To the class of 2022, we are so immensely proud of you! Every single one of you were able to get through the trial and tribulations of applying to college -during pandemic! Another senior class defining newer and higher standards. Now that you are all done with college applications, you will soon be choosing a college!

I'm Kimberly Travieso, a Sophomore at California State University - Los Angeles! Kid City helped me get familiar with the college process, but it wasn't until I went through the experience myself that I understood what it meant. It was a bit too late in most scenarios, but I got lucky, so I wanted to make sure others knew what to look for before picking a college.

YAY! Spring is college admission season! Around this time I was constantly checking my emails for acceptances or updates. Before you decide on a college, here is some advice I gathered during that time that helped me choose Cal State LA -- I hope this helps relieve some college decision stress! 

• Financial Aid: Personally, this factor was most important to me. And it might be the same for you! I did not have a preference for which college I wanted to attend - what was important to me was the financial aid opportunities. If your #1 choice is providing a sufficient amount of financial aid to support your education, I say that's a great university choice! There are many scholarships available to help you graduate from college debt free. These scholarships may also pay for the majority of the tuition and fees, if not all. Is financial aid an important factor for your decision making process?

Tip: If you’re having trouble understanding your financial aid package, you can set up a meeting with the school's financial aid advisor. I was confused about my package for CSULA, and the counselor guided me through it!

• What campus size do you want? Do you want a small, medium or large campus? Cal State Los Angeles is a smaller campus. Personally, I was grateful for that because it was easier to navigate the campus when walking to each class. Bigger campuses also mean more students, which means more opportunities for classes and clubs. What do you want to gain from a campus?
  
  
• Best College for your Major: Research the university that has the best opportunities and classes for your career goals. For example, I wanted to major in business and Cal State LA has one of the biggest and best catalogs for business majors. You should also consider choosing a back-up major for yourself. When you enter a university, there is always a possibility you may change your major. Explore what majors each campus offers by visiting their website! Each university website should give you access to the list of majors they offer.
  
  
• Keep an Open Mind: For example, if one of the colleges you applied to is a better fit for your major but the only con is the distance  - maybe consider what you want to gain from each university and what you're willing to compromise. College is a place for exploration and new experiences! You’ll get the best education when you attend a university that is satisfying the things you find most important.
  

KC Is Always Here For You!

You can always reach out to Kid City for any assistance with college. Financial aid, registering for classes, EOP applications, researching majors/classes, and more!  

Staying in touch with the Kid City community will provide connections and guidance through college and even after! While at Kid City, I was able to talk to friends who attended universities outside of Los Angeles and it was great being able to talk about our experiences. Staying in touch allows you to have access to amazing Kid City staff; who have all been through a diverse amount of experiences, which is great when trying to find guidance on your personal obstacles. Kid City staff understands the feeling and stress of being a first generation college student. For example, I remember Pedro, a past Kid City staff member, expressing some adversities he faced during his college experience. I went through similar experiences as he did, and it felt good knowing I wasn't alone in the adversities I faced in college. I greatly appreciate staying with Kid City through the years -- hearing about others experiences prepared me for college and gave me the confidence to persevere.

Kid City is here as a resource to motivate, encourage, guide and recognize your worth as a first generation college student!