Seniors

HOW TO LINK COMMON APP TO MAIALEARNING  Watch here

HOW TO ORDER TRANSCRIPTS ON CAMPO WEB STORE  Watch Here 

You also need to Toggle the "Request Transcripts" button In MaiaLearning University<'Applying' list. NOTE: CA Community Colleges, UCs and CSUs do not need official transcripts. 

WHAT SHOULD SENIORS BE DOING NOW?

STAY INFORMED

Check these sources regularly for important information, upcoming events and news from me:

1. This website

2. My emails

3. College & Career Center posts on Instagram (@camporedc)

QUESTIONS?  MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

The College & Career Center can help you with college applications or career training in pursuit of your post-grad plans.  Simply make a one-on-one appointment with one of us here.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO A 4-YEAR COLLEGE

1. Attend my Academies throughout the Fall for help with your college applications.  Space is limited, so register early.  Teachmore > College and Career

2. Drop-in for 7th Period College Essay and Application help.  

3. Attend college visits on our campus (sign up on MaiaLearning > Universities > Visits

4. Learn about the UC application process.  

   1. • Mr. Magno will talk about writing the UC PIQ Essays. (TBD)

5. Take the SAT or ACT this fall (if you have not already) if you are applying to colleges that require it.  (The UC’s and CSU’s do not require it.)  Campo will host SAT In-School for Seniors Oct 8th, 2025 and registration will open early September. 

6. Explore college majors and careers using the tools in College & Career 101 and MaiaLearning.

7. Finalize your college list.  The College & Career Center can review it during my Academies or schedule a 1-on-1 meeting.

8. If a college you’re applying to requires a Letter of Recommendation from a teacher (UC’s and CSU’s do not require one), request one in-person AND formally request in MaiaLearning. Then, complete your teacher's specific form or the Letter of Rec survey  in MaiaLearning.  Through that survey, you’ll be providing information to inform that teacher about things that represent who you are.  You will need to sign the FERPA waiver in the Common App once stating that you do NOT want to see a copy of the letter. Otherwise, schools will not look at your Letter of recommendation. 

9. Complete Student Survey for Counselor on your MaiaLearning Dashboard and input your experiences under "Portfolio" for the Counselor Letter of Rec (UC’s and CSU’s do not require a Counselor LOR).

10. Match your Common App with your MaiaLearning account. Please watch this short video for directions on how to sync MaiaLearning with Common App.  View the step-by-step instructions to complete this process. These documents also provide detailed instructions: 

11. Create a Common App Account (opens 8/1) - Use your personal email, not school email. 

12. Create a UC App Account (opens 8/1) - Use your personal email, not school email. 

13. Create a CUS Apply Account (opens 10/1) - Use your personal email, not school email. 

14. Begin your college essays.  See College Essay Tips.  We can edit your essays during my Academies or 7th period drop-in. Remember, no essays needed for CSU Application. 

15. Parents:  attend the Senior Parent Night, Sept 10, 2025-  6:00 - 7:00 pm in the Campo Library  to learn about the college application process.

16. Find more information about your cost of college and the financial aid process here.  

17. Use College & Career 101 to answer the majority of your questions.

18. If you need further assistance, you can schedule a meeting with a College & Career Counselor in the Campo College & Career Center. 

IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO A 4-YEAR COLLEGE…

• Review “Explore your Options” and “Alternative After High School” on College & Career 101.  We can help you strategize the best community college or career pathways if you schedule a meeting with a College & Career Counselor in the Campo College & Career Center. 

• Consider this:  Tesla Manufacturing Development Program - DVC launched a new START robotics training center with Tesla and has been working with Tesla’s team to update their Manufacturing Development Program (MDP), high school pipeline initiative.  Their updated MDP program is designed to hire students right out of high school and have them take classes at DVC during the fall semester before working at the Tesla factory; they are still working for Tesla from the get-go, but the new hires can concentrate on taking classes at DVC that are paid for by Tesla. These MDP students will also earn DVC's Robotics Certificate of Accomplishment. Learn more here.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS INTERVIEW ADVICE

For most admissions counselors, interacting with students who are interested in their college is a high point in their day. Being able to meet students who are considering the school that they represent is rewarding and provides the counselor with a chance to help guide students in their college application process. Here are some of the top suggestions that might help you succeed in your next interview.  

