Local school children rushed to the Buena Park Community Center on Sunday, Sept. 14, to take part in a free event titled, “Buena Park Goes To College.” The event was sponsored by Buena Park High School, Buena Park Rotary Club, the city of Buena Park, and Congressman Ed Royce. The main event of these festivities is to encourage youngsters in the Orange County area to attend college, and to better their lives with higher education.
Local school children rushed to the Buena Park Community Center on Sunday, Sept. 14, to take part in a free event titled, “Buena Park Goes To College.” The event was sponsored by Buena Park High School, Buena Park Rotary Club, the city of Buena Park, and Congressman Ed Royce. The main event of these festivities is to encourage youngsters in the Orange County area to attend college, and to better their lives with higher education.
Many colleges were on hand to assist students with their questions, and to help provide for them the support that they needed to go forth and pursue their dreams. Some of the popular schools that were on hand were Biola University , Hope International University, University of California Irvine, Azusa Pacific, and Cal State Fullerton.
All of these prestigious schools educated the children and their parents of all of the odds and ends of how each individual program worked.
“It is highly important to choose a college or university that is right for you,” says Buena Park Councilwoman Elizabeth Swift. “An up and coming student should never just choose a particular college just because it is a big name college, they are always on television, or because they have an epically good football team. These children must learn to choose the right school that is proper for their own pathway, that way the whole educational experience won’t be a waste of time for them. They don’t want to waste their time on something that they truly do not like.”
Swift makes some really important points. Each individual student’s experience, goals, skill sets, and personal circumstances are different. So, it is highly important that they match up chemistry wise to a particular school that is actually going to assist them and provide for every single one of their academic needs.
“Financial aid information is very important as well,” says Swift. “This is why we brought in a financial aid expert today to hold several seminars. We just want the children to know that there is always a way to go to college. The most expensive thing about a college education, is not getting one.”
Buena Park High School academic counselor Maggie Gallego said that a quarter of the population here in the city are young people. This was quite a fair statement, for the entire building was filled with youngsters from elementary school all the way up to high school seniors. Many of these students have high hopes in bettering their future by partaking on this academic journey. When asked to address some of the students that may feel intimidated by the college level work load, or if they were unsure if whether they should attend do to the rising costs, Azusa Pacific Admissions intern Carly Bierman had this to say:
“Don’t be intimidated,” Bierman said. “Just take a chance and apply. There are always councilors there who want to help you, and they will be able to help you find a way to pay for it. Seniors in high school should already be trying to meet with an academic adviser at their favorite colleges. This way the councilor at the college can already be monitoring their grades and progression. This will make it much easier for them to help the student. So, build a relationship with your councilor, they want to work with you.”
The “Buena Park Goes To College” event offered a wide array of valuable materials for both parent and student. One of which that the attendees found to be very helpful was Linda O’Brien’s book titled “Preparing For College A Guide For Students.” Within it were some very interesting and important tips on how to save money on college costs and tuition. In a segment of O’Brien’s book titled “Ways To Cut College Costs,” some of the tips include (Go to an in-state public college.)
O’Brien explains that “Public colleges are supported by tax dollars and are generally less expensive than private colleges.” And another route that a student could take that may be far more beneficial to them and their family is (Starting at a community college.) “It costs about half as much to attend a community college for one year as it does a four-year public college. Students who want to save money can start at a community college and then transfer to a four-year college after a year or two.” An alternative method of saving money in college can also be to (Live at home and commute.) “Students can save a lot of money by living at home and commuting to a local college.”
It is highly important that students realize that not everyone’s path into the college life is going to be exactly the same. It wasn’t meant to be. Not everyone’s path through the world of academia was meant to be easy either.
“Don’t rule out college based on the cost, follow your passions, and go to a university teaches what you love to do and will help you to get a job after you graduate,” explains Hope International University Admissions Counselor Chris Randolph. “The education you accumulate, and the hard work that you put in will make you a better person and will never devalue.”
Every student has their own fate, destiny, and purpose. All students are distinguished, and have something special to give back to the world in a positive and constructive manner. It is about embracing the journey, maturing from it, and building upon it.
There is no shame in taking a less known, unpopular, or unconventional route to get to the zenith of your hopes and dreams. In the long run, it doesn’t matter how you get there; just get there. Just always remember to find a way to give back to the generation that comes after you.
