HONOLULU Magazine 2024 College Guide

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Finances

Preparing in High School

GUIDE

Surviving College

Important Test Dates

Advice From a Recent College Grad

PUBLISHER

DONNA KODAMA-YEE

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

DIANE SEO

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

KATRINA VALCOURT

PROJECT EDITOR

ALICIA LOU

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

JAMES NAKAMURA

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR

CHRISTINE LABRADOR

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

MICHELLE STOFLE

ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

DONNIE FORD

ADVERTISING PROJECT MANAGER

PUI-HENG TANG

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGER

MICHELLE OKADA

WRITTEN, DESIGNED AND PUBLISHED BY

HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union

Aloha!

The college journey is an experience and accomplishment that is often a trajectory for lifetime success. This is why HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union believes that everyone deserves an opportunity to graduate with a college degree.

We’ve partnered with HONOLULU Magazine to create the 2024 College Guide, a comprehensive resource to help both parents and students navigate the college planning process. Answers to common questions from choosing the right school, to financial aid and budgeting, are all included in this guide.

Financial wellness for our members and the community is a foundational cornerstone at HawaiiUSA. We know the benefits of higher education and are proud of our roots as a credit union for educators. We are committed to lifelong learning and providing financial education resources in the classroom, for our members, and in the community.

We hope this year’s College Guide not only eases your concerns and questions about such a complex, yet pivotal milestone, but that it brings to life the dream of college for your student.

Greg Young

Setting Up Your Child For Financial Success

HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union offers expert tips as you prepare to send your child to college.

BY MARIA KANAI

WE KNOW—

IT FEELS LIKE YOUR KIDS WERE TAKING THEIR FIRST STEPS ONLY YESTERDAY.

You’ve blinked and it’s already time for them to go to college. It can be an emotional and overwhelming time, so planning ahead can lessen the stress. Here’s what the experts at HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union have to say about making savvy financial decisions—not only for your children’s education, but for your whole family’s future.

HAVE A CHAT ABOUT FINANCES 101

Having honest conversations as a family is always a good thing, and it’s especially important to have one about your finances. Take the time to talk about basic money skills and concepts such as the difference between credit cards and debit cards, how credit scores work, and the purpose of checking and savings accounts. At HawaiiUSA FCU, Kasasa Cash Back is a free checking account that gives you 2.5% cash back on debit card purchases and reimburses ATM fees when all qualifications are met. Visit hawaiiusafcu.com/kasasa for more information.

DISCUSS WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

A financial coach at HawaiiUSA FCU can help you build a college budget for your kids. Some common tips: Create weekly meal plans; research student discounts at restaurants, gyms, clothing stores and more; look for ways to cut down on transportation costs; and share membership fees for gyms, streaming services and stores like Costco or Sam’s Club.

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR MONEY

Speaking of monthly budgets, it may be a good idea to keep track of your kids’ spending—at least until they prove themselves responsible. This is easy, thanks to Digital Banking at HawaiiUSA FCU. Download the app to receive real-time updates on accounts you have access to, including debit and credit cards. The app also connects to other bank and credit card accounts you may have, so you can see all of your finances in one place.

Financial Checklist for Families

LOOK INTO COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS

There are so many college scholarships out there, and you can look online together with your children to see which ones they might qualify for. If you’re a primary HawaiiUSA member for at least 12 consecutive months, you may qualify for HawaiiUSA FCU’s $2,000 college scholarships. Your account will have to be in good standing and your children will have to be enrolled as full-time students during the upcoming academic school year. The best news is that you can apply for each year that your child attends college and for each child in your family. The application period is December through February. If you’re not a member yet, you can become one now and apply for the scholarship next year.

CONSIDER HELOC

Even with scholarships and grants, college tuition can still hurt a parent’s wallet. If you’re an eligible homeowner, it might be a good option to open a home equity line of credit, or HELOC. With a HELOC, you borrow against the equity in your home. The home serves as collateral for the loan and approved borrowers can withdraw funds from a predetermined credit line to pay for expenses like college tuition, books and more. Pros of a HELOC include lower interest rates, repayment on the amount borrowed instead of the entire credit line all at once, a one-time application and a manageable payment schedule. Talk to sta at your nearest HawaiiUSA FCU to get started.

UTILIZE YOUR LOCAL BANK

If your children are moving away to the continent for college, you may feel anxious and nervous. Partner with a trusted local institution like HawaiiUSA FCU to continue your credit union membership in other states through shared branching. This means your kids can go into other credit unions and do transactions for free. If they need to call customer service, with HawaiiUSA FCU, they’ll talk to someone local—and get peace of mind knowing someone from home has their back.

 Open a joint bank account with your child. It’s likely that you are still supporting your keiki financially through college, so having a shared account gives you the freedom to easily deposit money each month and keep track of your child’s spending activity and balances. HawaiiUSA FCU recommends its free Kasasa Cash Back checking account.

