Rukhsar, after her high school graduation in 2018, is now completing her senior year at UCLA. Upon graduation, she plans to enter the field of education. During a recent check-in, she shared two ways in which DTS has played a role in supporting her success and in valuing her overall wellness.  Seeking practical and relevant job experience prior to graduation, she applied to be a site coordinator for a teen mentoring program at the Islamic Center of Hawthorne. Rukhsar felt overwhelmed by all that was required to apply for the position.  She shares, “I reached out to DTS for help with polishing my resume, proofreading my supplemental questions,…

On Monday, Stephanie, our College Access and Success Counselor, participated on a panel of distinguished speakers for a College Greenlight symposium. College Greenlight, a subsidiary branch of the Educational Advisory Board, works with counselors, community-based organizations, and schools to address barriers to college access for underrepresented students. On the panel, Stephanie served as an ambassador for DTS and shared our best practices with the greater community invested in helping more students obtain a degree, the most reliable path to economic mobility. Stephanie fielded questions and discussed how we guide seniors through the college application process, how we guide students in deciding what school to attend once they receive their acceptances, and identifying the…

As many colleges move to make standardized testing optional, we have been given the opportunity toredesign our summer curriculum for rising 11th grades which previously focused on test preparation.* As a staff, we analyzed what was missing from our programming and after speaking with our recent college graduates, realized it was time to bring back the pivotal experience of backpacking.  In addition to the stress relieving benefits of being in nature, students forge deeper relationships with each other as they work toward a shared goal. Therefore, we are thrilled to announce a new partnership with Lasting Adventures, an incredible organization who will lead our 11th graders on a backpacking trip through Yosemite National Park this summer. 

After a successful campus visit to Pomona College for our DTS high school students and their families, we warmly welcomed admissions representatives from Smith College, Skidmore College and Dickinson College to our classroom.  These visits not only expand younger students’ awareness about college but they also give them the opportunity to practice their interpersonal communication skills with professionals outside of our organization.  

Stephanie, our College Access and Success Counselor, knows first hand how challenging it can be to attend a predominately white college, far from home, as a first generation college student of color.  It is for this reason she makes the time to visit our East Coast college students. These in person check-ins are deeply meaningful to students.  Ingrid, a first year at Franklin and Marshall College notes, “Having Stephanie visit was the highlight of my week, it lifted my mood!  I was proud and excited to show her my new home away from home and to introduce her to all…

DTS is proud to be a new member of the Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC). The organization supports and advances the work of college counselors from California and Nevada as they help all students realize their full potential. As members, welook forward to the opportunity to learn from other organizations, to expand our network and to participate in relevant and timely professional development programming.