Mourning at Sonoma State - Sonoma State University

Volume 1, Issue 3
November 2009
Mourning at Sonoma State
POINTS OF INTEREST
• Student Vigil for Maribel
• Interview Stream software
for Career Center
• EOP Club Potluck
• Record number of
Freshmen applicants to
CSU
• Internships for students
Inside this issue:
Meet the Staff 2
Sophomores 3
Scholarships 4
New Staff 5
Study Abroad 6
By ROBERT DIGITALE
-Excerpted from THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
October 2009
More than 150 Sonoma State University
students and staff on Wednesday night held
candles and remembered Maribel Raya, a 19-
year-old sophomore who died early Saturday
in an auto accident that injured three other
people.
The students gathered outside Salazar Hall
in front of a table with lighted candles and
multiple photos of a young woman
described as a caring friend. “She was
just a great person, always
smiling, always laughing about
something,” said Niña O’Brien,
who helped organize the 9 p.m.
memorial.
Claudia Holt, Raya’s instructor
last year in an introductory
course on university life for firstgeneration
college students,
spoke of a memoir the young
woman wrote for the class. Holt said, “Her
very last line was, ‘I’m the one who sees the
lonely person sitting by themselves. I’m the
one who goes up and says something to
them.’”
Sonoma State President Ruben Armiñana
sent an e-mail message Tuesday alerting students,
faculty and staff to Raya’s death and to Wednesday’s
candlelight gathering. “Maribel was a well-known
and loved residential and EOP (Educational Opportunity
Program) student,” Armiñana wrote. “She was
known to many on campus as she was a student
assistant in the Disability Services for Students office.”
Earlier Wednesday, O’Brien recalled how the two met
a year ago when they took part in Summer Bridge, a
weeklong orientation for incoming EO
freshman. The university’s Educational
Opportunity Program offers the special
orientation for first-generation college
students.
“We gather tonight not only to mourn the
loss of our beautiful friend Maribel, but
to celebrate her life lived,”
O’Brien told the gathering.
She noted Raya’s Facebook
page contained this phrase:
“Loving life and that is all that
matters.” Speakers, many
fighting back tears, said Raya’s
death reminded them to hold life
as precious and to reach out and
care for others.
Raya is survived by her parents, Martin and
Maria Raya, and sisters Mireya and Marina,
all of Olivehurst; and a grandmother, Maria
Medina of Castroville. A funeral Mass will be
celebrated for Raya on the following Friday
at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in
Marysville.
Words spoken by Niña O’Brien at vigil:
“I want to thank you for coming tonight to
show all your love and support for
Maribel… We gather tonight not only to
mourn the loss of our beautiful friend
Maribel but to celebrate her life lived.
Maribel was full of life and a loving soul. I can’t
recall a time when I saw her and she wasn’t smiling or
giggling about something… I truly believe that God has
taken Maribel from us because she has accomplished all
the tasks that God has given her. She was such a beautiful
person inside and out. She was an angel even while she
was her eon earth. Rest in Peace my friend, you will be in
my thoughts, memories and always in my heart. I love
you. “
— Niña

Page 2
EOP Newsletter
EOP STAFF PROFILE: EDIE BROWN
Well Hello All… My name is Edie
Brown and I have been an advisor at
Sonoma State University for 8
years (9 if you include my year as
an intern). Here’s a little bit
about me: I am an adopted kid;
my parents got me when I was 2
weeks old. I have an older
brother who lives in Windsor. I
was born in Washington DC but I
was raised in San Francisco and
consider myself a native
Californian. I was about
9 months old when my
family moved to California.
I spent 10 years living in
Monterey, CA. It was pretty
but didn’t really offer me a
whole lot in terms of opportunity
so I moved to Sonoma
County in August of
1990 and absolutely
love it here.
I received a B.A.
from Sonoma State in
1997 in Psychology and
went on to get a M.S. in
Counseling with an
emphasis in College
Counseling from San
Francisco State University
in 2001. It was awesome
going to a college I had
always dreamed of going
to. It was the only college I
applied to for my graduate
degree.
This has truly has been my
dream job. I do a lot of things
here: I am the Coordinator of
our Conversion Program for
EOP (you know those students
that called you ALL THE TIME?
Yea, I did that). I sit on the
Academic Advising Subcommittee
for the university. I am a
union steward for the Unit I
work for.
The spring time is the busiest
for me because I have lots of
stuff going on. I am getting
the Conversion program
started, I am interviewing
students for the Summer
Bridge Peer Leader position,
I’m planning the Summer
Bridge Peer Leader training
with Bruce Peterson and
planning Summer Bridge
with the other EOP advisors.
On a personal note, my
husband’s name is Dan and
we have two wonderful little
boys, James Leland and
Matthew Sullivan (aka Sully).
James just turned 4 in
October and Sully is almost
16 months. I waited a long
time to have kids. I had just
turned 40 when James was
born and turned 43 shortly
after Sullly was born. They
are the most incredible little
boys and the loves of my life.
I also have two stepchildren,
Devin 17 and Danielle, 14,
whom I adore and love.
Before kids, I was going to
concerts all over California.
Mostly rock shows cause I’m
a rocker at heart but I have
lightened up on the concert
scene to stay home with my
family. I still go to shows; I
just take them along with
me when I can. Godsmack is
my favorite band! I am on a
women’s pool (Billiards)
league that starts in the fall
and ends in the spring and
I’m a pretty good shot.
I love to read in my spare
time. I like books with
action, adventure, drama
with a sprinkle of witches
and a vampire or two. I’m
hooked on Survivor and all
the CSI’s, NCIS’s and True
Blood. I facebook and
sometimes myspace but I
really like the real life
contact with students.
You are why I come to
work everyday.
Some time I will retire to Hawaii
but in the meantime, come by and
hang out with me. I have the
coolest office in our area.
Aloha, Edie

A.C.E. ADVISING CENTER
Sonoma State University
Advising, Career & EOP
SALAZAR 1070
1801 E. Cotati Ave
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
OFFICE HOURS:
8:30am - 4:30pm
www.sonoma.edu/eop
707.664.2427
The CONNECTION is
published every
semester to highlight the
events and news related
to the EOP program. If
you have comments,
concerns or if you would
like to contribute a story
or announcement related
to EOP, campus,
community or club/event,
please contact
Editor: Luis Vega
Luis.Vega@sonoma.edu
707-664-3437
E O P
Meet the Staff
MANAGEMENT/ADMIN TEAM
Joyce Chong
Managing Director
707.664.2427 | joyce.chong@sonoma.edu
Bruce Peterson
Associate Director, EOP
707.664.2427 | bruce.peterson@sonoma.edu
Lisa Brooks
Administrative Program Specialist
707.664.2865 | lisa.brooks@sonoma.edu
Rebecca Tiemens
Administrative Program Specialist
707.664.2730 | rebecca.tiemens@sonoma.edu
ADVISORS
Andre Bailey
Advisor
707.664.2196 | andre.bailey@sonoma.edu
Edie Brown
Advisor
707.664-4157 | edie.brown@sonoma.edu
Sandra Shand
Advisor
707.664.2427 | sandra.shand@sonoma.edu
Janet Swing
Lead Advisor
707.664.2427 | janet.swing@sonoma.edu
Luis B. Vega
Advisor
707.664.2427 | luis.vega@sonoma.edu
Jerry Thao
Career Coordinator
707.664.3127 | jerry.thao@sonoma.edu
Practice Makes Perfect!
You’ve heard it so many times. So before you next interview,
spend 30 minutes using our newest technology: Interview-
Stream!
Getting Started
To utilize this software, you will need a webcam. If you have
your own webcam, please go to Step #1.
If you do not have a webcam, make an appointment
With Career Services to use our mock interview room.
Call (707) 664-2196 to schedule an appointment.
1. Login to create an account through Seawolf Jobs:
https://Sonoma-csm.symplicity.com/students
2. Click “Jump To” on the main student page of Seawolf Jobs
3. Click ‘Tutorial” on InterviewStream for an overview of the
website.
soph· o· more
The etymology is from Greek, sophisma ‘clever
device’ from sophizesthai ‘to devise, become wise.’
