• California High School Graduation Requirements
• Pasadena Unified School District Graduation Requirements
• Advanced Placement (AP) Program and Examinations
• Preparing for College
• Helpful Hints
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Academic Requirements
• Financial Assistance and Scholarships
• Suggested Preparation Timeline & Checklist

California High School Graduation Requirements:
In order to graduate from any California public high school, students must meet both state and local graduation requirements. The state of California requires that all students pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). Students must earn a score of 350 or higher on each part of the CAHSEE (English language arts and Mathematics) to pass. The CAHSEE is given to all current tenth grade students. Students who do not pass the exam in tenth grade have opportunities in grades eleven and twelve to retake the part(s) not passed. For the latest information regarding the CAHSEE, please visit the California Department of Education CAHSEE website.

Pasadena Unified School District Graduation Requirements:
The Pasadena Unified School District has its own graduation requirements which go beyond the state requirements. You can find the specific details in your Parent and Student Information Handbook, and online here.

Advanced Placement (AP) Program and Examinations:
This program consists of classes whose curriculum is designed to prepare students to acquire the necessary skills to meet the rigorous demands of High School Advanced Placement Tests. Students who pass the AP tests may be eligible for college credit. Marshall offers Advanced Placement Courses in a wide range of subject areas including Calculus, Statistics, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Science, Music, Art, US and World History, Government, English Language, English Literature, Spanish Language and Spanish Literature.

AP examinations occur over a two-week period each spring. The schedule for 2008 is as follows:

1. Talk with your friends, counselor, teachers and parents about what you would like to do after high school.
2. Discuss classes with your parents that you want to take in high school.
3. See your counselor and complete a 4 year plan.
4. Make sure that you are including classes that you need for college admission.
5. Set your goals for success in your classes.
6. Get involved in extracurricular activities, sports and volunteer work. These are important credentials for admission to many schools.
7. Visit the counseling center and begin investigating colleges.
8. Attend a Career Day at Pasadena City College. These are typically scheduled in the fall.
9. In the spring, plan for your sophomore year classes.
10. If you have done poorly in a class, you may want to enroll in summer school.

1. See your counselor and review your progress on your 4 year plan.
2. Make sure that you are including classes needed for college admission.
3. Look at possible careers, perhaps run through a career interest program and discuss careers with your friends, counselor, teachers and parents.
4. Visit some college campuses, even if you don't plan to attend them. Start with local colleges.
5. Sign up for the PSAT in September and take it in October.
6. Keep working on extracurricular activities, sports and volunteer work.
7. Plan summer activities for school, work or community service.
8. Look at the Internet for colleges and financial aid.
9. Meet with your counselor in the spring and discuss Advanced Placement classes or other classes that may be useful for your career.

1. Meet with your counselor and check on your 4 year plan.
2. Make sure that your classes include what is necessary for college admission
3. Continue to work on your grades.
4. Visit more colleges.
5. If you are interested in applying to a Military academy, contact your Congressional Representative.
6. Sign up for the PSAT in September and take it in October.
7. Meet with your counselor in the spring to check on graduation requirements and enroll in senior classes.
8. Take Advanced Placement tests in May if applicable.
9. Take ACT and SAT test.
10. Continue your extracurricular activities.
11. Discuss financing college with your parents.
12. Investigate financial aid from Federal, State and private sources. Ask your counselor about scholarships that may be available. Start applying now.
13. Go on-line for college and school application forms and information in June.
14. Take a college course at your local community college, volunteer or work over the summer.

1. Get all applications required for college admission and financial aid. Most colleges have their applications available on their websites.
2. Request catalogs and check on application and financial aid deadlines for each college considered. They may vary, and it is essential to meet ALL deadlines.
3. Sign up for the ACT and/or SAT test. You counselor should know the test dates.
4. Fill out scholarship applications now, if you haven't already started. Apply for as many scholarships as possible.

1. Mail in applications in time to make college deadlines. If a college requires students to apply on-line, they will not require that you also mail an application. You must make sure that your transcript has been sent to all of the colleges you have applied to. Your counselor may be able to help.
2. Verify with each college that they have received your test scores.

1. Get a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) from the college counselor online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Check to see if the colleges require any other financial aid forms such as the CSS (College Scholarship Service) PROFILE.
2. Keep copies of all test score reports and copies of applications for admission and financial aid. Do not throw anything away until at least the end of the first year in college. Having detailed records will save time and effort should you decide to apply to other colleges or scholarship programs in the future.
3. You should have taken the ACT or SAT by this month.
4. Both you and your parents should go to www.pin.ed.gov and request and individual PIN.

1. Students who applied for early decision should receive the school's answer by now. If accepted, follow the instructions for admitted students. If the decision is deferred until spring or the student is denied, submit applications to other colleges now.

1. Complete income tax forms as soon as possible or use the prior year's return as an estimate. Your family is not required to have tax forms completed when filling out the FAFSA as they may be corrected when the Student Aid Report is received.
2. Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and use the PIN you acquired in November to log on and fill out your FAFSA. Complete and return the FAFSA as quickly as possible after January 1.
3. Some states and/or colleges require financial aid forms in addition to the FAFSA. Check the school's website to make sure that you have all necessary forms. If not available on the website, contact the college's financial aid office.

1. The SAR (Student Aid Report) should be received within forty-eight(48) hours if your family completed the FAFSA online, or 4-6 weeks if you submitted a paper form by mail.
2. Review the SAR carefully and check for inaccuracies. If necessary, correct any items on the SAR and return it to the FAFSA processor. Notify the college of any changes
3. If you want this information to go to a school not included on your FAFSA, add those colleges to the SAR.
4. If more than four weeks have passed after sending in the FAFSA and no acknowledgment has arrived, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800.4.FED.AID (433-3243). They will need the student's name, Social Security number, address and date of birth exactly as it was written on the FAFSA.

1. You are waiting for your college acceptance letters.  Just focus on your high school work.
   

1. Review all college acceptances and financial aid awards. Be sure to compare financial aid packages in the decision-making process.
2. If you are certain that you won't enroll at one or more of the colleges that have accepted you, notify those colleges that another has been selected. Informing these colleges might enable them to admit someone else.
3. If you have chosen a college, send in the tuition deposit and follow all other instructions for admitted students. You should target May 1st or earlier to accept an offer of admission. This deadline varies by school, so check with the school's financial aid office regarding the actual deadline.
4. Notify the chosen college of any private scholarships or grants you expect to receive.

1. Take your last Advanced Placement exams.

1. Be sure to complete any remaining financial aid or admissions requirements.
2. Know when the payments for tuition, room, board and meal plans are due. If necessary, ask the financial aid office about a possible payment plan that will allow for installments.

1. Finalize student's school budget and housing arrangements (for help determining budget, use the budget calculators in the "Fill The Gap" section).

1. Lenders send federal student loan amounts directly to the school. This is known as a disbursement and can occur multiple times throughout the year. This money is then used to pay the tuition fees and other education expenses. Contact the financial aid office to confirm disbursement periods and verify that funds were received.

1. If education expenses are still not met, continue the search for scholarship opportunities. Students can also research private loans to see if they're a good fit. Discuss alternative payment options with the financial aid office.

1. Students should check the terms of their financial aid award before dropping classes. Awards may change based on how many credits are carried or what classes are taken.