People Post is a space for opinion pieces, letters to the editor and guest submissions from members of the Long Beach community. The following is an op-ed submitted by Alicia Casey, a recent graduate of Millikan High School and a part of the Youth leadership Long Beach class of 2018, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Long Beach Post.
I wish someone in high school had told me to apply to more California State schools for college.
Since I’m still searching for a career path and want to get my masters, the CSU system is more ideal for me than the University of California one. At a glance, California State schools traditionally cost less than UC’s while still offering a variety of locations. Their facilities also offer the same quality of education with equal to smaller class sizes and have available career opportunities.
The biggest difference between the two systems is that CSU’s aren’t given the same level of recognition or prestige that UC’s have accumulated over the years.
When I was applying to colleges, I was hyper focused on the UC applications and toured several UC campuses multiple times. I associate this attention to my goal-oriented mindset that had convinced me the next step toward future success was attending one of the UC institutions.
Another contributing factor to this belief was the continued promotion of the UC campuses at my high school. So much that by the beginning of my junior year I had fulfilled an extensive checklist of criteria the UC websites had recommended for their applicants. Doing so inspired the confidence that I sent the best version of myself to UC admissions and would surely be accepted into at least two of the four I had applied to.
As the months passed my self-doubt magnified and I couldn’t help but feel left out of everyone else’s excitement. I didn’t get into any of the four UC’s I’d applied to. Instead, I received rejection after rejection after rejection and was waitlisted at one university. I got tired of reading the phrase, “we regret to inform you,” followed by “our admitted students are some of the most gifted and talented” and “we had a competitive applicant pool this year.” My immediate thought was always, “is this saying I’m not good enough?” It felt like my entire high school career would lead to a UC acceptance and when it didn’t I had to reevaluate three things: my goals, my desires and my values.
After many rejections, I came to realize that the UC’s weren’t the best option for me. I thought hard about my goals: studying abroad, interning and living locally, and found that Cal State Long Beach was the perfect fit. It aligned with my desires to have a broad education in the city I love at an affordable price for my family. Additionally, it matched my values in a community of diverse, technologically innovative and active students.
Overall, the mental setback of not taking the predestined path worked in my favor. If not for the UC’s saying “no” I would’ve never said “yes” to the right fit for me. What high school college advisers won’t tell you, and what every high schooler should hear is that there is no ideal school. Really it’s the student that makes the school work; it’s the habits you’ve accumulated over time and the social skills you’ve developed along the way. The ability to adapt and make an unpopular choice builds character and allows you to become your best self.
My advice is don’t let the pressures of high school classes and friends sway you to apply to schools you’re not confident about. Instead, I encourage you to tour all types of schools—community colleges to private schools, the whole spectrum! Only then can you make a choice that is right for YOU.
Remember that you’re the one who has to go to this school for the next four years, not your teachers, friends or siblings, so make the searching experience count!
When applying, consider all colleges in choosing the one that’s right for you
People Post is a space for opinion pieces, letters to the editor and guest submissions from members of the Long Beach community. The following is an op-ed submitted by Alicia Casey, a recent graduate of Millikan High School and a part of the Youth leadership Long Beach class of 2018, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Long Beach Post.
I wish someone in high school had told me to apply to more California State schools for college.
Since I’m still searching for a career path and want to get my masters, the CSU system is more ideal for me than the University of California one. At a glance, California State schools traditionally cost less than UC’s while still offering a variety of locations. Their facilities also offer the same quality of education with equal to smaller class sizes and have available career opportunities.
The biggest difference between the two systems is that CSU’s aren’t given the same level of recognition or prestige that UC’s have accumulated over the years.
When I was applying to colleges, I was hyper focused on the UC applications and toured several UC campuses multiple times. I associate this attention to my goal-oriented mindset that had convinced me the next step toward future success was attending one of the UC institutions.
Another contributing factor to this belief was the continued promotion of the UC campuses at my high school. So much that by the beginning of my junior year I had fulfilled an extensive checklist of criteria the UC websites had recommended for their applicants. Doing so inspired the confidence that I sent the best version of myself to UC admissions and would surely be accepted into at least two of the four I had applied to.
As the months passed my self-doubt magnified and I couldn’t help but feel left out of everyone else’s excitement. I didn’t get into any of the four UC’s I’d applied to. Instead, I received rejection after rejection after rejection and was waitlisted at one university. I got tired of reading the phrase, “we regret to inform you,” followed by “our admitted students are some of the most gifted and talented” and “we had a competitive applicant pool this year.” My immediate thought was always, “is this saying I’m not good enough?” It felt like my entire high school career would lead to a UC acceptance and when it didn’t I had to reevaluate three things: my goals, my desires and my values.
After many rejections, I came to realize that the UC’s weren’t the best option for me. I thought hard about my goals: studying abroad, interning and living locally, and found that Cal State Long Beach was the perfect fit. It aligned with my desires to have a broad education in the city I love at an affordable price for my family. Additionally, it matched my values in a community of diverse, technologically innovative and active students.
Overall, the mental setback of not taking the predestined path worked in my favor. If not for the UC’s saying “no” I would’ve never said “yes” to the right fit for me. What high school college advisers won’t tell you, and what every high schooler should hear is that there is no ideal school. Really it’s the student that makes the school work; it’s the habits you’ve accumulated over time and the social skills you’ve developed along the way. The ability to adapt and make an unpopular choice builds character and allows you to become your best self.
My advice is don’t let the pressures of high school classes and friends sway you to apply to schools you’re not confident about. Instead, I encourage you to tour all types of schools—community colleges to private schools, the whole spectrum! Only then can you make a choice that is right for YOU.
Remember that you’re the one who has to go to this school for the next four years, not your teachers, friends or siblings, so make the searching experience count!