Counseling at El Camino

Website, www.nacacnet.com states, “Counselors are few in number, often have large student caseloads, and have additional constraints on the amount of time they can dedicate to college counseling.” College counselor can’t help students due to, too much “overloads.”

As an El Camino Student, my first year has been very challenging to find help. I arrived in a counseling office, got listed classes to take and sent off. I was sent to a specific counselor to help me in my major, however, as a first-year student, everything was still confusing. I was not offered extra information to help me with my major, I as well felt that a counselor who is willing to really help a student achieve academic success, they will offer them to “keep in touch,” so as a student, have a counselor to seek help too.

These college counselors need to improve how they help their students correctly and being able to provide students with all the extra help they need to be able to succeed academically. Counselors need to improve on how they communicate with their college students, being accessible for students to reach out to and refer them to extra support if needed.

— Jayline E. Lopez, 19, nursing major

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The counseling system makes college a lot harder than it needs to be. The counseling system here at El Camino is so broken that it needs a new philosophy. As a first-year college student, I know how hard it can be to get a meeting with a counselor.

This is a major problem because the student to counselor ratio is 482 to 1. This puts students who want to see a counselor in a bad situation because there aren’t enough counselors to keep up with the demand. Without enough counselors, students will have to wait for days or weeks waiting for a counselor just to get an orientation about their future.

This is up to the administrators to hire more counselors. This will benefit every student because with more counselors students will be certain that they will see a counselor at the schedule that best fits for them.

— Alfredo Castillo, 20, history major 

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To El Camino College administration:

El Camino’s Annual Factbook displayed statistics on the issue of school dropout that collected information form 2017-2018.

According to this report, the percentage of student dropouts institution-wide was 84%. Perhaps, colleges can invest public funds in new study programs that help these students complete a degree or certificate.

Studies have revealed that students who not attend frequent counseling appointments are the worst to accomplish graduation. And we know that in El Camino we face a big issue with booking appointments because we only have a limited number of counselors to meet with all ECC students and this disengages them with their educational goal.

Incorporating a counseling system which obligates students to meet with counselors twice a semester and hire more counselors would be great. Perhaps like this the counseling system would be more controlled and guarantee every student a meeting with a counselor.

— Lizeth Garcia, 19, childhood development major

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Dear Administrators of El Camino college,

I would like to bring up a concerning topic that I feel like is a big issue within our schools. I believe that we should add more counselors to ease the stress of students and even the counselors of EC.

On estimate, there is a 457 to 1 ratio of student to counselors. Now imagine the stress the counselors have to go through to make sure all those students are treated to and getting the help they need. On top of that imagine if students had a chance to speak to a counselor sooner with the added amount of counselors. Having more counselors would not only would that benefit for their time but also for their money, they could drop classes sooner so they know what they truly want to do before deadlines hit and it’s too late for them. But that’s only one of the benefits of hiring more counselors. imagine if we had more counselors to guide our future, now that’s pretty epic.

— Anthony Drake Harris, 19, computer engineering major

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For students at El Camino, counselors are a large part of student success. Counselors are the ones students rely on to inform them of the classes needed and the changes made in the ever-changing world of higher education.

So what happens when students aren’t getting the right information when they need it? During my first year at El Camino, I went to see a counselor like it is recommended, the only problem with that is that it is less than easy to get an appointment. The fact that a student can only call once a week for an hour to make an appointment is inconvenient.

There are two solutions administrators can put to action. It wouldn’t cost anything. One solution is to have it where students can call for an appointment every day during the week.

This would give students a better chance of seeing a counselor. Another solution is to make seeing a counselor mandatory. So many students give up on seeing a counselor either because they have been given bad information or just don’t want to wait around for an appointment.

— Lillian Thoma-Vital, 22, radiologic technologist major

Programs and clubs

Dear students of El Camino College,

If you are struggling in anything at all whether it is trouble in class, counselor or even in your personal life the people of the MANA program holds open arms to all. No requirements needed they are here to help and can help in any situation. Kina, Sina, and Nic, who are the heads of the program, have helped many students get their troubles sorted and pushed them to graduate.