FINANCIAL AID

As students finalize their college applications and prepare for what’s next in the financial aid process, help them stay on track and finish the year strong with these resources:

Financial Aid Applications

College Aid Pro is offering a FAFSA Survivor Kit for families that are comfortable completing the financial aid forms on their own but could use some additional resources. 

Financial Aid 101 Webinar

College Aid Pro is offering a free webinar for parents & students. Date for Fall 2025 coming soon. 

Notes From Recent Financial Aid Webinar

On September 29, financial aid expert, Matt Mulhearn of College Aid Pro, gave a presentation to Campo families on Understanding Financial Aid, including how to avoid common mistakes to maximize your aid. For those of you who missed it, here are notes from that talk.

5 Reasons You Should Consider Submitting The FAFSA

Your family may be thinking, “Why submit the FAFSA? We are concerned about paying for college, but we won’t qualify for financial aid.” The short answer is— there are reasons you should! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is the official form that students and their families use to apply for college funding from the federal government. States, individual colleges and universities, and private scholarship programs also rely on the application’s information for federal aid. The FAFSA opens October 1st, and must be prepared annually by current and prospective applicants to determine eligibility for federal need-based aid. Yet, there are advantages to filing a FAFSA, no matter your income level.

Never Assume:  There is a common misconception that financial aid is only for families with high financial need. The truth is that the eligibility for financial aid is complex and considers a multitude of factors besides income and assets (amount of dependents, students in college, etc.) Contrary to popular belief, there are no set cut-offs or financial thresholds. Families who think they won’t qualify for need-based financial aid can be surprised. 

Gatekeeper to Merit Aid: Merit aid is financial aid awarded to students based on academic or extracurricular achievements. How schools choose to award merit aid varies by institution. There are colleges where filing the FAFSA is required for merit awards. In other words, the school only awards merit aid to students who have filed the FAFSA. So, depending on the school’s policy, your student could be missing out on free money based on their hard work by not filing the FAFSA.

Gatekeeper to Merit Aid:  Merit aid is financial aid awarded to students based on academic or extracurricular achievements. How schools choose to award merit aid varies by institution. There are colleges where filing the FAFSA is required for merit awards. In other words, the school only awards merit aid to students who have filed the FAFSA. So, depending on the school’s policy, your student could be missing out on free money based on their hard work by not filing the FAFSA.

A Form of Demonstrated Interest?:  To guard their yield, colleges want to admit students they believe will enroll. Because colleges know students who submit a FAFSA are serious about attending, some schools may see submitting a FAFSA as demonstrating interest. Also, suppose you are a family without financial need. In that case, submitting a FAFSA enables a school to know you are full-pay and provides the school with information they sometimes use to balance their enrollment needs and financial health.

Access to Federal Student Loans:  Federal student loans are loans provided by the federal government, with terms and conditions set by law each summer. They include many benefits such as lower fixed interest rates and income-driven repayment plans not typically offered with private loans. These loans are only available by submitting a FAFSA. The FAFSA also allows students to participate in work-study programs. We always recommend exploring federal options before looking at other types of loans. 

Better Safe than Sorry:  If 2020 taught us anything, it is that you never know what the future may hold. While your family may not currently have financial need, circumstances can change. Filing the FAFSA is the best protection against future need because the school already has the FAFSA on file and it is easier to make adjustments or ask for aid mid-year. 

Regardless of your family’s financial circumstances, consider submitting a FAFSA. It keeps doors open and can show colleges you are serious about attending!

Cal State Apply Freshman Application Guide for 2025-26

Click here for a step-by-step instructions to apply to any of the 23 California State Universities (CSUs).