By Danielle Navarro and Jose Velazquez/Staff Writers
One day your Mom sends you to the store to buy bread, but when you get there you see that there is one whole isle dedicated to that item. There are so many different kinds of bread that you don’t know which one to get. There are so many decisions that you begin to think very critically about which one you really want. Finally you pick one and leave upset about all the other types of breads you have left behind.
Unfortunately this can be very real situation and can be about things more important than choosing the right bread. Studies have shown that people who are given less choices are happier than people who are given a variety of choices.
Other studies performed by the University of Minnesota show that making these kinds of choices depletes the mental resources in your brain, which will make it harder to concentrate or focus when you need it most.
A current example of this lies in the popular food chain of In ‘N’ Out. At In ‘N’ Out there are only three food articles on the original menu along with fries and a drink. Yet In ‘N’ Out is one of the leading hamburger restaurants in Southern California.
Most students as well as adults often have difficulty balancing their many tasks and priorities, while making important decisions at the same time.
“I look at the pros and cons” said senior Michael Salcedo. “Seeing how much the good weighed out the bad.”
Others don’t beat themselves up regardless of what they chose.
“I am basically happy with everything I have chosen,” said religion teacher Mr. Bernie Kasilag.
However for students dealing with schoolwork, studying, chores, extracurricular activities, getting enough sleep, and having a social life can sometimes feel like too much to handle.
Barry Schwartz, an author and psychology professor at Swarthmore College, says that “when people have too many decisions to make – consumers end up making poor choices, are more dissatisfied with their choices, or become paralyzed and don’t choose at all.”
Seniors know better than all students here at Amat that having many choices often makes it harder to choose. Most seniors making one of the most difficult decisions of their lives–deciding which college to choose.
Among the most popular choices for many Amat seniors are usually Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Fullerton, Mt. Sac, and Citrus College. More students have chosen this year to attend junior colleges in the fall because of the current state of the economy.
Senior Jessenia Vega wanted to go to UC Berkeley, but instead chose UCLA.
“I visited the campus and it’s really prestigious,” she said of UCLA. “I wanted to go to Berkeley, but it’s too far. I really like UCLA’s academic programs.”
This year, Mt. SAC is the most popular choice, with more than 70 Amat seniors planning to attend in the fall. In addition, 26 seniors have chosen to attend Citrus College, while 11 will attend Rio Hondo, and eight will attend Pasadena City College.
Daniel Canales and Dodi Ibrahaim both chose to go to a junior college.
“It was cheaper and was a way to get a [athletic] scholarship,” Ibrahaim said.
Canales had an easier choice.
“I chose to go to Mt. SAC because I didn’t get into a four-year, and it’s right by my house,” he said.
When choosing a college, it’s important to find a place that suits one’s needs and personality. Students aim to choose a place where they can feel comfortable, learn more about what interests them, or even play a sport that they love.
Seniors such as Sebastian Rivas, Ariel Whiteman, Sheldon Price, Brent Seals, and a few others, have already signed letters of intent earlier this year to play sports at the colleges of their choice.
“There are multiple factors to why students choose the schools they do,” said Mr. Michael Scott, Bishop Amat’s college counselor. “Most people try to look at what school will be the most fit for them in terms with what they want to study. Another factor is where they get in and whether their parents can afford to send them there. Ultimately it’s the family’s decision on what school their child goes to.”
Staff writers Nerissa Hetzer and Sonia Waraich contributed to this article.
