The ongoing Los Angeles fires have left many families facing hardship and questioning the future. As an organization with deep roots in the Los Angeles area, we’re here to help families and students navigate these challenging times, access emergency resources, and stay on track for academic success while on the road to recovery.
If you or your family is actively working with Collegewise and in need of our support, please click the link below to connect with one of our representatives.
Key Takeaways
- Students concerned about continued education and college applications, can access online programs, contact their admissions representatives, or request a financial aid reconsideration.
- Organizations such as the American Red Cross, Baby2Baby, Uber, Lyft, Planet Fitness, Animal Wellness Center, and more are stepping up to provide relief to those impacted by the disaster.
- Readers interested in helping survivors can make donations, food contributions, spread awareness, and volunteer in their communities.
Support for Student’s Continued Education
As the LA fires spread across the region, students are facing uncertainties, including concerns about their ability to continue their education. High school seniors, in particular, are worried about how the disaster may affect their college application process. It’s important for students and families to know that colleges and universities understand the challenges caused by natural disasters.
Continuing Coursework
If your ability to attend school has been interrupted, there are several reputable virtual platforms for students to pursue coursework (or even enroll in fully online school), including:
Requesting a Financial Aid Reconsideration
Seniors and parents, if your family has endured loss in the wake of the fires and your financial situation has been impacted, you can reach out to the financial aid offices at the schools you’ve applied to (or been admitted to) and request a financial aid reconsideration. A school may be able to review your extenuating circumstances and reevaluate your financial aid eligibility.
Be sure to also update and make changes to your address on your Federal Student Aid profile. Click here for more information on how to make changes after submitting your form.
Requesting Deadline Extensions
Some colleges may extend their application deadlines for students who have been impacted. For schools that have January Regular Decision deadlines, they may grant an extension as many students have lost access to Wi-Fi, their computers, technology, and spaces where they can work. The best thing to do is to reach out to a school’s admissions office directly to explain the situation and that you are requesting an application extension. If you know who your assigned admissions representative is (check the school’s admissions website to see the list of admission reps by region/state!), reach out to them directly.
Below is a sample email students can send to representatives:
Subject: Update on Applicant Status Due to Recent Name Fire Impact
Fall 2025 Applicant: Student name
Applicant ID:
DOB:
Hello Office of Financial Aid,
Dear Admissions Office/or AO name,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inform you of a significant change in my personal circumstances due to the recent fire name in California. Unfortunately, my family and I have lost our home, which has led to unforeseen challenges affecting my daily life and academic responsibilities.
I also need to inform the [office of financial aid & scholarships/office of admissions] of my temporary address in the event that anything is mailed to the address on my application file. I have already notified the Office of Admissions or Office of Financial Aid and FAFSA/CSS Profile of my temporary address change and circumstance.
I am committed to continuing my education and remain enthusiastic about the opportunity to attend [University/College Name]. However, I wanted to make you aware of my current situation, as it may impact certain aspects of my application or correspondence during this time.
I appreciate your understanding and am more than willing to provide any additional information or documentation if required. Please advise me if there are any steps I should take during this period.
My former address:
My new temporary address and contact information:
Add new address & phone number
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Thank you for your consideration,
Full Name
Name High School, Class of 2025
Stay Informed on College Updates and Potential Delays
It’s crucial for students to stay informed by directly checking colleges’ official websites and social media accounts to understand how institutions are handling current events and if there will be changes to their operations.
If you’re a student who is applying to or has applied to a college in the region most impacted, be prepared for delays in communication, processing, and responses. For example, the Pepperdine University campus in Malibu and The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena have evacuated staff and students while they monitor the Kenneth wildfire outbreak.
LA-Area Emergency Services and Relief Resources
Many families have evacuated their homes, lost access to reliable Wi-Fi networks, or witnessed irreparable damage to their community. And for those seeking resources beyond the realm of academia, several organizations are stepping up to help.
The American Red Cross and FEMA
The American Red Cross and FEMA are providing emergency shelter, food, and medical care to those in need.
Baby2Baby
Baby2Baby has distributed over 1 million emergency supplies and essentials to the most vulnerable children. This includes diapers, formula, hygiene products, water, and more.
California Fire Foundation
California Fire Foundation is offering support to firefighters and emergency personnel as well as long-term relief efforts to survivors.
Animal Wellness Center and Animal Care & Control
Veterinarian, Annie Harvilicz, who runs the Animal Wellness Center has opened her abandoned pet hospital to fire-displaced animals since early Tuesday when the fire broke out in the Palisades.
Animal Care & Control is also working alongside Harvilicz to offer emergency shelter to large and small animals. For more information on available shelters in the area, click here.
Airbnb.org, Uber, and Lyft
Uber is offering free rides to survivors, up to $40, available until January 15, 2025. Instructions on how to claim this offer can be found here.
For Lyft, Los Angeles residents can use the code "CAFIRERELIEF25" in the app for two rides up to $25 each ($50 total).
Airbnb.org announced a partnership with 211 LA to offer free, temporary housing for residents in and around Malibu, Altadena, Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Sylmar. To request assistance, fill out this form.
Planet Fitness
Planet Fitness is also opening its doors and offering free access to lockers, showers, Wi-Fi, and more at select locations. To review participating locations, click here.
Verizon
Verizon is waiving any incurred charges on call, text, and data usage for California customers in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties between January 9-18. In addition to waiving fees, Verizon also donated $1 million to emergency personnel and relief efforts.
How to Help Affected Families
If you’d like to support families affected by the LA fires, we’ve compiled a list of organizations you can donate to and help provide urgently needed relief.
- Volunteer or make a financial donation to the American Red Cross.
- Ensure vulnerable children are receiving essential support and donate to Baby2Baby’s ongoing relief efforts.
- Help ensure emergency personnel have access to equipment and supplies by donating to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.
- The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is accepting food donations and volunteers at various locations throughout the area. Click here for more information.
Final Thoughts
As LA residents begin a long road to recovery, every bit of support counts. Collegewise is committed to helping families and students navigate this challenging time. As the situation evolves, we will continue to provide the most up-to-date information available and resources to help you through the recovery process. We encourage students to reach out to representatives, particularly when it comes to academic plans and college applications.
About Us: With more than twenty years of experience, Collegewise counselors and tutors are at the forefront of the ever-evolving admissions landscape. Our work has always centered on you: the family. And just like we’ve always done, we look for ways for your student to be their best self - whether in the classroom, the applications, or in the right-fit college environment. Our range of counseling, test prep, academic tutoring, and essay management, all with the support of our proprietary platform, lead to 4x higher than average admissions rates.
