High School to College: Sage Oak Student Talks Independent Study Benefits

From Independent Study to University: A Conversation with Rosemarie Umipig

In this episode of Sage Studio, host Tiffiny Webster talks with Rosemarie Umipig, a Sage Oak student graduating in 2024. They discuss Rosemarie's experiences in the independent study program since sixth grade, her successful enrollment in community college courses during high school, and how these opportunities have prepared her to graduate with two years of college credit. Rosemarie shares her journey, the benefits of an independent study program, her college application process, and future plans including attending UCSB for forensic accounting and economics with a minor in music. She also provides advice for students considering independent study, emphasizing the importance of planning and a growth mindset.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Sage Studio Podcast
00:49 Rosemarie's Journey Through Sage Oak
08:43 Navigating College Applications and Future Plans
13:07 Advice for Prospective Independent Study Students
13:48 Key Takeaways from the Sage Oak Experience
14:54 Closing Thoughts and Congratulations

For more information, visit the Sage Oak website at www.sageoak.education.

Thank you for listening to the Sage Studio podcast presented by Sage Oak Charter Schools and hosted by Tiffiny Webster, M.A.Ed. We invite you to follow the show and leave your review below. Sage Oak Charter Schools is an independent study nonclassroom based TK-12 personalized learning public charter school serving students in Southern California. Visit sageoak.education for more information.

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Transcript

0:14

Welcome to another episode of Sage Studio. I'm Tiffiny Webster, and today I am so thrilled to be talking to one of our own Sage Oak students. Rosemarie Umipig is here to join us from the graduating class of 2024. Rosemarie, welcome to the podcast. Thank you so much for having me. It is my pleasure. I always love when I get a chance to chat with students and I mean you are right around the corner from graduation. How are you feeling about that? I'm feeling excited but also a little nervous. To be expected for sure. Today we are going to be talking all about , just what it's like to attend Sage Oak during those high school years, because I know that, an independent study program is certainly not a pathway that all students take. So I always love when I get a chance to hear from our own students about what it's like to be in an independent study program for high school. Tell us first a little bit about your story. When did you start attending here at Sage Oak? So I started in sixth grade. And so I've been with Sage Oak for seven years now. It was definitely a change going from elementary school to working with my brother at home with my mom. I will be honest, it felt a little like lonely because all my other friends going off to this new journey, like middle school But I definitely I'm glad I had this opportunity because I was able to do so much more than I would have So tell me a little bit about that. As you started to get into your independent study groove a little bit how did that loneliness shift for you? I think once I've started realizing the journey, and what future I will have with school and what that will get me into college and jobs and it was all seemed really exciting and like really worth it to just really lock in and focus on that. And that made me really happy. I think that's such a good point. Okay, so now take us to what you felt is been like some of the most beneficial things with this type of program for you. I think especially in high school, being able to take community college courses while in high school is a big plus. And I also do a lot of extracurricular activities, which I probably would not have been able to keep with I do dance and music and I love doing things with my brother who was two years younger than me. Doing that making friends along the way. So I definitely was not lonely meeting a lot of people. When did you start taking the concurrent enrollment classes, earning that dual credit of the high school and the college credit at the same time? I just, I think that's one of the coolest things. When did you start doing that? Ninth grade. Yeah. Beginning of high school. We started it right away. And was that your plan? Was that one of the reasons why you chose Sage Oaks High School program? Or was that something that you just stumbled upon? Oh, no, definitely. That was the plan all along. So what was the first class that you took that was that current enrollment class? The first class I took was Biology for me, a little ninth grader, it was like a lot, it was very scary, but I'm grateful it was all online. And it was very fun, we had a little lab experiment, and it was super nice working through Canvas and being able to talk with my professor through emails. What did you think was the biggest payoff for doing that? The biggest payoff is that I'll be able to graduate college in two years. I have completed the IGETC, which allows me to not have to do their general education when I get to college. Wow, that's incredible. So you've taken enough classes that counted for both high school and college credit while you've been in high school. You're now graduating high school with two years of credit in college under your belt. Did I hear that right? Yes. Wow. That is incredible. no wonder why you were motivated to take on those courses, even if you were feeling a little bit nervous about it at first, because like you said, the payoff was so big when it puts you that much further ahead. Do you encourage other students to do this? Do you think other high school students can achieve what you've achieved? Oh, definitely. Yeah. I really encourage it. It seems like a lot putting with your high school courses too, but because we're able to do it online and really pace ourselves, I think it's a really great option. Yeah, I'm really glad you said that because I think that is exactly what other students would be concerned about okay, high school classes are already challenging enough, like I can't even imagine trying to do college classes on top of it, but one is you're not really doing them on top of it because it's counting for both your high school credit and your college credit, It sounds like it wasn't that much harder for you to take the college course than it was your high school classes. Is that true? That's true. Yeah. I look first recommend doing like starting off with one. That's what I did. I just did one. And then as I got comfortable with it, I started adding on more challenging ones. It was very surprising doing those college courses and doing discussions, you know, when I'd say, oh, I'm a freshman in high school, they'd be like super impressed. They're like, wow. I love that you did that because it just shows the importance of getting over that little bit of a hurdle of fear and what the outcome can be when you're willing to overcome that little bit of fear to start with, to just try something, as you said, just try with one, just start with one and see, you know, how it goes. But really what you found is, hey, you know what? It's not that much harder. I'm getting, you know, to be in some nice conversations with some other people who find this kind of impressive and that feels good. And I'm also getting ahead of the game for my college plans, so that is like a triple win. That is really phenomenal that you were able to maximize that opportunity here at Sage Oak, for sure. So talk to me a little bit more about kind of the upside and the downside of being in an independent study program. So one of the things that you mentioned was, okay, maybe you took a little time to get used to working at home, but tell me what are some of the benefits of being at home while you're doing your school and kind of being more independent. What do you what did you like about that? When I definitely was able to just get out of bed and do some work like while in my pajamas while eating breakfast, being able to multitask and, still do chores at the house, get all those things done. That was really beneficial. Doing the extracurricular activities, pursuing that on top of a lot of the work that we're doing now. And were you able to take some of those things, like your dance classes and whatnot, like during the course of the daytime, where maybe you wouldn't have if you were in a more traditional school setting? For sure, yes. One also, another thing is I do piano and violin, and usually if you would schedule those after school because you're in school, but because I have the freedom in my schedule, we can schedule it in the early morning also doctor appointments too, we can schedule that in the morning and get those done. How do you think an independent study program has prepared you for life after high school? Do you feel like you gained any sort of extra like skill set that comes along with working in an independent study program that's made you a little bit more prepared for life after high school? Yeah, for sure. I've definitely