Starting Smart

It’s a truth universally acknowledged, that the early bird catches the worm and this especially true when preparing for university. Hopefully students and parents have begun to hear rumblings of the new statewide initiative called the Early Start Program.  In a nutshell, the CSU Broad of Trustees has mandated that from fall 2011 onward, any in-state, first-time freshman admitted to any CSU campus must demonstrate college readiness in Math and English or begin their remediation prior to enrollment.  In other words, they must get an Early Start on their success in college.

Historically nearly 60% of freshmen admitted to the CSU have been deemed not ready for college level Math and English.  This is true even for students who were in the top one-third of their high school graduating classes!  Doing remediation at the university is an expensive undertaking for everyone involved.  The University must provide specialized courses and students must invest time and money in classes that are often repeats of high school material.  This is particularly frustrating when students realize that remedial courses done at the university do not apply towards graduation or major requirements.

What’s a savvy student to do?  Early preparation is the key to success!  Ideally students will avoid remediation by testing out of the Early Start Program and there are lots of ways to do this.  Juniors can get a jump on gaining exemptions by passing the Early Assessment portion of the California Standards Test.  The CST is administered in the spring at most California public schools and EAP results can be found online via the CSU English and Math Success website.  All is not lost if you don’t pass the EAP; qualifying test scores in the SAT, ACT, AP or CSU English Placement Test (EPT) and Entry Level Math Test (ELM) will also make you exempt.  We’ve created this handy chart for you outlining Early Start exemptions scores in more detail.  What happens if you aren’t exempt through testing?  How will you meet the Early Start requirement?  Stay tuned for the next blog post when I’ll go into detail about Early Start summer classes. Meanwhile, if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.

Chico State is accepting applications for Spring 2012

It's a beautiful day it Chico, especially for those of you wanting to apply this Spring! 

The good news:

• Chico will be accepting applications from August 1 - August 31, from fully-eligible upper-division transfer, out-of-state transfer, international, graduate, credential students, and from post-baccalaureate students seeking a second bachelor's degree in Nursing.

The not always so good news:

• Chico is not accepting applications from first-time freshman applicants for Spring 2012
• Chico is an impacted campus, meaning upper-division transfer students who do not meet our local admission area requirements, will be subject to impaction criteria.

For specific information based on your class level, visit our "want to apply" page: http://www.csuchico.edu/admissions/want-to-apply/index.shtml



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

How to Submit an Intent to Enroll at Chico State

In order to retain your admission for CSU, Chico you MUST submit your intent to enroll and confirmation deposit (or indicate exemption) by May 1.  The process is much easier than it sounds; the information below is to assist you in your quest to officially become a WILDCAT!

Here are some helpful notes:

•  May 1 is a Sunday, which means that you must postmark your check by April 30.  
• The CASHNet system does not take Visa. 
•  If you at any time get "logged out" of the system and are unable to pay, just go to the website below to make the payment by May 1 at midnight: https://commerce.cashnet.com/cashnetb/SelfServe/eBillLogin.aspx?client=CHICOPROD

How to submit your intent to enroll:
1. Log into your Portal account
2. Enter your Student Center
3. Click on the “Admissions and Orientation” tab
4. Under Admissions and “My Applications”, click on “Accept or Decline” (see below)

5. You’ll be prompted to click “ACCEPT/DECLINE” one more time
6. Then click on “I ACCEPT ADMISSION” OR “I DECLINE ADMISSION”
7. You’ll then be prompted to “PAY ONLINE,” “PAY IN PERSON/MAIL” or indicate that your are “EXEMPT” (see below)

If you have any technical problems with your Portal account this weekend, contact Technical Support at: 530-898-HELP(4357).  They will be open from 12:00 noon to 11:30pm on Saturday and Sunday. Good Luck!

Chico State's Wildcat Robotics team competes in RoboGames 2011

"I visualize a time when we will be to robots what dogs are to humans, and I'm rooting for the machines."

