Other than the stunningly jaw-dropping campus, beautiful Hyde Park in Chicago, and the brimming intellectual environment paired with an extensive academic focus, UChicago focuses less on the “I have to go to college” part of life, and more on the “I want to go to college” aspect. I felt the academic culture come to life at a UChicago Information Session I attended, listening to Mrs. Belak, the North Carolina regional admissions counselor, tell us all about UChicago was the final “brick in the wall” for me. I was already set on wanting to go to UChicago, but after the Information Sessions, I was so very ecstatic at the chance of studying in Chicago for my next 4 years. Because I couldn’t schedule a tour based on finances and distance, I tried my best to immerse myself in anything I could get online, from virtual tours, videos from current and former students, dorm tours, drone footage of the campus, and previous ViewChicago live streams.
But that’s all concerning the "outside." Everyone knows about how gorgeous the Mansueto and Harper Memorial libraries are, how lush the Main Quadrangle is, how enthralling the gothic architecture is (especially the gargoyles!), but what about
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From ‘The Life of the Mind’ with its quirky conversations to its “intellectual” pedigree, UChicago was a school that drew me in because you didn’t just attend “because everyone goes to college,” but you attend because you are in the pursuit of your passion for knowledge. Coming from a very non-competitive high school in suburban North Carolina, most kids just went to the state schools to get a degree and get a job, that never appealed to me. I didn’t want the average education, I wanted a top-notch view of the world that I always dreamed college would provide me. The Core Curriculum is exactly what I was looking for in a liberal-arts setting, something that gave me the true “experience” of
“You are at the #1 public university in the world,” are the words implanted into the University of California, Berkeley. UC Berkeley is defined as #1 for its programs, history, faculty, environment, and prospective influences but ultimately, what defines UC Berkeley are its students. Through the impact its students make and the legacies they leave, a high level of prestige has been established when discussing the university. Another aspect of the university that engenders prestige is the admission process, which is set in place to assess who would best “fit” the university. A project done in 1999 that produced a film called “Making the Grade,” observes two students from two different school dynamics in San Francisco that both want to attend
Throughout my educational experience I noticed the discrepancies with regard to the advantages my peers possessed. In high school as I began exploring what career I wished to pursue, I experienced inferiority as my classmates who’ve taken the ACT three times, visited college campuses, and have had resumes ready since the 6th grade unintentionally mocked my lack of college-readiness. However, my ignorance wasn’t intentional, my parents never reached a high school education in Mexico, they couldn’t pass down SAT tips or acquire internship opportunities for me. I realized it's vital to pick up the pace to avoid being left in the dust akin to countless others in my situation. Henceforth, this statement resonates with my experience, I interpreted
During my two last years of high school, i've been in contact with a lot of colleges and universities. Many of which don’t get my attention. Throughout my whole high school years, there was only one college that i wanted to go to, Liberty University. I have heard so many wonderful things about Liberty and what i loved the most was that it was a christian school. Liberty had the number one thing that i am looking for in a college, that is a christian school, but many of my other things that i look for in a college where just not there. I used to live in Florida approximately 11 years ago and let me tell you, it's hard not to miss the sunshine state. Liberty is in Virginia, a state where it doesn't feel like home. When i received a brochure
When people hear the word “college”, many panic inside at the thought. But, when I hear the word “college” I think about Illinois State University. In early July, I attended an Open House at ISU for my very first official college visit. As I stepped onto campus, I couldn’t but help to feel like it was my future home. Many aspects of the tour made me draw nearer to choosing this college after finishing my High School career. Illinois State University seems to fit my personality very well, has an amazing program for what I want to study, and is an outstanding campus for my academic strengths and weaknesses.
