College Admissions
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS INFORMATION
Applications for CSUs and UCs are available online during the month of October.
The priority filing date for CSU applications is Oct. 1 – November 30.
The priority filing date for UC applications is November 1 – 30.
UC applications cost: $70 per campus
CSU applications cost: $55 per campus
If you are applying to other colleges, you will need to apply online at the college website Be sure to keep track of all deadlines for admissions, housing and financial aid!
**When applying to colleges, always pick a safe, back-up college as one of your college choices. For example, HSU and CR are good back-ups in case you don’t get accepted into your first choice, or you don’t have enough money to attend a college out of the area.
Optional Admissions Procedures:
Early Decision: This is a special admission period that some colleges use. This is done before the regular admissions process. Early decision is designed for those students who have conducted a thorough college search and have decided that if they are offered admission to their No. 1 choice, they would accept the offer and remove applications from all other institutions. Deadlines for Early Decision programs are usually in October or November and notifications (as well as financial aid awards if you are accepted) are usually made by December. Colleges like Early Decision because it helps them increase their yield – the percentage of students they accept who decide to attend. However, on the other hand, colleges will expect a binding commitment from you. Be aware as well that Early Decision can affect your bargaining position with the college financial aid office. It will not allow you the luxury of comparing financial aid offers from a number of schools, in order to try for the best aid package possible. At the same time, a school cannot hold you to an agreement that is financially impossible for you to meet.
If you decide to use the Early Decision process, fill out applications to other schools at the same time. This way, if you’re deferred or rejected by your Early Decision school, then you’ll have other applications on file as a back up.
Early Action: This is another special admissions program which is similar to Early Decision. Applications are due in October or November and notification is made in mid-December. Students do not have to decide to accept the offer until the regular admission notification date in the spring. This way students will be able to compare financial aid offers from all schools before making a decision. In general, early action students are usually more motivated, high achieving and focused. Colleges accept many of these students because of this. Students not accepted via Early Action either can or can’t be deferred into the regular admissions pile. Be sure to check before committing yourself.
Early Action/Decision Combination: Many schools offer differing early admissions programs and all vary. Just be sure that you are comfortable with the financial aid status of your student BEFORE you make any commitments. Remember also that most Early Admission applicants are stronger students, so there may be very stiff competition that would not necessarily happen with the regular admission process. However, at the same time colleges generally take more students who apply in this manner because they figure that the student is serious about their school and will probably accept the offer.
Other Application Information:
Most colleges require that you apply online:
UC applications are available at their website: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions
CSU applications are accessible on their web site: www.csumentor.edu
Most Community Colleges accept applications online. College of the Redwoods’ website is: www.redwoods.edu
Applications for CSUs and UCs are available online during the month of October.
The priority filing date for CSU applications is Oct. 1 – November 30.
The priority filing date for UC applications is November 1 – 30.
UC applications cost: $70 per campus
CSU applications cost: $55 per campus
If you are applying to other colleges, you will need to apply online at the college website Be sure to keep track of all deadlines for admissions, housing and financial aid!
**When applying to colleges, always pick a safe, back-up college as one of your college choices. For example, HSU and CR are good back-ups in case you don’t get accepted into your first choice, or you don’t have enough money to attend a college out of the area.
Optional Admissions Procedures:
Early Decision: This is a special admission period that some colleges use. This is done before the regular admissions process. Early decision is designed for those students who have conducted a thorough college search and have decided that if they are offered admission to their No. 1 choice, they would accept the offer and remove applications from all other institutions. Deadlines for Early Decision programs are usually in October or November and notifications (as well as financial aid awards if you are accepted) are usually made by December. Colleges like Early Decision because it helps them increase their yield – the percentage of students they accept who decide to attend. However, on the other hand, colleges will expect a binding commitment from you. Be aware as well that Early Decision can affect your bargaining position with the college financial aid office. It will not allow you the luxury of comparing financial aid offers from a number of schools, in order to try for the best aid package possible. At the same time, a school cannot hold you to an agreement that is financially impossible for you to meet.
If you decide to use the Early Decision process, fill out applications to other schools at the same time. This way, if you’re deferred or rejected by your Early Decision school, then you’ll have other applications on file as a back up.
Early Action: This is another special admissions program which is similar to Early Decision. Applications are due in October or November and notification is made in mid-December. Students do not have to decide to accept the offer until the regular admission notification date in the spring. This way students will be able to compare financial aid offers from all schools before making a decision. In general, early action students are usually more motivated, high achieving and focused. Colleges accept many of these students because of this. Students not accepted via Early Action either can or can’t be deferred into the regular admissions pile. Be sure to check before committing yourself.
Early Action/Decision Combination: Many schools offer differing early admissions programs and all vary. Just be sure that you are comfortable with the financial aid status of your student BEFORE you make any commitments. Remember also that most Early Admission applicants are stronger students, so there may be very stiff competition that would not necessarily happen with the regular admission process. However, at the same time colleges generally take more students who apply in this manner because they figure that the student is serious about their school and will probably accept the offer.
Other Application Information:
Most colleges require that you apply online:
UC applications are available at their website: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions
CSU applications are accessible on their web site: www.csumentor.edu
Most Community Colleges accept applications online. College of the Redwoods’ website is: www.redwoods.edu