The program’s topics included due dates for Federal Student Aid, College Scholarship Service, and the California Dream Act Application. (Photo/Courtesy of the USC College Advising Corps)
Aspiring Trojans affected by L.A.-area wildfires get tips on admissions process
USC Rossier webinar keeps applicants focused on the next steps amid upheaval in their lives.
After the Los Angeles-area wildfires caused significant damage to Palisades Charter High School in January, senior Sophia Hopf and her classmates were forced to quickly pivot and continue their classes online. They soon realized they would not be returning to campus this school year.
But Hopf, who hopes to attend USC in the fall, has remained sharply focused on the college admissions process as she keeps up with her rigorous schedule of senior-year classes. That’s why she attended a recent online seminar hosted by the USC Rossier School of Education for high school seniors affected by the fires. The seminar, which USC Rossier presented in partnership with the USC College Advising Corps and the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative, focused on the college application and financial aid processes.
“My mom and I signed up because we thought it would be good to get more financial aid information,” Hopf said in an interview after the seminar. “Having a workshop to walk you through [the process], step-by-step, was super helpful. I think every university should offer something like this.”
The Feb. 13 seminar featured three sessions and shared a timeline and best practices for the college admissions season. This included topics such as due dates for Federal Student Aid, College Scholarship Service, and the California Dream Act Application. There was also an explanation of college portal management, the Statement of Intent to Register, and requirements including mandatory deposits, orientations and managing housing deposits and applications.
USC President Carol Folt came up with the idea for the free financial aid workshop to assist the affected students.
“These students are amazing,” Folt said. “They are resilient, motivated, and thrive in difficult circumstances. We’re pleased that USC Rossier took the initiative to help them during this difficult time.”
This effort is an example of Folt’s USC Competes “moonshot,” which aims to make USC a national leader in accessibility and affordability for top students.
USC Rossier professor Julie Posselt, executive director of the USC Center for Enrollment Research Policy and Practice, shared with attendees the perspective of a close friend whose home was destroyed in the wildfires. “Everyone is taking things a day and a week at a time this winter,” she said. “It’s literally brick by brick and gift by gift, receipt by receipt, and friend by friend that we’re getting through this and rebuilding. We hope that you’ll come to think of us as new friends along the way.”
Attendees were mostly students and family members affected by the two largest recent wildfires: the Eaton Fire in Altadena and the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades. Online breakout rooms followed the seminar’s main session.
“We had to tailor this event to fit students and families at any stage of the process,” said Ara Arzum, longtime program director of USC College Advising Corps. “That way, everyone got the exact type of support they needed. We had more volunteers than we could handle to help on this webinar, so everyone was able to get personalized help.”
Pathways for their futures
USC Rossier Dean Pedro Noguera applauded the “resilience and determination” of the students and their families who are dealing with varying degrees of fire-related upheaval.
“Attending an admissions seminar can often be a transformative experience for high school seniors, opening doors to new opportunities and pathways for their futures,” Noguera said. “In the wake of the L.A. wildfires, this moment takes on even greater significance as these students have faced unimaginable challenges. They are still here, ready to take the next step.”
Noguera gave heartfelt thanks to Folt “for her leadership and support in making this possible, providing our students with the resources they need to not only rebuild, but to rise stronger than ever before.”
Grateful for any sense of normalcy
For Palisades Charter student Hopf, keeping a positive attitude is helping her get through these tough times. Last year, she was the school mascot, and this year she was stage manager for theatrical productions at her high school. Now, her extracurricular activities have shifted to acts of service such as putting together care packages for people displaced by the fires.
“I’m eternally grateful that I didn’t lose my home and I wasn’t displaced,” she said. “Even though classes are now online, they provide the only sense of normalcy we have right now.”
