Originally published on 3 March 2016 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly
The road to college
For some high schoolers, spring break comes this month. It may well be a welcome respite for your children, a time to recharge as they head towards the end of the schoolyear. While it is an opportunity for them to relax, it is also a chance to evaluate where they are on their schoolwork.
FRESHMAN
Your children should have all their grades on track. They need to concentrate on maintaining good study habits now to be better equipped to handle the rigors of the workload in the coming years. If they haven’t been reading much, they should seriously consider taking up reading as a hobby during spring break. This will help them increase their vocabulary which they will need to take the SAT and as preparation for writing their essay.
They need to line up their summer activities. Their grade dean would have some ideas as to how they can explore their passions and research summer opportunities.
SOPHOMORE
Tenth graders who are taking AP courses need to register for the AP exams administered in May. While there is a slew of small independent tutoring schools offering courses to prepare for the AP tests, some children do not need to take on this additional burden on their already busy schedules. Your children have enough on their plate with the intensive homework associated with an advanced placement course. That said, your kids still have to show competence on the AP exams as all scores are submitted to the College Board; all the colleges to which your children apply will see the AP scores.
Your children should also take the SAT subject test. Your children’s teachers could provide guidance on what they need to prepare for. They might want to ask the teachers in that particular course for study suggestions, review packets, and sample tests. There are also test prep books available in bookstores and online. In my daughter’s school, teachers tell their students that the best way to prepare is by doing their best throughout the academic year, being familiar with the information the test covers, and effectively reviewing the concepts learned in class. Furthermore, they encourage their students to take some practice tests to understand the structure of the exam, and to know what to expect on the day of the test. Needless to say, students should read the directions carefully, understand how it is scored, and be aware of the time limit, on testing day.
Your children may want to consult their class dean regarding summer activities – academic enrichment programs, volunteer work, or part-time employment. College admissions officers are looking for students who explored their passions while getting good grades.
JUNIOR
Besides registering and preparing for the SAT or ACT, your children should use the spring break to visit college campuses. Have them put together a college visit checklist with a page or several pages allotted for each school. For each of the schools, they will need to write their overall impressions – what they liked most or least.
They should write their observations by categories: the intellectual atmosphere (Do students enjoy their courses or are they stressed-out? What is the advising system for freshmen? Are there opportunities for independent study/study abroad?). They should note the social climate (Do students stay on campus or do they leave on weekends? What are the facilities for socializing? Is there an active Greek life?) They should observe the campus life (What are the living arrangements? Is there guaranteed housing for four years? What are the dining options?).
One major concern for parents and children should be security on campus (Can outsiders gain access to the library, the fitness center or student union? Are there video cameras around the school periphery?). Of course, the most serious threat to students’ well-being may actually be within the confines of the institution. When my daughter and I visited colleges, the issue of campus rape didn’t come up during the information sessions. But it has since become part of the national conversation and some universities are addressing the topic up front. I, personally, would want to know if officials have safeguards in place to prevent such crime from occurring. Do administrators disclose information about it or do they hide and blur the facts? What consequences does the school impose on perpetrators?
Some children know right away when they visit a campus that they don’t seem themselves in it. It could be that it isn’t the right intellectual or academic fit for them; or the environment doesn’t suit their lifestyle. But it’s a good thing to know before they decide to apply.
SENIOR
After the marathon they finished, your children could be quite restless and anxious to hear from the colleges. Remind them to keep their focus on academics and their grades. They should still engage in other worthwhile activities like sports or arts. At my daughter’s school, rehearsals for the spring musical, which she was heavily involved in, was at full speed so students’ minds were occupied with something besides worrying about college acceptances.
This proclamation couldn’t have come at a better time for the Pasadena Unified School District which has been dogged by a not-too stellar image for decades. It was especially gratifying for Dr. Brian McDonald who, in 2011, was hired by then superintendent, John Gundry, as Chief Academic Officer. In that post McDonald led the district’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) initiative, a critical component for student success.
One of four high schools in the district, Marshall Fundamental has consistently maintained a commitment to the highest academic standards. It has the most number of AP classes (English Language and Literature; Human Geography, World History, US History, American Government & Politics; Economics; Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics; Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science; Spanish Language and Literature; Music Theory; and Studio Art) on offer and the highest API score of all the public high schools in Pasadena.
The Marshall Eagles play in girls’ and boys’ basketball, girls’ and boys’ soccer, girls’ and boys’ tennis, girls’ volleyball, baseball, cross-country, football, golf, softball, swimming, and track & field.
Some clubs on campus include the National Honors Society, Unidos, Key Club, Yearbook, Journalism, and Art Club.
Marshall Fundamental’s college counseling department partners with Naviance, a college and career readiness software provider to help their students with college planning and career assessment tools. Its software aids students with college research, course planning and personality test tools. It also helps teachers and counselors track individual student progress, and communicate with students and their families. It is integrated with the Common Application, which facilitates submitting college applications, transcripts, school forms, and teacher recommendations.
