I am currently a junior in the CIC pathway at Long Beach Poly High School, and I decided to interview students from some of the other pathways at Poly to gather their thoughts, feelings, worries, fears, and steps they are taking to prepare for college. In 11th grade, college is one of the biggest things on most students ’ minds, and in this day and age, college and universities are extremely competitive. There tends to be a lot of pressure surrounding not only the preparation for college but also the overall admissions process and commitment to a college.
PACE junior Olatomiwa Oshodi said, “My extracurriculars are flag football, and I would like to attend UCLA. The fears I have are if I do bad or lose myself at college, the steps I would like to take are to be open with people, especially when I’m struggling, because that’s what I tend to forget to do. Mrs. Schol, even though it’s an ELA class, she helps us with ways to go for college and getting a job. I am excited to graduate. My advice for lower-classmen is to be active and not be by yourself. When there’s people in your area, it’s more easy and fun at school.”
Poly teachers have shown to be very adamant in encouraging students to pursue college and their future careers. The school as a whole shows great pride in academics and sports, hence the motto “Home of the Scholars and Champions.” it has shown to be of great importance to provide students with the encouragement and resources that they need to succeed in life. Studies show that in 2023 alone, 62% of students had aspirations to attend college according to the Public Policy institute of California . Teachers and staff also educate students on the importance of A-G requirements for our California Universities and CSUs. Many of these factors have made it possible for so many students here at Poly to achieve their goals.
In another interview, Kara Teter, another junior in the CIC pathway, says, “A few extracurriculars I am in are the girls’ tennis team, girls’ golf team, and Christian club. Yes, I would like to attend a college or university. Steps I would like to take this year for college are to probably just being more involved in extracurriculars and study for the SAT. A few worries, I guess I have are I’m not sure which school I would really want to attend. I don’t have any one person who has really helped me with college.. But I l think the culture here at Poly encourages students to attend college, and I think that’s really helpful. I am excited for my tennis and golf season and for football games. I think good advice for lower-classmen is to keep habits, have a routine, and also it’s easy not to take your classes seriously and get a bad grade. That can hurt you later, and I would just say to stay organized and do your best to get A’s.”
My final interview concludes with Xavier, a PARTS junior, “ I’m not in any extracurriculars, yes, I would like to attend college. My worries and fears are doing the work, and I feel like Poly as a whole pushes students for college. I am excited to meet new people. My advice for a freshman would be to do the work.”
In summation, after getting a glimpse into my interviewees experience as students at Long Beach Poly on the college and career track, it is clear that many students across the spectrum of pathways are extremely motivated to achieve their goals, plan out their future, and the Jackrabbit spirit as a whole really aids in guiding students along with that.
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