The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

MVHS students may be inclined to write trauma essays in response to college essay prompts, creating a problematic mindset. Illustration by Kathryn Foo

Trading trauma for admission

Kathryn Foo and Alan Tai October 19, 2023

olleges love a good underdog — a story of someone starting from the bottom, taking the unlucky cards they were dealt, then rising to the occasion and becoming the model student. So, every year, when...

Filling my own shoes

Abha Dash, Staff Writer October 19, 2023

It was the end of summer break, and my brother was leaving for college, traveling over 2,400 miles away to Cleveland, Ohio. As he was about to leave, he ran back into the house and hugged me tightly, crying...

New places, new faces

New places, new faces

Kathryn Foo and Jiya Singh June 1, 2023
Exploring why students leave the country for college
Exploring the aspirations and passions of six inspiring women and girls from MVHS

Women shaping the future

Avni Gandhi, Aashna Patel, and Jiya Singh April 20, 2023
Exploring the aspirations and passions of six inspiring women and girls from MVHS
MVHS Alum ‘22 Sophia Bokovikova shares how she pursues her passion in health sciences both inside and outside the classroom

Woman in health sciences: Sophia Bokovikova

Aashna Patel April 15, 2023
MVHS Alum ‘22 Sophia Bokovikova shares how she pursues her passion in health sciences both inside and outside the classroom
Photo by Petr Sidorov | Used with permission (Unsplash)

Portal Astrology

Alex Zhang, Staff Writer April 14, 2023

“Login with your net ID to see if you can register for new student days,” I mutter aloud, carefully reading the College Confidential forum. I glance over at the clock, 1 a.m. Tearing my eyes away,...

Students are often compelled to not apply for financial aid, considering the stigma around doing so in wealthy communities.

Facing financial aid

Megha Mummaneni and Eric Zhou April 12, 2023
Exploring the stigma against applying for financial aid in Silicon Valley
Photo by Kenny Eliason | Used with permission (Unsplash)

Paying for College

Alex Zhang February 15, 2023

The long string of numbers on my screen doesn’t seem real. Taking a breath, I frantically hope that when I refresh my page, my computer will tell me there’s been some sort of error. But with each click,...

Salma Rezeik puts on makeup in a scene of Elhaks film Absentia, where Elhak uses clip overlap to characterize the subjects mind racing.

You can study that?

Chiran Arumugam, Staff Writer December 13, 2022
Students and alumni share their opinions on stigmas around certain college majors
Photo by Jen Theodore | Used with permission (Unsplash)

Senioritis: resisting the urge to do nothing

Alex Zhang, Staff Writer December 10, 2022

“What’s the point of this?” “What’s the point of any of this?” I stare blankly at the empty doc in front of me, the words “due at 11:59” in bold on my computer. My fingers hesitate over...

Photo by Ekrulila | Used with permission (Pexels)

Applying to college for myself

Alex Zhang, Staff Writer November 5, 2022

“How many colleges are you applying to?” “Which Ivy League schools do you think you have a shot at?” “Don’t you think you can do better?”  The questions hurtle a million miles an hour...

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