According to Catherine Charles, one of four college counselors at the school, the counseling department meets with students and their parents in 9th grade where they confer on their four-year plan. During the 9th Grade Orientation Night they discuss AP courses and testing. An AP in Human Geography, a very rigorous course, is on offer to qualified students and they need to take the AP exam upon completion.
In 10th grade, counselors assess each student based on their 9th grade transcript and go through the A – G, the requirements for acceptance to the UC system. They also talk about the PSAT, which the district pays for each 10th grader to take. Workshops are available after school to prepare them for the PSAT and CAHSEE exams one week before the tests.
The 11th grade is a busy year. School counselors meet with parents and students to review the four-year plan. They ensure students are on track to take all the AP exams required in English, US History, Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Environmental Science), and Art Elective. They discuss the college application process, the PSAT and Merit Scholarship, and the Early Entrance Exams for College – which the UCs use to invite eligible students for guaranteed acceptance and for the different scholarships available. In the spring of junior year, workshops on the college application, the personal statement and FAFSA are held after school and on Saturdays through EAOP (for UCLA) and Upward Bound (for CalState LA and PCC).
When students reach 12th grade, they have already been to college campus visits with the school counselors. Several representatives from various colleges come on campus to invite students to apply to their schools. English teachers integrate essay writing to their curriculum using prompts on the college application to help students compose and polish their prose.
Marshall’s counselors make available to students various scholarships to which they can apply. Last year, Nubia Johnson received a four-year, full-ride scholarship to Yale through Questbridge. The class of 2014 accepted approximately $2.6M in scholarship monies, and an undisclosed amount in scholarship dollars was offered but turned down. Throughout the years, Marshall graduates have earned the Morehead-Cain (the most prestigious scholarship in the United States), POSSE, and National Merit Scholarship.
There were 234 Marshall seniors who graduated in 2014, nine of whom were valedictorians, 14 AP Scholars with Distinction, four AP Scholars with Honor, and seven National AP scholars. They later attended such elite universities as Yale, Columbia, Dartmouth, UPenn, University of Chicago, Boston University, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Northwestern, Pomona College, and Tulane.
For Dr. Mark Anderson, Marshall Fundamental’s principal, the accolades, awards and distinctions, validate the school’s commitment to providing excellent education and opportunities. As he heads towards his fifth year as head of school, he has expanded the equitable AP program that made every student who is willing to devote time and effort eligible to take an AP course.
Everyday finds Anderson visiting classrooms to see for himself how teachers engage their students in class discussions. He remembers students and addresses them by name as they spill out of their classrooms to go to the next class.
Anderson and Charles are just two of the many caring, dedicated administrators and scholars who are invested in PUSD’s future and success. And Brian McDonald is looking to them to make the district an academic powerhouse. He has an ambitious plan to rehabilitate the district’s reputation and is confident that his strategies will benefit not just Marshall Fundamental but the other three high schools as well. He proudly mentions that Pasadena High School has two National Merit Scholarship semifinalists last year.
Dr. Brian McDonald, PUSD superintendent | Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
According to McDonald, PUSD is moving away from guidance counselors to college coaches – professional staff who provide counseling services – to give students a more rounded approach to college and career preparation. He believes the coaching method gives students a far better support system in getting them ready for college and beyond.
Expanding the dual language program in the district has been a focus of McDonald’s action plans. He expanded the program from one Spanish (San Rafael Elementary) and one Mandarin Chinese (Field Elementary), to a unique pairing of STEM and Spanish Dual Language at Jackson Elementary. The first cohort of Spanish and Mandarin students are now 6th graders at Blair IB Middle School and Sierra Madre Middle School, respectively. Pasadena’s dual language schools are so highly regarded that students from as far as Rancho Cucamonga come to PUSD schools to take advantage of this program. That out-of-district parents would willingly fight the snarled traffic on the 210 freeway to drive all this way is testament to the program’s success.
A second initiative that McDonald envisions for the district is offering more innovative schemes. For one, he looks to strengthening the IB (International Baccalaureate) program that Blair High School has in place. He thinks Blair is a diamond in the rough, with much potential still to be harnessed. He also intends to provide a sufficient level of funding to help sustain the IB program at Willard Elementary, which is highly sought-after.
Proper positioning of the district in the public’s mind is the third priority. McDonald wants to launch marketing campaigns that would showcase all the accomplishments of the schools in the district. He believes that there is a great disconnect between people’s perception and reality. The district needs to trumpet awards and distinctions the various schools receive, like the Los Angeles Magazine’s selection of Marshall Fundamental as eighth in L.A. County.
