Looking for a DVC form? Find most, if not all, of the forms you need online at this link: http://www.dvc.edu/org/departments/counseling/forms.htm
Some of the forms can even be filled out and submitted online! You can also find .pdf documents showing IGETC courses, CSU-GE courses, and the DVC AA-GE courses.
Showing posts with label DVC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DVC. Show all posts
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
GPA: Myths and Realities
I don't know how many times I've heard statements like the following: "I have to make all A's!" or "If I don't have a 4.0, I won't get in!" My heart breaks each time I hear a student making that claim because I can't imagine the kind of pressure that student must be feeling to make perfect grades. While no one will deny the fact that the higher the GPA, the greater your chances of being admitted into a selective major, the reality is that there is much more to the admissions process than simply having a high GPA.
For those of you who are numbers-driven, though, I refer you to the official website of the University of California system to see those numbers for yourself: http://statfinder.ucop.edu/default.aspx. Look at the table for California community college transfer students, and you will see that not all of those students admitted had perfect GPA's. In fact, the tables don't even indicate how many students had a perfect 4.0!! I looked at the statistics for UC Berkeley, for Fall 2007 (the most recent data available). For that semester, there were 1,536 community college transfer students enrolled for the first time. Of those students, about 85% had a transfer GPA of 3.4 or higher, and about half had a GPA hovering somewhere around 3.7. So, what about that 15% with a GPA less than 3.4? What did they have that UC Berkeley wanted?
While it's difficult to answer that question without having been a fly on the wall in the rooms where those admissions decisions were made, we can surmise that a student's other qualifications are considered in the admissions process. Any university wants to admit students who display leadership qualities. This doesn't mean that you have to be the student body president, or the founder of a new club or organization; it just means that you are self-guided and self-motivated, that you know how to lead others while being a good follower, yourself. Your extra-curricular activities should reflect these qualities. Also, universities want students who are community-minded and have a global perspective, so performing acts of community service will help you gain these qualities. Don't choose an activity simply because you think it will look good on your application; if you do that, your heart won't be in it, and therefore you'll learn little from it. Instead, consider what you feel passionate about, and find an opporunity to make a difference in your community in that context. Are you passionate about the environment? Participate in a recycling program! Do you love children? Volunteer in a shelter for homeless families! Are you an animal-lover? Offer your time to a local rescue association or animal shelter. There's something for everybody out there. Finding the opportunities might be difficult, but just ask around. You can also search online. Volunteerinfo.org [http://www.volunteerinfo.org/] is a good resource when looking for volunteer opportunities in the Bay Area.
Finally, while it's true that California residents get priority when it comes to admissions into the UC and CSU systems, all campuses of the CSU and UC value the unique contributions that international students make to the diversity of the campus community. Make yourself as competitive as possible in all ways, not just when it comes to GPA. However, to help you have as high a grade as possible, here are two suggestions: First, visit your instructors during their office hours to ask questions about the lectures and the assignments. Having that one-on-one connection might be just what you need to be successful in the course. Second, utilize tutoring services on campus. DVC tutors are well-qualified and trained to help you be the best student you can be, and tutoring in a variety of subjects is offered each semester. Visit the Tutoring Services website for more information: http://www.dvc.edu/org/departments/tutoring-services/index.htm
Have a great Spring Break!
For those of you who are numbers-driven, though, I refer you to the official website of the University of California system to see those numbers for yourself: http://statfinder.ucop.edu/default.aspx. Look at the table for California community college transfer students, and you will see that not all of those students admitted had perfect GPA's. In fact, the tables don't even indicate how many students had a perfect 4.0!! I looked at the statistics for UC Berkeley, for Fall 2007 (the most recent data available). For that semester, there were 1,536 community college transfer students enrolled for the first time. Of those students, about 85% had a transfer GPA of 3.4 or higher, and about half had a GPA hovering somewhere around 3.7. So, what about that 15% with a GPA less than 3.4? What did they have that UC Berkeley wanted?
While it's difficult to answer that question without having been a fly on the wall in the rooms where those admissions decisions were made, we can surmise that a student's other qualifications are considered in the admissions process. Any university wants to admit students who display leadership qualities. This doesn't mean that you have to be the student body president, or the founder of a new club or organization; it just means that you are self-guided and self-motivated, that you know how to lead others while being a good follower, yourself. Your extra-curricular activities should reflect these qualities. Also, universities want students who are community-minded and have a global perspective, so performing acts of community service will help you gain these qualities. Don't choose an activity simply because you think it will look good on your application; if you do that, your heart won't be in it, and therefore you'll learn little from it. Instead, consider what you feel passionate about, and find an opporunity to make a difference in your community in that context. Are you passionate about the environment? Participate in a recycling program! Do you love children? Volunteer in a shelter for homeless families! Are you an animal-lover? Offer your time to a local rescue association or animal shelter. There's something for everybody out there. Finding the opportunities might be difficult, but just ask around. You can also search online. Volunteerinfo.org [http://www.volunteerinfo.org/] is a good resource when looking for volunteer opportunities in the Bay Area.