They hold workshops not just for school but for your everyday lives like how to get FAFSA, and how to budget your money and really work so that you can be able to get to where you want to. The program has the best counselors, Robert and Chris, who are always supportive of all the students and MANA have resources like access to laptops, computers, basic supplies, classes, counselors and tutoring to help you succeed.

This is my first semester as a college student and has found another family in this program with students and faculty I can rely on and there is space for you. Come down to the student activities center to find your new guide to success.

— Jonah Tavai, engineering, 18

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This letter is to suggest the idea of publishing more advertisement about the clubs available in the campus. There are so many different clubs around the campus but, most students don’t know about them.

This is important because extracurricular activities look good when a four-year university is looking at a student resume. It also helps the students as a stress reliever because they stay after class in a friendly environment making new friends or, doing homework in small groups instead of procrastinating in their houses.

For example, I’m wondering what is going on every day because there’s always an activity going on in the campus but I don’t know what it is. And that’s most of the time. Like me, most students don’t know what is going on in the campus. Yeah, college staff send emails to the students but they never read them.

So, dedicating a page in “The Union” only for clubs information like when and where they meet, how to join them, etc would be very helpful for students and for the success of the clubs.

— Erwin Roberto Rodríguez de Paz, 19, computer science

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As a video game graphic design student currently attending El Camino College, I am confused as to why there are two maybe three courses in the field of graphic design but more than seven math classes. Studies show that improving course availability would accelerate students’ progress in their course of study. I always wonder if I’m in the correct field because of the lack of guidance and support in my course of the study received at ECC.

While going to ECC I’ve always felt like I’m alone and my value was unwanted. The lack of courses needed shows me no different. I’m just another “broke black kid” who has to figure it out or drop out.

I propose that ECC administrators should reach out to gaming companies like Blizzard or Sony, to try and bring in funding to improve graphic design and animation courses. In fact, gaming companies are always looking for new creative minds to mold. Why not let them mold many?

— Geron Wright, 21, computer science major

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Dear El Camino Administrators,

El Camino College has a growing number of single-parent students, yet there is only one program available to them. Furthermore, this program has many requirements that not all single parent students meet.

The CARE program, run by the amazing Breeanna Bond, is a program designed to help single parent students (male or female) with meal and gas cards and support.

To qualify for CARE a student has to be receiving cash- aid AND meet the qualifications for EOPS. The problem with these criteria is not all single parent students qualify for cash-aid as they as working multiple jobs in order to support their child(ren).

CARE also has a limit of students it can take in each semester, thus limiting the program even more. Therefore, I believe the CARE program should be given their own unique sets of qualifications to allow more single-parent students to receive the beneficial support provided by Breeanna Bond.

— Jesicca Quackenbush, 27, early childhood education

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I believe that having clubs for first-generation college students is very important. It would allow this specific demographic of students to connect with others that are going through the same scenario as themselves.

When I came to this school I was part of this group of students. Yes, there are programs put into place to help students attending college for the first time so they know which classes to take to get out of school faster. And that’s my point El Camino has programs in place to help students know which classes to take and how to pick classes for their major. But it does not have clubs to allow students to get to know others that are going through the same things as themselves.

College is a place where students meet peers that become life-long friends. And without clubs that will allow students to bond and begin creating relationships with one another then how will we be able to create those life-long friendships and relationships with each other.

As students at El Camino, we must try to make an impact by creating clubs that allows first-generation students to feel comfortable and involved in the school.

— Devynn Lopez, 18, undecided

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Dear Administrators:

It has come to my attention that El Camino College needs a better change for low-income students, and it needs to be made now! I know too many students who don’t have the support and guidance back at home. So, what could be a better idea than to have a summer program that can provide that and more! Therefore, I would like to get the word out about the importance of summer programs and how it could be a great solution to help low-income students find academic success.

Being able to provide a three-week course devoted to low-income students could help a student develop positive effects throughout their education. Having these opportunities to work closely with a counselor or an instructor could be a great positive impact on a young adult’s life. This could help with youth development and college preparation.

