The BYU Alumni Association of Ventura County/Santa Barbara is sponsoring a mentoring program to help students prepare scholastically, financially, and spiritually for post-secondary education.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

 “A Day in the Life of a College Student”
How can going to college change your life? Why go to college?
A College Success Workshop for Parents & Youth,
8th-12th grades.
Steps to take now to get admitted and succeed later.
May 21, 2011, From 9-11a.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 3301 W. Gonzales Rd.

In Check . . .

Spring break is coming to an end & just about 2 months left of school.  Time to check your schedule for classes needed to graduate.  Here's a checklist: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/hsgrtable.asp.  We would love to help you if you aren't sure where to start.  You can talk to your parent or mentor in your ward, or give me or Mike a call (760-8229).    

Also, here's information to consider when applying to BYU Schools:


 WHAT CAN I DO NOW TO START PREPARING FOR BYU?
Admission to and success at BYU depends on your preparation. The best thing you can do is accept personal responsibility for gaining a solid education. Prepare yourself in four areas:

1.      SPIRITUAL PREPARATION
·         Prepare yourself spiritually by living the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As a BYU student you will agree to abide by the BYU Honor Code and Dress and Grooming Standards (honorcode.byu.edu).
·         Participate in LDS Seminary each year of high school. Each year of seminary you complete will be to your advantage in admission consideration.

2.      ACADEMIC PREPARATION
The foundation and central focus of admission decisions is academic achievement, as demonstrated by the high school transcript and the national ACT or SAT exam. 
·         High School GPA
The admissions committee will use official high school transcripts submitted at the time of application to determine a GPA for each applicant on a Carnegie 4.0 scale.
·         ACT or SAT Exam
It is recommended that students take the ACT or SAT exam in the spring of their junior year. The exam may be taken more than once, and the highest composite score will be used in the admission process.
·         Preparatory Courses (recommended not required)
High school students should enroll in college preparatory classes as a freshman, and continue to take them through the senior year. It is recommended that class schedules include the following:
Ø  Four years of mathematics
Ø  Four years of English or literature
Ø  Two to three years of laboratory science
Ø  Two years of history or government
Ø  Two or more years foreign language
Research shows that students who follow these recommendations consistently earn higher ACT and SAT scores.
·         Advanced placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB)
AP and IB courses help prepare students for university-level work and for the ACT and SAT exams.

3.      CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Expand your character through service, leadership, magnifying special talents, and other personal activities. These things are considered when making admission decisions.

4.      FINANCIAL PREPARATION
Don’t forget to prepare financially—start planning now how you will pay for your college education.