Bibi Rahimzada, a Sophomore shares her
perspectives on the main issues that face 2nd
year students here at SSU. For one, classes are
harder and what is key is to manage time and
one’s schedule with family and friends; time
management is so important according to Bibi.
She also mentioned that a student’s schedule is
not like it was in high school. “You have to be
well organized especially if a student is or plans
to be involved in extra-curricular activities such
as sports or volunteer work.”
She lived in the dorms her 1st year but was not
really compatible with her roommates. Bibi
mentioned that who you live with has a profound
affect in everything else related to the college
experience. “You really get to know who they
are.” What has made the difference now for Bibi
is who her roommates are. For Bibi, being a 2nd
year student, She has decided to live on campus
with friends she met her first year. She decided
to live on-campus because according to her, it is
so convenient and it helps in getting involved in
activities.
Academically, classes at the university level
heavily depend on the course syllabi; “it is
basically like a ‘contract’ with the Instructor.”
Bibi stated that “Students have to be aware of the
requirements because we are on our own, it’s all
about the syllabus.”
Bibi is currently working for the Career Center as
a JLD or Job Locater Developer Assistant. She
works about 10 hours/week and that is about
right according to her. “It really depends on your
personality and if you need to work.” She
mentioned that she loves her job.

How to Explore Major Choices
• Take Freshman Seminar Courses
• Take General Education courses as self-discovery and do Major exploration
• Take Pre-requisite / introductory Major courses
• Attend Departmental workshops or individual advising session in Major(s) of interest
• Study the SSU catalog and go to department web site for advising and career information
• Get experience; volunteer, intern, do CIP, job shadow, get part-time or seasonal jobs
• See Major and career information on-line and follow up with leads
• Attend Choosing a Major Workshop, take Career Life Planning class or meet with advisor
By Diamante Rueda
Hi all! My name is Diamante Rueda. I am a
junior at Sonoma State University. My
majors are Accounting and Political
Science. Here is my essay –which was part
of the application that helped me obtain
SSU Scholarships.
I was born and raised in Acapulco, Mexico.
At the age of seven, my parents divorced.
At the age of 14, my mom decided to
remarry, and she moved to the U.S.
Meanwhile, I lived with my grandmother.
It was extremely difficult for me to be away
from my mom, but I was lucky to have a
very caring grandmother. I lived with my
grandmother for almost four year until my
mother was able to bring me to the U.S. I
remember the night my mom called me to
let me know the great news. That night I
went to bed late. I thought about all the
amazing possibilities that were
awaiting me. I imagined myself
going off to college and later
becoming a successful professional.
I knew it was not going
to be easy, but I was ready to
confront any challenges. The
hardships I have been through
and the obstacles I have
found have not been easy
to overcome, but my
family and desire to
help my community
are my greatest motivation.
leave. While trying to complete the
requirements to graduate, I was also
getting ready to apply for
college. I knew I
wanted to continue
with my
education. Even
though I did not
have much idea of
what the process of
applying to college
was like, my desire to
be successful was so
strong that I tried to
do everything I
could to get
help. No one
in my
family has
ever
When I enrolled in
high school as a second
semester junior, I
struggled with the
English language and
course work, but I was
determined to overcome
any obstacles I would
encounter. I went to
every single office hour the
teachers held. Many times I
was the first one to get to
school and one of the last to
attended college
in the U.S., so they
could not help me fill out the
college applications. I asked
for help from my teachers
until my PE teacher told me
about the SAI (Summer
Application Institute)
program hosted by the
Marin Education Fund...
Continued on Page 8.

T H E E O P C L U B
Page 5
The EOP Club recently had a pre-Thanksgiving Potluck during their Monday night weekly meeting.
Several students brought tacitos, pizza, finger-food and drinks. An invitation was sent out to
various Staff, friends of the Club and Faculty members on campus. The meeting was dedicated
to discussing the up-coming EOP Club Officer election to be held by the end of November.
Other items included the ideas for a possible mascot, club logo, fund-raisers, and beach trip in
the Spring.
