In today’s world, higher education is a necessary step in a person’s career that can lead to great success. Knowing this, Burroughs High School has made “career and college readiness” one of its primary goals.
One of the most prevalent resources that was launched just this year is “College and Career Day.” CCD takes place after every grading period in all classes, giving students a range of activities and information aimed at introducing them to everything there is to know about different opportunities in college and career.
Throughout this year, the six CCDs have received mixed feedback from students, with some supporting the effort and the good it does for the betterment of BHS students, and others simply thinking it is a waste of time. So, it begs the question whether dedicating such a large portion of time is truly efficient in helping students reach their goals.
Now let’s establish one thing: College and Career Day is a great concept. Whoever thought of this truly had the right intentions, and as a student who is applying to college next year, I can say with certainty it has helped me learn all about different fields of study, how and when to apply, and how to receive financial aid and support. In my AP Lang class, for example., we participated in tons of different activities, like exploring what career paths fit our interests, building a resume sheet, and even obtaining letters of recommendation from our teachers.
Even though I have always planned on applying for college and have spent plenty of time researching it, I learned tons of new stuff and received plenty of tips in helping me succeed.
In general, I would say that my overall outlook on the event is positive; however, some improvements could be made to maximize student engagement, which among the general consensus seems to be rather low.
At one end is the wholly negative view voiced by senior John Baronowski: “I think that college and career day is just a waste of time, and really takes away from our learning time. It is also really useless for upperclassmen who have already applied to college, and students who don’t plan to apply entirely.”
Others, like sophomore Annie Ngo, view it more positively: “It gave me the opportunity to dive deeper into careers I was already considering. The interest profilers helped me learn more about myself and kept the idea of college and career in the front of my mind. I’m glad we are starting early with this.”
Now in all fairness, not every student plans to attend college, nor do many particularly care to learn about the application process. So, to increase the effectiveness of CCD, the school should continue to create activities that reach all segments of the campus and structure them so that we all can get a start on planning for our futures.
