<p>I live in California and I'm going to be a HS Senior this coming year. No one in my family knows really anything about college and applying for scholarships. I come from a very low income- single parent home and I'm wondering if anybody has and links or information to help me out( anything helps). Like when do I start to apply for scholarships or where can I get my personal statements( if I can get them now) And I am also wondering if there is anything I should be doing now during the summer to help when applying for scholarships and to Schools ( I'm looking at UC and CSU). </p>
<p>Thank You!!</p>
<p>Most of the decent scholarships come from the universities themselves after you fill out the FAFSA in January of each year. <a href=“https://fafsa.ed.gov/”>https://fafsa.ed.gov/</a></p>
<p>The FAFSA is the FREE Application for Federal Student Aid. You fill out the application online with your parents’ financial information. The government uses that application to see if you qualify for federal funding. The application then passes to the universities that you hope to attend. (Do not fall for scams on other websites; anyone who asks you to pay anything for a scholarship is a scammer.)</p>
<p>If your need financial aid and qualify, each university puts together a financial aid “need-based” package for you with scholarships, grants, work study and loans. If your grades and SAT scores are really good, you may qualify for additional money called Merit Aid that is solely based on your grades. </p>
<p>Check out the reference page and look for UC and Cal State references: <a href=“http://www.csac.ca.gov/pubs/forms/grnt_frm/g-50_morewaystopay.pdf”>http://www.csac.ca.gov/pubs/forms/grnt_frm/g-50_morewaystopay.pdf</a></p>
<p>Please visit your counselor often at your school; he or she has to fill out your recommendations and all of your college information. You want to become best buddies with him/her. </p>
<p>You can start working on your essays this summer. Take a look here at CC for suggestions and ask questions! Good luck!</p>
<p>Each UC has a net price calculator on its web site; use it to estimate financial aid at that campus.</p>
<p>The CSUs have a centralized net price calculator web site at <a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Cal State Apply | CSU; .</p>
<p>Both UC and CSU use FAFSA for information used to determine need-based financial aid. They do not use other forms (such as the CSS Profile that many private universities use).</p>
<p>If you have not already done so, sign up for the SAT and ACT early fall test dates. Try old released tests for practice before taking them.</p>
<p>Your GPA as calculated as described at <a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Cal State Apply | CSU; is also very important in UC and CSU admissions. You also need to have completed the high school course requirements described at <a href=“University of California Counselors”>University of California Counselors; (in some cases, not listed on the chart, AP or SAT subject test scores can validate these categories).</p>
<p>Aunt Bea gave you some great information. I will just add a bit more:</p>
<p>When you go back to school in the fall, stop by the counseling department and ask: </p>
<ol>
<li>whether there are college nights, financial aid nights or other services and write down their dates. </li>
<li> if there are any resources or staff in the counseling center and if you are allowed to visit at lunch or during your study hall</li>
<li>If any of the colleges you like will be sending a representative to your high school, and if you need to sign up to get a seat at the presentation/visit.</li>
</ol>
<p>When you make your face known at the counseling center, that is a sign to the staff that you are motivated and interested in college. They do care–in fact, from what I’ve seen, high school counselors have pretty big hearts and want to help all their students. The problem is that they are very overworked. Don’t wait until the last minute to turn in your request for them to fill out the counselor part of your application, or to turn in a request for a transcript.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you all! This has helped me so much 
</p>
<p>UC and CSU admission and application information can be found here:</p>
<p><a href=“http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/index.html”>http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/index.html</a>
<a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Cal State Apply | CSU;
<p>The UC application period is November 1 through November 30. The CSU application period for fall terms begins October 1; the closing date varies by campus but may be as early as November 30. So keep November 30 in mind as your deadline for application to both UCs and CSUs.</p>
<p>Each system allows one application to be propogated to any number of campuses in that system (although you will need to pay an application fee for each additional campus). Each system also has a means of propogating a single set of SAT and/or ACT scores to all campuses you apply to. Courses and grades are self-reported on the applications, and high school transcripts are only used to verify after you decide to attend.</p>
<p>Yes, talk to your counselor early about what you need to do for applying to colleges.</p>
<p>Also, talk to your parents about cost limitations and compare them to the results of the net price calculators on the web sites.</p>
<p>OP= what are your stats, and are you only wanting to stay in CA+</p>
<p>OP is @Osvaldo1205, the Original Poster.</p>
<p>OP, the people here can be very helpful, so keep coming back to see us. There are people here who know a lot about CA schools and others who know application strategies for low-income students.</p>