Farewell to summer, high school seniors
Sophy Cohen, a student at Santa Monica High School, writes:
Dear Class of 2009,
I’m sorry to inform you that time is the essence, and you can officially declare your summer over. Now is the time to sit down and reflect on your life. Right this second.
Have you decided that high school is enough and college is not for you? If you answered yes, you can stop reading. Have you come to the decision that community college followed by a transfer is the way you’re headed? If the answer is yes, then congratulations, you can stop reading too.
Everyone else, listen up. Now is the time to figure it out. Your goals, your dreams, your majors, your school. Picking a college can be one of the hardest decisions you’ll ever have to make. After late night browsing the College Board website and viewing the matchmaking profile, I have decided that you cannot find a college that matches you perfectly, so you have to actually take time and look.
Tips for the seniors: Don’t pick a college because your friends go there, don’t pick a college solely because of legacy, and don’t pick a college only focused on your major (chances are you’ll switch it anyway). What exactly is left? A school in an area you like with things that YOU are interested in … no one else. One that has that club you want to join, that sports team you enjoy, and a reputation you will be proud of bearing.
Knowing that, think about this, a well-rounded school you’ve never even heard of, has probably a better chance of changing your life than the glorified and awarded school you have your heart set on.
There's a book by Loren Pope called Colleges That Change Lives that inspired me. A few colleges listed are Whitman College, Evergreen State College, Clark University and Goucher College. Another college I found was Haverford College in Pennsylvania. I was impressed by their "Honor Code." The school is very much involved in what the students want. Clubs there are original and show what kind of morals the students have, not the faculty.
So do yourself a favor, and don’t ignore the small names and actually look at them.... You might find something you would have never suspected. Find a college that’ll change your life forever, that means something to you, not one that’ll just add a number on your paycheck. So get started, it’s almost time for our transition and remember the rookies, they have something to offer and it’s up to you to find out what.
Being a senior next year, I've realized that my best friends and I will go our separate ways, forming our own lives in all the places where we'll end up. This is a sad thought to consider the summer before, but I am a little concerned about where we'll be next fall. I know everything will end up for the best, but one can't help but be a little anxious finding out what the best will be.
Sincerely,
A good friend
