College & Career Readiness
VUSD/April 2021
After years of hard work, seniors are now pondering over their college acceptance letters and deciding which school is the perfect fit. Should it be an Ivy League or Berkeley or maybe Fresno State, or start at a community college? The decision can feel daunting.
The secret is there is no perfect choice. Social media, movies, even music lyrics lead us to believe we have to find the perfect path; otherwise, doom and regret will be impending. Research tells us differently. In a 2011 study, they looked at the long-term professional success of those accepted to highly selective schools but chose to attend a less selective college. Would attending a less prestigious institution keep them from success? In the end, they found that this group of students were just as successful as their peers who attended the selective college. The key is that if you have the tools to be successful, it doesn't necessarily matter which college you attend.
So, seniors, don't get caught up in the name of the college, but find the one that is the best fit for you. There are many opportunities in college to have fun, but the initial transition to college can be bumpy. Choose where you feel comfortable making mistakes and learning from these experiences. Select the school that calls to you to get involved, offers internships, and has the experiences that appeal to you. College should be about growing as a person. Growth won't happen if you get caught up selecting a school based on the name rather than fit.
We can't wait to hear where you are going and wish you a bright future.
Best wishes,
Paige Loverin, MA, PPS
Visalia Unified College and Career Readiness
Ignite Your Curiosity
Ignite Your Curiosity is a monthly series of webinars for students and parents to hear from various industry leaders. Each month a new industry-themed panel will help your child explore career possibilities.
This month's theme is Education.
Join us on Monday, April 19, at 6:oo PM.
To join us for the event Click Here. The week before the event, an email containing the webinar link will be sent out to you. To view the previous Ignite Your Curiosity event on Arts and Entertainment Click Here.
Ignite Your Curiosity: Elementary Edition
Join us to see what slimy fun we are up to this month on Thursday, April 29, at 6:00 PM.
To register for the event, Click Here. After you register for the event, you will receive an email containing the webinar link. If you missed March's event with COS Chemistry Students, Click Here to see the video.
Junior Parent Night Webinar
Join us on Tuesday, April 20, at 6:00 PM. Click Here to register for the webinar.
Harvard Medical School : Empower: A Symposium on Underrepresented Voices in Medicine
The event will take place Saturday, April 24th, at 8:45AM–5:30PM EST. Click Here to register for the symposium.
Writing requirement for those attending a UC for the fall of 2021
• UC Berkeley
• UCLA
• UC Merced
• UC Riverside
• UC San Diego
Students selected to take the AWPE on May 22 will be notified by email in May. Students planning to enroll at UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara or UC Santa Cruz should not take the AWPE and instead will have campus-specific options for course placement and satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing Requirement.
Comprehensive information about the Entry Level Writing Requirement and the AWPE is available online at www.ucop.edu/elwr. The website details methods of satisfying the requirement besides passing the AWPE, such as by earning qualifying scores on the ACT, SAT, AP, and IB exams or by successfully completed a UC-transferable English composition course offered by a college or university. In addition, the Entry Level Writing Requirement website provides a sample AWPE, FAQs, and links to the four UC campuses that offer campus-specific options.
Financial Literacy Webinar Series
The first webinar covered savings, checking, budgets, and debit cards. Click here to see the video of March's webinar.
The second webinar will cover credit by showing how to start and maintain good credit.
Wednesday, April 14 at 6:00 PM
Click Here to register for the event.
The third session will cover how to plan for retirement. The earlier a person starts saving for retirement out of college, the more likely they are to reach their retirement goals.
Wednesday, May 12 at 6:00 PM
Click Here to register for the event.
Seniors' College Acceptance Letters
Have your family record you opening those acceptance letters, complete the attached release form, and email both the video and release form to ploverin@vusd.org. Here is a sneak peek of others opening their letters.
Sportsmanship Scholarship Offered to Student Athletes
The Tulare County CHARACTER COUNTS! Program is proud to announce that applications are now being accepted for the annual Pursuing Victory with Honor (PVWH) Scholarship. The scholarship is available for up to four graduating seniors who plan to attend a college or university in Fall 2021. Pursuing Victory with Honor is the character education program developed by the creators of CHARACTER COUNTS! as a tool for coaches to instill good sportsmanship in their players. The Provident-Salierno Family Foundation generously supports the annual scholarship for seniors who demonstrate exemplary character on and off the field.
Tulare County seniors are invited to submit an application for the scholarship by May 3 and include an essay on sportsmanship. To apply for the PVWH scholarship, complete the scholarship application available at tcoe.org/PVWHScholarship. For additional information, contact Kelley Petty, Tulare County CHARACTER COUNTS! Coordinator, at kelleyp@tcoe.org.
~ Senior student-athletes are invited to apply for the annual Pursuing Victory with Honor scholarships – an award available to up to four students who will graduate this year and plan to attend a college or university in the fall.
Stay in Touch
Past VUSD College & Career Newsletter
Office Phone Number: 559-730-7510