The College and Career Center is definitely a hidden gem at Downey High School. It is
located upstairs in the A- Building and is in room A201. The College and Career Center provides
a lot of resources and information about colleges, scholarships, jobs and other volunteer
opportunities. It is a great place for—not only seniors—but all students; it is an open-space, free
to unwind, finish any piled-up assignments, or just hang out with friends.
The College and Career Center offers help with FAFSA, applying to scholarships,
approving job permits, Dual Enrollment, and the Early College program, which was recently
added to Downey High. On selective days, advisors from various colleges—such as UCLA or
Cal State Long Beach—will visit the College and Career Center and answer any questions, and
give a presentation on the college for curious students. It is best to visit the center and ask which
colleges will soon be visiting.
When one walks into the College and Career Center, they will be warmly greeted by the
center’s staff: Mr. Ojeda, Ms. Lopez, Ms. Guevara, and Ms. Campos. They all are very helpful,
attentive, and friendly to students who may be seeking assistance or resources. Mr. Ojeda, one of
the primary advisors for Early College and Dual Enrollment stated a few things he enjoys about
working in the College and Career Center. “My favorite part is seeing students mature into young
adults when they become seniors,” Ojeda said. “…and also seeing students using our resources,
asking questions, and seeing colleges while asking about majors.”
As of recent, Dual Enrollment sign ups are available for students for Summer and Fall of
2026. Dual Enrollment and Early College both offer students the opportunity to take courses
through Cerritos Community College for college credit, while still being in high school. A
variety of courses are now available to sign up for. A few of the classes offered include: MUS
104B: History of Rock Music, HED100: Contemporary Health Problems, PSYCH C1000:
Introduction to Psychology, SPAN 101: Elementary Spanish, and much more.
There is a key difference between the Early College Program and Dual Enrollment
courses, essential to take into account when choosing between the two programs. Mr. Ojeda
explained the differentiation between the two: “Early College in essence is Dual Enrollment, but
Early College [classes] happen during [a student’s] high school schedule. Dual Enrollment
classes—for the most part—are after school or online.” Dual Enrollment is flexible and can
definitely accommodate a student’s high school schedule, though it also requires many
commitments. Whereas the Early College Program is better for students who may prefer to have
their class during the school day.
Leah Gonzalez (11) is in the Early College Program and she shared more about the
program’s benefits and what she appreciates about the College and Career Center. “I like that
[Early College] gives me the opportunity to graduate [college] early and earn some college
credits without taking a lot of AP classes,” Gonzalez stated. “My favorite part about the College
and Career Center is that [the staff] will always be there to help me if I’m struggling in my
college classes.”
Mr. Ojeda also shared why he recommends Dual Enrollment for students who may be
curious about what taking a college course is like: “Dual enrollment gives the opportunity to try
a college course. High school teachers work more with students to prepare for the future.
Whereas with college work, the expectations are set—it’s real life. There are more consequences,
no leverage for assignments. It’s setting [students] up for the real world by taking courses that
peak [their] interest, like new languages and music classes.”
All in all, as students become more curious about their future and need guidance when it
comes to learning more about colleges, the College and Career Center provides many resources,
support, and will answer any questions. Along with the center’s many benefits, are the various
Dual Enrollment courses now being offered for the Summer and Fall of 2026, that should
definitely be taken advantage of by students looking to excel throughout their high school and
college careers.