Back To School 2018

aid applications through any number of workshops offered by the
district, according to Dr. Marisa Sarian, PUSD’s assistant superintendent
of instruction.
“Community partners help students with their applications, but
students have to take the initiative to participate,” Sarian urges.
A student’s relationship with her or his financial aid office,
however, shouldn’t end once their classes are funded, says Ray Quirolgico,
associate provost for student affairs and dean of students
at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena.
“Students tend to forget other new opportunities,” says Quirolgico.
“There might be a scholarship that wasn’t available to
you when you first applied” and currently is, “now that
you’ve achieved some milestone,” such as completing x-
number of semesters or getting a certain GPA.
As far as Patty Hernandez,
director of academic advising
at ArtCenter, is
concerned, once
students are accepted, and money needed to continue is not an
immediate priority, they must focus and organize their schedules,
thoughts and time.
“Any student considering coming to ArtCenter must learn how
to manage their time.” Hernandez advises. “If they can start practicing
early on that, they will become self-aware of how they are using
their time,” and thus, “make better plans for school and life.”
At the fast-paced and art-focused environs of ArtCenter,
Hernandez believes one should particularly prepare by practicing
expressing themselves through presentation skills — “how to describe
what it is you’re working on and what message you’re trying
to convey.”
For other colleges with less-focused curriculums and more
diverse programs, Cal State LA Associated Vice President of
Undergraduate Studies Michelle Hawley feels “college is tough, but
doable.” In college, you may have too many choices.” That’s why she
says, “Students should choose the major they feel passionate about
and they can do many things with.” But, Hawley points out, “Many
college students don’t graduate in four years because more than 50
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BACK TO SCHOOL 2018 PASADENA WEEKLY
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