We will be canceling scheduled College and Career Center Workshops. However, we are working on providing you College and Career resources electronically. Please check this page regularly for relevant news, resources, and answers to the most commonly asked questions from students.
TRANSCRIPTS
Students who require transcripts should reach out through this link on the San Marino High School website.
NEWS
UC Updates
The UC's have approved a series of critical, short-term measures:
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-eases-admissions-requirements-help-students-families-wake-covid-19
https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/response-covid-19.html
AP Testing
The College Board, which administers both the SAT and AP tests, is continually updating its website.
The UC's have approved a series of critical, short-term measures:
- Suspending the letter grade requirement for A-G courses completed in winter/spring/summer 2020 for all students, including UC’s most recently admitted freshmen.
- Suspending the standardized test requirement for students applying for fall 2021 freshman admission.
- Providing that there will be no rescission of student admissions offers that result from students or schools missing official final transcript deadlines, and student retention of admission status through the first day of class until official documents are received by campuses.
- For transfer students, temporarily suspending the cap on the number of transferable units with “pass/no pass” grading applied toward the minimum 60 semester/90 quarter units required for junior standing.
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-eases-admissions-requirements-help-students-families-wake-covid-19
https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/response-covid-19.html
AP Testing
The College Board, which administers both the SAT and AP tests, is continually updating its website.
- AP — Traditional face-to-face exam administrations will not take place. Students will take a 45-minute online free-response exam at home. For each AP subject, there will be two different testing dates. Free remote learning resources are also available.
RESOURCES
Interested in gaining work experience and learning new skills during the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Guide For High Schoolers To Navigate The Job Market During Coronavirus
This guide has resources for how to find work online, free online learning tools, and other useful information to help students continue to develop while stuck inside. With so many students unable to work traditional part time jobs and extracurricular activites cancelled, this guide can help students navigate this difficult time.
This guide has resources for how to find work online, free online learning tools, and other useful information to help students continue to develop while stuck inside. With so many students unable to work traditional part time jobs and extracurricular activites cancelled, this guide can help students navigate this difficult time.
SENIORS
IMPORTANT NEWS FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING PASADENA CITY COLLEGE (PCC) IN FALL 2020
Students planning to attend PCC in Fall 2020, please make sure to regularly check your pasadena.edu email for important news and updates. You can complete all the necessary admission steps by going to www.pasadena.edu/pathways and clicking on NEW STUDENT CHECKLIST.
Students can also email the Pathways FYE staff at [email protected] if they have any questions or problems.
Coming up – The Pathways FYE Online Open House for students and families: May 21st, 5-7pm. Go to the New Student Checklist to find out more!
Spring College Visits
Many of you are receiving admission decisions and will have to choose the school in which you want to enroll. Typically, this is the time when seniors with multiple acceptances are weighing their options and, if possible, visit each campus they are seriously considering. Obviously, this is not a normal year, and the timing of Covid-19 is unprecendented. As a growing number of college campuses close, many have started to delay their deadlines for students to accept offers of admission, with some moving the deadline from May 1 to June 1. The group, Admission Counselors Cultivating Equity and Peace Today (ACCEPT), has begun to crowdsource a Google doc to track which schools are changing their deadlines. NACAC is also providing this online tool as a central resource for information about changes in college admission events, deposit dates, and more as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Although it may not be the same as a physical visit, many colleges do offer virtual tours! The Campus Virtual Tour link is a great option for those of you that have missed out on Spring college visits. The link provided only shows UC colleges, but if you chose to enroll at YouVisit's site, you will have access to almost every college in the nation. Also, please click here for a google doc that is changing daily for college virtual tours and events. You can also visit each school's individual webpage and many have linked their virtual tour on the front page.
PCC Virtual Family Night
May 14, 2020
Pasadena City College is hosting a Virtual Family night this week on Thursday May 14, 2020 at 6pm via Zoom. Please see the attached flyer for further details.
If you have any questions, please e-mail [email protected].
Link to register: https://tinyurl.com/pccfamilywebinar (after registration, the zoom link will be available to view).
Financial Aid
Naviance
As we near the end of the year, here are a few important reminders for you -
College decisions are in, which means it's time to finalize your Naviance college list.
As soon as possible, please do the following:
1) Make sure your college list on Naviance is accurate, including every school to which you applied. Your counselor can help you update the list by adding missing schools or deleting schools you didn't apply to. If you have changes, please email your counselor.
2) Please accurately list the decision you received from each school - accepted, denied, waitlisted.
3) Once you decide where you will attend, please mark that on Naviance as well.
4) You must submit a deposit to the school you decide to attend by their stated deadline. While this has traditionally been May 1, many colleges have extended the commitment deadline to June 1. This is not consistent for all schools, so read your acceptance letters very carefully for the details.
5) DO NOT deposit to more than one college/university! SMHS will only send your final transcript to one school.
