A-G Requirements
How many years of history classes do you need to complete before you can graduate high school?
Two years of history/social sciences
One needs to be World History
The other needs to be U.S. History
Vocational school is different from college because you don't study a particular set of subjects;
Instead you learn....
How to do a job that requires special skills
In other words, you're training for a particular kind of industry or job! (Examples: Makeup artists, mechanic, carpentry, hairstylist, etc)
Can you name at least three community colleges in Southern California?
Santa Monica College, East Los Angeles, and Glendale Community College
Can you name examples of 4 year colleges or universities?
UCLA, UC Riverside, USC, Harvard, Berkeley, UC Irvine, CSU Long Beach, and CSU Northridge are all examples of four year colleges
True or False: Colleges only accept students with the highest grades
False!
Colleges look at a variety of factors when they go through student applications.
This includes your grades, your test scores, your personal statement, your extracurriculars, and your recommendation letters
How many years of English classes do you need to take before you can graduate high school?
Four years of English classes!
Can you name a vocational school that is nearby?
Los Angeles Trade Tech College is located on
400 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
It offers online classes too!
What makes community college different from vocational school?
Vocational schools are there to help you learn the skills for a trade(job)
Community colleges offer a foundation for your continued education - whether you graduate from that school or transfer to a 4 year college later on.
What makes a 4 year college different from a community college?
- Similar to community colleges, you're working towards establishing a foundation for your future career, but generally speaking, where you start out is the same school from which you'll be graduating
- Most, if not all, students live on campus which means there's a big sense of community and it'll be a little easier to make friends!
- Usually, the types of classes and clubs available to students have a lot more variety to offer.
True or false:
If I have good grades, but bad test scores (SAT or ACT or SAT Subject Tests), colleges won't accept me
False!
Test scores ARE important, but a college is more likely to accept a student who has shown that they work hard in class, over a student who appears to only be a good test taker.
Numbers, numbers, numbers! How many years of math classes do you need to take before you can graduate high school?
Three years of math are required, but it's recommended that you take four years of math!
Can you name some careers that might only require vocational school training?
Registered Nurse - Cosmetologist
Plumbing - Landscaping
Maintenance - Hotel & Restaurant Management
Electrician - Construction
Why might someone choose to go to a community college?
- Save money; Community colleges can be a lot cheaper than 4 year institutions, and offer a similar quality of education.
- to figure things out; sometimes people don't know what they want to study. CCs offer tons of programs to help students figure out their interests and career path
- to help them get into the school they're really interested in. SMC has one of the best transfer rates in the state of CA. Students transfer to many UCs, CSUs, and Private colleges.
What are some challenges you might face attending a 4 year university?
This depends on many factors:
- If you're attending a large school, it can be to feel lost - whether that's on campus, or trying to figure out who to go to with your questions
- If you're going to a school that's far away. You might get homesick while living on campus
- 4 year colleges can get expensive because there are additional costs on top of tuition: meal plans, dormitory costs, books and other materials
Clubs, sports, volunteering, internships/apprenticeships, etc
It's not about how much you did, it's about consistency! i.e. How long did you stick with what you were doing?
Two years of lab sciences are required, though it's recommended that you take three years.
Typically, you'll take biology, chemistry, and/or physics to complete this requirement
Can you think of some reasons why some might choose to go to vocational school?
Not everyone wants to go to a four year college
Some people want the college experience, but know that the career path they want require more hands-on training.
If you want to work and go to school at the time, why might community college be a better choice for you?
Flexibility!
- Classes don't always last all semester, which gives you time in between to work and save up money.
- It can be easier to balance out your work schedule with your class schedule, especially if you work off-campus
Why might someone choose to go to a four year college/university?
- Sometimes people want a new experience, whether that means going out of state or simply living on campus and not at home
- students might choose a school based on the programs and classes they offer
-other students may choose a school because it'll help them get the connections they need to launch their careers
-Financial Aid. Some schools offer to pay for most or everything.
What are some benefits to being involved in school clubs or with community organizations?
You get to meet new people and build connections!
You get to learn new skills or improve on ones you already had!
You get to learn a little more about what you would, or wouldn't, like to do as you move towards college and life as an adult
Being bilingual is very helpful for your education and your career! How many years of a language (other than English) do you need to take before graduating from high school?
Two years of another language are required! But three years are recommended.
The language classes you can take all depend on your high school
Is vocational school more expensive than a four year college? Yes or no?
Vocational school can be significantly cheaper than attending a four year institution.
The AVERAGE cost per student at LATTC is $6000 (if they get financial aid)
Without financial aid, their education/training costs about $19,000
Tuition alone for UCLA is $13,000 for CA residents. But there are other costs to consider: room & board, food, insurance, etc
What might be some challenges that come with attending a community college?
- because students don't live on campus/are working, it can be hard to really develop a consistent sense of community unless you join a club
- class registration can be very competitive -- which is true of all schools, but as community colleges have rolling enrollment, whether or not you get into a class can get challenging
Do you think that community colleges and 4 year universities have the same kind of applications for students who are interested?
No. 4 year colleges look at the combination of your GPA (grade point average aka your grades), your personal statement (an essay you write about yourself), your extra curriculars (clubs and sports and volunteer work), as well as your recommendation letters from teacher and community members.
Some schools even have interviews
Letters of recommendation are part of the college application process. These are letters that are written for you by someone who knows you very well.
Recommendation letters are a way of letting the college know "Hey, I know this person really well and they are perfect for your school!
Who can write letters of recommendation for you?
Teachers, counselors, volunteer supervisors, or a pastor at your church are some examples of people who can write a recommendation letter.
NOT parents or other relatives! NOT your best friend!