So, to have people that care for a student’s education can help a student mentally. Most importantly it could help students stay on track with school. But the best part of it all it could help low-income students graduate!

— Yessica Valle, 27, sociology major

Mental health on campus

As a student, I have had the thought off dropping out of school because of personal issues, and I’m sure many other students have thought about the same thing. The only reason why I continue to stay in school and deal with my struggles is that I know there are benefits waiting for me at the end of my academic journey.

In the book Community College Student Success, the author states, “students are correct in thinking that higher education pays off. Based on 2007-2009 American Community Survey data, individuals holding bachelor’s degrees earn on average 84 percent more over a lifetime than high school graduates”. If students were informed and reminded about what they are in school for and the benefits that come with completing college it would motivate students and also push them to successfully complete school. Students need some type of motivation or push to carry on.

If administrators would perhaps focus on the need of students, we could motivate the mind of students and help them better achieve academic success.

— Brooklyn Martin, 20, child development

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“What Can Help College Students Who Flood Counseling Centers?”(Psychology Today, December 7) argues that we as college students are not alone with the way we are feeling and the habits that some of us may contribute to that aren’t so healthy. Did you know that rates of anxiety and depression have risen in the last decade and it has become such a problem that many college students have turned to the use of substances for such illnesses?

Life can be tough and we don’t know what the next day will bring us, which is why El Camino College should offer drop-in therapy sessions; not only to the students who lack a support system but for everyone attending.

Yes, it would dramatically help students in need of wanting to get some things off their chest as well as serving a double purpose to students who may want to share something good that happened to them that day. It’s not just a way to help students, it’s a way to get involved with students. If administrators care and genuinely want to see students happy, then they should provide the support to do so.

— Jonathan Pavlow, 18, fire and emergency technology major

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There need to be some faculty advisors who are specialized in substance abuse because a huge population of student veterans and Americans are suffering from dependency issues, especially when it comes to substance dependence/abuse. Two of 10 veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder go on to develop substance use disorder (SUD), according to the National Center for PTSD.

There need to be faculty advisors who are specialized in substance abuse so when a student decides to seek help, it will be right around the corner and could possibly find the help they are looking for. It could really turn someone’s life around if we start this now! Let’s give each and every veteran student the chance to become stronger and more understanding of what life has gotten ahold of them.

According to “addictioncenter.com”, there is 31% of U.S. college students who have reported their addiction. That leaves 69% of the rest of the population that has not reported and who knows how many people in the 69% are willing to try to seek help before it’s too late. When a person ends up finding help it will benefit not only veterans but the whole school body to help with their success while attending college.

— Jason Kleczkowski, 24, general studies major

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As a student who suffers from anxiety and depression, I want to let the world, students and administrators especially, know that they are not alone to talk about what their mental health, especially if it’s interfering with their college work and their motivation for their passion.

There are various ways of what we can do when it comes to helping students with making mental more aware than it currently is. Like making more time for students to meditate or having sessions between breaks due to their mental health distracting them from work or study or creating unlimited counseling for those who don’t have time for a scheduled session about what’s actually right for students when it comes to classes and activities.

Even though college may have some ways into helping students with their mental health problems, but from what I’ve seen during my time in ECC, I can be honest and say that the awareness is rather small.

As stated before, there are countless possibilities for making mental health more aware and important, even when it’s not on a certain event or holiday. I just believe the administrators should work on, and we the students should work on it as well.

— Chelsea Mckissic, 21, art major

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Possibly, by professors prioritizing their time on being more active and creating a more intimate environment with students, it can make things very different positively, even save a life.

Many students stumble upon anxiety and depression and aren’t provided with much help other than counseling which can be effective but not as strong as professors involvement. As a first-year student, I’ve experienced depression and anxiety and to be honest It was very nerve-wracking for me and although I got through registration, I felt I wasn’t helped enough to prepare for classes and questions I had.

