About CaliforniaColleges.edu
CaliforniaColleges.edu, the State of California’s free, web-based college and career planning platform will provide students with a single access point to explore careers, colleges, and financial aid options, and will give them the tools they need to build and launch an informed postsecondary plan. Family members can also monitor their children’s progress and access information to help them support their children throughout the college and financial aid planning and application processes.
NMHS Students
What kind of life do you want after high school? CaliforniaColleges.edu will help you figure it out and give you the tools to make it happen.
Discover your interests and values.
Find careers, colleges, or training to reach your goals.
Learn how to find money to pay for college.
Launch college and financial aid applications.
Monitor all your progress in one place.
If you do not have an account, please visit the College & Career Center or www.californiacolleges.edu to register.
NMHS 4-Year Postsecondary Planning Timeline
(Click links in blue to be directed to website resource.)
9th Grade
Begin building your Career List. Use CaliforniaColleges.edu to take career assessments to find out what interests you. Then, find and favorite careers you think might be a good fit. It’s important to keep your career goals in mind as you look at colleges and majors. This saves them to your Career List in My Plan/My Career Plan.
Talk to your counselor about your goals. Make sure you’re taking the right classes and earning good grades.
Ideal time for mapping out your 4-year plan of courses you might follow while at NMHS. In CaliforniaColleges.edu use your Academic Planner in My Plan to track and input your courses and grades by grade level.
Understand A – G admission requirements and what you need to do to be eligible for CSU or UC. Reference NMHS Course Catalog for A-G identified courses.
Get involved in clubs and activities you enjoy.
Start an activities resume in your CaliforniaColleges.edu account and keep track of all extracurricular activities (hrs/week/month), employment, awards, and volunteer work. You will need a resume for many jobs and colleges. To track use My Experience in My Plan, click Add Experience.
10th Grade
Continue updating your 4-year plan of courses you might follow while at NMHS. In CalforniaColleges.edu use your Academic Planner in My Plan to track and update your courses and grades. Reference NMHS Course Catalog for A-G identified courses.
Continue building your Career List using CaliforniaColleges.edu to take career assessments to find out what interests you. Then, find and favorite careers you think might be a good fit. This saves them to your Career List in My Plan/My Career Plan.
Continue extracurricular activities or get involved. Find a few activities to focus on. Do what you love.
Use My Experience in My Plan, click Add Experience in CaliforniaColleges.edu to continue tracking and adding activities you participated in over the summer.
If you are interested in ROP, be sure to visit the C&CC and talk to your College & Career Specialist.
Consider taking the PSAT (preliminary SAT) for test preparation.
Begin searching colleges, look at academic profiles needed for schools you are interested in. Begin to get a feel for what type of school you might like, ask questions. We have many schools right here in the bay area. Visit a school on one of your days off. Attend a College Fair.
Focus on your grades. Do your best.
Register for junior year classes that will challenge you at your academic level. Talk to your counselor!
11th Grade
Update your 4-year plan of courses in CalforniaColleges.edu. Use your Academic Planner in My Plan to track and update your courses and grades.
If you are interested in ROP, be sure to visit the C&CC and talk to your College & Career Specialist.
Visit college campuses. Attend college fairs and college planning events.
Take the PSAT in the fall for test preparation. Plan and prepare to take the SAT/ACT in winter or spring.
Begin to build your College List. Find and favorite colleges that seem like a good fit for you. Make sure they offer programs or majors that’ll help you reach your career goals. Go to the College Search Tool under College. Search by keyword or use a filter to focus on what’s important to you. You can filter by field of study, degree options, campus size, and more. Click the heart icon to favorite colleges that interest you. This saves them to your College List in My Plan/My College Plan. When the time to apply gets closer, figure out your safety, reach, and match schools.
In the fall, sign up for your AP test if taking AP classes. Your teacher will provide details.
In the spring /summer, get started on your college essay. Leave yourself lots of time to write, get feedback, and revise.
Begin reviewing FAFSA information. In your CaliforniaColleges.edu account, use My Financial Aid Plan in My Plan to learn the basics, so when it's time to apply, you'll be ready.
Concentrate on your grades. Do your best work!
12th Grade
Solidify your College List. Go to the College Search Tool under College. Search by keyword or use a filter to focus on what’s important to you. You can filter by field of study, degree options, campus size, and more. Click the heart icon to favorite colleges that interest you. This saves them to your College List in My Plan/My College Plan.
Finish your college essay(s) and personal statements.
Take the ACT or SAT one more time if you choose.
Ask for letters of recommendation, if you need them. Complete NMHS Recommendation Request Form, give your recommenders at least four weeks to write your letter and be certain to waive your right to view recommendation. Follow-up and make sure the people writing your letters have everything they need to send them in on time. Remember to thank them!
Set up an email address for college applications.
Start your application as soon as you can. The UC Application and the Common Application open on August 1. Cal State Apply opens on October 1. NMHS School Code: 052114
Launch your application from CaliforniaColleges.edu. Sign in and hover on College. Then, click the application you want to fill out.
Launch your FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application from your CaliforniaColleges.edu account between October 1 and March 2. If you apply to a college you didn’t list on your financial aid application, be sure to log in to your FAFSA or CADAA account and add it. Learn what steps to take after you apply for financial aid.
Keep track of deadlines. Go to the College Applications tab in My College Plan and enter the deadline for each school on your list.
Send ACT/SAT scores (through www.collegeboard.org or www.actstudent.org) to colleges that ask for them.
Keep a log of the different websites, user name/password data used for each college application portal.
Use Parchment link to request transcripts to be sent.
Submit your application: Watch deadlines: early action, early decision (optional but only 1 max) and regular decision.
If mid-year transcripts are required, use Parchment link to send.
After you submit your applications:
Check your email. Anywhere between 2-10 business days after your application has been submitted, most schools will ask you to setup an account with their online applicant portal. Check the online applicant portal and your email often. They’ll let you know if they need more information or paperwork, respond to requests or emails as soon as you can. Many colleges also release admission decisions via their respective applicant portals.
Keep track of your applications. Go to the College Applications tab in My College Plan.
If you launched your CCC or CSU application from CaliforniaColleges.edu, you’ll be able to see your application status.
Apply for Scholarships
Keep up your grades! Acceptances are conditional and colleges expect the GPA you applied with to stay the same.
Sign up for an AP test if taking AP classes. Your teacher will provide details.
Attend admitted student day if offered admission to learn more about a college before accepting.
Accept admission to your college of choice by May 1st or earlier. This is a national acceptance date. Once you accept an admission offer, you should let other colleges know that you do not plan to attend.
Use Parchment link to request final transcripts to be sent to your college of choice.
Sign up for College Orientation Sessions.
Send AP test results (if you took AP exams and meet the score requirement) to your college of choice. This is completed through the www.collegeboard.com (Results may not be available until July).