College and Career Planning
Career planning could be fun, but it takes time to plan and make decisions. It's important to know that money is everything in life, but to consider how you would feel about your job at the end of the day. Before choosing a college, we advise to you to have an idea about what your career interests are by exploring your personality type and personal values. Browse through some of these websites to check out what you might be interested in.
The counseling department would encourage all of you to review your transcript on yearly basis so that you are informed about your progress towards reaching your goals. We recommend that all students wisely select College Prep (CP) classes that meet the A-G requirements (courses to take in high school to be eligible for a four-year college university, CSU/UC). Below are the high school graduation requirements and resources in regards to college and career.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding the information provided on this page. If you are planning to attend college, we would strongly suggest that you start saving money NOW. However, there is financial assistance to pay for college tuition, books, room and board, etc by applying for scholarships, grants and loans. Best wishes to all of you on making well-informed decisions about your future! Your journey starts here!
The counseling department would encourage all of you to review your transcript on yearly basis so that you are informed about your progress towards reaching your goals. We recommend that all students wisely select College Prep (CP) classes that meet the A-G requirements (courses to take in high school to be eligible for a four-year college university, CSU/UC). Below are the high school graduation requirements and resources in regards to college and career.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding the information provided on this page. If you are planning to attend college, we would strongly suggest that you start saving money NOW. However, there is financial assistance to pay for college tuition, books, room and board, etc by applying for scholarships, grants and loans. Best wishes to all of you on making well-informed decisions about your future! Your journey starts here!
To graduate from ACHS, a student must:
- Pass the California High School Exit Exam
- Pass Algebra 1 or Basic Algebra
- Enroll in and pass (at ACHS) the subject area required courses with a grade of "D-" or better (see below)
- Earn 220 units. Each class passed ("D-" or better) earns 5 credits per semester.
- Complete 10 hours of Community Service per year (Freshman must do 40 hours total and Sophomores are required to do 30 hours total)
Subject Area Requirements:
English: 40 credits
Mathematics: 20 credits (Class of 2016: 3 years of math required)
Physical Education/Health: 20 credits
Lab Science: 20 credits (10 credits in Life Science i.e. CP/AP Biology, 10 credits in Physical Science i.e. CP/AP Chemistry, Physics)
Social Science: 30 credits (World History, U.S. History, American Government and Economics)
Visual & Performing Arts(VPA)/World Language: 10 credits (Class of 2015: 20 credits of Foreign Language required and 10 credits of VPA)
Electives: 80 credits (includes classes from any of the subject areas listed above)
California High School Exit Exam
The test consists of two parts: English Language Arts and Math. Students must pass both portions in order to graduate, but do not have to pass both in the same sitting. Students have their first opportunity to take the test in the spring of their sophomore year. If they don't pass one or both sections they have several opportunities to take the portion they did not pass during their junior and senior year. Teachers are preparing your child to pass this test everyday, so the best preparation is for students to be in class everyday actively participating. Talk to your child's counselor about current CAHSEE tutoring programs before and after school. California Department of Education's website: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs.
What classes do you need to take at ACHS to attend a UC/CSU?
The University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) requires the college preparatory (CP) pattern of subjects referred to as the "a-g" courses for admission. Important: meet with the counselor to check if you are meeting the course requirements for A-G. Review the ACHS Course Catalog for course descriptions.
