Steve Hsin

Steve Hsin is a non-traditional student that began his educational journey at Compton College in 2019. "I enrolled at Compton College in fall 2019 and have taken a full load every semester and term since then," Hsin said. "I've been accepted to the competitive Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at California State University, Long Beach beginning in spring 2021."

Originally from the area, he graduated from West Torrance High School in 2008 and then left the United States to study abroad. After living overseas in Taiwan for 10 years to study and work as a nurse, Hsin returned to the United States last year to pursue a successful nursing career in America. Since none of his credits transferred, he began his academic journey to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) for a second time. Considered an adult re-entry learner, Hsin did not let his zero transfer credits discourage him. "Starting with zero college credits completed was a big setback for me but I knew if I focused and put in the effort, I would be able to get myself back to working in a hospital," he said.

A straight-A student, Hsin completed his requirements for an associate degree this semester and is excited to transfer to California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) next semester. A notable accomplishment given a majority of his classes were completed online during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Compton College provided the tools that I needed to get into CSULB's nursing program, and the rest was up to me to do well in my classes," said Hsin. 

"All of the pre-requisites that CSULB's nursing program requires are available at Compton College," he said. "The classes at Compton College prepare students well and the small class sizes mean more personalized attention from professors."

In fact, Hsin found Compton College's fundamentals of chemistry class so comprehensive that the placement test allowed him to skip the next level course (introduction to chemistry) and go directly to Chemistry 1. Plus, Hsin said Compton College offers classes he was unable to take anywhere else, which helped him keep on track. "My instructors at Compton College gave me extremely good advice on how to navigate the American academic system," he said.

Hsin found Compton College extremely helpful in his transition back into the American academic system. "Compton College helped me kick start my higher education in the U.S. so I can have a career in health care here. Being out of school for a few years and having never taken college-level courses in America, Compton College helped in my academic transition." He liked many things about Compton College and found many services and resources helpful in his academic success. One thing he really likes about Compton College is the diverse backgrounds of the instructors and how they helped him broaden his academic horizons. He said he experienced a real sense of community at Compton College. "There are a lot of friendly people here!"

He took advantage of several services and resources at Compton College, including the Transfer Center, Tartar Food Pantry, free food resources during the pandemic, the Library-Student Success center, tutoring services, and the STEM Center. The STEM Center staff assisted Hsin in his BSN program research, providing him with application deadlines and pre-requisite requirements for different programs. Since classes went online, Hsin found the STEM Center's discord server especially helpful for collaboration and information sharing with other students. The STEM Center regularly posts events and internship opportunities for students.

"I've taken full advantage of the resources provided at Compton College and was able to reach my transfer goals in record time, with dedication and hard work,," said Hsin. "I encourage anyone considering Compton College to apply and use the counseling services to start working toward your goal. It’s easier if you have a goal in mind of what you would like to do."