Sunday, July 13, 2025
September has arrived and the Class of 2024 is off to a great start as they prepare for college applications. Beginning last spring, York School Seniors have met with the Director of College Counseling, Mr. Partlow, in Class Meeting, the Pathways College Planning Course, and individual meetings. At York School each senior works closely with Mr. Partlow to take the appropriate steps to complete a thorough and strong application. At about this time seniors should have their Common Application and/or UC Application Account created. They may also have plans to take standardized tests this fall.  Knowing that most colleges are test optional now, it is still recommended they take a test and then determine, with Mr. Partlow’s help, if it should be submitted or not.  Last fall students began valuable work on the college essay with Mr. Partlow and the York School English Department, and that work continues this fall. It is also time for students to think about teacher letters of recommendation and which teachers they will ask for a letter. September is also the month to do a deep dive into their college list, to make decisions about which colleges they will apply to, and which colleges are reach, match, and safeties. If a senior intends to apply Early Decision or Early Action they should meet with Mr. Partlow early and often. The class of 2024 is a talented group of budding scholars and I look forward to working with them this year!    

College Night for Senior Families

Please join Mr. Partlow on Thursday, September 14th from 6-7pm for a Senior Family College Night. This is a good opportunity to go over the application process for the senior year and the best way to support your student. This event will be held in person in the Gatanga Theater. 

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS REP VISITS TO YORK

Students should consult the College Visits list on Scoir to see the various colleges that will visit York School this fall. This is an opportunity to hear a presentation and ask questions to admissions representatives. These visits are for juniors and seniors and for students only. Sorry, parents, you can not attend. Students register for the visits on Scoir. All visits will occur in the College Counseling office unless directed otherwise. 

TEACHER LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
 
Over the coming weeks seniors will begin to officially request teacher letters of recommendation. The deadline to request a teacher recommendation is one month prior to a student's first college application deadline. For example, if a student has an application deadline of November 1, their teacher recommendations must be requested by October 1. The process for requesting teacher recommendations is as follows:
  1. Meet with Mr. Partlow to discuss which two teachers you would like to have write on your behalf.
  2. Speak to those teachers in person and request a letter (some may ask you to complete a questionnaire).
  3. Log on to your Scoir account and request a teacher from the dropdown for letters of recommendation.
  4. Please include a personal note in the text box provided, thanking the teacher for writing on your behalf, and provide a reminder of your first application due date.
  5. Lastly, before any acceptances, write a handwritten thank you to each teacher who wrote on your behalf.
  6. Keep in mind that the UCs and CSUs do not take teacher letters of recommendation. However, in recent years, some UCs have “invited” students to submit a teacher letter. If this occurs, which is rare, speak with Mr. Partlow about the process. 
COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

The different components of a college application are reviewed with Mr. Partlow in Pathways. However, links for the various application sites and some information can be found below. 

University of California applicants
Application submission window October 1–November 30, 2022. 
Essay:  Yes, with eight essay prompts for students to select four to write.
Teacher Letter of recommendation:  Maybe. Some UC’s might “invite” an applicant to submit a teacher letter of recommendation. This is rare. 

California State University applicants
Account opens October 1, 2022 at https://www2.calstate.edu/apply
Application submission window October 1–November 30, 2022. 
Essay:  No college essay
Teacher Letter of Recommendation:  No

Common Application
Account open now at https://www.commonapp.org/
Application due dates vary for each college. Confirm on the Common Application site and on the college website.
Essay:  Yes, most colleges on the Common Application require the Common Application essay and some will have a supplemental essay specific to the college.
Teacher letters of recommendation:  Yes, many of these colleges will require at least two letters of recommendation.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RESOURCES

UC campuses may offer a range of virtual opportunities, including college fairs, appointments, admissions sessions, tours, and videos on admission, housing, and/or financial aid and scholarships. Some will be hosted in-person, while others will be offered virtually. Programming for counselors, students, and families will be available. 

UC Berkeley:  Programming throughout September and October
UC Davis: Programming for families and students offered throughout the fall quarter
UC Irvine: Fall undergraduate admissions events
UCLA: Fall events and activities
UC Merced: Discover UC Merced events
UC Riverside: Discover UCR events
UC San Diego: Fall Showcase events
UC Santa Barbara: Virtual programming throughout October and November
UC Santa Cruz: Fall Spotlight events in person and virtual workshops throughout September, October and November


UC Application and Application Center

The UC application for fall 2024 opened August 1. UC encourages students to spend ample time on their applications, developing each section to reflect the accomplishments, challenges, opportunities, and talents of each student within their own family, school, and community context. With the application now open, students can begin to craft their application in preparation for our filing period. 
The UC Application provides help and support throughout each section of the application. Applicants can view answers to their commonly asked questions on each page of the application by clicking ‘Help’ on the top navigation bar. Additionally, applicants will see blue ‘i’ icons throughout the application. By clicking on the blue ‘i’ icon, applicants will see a definition, explanation, or more context for a question. Lastly, students needing further assistance can contact the UC Application Center via phone or email. The Center is available Monday – Friday, 10am – 6pm (Pacific Time).
  • (800) 207-1710 (within the U.S.)
  • (925) 298-6856 (outside the U.S.) 
  • ucinfo@applyucsupport.net (Email)
STANDARDIZED TESTS
Testing centers are open!  Register soon before they fill up.  Remember, most colleges are test optional now and the UCs and CSUs are “test free.”  Colleges will often take a standardized test as late as their December sitting.  


Closest Testing Centers for Monterey Students
Everett Alvarez High School (25 miles from Monterey)
Watsonville High School (27 miles from Monterey)
Santa Cruz High School (43 miles from Monterey)
 
 
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
Searching for scholarships during a student’s senior year typically takes place during the winter and spring, after the fall application season. Occasionally there are earlier scholarship deadlines so be sure to track all deadlines of scholarships you are interested in.  During the winter and spring local foundations and organizations offer scholarships to graduates in our community. As they promote the new round of scholarships, information will be emailed directly to York School students with important information on deadlines and how to apply. It is important to remember, to receive scholarships, students must apply!  Always read your emails!  See Mr. Partlow with questions.
IN THE NEWS
Higher education benefits beyond earnings
Inside Higher Ed reports that according to a new report by the Lumina Foundation and Gallup, “college graduates report more civil engagement, dinners with family and awareness of the environment.” Additionally, the benefits of higher education “go far beyond employment and earnings; a postsecondary degree can improve outcomes in everything from personal health and character to civic engagement and relationships.  To read more, click here.
Colleges with high merit scholarships
If you are interested in colleges with good merit scholarships, our friends at College Kickstart keep an active list going with colleges known for strong merit aid.
As stated at College Kickstart “Merit awards are typically not based on financial need but rather on academic performance and other qualities deemed desirable by the institution.  As such, they can make college more affordable for academically gifted students—especially those that are unlikely to qualify for need-based financial aid.”
Do review their list click here.
How to parent your teen during their senior year
Here is another helpful article from Bonnie Raskin to help parents navigate the rollercoaster ride of a senior year. See her article  “Parent Etiquette” During the High School and College Application Process” by clicking here.
Director of College Counseling
831-372-7338 x119
York School | 9501 York Road | Monterey, CA 93940 | Tel 831-372-7338 | Fax 831-372-8055