What Counselors Do Intro



picture by Alvesgaspar









Summer session (minus the classes!) is fully underway at City College.  All the new students are taking their assessment tests and attending orientations.  Continuing students are dropping by the Counseling Office for help in deciding which classes to take next semester.  Or are they? 

Recently a student told us that other students avoid the Counseling Department. Students, he said, could be lazy, or they feel there’s some kind of stigma attached to looking for help.  And anecdotal evidence may support that. 

Student loans

Photo by Treaclewell

The Senate's Democratic and Republican leaders have indicated they've reached an agreement that would stop student loan interest rates from doubling this year. The provision still needs to go to the House for approval, but if finalized, the agreement would benefit 7.4 million students who take out Stafford Loans to help pay for college. Senate Leaders OK Student Loan Deal appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on June 27, 2012. 

SIFE Students Tackle Bullying

SIFE Tackles Bullying

The brochure pictures for City College’s “Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) -- Don’t Be A Bully” conference are haunting, the faces and names of youths ages 10-18 who committed suicide. A column shows dates of birth and death followed by the manner of suicide. They could be yearbook photos, but it’s not a yearbook. They are students whose lives were cut tragically short by bullying.

According to the National Education Association, 60% of American teens see bullying in school every day (http://www.nea.org/home/19535.htm). Bullying can make students afraid to attend class, use the bathroom, or ride a bus. It can take place in the playground, while walking home, or online. In the most serious cases, it can result in death.

97-year-old graduate



Picture by Cary Bass



This story doesn't have a City College tie, but we can all use some uplifting news. Ann Colagiovanni of Ohio received a high school diploma at the age of 97. Read about the oldest member of the class of 2012. 97-Year-Old Gets High School Diploma appeared on "Yahoo! News" on June 7, 2012.

Valuable College Majors -- Forbes

Which college major will get you a high-paying job? Forbes magazine has the top 15. This article references UCSD's biomedical engineering degree and SDSU's geology major. Most Valuable College Majors Listed by Forbes appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on May 30, 2012. The original Forbes article was published online on May 15, 2012.

Here's a list of the 20 most popular college majors and salaries of the top three positions in those fields. Best-Paying Jobs By Major appeared in "Yahoo" news on June 6, 2012. This article cites U.S. Dept of Education data. 

Also, here's a link to a "U.S. News & World Reports" article on their 2012 top 25 jobs/careers based on projected growth, employment rate, average salary, and job satisfaction. City College offers programs in Registered Nursing, Social Work, Computers (Systems Analyst and Programming classes), Biotech (Clinical Lab Tech), Accounting and Business, Computer Business Technology (Receptionist), and Web Design. We can also help students transfer to 4-year colleges offering degrees in many of the other careers listed.

CEO Advice To Job Seekers

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Gregory T. Lucier is the CEO of Life Technologies, a successful biological research company in Carlsbad. Last year his business did $3.7 billion in sales. He talked about the culture of philantrophy in his company, that it's more than giving money. He also talked about what motivated him to give back to his community -- he recently donated $3 million to the Smithsonian Institution. Of particular interest is his advice for college grads on getting a job in this tough economic climate and learning from people's biggest career mistakes. If a prospective employer asked you to talk about your biggest career mistake, what would you say? CEO Says Giving Isn't About Money Alone appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on May 29, 2012.

College Success – Money by Kelli Turpin

College Success – Money

 

College is expensive.  You know that.  You’re here because you’ve decided that you want it and you’re willing to make the time to do it well.  Now we need to talk about how to finance it.

I’ve got good news and bad news about money.  The good news:  Just like time, you have full control over how you spend your money.  You can choose to spend it on the things that matter to you, the things that are important to your family’s survival, or you can choose to waste it.  Unlike time, money is infinite – there’s no limit to how much you can make.  The bad news: Unlike time, no one is allotted a certain amount at the beginning of each day.  You have to use your time to earn money.  There are several ways to do this.

Employment Rate/Temp Jobs

Okay, City's graduation took place on May 18, 2012, and some of the grads may be looking for work. What's it like out there? Are there jobs in San Diego? A bit of good news -- according to a recent article, San Diego County's unemployment rate dropped to 8.7%, the lowest it's been in three years. San Diego employers added 2,600 jobs in April, and the state Economic Development Department indicated there have been 300,000 new jobs added in CA the last two years, so there may be hope for job seekers. Local Jobless Rate At 3-Year Low ran in the "U-T San Diego" on May 19, 2012. 