 Set up digital banking. You’ll need a budget to keep track of your child’s spending, and with digital banking, you can view online statements and transactions on your device at any time. Your child can also deposit checks online at any time, and make use of important security features if an emergency should happen, such as a card getting lost or stolen.

 Connect your children’s debit cards to payment apps. A mobile wallet can make it easier for them to shop at college bookstores, eat at the cafeteria or split the tab with friends when eating out.

 Consider a credit card. If you believe your kids have a good understanding of how finances work, you can give them a credit card to start building their own credit. You may also want to enable your kids to monitor and understand the factors that impact their credit scores by utilizing My Credit Score powered by SavvyMoney. This service is available as part of HawaiiUSA’s digital banking and mobile banking app.

A Local Kid’s Guide to Surviving College

Tips to stay on top of academics, money and more.

BY CASSIDY KEOLA, SHINAE LEE, EVE HUDDLESTON, EMILY SMITH AND ALICIA LOU

SCHEDULING CLASSES

1 Meet with your adviser every semester. The saying “five to graduate” is real. Before choosing your classes, make sure that you meet with your adviser so they can help you build a schedule that will allow you to graduate within four years. Find your academic adviser with the school’s advising guide.

2 Before signing up for classes, check ratemyprofessors.com. Professors can often make or break a class and your GPA, so it is helpful to see what previous students have had to say. However, take it with a grain of salt, as reviews are often biased. Also, if you like a professor, consider enrolling in another course they’re teaching in the future. Building rapport with your professors is vital if you’re considering going to graduate school, but it can also make your college life a lot more enjoyable.

3 Take your general education courses first. The last thing you want to do is lose money by taking specific courses, then switch degree programs and not have those credits count toward your final degree requirements. To give yourself time to figure out what you are passionate about, fulfill your general education requirements first.

4 But don’t be afraid to change your major. You will be experiencing a lot of change and growth during your college years, and you might not like or want the same things you did in high

Getting Around

school. Once you’ve thought it through and taken everything into consideration, it’s better to change your pathway sooner than further down the road.

5 Remember to check not just the times, but also locations. If you have back-to-back classes across campus from each other, will you make it? If snow is involved, it could take you longer to get there. Try to take classes at the optimal times for you. If you know you’re not an early bird, avoid those 7:30 a.m. seminars when possible.

6 Interested in studying abroad? It might be difficult to find classes that meet your major requirements abroad, so save some of your core requirements to take abroad instead. It might be best to study abroad in your sophomore year so that you get acquainted with college life before switching to another new campus, but it’s important to work with your academic adviser to choose the right courses for your degree pathway.

7 Submit scores early. If you earned any college credits in high school, make sure to submit them and/ or transcripts to your school’s admissions office at least a month before course registration, so those courses can be evaluated and you can receive official credit for them.

• Research public transportation. Bus or metro passes are often included in a university’s student fees, and your student ID will double as a bus pass, so don’t wait until classes start to pick it up. Even if you have a car, you might find public transportation to be more convenient.

• Check out the school shuttles. Many schools, like New York University and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, have an app for free school shuttles that provide estimated shuttle times.

• Split rides with friends. Riding by yourself in an Uber or Lyft can be expensive and sometimes sketchy, so travel in groups. Students have access to Lyft’s Ride Smart Program, which offers college communities free or discounted transportation.

• Search areas near your school for free parking. Parking on campus might be convenient, but it can be costly, so if you’re commuting from far away, drive to areas like open parking lots or safe neighborhoods nearby. Just be sure to give yourself enough time to go the rest of the way.

• Depending on the size of your school, you may want to invest in a bike or skateboard to shave off minutes when getting from one class to the next.

WORKING PART-TIME

• Search the school’s job database. Campus jobs usually hire for the next year or semester, so more crop up near the end of term. Many schools also hold student job fairs, so keep an eye out for those notices.

• Check your email regularly. Your school and the department you choose your major in will both send you emails regarding exclusive internship and job opportunities, so make sure to check them and apply to all your desired positions. Some schools split jobs into work-study, which are usually a school-sponsored position and a form of financial aid, and nonwork-study jobs, which are typically only available to students who do not need financial assistance.

GEARING UP

1 If you’re heading someplace cold, it’s best to buy winter jackets there to save money and space in your suitcase. Plus, you can see what the other kids are wearing. You also might want to see how much room you have in your closet first. During the summer, consider investing in a few storage bins that can fit under your bed, or store your winter clothes in your suitcase.

2 In many places, it will get dark around 5 p.m. during the winter. So consider buying a sun lamp or some fairy lights to hang in your dorm to fight those dark afternoons and seasonal depression.