Pasadenans are largely uninformed about the local schools’ many programs. He points to the implementation of the linked-learning pathways program, a career-themed system that links rigorous core courses with strong Career Technical Education (CTE) course offerings and work-based learning opportunities. Pasadena high schools have specialty subject offerings to fit varied interests – PHS offers Law and Public Service, Creative Arts, Media and Design, and the App Academy; Muir HS has Engineering and Environmental Science, Arts and Entertainment, and Business and Entrepreneurship; Blair HS has Culinary Arts and Hospitality, and Health Careers; and Marshall Fundamental offers the Academy of Creative Industries.
The ‘Principal for a Day’ program is an effective way people can experience a high school and walk away with a different perspective. McDonald also mentions PEF’s (Pasadena Educational Foundation) Realtor Tours that began in 2011 as a positive move in the right direction.
The fourth plan of action, according to McDonald, is reforming how central office operates in support of school sites. It aims to bring together all departments into one seamless process. Using the Baldridge Educational Criteria as a guide, he intends to transform the district into an organization that is effective, efficient and high-performing. In order to help employees focus on the mission of the district, a new tagline was adopted – ‘Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow’. This strategy trains teachers to be effective points of contact for students as well as parents. It will also call for parental engagement in all aspects of their children’s school life.
Establishing accountability in the school system is the fifth item on McDonald’s to do list for the district. There should be consequences and rewards for teachers, administrators, and everyone involved.
The sixth concern for McDonald is labor relations. He believes the hallmark of a good district is collaborative relationship between bargaining units and the district’s administration. PUSD needs to be more transparent in what it is able to offer teachers and administrators in terms of salary and raises.
Lastly, McDonald would like to see stability at the superintendent level. Everyone needs the assurance that the official that the board of education has put in place will uphold the duties and responsibilities that come with the office, and stay long enough to accomplish everything he has set out to do.
McDonald has five school-age children, ranging from elementary to secondary level, who currently attend Pasadena public schools. He is in this for the long haul; he is staying to make sure the district gets the recognition it rightfully deserves. And that’s not a threat, it’s a promise.
Originally published on 2 February 2015 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly
The road to college
This is the second installment of my monthly college search guide. My daughter didn’t get into the college application mode until the fall of her junior year in high school when her school’s college counselors met with students and their parents. I realized then that we should have been made aware of the full implications of the college application process as early as 9th grade so we could have prepared for it. Happily, everything turned out all right for my daughter in spite of the late start but it had been a terribly harrowing ordeal that I felt compelled to share our experience in the hope that someone could learn something from it.
While I will be addressing parents, students are the ones that need to be prepared and the college application process is something they have to do for themselves. In 9th grade, students think of the college search as something that is so far into the future to start preparing for, but you need to be there to provide them that focus. I have to say that as the parent of a slacker, I was the one getting frustrated at my daughter’s seeming nonchalance in 9th and 10th grade. However, once the application process officially started, she was as stressed out as I was. It was wrenching to watch helplessly by the sidelines as she juggled all the activities she needed to accomplish.
FRESHMAN
Your children are well into the second semester of 9th grade and are now fully engaged in the academic and extra-curricular life at their school. They should continue focusing on maintaining good grades, or if their first semester marks need improvement, now is the time to turn things around. Time management is of paramount importance as schedules could prove to be challenging with their course load, sports and extra-curriculars all vying for their attention and time.
They should start thinking about their summer community service activity. They need to find something they are passionate about and commit to doing it every summer. My daughter likes learning new things and applying them to real life. She particularly liked Physics and regaled us with her newly-gained knowledge about thermodynamics and such at dinner every night. She chose to tutor at a Pasadena charter school for high school dropouts where she taught Math and Science. Her supervisor loved her energy and passion so much that she made my daughter teacher-in-charge. My daughter went back every summer at this tutoring activity. Your children’s school counselor may have some recommendations on community service and other clubs and organizations to develop their interests and abilities.
SOPHOMORE
Your children should stay on top of their grades to ensure the final grades that go on their transcript are the best they could earn. They still have time to improve their grades if their first semester marks were less than stellar. I am compelled to remind you how important their final grades are. The schools they will be applying to will only get to see the entire marks for their first three years in high school. They need to present the best that they are capable of. They need to meet with their grade class dean to make sure their grades and courses are on the right track for graduation. They should know what tests they need to take and register for them (www.collegeboard.com).
It would be a smart move for them to take the SAT subject test the year they take the course while it is still fresh in their mind. My daughter took her SAT II Chemistry test as well as the AP test in May of her sophomore year.
JUNIOR
I cannot emphasize this enough – junior year is the last complete year that college admission directors will be looking at when your children send their application. They need to maintain their good grades and extra-curricular activities. If they had good study habits back in 9th grade and have established a routine, they shouldn’t be stressing out now. They should have more scheduled meetings with their college counselor to make sure their grades and courses are on track for graduation.
