in order to fill out the application:
  - Student Social Security Number, Parent Social Security Number, Parent 2022 Income, Student 2022 Income (if you worked)
If you are a student without proof of citizenship documentation that is living in the United States, you would fill out the Dream Act Application.
- You can find the application here: https://dream.csac.ca.gov/
- Application opens: October 1
- Application deadline: March 2
- You need the following in order to fill out the application:
  - Student Permanent Resident Card (if applicable), Parent Proof of 2022 Income (W2 or Income Verification)

Refer to the "Commonly Asked Questions About Financial Aid" document under the "Financial Aid Essentials" tab on the left side if you need more detailed guidance. There will be more in depth workshops on how to fill out each of these applications, so check the "College Calendar" for more updates.

If you have a special familial circumstance (i.e: if you are foster youth, considered independent, or parents are widowed/divorced/separated), please contact Mrs.Golden as soon as you have your financial aid documents and make an appointment to discuss how to fill out your financial aid application to best reflect your financial situation!

Types of Financial Aid -- Explained

Financial Aid is essentially forms of money that are provided to help offset the cost of a college education. To be considered for financial aid, you would need to fill out FAFSA or Dream Act Application. These are four types of financial aid:

Grants: Free money awarded by either the state and/or school that you are attending in order to help offset expenses such as tuition, books and housing. You do not need to pay this money back!
Scholarships: Free money awarded by either outside organizations and/or the school you are attending in order to help offset expenses such as books, housing, and any other expenses that occur when you are in college. You do not need to pay this money back.
- Here are a few places in which you can find scholarships:
  - Check if the colleges you are applying to has a scholarship resource center! Usually these resource centers include scholarships for incoming freshman and specific majors.
  - Create an account at Fastweb (www.fastweb.com). This account allows you to enter your details so that you can get personalized scholarship opportunities according to your characteristics (i.e major, ethnicity, talents, gpa).
  - Use google to your advantage! Google everything under the sun when it comes to scholarships. A few examples may be: "incoming freshman scholarships", "incoming (insert major here) scholarships", "first generation student scholarships".
  - Try your local businesses.
- General scholarship tips:
  - If a scholarship has you "pay to apply", it is usually not a legit scholarship. Stay away from those!
  - Many students tend to go for the big scholarships (i.e: Gates Millennium / Coca-Cola Scholarship), but since so many people apply, your chance of attaining the scholarship may not be as great. Try going for the smaller scholarships (i.e those that award anywhere from $200-$500), as attaining multiple of these will eventually add up to a larger sum.
  - Apply for scholarships constantly! It may seem discouraging at times when you do not hear from many of the ones you go for, but if you cast your net wide and apply to a set amount each week, you are bound to get a few!!
Work-Study: Money awarded to students through working a part time job. You would not receive this money upfront like grants, scholarships, or loans, but rather this money go towards contributing to a bi-weekly (or monthly) paycheck to help you survive throughout the academic term. It can be used for any expenses that pop up during an academic term!
Loans: Money that is available for students to borrow in order to offset the cost of education not covered by grants, scholarships, and work-study. This is money that has to be paid back with interest -- so please take only what you need!! Different forms of loans have different terms and conditions, so please be aware of them if you decide to take them out!
- Subsidized Loans: Loans that are provided to students only with a low interest rate. These are the most student-friendly because interest does not accumulate while you are in school. For example, if you take a subsidized loan out your first year, the amount you owe by the time you have graduated is still $1000. Interest on this loan will start accumulating six months after you graduate.
- Unsubsidized Loans: Loans that are provided to students only with a low interest rate. These are less student-friendly because interest accumulates from the second you decide to take the loan out. For example, if you take a $1000 unsubsidized loan out your first year, the amount you owe on that loan by the time you graduate may be $1000 + whatever interest has accumulated since you took that loan out four-five years ago.
- Parent Plus Loans: Loans that are provided to parents only with a low interest rate. Parents would take out these loans in their name in order to pay for their child's education. Parent Plus loans are unsubsidized, which means interest accumulates from the second you decide to take that loan out.

CSS Profile (For Private Colleges / Universities Only)

If you are applying to a four year college that is not a CSU or a UC, it may require something called the CSS Profile (in addition to the FAFSA or CA Dream Act application). The CSS Profile is an additional financial aid application in order to ensure eligibility non-federal aid at private institutions. For each school that you applied to that is not a CSU or UC, you must independently check whether or not they require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA / CA Dream Act application (which usually can be done by visiting each individual college/university's financial aid page -- use google to help!).

