San Diego Cal-SOAP



Dear Class of 2011 Student and Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

If college is in your future, then so are college admissions tests like the SAT and/or ACT. One of the best ways to prepare for the SAT is by taking the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.) The score you receive on the SAT or ACT is part of what determines if you will be admitted to the four-year college/university of your choice. Also, high scores on the PSAT (taken in October of the 11th grade year) can qualify a student for National Merit Scholarships, National Achievement Scholarships, and special scholarships sponsored by private corporations and donors.

The California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP) is offering eligible students in the San Diego Unified School District the opportunity to participate in a FREE 6-session PSAT Preparation course. Students enrolled in the PSAT Scholars Program will receive intensive test preparation and FREE PSAT study materials. This course will show students what they can expect on the test and how to earn the best score possible.

|Dates: Summer 2009 |Session Time |Attendance is mandatory at all six sessions! |

| | |If you are accepted, parents must attend Orientation on the evening |

| | |of 7/08/09. |

|Saturday, July 11 |8:00am-1:00pm | |

|Saturday, July 18 |8:30am-12:30pm | |

|Saturday, July 25 |8:30am-12:30pm | |

|Saturday, August 1 |8:30am-12:30pm | |

|Saturday, August 8 |8:30am-12:30pm | |

|Saturday, August 15 |8:30am-1:00pm | |

The application materials, which include an application form, an essay, and a teacher recommendation form, are enclosed along with this letter. Applicants should first mail or fax the completed application/essay, and then have a teacher or counselor complete the recommendation.

|Submit By Mail|Cal-SOAP |Deadline: |

| |Attn: Karla Whitaker |Must be postmarked or faxed by June 5, 2009|

| |2351 Cardinal Lane, Bldg O | |

| |San Diego, CA 92123 | |

|OR | | |

|Submit By Fax |858-569-1136, Attn: Karla Whitaker |Deadline: June 5, 2009 |

| |(After faxing, call 858-569-1866 to confirm) | |

You must submit your application before the deadline; late applications will not be considered. Please contact us to verify that we received your application. After we review all applications in June, we will notify you by mail to let you know whether you are accepted to the program. If we receive more applications than we can accommodate, we will decide based on the best student essays and teacher recommendations. To be considered, students must have an excellent teacher recommendation; a thoughtful and well-written essay, and be absolutely committed to attending all 6 sessions. Attendance is of utmost importance! If accepted, parents must also attend a mandatory orientation on the evening of Wednesday, July 8. Please submit the application/essay at your earliest convenience. The teacher/counselor faxes the recommendation separately so you can submit the application/essay before the teacher/counselor submits the recommendation. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me at (858) 569-1866 ext. 216, or kkwhitaker@ucsd.edu. Please keep this letter for reference.

I look forward to receiving your application.

Sincerely, Karla Whitaker, Cal-SOAP Academic Coordinator

|2009 PSAT SCHOLARS APPLICATION |

Please write NEATLY and LEGIBLY in BLUE or BLACK INK

Student Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________

Last First Middle Initial (Nickname-optional)

Mailing Address: _________________________________________________________________________________

Address Street Unit/Apt (if applicable) City State Zip

Phone #: ( )________________________Birth Date: _______/_______/______Male: ______Female______

Alternative Phone #: ( ) _________________ Student ID Number _________________________________

GPA: ___________ Age: ________________ Expected Date of Graduation: June 20________ (ex: June 2011)

Name of school you attend in 2008-2009:_______________________________ Grade Level in 08-09: _______

Email Address (parent or student): ___________________________________________________________________

Alternative Email Address (parent or student): __________________________________________________________

Do you qualify for free and/or reduced lunch at school? YES ___________ NO __________________

Please check the race/ethnicity with which you most closely identify: African American; Asian/Pacific Islander;

Filipino/a; Latino/Hispanic; Native American/Alaskan Native; White/Caucasian; Other

Are you a current participant in any of the following outreach programs: UC EAOP; Educational Talent Search; Upward Bound; Other ___________________

Parent/Guardian Name (print):______________________________________________________________________

Only committed students will be admitted to the Cal-SOAP PSAT Scholars Program. My parent(s) and I understand the following:

• Attendance is mandatory for the entire 6-session program.

• I will need my own transportation to and from the site (USD in Linda Vista.)

• I must take the PSAT in October 2009 and submit scores to Cal-SOAP.

• I agree that the PSAT Scholars Program has the right to publish photographs of scholars for publicity purposes.

Parent’s/Guardian’s Signature: ___________________________________________________Date: ______________

Student’s Signature: ___________________________________________________________ Date: ______________

Your complete application packet to the PSAT Scholars Program consists of three (3) parts:

➢ Application (this sheet)

➢ Student Essay (prompt on backside of this sheet)

➢ A recommendation form filled out by a high school teacher or counselor. The teacher or counselor must FAX the recommendation to Karla at 858-569-1136. You should submit the application and essay as soon as possible. The recommendation can be faxed by a teacher or counselor separately.

1. Fill out this sheet and submit along with essay to Cal-SOAP by mail or fax

2. If submitting by mail, address to Cal-SOAP, Attn. Karla Whitaker, 2351 Cardinal Lane Bldg O, San Diego CA 92123 (Last Day to Postmark = 6/5/09)

3. If submitting by fax, fax to 858-569-1136, Attn. Karla Whitaker (Last Day to Fax = 6/5/09)

4. Submit the application/essay as soon as you complete them, even if your teacher/counselor has not yet faxed the recommendation. The recommendation can be faxed separately.

|Student Essay Prompt |

|2009 PSAT SCHOLARS |

Student: Please write or type an essay on separate paper after you have filled out the application on the reverse side. Submit application and essay to the Cal-SOAP office by mail or fax. Final date to fax or postmark: 6/5/09.

• On separate paper, compose your essay. You must TYPE or write NEATLY and LEGIBLY in BLUE or BLACK INK.

• Be sure to put your FULL NAME on every page of the essay. We are looking for a 1-2 page essay.

• We will only consider candidates with thoughtful and well-written essays.

Essay Prompt

We are seeking students who are absolutely committed to attending all six sessions of the PSAT Scholars Program, who will participate in class, and who will give their utmost effort to the work assigned. Please write an essay explaining why you would be a good candidate for the program. Also, tell us about yourself and why earning a college degree is important to you. It’s helpful for us to know if you are from a low-income background, are first in your family to attend college, or if there are other challenges you hope to overcome.

|2009 PSAT SCHOLARS TEACHER/COUNSELOR RECOMMENDATION FORM |

Student Instructions:

Step 1. Fill out your application and essay and submit either by mail or by fax to Cal-SOAP ASAP.

Step 2. Give this form to a teacher or counselor. He/she must fill it out and fax it directly to Cal-SOAP. You do NOT need to be present while he/she fills it out, but please remind him/her to fax it to Cal-SOAP when complete.

Applicant’s Name__________________________________________________________________________

Last Name First Name Nickname (Optional)

Dear Teacher or Counselor: The above student is applying for admission to the Cal-SOAP PSAT Scholars Program. If selected, the student will attend an intensive 6-session PSAT preparation workshop held this July and August. Your candid and careful appraisal of the applicant’s readiness and commitment is appreciated. Please consider the applicant’s ability level as well as social maturity for this program.

Teacher/Counselor: After you complete this form, fax it to 858-569-1136, Attn: Karla. To confirm that we received it, please call Karla Whitaker at 858-569-1866 ext. 216 or e-mail kkwhitaker@ucsd.edu. Due by: 6/5/09.

Rate the applicant relative to others at your school. Feel free to use an additional sheet for further comment.

To what degree does the applicant deal with his/her own needs, personal problems and challenges?

______________ Very mature – emotionally stable

______________ Average – on par with peers

______________ Immature – shows signs of inability to cope with problems

To what degree does the applicant follow through with commitments and accomplish tasks assigned?

______________ Very committed – does more than expected

______________ Average – does just what is required

______________ Not committed – does just the minimum

To what degree does this applicant demonstrate his/her commitment to attend college and succeed in school?

______________ Very committed

______________ Above Average

______________ Average

______________ Does not demonstrate a solid commitment to pursue a postsecondary education

What is your overall recommendation for the candidate?

______________ Recommend strongly

______________ Recommend

______________ Recommend with reservations

______________ Not recommended

Teacher/Counselor’s Name: ______________________________________Work # or Email _____________________

Position: ____________________________________ School: _____________________________________________

Signature: ____________________________________________________________ Date: _____________________

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