In order to appease seniors’ worries about what to do after being accepted to CSULB, Sehyha Klam, from the university’s Outreach and School Relations program, had an informational meeting after school on Feb. 21, in B-111.
“You have to be on top of everything,” Klam said. “If something were to come up later that you didn’t do, you don’t want to be stuck. When you get accepted, remember it is conditional.”
After introductions were made on how he studied Communications and was part of the college’s music program, Klam gave students the run-down of how to maintain their acceptance and fix any errors on their applications. He emphasized the importance of placement tests and programs held before the fall term that would help transition students smoothly into the college life.
“I was accepted into Long Beach with a major in Engineering,” Candace Potvin, 12, said. “I felt really great because sciences are impacted everywhere, and I just want to make sure all my tests are out of the way and I take any opportunity to evolve into a solid college kid.”
Some costs were not ideal for students, such as the $150 non-refundable enrollment fee, the $32 necessary for the English Placement Test and Entry Level Mathematics Exam, and payments of either $62 for the day or $130 for an overnight SOAR an orientation workshop to help newly admitted freshmen transition academically and socially.
“I came because I knew I would learn of something I didn’t know before,” Abelardo Mendoza, 12, said. “Now that I know how much everything costs, [it] is a real eye-opener.”
As he went through more fees, Klam also introduced the matter of the mandatory year incoming freshmen must spend in dorms if they are not living with their parents.
“The thought of sharing showers and bathrooms is kind of gross to think about,” Vanessa Medrano, 12, said. “I wish I could have laughed, but I guess the whole point is to make friends easily and be closer to campus.”
While living on campus, CSULB students are able to use the city transit line for free. Shuttles are available for class transport, and the perk of only being a 30-minute walk away from the beach made the campus more enticing. Questions then arose about changing majors, a subject attendees believed to be impossible or difficult to achieve.
“It’s actually pretty simple,” Klam said. “You just have to talk to the Undergrad Admissions and they’ll set that up for you. Most people think it’s this grueling process when in fact it’s just about your timing.”
Being accepted as undeclared allowed seniors to recognize that they would have to wait two years to choose a major. During that time, they are free to explore other options and choose a major they know they would enjoy the most.
After a visit from CSULB, seniors hoped more colleges would come to Downey to visit. Whether it was about financial support or information on the professors, they appreciated Klam’s visit and hoped for further insight from other colleges they applied to.