They need to be aware of what standardized tests they should be registering for and taking (SAT I in March, ACT in April or June, SAT II exams in May or June. www.collegeboard.com, www.act.org)
Your children’s plans for spring break college visits should be finalized. If they are visiting the colleges on their own (not the high school’s group-arranged tour), they need to call the admissions office to schedule their visit. It would be very ill-advised for parents to be scheduling the college visit for their students. As much as you want to be hands-on, relinquish control and have your children make the appointments. Most universities have a morning and an afternoon tour at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. There is usually an information session for an hour and a walking tour afterwards. If they are thinking of applying through early action or early decision, they might want to make an interview appointment with an admission officer (if it is a requirement for application). They might also want to schedule to meet with a current student to learn more about the school, or ask to see the rooming arrangements.
SENIOR
Your children should confirm with the colleges to make sure they have all the documents they require. They have to make sure their grades are the best they can earn; schools will ask for their final grades if acceptance is contingent upon final marks. Your children should continue applying for scholarships (www.scholarships.com; www.collegexpress.com; www.scholarships360.org) and getting their FAFSA ready for submission (www.fafsa.ed.gov).
Originally published in 2015 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre News
Nobel Prize in Economics co-recipient Thomas J. Sargent walked its vaunted halls as one of its students some five decades before earning that distinguished award in 2011. The institution – Monrovia High School. Nestled at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, it paints such a pretty picture that it served as the setting for Hollywood films A Cinderella Story; Not Another TeenMovie; Liar, Liar; Leave it to Beaver; and Drive Me Crazy.
The picturesque scene, however, belies Monrovia High School’s academic prowess. The US News & World Report Best High Schools gave it a silver medal, ranking it at 12% nationally and 6% statewide. It has a college readiness score of 31 and an academic performance index at 802, above the California index of 789. It is the only 9 -12 comprehensive high school in the Monrovia Unified School District. MHS has a total enrollment of 1,766 students (51% male and 49% female), a total minority enrollment of 72%, 51% economically disadvantaged, and 5% English learners. It has 74 full-time teachers, giving it a student/teacher ratio of 24:1.
According to Dr. Katherine Thorossian, Monrovia Unified School District Superintendent, 100% of Monrovia High School’s Math and Science Academy 2014 graduates fulfilled the University of California entrance requirements with four years of college-preparatory English; three years of math; two years of lab science; two years of history/social science; two years of foreign language; one year of fine art elective; and one year of an additional elective in a college-approved course. Ninety percent of all HMS 2014 graduates enrolled in college.
The school’s accolades are equally robust in the athletic arena as the Wildcat student athletes compete with excellence. Monrovia High School offers athletic teams for both boys and girls and competes in the Rio Hondo League in the Southern Section of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). MHS teams have earned numerous league championships and the Wildcats are home to CIF championship programs in football, baseball, basketball, track and field, and swim dating back to 1967.
The world-class education to which the district aspires would not be complete without a comprehensive arts department. Whether film or video production, vocal or instrumental music, ceramics, drama, dance, or art; students hone their own talents with the expert guidance of college level instructors, highly qualified teachers, and artists-in-residence. Indeed, the professional theatre program within the city is sponsored by the Monrovia High School District offering students an opportunity to share the stage with actors from across the region.
Given its achievements in academics, athletics, and the arts, it is no wonder that in 2006 the community approved a $45 million bond to finance the high school’s enhancement project. Major construction transformed the campus by establishing a modern Performing Arts Center; constructing a science building with tech labs; and building an event center to support robotics as well as athletics competitions, a stadium and bleachers.
Monrovia High School boasts a beautiful bell tower and is one of a few select schools within the state equipped with a fully functional observatory where the Astronomy class convenes. In fact, during the 2012-2013 schoolyear, students in the Math and Science Academy communicated with the NASA space station through the dome link that is used in the Performing Arts Center.
Monrovia High School’s motto promoting ‘scholars and champions’ reflects the extensive work being done by their team of four college counselors and counselor technician. These are the architects of the annual college fair, financial aid and essay workshops hosted on campus. College tours are also available over spring break for juniors. Personalized attention is provided by counselors and additional resources are available in the Career Center where students prepare and complete their application during the college admissions process.
The Monrovia Unified School District emphasizes the role its citizens play in their youth’s development. Residents of this small tight-knit community know that it takes a village to raise productive, responsible citizens. Parents, teachers, and neighbors share the responsibility for providing guidance to their studentry. At no time was this more palpable than in 2012 when the city was beset by the fourth teen suicide in two years. This propelled the leaders of the community to establish Healing Connections, a program aimed at eliminating teen suicide. A third of its membership is comprised of high school students. Through it, they launched the March forBalance campaign to reduce the stigma attached to mental health problems. MHS holds a fair on campus where families can come to meet with psychiatrists and family counseling professionals, to learn about coping with mental illness and treatment options. Healing Connections earned MUSD the prestigious Golden Bell Award, the district’s 18th such award.