Finally, while it's true that California residents get priority when it comes to admissions into the UC and CSU systems, all campuses of the CSU and UC value the unique contributions that international students make to the diversity of the campus community. Make yourself as competitive as possible in all ways, not just when it comes to GPA. However, to help you have as high a grade as possible, here are two suggestions: First, visit your instructors during their office hours to ask questions about the lectures and the assignments. Having that one-on-one connection might be just what you need to be successful in the course. Second, utilize tutoring services on campus. DVC tutors are well-qualified and trained to help you be the best student you can be, and tutoring in a variety of subjects is offered each semester. Visit the Tutoring Services website for more information: http://www.dvc.edu/org/departments/tutoring-services/index.htm
Have a great Spring Break!
Monday, March 30, 2009
What is a "good" school?
So many international students want me to tell them whether or not a school is "good." Very often, I will recommend a school, and the student asks me, "But is that a good school?" Well, I wouldn't recommend it if it weren't good, would I? But I think what students really want to know is, "Will people in my country recognize the name of that school when I return to look for a job?" For that answer, you will have to ask employers in your country, since I am not from your country and do not know which schools they may or may not be familiar with here in the U.S. I can, however, give you some information that might help you decide for yourself whether or not a school you are considering attending is "good."
First of all, you should consider whether or not the institution is regionally accredited. DVC, all CSU's and UC's, and most private institutions in California are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Every region in the U.S. has a regional accrediting commission that examines schools to determine whether or not the school is continuing to meet the high standards set by the accrediting commission. It is important that you attend a regionally-accredited institution so that your units will more easily transfer.
Second, see if the program you want to study at that institution has special accreditation. There are national and international professional accrediting agencies that give their stamp of approval to programs that meet their standards. This type of accreditation is important, especially if you plan to seek a license of some sort related to your program of study. Some professional accreditation programs include:
1. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB [http://www.aacsb.edu/accreditation/standards.asp]
2. For engineering programs, ABET, Inc. [http://www.abet.org/index.shtml]
3. The National Architectural Accrediting Board, or NAAB [http://www.naab.org/]
4. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design [http://nasad.arts-accredit.org/index.jsp]
These are just a few examples of professional accrediting agencies. Visit the Career and Employment Services office for more information about professional accrediting agencies, or come see me in the Counseling Center if your program is not business, engineering, architecture, art, or design, and we'll see what we can find out together.
First of all, you should consider whether or not the institution is regionally accredited. DVC, all CSU's and UC's, and most private institutions in California are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Every region in the U.S. has a regional accrediting commission that examines schools to determine whether or not the school is continuing to meet the high standards set by the accrediting commission. It is important that you attend a regionally-accredited institution so that your units will more easily transfer.
Second, see if the program you want to study at that institution has special accreditation. There are national and international professional accrediting agencies that give their stamp of approval to programs that meet their standards. This type of accreditation is important, especially if you plan to seek a license of some sort related to your program of study. Some professional accreditation programs include:
1. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB [http://www.aacsb.edu/accreditation/standards.asp]
2. For engineering programs, ABET, Inc. [http://www.abet.org/index.shtml]
3. The National Architectural Accrediting Board, or NAAB [http://www.naab.org/]
4. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design [http://nasad.arts-accredit.org/index.jsp]
These are just a few examples of professional accrediting agencies. Visit the Career and Employment Services office for more information about professional accrediting agencies, or come see me in the Counseling Center if your program is not business, engineering, architecture, art, or design, and we'll see what we can find out together.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Welcome to the DVC International Counselor's Blog!
Hello, DVC international students! I've created this blog as a way to get academic planning information to you on a regular basis. I'll blog about upcoming deadlines, changes in academic policies and requirements, planning practices you should be performing, and more. Here are some things for you to consider:
1. If you will complete the requirements for an AA degree, the deadline for petitioning for the degree is March 31. Visit the A&R office in the Student Services Building to get and submit the form, or click this link: http://www.dvc.edu/pdfs/Application_for_Degree.pdf.
2. The deadline to drop a full-term course is April 24. Remember you will receive a W for the course (W's are not bad; they do not affect your GPA, and in most cases, they will not affect your admissibility for a university). Be cautioned: F-1 international students have to maintain full-time enrollment each semester. If you drop a course and it causes you to be enrolled in less than 12 units, you will be out of status! Use the Schedule Request Form, available in the A&R office, or here: http://www.dvc.edu/pdfs/Schedule-Request.pdf.
3. The summer and fall 2009 schedules are now online: http://www.dvc.edu/org/info/schedules/. Now is the time to make a counseling appointment for academic planning for those terms. If you wait too late, there might be no more appointments available. Call 925-685-1230, extension 2276 to make an appointment.
Thanks for reading, and check back daily for updates!
1. If you will complete the requirements for an AA degree, the deadline for petitioning for the degree is March 31. Visit the A&R office in the Student Services Building to get and submit the form, or click this link: http://www.dvc.edu/pdfs/Application_for_Degree.pdf.
2. The deadline to drop a full-term course is April 24. Remember you will receive a W for the course (W's are not bad; they do not affect your GPA, and in most cases, they will not affect your admissibility for a university). Be cautioned: F-1 international students have to maintain full-time enrollment each semester. If you drop a course and it causes you to be enrolled in less than 12 units, you will be out of status! Use the Schedule Request Form, available in the A&R office, or here: http://www.dvc.edu/pdfs/Schedule-Request.pdf.
3. The summer and fall 2009 schedules are now online: http://www.dvc.edu/org/info/schedules/. Now is the time to make a counseling appointment for academic planning for those terms. If you wait too late, there might be no more appointments available. Call 925-685-1230, extension 2276 to make an appointment.
Thanks for reading, and check back daily for updates!
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