Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, December 2, 2017

Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 2, 2017 EDUCATION & YOUTH 7 Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 2, 2017 EDUCATION & YOUTH 7 
GOLDENWORDS: 

Dr. Dan’s College Corner 

MAKING THE MOST OF BEING A 
COMMUTING COLLEGE STUDENT 


SCHOOL DIRECTORY 
Most of my columns have focused on the life ofstudents who live away, either in dorms or off-
campus. But what of the many thousands of 
students who commute to their campus, both fulland part-time? These students often continue to 
live in their family homes, frequently continuewith all kinds of family obligations and part-timejobs, and need a few strategies to make the most oftheir commuting college experience.

You look like your high school self, but you arechanging every day.

If you live at home and continue to be aroundfamily and friends, most people mightn’t noticeyour growth in intellectual power, focus andsocial development. But you know it’s happening,
and will want your perspectives and behaviors toreflect your journey to young adulthood.

Smarter isn’t smarty-pants, of course. So don’t 
be too quick to flaunt your new knowledges andperspectives, especially if they fly in the faceof your familial or cultural traditions. You areredefining your relationship with this family, andwith your old friends, too. Watch more, listen 
more, talk less. 

And in terms of those friends, don’t be surprisedif your interests have changed and high schoolbonds and times seem kind of dated to you, or atleast up for redefinition. If you have a significantother already, or if you strike up a college romance,
one thing you’ll need to figure out is how to get theprivacy you need to let that romance grow.

Stick around your campus as long as possibleevery day, and take advantage of its resources.

Invest in an insulated backpack and a goodthermos, put together food and snacks to savetime and money, and try to be on campus bothbefore and after classes. 

If you are a full-time commuter to local CSU, UCand most private colleges, inquire at the Office ofthe Dean about Day Student Lounges, where youcan crash and recharge yourself through the day.
Consider staying late at campus at least one nighta week, perhaps keying your decision to stay to anevent or club group you want to attend. If you areeligible, get a campus job--another excellent wayto bond with your school.

Go to Advisement Offices and visit yourProfessors during their Office Hours

If you are a commuter who plans on possibletransfer to another institution after two years,
accurate and wise advisement is crucial (doublethis advice if you’re at a Junior College and hope to 

take credits with youto a final two years ata UC or other 4-yearinstitution). And, ifyou’re planning on 
staying at this sameschool, you need 
to build a portfolio


of grownups, your“adult influencers” as we call them--to help youextract the best experience from the school andplan for life after graduating.

Cultivate an “influencer” or two by going to theoffice hours your professors post in their syllabi.
Almost nobody ever visits, I can tell you from myown years as a professor.

Come with questions about your class, adviceabout courses for future terms, about a possiblemajor in their discipline. Ask them if they ever takeon student workers to help with their scholarship,
term-time and during summers. 

Save Money. Lots.

You may be commuting because the live-awaycosts of residential college seem too staggering.
You may be commuting because you need amore reasonable price for general coursework toexplore and experiment with areas of study andcareers. You may be a first-gen student and theonly primary English-speaker in your household.
You’re the one who takes your Aunt for her Chemo,
you’re the one who goes to teacher conferences foryour kid sister, and you’re the one who also hasto do well in classes and plan your future. Protectthat future as jealously as you protect the healthand lives of your loved ones.

It’s hard being a commuter student, but easierif you find ways to spend more time on yourcampus, avail yourself of the enrichments andfacilities you’re paying for anyhow, and buildalliances with helpful grownups. And if you cansalt away some of those thousands of dollars you’llbe saving, you’ll have a small financial nest egg foryour subsequent years in college. 

Dr. Dan Golden was the founding director of LifePlanning at the Vistamar School in El Segundo.
He was a professor, program director and Deanfor Work & Service-Learning at Wheaton College(MA), and now consults with individuals, schoolsand educational districts on college access, postgraduate 
study and career planning issues. 

Alverno Heights AcademyMonrovia High School200 N. Michillinda Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 325 East Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016

(626) 355-3463 Head of School: Julia V. Fanara 
(626) 471-2800 Principal Darvin Jackson
E-mail address: jfanara@alvernoheights.org Email: schools@monrovia.k12.ca.us 
Arcadia High SchoolOdyssey Charter School180 Campus Drive Arcadia, CA 91007725 W. Altadena Dr. Altadena, Ca. 91001 
Phone: (626) 821-8370, Principal: Brent Forsee(626) 229-0993 Head of School: Lauren O’Neillbforsee@ausd.net website: www.odysseycharterschool.org 

Arroyo Pacific AcademyPasadena High School41 W. Santa Clara St. Arcadia, Ca, 2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 294-0661 Principal: Phil Clarke(626) 396-5880 Principal: Roberto HernandezE-mail address: pclarke@arroyopacific.org website: http://phs.pusd.us 
Barnhart School St. Rita Catholic School 
240 W. Colorado Blvd Arcadia, Ca. 91007 322 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 

(626) 446-5588 Head of School: EthanPrincipal Joan Harabedian (626) 355-9028
Williamson website: www.st-rita.org 
Kindergarten - 8th grade

Sierra Madre Elementary School

website: www.barnhartschool.org 

141 W. Highland Ave, Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 
Bethany Christian School(626) 355-1428 Principal: Lindsay Lewis93 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024E-mail address: lewis.lindsay@pusd.us 

(626) 355-3527
Sierra Madre Middle School 

Preschool-TK-8th Grade 

160 N. Canon Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 

Principal: Dr. William Walner

(626) 836-2947 Principal: Garrett Newsom
website: www. bcslions.org 

E-mail address: newsom.garrett@pusd.us 
Clairbourn School 

Walden School 

8400 Huntington Drive

74 S San Gabriel Blvd 

San Gabriel, CA 91775

Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 792-6166

Phone: 626-286-3108 ext. 172 

www.waldenschool.net 

FAX: 626-286-1528 
E-mail: jhawes@clairbourn.org Weizmann Day School1434 N. Altadena Dr. Pasadena, Ca. 91107 

Foothill Oaks Academy

(626) 797-0204
822 Bradbourne Ave., Duarte, CA 91010 

Lisa Feldman: Head of School 

(626) 301-9809Co-Principals Nancy Lopez and Diane KieffaberWilson Middle School 
info@foothilloaksacademy.org300 S. Madre St. Pasadena, Ca. 91107 
preschool@foothilloaksacademy.org 
(626) 449-7390 Principal: Ruth EsselnE-mail address: resseln@pusd.us 

Frostig School
971 N. Altadena Drive Pasadena, CA 91107Pasadena Unified School District 


(626) 791-1255351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena, Ca. 91109 
Head of School: Jenny Janetzke (626) 396-3600 Website: www.pusd@pusd.us
Email: 
jenny@frostig.org rcadia Unified School District 
234 Campus Dr., Arcadia, Ca. 91007

The Gooden School 

(626) 821-8300 Website: www.ausd.net 
192 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-2410Monrovia Unified School District 
Head of School, Carl Parke 325 E. Huntington Dr., Monrovia, Ca. 91016 
website: www.goodenschool.org 
(626) 471-2000 Website: www.monroviaschools. 
net 

High Point Academy1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road Pasadena, Ca. Duarte Unified School District 
91107 1620 Huntington Dr., Duarte, Ca. 91010 
Head of School: Gary Stern 626-798-8989 (626)599-5000 Website: www.duarte.k12.ca.us 
website: www.highpointacademy.org 

La Salle High School
3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 


(626) 351-8951 
website: www.lasallehs.org 
Principal Mrs. Courtney Kassakhian 
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: