Taylor Van Dijk | Editor-in-Chief
December 12, 2024
With the end of the semester rapidly approaching, college is on the horizon for high school seniors. Even as we enter 2025, seniors are far from done as they await college decisions. Now, students must focus on scholarships, FAFSA, and financial aid, which can be very daunting and hard to navigate. Luckily, San Clemente High School has the College and Career Center on campus. With many resources available free of cost, the center is open for appointments and drop-ins to help with information tailored to each student.
Laura Jasso is one of the counselors at the College and Career Center who works with students to achieve their post-high school goals. With a background in education for the last sixteen years and education in comprehensive counseling, Jasso joined the team at the SCHS College and Career Center to “find how counseling can work in a capacity that is useful to students.” She stated, “College and career has become a passion of mine because it allows me to provide as much access and resources as possible for students of every career path.”
With everything from one-on-one counseling for each student to comprehensive workshops, the college and career center offers a broad range of services at the disposal of students. While private college counseling for individual students is often financially inaccessible, the college and career center provides the opportunity for meetings catered to specific students and their unique needs. Jasso’s favorite service provided is one-on-one appointments because they help her to better understand what students are looking for long-term and to “bridge the gap between parent and student expectations.” Students and parents can schedule appointments to discuss college options, career paths, financial aid, and more.
Another service offered is TIDE time workshops. “Workshops on the college admissions process can cover subjects that vary, from four years to community college to trade schools” stated Jasso. Marissa Davisson, the co-head of the college and career center, explained that students often do not take advantage of these workshops enough and that students should look out for upcoming college and career events via “fliers posted in guidance, our offices, and Canvas.” Beyond this, she explained that workshops are especially accessible because “the Enriching Students website can help students self-select the workshops for TIDE time and plan ahead.”
One of the new services provided by the college and career center is an upcoming field trip to Santa Ana College to view the specialized fire tech program. Davisson explained how this is an amazing opportunity for students who seek a career path in “EMT and fire technology, specifically for firefighters and paramedics. Students from all over the district will be able to see and interact during this tour.” More events and opportunities such as this will continue into the next semester and school year, so make sure to be on the lookout.
Overall, next time you are near the library, make a quick trip to the college and career center. “If you are not sure, coming in will help you think about what to do and how to get there,” said Jasso. “We are here to help you start the conversation about how to transition into the next steps after high school.” Organizing the next chapter of life is challenging, and it is critical that each student uses the resources around them to aid in the process. Whether you are a freshman looking for career path advice or a senior deciding the best college, the College and Career Center is a great place to start. Everyone is uncertain about change, so it is important to know that San Clemente High School has people there to help.
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