Be organized. Try new things. Get involved. Rise to the challenge. Experience diversity.
March 26th, 2018Last year’s Shrop Ed seniors continue to send feedback about their first year at college, and today we share excerpts from three students who report both happiness and success. You’ll note some boldfaced text – these are points that we feel are crucial for younger students to zero in on, to understand what it takes to transition successfully to college.
What themes do you note?
My first few months at the University of Kentucky have been pretty good! I am currently involved in a variety of activities here, including the International Student Council, the University of Kentucky Leadership Exchange, the Chinese Culture Club, and the Korean Language and Culture Club. Overall, transitioning to life in campus was not very difficult for me, surprisingly. My classes have gone quite well so far, and while I am still trying to find my perfect niche here I have met a variety of people I have become close friends with. Interesting, adjusting to my new homework load wasn’t very difficult, and I finished the semester with straight A’s. The hardest thing I’ve had to grow used to is managing when I will do all of my homework, but it did not take long for me to get used to this. I have been working with the Modern and Classical Languages Department to start a new Korean language program due both to strong student interest and my own time spent in South Korea on a scholarship last summer, and I have recently been accepted for a summer internship overseas! While at times I do wish I had been able to attend one of the other wonderful schools I was accepted to, I do think I have done well at UK so far and I have high hopes for the upcoming semester.
My first semester is going absolutely amazing. Northeastern was definitely a perfect fit for me and I am so glad I chose it. The courses I’m taking are really challenging, not sure if I will end up sticking with Math as a major, I may be switching to a minor. However, I am really enjoying the courses I’m taking and I’m glad Northeastern has given me room in my schedule to explore other areas, such as Communications, Linguistics, and Psychology. Through the academic part is definitely at challenge, I’ve gained some really great study skills and I’ve become more organized. My work ethic has increased as well, due to the fact that what I am learning is really interesting and exciting for me! I think the transition to college went really smoothly and I made friends quickly without any difficulty. Additionally, I am getting involved on and off campus with different clubs and activities. I am doing lots of community service for different organizations around Boston and joined a recreational soccer team as well as other activities. It seems as though I have unlimited opportunities to get involved in clubs/extracurriculars as well as research and internships. I’m so excited for what is to come in my college career and I can’t thank you enough for all the help in my college process!
SMU…is academically challenging, especially for me who is in the Honors Program and seeking a triple major (thanks to the AP classes I have taken and my interests in humanities and STEM). One of the things that has definitely helped me to get through is motivation because I am the kind of person who does not like to do assignments, especially papers for English major classes, the day before it’s due….I would rather work hard on Friday and Saturday so that I can have Sunday free. What I actually do, providing that there is a long-term assignment, is to put it in my planner twice or even more times and aim for the first date to compete it…
…I have made much effort and found great venues to get involved. One of the great things I am involved in is Yearbook as a staff writer, which allows and motivates me to go to different events and write about them. I feel that it is important to do what I actually like while it is also worthwhile to consider the potential benefits. I am also working for the library, and that’s why I stayed on campus through this winter break. At the same time, I am applying to become an RA, a position that can potentially bring me more into the community of my Residential Commons. What has gone smoothly for me is to adapt to the college campus and be independent responsibly because I came to the States when I was 15, and I feel like moving into college is not like leaving my family for the first time. Therefore, the transition is smooth, and most importantly, since such independence is not something new to me, I treat it with responsibility which is important, in my opinion, for a college freshman. And what’s surprising is how busy college life can be even if it may sound plausible that I come back to dorm and take a nap after classes. Classes, homework, jobs/activities, and all other things that will come up take up much of the time, and in order to stick to my routines, I have to pace myself well.
Throughout these months, I have come to understand how the sense of responsibility can play a key role in almost everything, and I have seen how different everyone is. I went to a very small high school, and college is giving me a better idea of diversity by which I mean how everyone is pursuing different things and how drastically different ideas, personalities, and values can come together….
Tagged: College, Freshman files, Local happenings
What does your high school transcript say about you?
March 19th, 2018What does your high school transcript say about you? This is a great question to ask yourself when selecting courses for next year. My years on admission committees taught me that the high school transcript is the most influential component you will submit while applying to college. So how can you choose classes that will give you the best possible foundation for college level work and improve your chances of admission? Yale University has the answer.
The article linked below is a great tool when considering class selection and the advice given is truly beneficial for students of all levels and accomplishments. While many of you have already completed your preliminary course selection there might still be opportunities to make changes. As always, if you have any questions throughout the process, please contact me.
Article below referenced from Yale University
Many high school sophomores and juniors (and their parents) want to know what courses to take to improve their chances for admission to Yale and other highly competitive colleges. With the caveat that every situation is different, here is some advice to help guide you as you make these decisions.
A Holistic Approach to Admissions
The high school transcript is almost always the most important document in a student’s application. But it is hard to conceive of a situation in which the appearance (or absence) of any one particular class on a transcript would determine the applicant’s outcome. The admissions committee does not make its decisions based on a piecemeal review of an applicant’s recommendations, test scores, activities, or individual elements of a high school transcript. It considers each application as a comprehensive picture of that student.
