A sneak preview of college

MOSCOW — On Wednesday, high school students preparing to make the leap to college got a preview of what to expect when they make that life-changing transition.

Palouse Pathways invited college students and local high school students to come together at Moscow’s 1912 Center to discuss what the college experience is like. Palouse Pathways is a nonprofit that started in 2013 in Moscow with the goal of preparing students on the Palouse and in Lewiston-Clarkston Valley for transition from high school to postsecondary education.

On Wednesday, a group of college students answered questions from local high schoolers about topics like campus life, applications, majors and financial aid.

Palouse Pathways director Peggy Jenkins said this experience not only benefits high school students, but is rewarding to the college students as well.

“I think a lot of the folks in college really enjoy coming back,” Jenkins said. “It’s part of their journey as well to be able to say, ‘Boy, I want to talk to people about what I wish I knew.’ ”

Pullman High School senior Marissa Carper attended the event and happened to meet two students attending universities she is interested in. She sat at a table with University of Washington student Gulsima Young and Columbia University student Nicole Xiao.

Carper said she was on the verge of applying to Columbia, but had her doubts about whether the Manhattan school could provide the traditional “campus feel” that she wanted from a college.

Xiao, a former Moscow High School graduate, knew exactly what she meant.

“Your worries are the exact same ones that I had, and I have found that I have adapted quite fine,” Xiao said.

Even though Columbia resides in a major city, its small campus still provides a sense of community that feels like a traditional college experience, Xiao said.

“I was so scared, but I have really enjoyed it so far,” said the climate systems science major.

Young, a former Pullman High graduate, answered Carper’s questions about UW as well. Young is a former member of Palouse Pathways who said she enjoyed the community the nonprofit fostered and felt it was important for her to share her experience with high school students.

Each table had a sheet of questions designed to prompt discussions. It included questions about time management, stress management, how to meet people, how to get scholarships and how to pick a university.

Carper’s brother, Jack Carper, is only a freshman at PHS, but wanted to get a head start on the subject of college.

“I just want to get better prepared, find out about more colleges and what the opportunities are, how to prepare for them,” he said.

He enjoyed the conversations he had with those willing to share their advice.

“It was just nice to get to talk with a bunch of students and learn about what made them successful,” he said.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.