Diamond Bar High School GLC Quarterly CLASS OF 2015

Diamond Bar High School
GLC Quarterly
“Serving the students of Diamond Bar since 1982”
Issue #1 – October, 2014
CLASS OF 2015
Transcripts
Students will need a copy of their transcript in order to
properly fill out any college application. Every student
should have received a copy of their transcript during
their summer registration appointment. If your student
has misplaced their transcript, please tell him or her to
see his or her GLC and request one as soon as possible.
Official transcripts required by private schools will be
included with letters of recommendation and do not
need to be requested by students.
CSU and UC Applications for Fall 2015 Admissions
Both the CSU and UC systems want students to apply
online. Not only is there less of a chance to make an
error with the online format, but your student also
receives immediate confirmation that his or her
application has been submitted correctly.
For the CSU system, students may apply from now until
November 30, 2014 at www.csumentor.edu. The CSU
application can be submitted anytime between
October 1st and November 30th.
For the UC system, students may apply from now until
November
30,
2014
at
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/ The
UC application can be worked on in October, but can
only be submitted between November 1 and
November 30.
We encourage all university-bound students to prepare
their online applications as soon as possible so that we
will be able to assist when needed. In addition, the
closer we get to the deadline of November 30th the
more chance a student may encounter delays on the
websites.
****Just a reminder – the UC and CSU systems DO NOT
require letters of recommendation.
John Terry, Assistant Principal
Private Universities
Students who plan on applying to private and out-ofstate universities must acquire the appropriate
admissions materials directly from the university.
Deadlines for applications for private universities vary
so don’t delay!
Students needing letters of recommendation for private
schools should pick up a “Senior Profile” from their GLC
or the DBHS website if they did not receive one this
summer. Students should take the time to fill out the
profile completely so teachers and GLC’s can write the
best letters possible. The deadline for Letter of
Recommendation Requests was Friday, October 10th,
2014.
We will be hosting a UC Application Workshop for
senior students & parents on Tuesday, October 21st
and a CSU Application Workshop on Thursday, October
23rd. These workshops will start at 7:00 p.m. and will
be held in our Theater. This is a great opportunity to
get information from both the UC and Cal State
Admissions officers.
Junior College/Trade Schools
Transition to junior colleges and trade schools will take
place during second semester. Students planning this
route should contact schools of interest to learn about
orientation programs and registration dates etc.
Financial Aid/Scholarships
We will be hosting a Financial Aid Workshop during the
month of December. Details will be posted soon.
Please read through the “Senior Bulletin” emailed to
parents monthly. If you are not receiving the bulletin
via email, please contact Randy Thomas at
RThomas@wvusd.k12.ca.us to update your email
address. The Senior Bulletin includes several
scholarships that your student may qualify for. Also,
check out www.fastweb.com for a national database of
scholarships available.
FAFSA--Free Application for Federal Student Aid
All college (both Junior College and University) bound
seniors should submit this important application, the
FAFSA. It will become available in December and will
award financial aid based on financial need.
You may also visit the website, www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Students and parents will need to create a PIN,
(Identification number) and submit this application.
The first day you may submit the FAFSA is January 1,
2015.
We will be holding a financial aid workshop on campus
in November/December. We are awaiting confirmation
on the exact date. Information will be posted on the
dbhs.org website, the senior bulletin, and the school
bulletin once it becomes available.
Even if you do not believe your student will be awarded
any $$$, we strongly suggest that the FAFSA is
completed and submitted. Some universities require
students to have submitted the FAFSA before the
university will award merit-based scholarships.
CSS Profile
This is an additional financial aid application required by
many private universities. It must be submitted online
at www.collegeboard.org. Look for the CSS Profile link.
In addition, this site will be able to provide you with a
list of what private universities require this CSS Profile
application.
SAT/ACT Exams
Upcoming Test Dates and Registration Deadlines
Test Date
November 8th , 2014
Registration Deadline
October 9th , 2014
Late Registration Deadline
October 28th , 2014
Each university you apply to must receive your SAT
scores directly from the testing agency. Please make
sure you send all of your scores to each school you
send
an
admission’s
application.
www.collegeboard.org.
The UC’s have said that students who take the
December SAT should “rush” their scores to schools.
CLASS OF 2016 – Fall 2014
Welcome Juniors! The year has started out great and
everyone is doing the best job representing the Class of
2016! We are looking forward to a great year with each
and every student.