It’s still very nerve-wracking to think about how I will manage to succeed when professors aren’t helping as much as I believe they should since research has proven that anxiety can lead to depression which can affect a student’s performance on campus. This event makes me believe that I won’t achieve academic success at all and it frightens me.

Professors should be more open to their students and more sensitive to those who are failing because they are struggling with anxiety and depression. Professors need to provide more extra credit assignments, push more for group studies and office hours. Get involved and give a hand to those reaching for one.

— Christopher Solis, 23, computer engineer major

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Suicide is a very important problem in college students, as it is the second most leading death in college students. Here on campus administration must start a program for students who have thought or attempted suicide. According to the American College Health Association suicide is the second most leading death in college students. According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness “, Almost 73 percent of students living with a mental health condition experienced a mental health crisis on campus.”

With that being said students must take action themselves by going to get the help necessary and for the staff/counselors they must be very supportive as well. Many students that I have spoken to on campus have said that the counselors can be very rude and do not seem interested in what the student is saying, the students feel as if they are only numbers and on humans on campus.

The counselors can take better action by not rushing to get the students in and out but to take the time to help the student cope with the problem.

— Christopher McPheeters, 18, administration of justice major

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Students and teenagers, in general, are suffering from depression at such a young age and it is so heartbreaking to see them go through what they are going through with no one to share with. American Psychological Association shows that 40% of students suffer from depression and anxiety and if this rate continues to increase, the future of the students will be in danger.

Why shouldn’t I be worried, when CBC news shows that 1 in 5 every college students are so stressed that they consider suicide. Just like me, every student fear how depression and stress are going to affect my academic success but if students miss class because of depression and stress, and not get the right help, that’s on us right?

Perhaps, by having more psychiatrist on campus, more students can get the help they need and on the right time, we students can achieve more academic success.

— Megha Shah, business major

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El Camino College needs to provide psychological counseling for students so that they can be academically successful.

The only way to help students obtain success is by recognizing the importance of mental health and there various ways to do this. For one, colleges need to make psychological counseling as accessible as possible. According to the American Psychological Association, colleges have “ratios, on average (705:1 at schools smaller than 1,500 students), while larger institutions had larger ratios (2,624:1 at schools with more than 35,000 students).” This means that students have less of an opportunity to seek help since counselors are scarce. The lack of counselors will discourage students from wanting to seek help.

The administration needs to bring awareness about mental health and an efficient way to do it is by making the whole campus part of it. If campuses don’t improve mental health services then this will affect many community college students because they will be distracted with psychological issues.

— Elizabeth Castillo, 18, biology major

Resources at EC

Re “Making College Affordable: Providing Low-Income Students with the Knowledge and Resources Needed to Pay for College. Executive Summary.”( Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, 1 Nov. 2017) makes it clear that college is too expensive and students do not have a clear understanding of how to manage those cost which leads students to never enroll in classes or to drop out before completing their degrees.

Some students have to get a job to cover their schooling which leads to stress from not having time to do their homework or to study for an upcoming test.

This is why El Camino Administers at El Camino College should reduce their cost to help their students be more successful. Perhaps maybe having a program that lets students have a payment plan to manage their expenses. I strongly believe administers should make a signup sheet starting a protest for El Camino to help out students to have a plan to get to their degree meaning their expenses.

— Karissa Vigil, 19, nursing

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Students should use Snapchat to help inform each other on what’s happening on campus. For example, take a Snapchat of an event happening on campus or any new tutoring available and post it on a public story at EC. Using platforms like Snapchat as a resource is a convenient way for students to stay engaged and up to date on and off campus on the activities and programs that are available.

According to the Association of American American Colleges and Universities, “The more in-depth students’ experiences with advising are, the more engaged they are with their college educations”. When students have access to engage more within their community, there are more opportunities for them to gain knowledge and enables them to build more relationships with other students.

On campus, there is always something going on whether it be clubs, fairs, and other services that give students the opportunity to explore new interests, learn, and get help. But, many of these programs aren’t being advertised to students as hoped. This is leaving students out of participating in student activities.

So, let’s get to snapping!

