Ready, Set, Fall 2013!

While it may still feel like summer outside, the fact is that fall is just around the corner and that means the fall 2013 application period is about to begin.  The CSU Mentor application will open on October 1, 2012 and will close on November 30, 2012 for both first-time freshman and transfer applicants.

So what can freshmen do to prepare?

• Sign up now to take an SAT or ACT test by December.  December is the last test date our office will accept.  Students should try to test more than once if they can.   Studies show that students generally do better on tests the second time around.   I recommend taking both the SAT and the ACT.  It's always wise to maximize your chances of doing well.

• Make sure your A-G requirements  will be complete by the end of the senior year.  If you need to make up courses make sure you talk to your high school counselor as soon as possible to discuss what your options are.  Students aren't allowed to make up courses the summer after high school graduation for admission purposes.

• Visit Chico State on October 20th for Chico Preview Day.  Campus is open to the public and it's a great time to check out our beautiful location, explore our housing facilities and talk to faculty about majors.  We have tours available every day, but Preview Day is pretty amazing.  Register here.

• After the regular admission application has been submitted, you can fill out the Educational Opportunity Program application by November 30th. Our scholarship application will also open in October and will close on December 15th. 

What can transfer students do to prepare?

• Talk to your transfer counselor to make sure you will have 60 transferable units or 90 quarter units completed by the end of the spring semester.  No summer course work is allowed to meet your unit quota.

• Have you completed the "Golden Four" admission requirement?  College level Math, English, Critical Thinking and Speech courses must be done by the end of the spring semester.  Unless you're an engineering major, there are no exceptions to this requirement.

• Transfer students should also visit campus on October 2oth for Chico Preview day.  We have transfer student focused panels and our financial aid and housing offices will be on hand to answer all your questions.  Register here.

• After the regular admission appliction has been submitted, you can fill out  Educational Opportunity Program application by November 30th.  Our scholarship application will also open in October and will close on December 15th. 

 Remember that waiting till the last minute to do anything is a bad idea.  Be smart about preparing and your fall application period will go so much more smoothly!    I hope to see you at Chico Preview Day!

Fall 2012 Admitted Student Deadlines

As some of you may already know, our first batch of admission packets have already gone out!  Congratulations to those of you who have been admitted for fall 2012!  This is an exciting time and I hope you’ll make Chico your campus of choice. 

Decisions from now on will be rolling out on an on-going basis.  Don’t lose heart if you haven’t heard.  We have over 22,000 applications to process, so be patient.  Remember to keep checking your student portal and Wildcat e-mail for information about your admission decision or any requests from our campus.  Once students are admitted, several other deadlines must be met before beginning next fall.  Failure to meet these deadlines might result in having your admission rescinded, and we all want you to avoid that.  Here’s a list of important deadlines to be aware of for both first-time freshmen and transfer students.

• January 31, 2012: Application fee deadline. Students can submit a paper application fee waiver if you think you’ve made a mistake on the on-line version or you can pay via CASH Net. The CSU application fee is $55.
• January 31, 2012: First time freshmen deadline to submit SAT or ACT test scores.  
• February 15, 2012: Initial transcript deadline for TRANSFER students ONLY.  
•  March 1, 2012: Transcripts due ONLY from first-time freshmen applicants whom we’ve specifically contacted.  If we've requested a transcipt, it means we need extra information to make a decision.  Don't delay in sending it in.
• May 1, 2012:  Deadline to submit your Intent to Enroll (IE) and make Chico State your campus of choice for both transfer students and first-time freshmen.   Your Intent to Enroll (IE) can be submitted via your Chico State student portal.   You can refer back to our older post for how to do this.
• July 14, 2012:  Final Official Transcripts due for all admitted students, both first-time freshmen and transfers. Transcripts can be mailed to Office of Admissions, 400 West First Street, Chico, CA 95929-0722. We will also accept transcripts sent to us electronically from other institutions.

Students will also receive regular reminders about these deadlines in their student portal and Wildcat email accounts so you’ll be sure not to miss them. Good luck to those of you who are still waiting and Happy Holidays!