Sending Off the Class of 2020

28th December 202314th July 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

With the Early College program students have a path to college through courses that meet high school graduation requirements and provide college credits simultaneously | Courtesy photo

It’s graduation time for high school seniors across America – the culmination of four years of frenetic juggling of school and extra-curricular activities, finishing homework and long-overdue essays, and preparing for the vortex called college admissions. Graduation is a rite-of-passage for teenagers everywhere.

But the coronavirus pandemic deprived the class of 2020 of a proper send-off and graduation. It is a crushing disappointment for the thousands who have been looking forward to this momentous occasion with joyful anticipation. They are a smart and resilient lot, though. Many of them realize that being robbed of senior activities and the opportunity to walk across the stage on graduation day is not a devastating loss in the whole scheme of things. In fact, some of them have taken a philosophical attitude about their last year in high school prematurely ending.

Michelle Dong is the senior class president of Arcadia High School. She, along with the student council, organized various activities for the graduating class much like they would if they had been on campus.

Michelle Dong, Arcadia High School’s senior class president | Courtesy Photo / Arcadia High School

“We have developed several video projects to celebrate and remember the memories of the Class of 2020,” reveals Dong. “First, we recently published a video that celebrated our “snr szn” (senior season) – a common mantra that seniors used during the school year. Senior Council collected videos and pictures from the seniors to highlight our lives as the Class of 2020. I believe this video was a bittersweet reminder that our senior year was beautiful, even if it was cut short.

“The next video we have planned will bring our class through a journey from our childhood to our present selves through pictures submitted by students and parents of baby pictures and memories of grades K-12. Our goal with this video is to commemorate our journey toward reaching a significant milestone.”

Dong says further, “Additionally, we want to uphold a highly anticipated senior activity: Senior Chalking. I have been looking forward to chalking ever since I was a little freshman. As an alternative to this event, we are coordinating a distribution day to give seniors pieces of chalk respective to the colors of their future plans (4-year or 2-year college, technical school, military, etc.). Students will receive the colors they requested prior to the distribution and chalk at the safety of their homes.

“Finally, we are coordinating a ‘Senior Package’ for the seniors. This package will consist of multiple farewell gifts from Senior Council. We have put a lot of time and effort into selecting items that have sentiment and sustainability. I currently do not want to disclose the items because I want it to be a surprise for the seniors!

“We have spent many hours on video calls and text messages trying to come up with the best alternatives to activities we would normally have at school. Hopefully, these efforts will bring our class the closure they deserve.”

I ask Dong to share her thoughts about graduation and she says, “I have felt a bag of mixed emotions ever since the school closed in March. At one end, I felt disappointed that I couldn’t live out the full extent of my senior year, especially since we had a lot of end-of-the-year senior activities. I felt crushed that I couldn’t say a final goodbye to friends in my classes or teachers.

“At the other end, I couldn’t brood over my past and tried to find silver linings amidst quarantine. I have been gifted so much time to work on myself and explore personal interests that I originally didn’t have the time for. I’m also grateful that I can spend so much time with my family before I leave for college. Quarantine has allowed me to be more introspective. Staying home has catalyzed me to make the most out of life when things have settled down. Life isn’t finite, so I am choosing to make the most out of it despite the temporary setbacks I face now, and in the future.”

Arcadia High School’s administrators, likewise, intend to hold a graduation ceremony even as they adapt to the circumstances.

Angie Dillman, Arcadia High School principal | Courtesy Photo / Arcadia High School

Angie Dillman, Arcadia High School principal, declares, “We’re going to broadcast our graduation for our 793 seniors at 6:30 pm on June 4, the date and time originally scheduled. As with previous graduations, there will be several elements to the rite and the first part is ceremonial in nature – the senior class president, the valedictorian, and I give speeches. This is followed by the official recognition of our salutatorians by the board president Lori Philippi and myself. I then certify that the students have met all graduation requirements and then AUSD Superintendent Dr. David Vannasdall accepts the graduating class.

“The second part is the reading of the students’ names which will be pre-recorded. The caps and gowns, honors cords, the valedictorian’s and salutatorians’ stoles were sent out over the past two weeks. Graduates can submit photos of themselves wearing their cap and gown which will be used in the virtual ceremony. If they weren’t able to submit photos, we will use their yearbook picture. All of this will be live-streamed by our school’s news station and students will watch the virtual ceremony with their families from the safety of their homes.

A stunning event at every Arcadia High School graduation is the moment when all graduates toss their mortarboards up in the air, reflecting the jubilation these young people feel after four years of hard work. And while that image cannot be captured at a virtual graduation, they will approximate the act. Says Dillman, “At the end of the ceremony, I think our valedictorian is going to throw up his cap and ask everyone at home to join him.”

Dillman adds, “Because of the restrictions, the high school administrators were not able to do all the things we would like to celebrate the class of 2020. However, we were able to do one thing – we surprised the valedictorian Braden Wong in his house with the announcement, which we livestreamed. We’re hoping to hold a real graduation ceremony when we’re allowed – maybe in the next couple of months.”

Kirk McGinnis showing a lawn sign for MHS’s graduates | Courtesy Photo / Monrovia High School

Monrovia High School, which U.S. News and World Report has recently ranked in the top 13 percent of schools in the nation because of the early college and career readiness program that Principal Kirk McGinnis instituted three years ago, will be giving their students a memorable send-off.

The district purchased lawn signs for the class of 2020 which they distributed on April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon. McGinnis says, “That day was super fun – we got to see our seniors as they drove through the campus to pick up their signs. A staff member delivered the sign to the home of any family that could not make it at that time.

“We have a long list of senior celebrations planned as well, including graduation banners, a symbolic lighting of our field lights and the M on the mountain each Wednesday in the month of May at 20:20 (8:20 p.m.) for 20 minutes to honor the class of 2020, and a permanent dedication wall at school for the class of 2020 with handprints and signatures.”

Discloses McGinnis, “We thought about having a community parade but feedback around it was lackluster. Likewise, in planning with the city we also understand that the complexity of having 360 graduates and their families parading through our community poses a significant potential impact to our community. So, we adjusted the graduation plan that will help reach the goal of having students cross the graduation stage while still meeting the guidelines of social distancing.”

“We designed a drive-thru graduation platform in the interior of our campus at a spot where families in their cars will stage so they’re not causing congestion on the public road,” describes McGinnis. “I have them broken down to 40 cars every half hour, from 3 to 7 p.m. Each car will be set far from the platform to allow each graduate to safely get out. Parents and family will have a front row seat in their cars. Graduates, wearing their cap and gown, will walk across the graduation stage where I will be standing. They will pick up their diploma cover from the table, walk off the stage, get back into their vehicle, and then head on their way off campus.”

“The school purchased masks to be worn that day for our staff and graduates. A professional photographer will be on site to capture the image of the student receiving their diploma and moving their tassel from one side to the other. Families can order prints of this memorable event.”

In the works is something that McGinnis says will be distinct to MHS. He says, “Our video production team is working hard to prepare the video component of the graduation ceremony. As students arrive, check in, and prepare to walk across the stage, the school’s team will be queuing each student’s previously prepared graduation stats (awards and recognitions, the school or military branch they will be attending in the fall, as well as their senior portrait) which will be scrolling on the screen below the video of the graduate receiving their diploma. This will all be live-streamed so other relatives of the graduates can watch from the comfort of their own homes, and recorded so they can have it as a keepsake.”

A past Poly graduation invitation and commencement booklet | Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News

Polytechnic is an independent K-12 school in Pasadena. Established in 1907, it has the proud distinction of being the first independent school in Southern California. Some students in the class of 2020 are ‘lifers’ and have been dreaming of the first graduation they will experience after spending 13 years on campus. They have been eagerly awaiting the flurry of merrymaking at the Upper School during ‘Senior Week.’

Jennifer Fleischer, Upper School director, says, “Ordinarily, we have two weeks of senior week where there are a variety of activities, including the outdoor trip which, unfortunately, had been cancelled. We’re bringing ‘Chalk Day’ to the students. We’re delivering chalk to each house and we’ll come around to photograph the pictures they make. We’ll create a website and some social media presence around the senior celebrations. We’ll try as much as we can to recreate and reimagine celebrations while we’re safer at home. There are about 16 committees – commencement, Honors Day, Senior Weeks, prom, etc. – working on different events and students are a part of each so they are appropriately represented.”

Poly’s 96 seniors will be graduating on June 5. As of this writing, though, Fleischer reports that they “are still pulling together details, pivoting to make sure we are honoring our students and prioritizing safety.”

John Bracker, head of school, says, “It’s a complicated time and our hearts go out to the seniors and ‘lifers’ because of how much they’ve anticipated senior spring and the rites-of-passage – whether it’s the spring musical or the senior class trip on the Colorado River – which aren’t happening.”