— Rheanne Carbonilla, 19, business major

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College students and new coming college students aren’t aware of all the resources that El Camino offers to them. El Camino has so many resources available for students to better their education. There are clubs, tutor centers, office hours, etc.

Administrators and professors have a duty to introduce the resources students have available to them and encourage them to use the resources around them. Not many professors and administrators fulfill that duty and just assume students know.

As a new college student, I wasn’t aware of the many resources available at El Camino. It wasn’t until my second semester where one of my peers told me about how there was a writing center at El Camino and how they could help me with my essay there.

Many students achieve academic success because of using resources like the writing center, the library, the computer lab, and so many more. It should be an administrators goal to make sure every student is achieving academic success. And every professor should talk to their students about how important it is to advantage of resources the El Camino has to offer.

— Mariah Moreno, 18, kinesiology major

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El Camino College has a lot of students attending the school and many of them are taking classes that may make them or break them. Students, therefore, have to seek help from tutors to make the topics more understandable for them to comprehend the work. The newspaper should address the many ways to get help on campus and the times they are available for the students.

As a student-athlete and one of those students who struggle in school, tutoring is a key resource for my success on campus. The spring is one of those times where I know as a busy individual time is limited and short, so I have to make the most out of it so I can pass the classes I am taking. The tutoring times is an issue that needs to have longer hours.

El Camino website says “8 am to 9 pm” for most of the tutoring locations except the writing center because it has “7 am to 9 pm”. Even if El Camino college does have online tutoring but some students may want hands-on work in person vs looking at a computer screen. So these issues and tutoring outlets that El Camino College offers should mention or discussed for students to seek the specific type of help they need.

— Kevin Oliva, 19, undecided

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During my first year at El Camino, I didn’t know much about financial aid or programs like EOPS that would help me with paying for my classes and my books.

There was so much information that wasn’t put out for me so that I knew about these things. I worry that there are many new students that are put in the same exact situation as I was my first year.

Maybe by advertising more information and workshops out there, we won’t keep having this problem and more first-year students will be aware of what El Camino has to offer.

— Elizabeth Anaya, 22, psychology major

Improvements to make on campus

As students are approaching finals, they need time to study and pass over their notes so they can achieve their academic success. However, receiving excessive amounts of homework and being required to complete it in a week will interrupt their curriculum and can impact the final score they can end up with; which is why instructors should cut back on homework.

According to the Global Competitiveness Report, Finland’s Educational System is rated as one of the best due to the high academic scores students are able to achieve. What’s special about their education system you may ask? Finland has completely cut back on homework and students are still able to achieve such scores.

Following their footsteps is ideal because it can benefit the students at El Camino if they receive less homework not only academically, but also mentally.

According to Stanford University research, “In their open-ended answers, many students said their homework load led to sleep deprivation and other health problems.” In order to help students academically and mentally, instructors should reduce the amount of homework given.

— Oscar Torres, 18, computer science

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A major problem that incoming students have at El Camino is the placement test.

After being enrolled in EC, students need to take the English, and math placement test, that can determine your future at EC. You can be put into college-level classes, or be put into remedial classes that don’t count towards your credit.

Imagine spending an entire semester taking a class that will not count towards your goal of transferring or graduating. On most occasions, it’s not only one remedial class that students are taking, but it’s also possible that students can be levels below college level classes.

A solution that EC administrators need in order to replace the placement test is to focus on the MMA system, that is more precise as to what classes students should be placed in. This MMA test focuses on other areas than just the placement test. The MMA tests students on non- cognitive assessments, that measure attitudes, and behaviors toward the relevance of college success. There is also writing assessments, computer skills assessments, questionnaires, and the relevance of high school GPA, high school transcript information, and standardized test results, such as the SAT and ACT.

— Andy Hernandez, 19, music major

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Integrating additional technology in El Camino College is the most effective way to guarantee first-generation college students reach academic success.

In his article “Diverse Students Go Digital” professor Shawn Peters mentions “students become disengage because too many of their courses are boring”. When first-generation college students enroll in college, they come without any advance knowledge of college life and they are unprepared. These students can easily lose interest and drop out if their professors don’t capture their interest and if they find courses to be boring.

