PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION:

Interview with Michelle Sandoval of @latinatalkscollege

Michelle Sandoval is a college consultant helping under-served youth (internationally and locally) throughout the college application process. Her work comes from her passion for education and her drive comes from the pride she has for being Latina. She uses these driving forces to help her clients also embrace their culture and help them navigate the sometimes-overwhelming process of applying for colleges.

Pan(*)cha Zine: Tell us a little bit about your own college experience. What was the one key learning you got from that experience? 

Michelle Sandoval: Attending college, for me, meant learning to trust myself. I had done so much of "the right thing" and yet nothing prepares you for the real world as much as trusting yourself, your voice, and your choices. Owning every single one of those allowed me to experience a metamorphosis from a young, shy teenage girl to a young lady who was unafraid of being BOLD. I completed 20 units every single semester from start to finish of my 4 years, all while juggling being away from home for the first time, plus multiple part-time jobs simultaneously and just too many trials and tribulations that happen when you're the first in your first-generation, immigrant family to get a college degree. That was one of the most difficult times of my life; but it was also a moment where I learned that I literally could do anything. It's like the challenge awoke a part of me that I didn't know existed. Obviously, there is no way that kind of pressure is sustainable, so I have learned how to juggle multiple commitments in a much healthier way since then, but the confidence that I gained from knowing exactly just how hard I was working towards my degree meant that imposter's syndrome never came back to knock on my door. I knew I was earning every single inch of that Degree I would one day hold in my hands.

(*): What makes you so passionate about coaching students through the college application and admission process? 

MS: When I was applying to college, I didn't even know where to start. That lack of direction, in this case, was not a bad thing. It actually became a fuel to my fire. I applied to every single thing that I was eligible for. In between tennis practice and choir rehearsal, I was on the computer in the labs applying to scholarships or working on drafts for application essays. I had no clue what would come of it. All I knew is that, no matter the outcome, I had given it my all. And so, I was relentless. That passion to just go to college with as much financial aid as possible turned into over 30 college acceptances - from Princeton to Brown to Columbia to Stanford - and over $1.5M in scholarships. Having gone through it, I knew just how heavy the burden of figuring it out alone was. I refuse to let students go through it alone when there are generations of graduates, now turned career professionals, like us who have been paving the way. There is no need to recreate the path when the mold is already there. So, I decided to combine my expertise in education, going on 8 years of mentoring students through college and career paths, with my commitment to excellence and inner drive to just give back to my beautiful community.

(*): What about being a Latina has helped you achieve your education and career goals? 

MS: Being Latina means staying rooted to my "why" despite whatever life may throw at me. It means knowing there is an entire community cheering me on every step of the way, lifting me up when I fall, and also sometimes just sitting back and watching. Being Latina also means embracing the music, the bailes, the comida that just feel like home. Those definitely have helped me achieve EVERYTHING I've done because those are my safe havens. I dance Ballet Folklorico to remind me that I am part of a larger culture of guerreras. I sing "Los Laureles" in Mariachi style to remind myself that I have a voice and I am not afraid to use it. And, I eat my favorite foods like my mom's Guatemalan-American "inventos" as she likes to call it, when I need some joy in my life after a trying day. It's the little things that my culture just does for my heart.

(*): What are the biggest challenges that you see your Latina/e clients face when applying for higher education opportunities?

MS: Lack of information and misinformation are the biggest challenges that my Latinx students face. First, lack of information has a lot to do with disparities in equitable access to top-quality college preparation. Sometimes, that barrier shows itself in the form of not having easily-accessible Spanish materials for the parents AND students to have a conversation around. So, while the resources and materials might physically be there, the language barrier sometimes presents another obstacle. And, sometimes, there might be information and it might even be in a student's/family's native language; however, when it's coming from a variety of sources, it's hard for students and their parents (who are usually going through this for the first time) to decipher the validity of the information. For example, I have students who struggle to even consider applying to private schools because of the high sticker price. However, there are many private colleges/universities that offer full rides for students whose families make less than $80k a year, which equates to substantially less of a financial burden than even community college, which is known for being one of the most affordable options. I try to make the information easy-to-understand so that the students and parents can be empowered to have conversations with the right information.

(*): What would you tell a Latina/e high school student who is hesitating to apply for colleges?

MS: I would say, "Adult you will thank teenage you for taking the time to think about what you really want, and for trusting yourself in the process. You must want it, and everything else is about "figuring it out". The process of "figuring it out as you go" looks differently for everyone. Sometimes, that might look like asking for help, having difficult conversations, messing up and trying again, or simply doing it because you want to regardless of what other people think/say. Ask for help, and you'll see that the journey of applying to college is much less lonely than you might think it is.

(*): What advice do you have for the parents of Latina/e youths who are seeking higher education? How can they best support them?

MZ: Our parents want what is best for us. But, it's hard for parents to know what is best for their students when we're talking about a topic that can be so foreign to families. So, ask all of the questions. If you don't understand, ask again. If you still don't understand then ask someone else. It's important to make the most-informed decision. And, it can be scary to guide your child down the path of going to college when you know that it might mean they have to move away at 16 or 17-years-of-age. However, I know that there are networks at each college, especially for Latinx students and there are many of us who have gone through it and who want to help the next generation. So, encourage them to reach out for help. Parents can best support their student by being present, by encouraging the student to pursue what the student is excited about, and to just be there for them. It is a stressful time trying to balance senior year responsibilities with college applications. The best thing you can do is be there for them. And, if a student is really struggling on a college application essay, I always encourage them to ask their parents for childhood memories that might be related. You never know. Sometimes our parents remember things that spark further ideas on how to answer a prompt.