developed a growth mindset and just Able to, you know, push myself taking on these college courses on top of high school and my extracurricular activities I am able to tell myself like, wow, I can actually do these things. And I not super scary and applying these to like real world scenarios and jobs. I really grateful Sage Oak was able to prep me for that. What about some of the tech side of things? Being in an independent study program, you've taken classes online, you're using some of the different software, you're getting used to, you know, the different technologies of Zooms and posting and Google Docs and all the things. Tell me about some of the tech skills that you feel like you've picked up along the way. Yeah I think for college, we're all using Canvas, and so being able to already have that knowledge on how to use it has been really beneficial for me. Zoom has been really helpful. What was it like when you were getting ready to start preparing for those college applications and you were thinking about where you wanted to go next? Yeah, that was. It was very interesting. For me, I know I've always wanted to be a detective of some sort, like Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes. That's always been really close to me. So growing up, I always wanted to be detective. But then I got into forensic, cyber crimes. And I thought that was super interesting, you know, being behind a computer, like a hacker. But then I heard about accounting and forensic accounting. And I took my first accounting class and I just thought, wow, I really want to do this. And so that was my mindset going into college applications, knowing already what I wanted to do. Now it was really hard because I started with one college choice that I knew that was my top choice. But then going along to this entire process, I have realized, Oh, wait, that's not really my top choice. One, considering how far I want to be from home. And of course tuition. And then also doing being able to do music. I played the violin for many years. So I want to pursue that as a minor. So how are you able to put all of that together? I have decided to apply to U. C. S. B. And economics and accounting. They have forensic accounting classes, which is really interesting and super helpful. So I can dip my toe into that and see if I really want to do that. And I'm able to do a music minor. They have a great dance program too, and it's not too far from home. I love that. That's so smart to put all of those things together. Have you been accepted into that program already? I have. Yes, I'm going. Awesome. And are you going to start right in the fall of this year? Yes, I am. Oh, that is super exciting. Very exciting. Congratulations on that. That is a big accomplishment for sure. When you were looking into your programs that you wanted to apply for did your EA or school counselor help you put all those things together? How did you match all of your interests with the schools in the area and make that connection? Yeah, I think for me, I'm super lucky to have my dad who is already a high school counselor to help me guide through that, but also Coral, our Sage Oaks counselor has been very helpful and super supportive in this whole journey. She wrote a extremely nice letter of recommendation for me that I was able to use a bunch of times, not just for college applications, but for scholarships. So that was really really helpful. Did she give you any tips on how to really highlight the unique background of coming from Sage Oak Independent Study when you were writing your college essays or trying to really convey to these colleges what your background was? Yeah, I definitely watched a lot of the videos and webinars that she was in and I really tied into my background being adopted from the Philippines and how that has affected me and my life It's so important for people to realize that their own individual stories are so unique, and they really impact, not only who you become as a person, but who you are as a student, the goals that you set for yourself, the passions that you develop, the career fields that you want to go into. So I'm so glad to hear that you were able to use that to your advantage here in shaping a pathway that really is unique to you. So that's a really special thing. And it sounds like you were able to take advantage of that while you were here. Tell us what you imagine life to be like in college and beyond. I am really excited, going from independent study to a actual, in person university. I think that transition will be super interesting. I'm really excited for that and being able to talk to professors in person one on one like that. And then. Being able to apply for internships and doing more like interviews and. I think that will be really exciting and something to look forward to. And then just hanging out with friends and living that college life. For. Students that are listening to this episode who are maybe on the fence about if an independent study high school program is right for them, what would your advice be? My advice would be definitely just try it out. Know that doesn't hurt to just try it out and I think they will benefit a whole lot, being able to be in that online environment and in this high school plan, taking community college courses to get that done and out of the way it is super rewarding reaching the end now after four years of being in high school. Yeah, it's definitely really rewarding and I encourage you guys to do it too. I love that. What are your biggest takeaways from being a student here at Sage Oak? I think the most valuable thing That'll be taking away with me just being at Sage Oak is having that growth mindset just being in Sage Oak and having that online community and really supportive teachers and counselors back us up and being able to grow from any environment I'm in. And what would you say was the number one thing you did to set yourself up for success? The number one thing just planning, taking a step back and organizing day by day, just, one step at a time. Don't look too far ahead because that can definitely overwhelm you. But just looking at your day by day can really help. And one tip, is to just take a step back and really think About some of the things like your extracurricular activities that you really want to do and pursue because I think some of mine I was doing them, but I wasn't really enjoying them as much. And therefore, you know, looking back, it could have cleared my schedule more. I love that. Thank you so much, Rosemarie, for being on the podcast today. I think your story is really impactful. I think it's great to see that you are someone who really maximized the Sage Oak Independent model. You took advantage of the flexibility in your schedule. You took advantage of the ability to take classes concurrently at college and have those count for high school and college credit. You leaned into some of the college counseling supports that you could find the right program and pathway for you and all of those choices are really paying off in a big way for you. So I'm just thrilled at where you are in your journey. Congratulations on graduating here in just a few weeks and we just wish you all the best. Maybe have to follow up with you in another couple of years on one of our Where Are They Now? alumni episodes, because it'll be great to see how that forensic accounting business is going at that point. All right, Rosemarie, thanks for stopping by the podcast today. We'll talk to you soon.