PHS Counseling - College & Career Planning

College & Career Counselor

Miss. Gill is here to help all of our students navigate their transition from high school to post-secondary education. Whether that means applying to college, trade school, financial aid, scholarships, employment opportunities, or more., Miss. Gill will be available in the Library to assist. Please refer to the home page to schedule an appointment or attend the workshops, Miss. Gill will host throughout the school year.

*Although we have support systems in place to help students navigate their senior year, it is the student's responsibility to attend the workshops and ask for help!

California Colleges (CCGI)

Los Banos Unified School District has partnered with CaliforniaColleges.edu, the State of California’s official college and career planning platform. Offering detailed information, curricula, and tools informed by students’ transcript data, it acts as a one-stop shop to help students discover their college and career goals, make plans for how to achieve them, and launch into fulfilling futures.

Students and educators in CCGI partner districts also gain access to data-driven tools that tap directly into students’ coursework information to help them plan high school courses, determine college eligibility, and streamline the college and financial aid application process. Parents and family members can also create accounts on the site to monitor their children’s planning and application progress.

Discover

The journey begins by helping students discover their strengths and interests, learn how they connect to fulfilling careers, and understand the steps they’ll need to realize their goals.
Starting as early as the 6th grade, students can take a wide range of assessments that help identify their learning styles, interests, and career goals.
Students can use search tools to explore thousands of possible careers and find out what they involve, their average salaries, and their potential for growth.

Plan

The built-in academic planner allows students to input and track their completed high school coursework and plan out what courses they still need to take. CCGI partner districts upload coursework data directly into students’ academic planners, allowing them to monitor their “a-g” progress.
College and major search tools allow students to find what majors will help them achieve their career goals and what colleges best meet their needs.
Students can favorite careers, majors, and colleges, allowing them to hone and develop their college and career plans over time.
Students in CCGI partner districts can determine their CSU and UC eligibility using their actual coursework and grades via our automated eligibility tools.

Launch

Students can launch and track California public college applications, as well as federal and state financial aid applications, including:
- California Community College
- California State University
- University of California (CCGI partner districts only)
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- California Dream Act Application
By launching their California State University applications from their CaliforniaColleges.edu accounts, students can speed the application process by importing their coursework data directly from their academic planner.
Students in CCGI partner districts gain access to additional application tools, including:
- Passing transcript information along with their California Community Colleges application to inform course placement.
- Validating Cal State Apply coursework to identify transcript errors that could affect eligibility.
- Launching and tracking University of California applications.
- Tracking the Cal Grant GPA submission status associated with their FAFSA or California Dream Act application.

College Application Timeline & Important Dates

Throughout the school year, we will offer workshops to help students complete all applications. It is the students' responsibility to check their email, attend the workshops, and ask for help.

UC Applications

Open 8/1/2025
Close on 11/30/25
Apply Here: Apply to UCs
ALL UC applications require you to answer at least 4 Personal Insight Questions as part of the application process: PIQs Guide

CSU Applications

Open 10/1/2025
Close on 11/30/25
Apply Here: Apply to CSUs

Community College Applications

Opening date varies by school
Applications typically open in the winter
Apply Here: Apply to Community Colleges

Out-of-state, private, or IVY league colleges

Opening date varies by school
Apply Here: Common App

***Be sure to double-check deadlines and admission requirements on the college website***

Virtual Campus Tours (use the link to check out campuses virtually):

https://campustours.com/

Scholarship Links

***PHS Local Scholarships will open up in January 2026, and they are DUE sometime in February. Please contact Ms. Shryock for any questions***

Financial Aid Links

FAFSA: https://studentaid.gov/
CADAA: https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing

Personal Statements & Resume Building

Some private colleges and scholarships may require personal statements. See links below for helpful tips.

Personal Statement Examples
Resume Template (Make a copy and edit!)