5) Please email SMHS registrar Mrs. Quiroz a copy of the letter/email of acceptance to the school you decide to attend - [email protected]
We will send your final transcript to that school after graduation - we are only allowed to submit a transcript to one school, so your decision must be finalized by June 1. If you have already "decided and deposited," please send Mrs. Quiroz your acceptance letter now so it's taken care of.
There is no need for you to remind your counselor that a final transcript needs to be sent - that will be done automatically by the end of June as long as we have your letter of acceptance to the college you plan to attend.
If you were waitlisted by a school you hope to attend:
You still need to submit a deposit to a school where you were accepted no later than their stated commitment deadline.
If you are offered a spot off of a waitlist, you may cancel your deposit (you will not get the money back) and deposit at the school that accepted you from the waitlist. Then please send the new acceptance letter to Mrs. Quiroz and ask that she replace your previous letter.
As a courtesy, please let the teachers who wrote your recommendation letters know your college decisions and where you will be attending. They love hearing your news. Having your Naviance list updated also allows your counselor to see your college decisions - and we definitely love to know!
We know these are uncertain and confusing times for many of you as you make your college decisions. Please reach out to your counselor with questions. And most importantly, please reach out to the admissions offices of schools where you are admitted with questions and concerns. Colleges and universities are working hard to connect with their admitted students - visit websites for virtual tours, online information sessions, photo galleries, and opportunities to connect 1:1 with an admissions representative.
Students planning to attend PCC in Fall 2020, please make sure to regularly check your pasadena.edu email for important news and updates. You can complete all the necessary admission steps by going to www.pasadena.edu/pathways and clicking on NEW STUDENT CHECKLIST.
Students can also email the Pathways FYE staff at [email protected] if they have any questions or problems.
Coming up – The Pathways FYE Online Open House for students and families: May 21st, 5-7pm. Go to the New Student Checklist to find out more!
Spring College Visits
Many of you are receiving admission decisions and will have to choose the school in which you want to enroll. Typically, this is the time when seniors with multiple acceptances are weighing their options and, if possible, visit each campus they are seriously considering. Obviously, this is not a normal year, and the timing of Covid-19 is unprecendented. As a growing number of college campuses close, many have started to delay their deadlines for students to accept offers of admission, with some moving the deadline from May 1 to June 1. The group, Admission Counselors Cultivating Equity and Peace Today (ACCEPT), has begun to crowdsource a Google doc to track which schools are changing their deadlines. NACAC is also providing this online tool as a central resource for information about changes in college admission events, deposit dates, and more as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Although it may not be the same as a physical visit, many colleges do offer virtual tours! The Campus Virtual Tour link is a great option for those of you that have missed out on Spring college visits. The link provided only shows UC colleges, but if you chose to enroll at YouVisit's site, you will have access to almost every college in the nation. Also, please click here for a google doc that is changing daily for college virtual tours and events. You can also visit each school's individual webpage and many have linked their virtual tour on the front page.
PCC Virtual Family Night
May 14, 2020
Pasadena City College is hosting a Virtual Family night this week on Thursday May 14, 2020 at 6pm via Zoom. Please see the attached flyer for further details.
If you have any questions, please e-mail [email protected].
Link to register: https://tinyurl.com/pccfamilywebinar (after registration, the zoom link will be available to view).
Financial Aid
- FAFSA. The FAFSA form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) remains open until June 30, 2020. Any student or family who has not yet completed a FAFSA may still do so.
- Note: For those who have completed a FAFSA, and whose financial circumstances have changed considerably, we encourage you to reach out to your institution’s financial aid office. Financial aid administrators are afforded a degree of professional judgment under the law for state and federal aid, as well as for institutional aid, and can work with students and families whose incomes have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Note: For those who have completed a FAFSA, and whose financial circumstances have changed considerably, we encourage you to reach out to your institution’s financial aid office. Financial aid administrators are afforded a degree of professional judgment under the law for state and federal aid, as well as for institutional aid, and can work with students and families whose incomes have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Federal Financial Aid. The Federal Student Aid's website includes information for students and parents regarding the coronavirus crisis and financial aid. The site includes information on whether students can keep financial aid if their campus is closed, for example, and provides answers to loan repayment questions.
- Student Loans. The US Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid is suspending federal student loan payments. It is important for student borrowers to contact their loan servicers (such as Navient, Nelnet, FedLoan Servicing, or Great Lakes) over the phone or online to determine the necessary steps to take. Your assigned loan servicer can be found by logging into studentaid.gov.
Naviance
As we near the end of the year, here are a few important reminders for you -
College decisions are in, which means it's time to finalize your Naviance college list.
As soon as possible, please do the following:
1) Make sure your college list on Naviance is accurate, including every school to which you applied. Your counselor can help you update the list by adding missing schools or deleting schools you didn't apply to. If you have changes, please email your counselor.
2) Please accurately list the decision you received from each school - accepted, denied, waitlisted.
3) Once you decide where you will attend, please mark that on Naviance as well.
4) You must submit a deposit to the school you decide to attend by their stated deadline. While this has traditionally been May 1, many colleges have extended the commitment deadline to June 1. This is not consistent for all schools, so read your acceptance letters very carefully for the details.
