Hello, CAMP Mentees and Mentors!
This is your section of the College Access Portal! CAMP meets every Wednesday at 4:45-5:45pm at Ocean Discovery’s Living Lab. Click on the links below to be directed to all the college access goodies, and we’ll see you at the lab to answer any questions and to support college applications and financial aid.
CAMP Quick Links
CAMP Checklist
Ocean Leader Scholarship
CAMP Workshops & Trainings
Southwest Ticket Request & Other CAMP Forms
CAMP Newsletter Archive
CAMP Attendance Tracker
Shared Google Folders
Return to the College Access Portal
CAMP Meetings:
When: every Wednesday (excluding school breaks)
Where: Living Lab (4255 Thorn Street, San Diego, CA 92105)
Time: 4:45-5:45 pm (following Math Muscle*)
*Note, CAMP takes place during Ocean Leader Wednesdays. Students will arrive at the Living Lab at 2:45pm (bus leaves Hoover at 2:30pm), and the last hour of the day will be CAMP meetings and workshop.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Just let iherrera@oceandi.org know!
SHOUT OUT!
SHOUT OUT to the entire class of 2024 for starting the year off strong with perfect cohort attendance! Keep up this excellence and achieve all of your post-secondary goals!
Meet the Team
Isabel Herrera
Program Coordinator
Isabel has been an alumna of Ocean Discovery Institute since 2009 and is now a Program Coordinator at the organization. She grew up in the City Heights community and is passionate about helping students in the most impactful way, from the moment they apply to the moment they graduate our Leadership Programs. Her favorite part of her job is seeing students’ exponential growth and transformation from Intro to Research. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Christina Contreras
Program Specialist, College & Career
Christina has been supporting college and career access at Ocean Discovery since 2013. She is passionate about seeing first-generation college-bound students achieve their post-secondary goals and begin careers in fields they love. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Pomona College and an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
CAMP Checklist
Junior Year/Summer
Take the SAT and/or ACT more than once (if applicable; see college websites for testing requirements).
Continue researching and visiting different types of colleges.
Move on to August tasks.
August
Receive a college fit consultation with Christina Contreras, College & Career Specialist.
Narrow Your College Search and send final options to Isabel.
Visit colleges you intend to apply to and request Southwest tickets if applicable.
Move on to September tasks.
September
Create your UC online account and begin the application.
Create your CSU online account and begin the application.
Confirm if you qualify for UC & CSU application fee waivers.
Choose your 4 UC Personal Insight Questions and send selected prompts to Isabel.
Move on to October tasks.
October
Receive a personal statements consultation with Christina Contreras, College & Career Specialist.
Create an FSA ID to register for federal financial aid (required for student AND parent).
Move on to November tasks.
November
Apply for the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), or your campus’s equivalent (EOPS at community college).
Request UC and CSU application review with Ocean Discovery before submitting.
Submit UC and CSU applications, by Nov 30.
Complete private school and out-of-state applications.
Move on to December tasks.
December
Confirm your test scores have been sent to the schools you are applying to, if applicable.
Create a student portal for each college you applied to.
Create your FAFSA and CalGrant accounts to qualify for federal and state student aid (respectively).
Confirm your FAFSA includes all the schools you are applying to.
Complete FAFSA by March 2 and request final review from Ocean Discovery before submitting.
Move on to January-March tasks.
January-March
Send Student Aid Report (SAR from FAFSA) to Isabel.
Send California Aid Report (CAR from CalGrant) to Isabel.
Create your CSS Profile account to qualify for financial aid at a variety of private and out-of-state colleges, if applicable.
Submit your CSS Profile application.
Visit top colleges’ financial aid websites to find college-specific scholarships to apply to.
Create and complete San Diego Foundation Common Scholarship Application, and review with Isabel before submitting. (see Ocean Leader Scholarship)
Submit Stephen Effron scholarship application.
Submit 20+ scholarships
Learn what YEAR-ROUND and SUMMER programs exist for first-gen, historically under-represented students at the colleges you applied to.
Move on to April-June tasks.
April-June
If planning to attend community college, submit application for selected campus.
Receive a financial aid consultation with Christina Contreras, College & Career Specialist. (Send financial aid offer(s) to Isabel prior to financial aid consultation.)
