Mrs. Lisa Golden has been educating and advising students for 36 years. A native of Los Angeles, Mrs. Golden completed undergraduate studies in English at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a teaching credential at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) soon after. Knowing she had a passion for urban education, she taught English at Olive Vista Junior HS, Fremont HS, and Westchester HS. She taught multiple levels of English, including AP English Language, all while completing a Master’s degree in American Studies at Pepperdine University. An accomplished educator, Mrs. Golden’s students regularly earned top scores on AP exams and standardized exams. She joined the faculty of King/Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science in 1999, teaching all levels of English, including AP English Language and Honors English. In 2002, she assumed the role of College Advisor and has been assisting students with all aspects of the college admissions and financial aid process ever since. As College Advisor, Mrs. Golden implements an advising program that ensures all students remain aware of their post-secondary and financial aid options. Ninety percent of King/Drew students attend college after graduation. Each year, she—along with every other faculty member—strives to increase this percentage to 100! Recognizing that preparing for college admissions begins well before a student’s senior year, Mrs. Golden has developed an advising program that has received high praise from colleges and universities around the country. Her program is comprehensive, proven effective, and ensures all students know that higher education is a DEFINITE goal.

As College Advisor, Mrs. Golden develops and disseminates thorough guides and handouts to assist students and parents with every aspect of the admissions and financial aid process. During a normal school year, Mrs. Golden also coordinates multiple school-wide and evening events for students and parents designed to ensure everyone has access to the critical information they need to make informed decisions about their post-secondary goals. These events include information sessions, workshops, presentations, and ceremonies. She collaborates with college students and staff from colleges and universities around the country, and she trains and leads a group of College Peer Counselors to assist King/Drew students with the admissions and financial aid processes. And she does all this while working as a part-time Admissions Reader for UCLA, one of the most applied to universities in the country.

In an extremely competitive college admissions climate, Mrs. Golden is proud that in the past 5 years, King/Drew students have achieved the following:

• Over 1,100 UC Acceptances
• Over 2,600 CSU Acceptances
• Over 1,700 Private & Out-of-State College Acceptances
• Over $35 million dollars in Merit-Based Scholarships earned