Club Advisor, Andre Bailey provides guidance and leadership to the club. There was also
discussion to have a constitution, club flyer/brochure and tabling to get the word out that the
EOP Club is on the move. If you would like to know more about the Club or how to get
involved, please contact either Ruby Ponce or Niña O’Brien and to also get on the mailing list
for updates, times and locations.
NOVEMBER
25 Thanksgiving Holiday;
Campus Open, No Classes
26 - 27 Thanksgiving Holiday;
Campus Closed
30 - Dec 4 PASS ONE Reg: for Spring 2010
DECEMBER
7 - 11 PASS TWO Reg: fees due Jan 1, 2010
11 Last day of instruction
14 - 18 Finals Week
25 - Jan 1 Winter Holiday
(Campus Closed)
Jerry Thao holds a M.S. in Counseling, with a specialization in Career
and College, from San Francisco State University. Prior to coming to
Sonoma State University, Jerry served as a graduate intern at the Stanford
University Career Development Center (08/09) and University of San
Francisco Career Services Center (07/08).
As a gradate intern, she assisted students ranging from freshman through
PhD with career exploration, major decision, resume/cover letter writing,
graduate school application, and job/internship search strategies.
Previously Jerry worked as an Employment Specialist for the
Refugee Employment Program and with disadvantaged San
Francisco youth in the Mayors Youth Employment and
Education Program. In the summer of 2007, Jerry travelled
to Bangkok Thailand and provided career counseling to
disadvantaged Thai women; she presented her work at the
2007 International Career Development Conference.

By Chelsea Smith
It has always been important for me to study abroad ever since I found out
that you actually could! I think it was in high school when I was taking my
German class that I realized I could actually study abroad someday. It seemed
impossible- because of the money issue- and so it was sort of just a dream of mine.
It was important for me to not just visit another country but to live in it because
I think this is where you really see yourself in a different light. This is when you
figure out that the entire world around you is so much bigger than a map in a
textbook- and that the wonderful places you read about can actually be experienced
first hand. I chose Germany mostly because of my mother. She moved there when
she was a young adult to live with her boyfriend at the time who worked at an army
base in Germany.
She lived there for 4 years, and ever since I was young she would tell us these
amazing stories about Germany, the culture, the language, and the people.
She implanted in us at a young age the desire to travel and to see the world,
and so when it came time to chose a language to take in high school we naturally
couldn't chose anything but German-since I already felt that I knew the country.
So when it came time to chose a country to study in, I had such a history with
the language already, and my mom's stories, that everything fell into place.
In Ulm, with Alexis Nicolai (from SSU) and
our new friend, Hanna, from Sweden.
We are in Tuebingen, Germany- in the region of Baden-Wurtemburg. We are
close to the Black Forest (Schwarzwald). The people here speak a different
dialect than what we are being taught in school (which is Swabisch... a
region of Baden-Wurtemburg, which is characterized as having, in my
opinion, the greatest cuisine of all!)
My favorite part, so far, was being in Horb, a small city of 5,000 people
very close to the border of Switzerland, and in the heart of the Swabisch
region of Baden-Wurtemburg. We were there for 6 weeks for the PLP program,
and lived with a host family. My favorite part of that stay was when they
took Rachel and I to a small village "Heimatstage Festival" which
translates to a "Homeland day Festival" which is essentially a festival
that celebrates the village and strives to keep the old ways of life alive
in the hearts of the next generation of kids. So they had traditional
food, music, and a parade with costumes, and people dressed in traditional
working outfits- bakers, farmers, etc. We ended up getting into the
newspaper because my host father knew the reporter who took a picture of us
having a great time there- dancing with the local guys in the local
marching band, to traditional polka music. It was a blast to be surrounded
by Germans, in a festival where we were pretty sure we were the only
Americans. We really had an authentic experience.
In Heidelberg with the amazing castle that we went inside behind
us. In the picture from right to left, Mike (my boyfriend), me,
Rachel and Tyler Hill (also from SSU).
