By: Alma Lizarraga
The Center for Community College Partnerships at UCLA held Zoom meetings during the last four days to help students who are transferring and extended their hours Sunday. A UC PIQ (Personal Insight Questions) Café was held Sunday Nov. 29 offering their services to East Los Angeles College. Students joined through Zoom to communicate with counselors.
The hours Sunday were extended longer than usual, to reach out to more students before the end of the week. The CCCP helps community college students with transferring to four-year universities, offering information and resources as well as feedback on UC applications.
Students were allowed to seek any help relating to transferring and were not limited to only the specific PIQ cafè sessions as students were allowed to ask any questions relating to transferring. Participants were required to wait before being attended, but had a counselor in the main room who offered assistance to those with questions. Due to the hours of the café being opened for a few hours, many joined the meeting at their own time.
The Zoom link was advertised to students for anyone to join at ELAC. Students met with counselors and peer mentors in breakout rooms to receive one-on-one help. In the break room, ELAC students communicated freely what they needed to focus on and receive an amount of time to talk with a mentor. There was a time limit and mentors were shuffled to receive all the students attending the Zoom meeting.
Though the mentors at the CCCP were actual staff, some were former students who had experience transferring who offered personal insight into the application process. This allowed the CCCP to offer a student’s perspective. Through screen sharing, members of the CCCP shared direct websites and necessary resources by going over and explaining what is required to transfer.
Several websites such as assist.org gave insight to transfer students about the college requirements that are needed. The PIQ Café presented some of the most asked questions in applications, which students must prepare for.
Students are able to share their answers and receive insight into what colleges are looking for. They may also choose to ask about any of their specific concerns about their applications.
The program has continued despite COVID- restrictions to reach out to students offering their services. The CCCP attempts to have other sessions like the PIQ café that will help community college students often, and attempt to meet students to help them navigate for their future.