3 Be the cool kid from Hawai‘i with all the ‘ono Hawai‘i snacks—Spam, furikake popcorn, li hing mui sour belts—and a rice cooker. Spread da aloha, and stock up

Money Tips

• Look for “help wanted” signs on and off campus. Go on a walk downtown and keep your eye out around campus. Some jobs might not be posted online. Restaurant jobs are usually a good way to get your foot in the door if you don’t have any prior experience, and they usually offer employee discounts for food.

• Walk into places where you want to work and ask if they’re hiring. Bring your résumé and leave it with them in case of an opening.

• If all else fails, the dining hall and the campus bookstore are usually easy places to get hired as a student.

on your favorites for when you get homesick.

4 If you’re lucky you’ll get a twin XL in your dorm, but most likely you’ll be stuck with a twin bed. Either way, college dorm beds are not comfortable. A mattress pad, however, can help.

5 Buy an extension cord. Your dorm will most likely be small with one outlet.

6 Depending on your dorm regulations, consider purchasing a microwave and air fryer. This way you can save money by making your own food and ditch the unhealthy options of eating out. But be sure to check if your residential hall has a communal kitchen first—there might be a stove, oven and microwave already provided.

BUYING BOOKS

• Don’t go to the campus bookstore first! While it’ll be your No. 1 resource for school swag, the books are almost always pricier there.

• To clarify what books will be used in your classes, contact your professors. Email them before class starts so you have enough time for your books to come in.

• BookFinder.com and Chegg.com are incredible online resources—BookFinder compares prices of new and used books from more than 100,000 sellers, so you can be sure you’re getting the best deal, and Chegg shows you options for both renting and purchasing books, so you can see which one is better for you.

• Buying used textbooks is cheaper; plus you may find useful notes to help you ace the test. (Think of it as a free personal tutor.)

Download an app such as Venmo or Cash App Every time you go out to eat with friends, come across a campus fundraiser or just need to pay your roommate for toilet paper, various apps and some banks let you do it instantly, so you can request and send money from a bank account. If you live with someone and often have split expenses, Splitwise is a free app that keeps track of everything and does the math for you so you’re not constantly sending money back and forth. Also, Unidays is a website that allows college students to get exclusive discounts on subscriptions, clothes, technology and more. Be sure to sign up with your college email to save some coin. myunidays.com

• Check Amazon for textbook rentals, or as another option for finding used books that are in good condition. Anyone with a school email address can start an Amazon Prime Student account for half the usual membership price, which comes with free two-day shipping and access to free movies and music. (Amazon also offers a six-month free trial.)

Preparing for College in High Schoool

Preparing for College in High School

BY KATHRYN DRURY WAGNER AND EMILY SMITH

CHESS CLUB. MOCK TRIAL.

SCHOOL

Sign up for it all! Not so fast. It’s not the number of activities students do in high school that counts, experts say. Think quality over quantity. “And whatever you choose, do it consistently,” says Amy Prince, a school counselor at Southampton High School, in Southampton, New York. “It’s what you’re engaged with actively. Somebody might do 40 hours of community service, but was it 40 hours over one week during a church mission, and the other 51 weeks of the year they did nothing?” Compare that to a student who volunteers with, say, Best Buddies, helping people with developmental disabilities, once a week, all year.

“When students can demonstrate they have had consistent involvement and that they are leaders within the organizations, we get excited about their potential to contribute positively on our campus,” says Mark Cortez, former director of Outreach and Recruitment at The Ohio State University. “This doesn’t have to just be school activities; we want students to think broadly about experiences like community opportunities and/ or work experiences. They each add something a little different and that is what we consider.”

CONNECT THE DOTS

Students should seek out areas where they can take on leadership roles. “That doesn’t always mean being the president of a club or its founder,” says Prince. “What events did you organize? If you’re just listing on your

application that you were a member— what does that mean to an admissions officer? Define your role. Now, in ninth or 10th grade, there aren’t a lot of leadership roles but, if you stick with it, if you rise up to captain or co-captain in an athletic setting, or treasurer or president in a group; this shows the qualities colleges are seeking within their own school’s population.”

Schools can tell from a mile away when an applicant is trying to build a résumé out of nothing, grabbing onto 15 random activities. If, on the other hand, a student is involved with Model UN and student government and Girls Learn International, the school can see a pattern and a purpose.

According to Prince, students should use ninth and 10th grade for experimentation, to find out what they are most interested in, and then home in. Remember that “colleges and universities have seniors graduating and need to fill leadership roles or spark something new,” Prince points out. For an athletic

THE

NEWSPAPER. CHINESE CLUB. VOLLEYBALL.

A student’s involvement sets the foundation for college acceptance—and beyond. Here’s how to build that foundation with strength and purpose.

program, they may need a new quarterback; for an orchestra, a new cellist. “It’s not like they put an ad out: ‘Hey, we need a cellist,’ but it’s part of the thought process,” she says. “I think one of the reasons I got into the college I did, York College of Pennsylvania, was that I had been a DJ for a high school radio station and they had a radio station that needed a manager.”