I would just love to say to our EOP students back home, that now is the
chance to seize the opportunity and have an experience of a lifetime. No
other time in your entire life will you have the chance to live and study
in another country- and at no other point will it be so easy for you to do
so! It was the best decision I have made for my education, and I can't
imagine why anyone would not travel and study abroad. Here I am, riding
the bus every morning to school, stopping by at my favorite bakery and
grabbing a small coffee and a Laugenbrezel (a small roll-shaped pretzel)
surrounded by beautiful hills and buildings older than my country, and I
think to myself- that I could be here, in such a wonderful country
surrounded by rich culture and history, or I could be in California,
living my day to day life for another year. I miss Sonoma very much, and I
miss my friends greatly, but I know I will see them again, but I can't
imagine any other place I would be right now- sampling the country's
culture first-hand, and not just being a "tourist" but actually feeling as
if I belong- as if I am a local. You can't get that experience often. It's
such a wonderful time for me, and I can't wait to see what happens next! :)
I love hearing from people back home, I really
miss Sonoma! and I can't wait to come back home next year ^_^
From Oktoberfest, in Munich! We didn't get to do much,
since all of the beer tents were full- but there was a really
crazy carnival surrounding the whole festival- and it was
really neat to see! We instead spent most of our day
exploring Munich. :)
My host father, who knows the guy, pushed
us up to him in front of everyone and a reporter
came over to ask us about California
and how we like it here in Germany so far.

Traveling around the world has always been one of my deepest passions.
Seeing and embracing different cultures other than my own has always
sparked a fire within me that cannot be extinguished. I find every person
has so much to offer to the world and knowing more about other cultures
fascinates me. In order to expand my knowledge, I felt that I must go
beyond my familiar boundaries, and in doing so I needed to travel and
experience a complete new world for myself. I know that studying abroad
through the California State International Program, was my only
means of making this dream a reality.
However, I had to narrow my decision to one country, and I chose to
study in France. During high school I took three years of French
language classes. This was my first formal in-depth introduction of the
unique French culture. I became instantly captivated by every aspect
of it, and continue to be.
I find that everything about France is worthy of noting. Meeting and
learning from the local French here has definitely transformed me. I
have learned so much more here, then I would otherwise. It has been
quite a change from the life back in California. The atmosphere is
complete one-eighty. Life here is much more relaxed and has allowed me
to appreciate everything around me. Lunch and dinner are focused on
the food and the company you are with. People here take time to really
get to know you and are genuinely interested. The people here are really
friendly and outgoing. I experience this first hand when I had the opportunity
to go kayaking with some friends. It was my chance to explore the
local region and learn a little history of the region around me.
I would definitely encourage anyone that has the same ambition to explore
and discover a new world. It can be difficult at times but worth every
second. Its really a chance of a lifetime that will change the way you
view the world.
Au Revoir...
Nikki!

What are my Thanksgiving Plans?
Page 8
Keith
Garner
Business Senior
“I plan to chill
with my family,
watch and enjoy
some football as
I don’t get a
chance to visit
them that often.
I’m from East
Palo Alto.”
Jolene
Chappel
Psychology Junior
“I plan to go
home to Lake
County and
attend 3 Thanksgiving
Dinners to
make up for all
the bad I eat
around here!”
Jennifer
Mason
Kinesiology Senior
“I plan to go home
to Morgan Hill and
spend time with my
Mom’s side of the
family; relax and
have a break to
enjoy home
cooking…”
Show Me the Money –Scholarship Essay
Continued from Page 4 By Diamante Rueda.
where if I qualified I could get help with the college application process. I was selected and was assigned a Mentor who helped
me get into Sonoma State University. I chose Sonoma State University because I felt it was the school I was the most
familiar with. That summer, I attended Summer Bridge, which allowed me to meet friends and get a support system. Once I
got into college, I encountered one more obstacle: my English was not optimal for college. Once again, that was not going to
prevent me from reaching my goals. I was the only student who got a “Distinguished” commendation on my English 99
portfolio. After these experiences, I was convinced that I needed to work extremely hard if I wanted to accomplish my goal
of becoming a lawyer. From then on, I tried my hardest to learn as much as I could. I worked one on one with the Learning
Skills Services writing specialist, Laurie Dawson and Daniel Smith. The following semester, I worked even harder than before
and got an A in my English 101 class. My English 101 teacher, Lynn Lowery, was so impressed with my ability to write in the
English language when I just had been here for two years that she used one of my letters as a model for her next English 101
class. By the end of the semester, I accomplished a 3.9 GPA.