“We’re considering different scenarios for graduation because so much runs into the ‘it depends’ category. We might have a car parade or a drive-thru graduation; or we might do something virtual. Another possibility is to spread people around the field. I know some schools are pushing graduation till later but we’ve made a decision to do something on the day to mark it, then plan something for later. We don’t want to keep pushing off graduation later and later and find ourselves in October. We’ll do the best we can with what we’re allowed to do now and think of what we can do later this summer when, hopefully, the restrictions are eased up and we can do something that’s more community-building and celebratory.”

“I don’t think we can pretend that it’s going to be the same,” continues Bracker. “We have to accept that and then plan something that will be the first time in over a 100 years, and maybe the only time in the next 100 years, that we’ll celebrate graduation this way at Poly. There ought to be something important about that and something that will make that memorable – it will be different than we’ve done before, it won’t feel the same. It won’t be the same experience, but it will be historic.”

These are extraordinary times for us all and we’re having to figure out how to navigate uncharted territory as we go along. But teachers, students, and school administrators have all done a remarkable job of quickly adapting to circumstances. And the Class of 2020 will stand out in our memories as the generation that handled their biggest disappointment with uncommon grace.

May College Search Guide

26th December 202314th July 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 1 May 2020 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Lawrence University | Courtesy Photo

The road to college

By May S. Ruiz

The last few weeks of the school year is usually an exciting time for students. Freshmen are looking forward to their last month, relieved that they are almost done with 9^th grade. Meanwhile, it is a bittersweet time for seniors as they anticipate the end of their high school career and spend the last remaining weeks with lifelong friends.

However, the coronavirus outbreak changed all that. Students have spent six weeks learning from home and seeing teachers and classmates only through teleconferencing. School administrators decided to forgo all final exams and will be holding virtual commencement exercises. The College Board will deliver digital exams for three million AP students this month and if schools don’t reopen in the fall, at-home SAT exams will be offered.

As surreal as everything is, though, parents and students have to keep on track. Now, more than ever, students need to concentrate on their studies. And it is essential for parents to provide the guidance that teachers used to offer.

FRESHMAN

This is the last call for your 9^th graders who need to improve their grades! Make them focus on staying on top of school and homework. While they may not be taking final exams this year, their final grades will be on their transcript. Their GPA is the single most important component of your children’s college application.

If their marks are not adequate for college acceptance requirements, they need to confer with their college counselors to arrange for remedial summer classes.

Summer projects might take on a different form this year because of social distancing. They need to speak with their grade level dean to figure out possible alternatives to the usual internships. Get your children to call various local organizations and ask how they can help during this health crisis.

Admissions officers look for students who have demonstrated sustained community service in a few well-chosen areas. It isn’t the quantity of activities but the quality that’s important – they want to gauge the depth of students’ intellectual and ethical engagement to a given cause. The summer after their freshman year is the time for your children to find activities that truly speak to their interest and passion. Let them choose one that really resonates with them which they should carry through their four years in high school.

Given that no one can really go out partying because of social distancing, the long summer months ahead will be a great time for your children to read. Encourage them to explore various genres and different authors. At the very least, reading will help them expand their vocabulary and expose them to different writing styles. This will come in handy when they write their personal statement and supplementary essays for their college application.

SOPHOMORE

Sophomore year is when your children have fully transitioned into high school. They are comfortable about how this phase fits into the whole secondary school experience. They have taken the practice PSAT, as a preparation for junior year when the results determine their eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship. They have also taken some AP tests, if they took an AP course.

Hopefully, your children have also done well in their studies, have maintained good grades this entire year, and have prepared for final exams. Admissions officers expect grades that are consistent, and if their freshman marks weren’t that great, their sophomore grades should at least show improvement over last year’s.

Make sure your children have lined up their summer activities. While it may be difficult to find something that’s an extension or an expansion of what they did in the summer of freshman year because of social distancing, they should try for something related to it. Admissions officers want to see commitment to a particular interest and, given the circumstances, they will really appreciate your children’s effort.

JUNIOR

Make sure your children have registered to take all the required standardized tests for college admissions. The Cal State and UC systems are making SAT tests optional this admissions cycle but if your children are applying through early action or early decision to other colleges, they need to have taken the SAT or ACT this summer. If your children have not been notified that this requirement is being relaxed because of the coronavirus outbreak, they should call the university’s admissions office for clarification.

Your children’s final grades are extremely important! Eleventh grade is the last complete year that college admissions officers will see on the application and they expect grades that are either consistent with, or better than the first two years’.

SENIOR

This isn’t the end-of-schoolyear that your 12^th grader was looking forward to. There will be no graduation ceremony, a teen’s rite-of-passage that marks their first step into adulthood. I hope that your children’s school has some kind of celebration and a virtual commencement exercise planned.

If your children are still sweating it on the waitlist of their first-choice college, they need to ensure their final grades are terrific! They should keep up with all their schoolwork and send the college admissions officers any updates on awards and honors they receive. They should ask their college counselor if an additional letter of recommendation might be helpful. Keeping in touch with the admissions office reinforces their interest in attending the school if accepted.

They should have put a deposit on their second-choice school to guarantee them a place for the incoming class in the fall. Although, if they come off the waitlist on their first choice, they will lose this deposit.

Be there for your children to support them whatever the outcome of their college application. It has been a significant phase of reaching adulthood and was a very important learning experience. In the end, what matters is not where they have been accepted; the college they attend will not guarantee success in the real world. It’s how they use their education that determines how well they do in life.

Pasadena Schools Embrace Remote Learning

26th December 202314th July 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 16 April 2020 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is PUSD-1.jpg — Pasadena Unified School District Office | Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News

In the midst of health concerns caused by the coronavirus outbreak, safe distancing has been implemented. Schools closed to ensure the safety of students and to help curb the spread of the disease. I set out to determine if there is a system in place to handle this sudden change and how equipped administrators, teachers, and students in Pasadena are to switch to remote learning.

Pasadena Unified School District’s (PUSD) Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development, Helen Chan Hill, informs me by email that PUSD initiated its remote learning plan in earnest very shortly prior to the school closures on March 13.

Hill expounds, “We laid out a three-stage plan: Stage 1 would be general, standards-based content that would be made available online and in print, with enough material that students could engage in reinforcement of learning for 2-3 weeks – we were able to get these up and running by March 16. Stage 1 work was completed by a central team of Curriculum & EdTech specialists, with the intent to buy a few weeks of time for teachers to build out their own online classrooms in PowerSchool Learning.

“Stage 2 began officially on April 6, following PUSD’s Spring Break. At this stage, all online classrooms are active and students should be able to take in content and lessons that are custom created for them by their teachers.

“Stage 3 is our transition to interactive learning, with the use of meeting apps and tools that allow for livestreams and more bi-directional communication between the teacher/student/ content.”

“PUSD, fortunately, had three key systems in place for several years that has helped with our readiness,” Hill continues. “The first of these is a network of Instructional Coaches in every school. They are the crux of our professional development design and have been instrumental in providing clarity and training to teachers. While teachers were planning prior to April 6, our Instructional Coaches and Principals/APs have been attending custom tutorials on remote learning that they can use with their staff.

“We have a network of TechLeaders that are early adopters of technology integration in the classroom. These are teachers who are in the classroom, but receive monthly training on apps, tools and best practices for instruction with technology. They too have been key in supporting teachers in this time!”

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is school-417612_1920-1.jpg — The school hallway, once a beehive of activity, is eerily quiet | Courtesy Photo

Asked if there are any assessments in place to determine if students are learning, Hill replies, “We have analytics on each online classroom in PowerSchool Learning with respect to usage, but as for assessment, that has not yet been fully determined. In alignment with CDE’s updates, we will be suspending nearly all of our local assessments. However, we want to help teachers to check on student progress and understanding through other means still to be determined.

“Furthermore, we have created a resource page to support our teachers and parents. We also want to emphasize that the well-being of our students and families is the utmost priority – while we are dedicating much work to ensure students’ academic opportunities, we are likewise encouraging grace, patience, and understanding around all of it. We know that families’ (as well as teachers’) lives have been uprooted and we need to take care of each other before we make demands for schoolwork.”

I’ve read articles that highlighted the plight of some students who don’t have computers at home or laptops and, even when they do have them, don’t have WiFi and I ask Hill if this is a problem at PUSD.

“Because of our techequity initiative that began in 2018, our students are already one to one with chromebooks,” Hill responds. “Sixth to 12^th grade have already been taking them home, and K – 5 use them in the classroom. Therefore on March 13 when we dismissed, we asked elementary schools to dispatch the chrome books from the classroom for students to take home. We are still working on students with no Internet access – we have deployed all of our hotspots to the majority of those families in need, and are working with others on a solution.”

Speaking with me by email, Dr. Benita Scheckel, principal of Altadena Arts Magnet School, says, “Teachers had two weeks to finish creating their virtual classrooms; students began remote learning four weeks ago with general academic content loaded by our district onto PowerSchool Learning. Our school’s instructional coach, Ms. Hanh Le has really been doing the heavy lifting of training teachers to use all the available online apps to support student learning. The district is working closely with each campus’s administrative team and instructional coach to collect data on how teachers are managing their virtual classroom set up.

“I am trying to keep everything as normal as possible – I am continuing to send them my Sunday updates for staff. I am checking in on them every day formally via email and virtual staff meetings and then informally via text and phone calls.”

Dr. Scheckel adds, “I’m just so impressed by PUSD’s ability to move from in-person to virtual learning so quickly and seamlessly. I am also incredibly inspired by our teachers’ aptitude and willingness to jump right in and learn so many new things in such a short amount of time. My teachers and so many across the district are commenting on how sad they are to not be able to see their students in person every day.”

Ashley Butler teaches World History and AP World History to around 120 mostly sophomore students at John Muir High School Early College Magnet.

She says, “I have been communicating with students through email; surveys and all work is being posted and submitted by students on a Learning Management System called PowerSchool. Next week, after our spring break, I will conduct digital lessons and hold virtual office hours via Google Hangout Meet.

“I am working to create (and modify in real time, due to the situation) lessons and activities to best support student learning and support student needs in this uncertain time. I don’t have a model or a template that I follow, per se, but I am trying to provide instruction that supports my students in the most effective way possible.”

Adds Butler, “I can’t speak for all high school teachers in this case, but speaking for myself, I am learning to communicate with my students in different ways. I am used to in-class conferencing to support student learning. However, with remote learning, this one-on-one time has changed. Now, instead of supporting students individually during class hours, students are being supported at all times during the day.

“Student engagement really depends on the class. Virtual discussions can still take place on various learning management systems and other digital resources like flip grid or padlet. Student engagement can be achieved with different types of assessments, projects, research activities about which students are passionate, or assignments/activities that relate to their lives.

“It is hard to say if high school students are better able to adapt to remote learning, I think time will tell. However, many students have explained that they miss the in-person support their peers and their teachers provide. I think that all students, no matter their age, are able to adapt to remote learning when they have teachers who have integrated technology into their classroom regularly. I think one of the greatest challenges high school students are facing is that many have familial responsibilities outside of school work.”

Asked what has been the biggest hurdle for her, Butler remarks, “Not sure I have had to overcome anything yet; I feel like every day I am faced with a new challenge, but the challenges and new learning experiences are what make education such an enjoyable profession.

Students are adapting to learning from home | Courtesy Photo

Armenui Manasarian, who is one of PUSD’s TechLeaders, teaches at Sierra Madre Middle School. She describes how she conducts her virtual classes. “For about ten years now, I have been using the LMS (Learning Management System) called Powerschool Learning. I post my assignments and content on my class pages; I record myself giving the lessons on screencastify and post them on my page for my students to listen to it and view it. To establish as much connection as possible, I check in with them by conducting polls and using discussion boards on Powerschool. I have embed Nearpod lessons, Listewise lessons, videos, etc. Eventually, I will be using Google Meets to connect to the class for live instruction.”

Continues Manasarian, “I teach five periods – two classes of English, two classes of History, and one elective that is a tech class/Hawk News with a total of 167 students. My elective does the school news broadcast and we are trying to do this remotely and sending them out to the school as a means for all of us to connect.”

“Every Monday, I post an agenda for the week so students are clear about expectations and are able to manage their time; I film tutorial videos which I send to parents and students to help them along and as to what my expectations are. I create a Dropbox so that students know where to turn in the assignments. My students use various tools such as Kami (lets them type on PDF) so that they can do the work and turn it in. I am also emailing my students/parents. I am available on Google Hangouts whenever students and parents have questions or are confused about lessons.”

“I look for interesting topics to cover. Some discussions are lecture types with only me; some are interactive where they can respond to each other in the class; and there are times when they record their voice response or, using animation, they record a face response.

“Not being able to explain things in person is a struggle at times, especially since this happened so suddenly that we didn’t really have adequate time to prepare the kids. They all have various types of households with different schedules. Their parents might not be able to help as much or they might not have the best access to internet. I try to make things very clear and set norms, guidelines, and routines so that everyone can follow along. I give them a suggested schedule, but it is up to the family to enforce them.”

While this pandemic brought to light the limitations of remote learning, it also brought out the best in the PUSD. Manasarian notes, “I am proud of my district for the pace, teamwork, and efficiency with which they dealt with the situation. They set up learning materials for two weeks for teachers who needed time to learn, and to transition and plan all of this. They made sure all students had Chromebooks so that they can all access the content and curriculum. Everyone worked together to ensure this to be a success for both teachers and students. We really came together as district leaders and teachers in this time of crisis.”

If teachers are sometimes challenged engaging middle-schoolers, those who teach the youngest learners have their work cut out for them. Five-year-olds need hand-holding and getting solid educational foundation is crucial.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is classroom-2093744_1920-1.jpg — A classroom devoid of students | Courtesy photo

Chelsea Eshnaur is a kindergarten teacher at Madison Elementary and has 19 students in her class. She expounds on how she delivers remote learning, “Using the PowerSchool, my students are able to log on to my page and see the assignments for the week; I am hoping in the upcoming weeks to try out a Google Hangout Meet. I don’t think I can use this to actually teach content because not everyone would be available at the same time to log on. In the past two weeks of online learning, I’ve only had about six students actually log on. But I’m hoping to just do a daily read aloud and just say ‘Hi’ to those who are available.

“As we have switched to this online platform for teaching, I have mostly just been creating my own method for pushing out content. Being in kindergarten has made it harder to adapt my content to a digital platform, but there are so many resources out there from other educators that have made it pretty seamless.

“I have created additional resources on my page that include ‘Enrichment’ and ‘Intervention Practice.’ The goal of the ‘Enrichment’ page is to provide resources that would engage the students outside of the core academics. For example: art, science, social studies, P.E., etc…. In the ‘Intervention Practice’ page, I have a plethora of resources for the students to work on in areas that they might be struggling in, outside of weekly content.”

“Because my students are so young, I cannot expect them to engage the content independently,” Eshnauer says further. “They need the help of someone at home to log on and work through everything with them (reading directions, etc…). I know that this model of school work has been an adjustment, not just for me and my students but for their families as well, many of whom are still working during the day.

“I’ve had a handful of parents reach out for clarification. I’ve sent out emails, phone blasts, and messages on Remind (messaging system), with very few responses. This is the most frustrating part because, like I said earlier, for the younger students, they need someone to help them access all of this. And when I have 4 out of 19 parents respond to any updates, it makes me think that the other 15 students aren’t getting anything.

How do you know if the children are actually taking in the lessons you’re posting online? I query. Eshnaur replies, “That’s a good question! Because I don’t have every student logging on daily, I cannot guarantee that all students are accessing the content. I include an online ‘quiz’ at the end of the week for each main content area (phonics, reading and math).”

While it’s still early days and there isn’t much data available, I nevertheless ask Eshnauer what has worked well and what hasn’t since remote learning has been put in place. She says, “So far I have found that I just need to be as available as possible. For parents that are accessing the content during the ‘school day,’ I’m trying to check emails and messages as often as possible in case of any questions. Also, be willing to troubleshoot everything! Online learning is new for all of us. So I’m constantly checking links and asking parents to let me know if they’re not working on their end, etc…

“What makes me nervous since going to online learning is just the lack of data that I will have. I know people might think, ‘it’s just kindergarten,’ but this part of the year is critical. I still have about half my class that are struggling to master the alphabet (ID and sound). This part of the year would have been more intensive as I worked with them to get them where they need to be. But so far, most of those students are not even logging on. And now they’re going to go to first grade at a disadvantage and the gap will just get wider and wider the more they progress through the grades.”

These are unprecedented times we live in. The world as we know it has been upended and most normal activities have practically ground to a halt. As disconcerting as our conditions are at the moment, however, life has to go on and so we persevere.

And as we have seen on television and read in the papers, during these extraordinarily dire times when our resources are diminished and our spirits are tested, we manage to make the best of our circumstances. Our collective will to fight the odds prevails and makes us soar above adversities.

Monrovia Schools Adopt Distance Learning

25th December 20238th July 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 9 April 2020 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly and Monrovia Weekly

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is classroom-2093744_1920-954x682.jpg — A classroom devoid of students | Courtesy Photo

On March 13 this year, more than 12,000 public and private K-12 schools in California announced closures to keep children and teachers safe after the coronavirus outbreak. They sent students home for an extended spring break while school administrators and teachers scrambled to put together a curriculum and system for distance learning.

Except for a handful of high schools offering online courses, such as Stanford University’s Online High School which was established in 2006 for grades 7-12, virtual classes were a rarity. But that changed practically overnight.

To find out when schools in the western San Gabriel Valley started distance learning and how they are delivering it, I reach out by email to three public school districts and independent schools. What I discover is that local schools, fortunately, have the infrastructure in place to support virtual learning.

Furthermore, based on their responses to my questions, I uncover the amazing dedication and skill of administrators and teachers who, in very short order, found ways to teach and connect with students and parents. I am featuring them separately because I would like to do their work justice. And while each article will never be able to cover the depth and breadth of their efforts, it gives readers a good perspective of what’s going on.

Dr. Katherine Thorossian, superintendent of the Monrovia Unified School District (MUSD), says, “Most of our online classes began on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. The few that did not, began with packets. Our schools were fairly well prepared. Our teachers and administrators have been training on various virtual platforms, with special emphases in Google Classrooms and the Google Suite of tools, systemically for the past five years. Our schools distributed devices to those students who did not have a personal tablet at home. We conducted a survey to see where the needs were and have worked diligently to fill those needs.”

I inquire how the district is supporting teachers and students in this new way of schooling. Replies Dr. Thorossian, “Teachers are meeting weekly with their principals in Google Hangouts. Teachers are receiving ongoing professional development from Instructional Specialists who support them with the technology and the content areas. Each school has two to six teachers (depending upon their size) who have been highly trained in technology tasked with being a support to the teachers on the school site. Two technology hotlines have been created – one for teachers and one for students/parents.

“Teachers are contacting students who have not accessed the content to make sure there are no issues with technology and to make sure every student remains connected with their teachers. Additionally, counselors are not only providing office hours, but are reaching out to students with whom they had previously scheduled regular ‘check-ins.’ Counselors are also meeting virtually with existing groups for group counseling sessions.

“Instructional Specialists created two weekly newsletters: one to support teachers and another to support parents.

“While everyone is working at different times and locations in order to practice the safest of precautions, we are still ‘open.’ Teachers and administrators are still accessible and responding in a timely manner. Schools and offices are still answering and returning calls and emails.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is school-417612_1920-912x682.jpg — The school hallway, once a beehive of activity, is eerily quiet | Courtesy Photo

Dr. Thorossian elucidates on how the district monitors progress, “Principals have been ‘invited’ into the Google Classrooms on their virtual campus and ‘walk through’ classes in order to be aware of how things are going ‘on campus’ and to provide support where needed. Principals have daily check-ins with members of the district office team. We created an online platform that has a lot of information for parents, teachers, and students. It is a dynamic site that we continue to fill with new information and resources. It may be accessed through the main page of our website, and I encourage people to check it out as without it, they will not get a complete picture of the work being done.”

Asked if there is any assessment in place to determine if students are learning, Dr. Thorossian remarks, “An essential element in the learning cycle is feedback. Teachers provide feedback in many ways to their students and, in that way, monitor the progress they are making in class. Standardized tests have been suspended this year in California. We are still working to determine the best manner in which classroom assessments should be administered.”

Jennifer Maljian, an Instructional Technology Specialist for MUSD who also happens to have two children attending schools in the district, describes her function, “My colleague, Chad Miller, and I have been trying to set up spaces and times that teachers who have questions have a place to have those voiced. We send out a weekly newsletter with distance learning tips and a video message from us. We also hold weekly Q&A sessions via Zoom to discuss topics related to Google classroom, distance learning through the student lens, and time set aside for teacher questions. We’ve had a very good turnout for those, thus far. Our goal is to continue these platforms for teachers throughout the duration of the distance learning.

“We have completed two weeks of distance learning – we’re currently on week three, but it’s officially our Spring Break. I can pretty much bet that teachers are using this week to really plan and prep for the next weeks to come!”

Markiena Madison teaches about 145 students in her 6^th and 7^th Science and Social Studies classes at Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School. She explains, “My classes are conducted through Google Classroom, which is the platform I’ve been using for four years now. In addition to that, I screencast a lot of my teaching so students can view it at their own pace and work through it. I use Nearpod lessons for teaching as well. Lastly, I conduct virtual class meetings using Zoom to keep the connection with them, check-in, and to laugh a bit.”

“I have pre-created templates readily available for use and I also make new templates based on what I want them to learn/demonstrate for the day. Those templates include graphic organizers, vocabulary organizers, and fill-in forms using Google.”

As to student participation, Madison says, “It’s not a big issue when we’re using Zoom, but sometimes students don’t want to participate visually, so they close/turn off the camera. However, they do stay social using the audio. The biggest hurdle is motivating the students that were already struggling to do the work at home and the lack of face-to-face contact which makes a huge impact on engagement. In addition to that, making sure they complete all the assignments without the same in-class instruction.”

Madison notes, “Most of my students, during our virtual discussions, have stated that they already want to come back to school – even those students that don’t like to come to school. Which proves the saying, ‘You don’t appreciate something until it’s gone.’”

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Maddie-Micah-3-909x682.jpg — The dining table is now the hub of distance learning | Photo by Jennifer Maljian / MUSD

At Clifton Middle School, Gina Ayala teaches 101 6^th grade and 67 8^th grade students. She says, “The model I used for teaching was initially quite fluid – it felt like a beta test. Additionally, the first days were focused on assessing which students had access to technology (cell phones only, home WiFi, tablet or computer with full keyboard etc.) The technology access determined my expectation during the first days of quarantine.

“As we enter week three of distance learning (April 6) following our Spring Break, I plan to use more of a template. For example, assignments posted on Monday & Wednesday, activity on Friday with certain ‘office hours’ posted per grade level and specific class Zoom sessions scheduled by period. My hope is that a routine which allows flexibility will suit the academic and social needs of my students.”

Ayala tries to make sure students participate, “During teleconference, I use the same equity cards I used in the classroom to randomly call on students for response or contribution. I also use the private comment feature on Google Classroom to address a student. I’ve called parents and sent emails to families to gather information on why a student may not be responding to a Google Classroom prompt. Additionally, my grade level team (8^th grade) has decided to work to get our students on the same schedule so all 8^th grade science students will know the expectations for the week ahead. This will help with friends being able to help friends even if they don’t share the same teacher. I believe this will definitely help engage students who aren’t actively participating.”

“Initially, the biggest challenge was determining what type of digital access was available to each and every student. I need to be able to reach EVERY student,” Ayala adds.

“The learning curve for many teachers was very steep – switching, with virtually no notice, from the classroom to the virtual classroom,” comments Ayala. “My colleagues have been extremely helpful and inspiring. The amount of new apps, teleconference platforms, emails regarding distance learning, webinars, YouTube links, in addition to the plethora of resources pushed out by our district can be daunting. I have gone down the internet rabbit hole of amazing resources available. Knowing that too much information can cause a mental shutdown, I want to be mindful that my students aren’t experiencing that with new learning styles necessary in each of their ‘virtual’ classrooms. The silver lining is how much I have learned in such a short amount of time – the most practical, self-directed ‘professional development’ I’ve ever experienced. I cannot overstate the gratitude I feel towards my colleagues who have been both professionally collaborative and personally entertaining (videos, memes, FaceTime, Hangouts, virtual Happy Hours).

Clifton Middle School principal Jennifer Jackson voices her reservations and offers her insights. “Distance learning has its advantages at times, but the circumstances in which we entered into it made it difficult. Teachers are not used to digital platforms of learning but rather rely on technology tools when appropriate during lessons. There is quite a difference here. I feel the Clifton teachers have done a tremendous job embracing their new normal and providing a reasonable and accessible curriculum in all subject areas including physical education and electives.

“However, I do have concerns with accumulated screen time for students as we endure school closures. We will continue to learn and provide teachers the resources they need to become more confident with distance learning in addition to providing support for students. We will have much to reflect upon when this is over and I do wholeheartedly believe schools will benefit from all of this in the long run.”

The most important component of the remote learning platform are the students and it would be remiss of me not to ask them for their thoughts. I reach out to Maljian’s children – Madison (Maddie) and Micah.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Maddie-Maljian-2-909x682.jpg — Madison Maljian | Photo by Jennifer Maljian / MUSD

Maddie is in 5^th grade at MUSD’s Plymouth Elementary School. Responding to my question on how she receives her online learning, she writes, “My teacher, Mrs. Kim, posts an agenda in Google Classroom each day using a Google Doc that includes hyperlinks to each assignment, activity, or Hangout we are to join for the day. She also includes a friendly morning message to us each day. In addition, she also sends the same Google Doc agenda to my parents through the Remind app each morning.

How do you motivate yourself to learn when you’re not actively participating in class? I inquire. Maddie answers, “When we started Distance Learning, I sat down with my parents and we discussed a schedule for each day that would include waking up, getting dressed like I’m going to school. I wrote down on a piece of paper what I needed to complete for the day so I could check items off as I finished them. I also tell myself each day I can do it!”

I ask Maddie if she had any challenges because of this new method and if she reached out to her teacher for help. She discloses, “ I struggled one day with WiFi at my house, and I was unable to join a Zoom with my class. Once my family figured out the WiFi issue, I contacted my teacher through Google Hangout and she filled me in on what I missed. My biggest hurdle is missing my teacher and school friends and trying to find ways to still connect with them.”

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Micah-Maljian-909x682.jpg — Micah Maljian | Photo by Jennifer Maljian/ MUSD

Her brother Micah, who is a 7^th grader at Computer Science Magnet School, reports “ I get updates in Google Classroom from all of my teachers. Each teacher posts a check-in question and an assignment or activity as well as a video, almost every day. The videos are awesome – some teachers tell jokes, sing songs, perform Santa Fe cheers. It makes me feel like I’m still at school, even if only for a few minutes.

“My mom and I sit down every morning and we create one sheet that includes all of the items I need to complete that day. As I finish them, I am able to check them off. I also include break times for myself where I can practice baseball, juggle the soccer ball, and play basketball in my backyard.”

“The biggest challenge I’ve had so far was figuring out what format a teacher wanted a document submitted through Google Classroom. I emailed that teacher, and they got back to me very quickly and walked me through exactly how I needed to do that. The most difficult hurdle to overcome in this sudden change in my learning is missing my school, my classmates and friends, and my teachers. I really wish I could go back to school, but my teachers are doing everything to make it the best experience for us,” Micah ends.

Their mom adds, “My two kids have had really positive experiences with online learning. We’ve only run into the WiFi being a bit spotty which requires leaving an assignment for a while until we can get the WiFi up and running and then coming back to the assignment to finish it.

“It’s definitely a quick learning curve for everyone, but on a daily basis I am BLOWN away by how amazing the teachers in MUSD are! We are very lucky to have such rock stars teaching our kids! Their energy is magnetic and is what has continued to make my kids want to get up each morning – to see the video messages they send their students and the fun ways they’re incorporating silly things like crazy hat day, or how many jumping jacks can you do in 90 seconds. The heart of a teacher is nothing short of a miracle to these students right now!”

During this safe-distancing and remote learning period, we are once again reminded that humans are hard wired for social interaction and the classroom experience cannot be virtually replicated. Students, as much as teachers, are in school not only for the academics but for the physical contact and friendship.

However, it is also during trying times that we see human beings come together – school administrators and teachers united to ensure continuity in student learning. We accomplish extraordinary things when we rise to the challenge.

Altadena Arts Magnet School Aspires to Greatness

24th December 202328th July 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 9 March 2020 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Dr. Benita Scheckel with student-created art | Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News

Nestled at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains in Altadena is Altadena Elementary School, established in 1903 from what used to be a trolley stop for the Mount Lowe Trail. Known today as Altadena Arts Magnet School, it is the premier dual language and arts school in the San Gabriel Valley.

That renown, however, is fairly new. The school languished for a few years after its principal left and it became the lowest-rated in the district. It took a grant, a curriculum change, and the guidance of Dr. Benita Scheckel to transform the school into a model of excellence in a relatively short period of time.

A former actress and opera singer, Scheckel came to the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) in 2007 and taught English, drama, and music at Blair IB Magnet School. In 2015, she decided she wanted to go into administration; she got placed as assistant principal for Student Support Services at Marshall Fundamental School.

Scheckel picks up the story, “From there, I applied to Altadena Elementary School when it had just applied for the five-year arts magnet grant. We didn’t know then if we were going to get it, but I took a leap of faith that this would become an arts magnet school. At the same time, it became a French dual language immersion school and I had some experience in that area so I felt it was a dream place to work at.”

The school playground has an unimpeded view of the San Gabriel mountains; a new kiln will be installed in the shed with the blue roof on the right | Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News

“It was once a wonderful school of 600 students and they had a long-time principal for 20 years,” relates Dr. Scheckel. “As PUSD began to attract more charter and private schools, the principal left and then the school went under construction. There was a period of instability – they had five principals in three years, enrollment declined from 600 to just under 200, there was low staff morale, and they had very low test scores – it was the lowest performing elementary school in the district.

“I looked at that first year as a chance to get to know the culture and climate and to infuse the school with as much positivity, enthusiasm, and vision. I set out to uplift the staff and support the teachers so that they can begin doing the amazing work they used to do that they weren’t able to do through the years of not having solid leadership.”

Continues Dr. Scheckel, “Before the school year started, the first couple of weeks I was here, I sat down for a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with the entire staff. Having just gotten here, I knew they didn’t trust me initially, so I asked teachers who they trusted and respected. I also met each staff member individually for a half hour. From those meetings and being on campus, I was able to figure out who they trusted and those were the people I put in the leadership team.

“Being used to secondary school, where there’s an assistant principal of curriculum and an assistant principal of discipline, I installed an instructional leadership team consisting of an instructional coach, a coach for discipline, and myself. I also created an extended leadership team – this includes our arts teacher, TOSA (teacher on special assignment), and our magnet grant coordinator.

“Then I brought in ‘Capturing Kids’ Hearts,’ a systemic reform program which our grant pays for. It provides many hours of professional development to teachers and staff around building a relational culture – student to student, teacher to teacher, staff to staff. I spent a lot of our money, resources, and energy forming a relational campus, where people don’t just shut their door and not relate to others but instead get together and hang out, appreciate each other and feel safe.”

Students working on an art project | Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News

“Now we have a thriving school – our enrollment is increasing daily,” Scheckel says, beaming with pride. “We closed last school year with 228 students and today we’re at 287. When we came back from winter break, in January and February, 20 students enrolled. Along with enrollment, test scores are up. We’ve increased our math and English scores exponentially – we’re no longer the lowest performing school. We have arts infused into everything we do. Our students receive up to 12 hours per week of discrete art and arts integrated instruction – it runs similar to a conservatory, which is very unusual for an elementary school where normally kids stay in the classroom and do an art project.

“Here, students go to dance, art, music, media arts, and theatre arts classes taught by professionals in that specific field. We have designated arts spaces – we have a state-of-the-art Marley dance floor, fully sprung so that it doesn’t hurt their joints, with ballet barres and mirrors; a black box theatre; a music studio; an art studio, and so on. To complement the dedicated spaces, we have a curriculum that’s structured like a conservatory. All students attend every art class so teachers have had to look at the schedule – take out the time students would have their recess and lunch, and when they’re in art class, and figure out how to teach the core curriculum in that time. I was nervous about it at first but they have done a beautiful job. It’s taken out any wasted time, transitions are tightened. Also, the teachers are following the students to all the art classes so that they can learn how to do these things when we switch to our built-in sustainability plan when the grant expires.”

Scheckel then came up with another great idea. She discloses, “With the grant, we decided we were going to build art spaces out of the classrooms. I thought I needed to bring a little bit of community awareness, community buy-in, and a little glitz and glamour to our campus. I reached out to some local celebrities and community leaders and asked them if we could name these spaces for them. Fortunately, they said yes.”

The Lula Washington Dance Studio | Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News

And so, on Wednesday, March 11, Altadena Arts Magnet School will hold a special ribbon cutting and studio dedication event where the art spaces will be named for distinguished arts personalities. The star studded festivities, with Supervisor Kathryn Barger in attendance, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. and will feature a special performance by vocal artist Lynn Fiddmont.

“We’ll have a red carpet and a photographer,” says Scheckel. “The Muir Jazz Band will play and we’ll walk around and unveil these seven art spaces – the Matthew Lillard Black Box Theatre; Patrice Rushen Music Studio; Lula Washington Dance Studio; Keni Arts Art Studio; Artis Lane Sculpture Play Yard and Kiln; Bettye Holliday Art Gallery; and the MonteCedro and Dr. Eunice Elizabeth Nash Arts Garden.”

“I would like students to be inspired by knowing that each room is connected to someone who’s really working in that profession,” explains Scheckel. “So every time a student walks into the Patrice Rushin Music Studio I want them to be able to look around and think ‘I could be a four-time Grammy-nominated musician; I can be just like Patrice.’ I’m hoping that the celebrity name will maybe add a little pixie dust to the space, a little inspiration for the children.”

A beautiful mural graces the learning space | Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media New

Three years into Scheckel’s stewardship, Altadena Arts Magnet School is the only elementary school where little children are travelling throughout the day like middle- and high-schoolers. It has earned a distinct reputation in the area, something she revels in, and not without a sense of relief mixed with wonder.

“It’s incredible!” enthuses Scheckel. “The first year I was very nervous all the time. It was my first principalship and I was worried; I wanted to be certain I do things correctly and make as few mistakes as possible. Now, this third year feels like ‘we’re okay, we’re cooking with gas.’ Everybody knows what the vision is, the team is phenomenal, everybody’s moving in the right direction.

“It’s amazing what you can do with a school if you add love, grit, and a solid vision for greatness. I think if you have those three things, you can really turn a school around. And we have achieved that. We can’t believe it when families try to come to us from Glendale or La Canada. They’re leaving La Canada schools to come and be a part of our school! Our tours have 40 people on them. There are pregnant mothers who are crying because they think there won’t be space when their baby comes. How fascinating!”

Dr. Scheckel is only just beginning and there’s no stopping her. And students at Altadena Arts Magnet School are the lucky beneficiaries of this indefatigable principal’s grand vision.

March College Search Guide

22nd December 202314th July 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 2 March 2020 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

The road to college

It has been feeling like summer the past couple of weeks but we’re only approaching spring and I’m sure your children are already looking forward to spring break. While it is an opportunity for them to relax, it is also a chance to evaluate where they are on their schoolwork.

Following last spring’s infamous college bribing scandal, several universities, including the UC and Cal State systems, have dropped the standardized tests as a requirement for college application. While some perceive this as leveling the playing field, a great many are not convinced; the jury is still out on this issue. At the same time, several administrators are advocating for a method to gauge college readiness and some form of testing is necessary. Whatever the case may be, your children have to apply themselves to studying and working hard because their GPA may be the only academic benchmark for admission.

I’m including reminders for the ACTs, SATs and APs in the college search guide as they are still requirements at some universities.

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 to 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 should have some ideas on how they can explore their passions and research summer opportunities. Consider looking into international experiences.

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 will 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.

It’s also a good time for your children 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.

There are outside resources for your children to plan ahead for the admissions process. A college preparation service called CollegeVine (www.collegevine.com) offers near-peer mentoring from ninth to 12th graders. Their consultants, who are recent high school graduates themselves, provide expert guidance. They are near in age to the children they are helping and have recently applied to college themselves.

If you’re looking for a counselor who can meet in person with you and your children, I would recommend Greg Kaplan. He is a native Southern Californian and has been holding free college application workshops in the San Gabriel Valley. He is available for a personal meeting for the initial conference and thereafter confers with you and children via Skype.

Likewise, Kaplan’s book “Earning Admission: Real Strategies for Getting into Highly Selective Colleges” is a useful resource. It offers your children a guide on how to best present themselves to admissions officers.

JUNIOR

Besides registering and preparing for the SAT or ACT, your children should use the spring break to visit college campuses. If possible, they should have a prepared 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. This topic has 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 see themselves thriving there. 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

As I expounded on last month, some colleges will be sending out decision letters sometime in March or April. Your children should keep their wits about them as they await word from the colleges they applied to.

After the marathon they finished, your children could be quite restless and anxious to know if they have been accepted to their school of choice. Remind them to use this quiet time productively by keeping their focus on academics and their grades. They should still engage in other worthwhile activities like sports or arts.

Tell your children that they might be getting letters of rejection from some schools. While you might be more disappointed than your son or daughter, avoid showing it as that sends the wrong message. Not being accepted to their first choice isn’t the end of the world. In fact, while it may not seem like it at first blush, it usually turns out to be a blessing in disguise because, in most cases, they end up in the school that is the right fit for them.

You and your children should research all scholarships and grants available to them. Many colleges offer merit scholarships to applicants with excellent academic records to motivate them to matriculate. The package usually includes the full cost of tuition and fees and may also cover room and board.

Universities also extend need-based grants to applicants who demonstrate a financial hardship. These reduce the cost of a college education and do not need to be repaid. Your children should complete the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Other schools may also require a college-specific financial aid application.

Here are some useful websites to help you get started in your research: CollegeXpress (www.collegexpress.com/); Fastweb (www.fastweb.com); National Merit Scholarship Corporation (www.nationalmerit.org); Scholarships.com (www.scholarships.com); Scholarships360 (www.scholarships360.org); Student Aid on the Web (www.studentaid.ed.gov).

February College Search Guide

21st December 202314th July 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 6 February 2020 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

| Courtesy Photo

The road to college

With winter break in the rearview mirror, your children’s emphasis should have shifted back to school work. Hopefully, they have also done well in their first semester and are actively involved in this phase of their learning.

FRESHMAN

Your children are well into the second semester of 9^th grade and are now fully engaged in the academic and extra-curricular life at their school. They should continue focusing on maintaining good grades. 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.

Encourage your children to start thinking about their summer community service activity. Your student’s college counselor may have some recommendations on community service and other clubs and organizations to develop his or her interests and abilities. I have to emphasize that your children should pursue an activity they are truly passionate about and be involved in it throughout their four years in high school. This shows admissions officers genuine interest and zeal.

SOPHOMORE

Make sure your children are staying on top of their grades so that the final grades that go on their transcript are the best they could earn. The schools they will be applying to will only get to see all the marks in their first three years in high school. If their first semester grades weren’t stellar, they need to improve their grades this semester. 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; http://www.act.org).

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 admissions officers will be looking at when your children send their application. They need to maintain their good grades and continue their extra-curricular activities. If they had good study habits back in 9^th grade and have established a routine, they shouldn’t be feeling overwhelmed right now.

Recently, I was reminded of the fact that for most students meeting frequently with their school’s counselors isn’t always a possibility. In some high schools where there are as many as 400 seniors to four full-time counselors, a junior may not even get any face-to-face time with a counselor. This puts the onus on your children to be very resourceful and to take the initiative in gathering their research material and plan their course of action as they embark on the college application process.

Outside independent resources are also available for you and your children if you need assistance. One particular organization I heard about is called CollegeVine in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Its near-peer mentoring method pairs high school students with highly-qualified college student “peers” who have had recent success navigating this same road, which is challenging and daunting for teens. This model works because students relate to mentors closer to their own age who truly get them, communicate the same way, and are already on the campuses of the top universities with access to real-time information and tools. Peer mentors confer with students via video conferencing.

If you want an independent counselor who can sit down with you face-to-face during the initial meetings, Greg Kaplan would be a good resource. He grew up in and attended Southern California schools and has written an excellent book called “Earning Admission: Real Strategies for Getting into Highly Selective Colleges.” He will guide your student through the four years of high school and strategize how to best present your child to admissions officers. He does Skype conferencing after the first meeting.

Meanwhile, as the parent of a junior, you should also make sure your child is on track – has taken all the courses the high school requires for graduation and are taking all the courses to complete the UC and Cal State requirements.

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. AP registration is in the fall but specific deadlines may vary by school, so your children should check with their teachers or AP coordinator. 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 not take for granted that they are all done with schoolwork because they have sent in their college application. Don’t let them succumb to “senioritis” – they still have to submit their final transcript. The school can rescind their acceptance if admissions officers see a drastic drop in their grades. In fact, a single lower mark can trigger some questions. Besides, third quarter grades are very important in case they are waitlisted. And, in the unfortunate event that they realize the school they are attending isn’t the right fit for them, senior-year grades will be crucial if they decide to apply for a transfer. One college freshman I know did just that this past winter break.

Additionally, seniors need to be mindful of their social activities. Schools are tech-savvy – they check social media profiles of students they have accepted and can rescind that offer if they find unacceptable behavior. Your children should be mindful of what may end up online.

If your children have received new awards or commendations, or have accomplished something significant since they sent in their college application, they should email this important update to the admissions officer or the area representative of the school they applied to.

The months following the end of the college application process are usually as anxiety-ridden for seniors as well as parents. While everyone has breathed a sigh of relief that the mad rush is over, the waiting period is just as nerve-wracking. In the next few weeks, some college decisions would be trickling in.

Remind your children to be careful how they share their good news as their friends might be getting some bad news at the same time. If they have been accepted to their “safety school” but aren’t planning on attending it, they should resist the urge to boast about it as it might be someone else’s “dream school.”

Most of all, your children need to be patient – the answer will eventually arrive and nothing can hurry it up. Colleges notify at different times and in different ways. They shouldn’t read into the timing of the decision letters; their friends getting good news early doesn’t necessarily mean a bad outcome for them.

Your children should confirm with the colleges to make sure they have all the documents they require. They should continue applying for scholarships (www.scholarships.com; www.collegexpress.com; www.scholarships360.org, www.fastweb.com,

www.studentaid.ed.gov, http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/graduating-debt-free) and getting their FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov) ready for submission.

January College Search Guide

20th December 202314th July 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 2 January 2020 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Harvard University | Courtesy Photo

The road to college

Happy New Decade! 2019 was quite eventful for college admissions, with the bribing scandal dominating the news for months. This brought into light the inequity in the process – not only are students from wealthy backgrounds able to take SAT prep courses, they can also hire counselors who will manipulate the system further.

The University of California and Cal State systems subsequently announced that they will no longer require students to submit ACT or SAT test scores with their application. More universities may follow suit.

During NACAC’s (National Association for College Admission Counseling) National Conference, the organization decided to make changes to their Code of Ethics and Professional Practices (CEPP) as well as bylaws, with the removal of certain provisions:

“Colleges must not offer incentives exclusive to students applying or admitted under an early decision application plan. Examples of incentives include the promise of special housing, enhanced financial aid packages, and special scholarships for early decision admits. Colleges may, however, disclose how admission rates for early decision differ from those for other admission plans.”

“College choices should be informed, well-considered, and free from coercion. Students require a reasonable amount of time to identify their college choices; complete applications for admission, financial aid, and scholarships; and decide which offer of admission to accept. Once students have committed themselves to a college, other colleges must respect that choice and cease recruiting them.”

“Colleges will not knowingly recruit or offer enrollment incentives to students who are already enrolled, registered, have declared their intent, or submitted contractual deposits to other institutions. May 1 is the point at which commitments to enroll become final, and colleges must respect that. The recognized exceptions are when students are admitted from a waitlist, students initiate inquiries themselves, or cooperation is sought by institutions that provide transfer programs.”

“Colleges must not solicit transfer applications from a previous year’s applicant or prospect pool unless the students have themselves initiated a transfer inquiry or the college has verified prior to contacting the students that they are either enrolled at a college that allows transfer recruitment from other colleges or are not currently enrolled in a college.”

As with all new rules and changes, no one is entirely sure how students or the colleges are affected. Already, there are concerns that these open the doors wide open for poaching – critics of the changes worry that colleges and universities will attempt to recruit students even after the student made their school decision. And that some schools may actually raise their required deposits to prevent students from changing their choice.

One upside is that the changes may allow smaller schools to compete with big-name colleges and universities. Now that students aren’t bound to matriculate, colleges may offer students varying financial aid packages giving students the opportunity to choose the best available option.

You and your children have to do your research diligently this admissions process.

By this time, winter break is over and students are heading back to school I hope your children got the opportunity to de-stress and refresh, enjoyed time away from school, and just delighted in being teenagers. The years between middle and high school aren’t that long and, once gone, will never come back. Give your children the chance to relish this period in their lives.

It amazes me how much driving parents do during the school year taking their kids to school, after-school sports practice and events, AP or SAT classes, weekend music lessons, etc. If all that running around makes parents stressed out I can only imagine how it must be for children who are juggling all these activities on top of going through puberty.

Parents can help their children by showing their support and guiding them through their high school years. Starting preparations for college admissions in 9^th grade, instead of during the spring of your children’s junior year makes this process more manageable.

Private high schools have counselors to give personal attention to students during the college application process. But many public schools do not have the staff for individualized guidance and it falls largely to parents to help their children.

There are independent counselors you can consult for advice as you and your children navigate the admissions process. Sometimes just having someone you can call to answer some of your concerns or questions takes off much of the burden, most especially this year with all the changes taking place.

Greg Kaplan, a Southern California native, offers counseling via Skype. He has written a book called Earning Admission: Real Strategies for Getting into Highly Selective Colleges that enlightens you on the process; he also offers college counseling workshops in the San Gabriel Valley.

An educational service called CollegeVine, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, whose counselors are current university students, is also a good resource. These peer mentors can give your children the most current information about what the colleges are looking for since they are still in school themselves. Consultation is also done via video conferencing.

FRESHMAN

Typically, the beginning of the year marks the halfway point in the schoolyear. First semester grades will soon be released, if they had not been sent out yet. If your 9^th graders’ marks are not great, they 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 GPA is a very important, if not the single most influential, component of the college application. With some universities now eliminating ACT and SAT requirements, admissions officers only have your children’s GPA to gauge their college-readiness and success.

Make sure your children are continuing their extra-curricular activities in arts or sports, with concentration on one or two where they excel. Finding something they are truly passionate about and doing it throughout their high school years show their commitment. My daughter realized she loved acting only when she reached 11^th grade. Thus, she didn’t have enough time to engage in it, and her resume reflected that.

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 children should continue their focus on academic performance skills, sports participation and arts involvement. They should also start studying for the PSAT (www.collegeboard.com). Taking a practice PSAT in 10^th grade gives them the chance to identify weaknesses then work on them before taking the NMSQT (www.nationalmerit.org) in 11^th grade. At my daughter’s alma mater, students meet with their grade level dean in the winter of 10^th 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. Those 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 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. 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.

Your children 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 campus with 20,000 students is the right setting for them. While 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 record 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 1^st regular decision/admission deadline. Some universities, like Georgetown, have a later deadline. Some schools also have ED (Early Decision) II. Parents should already have filed their income tax returns; get ready to submit FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Apply for scholarships. There are several websites to help you with your search like www.scholarships.com, http://www.collegexpress.com, www.scholarships360.org, http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/graduating-debt-free.

As much as I am tempted to say “Tell your kids to breathe a sigh of relief because the hard part is over,” the reality is that they will be anxious because all that’s left now is the wait. And, oftentimes, the waiting is more difficult than the application process. Just be there for your kids to remind them that they have done a great job and they should let the admissions professionals do theirs.

The months from January through March can still be a time for your children to do something to help their cause. Mid-January is when high schools get their first semester grades finalized. If your student’s mid-year report is particularly spectacular, this could be a very good development especially if he/she is applying to a highly selective college. When your children’s high school sends the grades, have your children follow up with an email to the area representative telling them about their hard work and interest in that college.

If your children have been deferred at a college when they applied through early action or early decision, it is advisable for them to send in an additional teacher recommendation, but only if this supports their application. Likewise, if your student has received any notable honors or made any significant achievement, he/she should let the admissions officers know by email.

Having done all these, you and your children will now just have to wait patiently for the process to play itself out.

December College Search Guide

15th December 202328th July 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 5 December 2019 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Harvard University | Courtesy Photo

The road to college

Well, the rain certainly put a damper on our Thanksgiving weekend. But Southern California is always in need of it, so the rain was something to be thankful for. We’re also feeling the Southland version of winter with cooler daytime weather and freezing overnight temperatures in the mountains. All these have resulted in snow-capped mountains, making for a veritable Alpine sight. Christmas tree lots beckon with fragrant firs and mall stores entice with all kinds of sales promotions. And, of course, children are eagerly anticipating the Christmas season and winter break.

As we head towards the end of the year, some students are finishing up on the first semester and grateful that they are halfway through this school year. At the same time, some universities are re-examining their application process in light of the bribing scandal that rocked some of the most elite institutions of higher learning in the country earlier this year.

In an article published on November 24, L.A. Times writer Teresa Watanabe reported that chancellors of UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz and the University of California’s chief academic officer said they support dropping the SAT and ACT as an admission requirement.

According to UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol T. Christ and UC Provost Michael Brown, research has convinced them that performance on the SAT and ACT is so strongly influenced by family income, parent’s education, and race that using them for high stakes admissions decisions is simply wrong.

While Brown sees the SAT and ACT as an inaccurate barometer for admission, he isn’t opposed to all standardized tests that measure students by how much they’ve mastered prescribed academic content. He cited Smarter Balanced, which is used in California to assess 11^th graders on the state’s Common Core Curriculum.

The article further mentioned that the 10-campus UC system and 23-campus Cal State system would join more than 1,000 other colleges that have gone testing-optional, with 47 more schools joining in the last 12 months.

Such measures, of course, are bad news for the multi-billion dollar college prep industry and among the dissenters to universities’ dropping the SAT and ACT tests is the College Board, which owns and administers the SAT. Any change to what has been standard in the college application process will upend the existing method and it’s safe to presume that it would take a while before everyone can agree to one solution.

As I have consistently preached to students, and parents who are helping and guiding them through the process, high schoolers should make sure they are getting good grades in all their subjects. The single, most important component of their transcript is their GPA. And, during the shift that is currently taking shape, it is the one constant that admissions officers are closely looking at. Students’ GPA reflects not merely what they’ve learned in the classroom but is an indicator of how well prepared they are to tackle the rigors of college and a predictor of their success when they get in.

FRESHMAN

What a relief it must be for your 9^th grader – he or she has survived the first semester of high school. While your children’s thoughts may be all about Christmas holiday, this would be a good time to evaluate their progress. Remind them that while first semester grades don’t show on the final transcript, these are barometers of their academic strengths and weaknesses. Encourage them to use the winter break to plan how to improve where needed and how to build on their successes going into the second semester.

SOPHOMORE

If your children are taking AP courses they should also have taken the AP and SAT II exams. They should take the time to meet with their college counselors for guidance on how to improve their test scores, if necessary. Now is the time to look at their interests to determine what college course they might be suited for. Based on their aptitude and grades, they will have to start planning on their course options for 11^th grade. They can also start researching which colleges offer the course they might want to pursue.

JUNIOR

This is an all-important year for your 11^th grader and it is one of the busiest of their high school career. Your children should be able to successfully balance their academic and extra-curricular responsibilities. They should have already taken rigorous course loads, participated in campus activities, and moved into positions of leadership in whatever extra-curricular endeavor they chose.

If your children are applying to universities that still require the ACT or SAT results, they should start preparing for the exams either by taking practice tests online or by taking a prep course. Hopefully, college counselors have met with you and your children, and have given you an overview of the college application process. Your children (and you) should already have been to at least one College Fair and have met with a few admissions officers.

It might also be an opportune time to visit some colleges, at least the ones in California, before the spring break when you might consider going to out-of-town universities. If you haven’t thought about college visits, now is the time to put it on your calendar. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for your children to see the campus for themselves. There is nothing more unfortunate than for them to matriculate to a college only to be miserable after the first few months. Adjusting to life away from one’s parents and the reality of college life is bad enough; finding out they are in the wrong school is just an added disappointment.

SENIOR

While kids all around are excited about the Christmas holidays – perhaps thinking about what movies they want to watch, and where to spend their time during their winter break – your high school senior is sweating over his or her personal essay or feverishly writing all the supplemental essays colleges require with their application for the regular decision or the second early decision (ED II) round.

This is a crucial time for seniors. They need as much encouragement as elbow room to get their applications ready for sending. Your children should be in constant communication with the school counselor to ensure that all transcripts, teacher recommendations, and supplemental material are sent to all the colleges to which they are applying. They should be on top of application deadlines for all the schools – they’re not all the same – to which they plan to apply.

If your 12^th grader applied through Early Action (EA) or Early Decision (ED), he or she must also be nervously waiting to hear from the college. And I’m sure your child would be ecstatic to receive an acceptance letter from his or her first choice. An ED means your child is legally bound to matriculate to that university, and his or her college search is over. Whew! If your child is accepted to a school through EA, he or she can either accept that offer or still go on to apply to other schools.

Accepting an EA offer relieves your children of pressure so they can enjoy the Christmas holidays, but it doesn’t give them leverage if they are qualified for scholarships. The best scenario is to apply and get accepted to several colleges so your children can get to pick the best financial offer or scholarship. The daughter of a friend had this enviable position – she is currently a freshman at an elite private college in Pennsylvania and her mom only had to pay $57 for the entire school year.

If your children are fortunate enough to have heard from their school, and have been offered admission, it would be mindful of them not to brag about their acceptance. Some of his or her classmates may have applied to the same school and are hoping for admission. The university to which your child was accepted might be his or her classmate’s first choice. It would be very hurtful to then boast that he or she has been accepted but is not planning on attending that college.

On the other hand, if your children have been deferred on the EA or ED round, there are some things they can do to enhance their chances during the regular round. They can send any updates on any significant changes since they sent their application – a letter from a counselor about their first semester work or a letter from a senior teacher. They can also send in their first semester grades, especially if they have received some As in the meantime.

Your children can also write a strong letter of interest and intent – all colleges and universities are concerned about their yield. If they are assured that your child will matriculate if accepted, they will look at him or her in a more favorable light (that is, if your child fits the profile they are looking for). This is one reason most colleges have instituted the ED II – they are assured that the applicant will matriculate if accepted. At the same time, it’s disheartening for applicants who aren’t applying for ED II as they would be far fewer slots available making the regular round more competitive than it already is.

Provide encouragement to your children if they have been deferred – the school isn’t rejecting them, they have just been put in the pool for the regular round. Remember that these admissions officers have thousands of applications to read. They wouldn’t want to go through your children’s application again if they weren’t interested in the first place, they would have just outright rejected them.

Your children should research all available scholarships, and start completing the FAFSA.

Some useful websites are: CollegeXpress (www.collegexpress.com); Fastweb (www.fastweb.com); Free Application for Federal Student Aid (www.fafsa.ed.gov); National Merit Scholarship Corporation (www.nationalmerit.org); Scholarships.com (www.scholarships.com); Scholarships360 (www.scholarships360.org); Student Aid on the Web (www.studentaid.ed.gov).

October College Search Guide

9th December 202328th July 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 3 October 2019 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Cornell University | Courtesy Photo

The road to college

The road to college involves four years of complicated planning and complex scheduling. High school students are extremely busy – homework, extra-curricular activities in art and sports, campus clubs, all compete for their time. To add to that, they have to make sure they get excellent marks in their courses and on the standardized tests. Their GPAs and SAT/ACT scores have to impress college admissions officers to really consider their application.

I know some parents who enroll their kids in SAT prep courses as early as 9^th grade and some independent counselors recommend that students sit for the SAT in 10^th grade. However, I feel that taking the SAT this early isn’t necessarily the best course of action – students still have so much to learn and aren’t really ready for this test. Unless there are extenuating circumstances (if the SAT is a requirement for an advanced math course, for instance) that necessitate them to take it, I would suggest waiting a bit. My daughter took her SAT and ACT the summer before her senior year. By then she had accumulated as much knowledge as high school covered.

FRESHMAN

Encourage your children to keep their focus on their schoolwork. By this time, they should have figured out what extra-curricular activities they are interested in pursuing and what sports they want to participate in. Give them guidance as they navigate this new phase in their school life, and support the choices they make.

SOPHOMORE

Depending on your children’s course choices and load, there could be standardized testing required of them. Your children should be taking AP and SAT II exams following completion of the course while the knowledge they gained in class is still fresh in their minds. The best preparation for both AP and SAT II exams is for your children to make sure they understand the subject matter and do well in all tests the teachers give in class. If there is something they don’t understand, they should right away speak to the teacher to ask for clarification or, possibly, find a tutor for additional help. The results of these standardized exams are required for college applications.

JUNIOR

Your children should be aware that junior year is the last complete year of high school performance that college admissions officers will see. They have to put more effort at doing well and getting good marks.

They should register for and take the PSAT, which is also the qualifying exams for the National Merit Scholarship. It is also a good time for your children to meet with their school counselor to make sure they are taking all the courses they need to graduate and apply to college.

Your children should also be keeping up with their extra-curricular and sports activities. College admissions officers look at several components as they try to assemble an incoming class made up of the best candidates to add to their student body.

Several area high schools hold College Fairs on campus. This is an excellent opportunity for you to see what the different colleges and universities are offering. Your children will get to meet and speak to admissions officers – usually the same people who will be reviewing your children’s application, reading the essay, and sitting around the table – who will be making their case for your children during the all-important decision-making rounds. They have a say on whether your children get accepted or denied admission to the school of their choice.

SENIOR

Eighteen year-olds are intent on getting into the college of their dreams. After all, they have spent four years preparing towards this goal. The cost of a college education may not have necessarily been top of mind for them.

However, with the ever-increasing cost of tuition, books, accommodations, and meals, a college education has become very expensive for a lot of Americans. Many parents can’t afford to send their children to college, necessitating children to take on a student loan. Today student debt is at a staggering $1.5 trillion.

To help parents and students make informed choices, PayScale, Inc., the world’s leading provider of on-demand compensation data and software, released its annual College Salary Report for the 2019-2020 school year. Using data collected from more than 3.2 million college alumni, it provides estimates of early and mid-career pay for 2,646 associate and bachelor’s degree-granting schools in the United States.

An accompanying piece to this is a report PayScale puts out in the spring, called College Return on Investment, which details how much it will cost to attend a particular school and the earning potential of its alumni. These two reports are worth looking at when your children make decisions on what majors to take and what schools to apply to.

Your children should now be in the process of completing the common app, and finalizing their essay topic or personal statement. They should have provided the teachers who are writing their letters of recommendation with stamped envelopes.

Depending on what course your children are applying for, they may be required to send supplementary material (auditions or portfolios) with their application and they need to get those ready. Audition tapes for Arts Performance, for instance, can be uploaded on YouTube for easy access. Your children should check the website of the college or university to which they are applying about supplement material requirements. Your children’s school counselors are also a great resource as they are always in contact with college admissions officers.

If your children’s high school offers interview advice and guidance, they should take advantage of it. Basic information like what clothes and shoes to wear, in addition to how to answer questions, all help towards giving your children confidence. While this is not a professional statement, in most cases, interviewers are not as concerned about the answer applicants give, as they are about their demeanor and how they present themselves. Also, if your children are visiting a campus and an interview with an admissions officer is a requirement for application, they should take the opportunity to schedule the interview at that time. Admissions officers like to see demonstrated interest – a campus visit and interview will be remembered and noted.

Be on top of application deadlines; most schools offering Early Action or early Decision have to receive your children’s application by the 1^st of November.

You and your children should be researching scholarships. Some websites include: CollegeXpress (www.collegexpress.com); Fastweb (www.fastweb.com); Free Application for Federal Student Aid (www.fafsa.ed.gov); National Merit Scholarship Corporation (www.nationalmerit.org); Scholarships.com (www.scholarships.com); Scholarships360 (www.scholarships360.org); Student Aid on the Web (www.studentaid.ed.gov). You should also attend the financial workshops being offered at your children’s high school. Most high schools offer on-site guidance, with specialists who can answer your questions.

Your responsibilities as parents are limited to offering encouragement, guidance, and moral support as your children go through this stressful time. But while you need to let your children manage this process, you should also express your concerns and expectations. Communicate with your child, the counselors, and the teachers when you have inquiries.

Be there for your children but learn when to get out of their way. Never try to communicate with the college admission officers as it is the surest way to sabotage your children’s chances for admission. Do not be overzealous about getting your children accepted to their dream university; there is a school out there that’s the right place for them. While this may sound hollow now, the counselors at your children’s school and the admissions officers at the colleges, or universities to which your children are applying, are actually the experts at finding the best fits.

A San Gabriel Valley Inquirer

One woman and her local community

Education

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