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Thursday, February 26, 1998

Child's Play

EDUCATION: Early exposure

to college hopes to improve attitudes toward education

By J. Sharon Yee

Daily Bruin Contributor

"UCLA should pick me for a student because I will be good," Joseph Tecson wrote in his personal statement. "I always write nicely on my homework and try not to get a mistake."

If this sounds different from what you wrote on your application for admission, keep in mind Joseph is only 7 years old.

In an attempt to expose young children to college, second-grade students at Edison Elementary School in Glendale were given the opportunity to "apply" for admission to the university.

"A great thing I have done in school is a math test," wrote Andres Galaviz, reflecting on an academic achievement that made him stronger.

Wednesday, Joseph and Andres' class got its first taste of collegiate life, complete with a campus tour and lunch at the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies (GSE&IS).

"It was fun!" said Krystal Abagon, a first-grader whose favorite subject is reading.

The class of first, second and third-graders, most of whose parents did not attend college, represent the youngest group of prospective students to ever take a campus tour.

After the tour, the six students who wrote personal essays were presented with "acceptance" letters from Rae Jeane Williams, director of professional development contracts at Center X, a research institute functioning out of GSE&IS.

"If you want to send more letters to us, please do," she told them. "We here at UCLA want to hear what you have to say."

Though there is no direct research showing that early exposure to college affects a child's desire to pursue a higher education, it has been shown that attitudes toward school are formed at a young age. Cognitive psychology has suggested that attitudes and feelings are formed at infancy, including developing positive attitudes toward education, Williams added.

"A lot of children from underrepresented races don't always understand that as a public university, everyone has the opportunity to come study here," Williams said.

With the elimination of affirmative action programs, many educators believe that campus diversity will be greatly threatened in the future. "If you want to have a diverse campus, we are going to have to explore innovative ways to help prepare students for universities," Williams said.

"Without affirmative action, we realized the increasing need to start building college expectations in students early," said Sidnie Myrick, a UCLA alumna and one of two teachers of the class.

Additionally, the day served to build a greater awareness of college for parents as well.

"It is a great experience for the kids, for them to see that there are opportunities to have a better life," said Lida Balalians, a mother and one of five parent chaperones.

The visit to the college campus is part of a two-month long unit on making life choices, where the children have been reading novels and listening to guest speakers, like a policeman and comic-book writer.

Prior to coming, the class discussed the admissions processes, how grades are important and the importance of developing excellent study habits early. Myrick, who has taught for 10 years, spoke about the appeal that college has to especially young children.

"For them, the idea of being able to go to a place and learn more about their favorite subjects is like being in heaven," she said, adding that they were ecstatic to find out that the campus boasts multiple libraries.

Students who wrote personal essays answered one of the three essays listed on the current application for undergraduate admission. The topics ask the students to write about a specific talent, a difficult experience or an academic achievement they felt would help enrich the university environment.

"The worst time in my life was when I was moving to another house," wrote second-grader Alyssa De Jesus. "I missed my friends.

"This experience taught me how to get through rough times. I could get through rough times at UCLA, too," she wrote.

Another student wrote about her mother's operation as being the most difficult time of her life.

"This time showed me to not be afraid," Cynthia Salgado wrote. "It showed me that everything will be alright if I believe in myself and help others.

"This is how I am going to help others at UCLA," she concluded.

Though this is the first time such a young group has been exposed to the UCLA campus, Myrick hopes to follow up with the class, perhaps in a few years. "It would be interesting to track this class and see where they are in seven or eight years," she said.

For now, the children seemed satisfied with their first college experience. "I want to stay here for the rest of my life," Joseph said, "I would sleep, eat and play all day."

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