MASTERING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS LANDSCAPE

1. Mastering The
College Admissions
Landscape
Rebecca Joseph, PhD
LAUSD
Fall 2018
rjoseph@calstatela.edu
www.getmetocollege.org

2. Your Presenter
Rebecca Joseph, PhD
• Professor, Cal State LA
• Founder, Get Me To College and All
College Application Essays
• 2016 Unsung Hero, LA County
• Keynote speaker to Fall 2017 LAUSD
Principals
Contact rjoseph@calstatela.edu and
getmetocollege@gmail.com
@getmetocollege @allcollegeessay
https://www.slideshare.net/getmetocolleg
e/fall-2018-lausd-staff-presentation

3. Understanding The New College
Application Landscape
Overview of Shifting 2017-2018 American Admissions Landscape
• The landscape changes include testing, financial aid, and new
application types
• What changes does 2017-2018 hold for these 5 systems?
 Cal State Application
 University of California
 Community Colleges-LA Promise
 Common Application
 New Coalition Application
Which Colleges Does This Affect?
• Survey frequency of applications
Tips for Advisors to Finding Firm Footing
• Location
• Components
• Deadlines: Early or Regular?
• Essay management

4. Many Steps to Class of 2018 College
Admissions Process
New SAT; Changes to ACT
New FAFSA Structure and
Opening Date
Changes to Common Application
New UC and UT Essay
Prompts
District Gets Naviance
Class of 2018 College
Admissions ProcessOrganizing Your Applications
New Cal State Application and
Impact of Impacted Campuses
New LA Promise

5. New FAFSA Cycle and PPY

7. Shifting Master Plan In California
• In 1960
• University of California top 12.5
percent of students in high
schools.
• California State University top
33.3 percent.
• Community Colleges-the rest
TODAY ALL NEW
CHALLENGES

8. 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

9. California State University System
• California State University
System Releases New
Application System
• It’s now open for Fall 2018
applicants.
• EOP is embedded.
• All Fall 2018 applicants must
use it.
• TRY IT YOURSELF for one of
your students.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. New Achievements
• New achievement section
• Optional for undergrads
• Not sure who and if anyone
will read them.
• No limit yet—went up to 11.

13. 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

14. 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

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

16. 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.

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

18. Shifts With Other College Applications

19. 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.
•
• 38% of the new California freshman and
transfer students were underrepresented
minorities — Latinos, African Americans,
Pacific Islanders and American Indians,
according to UC data posted this week.
• These numbers are projected to swell even
more in the next two decades as the state’s
population surges by nearly 10 million to
47.2 million by 2040. The state projects an
increase of 200,000 college-age Californians,
and nearly half of them will be Latinos,
whose high school graduation rates continue
to rise.

20. 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

21. University of California Application Shifts
• Introduces new format and
prompts for both freshman and
transfer essays
• 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

22. UC Freshman and Transfer Prompts
• Freshman Personal Insight Prompts: Answer any 4 of the following 8 questions:
• 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.
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.
2. 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.
3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed
and demonstrated that talent over time?
4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity
or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have
taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your
academic achievement?
6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have
furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe
makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of
California?
• Transfers: Personal insight questions: There is one required question you must answer
• 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.
2. 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.
3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed
and demonstrated that talent over time?
4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity
or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have
taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your
academic achievement?
6. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
7. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe
makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of
California?

23. New Testing In Place

24. Testing
• Entirely new SAT
• New Writing Section of ACT
• Many schools now not
required writing section of
each
• Many schools now making
SAT Subject Tests optional
• Increasing number of new
test optional colleges.
fairtest.org
• Each test two free waivers.

25. Private Colleges and
Other Public Universities
• Often private colleges can
provide more money for low-
income, minority students.
• Often better options for
undocumented students.
• Great sites to help you find
them.
• College
Greenlighthttps://www.collegegree
nlight.com/
• College Week Live
https://www.collegeweeklive.com/
• I’m First
http://www.imfirst.org/#!

26. Common Application
• New essays for 2017-2018
• 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

27. 2017-2018 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. [No change]
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?
[Revised]
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking?
What was the outcome? [Revised]
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. [No change]
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new
understanding of yourself or others. [Revised]
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? [New]
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. [New]

28. Little Treasures

29. New Coalition Application
New Kid on the Block

30. District Gets Naviance
• Recommendations
• Resume and Career
Inventories
• Research College
• Brag Sheets and other
student submissions

31. Affordability Crisis
• College costs have out-priced
inflation 3 to 1.
• College debt is at record
levels. The millennial
challenge.
• New buildings, new middle
management.

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

33. Different Kinds of Merit Money

34. External Money
https://roybal-
allard.house.gov/uploadedfiles/student_resource_guide_2

35. $1 Million Question
Which application
to have students
use?

36. 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.

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

38. 2. Identify Components
California State
University
University of California California and Out of
State Private Colleges
Out of State Public
Colleges
Application Application Application Application
SAT or ACT
(check campus requirements)
SAT or ACT
(must have writing)
SAT or ACT
(with writing as needed)
SAT or ACT
(with writing as needed)
SAT Subject Tests
(as needed)
SAT Subject Tests
(as needed)
SAT Subject Tests
(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
(number varies)
Personal Statements
(check campus for requirements)
Activity List
(9, 10, 11, 12)
Activity List
(9, 10, 11, 12)
Activity List
(9, 10, 11, 12)
Counselor Recommendation
&
1-3 Teacher/Community
Letters of Recommendation
Counselor or Teacher
Recommendations
(check campus for requirements)
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)

39. 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?

40. 3. Stay Current
• Get newsletters
• http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/co
unselors/resources/counselors-advisers-
bulletin/
• Visit colleges for free
• http://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/2015/6
/14/fly-ins-for-counselors
• Attend conferences
• https://www.wacac.org/annual-conference/
• Visit colleges for free
• Join organizations
• WACAC
• NACAC

41. More ways to stay current

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

43. Essay Management

44. Use Available Resources

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

46. Questions?

47. Seizing the moment

48. Contact Dr. Joseph
• getmetocollege@gmail.com
• www.getmetocollege.org
• wBuy my Integrated Website and
Mobile App-All College Application
Essayswww.allcollegeessays.org
• ww.allcollegeessays.org
https://www.slideshare.net/getmetocolleg
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