Age: 17
Location: Norwich Free Academy, Norwich, CT
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College...that's far away, right?
Nope...it's just around the corner, and boy is it time to start those applications!! College application time hit me like a ton of bricks. I was definitely not ready for the search, and certainly not ready for the jump into something more resembling real life. It just wasn't my personality. And on top of that, I was definitely naive to the whole process, and even what I wanted to do. I weighed the options:
1. I was very good at math (Go NFA Math Team!)
2. I was very good at computer science. I mean come on, I pretty much started the CS curriculum!
3. I was very good at Spanish. No money in that...but still, good to know.
4. I was very good at English...but I hated it with a passion. I took Shakespeare instead of AP English.
So...it seemed to me science and math was where I was headed in life. Engineering maybe? Computer science? I heard MIT was a good school, maybe I should apply there! My friends are all asking their guidance counselors, maybe that's a good idea for me.
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"So, Chris, what do you think you're interested in?"
"I'm not really sure. I like science, possibly engineering. I have a list of schools here I looked into. I even have a reach school and a backup school." I handed him the list. I was proud of my list!
"Well, let me ask you a couple questions and see if we can narrow this down. First, you know we want to keep UConn on there..." UConn was my backup. "...so, do you like landscaping?"
Wait a minute...what kind of a question was that? I mean, ya I do...but why did he care? "Sure, I love it."
"Alright, then we can cross these off..." RPI and Tufts were stricken from my list. "How about city life. Would you like to live in a place like Boston, or more like Norwich?"
"Hmmm...I'm not really a fan of the city, I'd say Norwich."
"Alright, there go a couple more..." he put a bold line through MIT and another through RPI, as if to emphasize it. Apparently I was not to attend RPI.
"Social life?"
"You mean do I have one?" Of course I did. I was shy, socially anxious and hung out with the wrong people a lot (not all of them) but hey, it's a life, right? "I'd like to have one, yes".
"Sounds good!" RIT and LeHigh University were no longer available. Hold on a minute...none of the schools I had written were available!
"Hey...so you're telling me UConn is the only actual compatible school?" He smiled and handed me the list back.
"How about you do a little more research...then come back, and we'll talk about it?" I conceded and walked out of his office.
*Ya right,* I thought to myself, *A lot of help he was!* I was late for class anyway, so I ran to the next building over. I dropped the list in the trash on the way.
******
©2007, Chris St. Pierre
Norwich Free Academy Campus (My High School)
This picture will be here as long as the story is in high school...
2 comments:
Guidance councelors at my school are a joke, and I wouldn't recommend leaving your college decision with them. They are far removed from your world, your interests, and your desires. Of course, what does one do when faced with indecisiveness? I can't answer that, but councelors certianly aren't the answer.
Of course, this advice is useless to you now, but that's what I believe. It's unfortunate that there are many intelligent people like you and me who are sent to colleges based on their councelor's recommendations. I'm glad that you somehow ended up at WPI, because I know you love it there, and you will get to meet me, and this sentence is ugly.
On the subject of social life, people need to stop judging themselves by the number of friends they have. For example, I have about 5 friends in my high school among the many acquaintances. This is not due to me being antisocial, but because there is a severe deficiency of technologically knowledgeable students. I am not ashamed of this fact, nor will I settle for lesser friends.
- John
haha. your comment made me laugh :P good points though!
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