College. The word alone sends an icy chill down my spine as my mind wanders and dreams of the day that I will finally step foot on an enlightening campus. As a curious child and even more inquisitive teen, I have always been, and continue to be, mesmerized by the glossy college pamphlets with perfect photos of students, posing “naturally” in their science labs and English seminars. I always knew college was for me, as at the age of seven I began planning out my future major (and minors). Of course, my ideal university and course of study has changed over the years, yet the idea of college has continued to fascinate me. The core principles of any given college are most likely related to collaboration, a rigorous education, and diversity, which
There were some University of Chicago students who were taking summer classes and I often sat down with them for meals and had some of the most genuinely interesting and fascinating conversations. I noticed prominent, prevailing trends of UChicago students. Every single student that I interacted with possessed the resounding trait of passion in craft. Each student demonstrated a degree of drive, dedication, and determination within their passions that was envious and motivational. The passion that each Maroon had for their field of study was outstanding, I witnessed people who were not much older than myself wholly dedicate themselves to niche areas of academic inquiry. Furthermore, each Maroon kept a mind open to all ideas and theories, demonstrating a maturity far beyond their years. This environment of deep intellectual discourse was unlike any other college campus I have visited, so it propelled UChicago to the highest echelon of institutions. UChicago’s tightly knit community of scholars is an electrifying aspect for me. I love the thought of being submerged in the infinite pool of scholarly discussion where I will be constantly learning from my peers, where my personal corpus of knowledge will expand from just a causal conversation, and where my values and perceptions will continue to evolve. Moreover, the incandescent flames of each student towards their passion will further fan the fire for my
As my high school years were coming to an end, all anyone could talk about was college. Where they were going, what state they would be a resident in, and what they would major in, what campus they would be visiting that weekend. I, however, thought I had it all under control. I thought that when my Senior year came by it would all fall in to place. That's crazy, right? The shows that I grew up watching did not have to deal with this. That is when expectation went out the window and reality kicked me in the butt. I had five months left to start applying to colleges and looking in to different campuses that offered my dental hygiene program. Lucky for me, my community college had a two year program.
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been located in the heart of Westwood, California since 1919. In its small beginnings, UCLA started with one building, on its south campus, which only allowed for the teaching of approximately 1,400 students and offered two undergraduate programs (“UCLA History: Traditions”). Today, the university has grown immensely and now enrolls over 16,000 students annually and offers over 200 undergraduate and graduate programs combined.UCLA is known for its competitive and selective admissions process, which means that it is very difficult to gain entry into any program this college has to offer (Vazquez). However, the competitive nature of UCLA’s programs is a testament to the prominence of the school and its faculty. With its research, athletic, and academic programs consistently top rated, internationally , it is hard to compare any other California college to this distinguished university (“UCLA Undergraduate Admission”). At its core, UCLA is known for its ambition to educate students and make a global impact on society (“UCLA”). Even though UCLA is considered more prestigious than other universities, it still considers GPA and SAT scores, offers financial aid, and has a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs for its students to choose from. Setting higher standards for its students and faculty is what makes this school so distinguished. UCLA’s variety of students promote elite academic
Embedded in my psyche as a child was the fact that college was my only option after high school. This parental sentiment was synonymous with a phrase as simple as “tie your shoes.” For me, high school graduation would be a standard occurrence, but my college graduation would be celebrated. The college I would attend required thoughtful consideration because it will be my rite of passage. When I dreamt of my intended college, I knew it would be set in a beautiful city, bustling with energy, and full of consciously creative people. I didn’t know if my university campus would be urban or suburban, but I knew it would spark excitement, fulfill my need to connect with a global community, and offer several opportunities to propel me to the top of
“Oh, my goodness,” “Wasn’t it so funny when Mr. Speranza split his pants in class today?”
When I walked onto the quad on the first day of freshman orientation I was still amazed that I would be the next two years at a prestigious university such as Oxford college of Emory University. The sight in itself was one like no other. Seney hall stood tall and bright as we put our cokes to the sky and made the big Emory coke toast. However, I would soon come to realize that the beauty of Oxford was not just in its spectacular campus and rigorous education. Oxford was a place where one could truly build a community and get involved if they sought out to.
“Okay, do you have everything?” My mother seemed to ask me for the tenth time within five minutes. I rolled my eyes and nodded at the older woman.
To start, I am a 22-year old rising sophomore at Winston-Salem State University from High Point, NC. I went to Thomasville Senior High and I loved it. I was the class president my sophomore and junior years, and also won top English student award sophomore year. I was chosen to have a success picture taken and post on the school wall and it is still there today.
Walking through the main entrance into Urbana High School on August 21st felt different than it had on previous first days of school. Starting my freshman and sophomore years had been nerve wracking of course, but seeing friendly faces had immediately uplifted my spirits. However, as a junior, this was not the case; a new, unknown challenge awaited me: the IB program. My friends were off in their AP classrooms while I was stuck with people many described as ‘weirdos’.
English 101 was a challenging course. A constant stream of reading and writing lead to a demanding yet rewarding semester. The variety of texts read and written about provided a plethora of life lessons and demonstrations of values. Now at the end of the course I find myself a better student and writer. The texts themselves were not influential to my growth as a critical reader or college student. Rather, it was my own analysis of the texts that allowed me to consider other perspectives on technology use in the classroom and the importance of revision when it comes to school work.