CHOOSING COURSEWORK

Even though AP coursework is a great opportunity, again, think quality over quantity. Consider your strengths and your goals. For example, someone interested in engineering might not want to take AP literature, but, instead, explore an engineering program, even without an AP label attached to it. “Schools are trying to figure out: What drives the student?” says Prince. “If you want to be pre-med, and haven’t done well in science or math, maybe that’s not a realistic goal. That’s a student who is going to change major.” Think about classes

that are genuine passions, things that can extend into interests in college. Otherwise, Prince warns, “students become machines of cranking out grades and don’t find what resonates with them.”

STRONG ESSAYS

Most schools require students to submit supplemental essays with their application, which can be a way for college admission officers to decipher whether you will be a good fit at their university. This is especially important now, as many schools are loosening their SAT requirements and taking a more holistic approach when reviewing applications. Recent graduates recommend focusing on telling the admissions officer about yourself, especially outside of academics.

FINISHING STRONG SENIOR YEAR

Students should avoid giving in to senioritis, or playing what Prince calls “a game of academic chicken.” That’s when seniors try to find the line of how little effort they can put in. “It’s not a good game to play,” she says. “If you were a 90 student, you should stay a 90 student, even in senior year. Schools are still watching.” There is some wiggle room, of course. For example, if a student is challenging himself or herself with AP physics, he or she might not get a 90, and schools will understand that.

Your senior year will also be the time when colleges see if your grades have shown consistent growth. This upward trend gives grace to those who might not have gotten the highest grades but have improved over time.

“We encourage students to stay in a foreign language, and recommend electives. It’s free in high school!” says Prince. “Electives cost a lot of money in college. Take advantage. A lot of the AP and honorslevel kids haven’t gotten to take a lot of electives.”

Last, remember that being engaged doesn’t stop after college acceptance. “Once they get on campus we expect that students will be actively involved, as doing so contributes to their social and academic success,” says Cortez. “As students work to discover their passions in college, they are doing this with [other] students who are diverse in majors, experiences and backgrounds. This discovery stage leads to rich experiences where students can learn from those around them and, in most cases, benefit.”

Getting Into College

Having an informed, personalized strategy is critical for college admission, especially since the pandemic.

BY DIANE SEO AND ALICIA LOU

STRATEGIES FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY SHIFTED SINCE COVID-19

ROCKED THE WORLD. While schools still seek out students with stellar academic credentials and glowing teacher recommendations, the pandemic pushed institutions across the country to scrap standardized testing requirements, roll out virtual campus tours and more. As policies have changed—and new ones stuck around even as much of life has gone back to normal—so have tactics for gaining admittance. We spoke with a local college counselor and one who works with students nationwide about the shifting landscape, seeking their insights and advice for today’s college-bound students and their families.

SATS NO LONGER REQUIRED

The biggest change in college admissions has been the rise of test-optional policies, which were once deemed mandatory. Though a few colleges and universities have restored testing requirements, submitting SAT, ACT and other standardized test scores remains optional at more than 1,900 schools, including many of the country’s most prestigious universities, says Todd Fleming, director of college counseling at ‘Iolani School.

To be clear, it wasn’t the pandemic that instigated the change—it just sped up the timeline. Schools for years had been considering deemphasizing standardized testing, acknowledging its limitations in evaluating students and the inequity of some students being able to afford test prep courses while others could not.

Thus, when COVID-19 struck, and SATs and ACTs were canceled, colleges swiftly announced that students were no longer required to submit standardized test scores. The ability to opt out led to record numbers of applications at many selective schools—and lower acceptance rates. Suddenly, students who didn’t have test scores that met school averages were emboldened to apply.

Although some institutions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have announced that applicants once again will be required to submit SAT/ACT scores, many have gone the opposite route. None of the nine University of California campuses, for instance, will consider SAT and ACT scores in admissions or scholarship decisions. Other schools are following suit.

In deciding whether to submit standardized test scores to places where they are optional, students should evaluate their individual situations, counselors say.

“If a student has access to take a test, then they should do so. And if they do well, they should submit their scores because it’s another metric, another measure of their academic preparation for college,” says Connie Livingston, a former admissions officer at Brown University who now serves as the head of counselors at the California-based college consultancy Empowerly. “As a former admissions officer, in some instances, I did value being able to see those test results, particularly for STEM fields. If I saw high math scores and the student was applying to an engineering program, for example, that was valuable and confirmed their preparedness.”

Fleming agrees, saying ‘Iolani’s counselors still strongly encourage students to prepare for and to take standardized tests. “The benefit of test-optional policies can also present a challenge, as students have to decide whether or not to submit their scores,” he says. “They can ask themselves, ‘Do these scores represent me well? Do they add strength to my application? Or is my application stronger without them?’ Choosing whether or not to send scores becomes another individualized variable in the process.”