This outcome can be prevented by integrating more technology in the classrooms. A great way is by creating a learning station with computers and tablets. Professors can use these stations to have student access to Twitter and Facebook. These relevant communication outlets can be used by professors to encourage students to engage in hashtag questions, start discussions related to the coursework and communicate with other students.

We cannot forget that many first-generation college students come from low-income families and they don’t always have access to computers. Having them available as part of the class will help them get coursework done and give students the best chance to reach academic success.

— Sandra Mendiola, 30, undecided

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“Tuition hikes hurt community colleges” (The Union, March 29) lightly addresses the rising community college costs and some of the negative effects it has on students.

In order to create a better future for upcoming generations, El Camino must take a look at the negative effects the rise of all college costs has on students and look for a way to improve this issue.

As a current student at El Camino, I understand the struggle of trying to pay for college costs. Even while working two jobs, it is still difficult to keep up with costs. Administrators must not forget about self-supporting students who do not qualify for government help.

Student loans can be a short term solution to affording costs but ultimately lead to debt that can and often does follow people through their entire life.

Community colleges must remember to put it’s students first, they are the future. Educating each generation is a fundamental part of continuing on as a functioning society.

— Marlena Silva, 22, undecided

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Many students here at El Camino College have dropped their classes before the withdrawal date due to failing. For them, it is likely too late for them to bring their grades up in order to pass the class. However, students need to understand the material first in order to achieve high or passing grades. Presumably, it is the instructor’s job to help students learn and understand the lessons. If they are not fully grabbing the material taught, the instructors have to come up with a new approach.

Although some professors think the way they teach is perfect right now, it may not work for students who have them in the future. In the article “Why Change Our Approach to Teaching?” Geology professor Jennifer Roberts observed that her students’ grades were dropping as the years go by due to the students having little to no understanding of her lessons. To change this, Roberts experimented with new ways to teach, such as adding student answering questions into her lectures. Some succeeded, yet some failed.

If professors try these new approaches, there are endless possibilities of how students will achieve success.

— Caitlin Tuazon, 18, mathematics major

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Students must go to office hours! Did you know that according to an article from the Washington Post by Carol Zuegner she says, “Yes, really. Getting to know your professor outside of class is not just brown-nosing. It’s a good way to find help, advice and interesting conversation. The relationship can pay off in grad school recommendations and job references”.

As students, we have to take advantage of all the opportunities on campus so we can do better in our studies and have the best chance to transfer to a good school or just graduate with a higher GPA. Going to office hours is our best bet to passing a course with good grades and not to mention it’s free and with the professor so it’s the best tutoring there is! It can also be beneficial for the future when you need recommendations and references it is a great way to build connections. Office hours are a great way to ensure our success!

— Ruth Santos, 18, nursing major

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El Camino College should increase the list of students who receive academic support like financial aid. This will encourage students to study for long hours rather than working out of campus to get money to pay for college.

Another academic support the administration should offer is in class tutors. With this students will have an opportunity to acquire more knowledge and better understand what they have been through. Since most students feel comfortable visiting tutors, this will be a great academic support for students to use and improve on their grades and achieve success.

— Janet Vanegas, 24, nursing major

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El Camino should strive to create time and hours for both student and professor. To have long and successful office hours El Camino admin should decrease class hours which then students will be able to attend office hours and gain the best assistance that will help them to achieve academic success in college whether it’s asking a question or even getting feedback about their academics throughout the semester.

Also, the teacher will be able to better assist those students that desperately need their guidance to become better students and direct them through the right path in order to achieve great academic achievement in the end.

El Camino admin should put office hours as part of the curriculum which can be part of the grades for students by doing so this will be making it a must for every student to attend office hours and thus getting all the benefits with the one on one interaction with their professor.

— Anthony Carroll, 23, aerospace engineer

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Are professors considered teachers?

As a student at El Camino Community College (ECC), I have taken classes where professors have shown incompetence in their teachings. Some professors at ECC often stand in front of the class to tell their latest jokes or stories, instead of teaching. Many lectures given by these professors consist of both useful and useless information.

