As application and essay deadlines for universities grow closer, the stress of college applications weighs
heavily on many students, but the school’s Peer College Counselors (PCC) are here to help.
“[My best tip to seniors would be to] start early,” PCC senior Natalia Henriquez said. “Starting early just helps in so many ways. You get to be prepared, [and] you get more information. Schools look at you as someone who’s just more
prepared.”
In the school’s College and Career Center, there are two college counselors, Justin Graham and Sylvia Yi, as well as at least three PCCs in every period. All of them are there to give any guidance or help that students might need during
their college journeys.
“My number one piece of advice when you’re applying to schools is to do your research on where you could apply to,” senior Taye Sangkhae said. “Depending on how your grades are, as for many colleges, the first thing they’ll consider is your grades. If you have a lower GPA, the best route for you may be going to community college, but if you have a higher GPA, do research on which colleges would accept you based on your grades and extracurriculars.”
There are many overwhelming factors that go into college applications from an extensive brag sheet to the multitude of essays that need to be written for certain schools. They can often be difficult to navigate, especially when applying to many schools.
“If you’re confused about your application, you could always go to the College and Career Center, and our college counselors or PCCs could help you on any part of the application,” Sangkhae said.
Along with the College and Career Center, there are many other places to answer questions. Students can go to Naviance to gain more information about specific colleges, the Common Application to check out the types of information needed for applying or even YouTube to find a general overview of campuses. College help isn’t only for seniors though.
“My biggest recommendation for juniors is to come during college visits,” Sangkhae said. “This is a great place to learn about what colleges many of our students apply to and also it’s a great way to learn what colleges you may be interested in depending on your major.”
It’s never too early to start preparing for colleges, even as juniors or underclassmen. Some of the most frequent advice from PCCs is to start the college process early, and slowly getting involved through college visits and Wednesday Workshops is a great way to do that.
“It’s also a great way to show interest in these colleges as well because colleges do look for demonstrated interests,” Sangkhae said. “If you show interest early on in junior year, they will track that and that increases your chances of getting into that college for admission.”
Not only does the College Office provide these helpful meetings, but they also are available throughout school days for any questions or guidance.
“I would say you could always come down to the college office,” Henriquez said. “Ms. Yi and Mr. Graham are the most welcoming ever, and obviously PCCs can help with almost anything you need.”