MORE FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Along with changing admission requirements, students and their families have been wrestling with more financial considerations as college costs rise and economic uncertainties grow.

“I think students and families are now considering more variables than they have in the past,” Fleming says. “They might be looking more now at not just what they’re going to be asked to pay, but how much they would be comfortable paying. It’s always been a huge issue for most families in the United States, but discussions of paying for college are probably more common than they used to be.”

Fleming says another change he’s noticed is that selective schools—but perhaps not the most selective ones—are less predictable in terms of how they distribute merit aid. “We’re seeing merit packages that we wouldn’t have necessarily expected in the past,” he says. “It’s a college’s acknowledgment that this is a great student. We’d love to have them on our campus, and we’re willing to have this family at a lower price point to do that.”

MORE STUDENTS ARE APPLYING EARLY

Another trend in college admissions, although not necessarily driven by the pandemic, is that more students are taking advantage of early decision and early action programs because acceptance rates are often higher, Livingston says.

There’s an important distinction to make, however, between early decision and early action. While early

Upcoming Dates

November

Hawai‘i Community Foundation opens its scholarship application process. Check hawaiicommunity foundation.org for updated deadlines.

December

FAFSA forms become available. The online FAFSA application must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central time on June 30, 2024. However, many colleges will require this earlier. Complete the CSS Profile to find more scholarship options.

February/March

The deadline for financial aid applications at most colleges.

March/April

Many colleges send out acceptance letters during this month.

May 1

Many colleges require that you reply with your intent to enroll by this date.

decision is a binding agreement—you must attend if you’re admitted—students applying through early action can choose other schools.

“You should only apply early decision if you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is your top choice school,” Livingston says. “I also caution students where finances could be an issue, because when you receive your early decision admission, you will likely receive your financial aid package, and 100% of your needs may not be met. Not all families are able to take that financial risk.”

Another thing to note for early applicants is that because of the early deadlines—

Crunching the Numbers at UH Mānoa

(2023–2024 School Year)

$11,304

In-state tuition (includes Native Hawaiian nonresidents, active duty military and other exemptions)

typically in November—admissions officers likely will analyze them through their junior years instead of their senior years.

RISE OF VIRTUAL CAMPUS TOURS

During the height of the pandemic, with institutions veering to remote learning and campuses shutting down, college tours came to a halt. Schools across the nation began offering more virtual tours of their facilities and programs. “It’s a very positive

$33,336

Nonresident tuition

Build a Life That Makes You Happy

JONI ZAMORA | Sophomore, UH Mānoa

WITH A NEW MAJOR AND HER OLD ZIP CODE BACK, Joni Zamora felt ready for her second first day of college. The 19-year-old sophomore recently returned home to O‘ahu and transferred to UH Mānoa after spending a year away at the University of La Verne in California.

Though she grew up in Kapolei, Zamora’s parents wanted her to have the best possible education even if it meant a longer commute, so Zamora went to public charter elementary and middle schools in

$16,956 Western Undergraduate Exchange rate

$16,956 Pacific Island Exemption rate

thing that has come out of the pandemic that so many more schools have shored up their online resources for students,” Livingston says. “Before, you had the traditional in-person campus visit, which isn’t accessible for all students. Now, there are either live or recorded information sessions along with live Q&As and chats with current undergraduate students. Students can now go to college websites and take advantage of virtual online opportunities that can give them a thorough idea of what their life and educational experience would be like.”

For Hawai‘i students, the convenience of the virtual

CONTINUED ON PAGE CG 14

town. For secondary education, her parents filed a geographic exemption so she and her two older sisters could attend Kaiser High School in Hawai‘i Kai, to utilize its Advanced Placement program in which students can earn college credits.

Zamora says she was eager to try a different state for her first year of college; until then, she had never left her family or Hawai‘i for more than two weeks. Zamora, who had a 4.0 GPA, was accepted to all eight schools that she applied to. She chose La Verne because it was the most affordable. And while she was mainly only paying for housing and food thanks to the scholarships, grants, loans and other financial aid she received, Zamora says she was still spending more than she would have liked. And La Verne wasn’t exactly the experience she was hoping for. “It was a pretty small school, and I don’t know if that was the best fit for me,” Zamora says. “My school was really highly ranked in diversity, but then I realized that diversity doesn’t mean the same thing everywhere. And so that was kind of an adjustment, being the minority in a different place.”

An inspiring elective course in architecture solidified what Zamora needed to do: transfer to UH where she could major in the field. Though she’s happy to be home, she hopes to travel more after she graduates.

Zamora says if she could go back in time and tell her highschool-self one thing, it would be to “not be afraid to take your time in the process, and make sure what you pursue is what makes you happy. … Whatever field you’re putting yourself in, it may be for a really long time, so I just think—shouldn’t happiness be as big a factor as any of the other things?”

—Alicia Lou

COLLEGE JOURNEYS

tour is clear.

“Not all of our families or students are able to travel and visit colleges,” Fleming says. “That’s a stark contrast to kids going to high school in the Northeast where they can hop in the car and visit five or 10 different selective colleges within a week. So when colleges were forced to offer more online, that allowed our students to avail themselves to additional resources that didn’t exist prior to the pandemic. There’s no replacement for actually being on campus, but it did help.”

Tip: If touring multiple colleges isn’t an option for you, try searching for the schools you want at youvisit.com—It’s free and has a database of more than 600 college tours for you to browse.

Fulfillment Equals Success

AMEE HI‘ILAWE NEVES | Senior, UH Mānoa

AMEE HI‘ILAWE NEVES SAYS HER FAMILY BELIEVES SHE “COULD MOVE A MOUNTAIN” if she tried hard enough, and with their support, she believes it, too.

The 20-year-old senior at UH Mānoa was born and raised in Wai‘anae. After she completes her undergrad degree in journalism, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in education. Then, she’ll return to her alma mater, Wai‘anae High School, where she hopes to teach multimedia journalism

TELL YOUR STORY

The normal flow of schooling changed for many students during the pandemic. Remote learning became the norm, grading systems shifted, and sports and other extracurricular activities were canceled or postponed. Admissions officers are fully aware of this and want students in their personal essays to indicate how they’ve been affected by the changes and how they’ve adjusted.

Fleming says the student essay has always been a critical component of a college application, but it’s clear now that a person’s story should not be solely defined by their activities. “A person’s story could encompass something from their own history, from their family, from something more than a rehashing of their activities list,” he says. “The pandemic perhaps forced students to see that they need to show colleges more of who they are and what makes them tick. The essay has always been the vehicle for that, and students now recognize that their essay isn’t just an activities listing, but a chance to reveal who they are.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE CG 16

after her former teacher retires. For now, she works for him as a teacher’s assistant.

From as early as the sixth grade, Neves says she knew she had a knack for media, which later became a passion for broadcast journalism. “I get told all the time that my major is useless. People are like, ‘Journalism is dying!’ Or when I say that I want to go into education, they say, ‘Oh, that does not pay well.’ And I’m like, ‘Do you think that’s what I’m doing this for?’”

Because of the pandemic, Neves started her freshman year at the University of Washington through a computer screen. She never even made it to Seattle. “I learned very quickly that UW wasn’t the place for me,” Neves says. “In so many of my lectures there were 300 or 400 students, and I just felt like I couldn’t talk to the professor. I was just another face to them and [I felt] that I didn’t matter.” She transferred to UH for her sophomore year, after a friend raved about the journalism program there. At a smaller school like UH, she says she knows it matters if she’s present in class, and she knows her professors care.

Her advice for local kids is to simply look within themselves, to tune out the pressure from parents and society at large. “I feel like success is just when you feel fulfilled in your life,” she says. “I spent so much time in high school just worried about how things were going to play out, but I think if I had just looked in and realized what made me happy, what my true passion is—which is journalism and giving back to my community—I would have figured out what I wanted to do in life much easier.” —Alicia

Lou

COLLEGE JOURNEYS

DON’T FOCUS ON RANKINGS

Overall, Livingston advises college applicants and their families to not be consumed by rankings. Schools should be selected based on how good a fit they are for them. “What the rankings do is establish prestige, and students and families want to be associated with prestige,” she says. “It’s hard to change that mindset, but I try to explain to students that this is going to be your home for the next four years, your community. Dig deep into what a particular college community can offer you, and what you can offer them.”

There are more than 4,000 colleges in the United States, and the vast majority offer excellent educational and social extracurricular opportunities, she adds.

“It’s incredibly important for students to build a balanced college list,” she says. “You

Step One is Putting Yourself Out There

ELANA INGWERS

Sophomore, Loyola Marymount University

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

WASN’T EVEN AMONG Elana Ingwers’ top five choices for schools before she set foot on the campus, but a passionate tour guide helped bump it up to first place. It also helped that Ingwers knew she “thrived in a medium classroom environment,” and that she wasn’t looking for a big school.

A few years ago, Ingwers visited about 10 campuses during a West Coast road trip with her older

want to have some safety schools, target schools, reach schools, and maybe even a few of those high reaches, like the top 10 schools. But it’s important that every school on your list is one that you would be happy to attend, where you can see yourself thriving and excelling. Safety schools should not just be a place to go if you don’t get in anywhere else. You should be excited to attend them too.”

Fleming said his main advice to students is to think critically about what experiences they’re hoping to get from college, and to identify that in a way that’s not contingent on what others want or what they’ve heard but on what school will fit them best. “We ultimately want them to find a place where they will be challenged, but they’ll also be successful,” he says. “We want them to be comfortable, but not too comfortable. We want them to grow. It’s the next four years of their life that can create amazing opportunities for them for the rest of their life.”

brother and parents. She was accepted to the eight schools she applied to, but after visiting LMU in Los Angeles, she says she felt like she was in the right place.

Ingwers and her family are originally from Maui, though she was born on O‘ahu, and after finishing first grade in Kīhei, her family relocated to Hawai‘i Kai. At Kaiser High School, Ingwers was a member of the National Honor Society, was on the dive team, and competed in track and field, among other things. She enjoyed being around like-minded people, so she knew what she had to do at college: She promptly joined the LMU Hawaiian cultural club and several other groups, including a business fraternity that she had heard about at a student fair. At 19, she’s now a marketing major. Though she’s not sure what she’ll do with her business degree, she chose it specifically for its versatility and she says she feels good about the path she’s on.

Business wasn’t her first choice. Ingwers had dreams of becoming a registered dietician, but after interning at Hawai‘i Pacific Health the past three summers, she realized it wasn’t what she wanted. However, she says she’s grateful she pursued an internship in the field and got to see what it was like before she invested more time and schooling into it.

If you’re new at school, Ingwers says the best thing you can do is to get out and get involved. “If you see something you’re interested in, just go for it! I think it’s always worth it. And if you don’t like it, that’s OK. At least you tried.”

—Alicia Lou

COLLEGE JOURNEYS

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Timeline to Success

Finding and getting accepted to the right college or university is actually a four-year process. That may sound daunting, but take each step one at a time and stay organized, and you’ll be fine. Here’s how to manage the road to college admission.

Enroll in challenging classes.

Keep grades up.

Get involved in extracurricular activities.

Explore potential career paths.

Set up a college savings plan.

Develop good timemanagement skills.

Try some AP classes.

Take a practice Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Juniors qualify to compete for the National Merit Scholarship Program, but younger students can take it for practice. collegeboard.

org/psat-nmsqt

Consider volunteering during the summer.

Visit campuses while traveling, just to get a sense of what type of college appeals to you.

Small? Big? Public? Private?

In October, take the PSAT/ NMSQT (this year, testing may occur on any school day Oct. 2 through 31, as well as Oct. 14).

Sign up to take the ACT or SAT. Colleges usually accept either one, but check with where you’re interested. Many students will take the test once as a junior and again as a senior. Is it worth taking it twice? According to ACT, 57% of 2015 graduates increased their Composite score on the retest.

Visit campuses if possible.

Attend college fairs and network with the college representatives.

In the fall, repeat the ACT/SAT tests. Send in scores.

Gather teacher and other personal recommendations. Send thank yous afterward!

Narrow down the list, but have at least four to eight schools to apply to.

Draft your essay. Leave enough time for at least two people to read it and comment.

Check all due dates at the colleges you want to attend; they vary by institution and you don’t want to miss anything.

9th GRADE

GRADE

GRADE

GRADE

Whether you’re a high school student planning for your future, a college student looking to transfer, or a professional seeking to enhance your career, we’ve got the perfect path for you.

Earn your associate’s degree while still in high school: Through HPU’s Dual-Credit Program, high school students can get a taste of the college experience, earn college credit, or even complete their associate’s degree.

Earn your master’s degree while still an undergraduate: Concurrent Registration allows motivated students to complete their bachelor’s degree, while also working towards their master’s degree – compressing both the time and cost of their education.

Why Choose HPU?

Advance your career with badges and certificates: Demonstrate mastery of today’s most important workplace skills through HPU’s professional education programs designed for busy working professionals. HPU.edu

• Excellent Value: HPU meets 100% of unmet tuition need for first-year and transfer students from Hawaiʻi through our Holomua Commitment.

• Flexible Learning: Classes are offered in-person, online, and on military bases.

• Commitment to Service Members: HPU is proud to partner with the Department of Veterans Affairs, offering the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Standardized Tests

The nationally administered SAT tests reading, writing and math and is used to test how ready a student is for college. SAT Subject Tests and the optional SAT Essay are no longer offered by College Board. For more, go to sat. collegeboard.org/home

If you have been tested for dyslexia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or believe you may qualify for accommodations such as extra time, visit accommodations. collegeboard.org to learn more.

The ACT is a national college admissions exam that includes English, math, reading and science questions. The ACT Writing Test includes a 40-minute essay, which is required by some colleges and not others. In Hawai‘i, the state picks up the cost of taking the ACT for all public school juniors. To register, visit act.org

For all standardized tests, bring a current photo ID issued by a city/state/federal government agency or your high school, as well as printed test ticket and approved calculator.

Don’t bring a cell phone, smart watch or even a fitness tracker to an SAT test; they are prohibited. ACT test sites allow phones if they are turned off and placed out of reach.