During my second year in college, I held many leadership roles at SSU such as Summer Bridge Peer Leader, UNIV. 102 Peer
Mentor, and UNIV. 199 Peer Instructor. Summer Bridge week was one of the most intense weeks I have ever experienced,
but it was also one of the most rewarding weeks I ever had as well. I had the chance to work with dozens of people, and most
of all I was glad I got to advice and share my experience with others.
After my experience as a Summer Bridge leader, I realized that I wanted to help other students to become more
comfortable and involved on campus, so I became a Peer Mentor for one of the UNIV102 classes and the UNIV 199 Peer
Instructor position the following semester. Being a Peer Mentor has made me grow as a person and a leader. It has made me
more aware of the power I have to motivate others to be successful. During my second year I was also part of MECHA
(Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan), Accounting Forum, and the Pre-Law Society.
My hard work has been recognized several times. I have been given about eight scholarship awards and I have been in the
Dean’s List since my freshman year. The most recent scholarships I have received are the Stephen Brent Goldstein,
Menendez Financial Group, Moss Adams, Business and Economics department, the PWC Exceed, the Hispanic college fund,
EOP and Marin Education Fund. I thank all the donors because all the scholarships have helped me to stay in college.
My third year is also a very busy year. This summer, I interned with Price Waterhouse Coppers, one of four biggest
accounting firms in the US. It was an eye-opening experience because I got a better understanding of what work may be like
once I graduate. I hold a job at NASA E/PO (Educational Public Outreach), which I got through the employment fair during
Summer Bridge. I am a member of the Board of Directors, the organization that budgets the Recreation Center and the
Student Union. The No-GAP program is the last program I have joined. No-GAP helps first generation and low-income
students attend Graduate school right after getting an undergraduate degree. It’s a great program to be in because the
No-GAP Advisors such as Jeff Davis, Daniel Smith and Monique Pearl truly care about No-Gap scholars and assist us with any
questions we have about graduate school. They’re a great resource.
People often ask me what motivates me to do what I do. My greatest motivation is my family and my desire to represent the
Latino community in a positive way. My family, especially my mother and grandmother, have always encouraged me to fight
for my dreams. They have taught me the importance of learning and having moral values. Those values have been the key for
my success. One of those values is giving back to our community. I feel like becoming a lawyer will give me professional
satisfaction, and it will also give me the tools I need to help my community and be a role model for my family and for many
other Mexican immigrants who would like to succeed. After I graduate from Sonoma State, I would like to attend Law
school.
For more information and how to apply, visit the site at:
www.sonoma.edu/scholarship
SSU Scholarship application is due January 15, 2010.
Scholarship Office
Salazar Hall 1010
(707) 664-2261
To date, Diamante has
received a total of
$11,250 dollars.
Scholarships range
from $250 to $3,000
per year. In the last
few years the number
of scholarships has
increased dramatically.
There are now over
200 separate funds
which provide
approximately 400
distinct scholarship
awards.

Page 9
EOP Newsletter
Record Number of Students Apply on First Day of Application Period
The CSU’s message to prospective students to apply early for fall 2010
admission is resonating as a record 25,563 applications were submitted online
within the first 24 hours of the priority application period. The number of
applications is more than double the number received on opening day last year.
The CSU’s application period for first-time freshmen and community college
transfers began Oct. 1 and runs through Nov. 30.
The CSU is expecting a surge in applications as the state’s high rate of
unemployment is producing many laid-off workers looking to return to school.
That, coupled with the CSU’s need to reduce enrollment by 40,000 students
over the next two years because of a $564 million budget cut means more
students and fewer slots. Students are being strongly encouraged to
apply early to maximize their chances of being accepted at the
campus of their choice. They are also being advised to have a
back-up plan that includes applying to the campus in their local
service area as well as other CSU campuses, local community
colleges and other universities.