5) DO NOT deposit to more than one college/university! SMHS will only send your final transcript to one school.
5) Please email SMHS registrar Mrs. Quiroz a copy of the letter/email of acceptance to the school you decide to attend - [email protected]
We will send your final transcript to that school after graduation - we are only allowed to submit a transcript to one school, so your decision must be finalized by June 1. If you have already "decided and deposited," please send Mrs. Quiroz your acceptance letter now so it's taken care of.
There is no need for you to remind your counselor that a final transcript needs to be sent - that will be done automatically by the end of June as long as we have your letter of acceptance to the college you plan to attend.
If you were waitlisted by a school you hope to attend:
You still need to submit a deposit to a school where you were accepted no later than their stated commitment deadline.
If you are offered a spot off of a waitlist, you may cancel your deposit (you will not get the money back) and deposit at the school that accepted you from the waitlist. Then please send the new acceptance letter to Mrs. Quiroz and ask that she replace your previous letter.
As a courtesy, please let the teachers who wrote your recommendation letters know your college decisions and where you will be attending. They love hearing your news. Having your Naviance list updated also allows your counselor to see your college decisions - and we definitely love to know!
We know these are uncertain and confusing times for many of you as you make your college decisions. Please reach out to your counselor with questions. And most importantly, please reach out to the admissions offices of schools where you are admitted with questions and concerns. Colleges and universities are working hard to connect with their admitted students - visit websites for virtual tours, online information sessions, photo galleries, and opportunities to connect 1:1 with an admissions representative.
JUNIORS
TESTING DATES
- SAT
The College Board, which administers both the SAT and AP tests, is continually updating its website.- SAT — The SAT for May 2 has been canceled. Registered students will receive refunds. Currently, the next SAT is scheduled for the first weekend of June.
- A new SAT administration has been added for Saturday, September 26, 2020. This date will be for the SAT only, in the United States and internationally, with no SAT Subject Tests™ available. Sunday testing for religious reasons will be on September 27.
Registration for the 2020-21 SAT administrations will open the week of May 26. At that point, June registrants will be able to transfer their seat to a 2020-21 administration. All other students in the high school class of 2021 who don't have SAT scores will also have early access to register for the August, September, and October administrations. This includes students who had registered for March or May and had their registrations canceled and refunded. For each administration this year, we're also preparing to significantly expand our capacity.
Their top priorities are the health and safety of students and educators. Please note that they will only move forward with the administrations if it's safe to do so from a public health standpoint.
- ACT
ACT has rescheduled its April 4 national test date to June 13 across the US. All students registered for the April 4 test date will receive an email from ACT informing them of the postponement and instructions for free rescheduling to June 13 or a future national test date. Please check the ACT website for updates.
COLLEGE FAIRS
NACAC has made the decision to cancel all Spring National College Fairs. Please see resources below for virtual college fairs:
https://collegefairsonline.com/
https://www.collegeweeklive.com/
Verto Virtual College Fair
Verto Education is excited to announce a Virtual College Fair on April 17th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. You are invited to attend. Verto offers the only first-year abroad experience that partners with some of the nation’s top colleges and universities to guarantee admission and to ensure students are on track to graduate in four years.
Verto is expecting to have 40 colleges and universities attending the virtual fair, from William & Mary, Temple, University of Tennessee, University Of Oregon, and Case Western and Butler to Rhodes, Goucher, Lewis & Clark, and many many more!
Come check out some colleges you are familiar with, and learn about some new ones. We ask you to come with an open mind and willingness to learn - as there may be colleges that you would otherwise not come in contact with at this event, but may end up being that perfect next step!
When: April 17, 2020
Time: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET
Location: Please RSVP for the event: https://collegefair.ecareerfairs.com/e/verto/
StriveScan Virtual College Exploration Week
Monday, April 20 - Thursday, April 23, 2020
300+ colleges from 44 states and 10 countries
96 sessions over 4 days
Day and evening options
Panel presentations on a range of topics for juniors and underclassmen
Free and open to students nationwide
Registration for students and parents is now live: www.strivescan.com/virtual
Good Reads/Resources!
Virtually Possible: Locking Down the College Search In A Global Pandemic by Brennan Bernard
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brennanbarnard/2020/04/01/virtually-possible-locking-down-the-college-search-in-a-global-pandemic/#7770cfd82710
Girls Who Code Talks
Free virtual video series to support women and girls navigating changes to their college and career plans during pandemic.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/girls-who-code-talks-college-during-covid-19-tickets-103329242546
Virtually Possible: Locking Down the College Search In A Global Pandemic by Brennan Bernard
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brennanbarnard/2020/04/01/virtually-possible-locking-down-the-college-search-in-a-global-pandemic/#7770cfd82710
Girls Who Code Talks
Free virtual video series to support women and girls navigating changes to their college and career plans during pandemic.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/girls-who-code-talks-college-during-covid-19-tickets-103329242546