If your private institution requires the CSS Profile, you can find the application at cssprofile.org and fill it out using your College Board account!

The document "CSS Profile 2023-24" under Financial Aid essentials further details how to fill out the CSS Profile.

CSS Profile Tips

Remember, each school requiring the CSS Profile will have their own individual priority deadlines. It is up to you to make sure that you submit the CSS Profile application before each priority deadline!
You may be required to submit additional documents through Institutional Documentation Services (iDOC). Each school may require different documents for each school, so it is your responsibility to keep track of each document.

College Entrance Exams: SAT VS. ACT

Should I take the SAT or ACT? This depends on the colleges you are applying to.
The University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) are no longer considering SAT/ACT scores during the admissions decision process. If you submit a SAT/ACT score on your UC/CSU application, it will only be considered for English/Math placement after you are accepted and are attending in the Fall. On the other hand, Private Colleges & Universities have varying stances on SAT/ACT scores being used for admission purposes. It is up to you to do the research on whether the private colleges/universities you are applying to require this for admission. If they do, you must submit one SAT or ACT score with your application.

SAT	ACT
Register at: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register SAT Fee: $55.00	Register at: http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration.html ACT (without writing) Fee: $52.00 ACT (with writing) Fee: $68.00**

How do I determine what test is right for me?

SAT & ACT Tips:

The SAT Subject exams are NO LONGER offered. This means Juniors can take the SAT with Writing this (Spring) semester. Juniors will have the option to take the SAT; however, some of the more competitive Private Schools have NOT committed to a Test Optional admissions process for those students in the Class of 2024 and beyond, so Mrs.Golden recommends Juniors register for the SAT and the ACT with Writing. You may request a fee waiver through the google doc request form.
Colleges usually recommend students take the SAT or ACT 2 times. If you happen to take both standardized tests, send the better score to your colleges.
STUDY!!! Free SAT/ACT Prep can be found here: ACT Academy, Khan Academy SAT Prep, Varsity Tutors

_{Class of 2023 Spotlights}

_{Congratulations to Jailyn Johnson, Cory Murdock, Sabas Perez, Evelyn Umana, and Kiarra Wilborn who all applied early and have been admitted to the colleges of their dreams! They also completed applications to competitive scholarship programs and filed their FAFSA Application early to ensure they would receive the financial support needed to earn their first college degrees. All 5 of these amazing scholars took advantage of opportunities afforded to them at King/Drew. They took rigorous courses, completed the Hospital Careers Program as Juniors, held leadership roles in clubs and organizations, participated in academic summer programs, met with their academic counselor, Ms. Noel, on a regular basis, followed the college admissions process outlined by Mrs. Golden, and received dynamic letters of recommendation from Ms. Marzan, Mrs. Cross, Mrs. Espinoza, Ms. Villa, Ms. Lopez, Mr. Ng, Ms. Moore-White, and Dr. Johnstone. These determined, focused, resilient, ambitious, and kind scholars represent the Legacy of King/Drew and embody the reality that "Success is Nothing but Hard Work!}

_{Jailyn, Cory, Sabas, Evelyn, and Kiarra…}WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!

ASB President Evelyn Umana will attend UCLA & earned the top Kaiser Permanente Bill Coggins Leadership Scholarship…we know she will accomplish amazing accomplishments!

ASB President Evelyn Umana will attend UCLA & earned the top Kaiser Permanente Bill Coggins Leadership Scholarship…we know she will achieve amazing accomplishments!

Cory Murdock will attend North Carolina A&T. He earned the prestigious Oprah Winfrey Leadership Scholarship. We can’t wait to witness his excellence!

Jailyn Johnson will also attend UCLA. She also received the phenomenal Oprah Winfrey Leadership Scholarship. This Bruin will achieve outstanding feats in college and life!

Class of 2023 Valedictorian Sabas Perez will attend Stanford University. He is the 55th King Drew Scholar to earn the distinguished Gates Millennium Scholarship.

Kiarra Wilborn will attend Tuskegee University. She earned the renowned Jackie Robinson Scholarship & the Marne Glass Renewable Top Scholarship from the Orange County Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. We can’t wait to experience her superb contributions to this world!

These King/Drew Scholars Applied and Qualified, so please take advantage of the Scholarships listed to the left and get your FASTWEB Scholarship Account TODAY!!!!