Introduction:
In order to succeed at the university level, there are a variety of skills that are beneficial and necessary. Depending on the area of study a student wishes to explore, building different abilities can affect their learning in a multitude of ways. Personally, I find that a drive to succeed and find one's place in society is the most important skill that can benefit a student in their pursuit of knowledge. When compared to simply having strong grades and a maxed-out resume, motivation and grit benefit a student's ability to thrive in far greater ways. In addition, open-mindedness and a willingness to accept change in one's life is an essential quality to have when attending university-level classes. Since the experience a student will have in college is so different from high school, being prepared and excited to learn new things, as well as the ability to find happiness wherever they are (for example, an A student in high school may become a B student in college, as the classes are far more challenging) can help anybody to find their way in a new environment.
Colleges that I am currently looking at (including Bowdoin, Whitman, Macalester, and Rhodes) have a place on my list because they are all very customizable in terms of education; a student has the opportunity to explore all their interests and, if necessary, essentially build they own major to fit their ideal future. Generally, I'm looking at smaller, liberal arts schools, because I believe that they can give me a more community-based experience, as well as providing me with qualified, friendly, and accessible professors. In addition, these schools are all generally very high-achieving in terms of test scores, grades, and extracurriculars, and I'm certainly looking for a place where students will be academically motivated and successful, without the pressure and competition of a larger, brand-name institution. A sizable portion of the schools I hope to be applying to in the fall are very competitive, which means that I will have to continue to build my resume (particularly extracurriculars) if I hope to increase my chances of getting accepted.
Although I don't currently have one set idea regarding majors or subsequent careers, I am looking into mainly science-based fields, as opposed to humanities or literature. Originally, I was considering a highly research and lab-based major, such as Chemistry; however, as I've expanded my searches, I've continued looking into scientific majors such as data science, computer science, cognitive science, or environmental science. Although as of now, I do have some idea of what I would enjoy studying in the future, I expect that any of this is subject to change once I really get involved in my classes and activities.
Colleges that I am currently looking at (including Bowdoin, Whitman, Macalester, and Rhodes) have a place on my list because they are all very customizable in terms of education; a student has the opportunity to explore all their interests and, if necessary, essentially build they own major to fit their ideal future. Generally, I'm looking at smaller, liberal arts schools, because I believe that they can give me a more community-based experience, as well as providing me with qualified, friendly, and accessible professors. In addition, these schools are all generally very high-achieving in terms of test scores, grades, and extracurriculars, and I'm certainly looking for a place where students will be academically motivated and successful, without the pressure and competition of a larger, brand-name institution. A sizable portion of the schools I hope to be applying to in the fall are very competitive, which means that I will have to continue to build my resume (particularly extracurriculars) if I hope to increase my chances of getting accepted.
Although I don't currently have one set idea regarding majors or subsequent careers, I am looking into mainly science-based fields, as opposed to humanities or literature. Originally, I was considering a highly research and lab-based major, such as Chemistry; however, as I've expanded my searches, I've continued looking into scientific majors such as data science, computer science, cognitive science, or environmental science. Although as of now, I do have some idea of what I would enjoy studying in the future, I expect that any of this is subject to change once I really get involved in my classes and activities.
Willamette University
Salem, OR |
Whitman College
Walla Walla, WA |
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, ME |
I chose Willamette as my safety school given that their acceptance rate is 78%, which is very high, and my ACT scores are way above their average range (25-30). Because of this, I'm almost completely certain that I could get accepted there. Since it is a relatively small school, I believe that I could get the attention I need there, and with a student to faculty ratio of 10:1, the professors would be accessible and helpful.
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I chose Whitman as my target school because they have a pretty average acceptance rate, 41%, and my ACT scores are above their average range (28-32). I'm pretty confident that with my current grades and resume, I have a good chance of getting accepted here. I think it would be a great school to go to, since they have small class sizes, accessible professors, as well as a great campus and surrounding town. The student to faculty ration is also 9:1, which is good.
