Lupe Molina Arriola is a student services advisor at American Collegiate, Los Angeles at UCLA Extension — a one- or two-year transfer program that helps international students build credits, get familiar with US university life, and then transfer to top undergraduate universities in the US. Molina Arriola was an international student before becoming an advisor. However, she’s careful to recognize that each student’s experience is their own.
“When people hear my story, they think I must know what the students are going through, but that was 20 years ago,” said Molina Arriola. “The world is a completely different place now, and our students are facing an array of different challenges. There’s a lot we share, yes, but everyone has a unique journey and needs, and they need support differently.”
Molina Arriola and the advisors at American Collegiate, LA help students acclimate to Los Angeles socially and academically. They support new arrivals as they get comfortable living near American Collegiate’s Westwood campus. They also help students reach their academic goals, charting courses for students that hopefully lead to fruitful four-year programs at US universities.
Keep reading to learn more about the American Collegiate, LA experience and the three pieces of advice Molina Arriola has for international students who want to study in the US.
What Is American Collegiate, LA?
International students enroll at American Collegiate, LA because they want to find success at a competitive university in the United States.
Students take complex and demanding courses in affiliation with UCLA Extension and then transfer credits to their US university. The first- and second-year undergraduate courses students take at American Collegiate demonstrate one’s learning progress and potential as viable candidates at top schools. After acceptance, credit transfer to the new university ensures students begin with their degree partially completed.
Unlike students who attend the American Collegiate, DC program at American University in Washington, DC — on the East Coast of the United States — most students at the West Coast LA campus are proficient English speakers, ready for course study subject matter.
“They’re admitted to the program. So, when they do start, they dive right into the first- and second-year college-level courses,” said Molina Arriola.
As an advisor, Molina Arriola spends time learning her students’ goals and personalities and how to get them started on their own individualized path to success.
“We get to know them. That’s a great part of our job,” said Molina Arriola. “Students will come in and say, ‘I want to study business,’ or, ‘I want to study neuroscience,’ and we help them choose their courses and eventually apply to their target transfer universities.”
Here are three pieces of advice Molina Arriola has for students working with advisors at American Collegiate, LA.
1. Take Advantage of Advisor-Led Activities
From the first day of orientation onward, Molina Arriola and the rest of the American Collegiate advisory team are there to help. According to Molina Arriola, some students are homesick at first, and some are anxious about academics and achieving the goals they’ve set for themselves. The important thing is to get involved — attending events and one-on-one meetings are a key part of the university experience.
“We tell the students at orientation that the support you need is here for you, but you have to show up,” said Molina Arriola. “Make sure that you make the most out of the academic- and career-building resources — come to the workshops, talk to your career advisors, and tell us about your goals.”
2. Make Mistakes and Be Open to Change
According to Molina Arriola, sometimes students show up to orientation thinking the path to their dream career requires perfection. She likes to remind students that it’s OK to try different things and that this is the time in their life to be bold and find new passions.
“Be open to mistakes, be open to challenges. Sometimes students are afraid they might not get the best grade. Or they think they won’t get into university without the right extracurriculars, or if the story they tell in their essay isn’t good enough,” said Molina Arriola. “It takes some time, talking to the students, helping them understand that college is meant to be challenging, so there are going to be challenging times, and not to expect everything to be easy.”
Many students, like Mariana from Mexico, still need to figure out what they want to do with their lives when they arrive at American Collegiate. They use the preparatory time to figure out their passion. The advisors play a significant role in helping students discern and decide their next step and then help them with strategies to achieve their goals. These students ultimately are successful, just like the students who show up with a plan already in place.
“It’s great to come to the program with an idea of what their interests and their goals are for their majors, but they should also be open to the journey of exploration and discovery that college is going to be,” said Molina Arriola. “Embrace the moment and really figure it out what it is that you are passionate about — we are here to support you through all of that.”
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Many students at American Collegiate, LA are on their own for the first time in a new country. It can get lonely, and sometimes students feel homesick or experience culture shock. That’s OK, says Molina Arriola, and completely natural.
International students have access to several clubs and groups on and off campus in which they can find a community.
“We are there to support students along the way. With anything that comes up, like we want to hear about it. We don’t want students to think something is too trivial to bother an advisor about,” said Moina Arriola. “Whatever you want to tell us, we are here to listen to you, to support you, to help you find your answers.”
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