Petition financial aid for a better financial aid offer, or find other ways to fill the financial aid gap.
Accept financial aid offer.
Visit colleges accepted to (ie: Open House, campus visit, etc.).
Submit Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) to selected college, by May 1, and inform Isabel of your final college choice.
Attend Accepted Students Day and/or visit the campus of the college you selected.
Apply for the Summer Bridge Program, or your campus’s equivalent.
Submit proof of residence.
Submit proof of health insurance.
Submit official final transcript.
Submit any additional acceptance materials/paperwork.
Move on to Summer tasks.
Summer
Attend campus orientation and/or summer program.
Attend San Diego Foundation’s celebration for scholarship recipients.
Take college placement tests.
Apply for housing.
Complete immunization requirement by selected college.
Create an Education Plan with your college counselor.
Register for classes and pay. Consider a payment plan if the option is available.
Attend your first day of higher education!
Download the CAMP checklist by category here:
CAMP College Application Checklist
CAMP Financial Aid Checklist
CAMP College Transition Checklist
Go to the College Access Resources section for more tools and resources to assist in your application process.
The Ocean Leader Scholarship
Announcing the Ocean Leader Scholarship! We are proud to be the exclusive program at Hoover High School to guarantee all program graduates this substantial scholarship. Funding from this award often covers the gap in students’ financial aid, making higher education a FREE possibility for all Ocean Leaders.
The Ocean Leader Scholarship is made possible in partnership with San Diego Foundation and funded by the Community Scholars Initiative. Award amounts vary every year and reflect the following:
- Final scholarship amounts depend on the school student declares (2 year vs. 4 year) while taking into account CAMP-I attendance.
- Students who attend at least 90% of all weekly Ocean Leader meetings will get full funding; absences must be EXCUSED by a parent or guardian.
- Click HERE to see your current attendance record.
To apply for this award, go to San Diego Foundation’s Common Scholarship Application and follow the steps below. The application opens in the spring every year. With this one application, students can apply to not only the Ocean Leader Scholarship but also dozens more scholarships offered by local San Diego businesses and community.
Create an account with San Diego Foundation and begin application.
Complete the application by answering ALL fields that apply to you. The system uses your answers to filter through the hundreds of scholarships in their database to select which ones you qualify for.
Be sure to answer the question “Are you a first-generation student” with “YES”.
Be sure to select Ocean Discovery Institute in the question that asks if you are part of any college access programs.
Be sure to select either community college or four year college when choosing your college type. (If you intend to take a trade school or apprenticeship pathway, select community college to make yourself eligible for that funding as a backup.)
Confirm your application is ready to submit with Isabel Herrera before submitting.
After you submit, make sure to check if any of the scholarships you qualified for require supplemental materials, and complete these pending applications by submitting all supplemental materials on time.
CAMP Workshops & Trainings
College Fit Workshop
College Fit Workshop 23-24
Map Of UC’s And CSU’s
College Search Protocol
Narrowing Your College Search
College Fit Questions
Funding Opportunities for Under-Represented Minorities
College Fair Tips
Campus Visit Checklist
Recommended Websites:
What does “College Fit” mean?
