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FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
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Below are answers to some frequently asked questions that we have encountered at COSMOS UC Davis over the years. You are also invited to visit the FAQ page on the Statewide COSMOS site for answers to questions about admissions, financial aid and other topics. |
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• General
Questions |
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Q: What is COSMOS? |
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A: The
California State Summer School in Mathematics and Science
(COSMOS) at UC Davis is a rigorous, four week residential
program for talented and motivated students in grades
9*-12.
(*Extraordinary 8th grade students are also eligible to apply). COSMOS students enroll in short courses that are designed
to introduce students to subjects not traditionally
offered in high school. Courses will be offered in
Chemistry, Robotics, Earth Science, Mathematics,
and more. |
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Q: Who may attend COSMOS? |
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A: California students who are completing grades
9* - 12 may apply to COSMOS. (*8th grade students
who are taking math/science courses beyond
the typical track are also eligible to apply).
A limited number of students from outside the
state are considered each year. Participants
are selected in the spring on the basis of
their academic performance, test scores, extracurricular
math and science achievements, and teacher
recommendations. |
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Q: Where and when is it held? |
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A: COSMOS
is hosted by UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and
UC Santa Cruz. The UC Davis COSMOS
Program will run from July 6th through August
2nd, 2008. |
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Q: How much does it cost to attend COSMOS? |
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A:
Tuition for the 2008 COSMOS Program is $2,310 for California residents.
Out-of-state students are required to pay the
full program cost of $6,500 as required by the state legislature. Tuition includes room
and board, classroom materials, academic field
trips, and transportation while on campus. |
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Q: Is financial aid available? |
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A: Yes.
California residents may apply for need-based scholarships
that range up to the full cost of
tuition. A copy of the financial aid form is
included at the end of the application. |
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Q:
How do I apply to COSMOS? |
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A: The application period for summer 2008 will run from February 1st to March 15, 2008. COSMOS only accepts on-line applications. The application link is available at www.ucop.edu/cosmos and the on-line application is only active during this time period. You are encouraged to request the assistance of a school counselor or teacher if you need help accessing the on-line application. |
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Q: When is the COSMOS application deadline? |
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A: Applications
must be received/postmarked by March 15, 2008.
Due to the large volume of applications
received by the deadline, applications postmarked
after the application date will be returned unopened. A list of other summer programs may be found here. |
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Q: Are there prerequisites for the courses? |
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A: Some
of the courses require prerequisites. Please
check the Academics section for courses marked
with an asterisk. |
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Q: What is a typical day at COSMOS like? |
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A: Each
student's COSMOS schedule is built around a cluster
consisting of one core course,
two supplemental courses, and a science
and technical writing course. On a typical day,
COSMOS students attend special lectures, take
courses, or participate in labs or course-related
field trips. Recreation and study groups are
built into the evening and weekend schedules.
Special activities and supervised field trips
are planned for the weekends. Social and cultural
events and friendly competitions, including dorm
Olympics, have been popular in the past. Evening
activities such as COSMOS Jeopardy, karaoke,
and a student-organized talent show are highlights
as well. Click here for a look at a typical
week in COSMOS . |
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Q: Who are the COSMOS faculty and staff? |
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A: The
COSMOS faculty is comprised of accomplished practicing
scientists, mathematicians, researchers,
and teachers. Most are university instructors.
The student-teacher ratio is roughly twelve-to-one.
The COSMOS staff includes a program coordinator,
academic director, office staff members,
2 senior residential advisors, and 18 undergraduate
live-in residential advisors (RAs). |
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Q: How many applications do you receive and how many students
can attend the program at UC Davis? |
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A:
COSMOS at UC Davis received over 400 applications
last summer and can accommodate up to 180 students. |
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Q: What do I do if I have more questions? |
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A: Contact COSMOS via e-mail at cosmos@ucdavis.edu, or
call us at (530) 754-7326. |
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Q: Can I get high school or college credit for COSMOS
attendance? |
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A: COSMOS
is an academic enrichment program. It is not meant
to replace high school or college course work,
and does not grant academic credit. COSMOS participation
helps students demonstrate their academic excellence
and provides a distinct opportunity to develop integrated
skills for success in a college-like residential learning
community. COSMOS also gives students a unique opportunity to
work closely with university faculty who may be helpful
with recommendations to college. Students applying to the University of California
may reference their participation in the program under "Special
Program Participation" directly on the UC application. |
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Q: When should I request a teacher recommendation? |
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A: Teacher recommendations must be filled out and submitted online before the application deadline - March 15th at 5pm! In order to meet this deadline, students must begin their online applications well before the 15th. When students go online, they must enter their teachers’ email address and choose the “Send Now” option. Only after the student has clicked “Send Now” will the teacher have a chance to send in a recommendation on the student’s behalf. Don’t wait until the last second! Teacher recommendations are a required component to the COSMOS application; please do everything you can to ensure your application is complete! |
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Q: When will I be notified about whether or not I have
been accepted into the program? |
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A: Letters will be sent to all applicants by the end of
April. Admission status will not be given over the
telephone. |
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Q: I
was not admitted to my top cluster preference. Can
I be transferred into that cluster if someone drops
out? |
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A: We
make every effort to place applicants in their top
cluster preferences. However, due to the large demand
of certain courses, this is not always possible. We
are unable to transfer cluster assignments once they
have been made and hope that you will take the opportunity
to explore different areas in math and science even
if the cluster assigned is not your first preference. |
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Q: I
met the eligibility requirements, why wasn’t
I admitted to COSMOS? |
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A: Due
to the large volume of applications and the strength
of our applicant pool, we are simply not able to admit
all of the qualified students. If you plan to re-apply
next summer, we encourage you to focus on your essay
responses and perhaps consider applying to different
clusters. In general, the biology clusters are the
most competitive. |
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Q: May I attend COSMOS more than once? |
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A: Yes,
however our goal is to offer the COSMOS experience
to as many talented students as possible. First time
applicants will be given priority. Previous attendees,
program alumni, may be placed on a waiting list. COSMOS
alumni must apply to a different campus and will be
enrolled on a space available basis. Students are limited
to two COSMOS experiences. |
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Q: How much supervision is provided for my son/daughter? |
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A: While
students are ultimately responsible for their own
conduct, administrative, instructional, and residential
staff all work together to provide supervision. Students
are primarily supervised by residential staff who live
in the dorms with the students and attend classes and
field trips. The residential staff consists of a Resident Dean, two
Senior Resident Advisors (SRAs) who oversee
a staff of 18 UC Davis undergraduate Resident Advisors. All have cleared background and DMV checks and
participate in an intensive week-long training (including first-aid and CPR) prior
to the program. |
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The
RAs ensure that COSMOS rules and procedures are followed
and that problems are handled right away. They are
knowledgeable about the campus and college life and
are available at all times to help students adjust
to the program and life away from home. |
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Q: Will my child be safe? |
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A: The COSMOS policies are put in place to keep the students
safe at all times. Some of these policies include: |
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Students must be in the dorms by 10 p.m.
- No traveling away from the dorm area alone. Students must use the buddy system.
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See
the Student Handbook for more specifics on COSMOS policies.
Parents will know best if a student is capable of following
the policies while away from home. If at any time, a student
does not feel safe, they should let a COSMOS staff
member know so that the situation can be remedied.
For information regarding UC Davis crime statistics, visit:
http://police.ucdavis.edu/clery/
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Q: COSMOS seems really strict. Can I authorize my child
to have more freedom? |
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A: Inevitably,
there will be students who are given more freedom at
home and feel that the rules at COSMOS are
too strict. There will also be students who have stricter
rules at home and are surprised by the amount of autonomy
they are given. The COSMOS policies were designed to
help us ensure each student’s safety and manage
a large group of teenagers on the campus. There is
one set of rules for all students, regardless of their
age or "freedom" allowed at home. Older students,
or students who are used to operating more independently
should consider this before coming to COSMOS. |
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Q: What is the best way to communicate with my child? |
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A: Students
are kept very busy at COSMOS and often don’t
have a lot of time to devote to writing letters, email,
or calling on the phone. Even if you don’t hear
from them, trust that they love to hear from you. Below
are some suggestions and comments on different options
for communicating with your child while they are at
COSMOS. |
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Letters: A hand-written letter or care package is a great way
to communicate with your child and to help them feel
in touch with the family. Students are thrilled to
receive mail. Encourage other friends and relatives
to write letters as well. Mail can be sent to: “Student’s
Name & Cluster Number”, COSMOS, One Shields
Ave., Davis, CA 95616-8812.
Email: Students will have access to 2 computer labs in the dorms. However, all
students will have equal access to these labs and academic activities are given
priority over email and internet use. If your child sends a quick note in lieu
of a long, detailed update, it’s probably because there is a line of students
wanting to get on the computer.
Phone: The number of pay phones on campus is limited. Students are encouraged
to bring a cell phone for calling family but will be asked to leave the cell
phone in their rooms during classes, outings, and social activities.
Phone Messages: To get a message to a student, you can phone the Conference Housing
Desk 24 hours/day at (530) 752-2900. Messages are posted on a board in the dorm
area.
Fax: You can also send a fax to the COSMOS office. Faxes are delivered to students
daily.
COSMOS E-Newsletter: COSMOS distributes a newsletter once a week to families
of participants. If you have access to email, you can receive a copy of this
newsletter electronically. Many parents find this general piece of communication
extremely reassuring. |
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Q: What should I do if my child is homesick? |
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A: Four
weeks can be a long time to be away from home (for
the student and the parents). Before coming to
COSMOS, this should be discussed with your student.
The first week is often the most difficult to get through.
Our staff will work hard to make sure that students
are connecting with one another and feeling like they
belong. |
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If
you are concerned about your child’s homesickness,
please contact the COSMOS office immediately. Our staff
will work hard to help the student adjust to life at
COSMOS. Nearly all students who initially experience
homesickness ultimately enjoy their COSMOS experience. |
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While
it can be extremely difficult, please do not respond
to your child’s "rescue call" by coming
to campus to talk them into staying. Once a student
sees a ride home, there is rarely any turning back.
If a student is begging to come home, please call a
COSMOS staff member so that we can discuss different
options. While it may be best for the student to go
home in the end, we prefer to try other strategies
first. |
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Q: Can I come visit and/or can my child come home on weekends? |
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A: As
many families live too far to visit during the program,
it is certainly not necessary to visit your child during
the four weeks. Weekend time allows students to establish
friendships and become fully involved in residential
life. Non-academic outings are planned every Saturday
which most students don’t like to miss. If you
would like to visit your student or bring him/her home,
you are required to submit a “Short Term Departure
Form” at least 24 hours in advance. |
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Q: Summertime
in Davis is
hot! Are the dorms air conditioned? |
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A: Yes.
Thankfully, all dorm rooms and classrooms are air conditioned! |
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Q:
Where can I find out more information about the Davis
community? |
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