ABOUT THE SEO SCHOLARS PROGRAM The Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) Scholars Program is a rigorous academic enrichment program that enables motivated San Francisco public high school students from underserved and underrepresented communities to earn admission to and succeed at competitive colleges and universities. The SEO Scholars Program offers students an out-of-school enrichment program that combines a rigorous fouryear academic curriculum with leadership training. The academic curriculum includes critical reading, critical writing, vocabulary, grammar, math, and preparation for standardized exams. Through the SEO Scholars Program s Summer Enrichment Programs (academic, business internship, travel abroad and outdoor adventure programs), students develop leadership skills, career awareness, and academic success skills. The SEO Scholars Program also provides personalized college guidance services, assisting 12th grade Scholars with their college and scholarship applications. ADMISSION TO THE SEO SCHOLARS PROGRAM We look for students who: Can attend the SEO Scholars Program programming 3-4 Saturdays a month during the school year and after-school sessions at least one day per week. Are determined to attend college. Are motivated to excel in high school and beyond. Have parents/guardians that display strong support for students college ambition. Will place a high priority on consistent work with the SEO Scholars Program. DIRECTIONS 1. Visit our website at http://www.seoscholars.org/ and read through it carefully. Our site shares information about the Scholars Program and your required level of commitment 2. Check your eligibility Applicants to the program must meet eligibility requirements in order to be considered. Please make sure you're eligible. Will you be a freshman in an SFUSD high school in August 2012? Do you have a minimum GPA of 2.0? 3. Apply A complete application includes the following: Applicant information Typed short response and essay Most current report card and transcript Letter of recommendation Most recent CST scores Income verification Please return completed application to: SEO Scholars Program PO Box 40828 San Francisco, CA 94140 1
APPLICATION COMPLETION CHECKLIST Before you send in or drop off your application, make sure it s complete. Did you: Complete applicant information? Complete custodial parent/guardian information? Complete applicant short answers typed? Sign parent/guardian and student acknowledgement? Include your most recent CST scores? Include income verification (copy of federal tax return)? Include ALL components of the application when submitting for admission. If for any reason your application is incomplete, indicate when and how you will submit any missing materials. PLEASE NOTE: Applications will be reviewed and candidates accepted on a rolling basis beginning August 2012. Please submit your completed application as soon as possible to be considered for admissions. 2
SECTION 1: Applicant Information (please print clearly) 1. School name 2. Current grade 3. Student name 4. Graduation year 5. Address Apt. # Neighborhood State Zip code 6. Home telephone 7. Parent s cell phone Applicant's cell phone 8. Email 9. Gender M F 10. Age 11. Birth date / / / 12. Applicant s Social Security # 13. U.S. citizen Permanent resident Neither 14. Ethnicity (please circle all that apply): African American / Black Latino(a) Chinese Japanese Filipino Korean Vietnamese Asian Indian Hawaiian Guamanian Samoan Laotian Cambodian Other Asian (please specify) Pacific Islander Native American White Multiracial (please specify) Other (please specify) 15. Who else lives at home with you? Name Relationship Age 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 16. Language predominately spoken at home: English Spanish Cantonese Other (please specify) 17. Do you have a brother/sister who completed college or is attending college? Yes No 3
18. Do you attend any other programs during the week? Yes No If yes, please list What day(s) of the week do you attend other programs? M Tu W Th F S Su 19. Do you have any siblings in the SEO Scholars Program? Yes No If yes, please list 20. How did you hear about the SEO Scholars Program? Teacher Info session Counselor Parent Other SECTION 2: Custodial Parent / Guardian Information (please print clearly) 21. Parent / Guardian name 21. Relationship to student 22. Address (If different from that of student) Apt. # Neighborhood State Zip code 23. Home telephone Work telephone Parent / Guardian Cell phone 24. Parent / Guardian email 25. Highest educational level achieved by Mother / Guardian living in the household (circle one): GED Some high school High school graduate Some college AA degree BA / BS degree from an American college or university BA / BS degree from a college or university outside the US Post graduate course work MBA MA / MS Ph.D., JD Is your Mother/Guardian - employed disabled unemployed If employed, please list occupation 26. Highest educational level achieved by Father / Guardian living in the household (circle one): GED BA / BS degree from an American college or university Some high school BA / BS degree from a college or university outside the US High school graduate Post graduate course work Some college MBA AA degree MA / MS Ph.D., JD Is your Father/Guardian - employed disabled unemployed If employed, please list occupation 27. Total household income (yearly)* *All applications must include income verification for example, a recent federal tax return. Non-Custodial Parent (please print clearly) 28. Mother s name 29. Father s name Address Home telephone Email Address Home telephone Email 4
SECTION 3: Applicant Short Response Section DIRECTIONS: Please type a short response (a half page)for the question below and attach the response to your application. Your response will be assessed in terms of their organization, development of ideas, and grammar. Why do you want to be a part of the SEO Scholars Program and how do you think the program can help you? SECTION 4: Applicant Essay DIRECTIONS: Please write a five-paragraph essay on the topic below and attach it to your application. This personal essay will help us become acquainted with you as a person and student, apart from courses and grades. It will also demonstrate your ability to organize your thoughts and express yourself. Your essay will be assessed in terms of its organization, development of ideas, and grammar. 1. Select three words that describe you best and tell us how you will use these qualities/characteristics to contribute to your learning community at school and at the SEO Scholars Program. SECTION 5: Parent/Guardian and Student Acknowledgement and Signatures I acknowledge that I have reviewed the application for my student and confirm that all information is correct. I understand the SEO Scholars Program is a competitive program and that applying does not ensure acceptance to the Scholars Program. Should my student receive an offer of admission to the Scholars Program, he or she will be required to notify the SEO Scholars Program of his or her intention to participate within 48 hours of acceptance. Failure to do so may forfeit any rights of Program participation. I also affirm that should my child be accepted and choose to participate, I will attend Program Orientation. I authorize all schools attended to release all requested records and authorize review of my child s application for admission to the SEO Scholars Program. Custodial parent/guardian signature Date I certify that all information submitted in the admission process including the application, the personal essay, any supplements, and any other supporting materials is my own work, factually true, and honestly presented. Applicant signature Date 5
SECTION 6: Recommendation Form (please print clearly) Student s name Recommender s name School Class The above student has applied to Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) Scholars Program which provides motivated students with academic enrichment classes, mentoring, college planning and a variety of other special opportunities. Thank you for your evaluation of the applicant. Your evaluation will assist us in determining the student s academic and personal ability to participate in a rigorous out-of-school program. How long have you known the applicant? Rate the student on a scale of low to high in the areas below: Low Average High Student s academic performance in your class Student s overall level of effort put into your assignments Student s attitude toward learning Student s openness to feedback and new experiences Student s ability to follow through on commitments Student s ability to work in a group and teach others Student s behavior in class Student s achievement in relation to potential Student s vision for self in the future SHORT RESPONSE Is there any personal quality or skill that sets this student apart from other students in your class? Recommender s signature Date Please return this form in a sealed envelope to the student or mail directly to: SEO Scholars Program PO Box 40828 San Francisco, CA 94140 6