College Exploration, Planning and Application Resources
Any Venture School student or parent may contact our School Counselor, Alissa Kruse, for further explanation or support
(925) 479-1215
akruse@srvusd.net
(925) 479-1215
akruse@srvusd.net
NAVIANCE:
NAVIANCE:![]()
NAVIANCE:
Venture uses Naviance for organizing applications to Community Colleges and 4-year colleges. Watch the videos above to make sure you are able to log into Naviance.
NOTE: Each of the SRVUSD's comprehensive high schools - Cal High, Dougherty Valley, Monte Vista and San Ramon Valley - have “College and Career Centers” on campus. You can access helpful information about post-high school planning, financial aid and even current job openings or presentations about career exploration by visiting to the school’s Counseling website, followed by the College and Career Center link.
DIABLO VALLEY COLLEGE (DVC) INFORMATION:
For seniors who are planning or may be planning on attending DVC in the fall: You are required to register for Orientation to College: Coun 095 for this spring semester (prior to your high school graduation). This is typically a one-two day course helping students transition to college. It is required to complete prior to registering for classes in the fall. Check the DVC website regularly so you can sign up when the Spring Catalog is posted. This course tends to fill quickly, so we recommend that you register in advance.
On the front page of the DVC website, you can also find the application for DVC.
This part of the DVC website will help you with the English/Math Assessment tests and other material essential for getting started at DVC.
DVC offers many programs: enrichment courses, certificate programs, transfer programs. If you are interested in attending DVC in the fall and transferring to a four year college, you will need to visit the "Transfer Information" website to learn more about that process in general, or "Transfer Services" to get more detail
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR ALL COMMUNITY COLLEGE - BOUND STUDENTS:
If you are interested in or planning on attending ANY Community College in the fall…
For those interested in transferring to a 4 year college from a Community College here are two links you need to become familiar with:
- New Opportunity: ADegreeWithAGuarantee
“Early priority admission to the CSU’s with junior standing once you earn an Associates Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) at a California Community College. The new joint transfer program is the best path for student like you to transfer between two college systems. Complete 60 units at a California community college to receive your AA-T or AS-T, then complete 60 units* at a CSU to receive your bachelor’s degree.” For more information, go to ADegreeWithAGuarantee
*90 units at a quarter campus
- ASSIST is an student-transfer information system that shows how course credits earned at one public California College or University can be applied when transferred to another. ASSIST is the official repository of articulation for California’s public colleges and universities and provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about student transfer in California.
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS APPLYING TO ANY 4-YEAR COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS APPLYING TO ANY 4-YEAR COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY![]()
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS APPLYING TO ANY 4-YEAR COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY
E-mail tip:
Please use a “professional” email prefix or username when applying to college. Hipchick@***.com is not an appropriate username.
Please use a “professional” email prefix or username when applying to college. Hipchick@***.com is not an appropriate username.
- Colleges may contact you via email for additional information or updates on their admission procedures.
- Student Portal (once you have applied): It is the student's responsibility to check the student portal with each college campus. This is the primary means of communication between you and the colleges you are applying to.
CHANGING YOUR SENIOR SCHEDULE:
Occasionally, students would like to change their senior schedule at the semester point (or other times during the year). Please be aware that you have reported your senior courses on your application. This means that your application status (or conditional acceptance – depending on when you would like to drop a course) may be affected by this. Dropping a course as a senior is complicated. It involves the student contacting all of the College Admissions Offices that the student applied to and asking, “Will dropping X, impact my application status/conditional acceptance?” The college's admissions office will be able to answer this question.
Occasionally, students would like to change their senior schedule at the semester point (or other times during the year). Please be aware that you have reported your senior courses on your application. This means that your application status (or conditional acceptance – depending on when you would like to drop a course) may be affected by this. Dropping a course as a senior is complicated. It involves the student contacting all of the College Admissions Offices that the student applied to and asking, “Will dropping X, impact my application status/conditional acceptance?” The college's admissions office will be able to answer this question.
CSU / UC
Application windows:
CSU Application: October 1 – November 30
UC Application: November 1 – November 30
CSU Application: October 1 – November 30
UC Application: November 1 – November 30
--> CSU and UC schools are NOT part of the Common Application.
Here’s the “unwritten rule:"
Both the UC/CSU applications need to be submitted prior to eating your turkey on Thanksgiving. Both UC/CSU website have a tendency of taking a long time to submit your application waiting until the last few days of the month, due to a heightened level of website use.
Both the UC/CSU applications need to be submitted prior to eating your turkey on Thanksgiving. Both UC/CSU website have a tendency of taking a long time to submit your application waiting until the last few days of the month, due to a heightened level of website use.
