While for most people, November marks the beginning of Thanksgiving season, for high school seniors in California it signifies something greater—college applications. To assist them through this elaborate process, Hercules High now has a College Admissions Counselor, Jasmyn Monet Oliver.
Upon a senior’s arrival at the appointment, Oliver creates a friendly atmosphere. She sits next to the student with a notepad, listening attentively and closely taking notes on the student’s concerns. For instance, if one is unsure about what to select as one’s major, she introduces the student to a neatly organized array of college pamphlets, going through the schools’ specialties in order to find the program that best fits that student’s interests. No matter if one needs help with filling out applications, writing personal statements, discussing school courses, or preparing and registering for exams, Oliver is here to help, and such services are available to all grade levels—not just seniors.
Oliver is a part of the Destination College Advising Corps (DCAC), which is funded by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. This program recruits college graduates to serve as advisors who help make college accessible and preparation available to partner schools, students, parents, and their local communities.
As a recent college graduate from UC Berkeley, Oliver “fell into this college advising world.” She was on the path to become a teacher, but after doing research for her undergraduate degree on educational attainment of youth based on income levels, gender, and ethnicity, she was inspired to become a “force of change in the Bay Area home community.”
Oliver’s greatest satisfaction comes from being a counselor who can take part in the success of a high schooler. “I experience great joy from the memories of students contacting me, excited to tell me about their adventures or the study abroad trip they were contemplating to take,” Oliver confesses. “Students who never had gotten on a plane before were now taking off to new opportunities and networks.”
The advice Oliver plans to share with high schoolers is to prepare for the unexpected: “Life will throw you through loops and when it does just hold on tight and enjoy the ride, it will be over soon. And when it is, you will be happy and feel more accomplished because you faced your fears, rode the waves, and stuck it out.”