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COLLEGE CHOICES

'VouAlwaysWontBetterforYourKid'
Oneida student I ""'"~ ~

will'be first
in the family
tQ go to college
By Dorkys Ramos
Contributing writer
Before Molly Frink entered Oneida
High School, her parents knew what she
. would do after she graduated. .
Something neither of them had a
chance to do. .

"Since elementary.school, they talked

about that I would always go to college,"
shesaid.. . .
. On the verge of becoming a'first-
generation college student in the fall,
Frink, 17, can't wait to begin a phase in
her life that her parents didn'texperience.
She's thinking about roommates, new
friends and the extracurricular activities
she'll get!lchance to experience. .
"rip de~tely right no\,\:looking for".-
wardtoit;""'shesaid. . . .
Frlnk)s' father; Jeff, was boininCanas~
tota and ~ed a mgh school diplo,ma.
His parents.weren't aware ofthehelp that
was available to them and believe.<lthey
couldn't afford higher education. But _ _. pJCampanieI staff photographer
"there's _always away to'Iind a way," .he ONEIDA HIGH SCHOOLsenior Molly Frink, 17, discusses the college application process with Scott Fletcher, the school's guid-
said: ance d~partment c~air, earlier this year at the school. cO.

Molly's mother, Margo, was -born in

Canastota imd grew up in Oneida. She
also earned a high school diploma, but . .Tlps '''There's fairs to go to, there's presentations, Internet to
several factors prevented her from attend-
iI.Take adva'otage.of resources, s~ch as
,look at. Use your teachers, use your neighbors. "
ing college, and money was ouly one of the lirterriet,guidance:counsero~ '. Scott Fletcher, Oneida High School guidance department chair
,
them.
She said she grew up in a different" .
teachersand eollegefairs;. ,.
. start early. Sch~ule any l)eceSsiuy time ftom junior year to senior, go visit they have let her'JiJake her own decisions.
time, the 19705, and her parents expected tests junior year and then use that some places; see what the campus looks "They said to pick the ones that I
her to get a high school diploma and then surnme;. before senior year to visit like/ t
sChools.
- -_ thought would give me the best.education
fi!ld'a job. When she was in.high school, Fletcher said it's also important for in what I wanted to do," she said.
she said, going to college wasn't a big .Choose a strong course $election
parents to stay informed by reading' , With an interest in psychology, art and
deal: Some students wentimd some begirlniilg in theeigilth a,od' nirit~ school materials, going to college fairs music, specifically piano, Frinkh~ ap-
didn't, while others learned a trade and
went into manufacturing ,-lijce her hus-.
band; who is a supervisor lit Diemolding
, .
gradewithout overw~el!!l16g t!1~:child.
Ask questions and do your r,~i'rch.
FiJ.I.oUt
th~fr~ap'plication tqrfederal
and getting involved in their child's edu-
cation.
.plied to severallibera1 arts schools with a
range of majors to choose from, such as
(,student. aii:t'as soori"lIspossi5,le. If 2006.,. "The priI!!e responsibility is mom, dad State University colleges at Oneonta and
Technologies in Syracus~ and the child,"he said. "We're only here
taxesare,flOtready,you.cal)'uselast . New Paltz and State University at Al-
Years after high school, ~argo said, ~

to suppOrt; so it's easier for the~ to call

she..~ized the importance of a.college yea,r's if)fonnation al)d ~i!jt~teityour bany, among others. SUNY Potsdafu al-
income hasn't changed much; qs' with questions. . . . The parents have to ready has accepted her, but she is. still
education, but at that point. she and her . Start a financial plan before the be more proactive.~'
husband had a home and a child to take waiting to hear back from her first choice:
stud~o! reach~ high school.. . DUring college tours, M0l!Y said her
care~f. . parents were.the only ones in their groups
_
SUNY Binghamton.
With the rapid advance of techpology ,"My first choice was Potsdam until I
"Whether it's first generation, second aSking questions about safety, student liv-
after she graduated in 1979, Margo said
or whatever, they're all the same," ing and what they could do to help her get actually visited Binghamton," .Frink said.
she felt left behind and Unprepared in the accepted.. "I juSt loved the campus and how it's set
Fletcher said. "You want to start up and everything. It's set up reaJ1y
workplace. earlier." "My parents know what they're
"I think'there wasn:t a lot ofguid- doing," she said.
nice."
ance;: she said. . He also stressed the importance of tap- She said her classmates don't talk Throughout the whole college process,
Molly has that resource available to her ping into resources and doing reseai'ch. much about their college plans, and jun- Molly said her parents have yet to pres-
at school. She and her classmates can ask "Yon've got to becomeJami1iar with iors aren't even thinking about it now. sure her. They made it clear that going to
their guidance counselors any questions the idea that there's more than Syracuse, "I told them they sh~uld, because that college was a basic requirement, and it
they might have about applications, fin- Utica and Binghamton," Fletcher said. was iny mistake," she said. "I didn't was never a matter or whether or not she
ancial aid and other opportunities, - "There's fairs to go to, there's presenta- think about it until like September this would go. Her mother was glad that they
Scott Fletcher, Oneida High School tions, Internet to look at. Use your teach- year." were all on the same wavelength.
guidance department chair, advises stu- ers, use your neighbors. Although Molly talks about her plans "You always want better for your kid
L dents to start the college process early. "And the main thing over the summer- with her parents practically every day, than you had," Margo said.