Bop or Flop: Does Xello Prepare us for beyond?

By Ellie Heyerdahl

Opinion Editor

May 2022

There has always been a debate over whether the Xello program is worth it or not. Xello is something you either know about, or don’t. Xello is introduced as a college and career readiness software that engages students in finding their learning styles, future careers, and aspirations.

This program was previously known as career cruising which some of you may remember from middle school. When entering high school it was pushed onto every student. However, something that was supposed to support us students quickly turned into just another task that went in one ear and out the other. “It becomes a task that you just don’t want to complete anymore and interferes with your academic lab and even a class time. It becomes repetitive and a chore,” said a sophomore.

Students were pushed to finish Xello assignments during academic lab which was supposed to be primarily used as a study hall. Students were told they needed to finish these assignments in order to graduate. So along with classwork, some which was accelerated and/or advanced placement, sports, and jobs. We were forced to fill out surveys telling us what job we should pick or what our learning style, which most of us already knew.

Personally I would sabotage the quizzes to get the answers I wanted and most students seemed to do the same. “It told me what I would enjoy as a career based on the questions but it’s a career I already knew I’d like,” says senior Ashley Ayaquica.

The way that Xello was pushed as a requirement to graduate stressed me out. I filled out the assignments as fast as I could in order just to have them finished. If I already knew what I was going to do in college then why did I need to take multiple quizzes about it?

Another question that rises with the fact that it was explained as a graduation requirement is what are the students who don’t have an academic lab supposed to do? “I’m in band so I don’t have an academic lab so I didn’t use xello,” said a sophomore.

Whatever the original plan was for Xello, it definitely did not work. Majority of the student body did not do it and the ones who did, did it out of fear that they wouldn’t be allowed to cross the stage at graduation. Although Xello was not completely negative, students could see the positivity it was supposed to promote. As one senior said, “It gives you careers and their degrees, as well as what the pay range is. Great for U.S colleges when it comes to the education.”

Moving forward from our Covid Era with Xello, many students feel it should be discontinued but that’s an unrealistic expectation. We need to have a program like Xello in order to get funding. However, it could be fronted as a resource for students who need to be pushed in the right direction instead of a requirement for all.