University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges offer a variety of affordable associate degree and certificate options that will prepare you for your future right here at home. Apply today with our quick and free application at kamaaina.hawaii.edu.

illustration: martyshova/istock/getty images plus via getty images

SAT Test Dates

Oct. 7 (in person)

Register by September 7; late registration until September 26

Nov. 4

(in person)

Register by October 5; late registration until October 24

Dec. 2

(in person)

Register by November 2

March 9 (digital)

Register by February 23

May 4 (digital)

Register by April 19

June 1 (digital)

Register by May 4

Use a site like myscholly.com to sniff out scholarship opportunities. Scholly requires a subscription, ranging from $4.99/month to $34.99/year.

ACT Test Dates

Oct. 28

Register by September 22; late registration until October 6

Dec. 9

Register by November 3

Feb. 10

Register by January 5

April 13

Register by March 8

June 8

Register by May 3

July 13

Register by June 7

91-971 Farrington Hwy, Kapolei, HI htic.edu admissions@tokai.edu

91-971 Farrington Hwy, Kapolei, HI htic.edu admissions@tokai.edu

Accredited by the ACCJC-WASC

Accredited by the ACCJC-WASC

18 tudents per class 5 terms 80% transfer rate

18 students per class 5 terms 80% transfer rate

Our small class sizes allow students to receive personalized attention.

Our small class sizes allow students to receive personalized attention.

Our students can earn an A.A. degree in Liberal Arts in as early as 15 months.

Our students can earn an A.A. degree in Liberal Arts in as early as 15 months.

80% of our graduates successfully transferred to 4-year universities in the U.S. and other countries.

80% of our graduates successfully transferred to 4-year universities in the U.S. and other countries.

Advice from a Recent College Grad

Sometimes standing still is better than rushing off in the wrong direction.

BY ALICIA LOU

DESPITE BEING RAISED BY A RIGOROUSLY TRADITIONAL ASIAN MOTHER, I somehow turned out to be remarkably unconventional.

My first semester at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa was in the spring of 2013. Instead of graduating in 2017 like most of my peers, I took a “gap year” that turned out to be five times longer than I thought it would be, and I graduated from UH in May 2022—five months shy of my 30th birthday.

The first semester I was at UH, I took anthropology, oceanography, history, women’s studies, philosophy and psychology—basically, everything that I was remotely interested in, in a failed attempt to home in on a major. I was 18 years old and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.

So, when I got an opportunity to leave O‘ahu and work on boats, I didn’t really think about it—I just said “yes.” I thought I would be gone for a year, at most. In my excessively long break from school, I worked in the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Panama, and several other countries and cities on the mainland and in Europe. I also became a dive instructor. My mother did not approve.

When I started diving, my fascination for the underwater world made me see how polluted the Earth really is, and all I wanted was for more people to be aware of it and care about it the way I did. It made me realize I wanted to be a journalist and that I wanted to go back to school.

It was strange, walking into a classroom on my first day back, knowing that I was much older than my peers. But I stopped worrying about it. I sat in the front row. I was excited to ask and answer questions. I took homework and feedback seriously, and I never missed class. I was grateful to be there—a complete 180 from when I had enrolled the first time. I’ve always been capable, but back then I lacked the direction and focus I needed to apply myself. In my last two years of school, I got almost all A’s and made the dean’s list a few times.

I don’t regret going to college right after high school, though I do wish I took off before I tanked my chances at a 4.0 GPA. But if I hadn’t felt so lost at UH, I wouldn’t have left to work on boats, which means I might never have tried scuba diving, and I might have continued through life unbothered by single-use plastics floating in the ocean, wrapped around the reefs, and scattered on the roadsides.

After graduation I got the chance to intern at Honolulu Civil Beat and HONOLULU Magazine, and right now I’m working on my master’s degree in writing at Johns Hopkins University. You will either read this and think that you’ll do whatever it takes to not be a 30-year-old intern, or you’ll think what I did sounds like something you’d like to do, too.

It’s OK if you don’t know what you want to do for the rest of your life; you’ll figure it out in your own time. Taking a gap year isn’t for everyone, but when you don’t have a goal, it’s dangerously easy to be indifferent. So, sometimes, it’s better to take a step back and figure out what you really want instead of trying to rush forward. Even if your mother doesn’t approve—I think she’ll come around.

Things To Consider Before Taking a Gap Year:

• Whether you’re taking your gap year before or in the middle of college, check out your school’s gap year policy. The Gap Year Association is a great resource to compare deferral policies for universities and

programs across the country. gapyearassociation.org/gapyear-to-college

• If you received a scholarship, find out whether you’ll be able to transfer it to a future semester before you make any major decisions.

• If you’re worried about taking longer to graduate, look into gap year programs in which you can earn college credits. collegetransitions.com/blog/ best-gap-year-programs

• Be intentional about your time off from school. Ask yourself what you hope to accomplish and write down some realistic steps you can take to get there.