Twelve of the CSU's 23 campuses are impacted for
2010 freshman admissions--twice as many as last
year --and that means these campuses will not
receive freshmen applications after Nov. 30 and
may require higher admissions criteria for
out-of-area students. Impacted campuses include
Fullerton, Long Beach, Pomona, San Diego, San Luis
Obispo, Sonoma, San Francisco, Chico, Northridge,
Fresno, San Marcos and San Jose.
There has been an increase in impactions at the
transfer level as well. For further information visit the site at:
www.calstate.edu/SAS/impactinfo.shtml.
Advanced Placement
Lauren Sanchez is a Liberal Studies Hutchins Major. She is currently a 1st time Freshman but after her
first year at SSU -at the end of Spring 2010, she will actually be 2 courses shy of being a Junior in terms
of units!! Why? Lauren came in with 38 units worth of Advanced Placement (AP) units. She took 4 test:
Spanish, US History, European History, and Physics. She scored at least a 3 in all of them that enabled
her to receive college level equivalency.
With her AP Spanish in particular, she actually got credit for SPAN 101, 102, 201, 202, 300. With 1 or 2
more Upper Division SPAN courses to take, she could obtain a Minor. The fee for each exam is $86. You
can look at in terms of economics too. She and/or her family invested $86 dollars x 4 tests which equals
= $344.00 dollars all together. But the cost to go 1.5 years, the equivalent in terms of time and expenses
(dorm, food, tuition, books, supplies) is equal to $25,000.00 dollars approximately, according to the
College Board estimates. Imagine that?! Not a bad investment. With that offset in savings in today's
economy and competitive educational climate, students and parents can thus seek ways to offset
rising tuition and expenses. The AP exams are an excellent way to get ahead and save money.
AP is a unique opportunity to get ahead in college. Each year, high school students can earn college
credit and stand out in the admissions process. There are more than 30 courses and exams across
multiple subject areas. Here are just a few reasons to take advantage of these tests: students have time to pursue a double major, or study abroad. It gives
students the flexibility to get the most out of the college years. AP students are more likely to graduate from college in four years - students who take longer to
graduate at public colleges and universities can spend up to $20,000 approximately for each additional year and AP helps students qualify for scholarships.
About 31 percent of colleges and universities look at AP experience when determining scholarships. Students should encourage those they know that are still in
high school to look into this especially in light of diminishing budgets, limited availability of courses and increasing costs to attend college.
Continued on Page 10.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM
Sonoma State University
Advising, Career & EOP
SALAZAR 1070
1801 E. Cotati Ave
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Continued from Page 9.
SOME FACTS ABOUT THE TESTS:
• Over one million high school students took over two million AP examinations.
• The tests are usually much more rigorous than the general course offerings
• Only high school students can take the AP examinations, regardless of participation in its
respective course.
• Home-schooled students and students from high schools that do not offer AP courses
have an equal opportunity to take the examination.
• Financial aid is available for high school students who qualify for it; the exam reduction is
$22 per exam from College Board plus an additional $8 rebate per fee-reduced exam
from the school.
• AP tests are scored differently from the A-F grading scale common in the United States.
They are scored on a numeric scale, 1 to 5. A score of a 3 or more will give you college
level equivalency.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT TESTING SITES:
1) The College Board
A non-profit organization run the AP program. www.collegeboard.com
2) U.S. Department of Education
ADVANCED PLACEMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM GRANTS
Also Known As: AP Incentive Program, API Program
This program provides grants to eligible entities to enable them to increase the
participation of low-income students in both pre-AP and AP courses and tests.
Access the internship listing TODAY.
Go to: www.internships-usa.com
Click on “Internship Series Online”
Username: “WORK”
Password: “CREDIT”
What Can I Do With This Major?
A comprehensive resource featuring 77 majors.
Each major represented outlines career
areas, typical employers and strategies
designed to maximize career opportunities
upon completion of a four-year degree.
Also included are links to related websites
where students continue their exploration of
majors and career fields.
More than 1,000 links are listed and
organized by category.
www.sonoma.edu/sas/crc/majors