CLAUDE SHANNON, The Mathematical Theory of Communication

While Robots aren't (yet) able to command humans, they did command the Fairgrounds Saturday, April 16, as Chico State competed in RoboGames 2011 in San Mateo. RoboGames, also referred to as the Olympics of Robots, is the world’s largest robot competition; our Mechatronic Engineering and Computer Science students battled it out during the “Sumo” competition.

Chico students created robots whose sole purpose was to push one another out of the "Sumo" ring. The robots were autonomous; each had to find the other inside the ring and attempt to push the other out.

It was my first time at a robotics competition, and it was fantastic to see hundreds of hours of work put into practice.  I was fortunate to be invited by two students I met on the road, Keith and Kris, pictured below. Both transferred from Santa Rosa Community College and have been active in robotics since stepping foot on our beautiful campus.  All of our students were excellent in representing the US and were able absorb valuable information for next year's competition.  Let it be known that Chico State has the ONLY accredited Mechatronic Engineering program in the United States. The students competing at this year's competition were part of Chico State's Computer Science 585 course, Robotics and Machine Intelligence, where they focus on autonomous robots guided by sensors and complex algorithms.

If Mechatronic Engineering or Computer Science sound like programs for you, be sure to visit our College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Construction Management website:

http://www.csuchico.edu/ecc/degree_programs/index.shtml

Crises in Japan sends CSU, Chico students home

As we watch the horror and confusion continue in Japan, our concern for the Japanese as well as U.S. Citizens in Japan escalates. With the U.S. government encouraging Americans to leave Japan, many students on campus are wondering about their classmates abroad.

This situation is especially close to our hearts, as our own Admissions student employee, Dee, is among 10 students that have been participating in CSU, Chico’s study abroad program in Tokyo, Japan.  Dee, featured in the Office of Admissions video above, is being sent back to California.  In a recent memo, CSU Chancellor, Charles B. Reed cited concerns about food shortages and hazards caused by damaged nuclear facilities. Reed wrote “Leaving our students in this situation is not a risk I am willing to take.”

CSU Parents and students question what happens during crises like this and I am proud to share insight on just some of the Chancellor’s Office’s expectations for CSU campuses.

1. Refunds of spring semester state university fee

2. Paying airline change fees and providing assistance in airline assignments

3. Working with financial aid offices to seek emergency exceptions so students are not penalized

4. Encouraging campuses to offer priority registration so these students are not disadvantaged during their fall semester

5. Academic Programs: campuses should look at online course options or work directly with Deans and Department Chairs to see if there are specific measures that can be taken to assist these students such as independent or directed study.

While some of these students may not want to leave their study abroad experience, it’s delightful to know that all measures are being taken to secure their safety and academic pursuits.

Ask and You Shall Receive...

I recently went to New York, where I visited a taping of Live with Regis and Kelly. During the commercial break, Regis approached the audience and asked if anyone had questions. Without warning my brain, my mouth shouted "I do!” I had nothing in mind, but didn’t want to let the moment pass. Regis turned to me; I asked “Regis, may I shake your hand?” As Regis and I proceeded to share a hilarious moment of hand shaking, I heard an audience member tell her friend “I wish I would have asked that.”

Nearly each time I present at college fairs and high schools across California, students and parents often have the same response to the information provided- “I wish I would have asked or knew that information earlier.” The information is often out there- students just have to know where to look.

Here are three great places to start:

1. www.csuchico.edu – For specific application information for CSU, Chico, carefully review our admissions requirements by applicant type: Chico Admissions Page

2. www.csumentor.edu – CSUMentor is the application website for all of the California State Universities. If you’re interested in applying to CSU, Chico, you may also be interested in many of the other excellent California State University campuses. The Explore Campuses feature will be your greatest asset in finding schools by major, campus size, and location.

3. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/index.jsp - By creating a College Search Profile, you will have the opportunity to input your grades, courses, test scores, and track your favorite colleges. I tested the CSU A-G high school course requirements against those recommended for Barnard College in New York and found a few differences. Check it out: