On Sept. 19, Bonita Vista High (BVH) coordinated for a representative from University of California San Diego (UCSD) to present to students, mostly seniors, about the opportunities UCSD has to offer for them. The presentation also informed students of the possible options that are available to them after high school. UCSD Admissions Officer, Christina Sandoval-Paquette, explains the significance of college presentations to high school students.
“Access to information is absolutely crucial. In order to be able to apply to a university, you need to understand ‘What are the requirements? How do I actually do this?’ Unfortunately, access to information is not always available for all students,” Sandoval-Paquette said. “Sometimes that information can be hard to find and students do not know how to find that information. I am here to be able to provide that access to information and help students understand that applying to college is not as scary as it feels.”
The presentation was created based off of previous schools Sandoval-Paquette and other admissions officers at UCSD had visited and the common questions that arose during those presentations. The administrators encourage feedback in order to inform students as much as possible and prepare them for what they will decide to do after high school.
“[Students] need to be informed on what the school has to offer them, if the school is a right fit for them and how competitive the school will be. When students walk away from the presentation feeling they got their questions answered, [we have achieved] what we hoped to accomplish,” BVH counselor Rosa Tovar said.
With the many choices that students have for life after high school, colleges offer help to students by narrowing down those options to what they think is best for them. Many students at BVH are aware of the University of California (UC) schools, which many are interested in attending. Sandoval-Paquette mentions that she is aware of the stigma around attending a community college before transferring to a university. She wanted to inform students that it is an option that can fit many students. A student that attended the presentation, junior Ava Nixon, mentions how she appreciates the recognition of that option.
“That was my first presentation for any of the UC’s so it was pretty helpful since the UC application is pretty much the same for all of them. They [also] made it seem very open and welcoming to students who plan on transferring from a community college, so it destigmatized going that route and [recognizing] it as a [possible] option,” Nixon said.
Sandoval-Paquette, as a parent themself, has experienced the process of applying to colleges and understands the stress that comes along with it. They use this to communicate with students and parents on what ways will make the process easier. Nixon and Sandoval-Paquette emphasize the need for access to resources in college not just for students, but also first generation students. This is because students do not usually have people around them to assist them with the process of applying for colleges and understanding what they want to pursue.
“I am a first generation student. And when you are a first generation student, getting access [to information] can be sometimes hard, it can be overwhelming, it can be confusing because you do not understand it. Being at BVH was great, because some of my friends were not first generation students. I had access not just to counseling staff to help me understand the college experience, but I had friends who also helped me understand the college acceptance and experience,” Sandoval-Paquette said.
College presentations at BVH allow students to engage themselves into college preparation early. Students can prepare themselves for college by reaching out to colleges and attending these types of presentations to not only depend on the help from peers.
“In my own experience, college is a broad topic and it is not something that none of my family has gone [through]. So it is something that I feel like I have to seek out on my own so with the presentations it is very helpful because I have the resources from them,” Nixon said.
Students often have an overwhelming amount of questions about college and universities but they do not know who to ask. While Sandoval-Paquette prepares for presentations like these, she keeps in mind questions she used to have in high school and what she thinks students would wonder.
“As a student, I had a lot of the same questions you guys had today. And so knowing those questions firsthand, and knowing that feeling of anxiety and being overwhelmed, is really helpful because I can help empathize with what you’re kind of going through. […] I also understand the stigma that is around California community colleges and the transfer process,” Sandoval-Paquette said.
Sandoval-Paquette wants students to be able to envision themselves within these colleges and pursue something that they see themselves in. They want to promote students continuing a high education at a school like UCSD.
“I hope that students as they’re going through not just my presentation, but other future college presentations, is that they’re able to see themselves at those institutions. They are able to see themselves in the space of higher education and they are able to see their futures starting,” Sandoval-Paquette said.