Students may enjoy these stories and consider them fun and interesting, and it keeps the class awake, but professors should not be prioritized this over the class subject. Some professors provide mediocre teachings and expect students to be responsible for completing their daily assignments and passing exams.

I have experienced these poor teaching methods by some professors at EC. I have spent more time learning class materials on my own than sitting through a class lecture. Students like me exchanged our hard earned money to acquire knowledge from knowledgeable professors, not their vacation stories or their lame jokes. If EC takes money from students, they should provide students better teaching faculties qualities.

— Nhat Le, 23, business major

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The Administration should increase the hours the library operates from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. because it will give every student an opportunity to use the library no matter their schedule. Imagine a student pays to take a course and can’t access the library to print an assignment before his/her only class at 7 a.m. This is not fair. Even those students that have classes that end at 10 p.m. does not have access to the library as well.

In addition, the library should also operate full time during weekends. Since most students work during weekdays, weekends can be the only period these students can make use of the library. More so, it will encourage other students to add up their study hours in a safe environment rather than visiting coffee shops like Starbucks to study when the library is closed.

Finally, the administration should create more information literacy programs which will bring the library closer to students and help them to achieve academic success. With all these changes in effect, it will be improving the passing rate of El Camino College.

— Jedidiah Ndam Muyah Manna, 30, biological science major

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El Camino administrators need to understand the risk students take when taking out a loan. One of the identifiers of the rising cost of college by critics is challenging for higher education. This is a concerning factor when some students are not being approved to receive financial aid. The demographics for students in the future will also change for students attending college on campus, students miss out on the college experience.

It is apparently clear that it is an ongoing problem that keeps going every year, affecting incoming high school students who have no idea of the approximate cost of attending college. When will administrators address this problem, that is the question! This is a priority that has the biggest impact on college students, such as; low income and minorities.

As the rising cost of college continues more students will drop out and the dropout rate will continue to rise. Maybe seek more creative solutions containing new ways for students to attend college. Listening to the students about their concerns. I strongly feel this can be resolved in a way that solutions are achieved, make this a priority in which students agree to achieve their degree.

— Jalen Steed, 20, nursing major

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As a student attending this school, I’ve been taking a few notes, specifically outside of the classroom. By experiencing the college journey so far, talking to my fellow peers, and generally being aware of the school’s environment, I can without a doubt see what needs to be improved. Communication.

The communication, in terms of encouragement and engagement between staff and students, needs to be improved upon, which is very crucial, especially considering that there are many studies that show that constant encouragement from faculty and teachers yields greater success amongst their students. In order to ensure a better outcome, both students and the administration must communicate and engage with each other in a more proactive way.

Such ways like, with faculty making office hours mandatory, the administration sending more frequent progress reports and letters to students’ homes, and students being incentivized certain ways in order to have them want to work harder.

Why does this matter? It’s because we all want to succeed, graduate, and transfer. We, the students, all want to succeed in our academic endeavors, and it’s the responsibility of the ECC administration in order for that to happen.

— Mitchell Gonzalez, 21, English major

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“Motivation Towards Students “makes a clear statement that student success learning is the force behind successful learning. What upsets me the most is that students at El Camino are not feeling well motivated as it should be. It is students who aren’t utilizing the resources as they should be. To this; latest day motivation should start at El Camino with some daily morning announcements.

Students will be more involved around campus and will retain the information of what activities we have going around campus.

Although students are not feeling motivated and occasionally putting insufficient effort we can tell professors to spend the first ten minutes of class to address what’s going on around campus. Unlike, the students who fail to attend a class every morning could also check their ECC email but as students sometimes don’t check their mail on a daily basis.

We have to make something even better to catch students attention. Including a daily bulletin in every class with all the important dates. Since some students have the ability to get up and sharpen their pencil or sometimes get up and throw trash away I feel that placing a daily bulletin near a place students always go to will catch the students interest in attending any school event. By this, we can have the opportunity to connect with people we never knew.