Tagged: Admission decision, High school
Freshman Files: Liberal arts on a block plan
March 5th, 2018Today Amy J. shares her unique experience as a first-year student at Colorado College. CC is one of only a handful of schools that operate on a block plan: full immersion into a single course, devoting all energies to completing a semester’s work in 3 ½ weeks. Over the course of the academic year, students complete just as many courses as they would in a traditional semester schedule. The students and professor become a team, in a way, and as classes at Colorado College are small it’s quite a remarkable environment.
We’re grateful that Amy is willing to share her experience as a new student at Colorado College and wish her continued success and happiness ahead!
Academics: Block plan makes the academics at CC pretty intense. All freshmen start … with the First Year Experience (FYE), a two-block class of their choice … and the professors teaching FYE usually offer more help to these freshmen for their transition to college. My FYE was introduction to comparative literature, and it was especially challenging for me due to the fast pace of a “block” – we finished our discussion of a book in two to three days on average, and sometimes it was just one day for one book. The first week was probably the hardest: we finished Homer’s Iliad in five days! … But luckily, … I found our professor’s lecture so fascinating. … She also invited us to her house for the first Sunday’s brunch, and it was a great experience!
We had another professor teaching us for the second block of FYE …The reading load each day was still a challenge to me, but … I gained confidence in my writing through the paper grades and my two professors’ encouraging comments. …
The third block I took elementary French I, and … learning a language in a block was intense in that we had 3 hours of online practice as homework every day…
Activities: … My Priddy trip (a five-day outdoor and service trip mandatory for every new student to participate before school starts) to Santa Fe was actually my first time going overnight camping and seeing the starry, starry night. … The last night in Santa Fe national forest was my favorite – our group merged with another group that camped nearby, and sitting around a bonfire, we got to know each other, chatted, and asked our leaders questions about CC life. The ambience was fantastic. …
My next outdoor experience at CC was rock climbing on the first Saturday after school started. Again it was my first rock climbing experience – although it was scary at times when I couldn’t find a spot to place my feet, it was a lot of fun! From then on, I began to love this sport.
The third one was my FOOT trip, a 5-day backpacking trip during the first block break specially organized for freshmen to further experience the outdoors in Colorado. We went to a place called “Lost Creek Wilderness” and I was really impressed by the beautiful aspens whose leaves turned yellow in late September. The views were fantastic, as if in a dream. …
The fourth one was another rock-climbing in a nearby mountain. It was a trip included in the “rock school” – a class teaching rock climbing skills that I signed up for …
My fifth outdoor experience was phenomenal: I went on a 10-day road trip to several national parks with some other international students and some Americans who did not go back home during the Thanksgiving break. We went to Canyonlands National Park in Utah, Monument Valley and Grand Canyon in Arizona, and Zion and Bryce national parks in Utah. I witnessed, for so many times, the magic of mother Nature in this trip… Amazing. I was so so lucky. CC is definitely my place.
Something about CC’s outdoor culture: The Outdoor Education Center is a big part at CC. Students can take trainings to become a backcountry level 1, 2 or even level 3 leader, or a leader in other tracks such as rock climbing and skiing. Then these student leaders can plan and lead their trips. Students can simply sign up for a trip on “Summit” (a website) and most trips do not cost much. Therefore, people who love outdoor sports will definitely love CC!
Overall, my first semester at CC was wonderful and full of new and exciting experiences. I think that block breaks really give students a lot of opportunities to travel and to have fun. …
Though blocks are hard, my first semester’s experience clearly proved what I had said in my application essay: CC is my best fit.
Tagged: College, Freshman files, Liberal arts
Summer Plans
February 19th, 2018The recent glimpse of springlike air coming into Kentucky has me daydreaming of warm summer days. Summer is a great opportunity for students to take a break from their regularly scheduled academic activities and focus on developing themselves in other areas, or go deeper in an area of significant interest.
Gaining experience through volunteer work, internships, travel, research and just taking time to read for pleasure are all important ways to reflect on who you are and begin to discover your purpose. Of course, a little down time is important, too!
Many of our students already have their summer plans well under way. My hope is that today’s article link from the College Board will help you brainstorm more ideas for summer activities that foster personal growth and development. Making constructive use of much of your time in the summer should be your top consideration, and you’ll find myriad ways to do so.
You can change the world. Let your summer experiences help you build your capacity to do so.
Article below referenced from College Board
Summer break is a perfect opportunity for your students to gain experience through paid or volunteer jobs, internships and other summer activities — pursuits that can also demonstrate a student’s sense of responsibility to college admission officers. How can you help your students choose the most rewarding summer activities?
First, encourage students to talk to adults in their lives who can help them find activities that match their interests.
Read more at College Board >>Tagged: Boarding school, College, High school, Summer, volunteer
