How to Apply to College
TAG - Transfer Admission Guarantee
The TAG program guarantees your admission to a UC directly from a 2 year community College.
How to pursue TAG
1. Use the UC Transfer Admission Planner to complete the TAG application, and review it with your community college counselor and/or UC campus TAG adviser. You’ll need to submit it Sept. 1 – Sept 30 for the fall term (May 1–31 for the winter/spring term).
2. Fulfill all remaining coursework and GPA requirements in your TAG agreement.
3. Fill out the application for admission to UC and submit it Nov. 1–30.
By participating in TAG, you may receive early review of your academic records, early admission notification and specific guidance about major preparation and general education coursework.
Keep in mind: TAG applications are now due Oct. 15, but you can only apply for a TAG at one campus. To keep your options open, apply to other UC campuses during the regular application cycle (Nov. 1-30).
The TAG matrix [PDF] provides a list of participating campuses and campus-specific requirements to qualify.
CSU CAL STATE UNIVERSITIES
Updated CSU application requirements:
APPLYING TO: Cal State University
⬜ Go to www.csumentor.edu, application available online September 1
⬜ Submit application between October 1 and November 30 (deadline), sooner you apply the better
⬜ Submit the application only
⬜ Some schools require a transcript; be sure to read the instructions for each Cal State campus you apply to
UC UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Updated UC application requirements:
APPLYING TO: University of California
⬜ Go to www.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply, application available online August 1
⬜ Submit application October 1 through November 30 (deadline)
⬜ Submit the application & personal insight essays only; self-report your information such as your classes/grades, test scores
⬜ UC's do NOT require you to submit a transcript to apply; only submit other documents if a UC school requests them
WHAT IS THE COMMON APPLICATION?
The Common Application (Common App) is a centralized college application tool allowing students to submit one application to multiple colleges. There are currently over 900 colleges that utilize the Common App. Check out the full list of colleges here: https://www.commonapp.org/explore/
This application saves you time and keeps you organized. However, it is important to be prepared before filling out the application. If it is your first time filling out the Common App, here is a helpful list of FAQ's: https://www.commonapp.org/apply/first-time-students
COMMON APPLICATION CHECKLIST
▢ Complete application at www.commonapp.org
▢ Write essay, supplemental short answers, supplemental essays
▢ Request Letters of Recommendation
▢ Create a Common App account, available approx. August 1
▢ Use appropriate email address that you will use for all applications
▢ Self-report background information, extracurricular activities, senior year classes, SAT/ACT scores, and more
▢ Complete the Education section of the application
▢ Choose and answer 1 of 5 Common App essay prompts
▢ Colleges/universities may have supplemental short answer questions and essays
▢ Contact your counselor to request a letter of recommendation for the common application at least 3 weeks before your first due date
▢ Send an invitation to your counselor in the School Forms section
▢ Waive your right to accessing your letter of recommendation
▢ Register an account through Scribbles
▢ Order transcript(s) to be sent to the "Common Application" (you will not need to send to individual schools on the Common Application) *
Misc. information you may need Address: Monte Vista High School 1003 Presidio Square Costa Mesa, CA 92626
CEEB/ACT Code: 050756
Rank: Cloud Campus does not rank, None
Weighted: yes
GPA scale: 4.0 GPA
Indicate senior year activities, clubs, leadership roles, etc
College Application Requirement Checklist
Reach, Target & Safety Schools. How to pick the right colleges to apply to.
Essay Advice From Admissions Officers
“What are we looking for? We are creating a class. We look at numbers, grades and test scores. But there’s more to it. We are trying to put a face with all of this information.”
-Shawn Felton, Cornell University, Director of Undergraduate Admissions
“Sometimes students feel that because they haven’t found the cure for cancer, they have nothing to share. Life is truly lived in the smaller moments, and that can be a powerful essay.”
-Jan Deike, Vanderbilt University, Assistant Director of Admissions
“By the time (the application) comes to us, many of them have gone through so many hands that the essays are sanitized. I wish I saw more of a thoughtful voice of a 17-year-old.”
-Christoph Guttentag, Duke University, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions
“This is your interview. Let me know who you really are.”
-Kim Bryant, University of Michigan, Assistant Director of Admissions
“Students think it has to be a discussion of their most traumatic experiences. If you have a relatively peaceful existence, that is fine.”
-Tamara Siler, Rice University, Senior Associate Director for Admission
“I never run into a colleague’s office and say ‘look at this 4.0 GPA.’ I will run into an office with a good essay to share; that excites me.”
-Calvin Wise, Johns Hopkins University, Director of Recruitment
“Students do not need to compile an entire season into an essay. Just give us one place, one time, one moment, and that will do it for you. The key is to show genuine passion, commitment and that they have what it takes to survive at the school.”
-Lorenzo Gamboa, Santa Clara University, Senior Associate Director of Admissions
