San Dieguito Union High School District

Grade 9-12 College and Career

COLLEGE & cAREER PREPARATION AND PLANNING

High school students are encouraged to attend school grade level counseling presentations, follow school college and career events, meet with their counselors, and to use these resources below to research and plan the college and career opportunities that meet their individual needs.

Please visit individual high school counseling websites for site specific college and career events and resources.

PREPARATION AND Planning TOOLS

PREPARATION AND Planning TOOLS

Here are some free resources and actions to help guide the college and career planning process:

College	Career
Research Colleges - Assist.org online student-transfer information system Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities BigFuture by College Board CaliforniaColleges.edu California Community Colleges California State University Common App College Search- Explore Peterson's Private Colleges University of California Academic Planner	Research Careers California Career Zone San Diego Workforce Partnership Career Coach Road Trip Nation Xello Occupation Finder- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Take required graduation and college admission coursework, including CSU/UC a-g requirements and consider taking an Early College Credit class. Talk to your counselor with any questions.	Take practical classes - Investigate the SDUHSD Career Technical Education (CTE) program. Did you know that SDUHSD offers CTE Courses for students to take to explore career pathways, participate in work-based learning and gain industry recognized skills and certifications?
Review the college admission process that is right for you: College Admission Terms (www.nacacnet.org)	Internships and Work Experience. Explore opportunities in your community to prepare you for entry into the workforce.
College Admission Testing: Refer to college entrance requirements to determine if you will need to take SAT or ACT exams and College Board and ACT websites for dates and information. Check FairTest.org for over 1820 colleges that do not require testing and visit the SDUHSD Testing and Assessment webpage for specific local testing information.	Explore extracurricular options like clubs and summer programs and consider volunteering, internships and jobs in areas related to your interests.
Visit College Campuses in person or virtually- Talking with the college representative is a great way to learn more about the campus and determine if it’s a fit for you. SDUHSD offers college visits at each high school campus and visit schedules are available in the College and Career Center or Counseling Office.	Learn and practice new skills including hands-on activities and projects, help your family or others with tasks and pursue hobbies and interests that you enjoy without any pressures.
Learn more about how to create a résumé for college or career by viewing the Résumé Builder lesson in Xello.	Start a résumé designed to apply for jobs now! If you apply for a job during high school it will be helpful to start keeping track of your experiences and skills.
Plan ahead and talk about the costs of college. Review this *Understanding Financial Aid* resource to determine the cost of the colleges, learn more about the FAFSA, grants and scholarships. For more info, visit the Financial Aid page.	Preview the SDUHSD Career Pathway Plan (CPP) documents to learn more about how students can continue to study these pathways in certificate, AA/AS programs, and BA/BS programs. Labor market information and valued skills are included too!
Investigate Early College Credit courses and consider taking Credit by Exam (Formerly Articulation) or Dual Enrollment courses in high school that offer college credit.	Learn and practice new skills including hands-on activities and projects, help your family or others with tasks and pursue hobbies and interests that you enjoy without any pressures.
Continue to talk to friends, family, teachers, counselors, coaches and mentors about college experiences and options!	Continue to talk to friends, family, teachers, counselors, coaches and mentors about careers and establish networks!

College Applications and Admission

College Application Webinars

The SDUHSD College Application Virtual Webinar Series is designed for senior students and their families! This informative series will support students in navigating the college application process and preparing for their post-secondary transition.

Our SDUHSD counselors and college admission partners will offer valuable insights and practical tips to help students confidently plan their post-secondary journey.

Click here for more information about the Fall 2026 Webinar Series.

College Admission Testing

Understand how colleges use SAT and ACT scores in the admissions process.

This resource explains test-optional, test-required, and test-preferred policies, along with what students should consider when deciding whether to submit their scores, College Admission Testing FAQ.

Fall 2026 College Information for Seniors

This Fall 2026 College Information for Current 12th grade Students resource provides senior students and families with important information and guidance to help navigate the college application process. Use this document to understand key requirements, deadlines, and next steps as you prepare and submit your college applications.
Did you take Early College Credit classes in high school? This guide has instructions on how to accurately report Early College Credit (ECC) on college applications. Whether courses were completed through Credit by Exam, Dual Enrollment, or Concurrent Enrollment, this resource outlines how students report college coursework taken in high school on the CSU, UC and Common Applications.

College and Career Night

In addition to the college and career events hosted at each high school, SDUHSD hosts an annual College & Career Night each spring. This event provides direct access to college representatives and information about careers to all students in the San Dieguito Union High School District.

The 2026 SDUHSD College and Career Night is an opportunity for students and parents to learn in-depth information about specific post-secondary options. The information is most relevant to 11th-grade students, but all SDUHSD high school students are welcome. The event will include a college and career fair, and post-secondary planning information sessions, including specific sessions for students receiving special education services. This event is offered in partnership with the Western Association of College Admissions Counselors (WACAC) and the Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD).

Thursday April 15, 2027 4:30pm-7:000pm

For more information, please visit the SDUHSD College and Career Night page.

College Info for Students with International Records

When applying to the college with academic record combining U.S. and international coursework ("mixed records"), students must report all high school or college courses from grades 9 onward exactly as they appear on official transcripts. Such students will be evaluated for admission requirements following the colleges practices.

For more information, please click here.

College Supports for Students with Exceptional Needs

As you search for college and career programs, explore support services available to students with disabilities as they transition to college.

Please read more about accommodations, disability services, documentation requirements, and how to connect with campus support programs to help ensure a successful college experience here, college supports for students with disabilities and a sampling of colleges and programs here,

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Financial Aid

Explore resources to help students and families understand and navigate the college financial aid process. Find information about FAFSA, California financial aid, scholarships, grants, loans, and important deadlines to help make college more affordable and plan for the cost of higher education.

Visit the SDUHSD Financial Aid page for more information.

Scholarships

Each scholarship has its own eligibility requirements, guidelines, and application criteria. Be sure to review the FAQs and/or Application Instructions on each scholarship’s website for complete details.

Click here to review Scholarship List.

Opportunities and Experiences

Internships, Volunteer, Summer Programs

Explore a collection of internships, volunteer opportunities, and summer programs designed to help students gain valuable experience, explore career interests, develop new skills, and strengthen their college and career readiness. Browse opportunities and find programs that align with your interests, goals, and future plans.Click here to view list of programs.

Service Academies - Learn about the U.S. Service Academies and the opportunities they offer students interested in pursuing a college education while preparing for a career in military service. Explore information about academy programs, admissions requirements, application timelines, and the nomination process to help you understand the steps involved in applying.

GRADE 12 College and CAreer Application

GRADE 12 College and CAreer Application

Senior year is an exciting and busy year for students. Prior preparation will pay off now! Seniors and families should attend the 12th grade events and presentations at their school, use the tools provided and follow all communications from the counselors, district and colleges. Approach the college and career application process with patience and complete one step at a time to help minimize stress. Pay close attention to college and employment procedures and timelines. Ask for help from your support team of family, friends, teachers and counselors to walk alongside you during the college and career application process.

College	Career
College Application links California Community Colleges California State University (CSU) application calstate.edu/apply - apply to any of the 23 campuses Coalition Application - search and apply to numerous institutions. Common Application - application to more than 900 colleges and universities. University of California (UC) - apply to any of the 9 campuses	Internship, Certificate, and Apprenticeship Opportunities Visit the SDUHSD College and Career Events and Opportunities webpage to access available opportunities. Apprenticeship.gov - Search Apprenticeship Programs CredentialFinder.org - Search tool to find certificate programs Check local Community College Career info
Organize your college application process - refer to this video to learn how to organize your college list on Google sheets.	Interview Prep Tips - It's important to prepare for job interviews, refer to these tips before you meet with a potential employer.
College Application fee waivers - Refer to individual college campuses regarding college application costs and opportunities for fee waivers.	Attend Career Fairs and Events to see what career opportunities are available. Refer to the San Diego Workforce Partnership Events Calendar.
College Data - a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, this site contains tools to explore and search, to determine competitiveness for admission along with costs, the Expected Family Contribution and financial aid, and graduation data.	Access local and regional salary information about careers you may be interested. Check out Salary Surfer to compare wage information within various career pathways.