The 19th Annual Commerce-to-College Fair was held on September 21, 2024 at Rosewood Library. Join us next time for the 20th Annual Fair.

We’ve compiled resources to help you, whether you’re just curious about careers and college, or whether you’re ready to start your research and applications. 

GET ORGANIZED: TIMELINES & PLANNING:

College Admissions Timeline:  Consider this timeline from the Khan Academy.

Junior/Senior Year:  Consider an alternative source for a timeline of activities for the college admission process.  

12th Grade Timeline:  A checklist from the CollegeBoard.

My College List: When applying to colleges, create a worksheet to keep track of all the school requirements and deadlines.  This sample is borrowed from the CollegeEssayGuy. 

SEARCHING FOR COLLEGES & CAREERS:

BigFuture:  From the College Board.  Take a look at your interests and career options.  Find a college that suits your needs. 

CaliforniaColleges.EDU:  Provides students with an all-inclusive guide for their college & career paths.

California Career Zone:  Take an assessment to see what you might be interested in doing; do some research to see what your choices entail.

CareerOnestop:  Offers career, training, and job search resources to young adults aged 16 to 24.

Colleges that Change Lives: (CTCL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and support of a student-centered college search process.

Niche:  Discover the schools, companies, and neighborhoods that are right for you.

APPLYING TO COLLEGES:

Cal State App:  Apply to any of the Cal State campuses, with one application.  (Application for Fall '23 opens October 1.)

CCC Apply: Explore and apply to one of the 116 California Community Colleges.

Coalition App: The Coalition is comprised of over 150 institutions in support of lower-income and under-resourced students.  "Learn about, prepare for, and apply to college." 

CommonApp:  Apply to any of more than 800 member colleges and universities and find helpful resources.

University of California:  Use this website to apply to one or more of the UC campuses.  (Application must be submitted October 1 - November 30.)

U. S. Service Academies:  In exchange for a fully-funded, high-caliber college education at one of our nation's U. S. Service Academies, academy graduates agree to serve in the military as commissioned officers for a minimum of five years. (Deadline: mid-October)  Candidates must be nominated (e.g., by a member of the U.S. House of Representatives who represents the congressional district in which the candidate resides).

WRITING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT:

Consider help from these sources.

Admissions Mom:  Admissions Mom started on the subreddit r/ApplyingToCollege and has grown into a newsletter, book, and an app in the works.  You can even read her book chapter on the personal essay!

College Essay Guy:  Advice from the author of the Amazon bestsellers College Essay Essentials and College Admission Essentials.  (Be aware that there is both free and paid content on the website.)  

PAYING FOR COLLEGE / FINANCIAL AID:

California Dream Act:  Undocumented and nonresident students may qualify for a non-resident exemption under Assembly Bill 540 (AB 540) to receive certain types of financial aid.

CSAC:  California Student Aid Commission.  Apply for a Cal Grant.

FAFSA:  Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  (Available 10/1)

Student Resource Guide:  This resource was formerly maintained by Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard’s District Office. Although it hasn't been updated in two years, you'll still find relevant info on scholarships, internships, and fellowships; you’ll also find suggested books and websites.  (Please be sure to check the resource you're interested in for currency.)

VIRTUAL TOURS:

Maybe you can't take that trip to your favorite schools, but you can still visit them!

CampusReel:  Choose from 15,000 student-created videos, featuring tours and experiences from over 300 schools

YouVisit:  Explore over 1,000 schools.  When you find somewhere you like, you can directly connect with that school from within the tour.

California State Universities

Universities of California

Looking for more help? Click here to view workshops from prior years.