Spring 2013 Admissions

 

We've been receiving a lot of phone calls and emails about the spring 2013 application period.  At this point, we don’t have a definite spring plan yet.  It appears that we may offer limited spring admission for very specific populations.  Potentially, upper division transfer students from Butte College, College of the Siskiyous, Feather River College, Lassen College, Shasta College, or Yuba College may be given the green light to apply for spring.  Students from these campuses may be considered if they have completed at least 30 units in residence and are also regularly admissible. 

We may also be admitting students with community college certified AA-T or AS-T degrees.  If you’re not sure what AA-T or AS-T degrees are, I’d recommend consulting the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office website for a list of approved degrees.  Students should work directly with their community college if they’d like more information about obtaining certified degrees.   Chico State may also be open to veteran populations.  It's important to remember that this isn't the final word about spring 2013 and all this is subject to change.  Final decisions will be available the last week in July.   Keep checking this space for the spring 2013 application status.

From Chico With Love

Hello there, future Chico State students!  I hope you had an amazing Valentine’s Day.    One of the fun things about writing this blog is seeing the search keywords people use to find us online.  As a little belated Valentine’s Day gift to you, I’ve decided to answer some of the questions that lead readers to chicoadmissionscounselor.blogspot.com in the first place.

Q. When will I hear back from Chico State about fall 2012 admission? 

A.  Very soon.   Decisions go out on a rolling basis so, it could be this week, it could be next month, but decisions are definitely going out.  Most students will know one way or another by early March.   It’s important to check your Chico State email account and Portal because what could be potentially holding up your decision is a request we’ve made of you, but hasn’t been fulfilled yet.   Remember deadlines are important!

Q.  What happens if you’ve missed the Chico State application deadline for fall 2012?  

A.  Think "Plan B” because Chico State is definitely closed for fall 2012.  Unfortunately, at this point there’s very little applicants can do.  We don’t have a waiting list.  It is possible to petition our office for special permission to apply late via a Hardship Letter sent to Admissions, but these requests are only granted for very extenuating circumstances, like military deployment, so it’s not likely that letters will be approved.  The next regular application period for fall 2013 will be from October 1, 2012 through November 30, 2012. 

 
Q.  Can I transfer to Chico State in 2012?   

A.  The application period for spring 2012 was from August 1, 2011 through August 31, 2011, so unfortunately transfers for this year aren’t possible anymore.   Students can contact us in late July 2012 to see what the status for the spring 2013 application will be.  We really don’t know what our spring 2013 plan is yet, but once we know students will see the announcement here and on our “Want to Apply”  webpage.    If we happen to open for spring 2013, the application will available from August 1^st through August 31^st of this year. 

Q.  What do I do once I’ve been accepted to Chico State?

A.  First of all, hurrah for you!   Congratulations and welcome to the Chico State family!  Once you receive your admissions decision you’ll be required to submit your Intent to Enroll (IE) decision and unless you are exempt based on financial need, your $200 non- refundable deposit by May 1^st.  This tells us you’re definitely coming and saves your space in Chico!  In your admission packet you’ll also find a “What’s Next” flyer with all the deadlines for making your transition to Chico State as smooth as possible.   Please read it closely and take action.

Q.  How do I become an admissions counselor? 

A.  I thought this was funny way of stumbling across our blog, so answering this isn’t completely gratuitous.  The road to the glamorous life of an admissions counselor is varied.  However, admissions counselors definitely have a bachelor’s degree; usually in a subject that lends itself to communicating with people.   I was an English major, but majors like communications, psychology or student services are also good.  Really, a student’s major is almost incidental in a way; practical work experience in higher education is the making of a future admissions counselor.  Working in university offices as a student is a great way to gain knowledge of what it’s like to be an admissions counselor.  If you can work as university tour guide, orientation leader or financial aid assistant, these will lay a good foundation for a career in higher education down the road. 