- a) History and Social Science: 2 years, including 1 year of U.S. history (or 1 semester of U.S. history and 1 semester of civics or American government) and 1 year of social science
- b) English: 4 years of college preparatory English composition and literature (take one each year)
- c) Math: 3 years (4 years recommended), including Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, or higher mathematics e.g., Pre-Calculus (take one each year)
- d) Laboratory Science: 2 years with a lab class - one year from biological, one year from physical science (3 years recommended)
- e) Language (other than English): 2 years of the same language (American Sign Language is applicable) (3 years recommended same language)
- f) Visual and Performing Arts: 1 year of dance, drama or theater, music, or visual arts
- g) College Preparatory Elective: 1 year of any college preparatory subject required in "a-f"
Exam Requirements: UC: SAT I or ACT, and SAT II; CSU: SAT I or ACT only
GPA Requirements: 3.0 or higher for CSU; 3.3 or higher for UC
How to Get to College Poster (Click here): This is a colorful and informative poster to help you plan your college education during middle and high school.
he Best Colleges of 2011 - Compare and contrast national college universities based on academic program (majors), tuition fees, acceptance rate, sports programs, and student-to-faculty ratio.
College Board - Research more than 3000 colleges and choose the best one that matches your needs to pursue your career goals.
California Colleges - Choose the best college for you to attend in California (UC, CSU, Private/Independent Colleges, Community Colleges). Research the specifications of each school, such as tuition costs, academic programs offered, athletic programs, etc.
CSU Mentor - California State University: Everything including applications on-line for every CSU campus (seniors apply to CSU October 1st through November 30th).
University of California Pathways - UC: Quick "in" to the UC system (seniors apply to UC November 1st through 30th). Click here if you want to know what UC's are looking for in freshmen applicants.
Independent Colleges and Universities - Search for California's private colleges, such as Stanford, St. Mary's, University of Southern California.
California Community Colleges - Community colleges provide basic skills education, workforce training and courses that prepare students for transfer to four-year universities.
Vocational Schools - Here is a database that allows you to search for the schools that offer a variety of training programs that include: automotive mechanics, cosmetology, computer science, nursing, truck driving, or massage therapy. More programs offered on this website.
The Common Application - Did you know you can send ONE application to more than 450 college universities in the United States that includes Yale, Harvard, and Pepperdine? This website offers a simplified application process that allows you and school officials to fill out online forms a lot more efficiently. Register and start searching for colleges.
Napa Valley College (NVC) - Earn an Associates Degree or a vocational certificate for your career path. Also visit the Career Technical Education website to check out career pathways offered through the College.
Shmoop - Do you want to know what it take to apply for a college university? The college page on this website provides a guide in helping you become familiar with college admission process.
College Week Live! - This website allows you to register for an online college fair to visit hundreds of college universities all over the country every week.
KnowHow2GO - Four steps to college.
Princeton Review - Find schools and majors, testing (SAT, PSAT, AP), academic tutoring, admissions/financial aid (scholarships), careers, study abroad programs by country.
NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) - A helpful source for the Student-Athlete to play a sport and earn a college degree
College Board - Research more than 3000 colleges and choose the best one that matches your needs to pursue your career goals.
California Colleges - Choose the best college for you to attend in California (UC, CSU, Private/Independent Colleges, Community Colleges). Research the specifications of each school, such as tuition costs, academic programs offered, athletic programs, etc.
CSU Mentor - California State University: Everything including applications on-line for every CSU campus (seniors apply to CSU October 1st through November 30th).
University of California Pathways - UC: Quick "in" to the UC system (seniors apply to UC November 1st through 30th). Click here if you want to know what UC's are looking for in freshmen applicants.
Independent Colleges and Universities - Search for California's private colleges, such as Stanford, St. Mary's, University of Southern California.
California Community Colleges - Community colleges provide basic skills education, workforce training and courses that prepare students for transfer to four-year universities.
Vocational Schools - Here is a database that allows you to search for the schools that offer a variety of training programs that include: automotive mechanics, cosmetology, computer science, nursing, truck driving, or massage therapy. More programs offered on this website.
The Common Application - Did you know you can send ONE application to more than 450 college universities in the United States that includes Yale, Harvard, and Pepperdine? This website offers a simplified application process that allows you and school officials to fill out online forms a lot more efficiently. Register and start searching for colleges.
Napa Valley College (NVC) - Earn an Associates Degree or a vocational certificate for your career path. Also visit the Career Technical Education website to check out career pathways offered through the College.
