Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Where MBHS Seniors are Committed for College

UC and CSU acceptances are out, and MBHS seniors are planning their next steps. For some, this means committing to a UC, CSU, community college, private college, or out of state, and for others, it’s committing to a totally different path, like a trade or the military. 

Cuesta College, MBHS’s local community college, is generous enough to offer two years of totally free education to MBHS students, called the Cuesta Promise. For many, this is very appealing. “My plans for college are to go to Cuesta for two years and get my associate’s degree in studio art or photography,” says senior Keolani Cross, who is committed to Cuesta College. On why she chose her school, she said, “It’s close, and it’s free. I think being close to family is a big part of my life.” Cross is not planning to attend another school after she fulfills the Cuesta Promise and gets her associate’s degree. Another senior, Gabe Pascual, is also attending Cuesta, but plans to go into the trades after he fulfills the two-year Cuesta Promise, “After Cuesta, I’m gonna go to an advanced trade school program which consists of learning automotive and deep technical skills, and then from there, I’m gonna go into the automotive field.”

Others are interested in UC schools, like senior Marilyn Garcia, who recently committed to UC Irvine. ”They have really good research opportunities for my major, which is biology,” said Garcia. UC schools are typically further away from home than many of the CSU schools. On this, Garcia said, ‘‘It’s not really that important to me to stay in the area, but colleges out of state are more expensive. All of the colleges I’m interested in are only 2-4 hours away, as well.”

There are also MBHS students who are attending CSU schools, like senior Haley Hart, who is committed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Hart says of her commitment, “I love my major there, and when I met my professors on open house and orientation day, they just felt so familiar. And it really felt like that department was where I’m meant to be for the next four years.” Hart is a Graphic Communications major, and is excited to be a Mustang this fall. She is not alone, as several MBHS seniors are planning to attend Cal Poly, including journalism’s own Co-Editor-in-Chief, Sammy Nishihama.

MBHS students have been accepted to some prestigious schools, with this year’s senior class having students with acceptances to schools like UCLA and UC Berkeley. This is no shock to those who’ve been paying attention, though. In recent years, MBHS Alums have been accepted to schools like Harvard and Stanford. 

Good luck to all our seniors, regardless of what path they’ve chosen to take after high school. Remember, no matter where you are or what you’re doing, you’re a pirate for life!