By Jen Burnett @JBURNETT11
Long gone are the days when classes were posted on the office door, or we attended orientation to receive our class schedules at a booth.
College days are upon us and for the first time, we need to enroll in school, choose our classes, take assessments and turn in all the required paperwork on our own.
Admission applications, supplemental questionnaires and dependent worksheets are just a few of the many forms we must submit.
How do I send my transcript? How do I know what classes to take? These are only a few of the tough questions that lie ahead.
Many first time college students are overwhelmed with the admission process. Most seek help from their parents to get through this chaotic time.
Now if only I could get a daily recorder to let me know if they attended all periods!
Enrolling in college is not easy. The enrollment process is full of endless pressure. Every time a victory is achieved and all requirements are fulfilled, we hit another roadblock with the “unsatisfied requirements” notification dinging us again.
Fortunately some kids don’t face the same stress. In fact, they often times don’t even know what difficulties were involved in the enrollment process because their parents took care of admissions.
As for my own children, I enrolled them, chose their road maps and career goals, then handed them a schedule. I placed orders online for all of their books, school supplies and sent them on their way.
But when do our “adult” children take responsibility to enroll themselves? After all, we expect them to move on to aspiring careers after this, yet they can’t even fill out an application by themselves.
What about the students that have absent parents? Or parents that are not able to assist in the process? Turning in your parents tax returns is a requirement if you’re applying for financial aid, so what happens when that information is not available?
Luckily, Las Positas College offers counselors to explore road maps, and assist in the enrollment process. They have admission windows that will go over the forms needed and take you step by step through the process of what to do.
The Financial Aid office helps with the paperwork on their end and will assist students with advice when they cannot obtain parental information.
The enrollment process to get into college is much more difficult than in our K-12 years. Fortunately with the help of parents, relatives, friends and the Las Positas staff, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
