Students, teachers should pursue increased college awareness

Juggling academics, extracurriculars and standardized testing can be quite the feat, especially when students are tiptoeing across the tightrope of time management. Without sufficient guidance, it can be difficult for students to understand how to organize their priorities and to know what steps they should take in order to accomplish their goals.

Though the school offers multiple programs and opportunities, better publicity for these events as well as more organized guidance sessions will keep students engaged and on track. Responsibility also falls on the students, though, to take advantage of what the school has to offer.

On one hand, there are numerous academic and college-prep resources that can already be found on our school campus. “I try to accommodate instead of turn people away,” said Tutorial Center Coordinator Quyen Nguyen, who schedules Essay Days based on students’ requests. “We feel happy that we can … help them.”

The College/Career Center also hosts numerous workshops and presentations to support college-bound students throughout the college application process. However, it is largely a part of the student’s responsibility to seek out the numerous programs the school offers if they need additional help.

“I think the school does a good job of promoting events; it’s whether the students are taking the responsibility to follow-up and look for them [and] follow through with what they’re hearing,” College/Career Center Coordinator Kristin Joseph said.

The school is making a commendable effort to encourage students with online bulletins and daily announcements, but students rarely check the school website and announcements are often neglected. The school should better publicize useful events with more staff encouragement and posters.

“The basics are given … but they didn’t address stuff like SATs and ACTs earlier in the school [year],” senior Suliman Sharif said. “It would help if we knew some of this stuff earlier.”

Staff members should also notify students of upcoming events as well as emphasize the importance of preparing for academics outside of the school curriculum and do more to discourage procrastination.

“I didn’t really realize how quickly due dates would come by,” senior Kevin Wang said.

Other schools have taken different approaches in tackling these issues by incorporating college requirements into the classroom curriculum (e.g.: grading college admissions essays, etc.). The school should also consider taking similar actions to encourage students to do well.

More steps should be taken to support students that are not getting the help that they need. The school is already reaching out to the students, but it can improve with further self-examination and by catering to students’ direct needs. Furthermore, students need to be proactive in seeking out guidance if they want to help themselves.

With students and staff working together, students will get the push needed to help them reach their full potential and excel in the future.