Applying to Private Universities East Los Angeles Transfer Center Overview - Explore the differences between Public and Private universities - Benefits to Attending a Private University - Discuss Myths about Privates - Requirements and Application Process - Overview of Common App What are the differences between public and private universities? Major differences between Publics and Privates - Funding & Tuition cost - Size & Degree offerings - Class size and demographics Why Consider Applying to Privates? Benefits - Resources Tutoring, academic early warning protocols, faculty advisement, first generation student mentorship, career services, financial literacy, and first year experience/transfer programs - Graduation timeline Higher rates of completion; shorter timeframe than at public institutions. Benefits - Size - Even at larger private colleges the class size is contained. There are still lecture halls, but typically, fewer teaching assistants and more professors. At small private colleges classes can be as small as 10 or 12 students - Close Knit Community - Student community is an integral part of most private colleges - Merit Scholarships - The listed tuition is the highest at private colleges; however, what students actually pay for tuition is usually lower Myths Myth #1: Private schools are too expensive Reality: Since 2000, tuition costs have increased: - CSU’s- 173% - UC’s- 208% - AICCU- 90% Eighty percent (80%) of students at AICCU schools receive Institutional Grants to help pay for tuition. Overall, 86% of students at AICCU schools receive some type of aid. 1. Apply by the deadline 2. Fill out the DREAM Act Application! 3. Apply for scholarships – on and off campus scholarship lists are available on the Financial Aid and Transfer Center websites Myths Myth #2: Private schools are harder to get into and you have to have very high grades Reality: Most independent colleges and universities consider a number of factors other than grades. These factors can include: GPA trend, Personal Statements, Activities/Community Service, Honors & Awards, Letters of Recommendation, Interviews/Auditions, etc. Myths Myth #3: The student populations are NOT diverse Reality: AICCU member schools enroll students from every background and ethnicity. Minorities are the majority across Independent Colleges and Universities in CA schools- 57%. Myths Myth #4: It will take me longer to earn my degree Reality: AICCU member colleges are very proud to have the highest graduation rates - 12% higher than UC’s - 23% higher than CSU’s California Private Universities - Over 70 private/independent universities in California - Sizes vary: small, mid-size, large - Private universities can also be religious - AICCU, an association of independent (non-public) universities can help you get familiar with your options: http://www.aiccu.edu/research-and-publications/the- guide/ Transfer Requirements & Application Process Transfer Requirements for Privates Requirements for each private institution will vary widely, so it is important to research the schools you are interested in directly for specific information Comprehensive Review - Primary: Quantitative - GPA - Rigor of Courses - Pivotal: Qualitative - Personal Statement and/or Essays - Co-curricular Involvements (leadership, clubs, jobs, internships, volunteer work, etc.) - Letters of Recommendation General Transfer Requirements - GPA Varies widely from 2.00 – 3.50+ - Application Common Application or college-specific Timeline varies and many accept applications on a “rolling” basis - Unit minimums Generally a minimum of 24 – 30 transferable units are required to apply High school transcripts and SAT/ACT scores are usually required if you do not meet these minimums - Additional Requirements may vary by Major Transfer Articulations Transfer agreements/articulations are designed to identify community college courses that apply towards private university degree programs. Each university manages their articulations differently. What if there is no Articulation? That’s okay! Solutions: - IGETC is now accepted at many CA private universities - Look at catalog for course descriptions and compare with ELAC for major preparation and transferability of courses; counselors can help with this process - Complete general education courses (Intro to Psychology, English composition, college algebra, etc.) - Visit the ELAC Transfer Center for guidance Common Application - Referred to as the Common App - Online application system that can be used to apply to the majority of private universities both in and outside of California - Universities included: - University of Southern California (USC) - Loyola Marymount University - Stanford - University of La Verne - Occidental College www.commonapp.org Step 1: Create Account Step 2: Add Colleges Step 3: Complete “Common App” Tab Citizenship Status - Be sure to indicate your citizenship status in the United States. - International Students need to indicate the type of VISA they are holding. - Undocumented students will select “Other(Non-US), indicate the country of citizenship and select no for valid U.S. Visa. Fee Waiver Family Section Be sure to thoroughly and accurately answer in regards to your household. You will also be asked question about your parents and siblings in regards to occupation, relationship to the applicant, and educational level. Education Section In this section you will indicate all college institutions you previously or currently attend, types of degree earned, and honors earned. Education Section Cont’d. You will indicate all the courses you are currently taking this academic year. Be sure to indicate the semester, term, and credit value (units) of the course. Testing Section You will be asked about scores you may have received from SAT, ACT, IB etc. As transfer students we are not required to take these exams Activities Section You are able to list any extracurricular activities you have been a part of such as: clubs, orgs, church groups, or jobs. You are able to list up to 10. Recommend to list all involvement even if you deem it insignificant. Writing Section This section will indicate if the intended institutions requires a personal statement. Keep in mind the broad scope of the prompt and the word count. It is recommended that you carefully edit before submitting. Your institution may require additional writing requirements that can be found in the My colleges section. Step 4: Review & Submit Next Steps: Ensure Required Documents are Submitted Use the “Dashboard” tab to manage your Applications Popular Privates Universities & their Application Deadlines University of Southern California (USC) - February 1st, 2018 Azusa Pacific University (APU) - February 15th, 2018 Pomona College - February 15th, 2018 Biola University - March 1st, 2018 Occidental College - March 2nd, 2018 Loyola Marymount University - March 15th, 2018 University of La Verne - April 1st, 2018 Whittier College - April 15th, 2018 Tips - Begin Early! Do NOT wait until the last minute! - Request Official Transcripts - Common App Essay - School Specific Requirements - Request Letters of Recommendation - If unclear about school requirements/deadlines/major prerequisites, call or email the school! - If completing a personal statement about the major you are applying to, be sure to do your research! - Remember that meeting an application deadline means that all required materials have been received by the college/university by the deadline - Continue taking full advantage of resources at ELAC Questions? Visit the ELAC Transfer Center to answer your questions and explore your options! Thank you! .