Also, "U-T" writer Jonathan Horn advises job seekers to consider temp work because the country has added 21,000 temp jobs in April and 744,000 temp workers since 2009. Lynn Reaser, chief economist at Point Loma Nazarene, conveys why this is such a growing field of employment: "Hiring an employee represents a significant investment, and many smaller firms in particular at this point are still reluctant to take on that investment." Read Temp Jobs Growing As Economy Rebounds to get insights on temp work in San Diego. The article appeared on the "U-T" website on May 18, 2012.

Umoja Community

"The Umoja Community is a learning environment that helps to engage, connect, educate, support, and encourage you through programs of Math, English, and Personal Growth. The Umoja Community will prepare you for successful transfer to 4-year colleges and universities. We offer course materials, discussions, and activities that focus on the African-American culture, literature, and experiences."

Fall 2012 program requirements:

Math 34/38                                                                    
English 43
PERG 140
Tutoring Lab

For info about Umoja, contact Counselor/Coordinator Erin Charlens, Ed.D. at 619-388-3796 or e-mail at echarlen@sdccd.edu

UCSD Will End TAG

Picture by Allan Ferguson

UCSD is ending its Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) for transfer students. The last term for UCSD TAG admission will be fall 2014. The reasons cited: too many applicants and decreased state funding. San Diego Community College District Chancellor, Constance Carroll, says this decision will hurt local transfer students and reduce diversity. Michael Cash, Associated Student president at City, feels this is a blow to the students who need TAG the most: "On top of the increase in the GPA requirement, this is a further kick in the face. We have a lot of lower income students coming from urban challenges," Cash said.

As a community college counselor in San Diego since the early 1990s, I've seen the UCSD TAG go from a 2.8 GPA to 3.0 to 3.5 and now, it's being eliminated altogether. There's no doubt in my mind this is affecting local transfer students and blocking their access to education. Tell us, from a student's perspective, what you think. Give us your opinions and comments on our counseling blog.

UCSD Ends Community College Transfer Guarantee appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on May 2, 2012. This article was forwarded by City counselor, Tandy Ward.

Also, here's another recent article that points to lower enrollments among UCs and CSUs in the past five years. The trend has affected community college students as tuitions have increased and students have increasingly looked to transfer out of state. "Californians' Enrollment In UC, CSU Declines, Study Finds" appeared in the "LA Times" on May 10, 2012. The article was forwarded by VP of Student Services, Peter White, and Counseling Department Chair, Cathi Lopez. Here is a link to the study this article cites.

Puente Project

Do you want to transfer to a 4-year college? Interested in reading Chicano/Latina literature? Want to develop leadership skills to help your communities? Check out the Puente Project. Puente students enroll in English 49 and PERG 140 as a learning community (team-taught, peer-supported education) in the fall and receive counseling, career guidance, mentoring, university field trips, community events, individual English tutoring, and more. Puente is nationally recognized for helping students succeed in school and beyond.

Program requirements:

• Eligibility for English 49
• Intent to transfer
• Minimum 2.0 GPA
• Work less than 20 hours a week
• Commit to the Puente Project for 1 year

Contact Puente Counselor Luis Perez at (619) 388-3668 or e-mail lperez@sdccd.edu

Engineers & Computer Scientists Needed

Startup companies are looking to hire engineers and computer scientists. Steve Hoey, development director for a San Diego nonprofit called "Connect," that supports the tech industry says, "It's hard to fill these positions because we have fewer and fewer people going into the technical fields." He estimates there are 5000 to 10,000 engineering jobs available in San Diego County. Help Wanted: Engineers and Computer Scientists tells you why. This article appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on April 27, 2012.

Summer Jobs

photo by Alan.light

Looking for a summer job in San Diego? Restaurants could be your ticket. This "U-T" article says 450,000 people are expected to be hired in restaurants nationally this summer with 5000 of those in San Diego. Restaurants Dishing Up Jobs says Corvette Diner, The Prado, Island Prime C Level and Gaslamp and other county restaurants could see a hiring increase. The article appeared in the "U-T San Diego on May 26, 2012.