This collaborative approach was utilized by MHS’s most acclaimed alumnus, Thomas Sargent, when his and Christopher Sims’ research on how changes in interest rates and taxes affect growth and inflation was awarded the Nobel Prize. According to Wikipedia, Thomas Sargent ranks 14th among the most cited economists in the world. What an honor it is for Monrovia High School, where the sound of his footsteps echoes on its halls long after he has left it.
Originally published on 15 January 2015 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly
A college education used to be something only a privileged few could attain. But that was in my parents’ time. There are now more college applicants than ever before and parents want their children to attend the best high schools to ensure acceptance to the university of their dreams. This monthly feature will focus on one school district at a time to cover as much information necessary to help parents with school-age children in their quest for schools.
In the San Gabriel Valley, Arcadia is well-known for its excellent school district. According to the website education.com, the Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) comprises 11 schools serving 9,807 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. AUSD’s elementary and middle schools are highly-ranked, preparing them well for high school. Its two high schools are Arcadia High School (AHS) and Rancho Learning Center.
The U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools evaluated 19,000 high schools in the country and gave AUSD a Gold Medal three years in a row (2012, 2013 and 2014), a feat attained by fewer than three percent of schools evaluated. It ranked AHS 432nd nationally and 89th statewide. Arcadia High School’s college readiness is at 49.7, which is above the California average; its academic performance index is at 897, well above the California level of 789. It has a total enrollment of 3,665 students (51% male and 49% female), 84% of whom are minorities. It has 145 full-time teachers (student/teacher ratio 25:1).
AUSD’s website lists the following high school curriculum standards: Language Arts from 9th to 12th grade; Math courses in Algebra, Geometry, Math Analysis, Calculus, and Statistics; Science courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, BioPhysics, Environmental Science, and Human Physiology; Social Science courses in U.S. History, Modern World History, Government & Politics, and Economics. World Languages being offered are: French, Japanese, Mandarin, and Spanish.
Arcadia High School has a wide range of Performing and Visual Arts course offerings including: Dimensional Studio Art, Drawing & Painting, Theatre, Film, Animation, Art History, Music Theory, Chorus, Percussion Ensemble, Treble Choir, Ceramics, among others. There are 35 AP and Honors Programs altogether.
It is in high school that most great athletes get their start and shine. Arcadia High School offers a vast array of sports activities to fit most teen-agers’ interests. Their sports teams include: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, pep squad, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, volleyball and water polo.
Arcadia High School | Courtesy Photo
If your children are thinking of playing sports in college, make sure they look into the NCAA requirements (www.ncaa.org) and let their coach and counselor know. Several universities offer athletic scholarships and college coaches scout the country in search of the next rising star.
Life at AHS is abuzz with an amazing choice of academic teams and clubs. There is never a boring day on campus when you have activities like Academic Decathlon, History Bowl, Math Team, Speech and Debate, to name just a few.
One of the most important hallmarks of Arcadia High School’s curriculum is its attention not only to its students’ academic life, but to their total development. At the same time that it had 22 seniors named National Merit Scholarship finalists and one of its seniors achieving a perfect score on the AP Calculus BC exam, the school boasts award-winning and nationally-recognized performing arts and athletic programs. To provide an enhanced experience for their students, AHS inaugurated a world-class Performing Arts Center on campus two years ago. They are opening a brand new state-of-the art library and cafeteria; they just got a new turf sports field; and a new pool and aquatics center are on track for completion this summer.
A news article written by Scott Hettrick last June lauded Arcadia High School’s 2014 graduates. Nine hundred seniors, or 99% of the total graduating class, attended their graduation ceremony held at Santa Anita Park. He reported that this year’s graduating class had an average GPA of 3.34, average SAT score of 1846, average ACT score of 29. Ninety-four percent of these graduates planned to attend college (five were heading to Harvard, one to MIT, four were going to Stanford). There were three students who were accepted to Princeton, one to Yale, four to Brown, ten to Carnegie-Mellon, 47 to USC, and 56 were accepted to UCLA. These are formidable numbers indeed. It’s no wonder AUSD is the envy of other school districts.
The fact that Arcadia High School is such an academic powerhouse is not lost on most parents. They know that a B student from AHS is looked at more positively than an A student from a less scholarly institution, making their children’s acceptance to a highly selective university more likely. This has sent real estate prices soaring, much to the chagrin of would-be house-buyers.
Let me be the one to give hope to parents whose children aren’t attending AHS, though. High school college counselors provide college admission directors a profile of their school, which includes their course and extra-curricular offerings, a history of their seniors’ grades and what schools they were accepted to. It also contains a grade distribution for individual subject classes offered by the high school. The distribution helps a college determine where each applicant stands so they can compare students in the same class who are applying to the same college. If your children are attending a school that doesn’t historically send academically-gifted and accomplished graduates, your children will have a greater chance of setting themselves apart from their classmates. The competition would not be as insurmountable.
The lesson is that whatever school your children are currently attending, they have to concentrate on taking the most rigorous courses available, getting stellar grades, tackling extra-curricular activities, taking enrichment programs and putting in a good number of community service hours. Make sure your children are making the most of their high school career and are setting their sights on getting into the college that is the right fit for them.
St. Mary’s College, University of St Andrews | Photo by May S. Ruiz / A San Gabriel Valley Inquirer
Originally published on 8 January 2015 in the Pasadena Indpendent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly
The road to college
It’s a rite of passage for every high school senior in this country. It’s called college applications. The phrase alone inspires fear and trepidation in students and their parents. Stressed-out teens saddled with schoolwork, extra-curricular activities, and standardized testing navigate this complex process with their equally anxiety-riddled parents who watch helplessly, much as they want to extend a helping hand. As we all know, everyone survives it, most of us with our sanity largely intact.
For some parents who had gone through it in their youth, they would soon learn that the process has changed because today’s competition has become extremely intense. More teens are opting to go to college now than ever before. There is a growing surge of foreign students applying to American universities. Less selective universities are seeing an increase in student applications while their available spots have stayed the same, resulting in fewer acceptances. Universities implement more rigorous standards in their selection process as they put together a well-rounded class made up of outstanding individuals.
While both my husband and I were college-educated, our experiences had not been the same as our daughter’s. We did not spend our summer months building houses in a third world country, or handing out groceries at a food bank, to put on our resumes. We did not enroll in a summer program at science camps or art schools to further enhance our academic record. We did not have an array of activities to show college admissions directors that we spent a meaningful summer.
My husband and I are immigrants: he is from Taiwan and I am from the Philippines. There were no convoluted college searches where we came from. To make up for what I did not know, I started reading up on the admissions process. But no amount of book-reading and research could have prepared me for the onslaught of emotions and self-doubt that seized me once the process was at hand. I constantly questioned myself if I had provided my child with all the tools necessary for her to successfully make it to the finish line in this marathon.
My daughter went to a private school, which a reporter for a local newspaper referred to in a 2007 feature story commemorating the school’s centennial, as “Pasadena’s most elite school.” This school, which I shall henceforth refer to as REPS (Really Elite Private School), has a team of college counselors who starts a discussion with students and their parents about college applications in the fall of junior year.
However, I feel that REPS college counselors should have given students and their parents an overview of what the process entails back in 9th grade. I think that neither students nor their parents are made fully aware of how grades and extra-curricular activities during their high school career affect the final outcome of their college search. Waiting until the second half of junior year to talk about what colleges are looking for when they assemble their incoming class is far too late. Indeed, when I started doing my research into the admissions process, one of the reference books I used broke down students’ preparation starting in 9th grade. After having read a few parents’ books on this subject, I came to the conclusion that this daunting, nail-biting process brings out the neurotic in us (I could argue, therefore, that kids started this application process the minute they toddled into their first class; that they were auditioning for college back in nursery school).
This monstrously arduous experience had been such an eye-opener for me, that I thought it might be helpful to some parents if I wrote about it. Some parents might find it elucidating; at the very least, I hope it provides some form of respite from the stress they are going through. If I could help even one parent or student find his/her way in this maze it would have been well worth my effort.
The road to college will follow a high schooler’s journey from freshman year through move-in day at university in September. As I will be speaking about our family’s journey, it will not totally reflect what other students experienced. The result of my daughter’s college search would not be the same as someone else’s. I will include anecdotes about my daughter’s high school days and her subsequent college application, with the hope that some readers can apply some of her experiences to their own situation. Some of the stories might elicit a small chuckle while others would sound too absurd to be believed but all the anecdotes are true and actually happened. Lastly, I would be addressing parents and students alternately.
FRESHMAN
Typically, the beginning of the year marks the halfway point in the schoolyear. First semester grades would soon be released, if they had not been sent out yet. If your 9th grader’s marks are not great, he/she would need to use the second semester to better them as it’s the end-of-year grades that show on the transcript. A student’s grades are a very important, if not the single most important, component of the college application.
Continue your extra-curricular activities in arts or sports, with concentration on one or two where you excel. Do not attempt to dazzle college admissions directors with the range of your interest, unless you are a budding Leonardo da Vinci and have mastered every single craft. Find something you are truly passionate about and do it throughout your four years to show your commitment. My daughter realized she loved acting but she only found out in her junior year so she did not have much time to fully engage in it.
SOPHOMORE
This is your student’s second year and by this time he/she should have fully transitioned into high school. He/she needs to put extra effort into weak subjects and solidify grades for the second semester. Your student should continue his/her focus on academic performance skills, sports participation and arts involvement. He/she should also start studying for the PSAT (www.collegeboard.com). Taking a practice PSAT in 10th grade gives your student the chance to identify weaknesses then work on them before taking the NMSQT (www.nationalmerit.org) in 11th grade. At REPS, students meet with their grade level dean in the winter of 10th grade to discuss year-end testing options and junior-year course options. Sophomores enrolled in Advanced Algebra and Pre-Calculus register to take the SAT II Math Level 2 exam in June of their sophomore year. Sophomores enrolled in Functions, Trigonometry, and Advanced Algebra (FTAA) take this same exam in June of their junior year, after completing the Advanced Topics and An Introduction to Calculus-Honors (ATIC-Honors) course. Sophomores who are thinking of going into science, medicine, architecture and engineering are encouraged to take the SAT II exam in Chemistry in May or June of their sophomore year. Your student should also start lining up summer activities.
JUNIOR
The second semester of junior year is significant as it is the beginning of the college application process. From their college research, students are now ready to start planning a visit to colleges. They can even do their initial campus virtual tours online www.campustours.com, www.CollegeProwler.com, www.SmartCollegeVisit.com, www.YOUniversity.com. College
counselors usually recommend that students use their spring break to go to several different types of schools. A good list should include a small liberal arts college, a medium-sized research university and a large state university to let them have a feel for what “small” or “large” school means. They should be able to experience firsthand if a large city like New York makes them feel alive and vibrant or if it totally overwhelms and scares them. They need to experience if a school with 20,000 students is the right setting for them. They don’t necessarily have to visit the schools they are actually considering applying to, this trip should give them ideas about what they are looking for in a university. Once they’ve established the elements they are looking for, they can start making a list of schools they would put on their list of colleges to apply to.
SENIOR
All college applications should have already been sent out for the January 1st regular decision/admission deadline. Some universities, like Georgetown, have a later deadline.
Ask your school to send your mid-year grades to colleges and verify that all your application materials have been sent. Breathe a sigh of relief; the hard part is done. The rest is out of your hands.
(Ms. Ruiz is NOT a licensed counselor nor does she dispense professional advice for college applicants. Her knowledge on the subject is limited to her personal involvement in her daughter’s college search. She had been actively involved in her daughter’s elementary and middle school years as a parent volunteer in several school activities.)
Originally published on 19 March 2015 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly
These days we hear so much about the all too common sad tale of America’s youth graduating from a four-year college course and saddled with several thousand dollars’ worth of student loans but unable to find jobs.
Mt. Sierra College, a Monrovia-based institution founded in 1990, helps students escape this pitfall by offering courses tracked for gainful employment. Geared for working students, flexible year-round class schedules allow for graduation in as few as three years. Many of its instructors are working professionals and leaders in the industry, who help students learn the appropriate skills for a specific career.
From its humble beginnings in Pasadena, with two classrooms and four paying students, Mt. Sierra College today occupies over 30,000 square feet of school space in its present site, with over 430 students. In October 2014, Wellsland LLC, owned by Chinese businessman, George Jie Zhao, acquired Mt. Sierra College and installed Dr. Bill Kakish as President. Together, this dynamic duo hopes to position the school at the forefront of technological learning in Southern California.
Zhao is a product of Mainland China’s automotive manufacturing family that counts Volvo and the London taxicab companies as part of its vast holdings. As a businessman with Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd, he was instrumental in that company’s, restructure that established two venture associated companies in Ningbo and Shanghai. He further achieved record international sales volume for Geely and the firm’s recognition as a major player in the European market as it established the Geely franchise distribution network in over 60 countries.
However, Zhao’s true passion has always been education. He was one of the founders of Beijing Geely University, which has over 50,000 students. In 2012, he established Wellsland LLC intending to expose both American and international students to the cultures of the world. Wellsland aspires to foster an understanding of cultural standards and business practices in a global workforce and provide support to students in developing fluency in English and world languages.
Enter Kakish, who has an extensive background in postsecondary education in various capacities as a faculty member, administrator, accreditation liaison officer, state regulatory staff and campus president. Kakish holds a B.A. in Modern Languages from Notre Dame, an M.M. in Management from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, a PhD. and M.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois. Such employment accomplishments and academic achievements make him more than qualified for his post as Mt. Sierra’s head.
Together, Zhao and Kakish are embarking on an ambitious five-year plan that would catapult this school as a leader in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship, Media Arts and Design with concentration in Visual Effects, Digital Video, and Game Arts and Design, Information Technology with concentration in Computer Information Technology and Information Security, and Telecommunications Technology.
Kakish’s first step in meeting this grand scheme was to hire ten full-time faculty who are experts in their field, and invite recognised professionals onto its board. In mid-February, Mt. Sierra announced the appointment to its Board of Directors, screenwriter and director Xiaolu (Lulu) Xue. She is concurrently Associate Professor and Graduate Study Program Supervisor in the literature Department of Beijing Film Academy and the Director of Beijing Film and China Television Screenwriters’ Committee.
