For high school seniors, this time of the year is jam-packed with semester finals and college application deadlines. PSP seniors have their sights set on the finish line for the latter, with California State University (Cal State) and University of California (UC) applications in and many private school application deadlines coming soon. Last year, PSP’s 44 seniors sent in 145 UC applications, 105 CSU applications, and 60 private school applications. While some seniors feel the pressure, PSP scholars express feelings of relief at having been well prepared and organized, thanks to help from the program and their mentors.

Mendocino High School senior Thae S. is currently completing his Common Application to submit for Northeastern University, Loyola Marymount University, USC, Boston College and Stanford, as well as another independent application for University of Maryland. He has already applied to a number of public universities in California. He, along with other seniors, is applying to several out-of-state private schools due to college visits to the east coast with PSP.

“I feel like PSP has helped me prepare for this process by essentially giving scholars a ‘heads up’ to how the process of applying to colleges works,” says Thae. “By providing scholars with resources and critical information in advance, scholars are more prepared than the average high-school senior and it helps alleviate some of that college application tension.” Thae sites the PSP yearly college access retreat with being an invaluable resource for knowing what to expect and planning out his senior year wisely.

“To be at an actual college with great people from the program, real admissions officers, and scholars going through the same process really motivates me to do my best and get excited for college,” says Thae.

Senior Gabriela C. has sent in all of her UC and Cal State applications, which she says were much easier thanks to help from her mentor Ann Chaffey who helped her write and revise her essay responses for her applications. She too felt far more prepared for the process, from deciding what schools to apply to up through filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), thanks to the two college access retreats she attended her junior and senior years as a PSP scholar.

Another senior, Giovani P. at Lennox Academy, has worked closely with his mentor Noel since starting high school. His list of college applications is extensive with submission to top schools like Stanford, Yale, Brown, Columbia, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, and Princeton to name a few. “I don’t think I could have done this without Noel’s help,” says Giovani. His mentor has been there every step of the way, helping him stay organized, plan out his applications, write his essays, and stay on track. As seniors like Thae, Gabriela, and Giovani are now tasked with finalizing the last of their applications as well as completing scholarship deadlines, PSP mentors and staff encourage students to reach out if they need extra support or have questions along the way.