Shmoop - Do you want to know what it take to apply for a college university? The college page on this website provides a guide in helping you become familiar with college admission process.
College Week Live! - This website allows you to register for an online college fair to visit hundreds of college universities all over the country every week.
KnowHow2GO - Four steps to college.
Princeton Review - Find schools and majors, testing (SAT, PSAT, AP), academic tutoring, admissions/financial aid (scholarships), careers, study abroad programs by country.
NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) - A helpful source for the Student-Athlete to play a sport and earn a college degree
FAFSA (Free Application For Federal Student Aid) - Submit an application online to qualify for loans, grants, and other types of financial aid for college and career training. Get an early estimate of your eligibility on student financial aid with the FAFSA4CASTER.
XAP - CSU and private applications, searches, test prep, financial aid, links
Merit Aid - There is more than $11 billion in merit-based scholarships available from colleges. Now, you can easily find these at MeritAid.com, the Web's first free, comprehensive directory of merit aid scholarships.
Cappex - Search for colleges and get detailed information about the admission process to the collge of your choice. Scholarship opportunities are also available on this website. Sign up for a free account.
FastWeb and Scholarships.com - Learn about different types of scholarships and apply for them. Scholarships offered based on ethnic background, family income, career goals, religious beliefs, sports, etc. 2010 - 2011 Student Reference Guide.
Cal Grants - Do you want to see if you can qualify for free cash to help you pay for college? Learn more about grants that California is offering to you through the California Student Aid Commission (CASC).
California Dream Act - Scholarship opportunity for undocumented students. Click on the link to learn more and apply. Feel free to view the worksheet before filling out the application.
A Voice Found - Scholarship and grant opportunities for students pursuing vocational/trade education.
Major Financial Aid Programs - Get a list of all of the different types of grants and information on each. This includes the money award, deadlines, and eligibility requirements. This is where the free money comes from!!! Work Permits
Applications must be filled out and signed by the employer and parent.
Permits will be issued by:
Official Transcript Request Form - Click here This form is required if you need to receive official copies of your transcript if you are planning to send them to college universities you apply to during the admission process. You may also pick up a hard copy of the form at each of the counselor offices. Please give at least a five days to process the request.
XAP - CSU and private applications, searches, test prep, financial aid, links
Merit Aid - There is more than $11 billion in merit-based scholarships available from colleges. Now, you can easily find these at MeritAid.com, the Web's first free, comprehensive directory of merit aid scholarships.
Cappex - Search for colleges and get detailed information about the admission process to the collge of your choice. Scholarship opportunities are also available on this website. Sign up for a free account.
FastWeb and Scholarships.com - Learn about different types of scholarships and apply for them. Scholarships offered based on ethnic background, family income, career goals, religious beliefs, sports, etc. 2010 - 2011 Student Reference Guide.
Cal Grants - Do you want to see if you can qualify for free cash to help you pay for college? Learn more about grants that California is offering to you through the California Student Aid Commission (CASC).
California Dream Act - Scholarship opportunity for undocumented students. Click on the link to learn more and apply. Feel free to view the worksheet before filling out the application.
A Voice Found - Scholarship and grant opportunities for students pursuing vocational/trade education.
Major Financial Aid Programs - Get a list of all of the different types of grants and information on each. This includes the money award, deadlines, and eligibility requirements. This is where the free money comes from!!! Work Permits
Applications must be filled out and signed by the employer and parent.
Permits will be issued by:
- While school is in session, the completed application must be taken to the school’s Work Experience Office or Counseling Office.
- During Summer, Winter and Spring Breaks the completed application must be taken to the school’s Principal’s Office or to the Education Center, Room 132, at 2425 Jefferson Street.
Official Transcript Request Form - Click here This form is required if you need to receive official copies of your transcript if you are planning to send them to college universities you apply to during the admission process. You may also pick up a hard copy of the form at each of the counselor offices. Please give at least a five days to process the request.