Career Spotlight: Mrs. Carol Lam-Jones, Alhambra High School Guidance Counselor
Dear future college students,
Seeking advice as you transition to college life? Look no further!
Introducing Mrs. Carol Lam-Jones, guidance counselor at Alhambra High School.
With several years of experience in the field of education, Mrs. Lam-Jones shares her take on best practices for this next stage of your academic journey.
Q: How do I pick the best major for me?
A: “The major doesn’t necessarily determine what career you will have. Your major should be something you are really interested in and gets you excited to learn about–a field that fascinates you. Having said that, not every class you take will be fun, either! Some classes are part of that discipline and gives you background information, and maybe it doesn’t fascinate you. It does not mean you should drop that major altogether either.”
Q: What are some ways in which I can explore my academic and non-academic interests in college?
A: “It’s like trying candy. Theres no way to know until you taste it! Open yourself up to experiences that will lead you to like-minded people, or people that can connect you to similar topics or activities. From there, you will come across something you like. You’ve got to make connections. And tell people what you’re interested in, too–nobody will know unless you talk to them. Put yourself in a learning environment, and you grow as a person. You have to keep honing and refining your interests.”
Q: What advice do you have to smooth the transition between high school and college?
A: “It depends on which college and where you’re going to be living. If you’re going to be living away from home, it would be good for you to have some experiences of being away from home because if you’re not mentally prepared, you can get pretty homesick. You need to be imagining yourself in a dorm. You also need to visit the school you’re going to go to. There’s a lot more to a college than just its academics and reputation.”
Need more advice as you plan for college? Apply to the 4S Education Foundation’s Mentorship Program to receive one-on-one guidance through college applications, choosing a major, selecting a college, and more! Applications close May 15, 2022.