In February, Mt. Sierra College vied in an international weekend global game jam competition that saw over 77,000 contestants creating video games. Mt. Sierra mounted the second largest contingent of participants in Southern California with over 100 student entrants, second only to the Southland’s USC, which had over 300 contestants, and had more student aspirants than Chapman.
Mt. Sierra’s career counselors help place graduates with a variety of outstanding employers including Apple, IBM, ABC, CBS, NBC, Disney, WB, Caltech, JPL, Parsons, Universal Studios, SEGA, Boeing, Blizzard, Obsidian, etc. Mt. Sierra College has been in conversations with a Nigerian university and Costa Rica’s Department of State to establish international partnerships to build educational and career opportunities for their students.
In the works is a plan to build a larger campus in Monrovia that will house twice the number of classrooms, a subterranean parking structure and which will be made from sustainable building material with solar paneling that will power the school’s entire edifice.
Zhao and Kakish want to ensure that all of Mt. Sierra’s graduates succeed as employees and entrepreneurs. Indeed, there is such bright future ahead for Mt. Sierra College and its students!
Originally published on 19 March 2015 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly
The morning bell rings and a gaggle of Kindergartners run excitedly into the classroom ready to start the school day. But instead of the usual crayons, pencils and paper, the children have iPads, and sitting in front of them on their desks are computers. There is no blackboard to be seen anywhere; around the periphery of the room are large screen monitors. The five-year-olds await with anticipation today’s important lesson.
This is the daily scene for Paul Barker, technology teacher, at Clairbourn School in San Gabriel. And, along with his students, he discovers how using technology in the classroom is making the learning experience that much more alive and vibrant.
Founded in 1926, this independent private school offers an excellent educational program for nursery-age children as young as three years old, all the way to 8th grade. Adhering to its original mandate of preparing its charge for a full and rich life, Clairbourn teachers cover the core subjects of English, Math, Science, History, and Language much like their predecessors did all that long ago. What is different, though, is the way they teach.
Dr. Robert Nafie, Clairbourn’s head of school, understands that children today are bombarded with bursts of information coming at them from various video platforms. Gone are the days when students sat at their desks to listen to their teacher lecture about a subject matter. Children today retain knowledge when they put into immediate use what they learn; that piece of information goes from their short-term memory into their long-term memory. “The challenge,” he says, “is for us to capture their attention and engage them during that small window we have.”
Clairbourn School fully addresses this shift in the way children learn. And, as teachers integrate technology in their everyday lessons they are, themselves, still learning about it. Nafie says, “Schools are just figuring out technology along with the kids they’re expected to teach. It’s a new challenge for educators who are digital immigrants (having been largely paper-trained) to teach kids who are digital natives.”
Meanwhile, in his computer lab, Barker types on his iPad what he wants his students to do. Eager faces look up at the large screen monitors for their instruction, and proceed with the lesson. Using the language Scratch, he teaches them how to program. With each touch of the mouse, they command the Scratch sprite (which looks like a cartoon cat) to walk, run, or skip. They can invent a storyline for this Scratch cat, and using various backdrops available to them, create an interactive book.
First graders learn a Lego program and build simple robots using Mindstorms. In 2nd grade, they learn basic robot controls; in 3rd grade, they add devises to their robots. When they reach 4th grade, they build complicated robots from scratch. In 5th grade, they research and outline a project using all the concepts they learned, their robot-building knowledge, and experience. In middle school, they construct an actual working robot that they will present to their classmates, teachers, and parents. According to Barker, some of his middle-schoolers built a bathroom, complete with flushing toilet and working sink.
Recently, the computer lab got its own 3-D printer from a local manufacturer, Deezmaker. The heart of the contraption is a small index-card size CPU (central processing unit) and is capable of printing simple blocks or complicated objects. Students are now able to use all the knowledge they gained in Math and Science to design and create something. Using their programming skills, they can make the 3-D printer replicate what they built in their mind into something they can touch and feel and experience.
The lessons Barker teaches in his computer lab class complement the topics his students are learning in their other classes. He has a list of subjects for each grade level and the lessons on discussion at each point in the schoolyear. When the English teacher is teaching Shakespeare in her class, Barker integrates that lesson in the lab. It makes memorizing Hamlet’s soliloquy, for instance, easier and more fun.
What a long way Clairbourn School has come! From the Bourne family’s first vision of how they wanted their children to be educated, when Mrs. A.K. Bourne held classes in their conservatory for a handful of students, to the interactive teaching instructors now provide.
Under Dr. Nafie’s capable stewardship, technology is not just a promising academic supplement, it is a fundamental component of the Clairbourn student’s everyday learning experience.
A San Gabriel Valley Inquirer 