College and Career Center Overview
Location
The Paly C&CC is located on the first floor of the Tower Building, next to the Guidance Office and across the hallway from the Attendance Office, in the northwest corner of the building facing El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road.
Hours
The doors are open whenever school is in session, usually 8:00 AM - 3:15 PM.
Meetings with college and career advisors can be scheduled during the school day.
Front Desk
The front desk is staffed by parent volunteers who can help with all aspects of C&CC activities.
Students and parents are welcome to come in or to call (650) 329-3818.
Staff
College advisors, career advisors and parent volunteers are in the C&CC to help students and parents.
A staff member is always available to help answer questions and to help find information.
To contact a staff member directly, use the Paly staff list for the C&CC.
Opportunities
• Schedule Appointments
Students and parents can schedule meetings with the college and career advisors.
The appointment rosters for the advisors are located at the front desk in the C&CC.
To make an appointment, either call or drop by the front desk.
In the fall, appointments are reserved for seniors; juniors have priority in the spring.
• Use reference materials
Books, catalogs, brochures and other materials are available.
The Viking College and Career Planning Guide is a great source of information. The guide is revised yearly in April.
Materials may be used in the C&CC or checked out briefly.
Students and parents can check out most items for one week, some for only one or two days.
• Use web resources
Students and parents can use the C&CC computer (or any web-enabled computor) to access web sites for researching colleges, financial aid, testing organizations, internship and employment opportunities, career interest surveys, summer programs, and community service options.
• Meet visiting college representatives
Throughout the year colleges send their admissions representatives to Paly.
The schedule of visiting college representatives is updated weekly.
Prior to a visit, students can get written permission from their classroom teacher to attend college presentations at Paly.
Permission forms are available at the front desk in the C&CC.
• Pick up test registration materials
Forms for standardized tests are located inside the office door, near the front desk.
Standardized test registration materials and practice booklets in the C&CC include PSAT (a National Merit Scholarship qualifying test), SAT I reasoning test, New SAT reading comprehension and written essay test, SAT II subject tests, AP tests, and ACT tests. Practice booklets for many of these tests are available for students to use in the C&CC or to check out for a short period of time.
• Prepare for employment
Students can sign up for classes offered at Paly after school: Exploratory Experience and Work Experience.
There are a number of alternatives for what to do after high school graduation.
Information about ROP (Regional Occupational Programs) is available. The program in Santa Clara provides skill training to high school juniors and seniors, as well as out-of-school youth and adults.
• Obtain work permits and forms
Work permit information, and applications for students under 18 years old.
Community service verification forms and instructions are available near the front desk.
Applications for the presidential award for annual community service are available.