Bewildered high school seniors may have to do freshman year from home after being accepted to dream college

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ByEric Thomas KGO logo
Friday, April 24, 2020
High school seniors may have to do freshman year of college from home
Cap and gown ceremonies are already canceled, and no matter how high their achievements, incoming freshman are looking a disappointing start to college life.

PITTSBURG, Calif. (KGO) -- Cap and gown ceremonies are already canceled, and no matter how high their achievements, incoming freshman are looking a disappointing start to college life.

A Pittsburg honor student who is in a rare position wonders how it will affect her.

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For Pittsburg High senior Evelyn Silva-Rosales, four years of track and three years of cross-country have led to a display case bursting with trophies.

For a lot of students that would be enough. But teachers say Evelyn is different - a scholastic hard-charger.

"She has the most tenacious personality that she will set a goal for herself and she will not quit" says Pittsburg High English teacher Kathryn Agudo.

That and tenacious discipline, is what led to Evelyn being accepted by every university she applied to.

"I thought I would get into some of my safety schools but I never would have imagined that I got into all ten of the universities that I applied to" she says.

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After visiting the campuses Evelyn has chosen UCLA for this fall. There are two problems with that.

One- there will be no elaborate graduation ceremony at Pittsburg High.

And Two - college admissions counselors warn - it's not certain yet that choosing UCLA means she'll be living at UCLA.

Some universities are thinking about primarily going online to maintain social distancing because of COVID-19, and a few are wondering if there will be a fall semester at all.

Evelyn is still optimistic.

"I just hope that we will be able to have that experience and that I can explore and be more independent and focus on myself and focus on my career in the future" she said.

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