College Stereotypes

Growing up in South Los Angeles I’ve had to deal with the stereotypes that we are all Cholos and Cholas, that we smoke, steal, gang-bang or that we are all just plain ignorant individuals that are hardly seemed destined for success, but not everyone here fits these stereotypes. I am nothing like that. I was fortunate enough to have a strong independent working mother who has paved the way for me to pursue my dreams, as a result, I have already surpassed my mother in academia by graduating high school, but I did not stop there, I have continued to pursue my education with the hopes of ultimately obtaining a masters degree in college counseling. Although I am proud to be raised in this tough neighborhood, I knew that life had more to offer than

I was a student worker at East Los Angeles College for two years where I assisted in the matriculation office. Matriculation is a process that promotes and enhances student access into the California Community Colleges. The Matriculation Process provides admissions, assessment, orientation, counseling, and follow-up to all students enrolled in community colleges. During the two years that I worked for the matriculation office, I had the opportunity of having constant contact with students on an everyday basis, which has contributed to my inspiration of becoming an academic counselor. I was assigned various tasks such as proctoring students while they took their assessment tests or screening students for the assessment test. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to reveal test scores upon completion of their assessment test. I was also responsible for providing educational guidance and assistance for students recommending courses and determining appropriate education solutions for different types of students. I was especially touched by the unique experiences when I had the opportunity to translate information from English to Spanish. There were students who did not speak English, but did not let that deter them from seeking a better opportunity; instead, they allowed that to become motivated. I constantly reflected upon their situations and reminded

I am responsible for the office’s receptionist work such as answering phone calls, responding to emails, assisting in organizing student’s portfolios, and updating student’s information if necessary. I also schedule counseling appointments for students and also trusted with the task of collaborating with the transfer center, in an effort to keep students informed of transfer application filing dates. I helped students complete college applications and had the opportunity to answer questions they may have about attending Universities. Another duty of mine was to explain to students the mandatory steps to get off academic probation. Academic probation is when a student who has attempted at least 12 semester units earns less than a 2.0 GPA for total cumulative units attempted at ELAC. It has been a privilege to be able to work alongside employees whom I aspire to be like, working alongside counselors I have had the honor of getting a firsthand experience of what a workday consist of for a counselor. From the moment I was able to experience what a workday consist for a counselor, I felt that I had truly found my element, for one I love to interact with students, secondly, I believe I have the capacity of being a great academic