— Abigail Fernando, 18, nursing major

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College administrators need to address tutoring and implement some more tutoring programs. The programs that are in place are good, but there’s more that can be done. Let’s do more to help students better. Peer tutoring is an idea that can be implemented on a trial basis. Peer tutoring is students teaching other students, and I think it is a good idea because students might be more comfortable learning from other students.

It’s not just one teaching another its students teaching each other. To motivate students more there should be some kind of extra credit given so that more students will be willing to participate. Also, another program that should be considered is instructors offering drop-in tutoring in addition to office hours. This can be introduced as a test pilot program, if it comes with good results then it should be made mandatory.

Students would have to attend twice a semester. Drop-in tutoring is not just an instructor sitting with a student there would be several students and the instructor would get feedback from students, and also students can be able to get feedback from other students.

— Erica Brown, 34, nursing major

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I believe the school should have a system for aiding students who are completely new to the college environment and have absolutely no idea what to do once they enter the campus. A lot of students don’t understand that they need to go to counselors to discover their requirements for their major or how to pick their classes for example.

Sure, the college does have a student service section that clarifies and provides information but not many students will know that. I know I was one of the few who did not, I came in with no influence of the environment nor friends to help aid me. It would be ideal if this information could be placed on, for example, the front page of the website.

I’ve checked the website and this information is usually hidden deep and can almost be impossible for people who’ve never done this. There is an orientation of course but I did not know about this until I was redirected through lots of questions on campus. Even the paper I received in orientation lacked information no one told me.

— Christopher Zamora, 18, computer engineering and industrial technology major

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Students need to start realizing the importance of getting involved in extracurricular activities and services provided by El Camino College. This will benefit their education that will help reach academic success.

When students are involving themselves in their academics they are not just helping their grades but expanding their horizons in various types of benefits and characteristics that build up from that experience they take part in. As a student here at El Camino College, I am disappointed by the lack of community and involvement there is on campus.

While I am still trying to include myself in extracurricular activities, I found alternate careers and hobbies I have taken interest in, which have led me to become more open-minded and goal-oriented towards my educational plan. We’re all in our own world, disconnected from each other, failing to make connections with others who can help us succeed.

Students need to start taking actions to get involved, this will not only lead to great connections but academic success for a bright future for themselves.

— Jaslyn Murillo, 20, business administration major

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As an El Camino Student, I know that it can be somewhat nerve-racking when going to office hours for the first time and since it isn’t mandatory I chose not to go. Although I chose not to go, I know that attending office hours is a beneficial opportunity to get to know the teacher and help me get a better understanding of certain thing from class. Therefore, office hours should be made mandatory in the sense that there should be at least two office hours made mandatory for the semester.

This can also be an opportunity for the instructors to do their part and help the student and also try their best to make the student feel comfortable enough to be able to have the courage to attend office hours again. Studies have shown that student contact with faculty in and out of class is an important factor in motivating students. This is important because this can clear the path of nervousness and uncertainty to students who are considering going to office hours.

— Gustavo Sanchez, 18, computer science major

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Have you ever been to the hood? Have you ever been to an income-neighborhood? Aye, youngblood wuz going on today? How’s your day going? Something musta happen with all the 5.O. all around, watch out you heard. Why is there so many police officers in the area? Don’t worry we’ll be okay. Aye foo tell your moms her chilaquiles were chingos. Can you thank your mom for the casserole? It was delicious. Ayy foo, I’m 1st gen and all I needed was a high school diploma. Hey, I’m going to be the 5th person in my family to attend college.

Now, I mean no disrespect with what I’m stating, there are differences between the cultures, but it’s pretty obvious which culture is which. For the record I’m brown. Students from low-income neighborhoods go to there inner-city schools, and the majority of students don’t have to the opportunity to attend a 4-year university and cross out college entirely for their future and don’t take even community college into consideration. But it shouldn’t be this way, El Camino College needs to go to these areas and promote college education, and explain how easy it is to enroll to be a current student.

— Heriberto Maldonado Jr., 22, undecided