February 09, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

Getting in

by Alexandria Rocha

In Palo Alto, where more than half the residents hold advanced degrees, it's no secret that parents begin prepping their children for college at very early ages.

While some start the collegiate dialogue in elementary school, for many the discussion begins in middle school when the "big" campus is right around the corner.

At Gunn and Palo Alto high schools, the college centers are open to students on their first day of high school, though many do not visit until their junior year. That's also when college advisors officially step in to provide individual counseling for students about their higher education.

Each junior United States history class is required to take a field trip to the college center, in which they hear presentations about the center, meet the advisors and find out what's available. Paly advisor Annette Nassir said that first formal meeting with the juniors is crucial because many will use spring break to visit some initial college campuses with their families. The meeting is also a great time for Nassir and her colleagues to make connections with students who would otherwise avoid or not feel comfortable visiting the center on their own for various reasons. Also during the second semester, there are regular evening workshops held for parents of juniors to help guide them through the college application process. "There's a lot going on for a public school. I think we really bend over backwards for families," Nassir said. "We let them know all the opportunities." After those initial baby steps, juniors are advised to make lists of colleges they're interested in applying to. If those colleges require essays, the students are told to start thinking about what they plan to write, diving in if they choose to the summer before their senior year. They begin applying in the fall of their senior year. For most colleges and universities, the application deadline has already passed. Many seniors are currently in limbo, waiting to hear word from colleges. For now, the college centers at Gunn and Paly are mostly filled with senior hopefuls, checking scholarship and financial aid status, or juniors getting their first taste of the college experience.

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