College education is accessible for all, officials explain at Sacramento State event

To encourage students to pursue higher education, Sacramento State on Friday hosted its second Asian Pacific Islander College Day. Prospective students were able to familiarize with the college admission process and see what life on college campus looks like.

More than 800 middle and high-school students from the Sacramento City Unified School District toured the university campus and attended sessions on financial aid, health and wellness, and census outreach.

Selai Niu, a student at C.K. McClatchy High School, said the event has been helpful for her to get to know people at Sacramento State who can help students with college applications and make connections on campus.

“The community comes together and you get to meet new and other students from high school and you just bond with them, learn about what they have been going through and talk about your own experiences,” Niu said.

As of last fall, 34 percent of students at Sacramento State are Hispanic, followed by 26 percent white, 19 percent Asian American, 6 percent black and 1 percent are Pacific Islanders. Just under half (45 percent) graduated from public high schools, and around 60 percent of the university’s graduates are the first in their family to pursue earning a bachelor’s degree.

Similar events have also been held for black, Hispanic and Latino students. The 32nd annual Black Expo Faire was held last week. The Feria de Educación for Spanish-speaking students had its eighth year in October.

Around 24 subgroups fall under the category of Asian Pacific Islander in Sacramento State, said Chao Vang of Sacramento State’s student academic success and educational equity programs. It is important that the students are a part of the conversation on their retention and completion rates in college and universities, he added.

“We need to understand that there is diversity within groups,” Vang said. “There are challenges because of the subgroups beyond the languages, so we have to expand our umbrella and support our API college students here at Sac State.”

Sacramento State President Robert Nelsen, said the biggest takeaway for students at the API College Day is to be familiar with the college process.

“Going to college can be daunting, but when you get familiar and you see how easy it is to go to college, and you find that it is affordable, and that there are scholarships, then you can say, ‘I’m going to do this,’” Nelsen said.

Jorge Aguilar, Sacramento City Unified superintendent, said he hopes the resources and “like-minded people” students were exposed to and surrounded by would allow them to understand their rights to be in college and be successful.

“If you are first-generation, you can start a new cycle in your family and community,” Aguilar said. “In the future, you can also be an example to others.”

Mai Vang, alumni of the city’s school district and Sacramento City Council candidate, was one of the speakers who talked about the importance of representation. Growing up in south Sacramento, Vang said there weren’t many teachers, educators or role models who look like her. Fortunately for her, at Sacramento High she had a black teacher named Jean Crowder who worked with her weekly and helped her get into college.

“It’s important for me to get folks who look like us in schools, in higher education, in civic engagement and politics,” she said. “It is important to have a presentation, folks who actually understand the struggles.”

Debunking myths about financial aid

Adrian Slade, a Sacramento State graduate and a staff service analyst from the California Student Aid Commission, spoke about grants, scholarships and federal loans available. He discussed the three myths about financial aid.

He said students should apply for Cal Grants, despite the minimum requirement of a 2.0 GPA, as students may be eligible for other need-based grants.

Another common myth that discourages students to apply for financial aid is the belief that their parents’ earnings may exceed the income restrictions for some grants, Slade said, while middle-class scholarships are available, one with a ceiling of $182,000 earnings.

Also, students often have the impression that an application fee comes along with submitting the application for financial aid, he said.

“This is a big one we are trying to dismay,” Slade said. “We will help you fill out your FASFA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid). It is a free application. Steer away from those who ask for your credit card details.”

FASFA is on a first-come-first-served basis, so students are encouraged to file early.

Slade urges students to reach out to the academic counselor’s office at their schools which could refer them to different resources in college and check out the financial aid options before applying for loans.

“Cash for College” free workshops in different languages are available across California to assist students complete their FASFA, California Dream Act and Chafee Grant for Foster Youth applications.

“There is so much free money, as my slideshow shows,” Slade said. “If you properly utilize and apply ... you will not be drowning in debt when you graduate.”

This story was originally published March 9, 2020 at 2:12 PM.