Julia Barajas
I explore how college students achieve their goals — whether they’re fresh out of high school, or going back for the first time in years — and what support they get along the way.
My exposure to college began when I was a high school senior. In all my years of schooling, I’d never been assigned anything written by a person of Mexican descent, despite growing up in L.A. County. So when a brochure for East Los Angeles College appeared in my family’s mailbox, I tried out dual enrollment, and took an introductory Chicano Literature course. We read everything from Tomás Rivera’s “... And the Earth Did Not Devour Him” to Bernice Zamora’s “Notes from a Chicana ‘COED.’” And what I learned there — about writing, about history, and about myself — stayed with me. It informed my decision to major in literature and Latin American studies when I went on to earn a four-year degree, and it continues to shape the work I do now.
My hope is that all college students will get a similar chance to chart a course for themselves, guided by their own curiosities and ambitions.
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GPA restrictions that bar some students from declaring popular majors are supposed to prevent crowding and set up students for success. But is that actually the case? -
The district blamed a programming error. But parents want to know why school officials didn't offer additional guidance.
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DACA recipients must reapply every two years at the cost of $495. This can pose a real challenge for students already grappling with college expenses.
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Not everyone wants to head to a mall or big box store. Some people are making a point of patronizing small businesses.
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With deadlines looming, one local nonprofit took advantage of Thanksgiving break to provide last-minute support.
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A new report from the California State auditor has found that some public universities did not make the best use of federal pandemic relief funds.
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State authorities verified the union’s right to be recognized in August. Months later, the University of California hasn't acceded.
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California recently became the first state to make ethnic studies a high school graduation requirement. Now educators are seizing the opportunity to create a hyperlocal curriculum.
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The union representing non-tenured professors and some other faculty members says it has reached a tentative contract agreement with the UC system.
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Latinos make up the bulk of California high school students. But how many of them go on to college? And how do they fare once they launch their undergraduate careers?
