My Experience At UC Berkeley

This reflection is shared by Leslie Yanez, a 9th grade student.       

On January 26, 2019, a group of ATS students and I got to visit the remarkable school known as UC Berkeley. UC Berkeley consisted of an amazingly well-presented presentation and workshop about public health and ended with a tour around UC Berkeley. 

Before I even begin, I would like to thank the advisors, field trip coordinators, and everyone who made this field trip possible. Thank you!

Ninth grade ATS students taking a campus tour of UC Berkeley

Walking around the school’s incredible campus filled with life, culture, and diversity, learning about the school’s achievements and the unique artifacts that they hold, are some of the copious amount of things I found were extraordinary and enjoyed that day. Not only is UC Berkeley famous for their education, but also for their gorgeous campus that they have, and now I know why! The campus itself was a highlight of my experience. Everywhere you went on that campus you would see beautiful, luminous flowers glowing in the sunlight, towering trees with dark green leaves, and many more beautiful scenes.

Did you know you that two elements from the periodic table of elements were named after UC Berkeley? If you want to know which ones you should go visit them to find out! It will be worth it, I promise.

I also learned that they have the second biggest department dedicated to science which I think is very impressive. They also have a whole building dedicated to math! Every level of that building is dedicated to a certain level in math; the harder and more advance the math gets, the higher you go in the building.

UC Berkeley, an outstanding school in academics and sports, was everything I expected, and a little bit more. I expected UC Berkeley to be an incredible school and it was. What surprised me the most is that UC Berkeley has way more options than I thought they had and a larger campus than I expected; which I am not complaining about because it is amazing! UC Berkeley is not the stereotypical university that comes to mind when you think of one. UC Berkeley is different and unique in its own way that many should definitely experience, even if it’s for a day.

Visiting UC Berkeley has helped shape my perspective about college by knowing what I want in college. UC Berkeley has a massive campus, and after visiting UC Berkeley, it has helped me determine that I would rather much prefer a larger campus than a small one. I personally feel that I do have a greater understanding of what to look for in a college. And now thanks to UC Berkeley, I know that I would prefer a university with a larger campus.

After visiting UC Berkeley, I might consider applying to this school in the future. It has incredible departments dedicated to the majors that they offer, and exceptional departments dedicated to science and math. However, it is the rival of the one and only Stanford. Which is a school I really admire. But who knows, I might apply to UC Berkeley in the future.

The campus tour was definitely one of my favorite things we did at UC Berkeley. One thing I learned about UC Berkeley is that they have a multitudinous amount of majors and libraries which I found was very exciting.

8 Tips for Applying to Scholarships

8 Tips for Applying to Scholarships 

By: ATS alumna Rubi Hernandez Lopez

With school, work, sports and other extracurricular activities it could be hard to find the time to apply to scholarships but scholarships can save you a lot of money in the long run. Here are a couple tips to help you as you in the process. Good luck!

1. Looking for scholarships 

Scholarships are everywhere and each year there are many that go unclaimed. A simple Google search is all it takes to find out what scholarships apply to you. Start with local scholarships because the odds of winning these scholarships are greater. Find out what scholarships your school offers, then move on to county wide scholarships, then state scholarships and so on and so forth.

2. Get organized: 

Once you know what scholarships you will be applying to you will notice that they all require different documentation and have varying deadlines. Gather all the documentation needed and keep it organized digitally and keep a paper copy just in case. Make note of the different deadlines and stay on top of them. The last thing you want to do is put in all this hard work into completing a scholarship only to miss the deadline.

3. Follow your passion: 

Apply to scholarships that fit your passion and interest. The more personal the scholarship is, the more you can portray your passion which can result in a better submission. Remember, there are scholarships for everyone: vegetarians, puppy lovers, video game players, theater enthusiast and the list go on and on.

4. Answering Essay Prompts: 

Many of the scholarships will require an essay prompt depending on the topic make sure to tailor your essay for that specific scholarship. Try not to repeat essay prompts and stick to the word limit. Have someone proof read your essay before submitting it. Sometimes we know what we want to say and it’s difficult to catch our own mistakes so have a fresh set of eyes read it over.

5. Satisfy all the requirements: 

Look over every completed application thoroughly before submitting it to make sure you have fulfilled all the requirements. If you are unsure about something contact the scholarship providers to clarify.

