Self Reliance & College Info

Today we will be reading and annotating and except from "Self Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson.  Emerson, a transcendentalist, was a great poet and essayist who stressed the importance of the individual.  Please write down in your own words the main point of each paragraph provided.  There will be some difficult vocabulary that you may need to look up online.  Also, it is in your English textbook (pg. 363) which offers some notes and definitions.  Once finished with you reading and annotations please take a look at your short essay prompt.  I will be working with students is small groups at the end of first period or during your IWT for students who would like to work through this together.  Your completed annotations and essay are due on Monday (2/10).

For History, your final section (section 4 pg. 398) notes for this chapter are due on Friday (2/7) and your chapter test will be on Wednesday (2/12).  You have a quiz on sections 1 & 2 today!  Please get the test from me during your US History or IWT period.  Quiz must be completed in my room.

College Info

I'm First is a college support website for first generation college students.  It offers support, college searches, scholarship info, and more.  It is a great resource for first generation college bound students and highlights schools that have a high need or desire for first gen. students.

Ecampus tours is another great college resources.  It provides very in depth virtual campus tours, that give you an idea of what the campus is like.  It also offers scholarships, tips on how to pay for college, and college planning for both students and parents.  Going to college takes hard work and is up to YOU! to get this accomplished.  It's never to early to start planning for college and these are the type of sites you should start signing up for.

Speaking of campus tours, now is a good time to start planning some.  No online tool, however effective, can replace seeing a campus for yourself and taking a tour.  Student guides (usually volunteers) take you through campus and can answer questions and really give you a student perspective on what campus life is like.  This is a great way to see the campus and surrounding area to see what it may be like spending the next 4 (or more) years of your life there.  Choosing a college is an extremely important choice in your life; not only because of the education you will receive (though also extremely important obviously) but the people you will meet and place you will live for some of the most exciting and difficult years of your life.  Spring break, which begins on March 31st,  is a great time to get out and view some of these colleges.  Talk to your parents about a possible road trip over the break.  This is a great way for you to talk to your parents about college and get them excited about the prospect of you attending college as well.  I understand it is difficult for many parents to get away, so consider taking the train (with your parents permission of course).  Amtrak offers a pretty inexpensive way to travel to colleges in the Southern California area.  Colleges like UC Irvine, Cal State Long Beach, UCLA, UC Riverside, UCSB, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, CSU San Marcos, etc. are all a day away.  Also, we have 3 great universities right here in San Diego that are a quick drive or bus ride away.  Even if you don't plan to attend or even apply to that college it is a good idea to take a tour.  This gives you an idea of the amenities, etc. that different colleges offer that you like and don't like and what you want to look for when touring/choosing your own college.

Finally, REGISTER FOR THE SAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!