Also check out these other articles about summer employment. Summer Jobs Going Fast says you should start applying asap. This "U-T San Diego" article surveys hiring managers about their hiring expectations for summer seasonal help. Take a peek at All Work... And Some Fun for information about summer jobs with four local employers: SeaWorld, Del Mar Fairgrounds, Legoland, and San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. Both articles appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on April 26, 2012.

Student Success – Time by Kelli Turpin

Leg #2 Time

Last time, I asked you to keep a time diary for a week.  Take out that time log and your motivational picture/paragraph.  Keep them in front of you as we talk.

Couple of things you need to know about time: First, time is constant.  Everyone has exactly 24 hours in his or her day.  No more, no less.  You can’t steal time from tomorrow; you can’t bank it for next week.  Twenty-four hours every day.  One hundred-sixty-eight hours every week.   During those 168 hours, there are things that must be done.  You know the things I mean:

• Sleeping
• Eating
• Bathing
• Working
• Taking care of kids
• Spending time w/ significant others, family, or friends
• Attending religious services
• Volunteer activities
• Commuting to and from all of these activities
  

Career Choice -- 4 Questions To Ask Yourself by Ray Wong

Susan Cain photo by Steve Jurvetson 

Thinking about a career change? Not sure what career to select? Author Susan Cain was adrift in her own wayward vessel, floundering without a rudder, until she asked herself some tough questions. Her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, provides insights that could help you find your path in life. Cain graduated from Harvard Law School and worked as a corporate attorney for ten years in a high-paying job that didn’t fit her personality. Cain was unhappy and wanted to make a career change, so she needed to do some soul-searching. 

In her book, Cain poses questions (page 218) that get to the root of who you are. The answers could very well lead you on the path to career fulfillment. First question -- what did you always want to do when you were growing up? This isn’t to imply that if you dreamed of becoming an astronaut as a child, you should immediately join NASA. The key to looking back is that if you wanted to be an astronaut, there was something there that tugged at you. Was it the thrill of being in space? The technology? The communication with your flight crew? The adventure? Wearing a spacesuit with the cool round helmet? There are clues from your childhood fantasy that can reveal a lot about what’s important to you.

Summer School

 2012 Summer School Options

The following list of colleges offering summer school classes was forwarded by City counselor Roberta Krauss courtesy of Grossmont College EOPS.

SDSU: Current local community college students can cross-enroll in one course at SDSU for $10 without being enrolled at a community college in the summer. The requirements for City students:

• Completed one semester at City
• Minimum 2.0 GPA
• CA resident
• No registration hold

Southwestern College: Limited summer courses at their satellite locations only.

Grossmont College: Limited six and eight week summer classes starting June 11.

Cuyamaca College: Limited six and eight week summer classes starting June 11.

Student Success – Motivation by Kelli Turpin

Leg #1: Motivation

Last time, I asked you to think about what “success” looks like for you.  If you did your homework, skip to the next paragraph.  If you didn’t (Lesson learned: do your homework!  There’s usually a reason for it), go ahead.  Do it now.  We’ll wait.  <bored humming>  Ready?

One of the first questions I ask students when they sit down in my office is “What’s your plan?”  Most people respond with something along the lines of “get a degree or transfer.”  If the major they’ve chosen is directly related to a job, like engineering, or social work, I nod.  If it’s something like psychology, or history or English, I push harder: “What do you want to do with an English degree?”  I’m not asking to satisfy my curiosity; I want to know how far ahead you’re thinking.  There’s nothing wrong with an English degree (If you've read my bio, you know that I have a couple of those myself), but finding a job that relates directly to English is tough.  My goal is to get you started at picturing your decade-older self.  Who are you going to be when you’re done with college?

Career/Transfer Center Reduced Hours

Important information relating to the Career/Transfer Center hours of operation – the following was sent by Vice President of Student Services, Peter White.

Due to continued severe understaffing (two of the three contract positions remain vacant and unfunded), the Transfer/Career Center will be closed during the months of May and June. In July, August, and continuing into the fall, the Center will be open for services Mondays and Wednesdays only, from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. A reduced calendar of university advisor visits, classroom visits, and workshops will be made available on the two days each week that the Center is open. Students who need information on transfer and/or careers on the days the Center is closed should go to the Counseling office, where a limited range of services will be available.