Q&A/Preguntas y Respuestas

If you have questions after the meeting please use this link to submit your question(Si tiene preguntas después de la reunión, utilice este enlace para enviar su pregunta).

1. Are these current statistics or 1960's numbers? (minute 35)

   1. Thank you for your question. If you are referring to the slide that illustrates the remarkable growth in the number of colleges over the years, the data are from the turn of the last century (1900), 2011-12, and 2021.

2. Is a two-year college like Southwestern College or San Diego State?

   1. A two-year college is an institution where students can earn their general education credits and transfer to a 4-year college where they eventually will earn their Bachelor's. 2 yr colleges are options for families that would like to save on tuition and housing costs or where students need more academic support.

3. When it would be the best time to start the process to go to a community school.

   1. It is never really to early to engage colleges or universities as a means to offer a sense of familiarity and to offer positive experiences with postsecondary institutions early on. Many--including UC San Diego have a variety of options for K-12 that extend all the way to kindergarten. By the time a student reaches college, it should feel like the next logical step versus a new experience entirely.

4. Where is the best place to start when looking for financial assistance?

   1. Visit https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa, https://www.calsoapsandiego.org/, you can also follow your school counseling page, sign up for their social media where scholarships and workshops on assistance.

5. I was also interested in where to look for grants, scholarships. where can I start?

   1. Visit https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa, https://www.calsoapsandiego.org/, you can also follow your school counseling page, sign up for their social media where scholarships and workshops on assistance.

6. What is the best way to help our kids discover their talents and/or passion? My kid tells me he doesn't know yet what he likes.

   1. Thank you for your question. This is all part of adolescence. Most teenagers will claim not to be able to identify likes and interests, but their actions suggest otherwise.

7. Where and when this meeting recording will be available?

   1. You can watch previous sessions here

8. Question: With the ongoing pandemic, is it true that SAT and ACT test is no longer a requirement on any College Applications (UC or State) within California? Please clarify and confirm.

   1. The University of California will not consider SAT or ACT test scores when making admissions decisions or awarding scholarships. If you choose to submit test scores as part of your application, they may be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after you enroll. The California State University (CSU) will continue to temporarily suspend the use of ACT/SAT examinations in determining admission eligibility for all CSU campuses for the 2022-2023 academic year.

9. What types of courses help the students to take to help them to get to the universities that they prefer?

   1. A-G courses are the ones you have to take for certain universities

10. I am interested in Southwestern college how do I apply?

    1. Admissions website

11. What would be the most effective way to help my teen raise her grades without her feeling pressured or feeling that my expectations are too high for her?

    1. Indeed there is a way to enhance motivation around academic performance. It is important, however, to employ what we call an epiphany-based set of decisions--that the motivation comes from within. We will explore incentivization and tie it to identity formation in the next set of sessions.

12. As you mentioned some behaviors repeat and in the adolescent brain, the reward from good or bad behaviors is the same. How can we deter the behaviors that can harm a teen but keep the good behaviors?

    1. Thank you so very much for your question. Adolescence is a complex time in one's life as the part of the brain that produces emotions and encourages risk-taking is growing at a much faster rate than is the part of the brain that helps us make good decisions. We can't eliminate the bad entirely but can effectively steer our children toward activities that produce the reward but with smaller risk attached.

13. For my son to apply to southwestern college! Do you have to apply fafsa?

    1. Yes, but the college also offers free tuition for students who qualify. Visit https://www.swccd.edu/admissions-and-financial-aid/apply-and-register.aspx and https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa, https://www.calsoapsandiego.org/

14. If we did our best to provide opportunity to give our kids to learn different skills and yet, they say they still not sure what they want to do, What do you recommend?

    1. Career interest inventories are a great way to start!! Visit https://get2college.org/career-planning. Our district also uses Thrively to show students their strenghts and career exploration https://www.thrively.com/. Login with student account. Parents can create their own account to see student inventories. Contact your school counselor for more deatils.

15. Please tell me about fafsa and why universities need it?

    1. Universities need to know a student's ability to pay for tuition, as well to be able to connect them with other financial resources if available. Any student, regardless of income, who wants to borrow federal student loans (also known as Stafford or Direct student loans), must fill out FAFSA to get access to these loans. There are free grants that do not need to be repaid and can be given by the federal government to the student to cover tuition. Additionally, states offer grants (free money) for students as well and a FAFSA application is required.

16. Where can I see resources for all applications for CA colleges?

    1. Live answered. Connect with SUHSD counselors to start. US News and world report [add site for seeing public/private university costs]. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/what-you-need-to-know-about-college-tuition-costs as well as https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities

17. What is a gap year?

    1. This is the time you spend in the workforce, doing an internship or traveling abroad. Schools have gap year curriculum (structured frameworks) to allow students to engage in experiential learning that allow them to engage in other experiences that are invaluable outside of the classroom

18. Where should my middle school start looking to explore careers?

    1. Immersion and exposure allow students at an early age to explore careers. Ie: UCSD School of pharmacy teen program. Allowing students to see the variety of fields related in each field (attorney, learning specialists, technicians, doctors, creators,) will be of great value. For more visit UCSD extension https://extension.ucsd.edu/