Many students, especially seniors, think about their life after high school. “What colleges should I apply to?” “What branch of the military do I want to enlist in?” “How do I find scholarships?” These answers and more lie in the College & Career Center (CCC), located along the north wall of the Commons.
The CCC hosts college and military visits, keeps books on different colleges and majors, and is where students pick up and drop off the forms for transcript release and letters of recommendation.
“Students should feel comfortable coming in and asking questions, and I can help point them in the right direction,” says CCC Coordinator Candie Joshi. “We have books and pamphlets and everything in here… students are welcome to come in and look at any time. You don’t need an appointment.”
Joshi is the heart of the CCC. Along with her affable demeanor, she works on providing informational workshops and pamphlets for students on topics like using the Common App.
“Anytime anyone’s looking for college options, they’re welcome to come in. You can start thinking about it long before you’re a senior. I don’t like it when this room is empty,” Joshi laughs.
Joshi keeps the College and Military Visits document up to date. This includes a form at the top of the page for students to sign up for visits.
“You can sign up beforehand and I’ll get a pass to your class, but it’s not required,” Joshi then clarifies what students should do if they did not sign up but still need a pass. “You can ask your teacher for a pass, or you could come before school, or between classes, and I can write you a pass at the time of the visit.”
College visits are useful in getting to know the schools students are interested in. During these, an admissions representative talks about the unique perks their college offers and answers any questions.
“I’ve learned a lot just listening to the different colleges,” Joshi says. “A lot of times they have options that I wasn’t even aware of, like price points or programs. Even if you’re not interested in a specific university, just listening to a few of them helps you think of questions to ask others. Same with the military.”
Joshi is always looking to improve the information the CCC can provide. When she does not have the answer, she will send students in the right direction.
“I’ve been trying to get some little basic help guides. So anytime somebody comes in with a question I’m like, ‘Oh, this is good information’, I try to get [that] in here. If I’m not sure, I’ll recommend [students] to go to their counselor,” Joshi says. “If you’re applying to different colleges and you have questions there, you can always reach out to their admissions people… they are really good at answering questions.”
The CCC focuses on more than college. Joshi also deals with graduation logistics.
“I’m a good person to ask with any graduation-related questions, like the process, because I help with that,” Joshi says. “We’ll have the caps and gowns. They’re picked up at a meeting, but kids who don’t get it in time, they’ll come in here.”
Joshi remembers when her kids were guided through this process by people in a role similar to hers. She is happy to have the opportunity to help students in the same way.
“It’s an exciting time to be applying to colleges and figuring out what you’re going to do with your life, and I like being part of that and supporting that,” Joshi says. “I like to think that maybe I can help make the process not as stressful for all of you.”