6. Submit early: 

You don’t have to wait until the due date and submit your application early. This will help you in case there’s a problem with the site, internet connection, or your computer.

7. Apply to as many scholarships as possible: 

As long as you are in school you should continue applying to scholarships because scholarship money is money you don’t have to pay back. Try treating it like a part-time job and set a couple hours aside during the week or weekend to apply for scholarships.

8. Keep trying: 

You will not win every scholarship you apply to so don’t take it personally. Continue applying because in order to be a successful scholarship winner you have to keep trying.

About the Author:

My name is Rubi Hernandez Lopez and I am an ATS Alumni. I graduated from the University of California, Davis with a Bachelors in Science in Clinical Nutrition and a minor in Spanish. I am currently employed with through Sonoma County as a Public Health Aide for the Women Infant and Children (WIC) Program. I am also working on my internship to become a Registered Dietitian through the California WIC Dietetic Internship. I am extremely grateful for the ATS program which helped me get to where I am today by providing me with the proper tools and resources. Applying for scholarships was one of the most valuable things I learned through this program therefore, I wanted to share some of that knowledge with you. 

Recap of College Info Day at Cal

On Saturday, October 20^th ATS took a group of 12th grade students to College Information Day at UC Berkeley. The day was packed with numerous workshops ranging from discovering career paths to an overview of the UC application. Students also took advantage of the college fair on campus by talking to admission representatives from CSUs, UCs, private colleges and out-of-state schools.

ATS seniors at UC Berkeley

With ATS’s UC online application workshop just around the corner, our college-focused seniors made it their priority to attend the workshops that pertained to the UC application. The first workshop our seniors sat in was “Presenting yourself in the UC Application.”  An admissions representative from UC Berkeley walked the seniors (and advisors) through the online UC application, stopping at every slide to provide insightful advice on the type of information students should include on their college app (i.e. A-G classes, extracurricular activities and awards). He also mentioned that, despite the common notion that extracurricular activities only pertain to school clubs/ organizations and other academic related activities outside of school, this is not the case. Responsibilities students are required to uphold (and in most cases, have normalized in their everyday lives) after school at home are considered as extracurricular activities, therefore students should mention this on their college application. Most importantly, students were advised to utilize the additional comments section on the application to include information that is not otherwise found in other areas of the application. It’s imperative for students to know that any information they list in the additional comments section is viewed as neutral or added information, meaning they won’t increase or decrease their chances of getting accepted into a UC! 

High School seniors ready to learn

The second popular workshop ATS seniors attended was “Writing the Personal Insight Questions For High School Seniors Interested in applying to UC for fall 2019.” In this workshop, students learned that the personal insight questions is a way for them to introduce themselves to the admissions committee. They also learned that they’re only required to answer four out of the eight total questions listed on the UC application. In previous years, the UCs required the responses to be in the form of essays, but that is no longer the case! Responses are limited to 350 words max for each question. Another important thing to note is that there is no key question that will increase students’ chances of getting accepted to a UC, despite what some applicants and their mentors may think. Therefore, students should select the four questions that most resemble with them, their experiences and their unique circumstances. The presenters could not emphasize enough the fact that there is no special question that will increase a student’s chances of getting accepted to a UC.

Don’t write about the topic or subject you are being asked to write about, write how that topic or subject has shaped you --the applicant was a common theme the presenters tried to drill into the students’ minds. Students learned that context is key when writing their responses to the personal insight questions. The application review committee is less concerned with a background story of a student’s family experience, than they are in wanting to know how the student dealt with a challenge, and how it shaped them. Admissions officers told students they’re looking for specific examples and responses that go into depth in the student’s lived experiences. To get the point across, the presenter showed the audience examples of past students’ responses to the personal insight questions. This helped a lot because students, parents and advisors were able to read the type of context and specific examples admissions committees are looking for in an applicant’s response to the insight questions.

Khristina playing the piano

Finally, after all the workshops were over, ATS students and staff enjoyed a delicious Mexican grill delight from Chipotle while they relaxed in the restaurant’s patio. Once everyone’s tummies were satiated and full, we headed back to Sonoma State, making it back by 3:30pm to our sunny wine country hills.