Rules regarding repeated/remediated grades (for grades of D/F):
- For CSU: The CSU schools only want the repeated grade on the application; they do not want you type in the original grade. You will need to use the CSU GPA Calculator to calculate your GPA w/o the original grades.
- For UC: The UC schools want to see both the original grade and the repeated grade. However, will only calculate the repeated grade in their GPA.
Only the UC’s require student personal statement (essay).
The CSU/UC’s do not ask for letters of recommendation or transcripts during the application time. They will require only a “final” transcript in June – upon graduation, and only to the college you have selected to attend. Occasionally, colleges audit applications and will request a transcript at a later time, in order to check validity of grades on application.
Only Cal Poly requires supplemental information (extra curricular, etc.) and calculates your GPA using 9-11th a-g grades (instead of grades 10-11).
If you are applying under a performing major (e.g., Music, Dance, Recording Arts), you may need to submit a portfolio and/or audition as well. Please check the college website (and the department website) for specific admission information.
MORE RESOURCES
MORE RESOURCES![]()
MORE RESOURCES
Here are some helpful links to navigate your way through the often complicated process of choosing, researching and applying to a college. Some of the sites are also helpful for career exploration.
Family Connection from Naviance Inc. is designed to help students make decisions about courses, colleges, and careers. All high school Venture students should be registered and introduced to this program when they enroll at Venture.
CA Career Zone site :Assess yourself, explore families of jobs and find out if you will make enough money to support yourself.
Career Exploration: The search for a lifelong, fulfilling career can be a fun-filled activity in which you devote time to learn more about yourself. Most experts suggest that you should review your interests, skills, values, and personality.
Bay Area Apprenticeship Programs at a Glance: is an on-line directory of apprenticeship programs available throughout the local area. Read about job descriptions, qualifications and requirements, benefits, program, application process and contact information.
California Apprenticeships: Lists all construction crafts, apprenticeships and qualifications. You can even find a program nearby.
California Colleges: Discover, Plan, Launch
This is a developing website where one can find information about community colleges, vocational schools, private colleges, California State University campuses and University of California campuses.There is a good explanation of financial aid on this website. Click on the tools link to find the career selector function. Just added are webpages for middle-school students and their parents.
College Data
This very helpful website has a college search for the entire country. The articles have very useful information.
Life Worksis a website where one can find information about health and medical science careers. Find careers that match your interests, skills and abilities and other practical and helpful information.
California State University Application
Application to the 23 campuses that make up the California State University system. One can use this website to apply on-line, apply for financial aid, plan courses in high school to make oneself eligible to apply in the senior year of high school, or to plan courses while enrolled at a community college with plans to transfer to a CSU campus as a college junior. Students as young as 6th grade are being encouraged to start an account on this website.
This is a developing website where one can find information about community colleges, vocational schools, private colleges, California State University campuses and University of California campuses.There is a good explanation of financial aid on this website. Click on the tools link to find the career selector function. Just added are webpages for middle-school students and their parents.
College Data
This very helpful website has a college search for the entire country. The articles have very useful information.
Life Worksis a website where one can find information about health and medical science careers. Find careers that match your interests, skills and abilities and other practical and helpful information.
California State University Application
Application to the 23 campuses that make up the California State University system. One can use this website to apply on-line, apply for financial aid, plan courses in high school to make oneself eligible to apply in the senior year of high school, or to plan courses while enrolled at a community college with plans to transfer to a CSU campus as a college junior. Students as young as 6th grade are being encouraged to start an account on this website.
Independent Universities
This excellent website is similar to the one above,
except their database consists of the independent (private) colleges and
universities that belong to the Association of Independent California Colleges
Universities.
This excellent website is similar to the one above,
except their database consists of the independent (private) colleges and
universities that belong to the Association of Independent California Colleges
Universities.
Pathways to the UC
The websites for all 9 university campuses for students that want to see their pathway to the UC. Applications can be downloaded or one can apply on-line from this website.
Diablo Valley College has listed the college catalog, schedule of courses and important dates on this website.
The websites for all 9 university campuses for students that want to see their pathway to the UC. Applications can be downloaded or one can apply on-line from this website.
Diablo Valley College has listed the college catalog, schedule of courses and important dates on this website.
Las Positas College has listed the college catalog, schedule of courses and important dates on this website.
Peralta Colleges
Find college catalogs, schedules of courses and important dates on this website for College of Alameda, Laney College, Merritt College, and Vista College.
Find college catalogs, schedules of courses and important dates on this website for College of Alameda, Laney College, Merritt College, and Vista College.