College Scorecard
College Data
College Greenlight
College Search Step-by-Step Guide (College Board)
List of Fly-In Campus Visits (paid by the college)
List of need-blind admissions colleges
Colleges that offer complete financial aid without loans
Social Mobility Index
Colleges that Change Lives
Big Future Scholarships (College Board)
Personal statement workshop
Personal Statement Workshop PPT 2022-2023
UC Personal Insight Questions
PIQ Case Studies
Choosing An Essay Topic Pt 1
Choosing An Essay Topic Pt 2
Optional Writing Exercise:
Write An Excellent Essay Guide
Write An Excellent Essay Worksheet
Recommended Editing Tool:
Grammarly.com
UC Application workshop
UC Application Workshop PPT 2022-2023
University of California (UC) Online Application
Resources from the University of California:
UC Application Tutorial
The UC Comprehensive Review
Sections of the UC Application
Changes to the Admissions Process
How To Maximize The Activities And Awards Section
CSU Application Workshop
CSU Application Workshop PPT 2022-2023
California State University (CSU) Online Application
Resources from California State University:
Filling Out Your Cal State Apply Application
CSU Impacted Undergraduate Majors and Campuses
EOP Deadlines by Campus
SDSU Weber Honors College
Financial Aid part 1 Workshop
FinAid Part 1 Workshop PPT 2022-23
Ocean Discovery’s Financial Aid Guide
Create an FSA ID (for student AND parent)
FAFSA Application
CalGrant Account
Resources from the Office of Federal Student Aid:
Federal Student Aid YouTube Page (for helpful tutorial videos)
Financial Aid Part 2 Workshop
FinAid Part 2 Workshop PPT 2022-23
CSS Profile
Financial Aid Part 3 Workshop
FinAid Part 3 Workshop PPT 2022-23
TSDF Common Scholarship Application
Hoover Scholarships Accountability Sheet
Sample Stephen Effron Scholarship Application
Funding Opportunities for Hoover Students
Recommended scholarship search engines:
National Scholarships for College Greenlight Students
Cappex Scholarship Search
Community College Workshop
Community College Workshop PPT 2022-23
San Diego County Community College Resources
San Diego Community College District Application
San Diego Promise
Community College Checklist
College Selection Workshop
College Selection Workshop PPT 2022-23
Financial Aid Comparisons Worksheet (PDF)
Financial Aid Comparisons Spreadsheet (GoogleSheet)
UC Award Letter Examples
College Fit Summary Worksheet
College Comparison Summary Worksheet
Recommended financial aid resources:
12 Questions to ask your child about the colleges they are considering – English,
Spanish
Fund Your Future Workbook (multiple languages)
College Transition Workshop
College Transition Workshop PPT 2022 23
College Transition Checklist
Turning 18 – Civic Duty & Taxes
Turning 18 – Safety & Identity
Turning 18 – Moving Out & Driving
Turning 18 – Groceries & Laundry
Additional resources to assist in the college transition:
People And Places To Go To For Help
My Yearly Budget
How I Use My Time
My Course Selection
Dorm Moving Checklist
Program Orientations
CAMP Student & Family Orientation 23-24
CAMP Mentor Orientation 23-24
Mentee Training
CAMP Mentee Training 23-24
Mentor Pre-Serivce Training
CAMP Mentor-Pre Service Training Presentation 2023-24
CAMP Mentor Pre-Service Training Notes
Ocean Discovery’s Long-Term Mentoring Webinar
First Do No Harm (article)
Additional Handouts:
Simple Ways To Build Trust
7 Coaching Disciplines
On Boundaries
Mentor-Mentee Relationship Cycle
CAMP Forms
Southwest Flight E-Pass request:
Ocean Discovery Institute is proudly sponsored by Southwest Airlines. Through their generosity, we are able to provide TWO round-trip tickets to support Ocean Leaders visiting a prospective college campus while participating in CAMP-I.
Complete this form if you are ready to request a Southwest Flight E-Pass. To be eligible, you must agree to these conditions:
- Ocean Discovery covers only the cost of a Southwest flight for two on this college trip, and does not cover additional trip costs (i.e.: lodging, ground transportation, food, etc.).*
- Dates of travel must take place BEFORE December 31.
- Student must take selfies at 1) the airport with the Southwest logo, and 2) the college campus with the name or logo of the school, to be used in follow up thank you’s to Southwest for providing this opportunity.
- Student must book and attend a campus tour/info session during the visit.
*Students have expressed difficulty with this condition due to the surmounting costs of travel. To accommodate, we suggest students either consider colleges that are within close proximity that a visit can be completed in one day; or visiting a college where family is close by so to cut down on lodging costs.
Other CAMP Forms:
Mentor Mentee Agreement Form
Meeting Hours Tracker
CAMP Scavenger Hunt
CAMP Mentee Application Form (Download PDF)
CAMP Parent Permission Form
CAMP Mentor Application Addendum (Download PDF)
CAMP Mentor Renewal Addendum
LiveScan Packet
CAMP I Session Evaluation Form (Word.doc)
CAMP I Session Evaluation Form (Google form)
CAMP End-of-Year Evaluation Form (Word.doc)
CAMP End-of-Year Evaluation Form (Google Form)
Google Drive:
CAMP Forms & Checklists
CAMP Trainings & Workshops