ATS Students Head East, Part 2!

This reflection is shared by Martin Flores, a student at Rancho Cotate High School.

Can you think of a better way to begin the summer before your senior year than going to tour Harvard, NYU, Boston College, and Columbia University?  Did not think so.

Before I continue, I would like to give a huge thank you to the chaperones, thank you to all the people who made this possible, and thank you to everyone who participated on this journey.

Over my course as a student I have been on many great trips but, nothing like this one. It was a week long trek that took 12 students, all with the same goal of going to college, to the other side of the country to tour some of the most prestigious universities in the world. Personally, this trip was an eye-opener because I never really believed that I could see myself living or studying in any place other than California. However, this trip has completely changed my mind. Not only was this trip a great educational experience but it exposed the majority of us to the different cultures that exist within the US.

Upon hearing about an opportunity to tour these universities, I was interested to see what other out-of-state opportunities there was because of how much I enjoyed Spring Tours to Oregon. However, I did not think I was going to get picked. I did not apply because of the fact that we were going to go to NYC or Boston. For me it was the fact that I could have the opportunity to tour the university that I dream to go to and the one that I have been talking to their soccer coach for the last year. That university was Harvard.

Touring Harvard was the highlight of the trip. It was a fantastic experience because I was able to get a first-hand account of the campus community and really consider if I could see myself attending the university. I learned not only about some of the academics that come along with Harvard but, I learned about the different financial aid opportunities for low income families. Furthermore, I tried to arrange a meeting with their soccer coach but, unfortunately, he was not in town. Beside that minor setback, Harvard is definitely a university where I can see myself continuing my education. For that I thank ATS and EduTrips for giving me this opportunity that very few get.

Aside from touring college campuses and exploring Boston and New York City, I was fortunate enough to meet some incredible people. At first, it was awkward because no one really wanted to take a risk and meet new people. However, after introductions we all began to mesh into one big group and talk to each other. Also, because of this trip I was able to make some amazing friends from all over Northern California and some great memories. Lastly, I can say that spending everyday with our chaperones and new friends was definitely a highlight. 

Furthermore, I believe this trip really influenced me in being wise about where to apply and what I like about a college and what not. Also, the current college students' input on the academics, college community, and city was very helpful for me considering a college or not. I think that our student tour guides really helped me get a feel for the college life at their college. Some of our tour guides on the college tours were from small towns, like most of us are, so to hear how it was for them really helped me.

In conclusion, this trip was a once in a lifetime experience. From those six days I will remember the countless laughs, memories, friends, and valuable college information. Once again, a huge thank you to our amazing advisors/ chaperones Casey Herriott, Moises Gonzalez, Jose Arroyo, the whole ATS staff, and anyone that I forgot to mention for a memorable college and cultural experience.

ATS Students head East!

ATS had a rare chance in June to send a few students to visit some prestigious universities in the northeastern United States.  You may have heard of a few of them.  We are publishing their reflections in our blog!


The first one is by Areli Alvarez, an El Molino High School student.



Six of the most memorable days I have ever had were because of the ATS East Coast campus
tour held in Boston, Cambridge, and New York City. This experience was unlike any other. I
have been fortunate enough to be able to go on a few college campus tours, but none were like
those that 11 other students and I experienced on the East Coast. The atmosphere of the east
coast was so different from the atmosphere of the west coast. Being able to experience such a trip
was amazing on its own, but being able to experience it with other wonderful individuals, the
students and chaperones, made it that much more enjoyable and memorable.



If it weren’t for my ATS advisor, Jimmy Bailon, and him pushing me to apply for the east coast
tours, I wouldn’t be reflecting upon it today. I was skeptical about it all:  the application, the
campuses, the traveling to the other side of the United States, all because I didn’t have an open
mind towards considering the idea that I could go to college outside of California. However,
eventually I came to my senses and realized that applying wouldn’t hurt and if I did get accepted,
it would be an experience I could cherish forever.

A building on the (rainy) Harvard tour

I learned so much from all of the campus visits that I wouldn’t otherwise know if I hadn’t been
present at the tours. Lots must be taken into consideration when beginning to select colleges of
interest for future one’s education. For example, asking yourself if being far, far away from
home, across the country, seems like a good idea. Or how the financial aid amounts are
determined. Specifically, it was helpful to know what each campus looked for test wise when
sending in scores with the application. Being able to go to four different campuses gave us
students a taste of a few different atmospheres. We got to figure out what we liked and didn’t:
busy campus in the city? Mellow environment with a small population of students? Studying
abroad rather than staying at the initial campus? And more. In a way, we got a sneak peek of
what college could be like. Meeting new people, staying in a hotel room and making new
friends, being on numerous campuses and getting a feel for the school, and overall, being that
much more independent in cities we were unfamiliar with. We, the students, grew as people and
began to find ourselves and our likes and dislikes; this helped so much with the confusion that
rose, and still continues to sometimes rise, when the topic of college comes up.



Because of the east coast tours, I know that I want to stay close to home, in California. The
atmospheres I happened to experience were unique and absolutely incredible, but I know that those atmospheres and environments aren’t the ones for me. Visiting Harvard,Boston College, NYU, and Columbia was a true blessing and it taught me so much. I’m more open to campuses I wouldn’t normally consider because while I don’t see myself going to an east coast campus, the campuses did expose characteristics and factors that I do have an interest in for college in the future. The opportunity to visit the east coast was unlike any other. From visiting the Statue of Liberty and roaming around Times Square, to driving past the baseball stadium where the Red Sox play and visiting Harvard, a university from which eight United States presidents graduated. It was an experience I will never forget. It was one for the books.

Areli and new friends from Upward Bound, in Boston

ATS Student Opens Mind to Oregon

My Spring Break Campus Tour Reflection

by Alejandra Perez

Spending my spring break traveling overnight with my fellow ATS peers was an experience like no other. I have been college touring, but have not experienced a back-to-back college touring overnight trip. I have to commend the ATS outreach advisors for making this trip so enjoyable and such a valuable learning experience, no matter all the hiccups we faced along the way.

My first thoughts about college touring in Oregon were not so optimistic. Having been already set on going to college in Southern California, I did not have an open-mind about Oregon at first. I dreaded cold weather and found Oregon not to be one of my first choices when thinking about college. With a little encouragement from my parents, I decided to take advantage of my opportunities--I am so glad I did!

During the trip, I gained valuable information I would not have gained otherwise. It is important to consider all the factors: Can I see myself at this campus? Will I receive financial aid? What are their popular majors? The cost? etc. Moreover, I gained the value of meeting new people and bonding with your peers. Staying overnight at the hotel and sharing a room with girls I would otherwise never run into, taught me the value of building and creating new relationships. In college, I will not know my roommate nor anyone else for that matter, traveling with ATS students taught me the importance of being confident--to not fear meeting new people.

Along the way, I also got to reconnect with some old friends from my elementary school years. Spending time with Karen and Karina was such a blast! We really shared some laughs.

Rosy, Karen and Alejandra at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) pregnancy exhibition

However, by far I valued the college tour trip to Reed the most. Reed College really took me away with its academics, small class size, campus life, and so much more! If it were not for this college tour trip, I would have never considered or even thought about applying for Reed College. I have to say the most valuable knowledge I gained throughout this trip is to keep an open mind. Touring a college can really change the way one previously thought of it. I can now say that I can see myself attending college in Oregon and am also open to traveling even further out-of-state. Right now, I have realized that I am really open to learning more about college campuses and visiting places I otherwise never would have thought of. It is important to take advantage of your opportunities because one never knows where it can take you.

College Greenlight Marathon gets some ATS traffic

Will Hemphill submitted this photo from
visit to UC Berkeley

On February 25th, some ATS students invested  precious Saturday hours to explore colleges and search for scholarships during the College Greenlight Marathon.  Just by participating, students were eligible for hourly raffles to earn up to $100 in gift cards and qualify for a $1,000 scholarship by uploading photos of completed scholarship applications and visits to college campuses or college fairs, an updated college list, or a college application. We identified the ten most active ATS participants and awarded them $10 Starbucks cards. We like to reward resourcefulness!

All ATS students are urged to set up a profile at College Greenlight and avail themselves of the many tools and resources for college exploration and scholarship applications. Indicate you are a member of Sonoma State Academic Talent Search program to gain access to their free resources.

Lexy Bateman and Dahlia Viramontes entered
 a photo from their visit to UCLA.