Grades
The six week progress reports recently came out and
the twelve week progress report is just around the
corner. These grades are not final grades but they do
provide an indication of what a student’s final semester
grades could be. Now is the time to refocus and pull
grades up so the final semester grades are as high as
possible. DBHS gives progress grades twice a semester
(6 week and 12 week), but the semester grade will be
the final grade that appears on students’ transcripts.
Parents should frequently check the Aeries Parent
Portal to monitor current grades and assignments. If
you have not yet begun using the Aeries Parent Portal,
you can go to the DBHS.org website and use the drop
down menu under “parents” to set up your own
password and account. If you have a concern about
your students’ grade, please contact the teacher
directly so you can get immediate information about
most current progress. We have free tutoring support
on campus and available to all students. CSF Tutoring is
available for all academic subjects Monday-Thursday
from 3:00pm-4:30pm in Room 602 or 606. Math Help is
teacher based tutoring and is available before school,
lunch and after school. (Check the schedule for days,
times, and room location). Tutoring for a fee is also
available upon request. Please check with the GLC for a
list of available contacts.
Other Reminders
Cell phones are not to be on or activated in class. They
may be used at Brunch and Lunch only. A SWAP will be
issued if they are used in class. Electronic devices such
as IPODs can also be used at Brunch and Lunch only.
Students are not allowed to wear any headgear, hood,
hat or cap unless it is DBHS issued and approved.
Students are not allowed to wear hoods at any time
except for rainy days. This enables staff to identify
students and non-students and ensure campus safety.
We thank you for your continued support in these
areas.
College/University and SAT/ACT Information
Students wanting to attend a four-year university
should plan on taking the SAT’s at least once before the
end of junior year. Registration for the SAT may be
completed online at www.collegeboard.org. This
website also features good information about financial
aid and a college search feature to help students and
parents as they begin looking into possibilities for next
year.
The SAT Reasoning Test (aka SAT I) is required for
admission to a UC or CSU. Students planning on
applying to a UC are not required to take the SAT
Subject Tests (previously known as SAT II). Sometimes a
specific major at a UC will require specific Subject Tests,
especially if the major is math or science related; the
big message here is to do your RESEARCH! The UC
system has stated that students can submit Subject
Tests scores for consideration as part of their
application even if not required by their major.
The ACT provides an alternative to the SAT as the UC
and CSU will accept the ACT in place of the SAT
Reasoning Test for admission purposes. The ACT is
different from the SAT in that it:
 has a science reasoning test,
 includes some trigonometry while the SAT
goes through Algebra II only,
 tests English grammar.
Registration for the ACT may be completed online at
www.act.org. Remember you must also sign up for the
writing portion of this test.
Colleges will accept scores from either entrance exam
(ACT or SAT) and sending scores on both exams is ok as
well. The university will use the scores that help the
student the most! Students who plan to apply to several
CSU campuses can use the code 3594 (CSU Mentor)
when they register for the SAT exam. This will ensure
that all scores are sent automatically to all of the CSU
campuses of your choice.
If you plan to apply to more than one UC campus, you
may list one campus on your SAT registration form and
your score will be shared with all campuses that you
apply to. So, on your SAT registration form you will only
need to list one campus.
Out of State or Private Universities
If your student will be considering an out-of-state
university or a private university, please keep in mind
the importance of researching these universities. It is
the student’s responsibility to research and learn the
academic and testing requirements for these
universities. The sooner the research is done the
sooner your student will be able to take the appropriate
courses and tests.
Junior Year’s Importance to Colleges & Universities
Remember that a student’s UC/CSU GPA and most
universities GPA for admission purposes is based on
grades earned in academic classes taken during tenth
and eleventh grades. Students need to work hard and
do their best so they can look back on their junior
transcript without regret. Parents don’t forget that you
can access your student’s grades and assignments
through the Parent Portal. If your child looks as though
they are slipping in an academic class, have them
consult their teacher for additional help. If necessary,
your student should then see their GLC about tutoring
options available on campus or how to get a private
tutor.
We trust that your student has become involved with
both DBHS extracurricular activities and/or service for
the community. It is true that universities like to see
well-rounded students who are doing things besides
simply going to school and studying for the SAT. The
real benefit of volunteer work, however, is found in the
many wonderful ways it impacts us as human beings.
