College Information

o Common Black College Application (CBCA): Eligible students may apply to any of the 66 Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) with this single application for only $20! Since the founding of the Common Black College Application (CBCA) in September of 1998, the company has helped to break the cycle of poverty in the lives of hundreds of thousands of students from around the world. To date, over 250,000 students have completed the CBCA. Approximately 97% of those have been accepted to at least one CBCA Member Institution, and over 33% have received a scholarship that ranges from tens of thousands to millions of dollars. In addition, the CBCA serves as an irreplaceable resource to Historically Black Colleges and Universities by aiding them in the achievement of their enrollment objectives.

o Common Application: A single application that allows students to apply to any of over 1000 universities/colleges. Common App has an Application Guide for first-year students; check this LINK for lots of step-by-step assistance.

o The Coalition Application: A different application, like the Common Application, with over 150 college/university members to select. Essay prompt are available online at http://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/

o University of California application: Application opens August 1. Submission of completed applications is October 1-November 30.

UC’s do NOT need recommendation letters. SAT/ACT test scores will not be required.

UC's will be review all applicants holistically.

Application fee is $80/campus. http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/

o California State University application: Application opens October 1st. Deadline for submission of completed application is November 30.

CSU’s do NOT need recommendation letters. SAT/ACT test scores will not be required.

Application fee is $70/campus. https://www2.calstate.edu/

ACT or SAT Testing: Many colleges are still TEST OPTIONAL. Make sure to check the colleges on your list to verify their policy for admissions.

- - Students may select on the Common Application whether they want test scores included or not in their review.
  - If required, colleges/universities will accept either ACT or SAT for admissions. The last date accepted for most college applications is the December test date. Try to allow taking the test 2-3 times, if possible. Colleges will always take the best score & some even Superscore and take the best composite subject scores from different test dates.

FREE RESOURCES for Students:

- CaliforniaColleges.edu – An all-inclusive guide for college, career, & financial planning & exploration for California colleges
- California Career Center – FREE site for career options, education & training choices, getting a job, life challenges, salaries/budgeting, apprenticeships, etc.
- ThinkCollege.net – Think College is a national organization dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disability. With a commitment to equity and excellence, Think College supports evidence-based and student-centered research and practice by generating and sharing knowledge, guiding institutional change, informing public policy, and engaging with students, professionals and families.
- AXS Companion

The AXS Companion is a free, open, online resource to help students navigate Common App. Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) volunteers created the content, and Oregon State University’s Ecampus developed the platform with the goal of helping students achieve greater success in completing their college applications.

The AXS Companion and Common App can be opened and used side-by-side on a phone, tablet, or laptop. The AXS Companion contains 50+ step-by-step tutorial videos, walking students through Common App questions. Additionally, our financial aid experts provide videos to explain how to find affordable colleges and apply for merit & need-based aid.

The AXS Companion topics include: