Educational Talent Search (ETS) is a free federally funded program about helping low income and first generation students to finish high school and pursue higher education by going to college. The program sends college advisor mentors to high schools to provide services that teach students about higher education and prepare them for it. Rancho will be participating at this program for five years.

Hector Brisenos will be Rancho’s main mentor and he will be in the Lobo Center every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He is tasked with helping students with the application process and explaining the basis of the program. The secondary mentors are Genesis Stoll, one of the program coordinators, and Monica Cabrera, a program assistant coordinator. Stoll oversees five high schools, which she is in charge of, while Cabrera also goes to these high schools to help her. Stoll facilitates the workshops that students do within the program and works with the students when she is present at the schools once a week. Cabrera will also be present once a week to help out the students.

Cabrera said, “I’ve worked in similar programs before and really liked working with the students. They need the help because most don’t know that college is now more accessible.”

Even though the main focus of help is on students of low income and first generation, in order to apply you do not have to be either. You can still apply if you are of higher income or not first generation. The ETS mentors help students that have an interest in higher education.

Brisenos said, “I was in the ETS program when I went to high school and by being a part of ETS, I was able to get a better idea of what I wanted to do after graduating high school. I felt more prepared and confident in the decisions that I made.”

If you’re interested in joining the program, be sure to visit the Lobo Center.

REQUIREMENTS

1. US Citizenship or Permanent Residence

2. Meet the GPA requirement of 2.0 in A-G for 9th and 10th graders

3. Meet the GPA requirement of 2.5 in A-G for 11th and 12th graders

Services provided by ETS

• Academic Advising • Postsecondary Exploration • Postsecondary Application Assis- tance • Financial Aid and Scholarship Infor mation and Advising • College Entrance Exam Info, Regis- tration Assistance, Waivers • Career Exploration and Planning • Connections to Tutorial Services • College Campus Tours and Visits

Location: Rm S109 Hours: Mondays (7:30a m – 12pm) Wednesdays/Fridays (7:30am – 2:30p