by Nicole Pipp, staff writer

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” is one of the most common questions asked to every American child.

The answers may vary from a veterinarian, to a football player, to a princess.  The funny thing is that sometimes these dreams and aspirations are forgotten or pushed aside.

But what really matters is finding the best route for each student.

Cal High prepares students for college by showing them the many directions they can take, to ensure they will be successful in life.Just take a look at the Cal High alumni and the various routes they have taken.

Danielle Fernandez (Class of 2009) attended San Francisco State her freshman year. She soon realized she didn’t fit in like she thought she would.

She believes her biggest mistake was not visiting the college first and seeing the campus.  After her freshman year, she transferred to University of Oregon.

Fernandez says going to school in Oregon reminds her of Cal High.

“The biggest thing that helped me prepare for college is the block schedule at Cal,” said Fernandez.  “Many kids that I have met in college struggle with the two- three hour classes because they aren’t used to such a long format.”

Attending an Ivy League school may seem unattainable for some, but others are extremely driven to make this possible.

Grace Leu (‘10) is attending Cornell University before planning on going to  medical school.

“I think that extra-curriculars like MUN (Model United Nations) and classes I took helped me create a foundation for the goals I have now,” said Leu, who interned at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in East Harlem, New York last summer.

Many students decide to pursue big goals after high school, such as trying to go professional in a sport or becoming a musician.

Musician and lacrosse player, Courtney Randall (’10) is attending UC,  where she plays on the club lacrosse team.

“Cal High really prepared me academically for college, especially with the AP classes I took,” said Randall.

In terms of Randall’s music career, she auditioned for an annual singing competition held by UCLA and won ‘Best Solo’ and ‘Best Overall.’

“Being in Los Angeles has been amazing for my dream of being a singer,” said Randall.

Community college is another route that students take.  Not only is it cheaper, but it gives students a couple of years to decide what they want to do in life.

Jeff Pantig (’11) is attending Diablo Valley College and hoping to transfer to California State University East Bay.  He is majoring in business administration with hopes of someday taking over his father’s exporting business.

“Any classes that you take in high school that are related to your major will help you in college,” said Pantig.

Ross Smiley (’11) also decided to go to DVC and he is planning on going to Boise State to study mechanical engineering with hopes of designing roller coasters.

“Many of the Cal teachers helped with not taking late assignments because all college teachers won’t allow it,” said Smiley.

Most importantly, students are satisfied with their choices since high school.