Saturday is the deadline for undergrad applications to the University of California and California State University campuses.
San Diego County students who needed last-minute help on their applications were at The Elementary Institute of Science in southeastern San Diego this week for San Diego and Imperial counties' annual Cal-SOAP workshop for personal statements, scholarship applications and making sure their i's were dotted and t's crossed.
The California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP) is a part of the state's Student Aid Commission and has focused on helping low-income and first-generation college-bound students prepare for college since 1978.
A few of the students at this week's workshops shared their fears and hopes about applying to and attending college:
Andrew Caparell, Point Loma High School:
"I came out because I was very confused with the college application process and like, some things I didn’t know if I was going to put this right, like I took some college classes this year. My first choice is the University of Oregon. I'm most excited about just the whole college experience: going to football games, meeting new people, maybe going to a couple parties, but also thriving and advancing in a career that'll take me far in life. I’m kind of leaning towards medicine. Because I want to help people and I’m interested in the human body."
Komi Gbeblewou, El Cajon Valley High School:
"The application process is hard. Some people might be able to do it, but it was difficult for me on my own, so I'm grateful for the help. Seeing if I do get into the college that I want to, if I get that letter and do open it and they do accept me — that’d probably be one of the happiest days of my life. My first choice is CSU, Los Angeles. I want to do a communications major, so probably television and media studies."
Betra Hussein, Crawford High School:
"The whole process makes me nervous, not excited, about what the colleges will think of my application and everything like that. But I guess getting in would be the most exciting part. My first choice is SDSU, because I think it has a good psychology program and I’m interested in that."
Jessica Reyna, San Diego:
"I’m working on my personal statement right now. I’m working on the way it’s supposed to be organized and written because I have no idea how to do that. My first UC choice would be UC Irvine, so I would try to stay close to help my mom out, but at the same time I would like to, like, have my own space. I want to be a social worker, so I plan to study social work and psychology to learn about how people behave."