That’s all for now, stay tuned for my next post when I’ll tell you about some of the awesome activities taking place on April 14th for Choose Chico!   It's an amazing opportunity to see what the campus as to offer and you can help us celebrate our 125th anniversary at the same time.  Until next week! 

Fall 2012 Admissions Update

Hello potential students!   My apologies for the long silence, things have been hopping here in the Office of Admissions, as you can well imagine.  We’ve been receiving transcripts and test scores and all manner of required documents.  I hope you’re staying abreast of your own requirement deadlines and checking your Chico Portal account and Wildcat email regularly.  We’re getting tons of phone calls about whether we’ve received your transcripts and I just wanted to remind everyone that processing takes time; so we really appreciate your patience on our end.  

I’ve got some good news about fall 2012 admissions decisions.  A big part of the application process has been decided!    We know what the initial fall 2012 eligibility index is for in-state freshmen students!   If you’re an in-state, first-time freshman, who has earned a 3200 eligibility index and are on the way to completing your A-G requirements, chances are good you’ll be admitted.  Transfers who are waiting to hear can rest a little easier too.  We know that the out of our local admission area GPA cut off is a 2.5 GPA for transfers.  From this point on, more and more admission decisions will go out every week.  Check your mail boxes because there’s good news on its way! 

On a completely unrelated note, we hosted a PIQE Parent Empowerment Conference on campus last weekend and I wanted to share two of my favorite quotes from the day.  One junior said, “I’ve been here two hours and I love it already.  I want to come here!”  I did internal fist pumps for Chico State when I heard that.    One of the dads who attended called our campus, “a temple, a temple of learning.”  Not too shabby if I do say so myself!  Sometimes I think working for Chico State is the easiest job in the world because the physical beauty of the campus is such a huge asset.  It’s pretty much love at first sight when students visit.  Have you seen Chico State for yourself?  Schedule a tour!  It’s easy and we’d love to host you.  Until next time! 

Advice for Senior Applicants Part 2

Let's pick up right where we left off in the last post.

4.  Don’t be afraid to call for help, but realize that you’re not the only one who is calling.  
It’s important to realize that high traffic times like submission deadlines can cause a glut of phone calls.   University staff is only human.  Getting a patient, helpful answer is almost guaranteed when you’re not calling at the same time as a hundred other students.   At Chico State, we pride ourselves on answering the phone and being as helpful as possible, but sometimes we need a little extra time. 

5.  Make friends among staff and faculty.  It’s always a good idea to have a connection that is in the know.  The people who work at Chico State care about students and want them to be successful.  It’s very smart to find someone who might go out of his or her way to help you.  An introduction, a good attitude and a word of thanks go a long way towards this.

6.  Reduce your stress and plan ahead.    We live in age of high speed Internet and on-demand everything.  However, the University doesn’t always function that way.  If students submit test scores or transcripts, especially during a high traffic time, it doesn’t mean offices will get that information five minutes later nor have it posted to your file.  The best thing students can do is send test scores, transcripts, or any other information in a timely manner allowing for travel and processing time.

I could go on with this list, but I just wanted to share a few ideas to give you the inside track on the admission process.  Good luck to those of you who have applied.  I hope I see you on campus next fall! 

Applying for Spring 2012?

If you are interested in applying for spring 2012, stay tuned.  Continue to check http://www.csumentor.edu/ and www.csuchico/admisssions for further information. 

Reminder: The Spring 2012 application cycle will take place from August 1- August 31.  If you are preparing to transfer from a California Community College, you may find the information below helpful.

Counselor Tips For a Successful Transfer to CSU, Chico:

■Complete A1 Oral Communication, A2 Written Communication, A3 Critical Thinking and B4 College-level Math, as early as possible

■Meet with your Community College Counselor to develop a transfer plan
■Visit all colleges you are interested and start asking about your major program
■Have copies of college transcripts on hand to complete application and for any appointments with Counselors

■Visit www.assist.org for more information on transferable courses from California Community Colleges