CLASS OF 2017
It’s great to see the Class of 2017 return to Diamond
Bar High School as tenth graders. This has been an
excellent class and we are looking forward to these
sophomores getting more involved and making a
greater impact on our school.
Grades
The six-week progress report just recently came out and
needs to be taken seriously as an indicator of what your
child’s progress toward permanent semester grades
may be. There is still time to improve upon grades
before the end of the semester. We encourage you to
use Aeries Parent Portal as a means of checking current
grades and monitoring student performance. If you
have not yet begun using the Aeries Parent Portal, you
can go to the DBHS.org website and use the drop down
menu under “Parents” to set up your own password
and account. If you have a concern about your
students’ grade, please contact the teacher directly so
you can get immediate information about current
progress.
Sophomore Year
Remember that a student’s UC/CSU Admissions GPA is
based on grades earned in academic classes taken
during the tenth and eleventh grades. Students need to
work hard and do their best so they can look back on
their sophomore transcript without regret. We have
free tutoring support on campus and available to all
students. CSF Tutoring is available for all academic
subjects Monday-Thursday from 3:00pm-4:30pm in
Room 606/602. Math Help is teacher based tutoring
and is available before school, lunch and after school.
(Check the schedule for days, times, and room
location). All academic support programs are listed on
the school website including Biology and Chemistry
Help. Tutoring for a fee is also available upon request.
Please check with the GLC for a list of available
contacts.
This is also a good time for your child to start getting
involved with both DBHS extracurricular activities and
service for the community. Having an interest or being
passionate about what they get involved with will bring
a greater sense of accomplishment and impact on the
students’ life. It is true that universities like to see wellrounded students that are involved in something
outside of academics.
CAHSEE
Sophomores will be taking the California High School
Exit Exam on February 3 – 4, 2015. It is very important
that all sophomore students are in attendance for both
days of the test as passing this test is a state-mandated
graduation requirement. For information about what is
on the test and access to study guides, go to
www.cahsee.cde.ca.gov. There will be free after school
CAHSEE Prep classes offered to all 10th graders. Keep
an eye out for those sessions!
CLASS OF 2018
Welcome Freshmen! Mr. Desmond and Mrs. Brummett
have enjoyed meeting the freshmen and seeing their
school spirit. They are doing a great job representing
the Class of 2018 and we are looking forward to a great
year with each and every one of them.
Grades
The six week progress reports should be mailed home
soon. These grades are not final grades but they do
provide an indication of what a student’s final semester
grades could be. Now is the time for some students to
refocus and pull grades up so the final semester grades
are as high as possible. DBHS gives progress grades
twice a semester (every 6 weeks), with the semester
grade being the final grade that goes on student’
transcripts. Please consult the student handbook for
grading period dates.
Parents should check the Parent Portal often to check
on current grades and assignments. If you have not yet
created an account on Parent Portal please do so right
away. If you need assistance with creating the Parent
Portal account, contact your student’s GLC. If you have
a concern about the grade, please contact your student’s
teacher directly so you can get immediate information
about his or her most current progress.
Tutoring
We offer several free tutoring services at DBHS such as
math help, biology help, and CSF peer tutoring available
for all subjects. Refer to the GLC website at
www.dbhs.org by clicking on the “guidance” link, then
on the “class of 2018” link to find more information
about these services and other pertinent information
for freshman year.
Involvement
People often talk to students and parents about the
need to be involved in extra-curricular and volunteer
activities “for college applications.” It is true that
universities are able to see more of who a student is as
a result of the activities in which they are involved, but
if college admission is the only reason a student
participates in any of these activities, he/she is really
missing what is important.
Students find so much personal fulfillment through
participation in clubs, sports, and volunteer work, and it
often helps them to grow and discover new things
about themselves. We want our freshmen to get
involved with activities they’ll truly enjoy rather than
simply doing what someone has “advised” them they
need to do.
IMPORTANT DATE RECAP
October 1
October 9
October 10
CSU Application Opens for submission
SAT/ACT Registration Deadline
Last Day for Letters of Recommendation
Requests
October 21 UC Application Workshop 7pm Theater
October 23 CSU Application Workshop 7pm Theater
October 28 SAT/ACT Late Registration Deadline
November 1 UC Application open for submission
November 7 End of 12 Week Grading Period
November 8 SAT/ACT Test Date
November 30 Last day for UC Application submission
January 1
FAFSA Opens
February 3&4 CAHSEE (Sophomores Only)