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I chose Bowdoin as my reach school because although my ACT scores are at the high end of their average range (31-34), their acceptance rate is extremely low at 14%. If I did get accepted here, I think I would really enjoy spending four years at this school, since they have very strong academic programs and a beautiful campus, as well as an appealing school size and student to faculty ratio (9:1).
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College Fair Interview:
After taking to the Whitman College representative, I learned that Whitman "gives students unique opportunities to learn outside of the classroom and gain real world experience." For example, they have a traveling classroom program, where students spend the semester learning and exploring the world around them. I asked how, specifically, the school helps students to build skills that would benefit them in the future, and she told me that they "support students through career counseling, and they can even design their own majors so that they can study exactly what they enjoy. We also have very small classroom sizes that provide students with the opportunities to have intellectual discussions with their peers and professors."
10 Year Plan
Junior Year (HS): Complete internship at Pomerado Elementary, retake the ACT (goal score: 34), continue working at Mathnasium as an Instructor. Over summer, take Palomar Pre-Calc class and SAT Subject Test Math Level 2 (goal score: 700+).
Senior Year (HS): Continue working at Mathnasium, take Palomar class (either Calc or ASL), apply for colleges (Bowdoin, Whitman, Rhodes, Willamette, Bates, UC Davis, Santa Clara, University of Oregon), complete Senior internship, visit accepted colleges.
Freshman Year: Attend Bowdoin University, go in as "undecided," take GE classes & explore my interests through extracurriculars and interest classes in science and mathematics, live on campus in a residential hall.
Sophomore Year: Continue to live on campus, take more major-specific courses (science & math), join theatre/drama club, possibly play an intramural sport, declare major in computer science.
Junior Year: Study abroad (Barcelona or Italy), declare minor in Mathematics, live on campus, continue being involved in college life and activities, obtain summer internship in a related field (such as programming).
Senior Year: Get an on-campus job, complete credits for major and minor, graduate with Honors, apply to graduate school programs (University of Virginia, University of Washington St. Louis, Cal Poly SLO).
Gap Year: Travel via community service programs (possible locations: Italy, Greece, Costa Rica, Spain, Budapest)
Graduate School Year 1: Attend University of Washington St. Louis' School of Engineering and Applied Science, begin graduate level courses in Computer Engineering/Computer Science, live in an apartment nearby.
Graduate School Year 2: Continue coursework for Master's degree (classes include: Into to Artificial Intelligence, Operating Systems, Mobile Robotics, Integrated Circuits)
Real World: Move back to San Diego, work as a Software Engineer for a tech company, rent an apartment/house outside of the city, get a dog.
Senior Year (HS): Continue working at Mathnasium, take Palomar class (either Calc or ASL), apply for colleges (Bowdoin, Whitman, Rhodes, Willamette, Bates, UC Davis, Santa Clara, University of Oregon), complete Senior internship, visit accepted colleges.
Freshman Year: Attend Bowdoin University, go in as "undecided," take GE classes & explore my interests through extracurriculars and interest classes in science and mathematics, live on campus in a residential hall.
Sophomore Year: Continue to live on campus, take more major-specific courses (science & math), join theatre/drama club, possibly play an intramural sport, declare major in computer science.
Junior Year: Study abroad (Barcelona or Italy), declare minor in Mathematics, live on campus, continue being involved in college life and activities, obtain summer internship in a related field (such as programming).
Senior Year: Get an on-campus job, complete credits for major and minor, graduate with Honors, apply to graduate school programs (University of Virginia, University of Washington St. Louis, Cal Poly SLO).
Gap Year: Travel via community service programs (possible locations: Italy, Greece, Costa Rica, Spain, Budapest)
Graduate School Year 1: Attend University of Washington St. Louis' School of Engineering and Applied Science, begin graduate level courses in Computer Engineering/Computer Science, live in an apartment nearby.
Graduate School Year 2: Continue coursework for Master's degree (classes include: Into to Artificial Intelligence, Operating Systems, Mobile Robotics, Integrated Circuits)
Real World: Move back to San Diego, work as a Software Engineer for a tech company, rent an apartment/house outside of the city, get a dog.