Collegians Offer Advice to OES Juniors and Seniors

The classes of ’23 and ’24 got the chance to talk with OES graduates who are currently attending college this week during the annual Alumni Panel, organized by Director of College Counseling Paula Sutton. Joining the students via Zoom were:

• Dominic D'Ascenzo ’22 (Grinnell College)
• Darren Lai ’19 (Pepperdine University)
• Rhea Mehta ’19 (American University)
• Nic Nautiyal ’21 (Emory University)
• Hannah Weinberg ’19 (University of Toronto)

Here are some of the insights shared by the college students with the OES juniors and seniors:
 
How do you handle the stress of applying for college?
“You'll be nervous, sure. But if you do everything you’re supposed to—do your research, do your essays—know that you’ll end up where you’re supposed to be.”
 
“My advice would be to keep your mind open. I applied to a lot of small schools but I ended up at a large university that was the most affordable option for me. Don’t stress too much about going to the perfect school, you probably have many that you could choose from."
 
Which size college is best to choose, large or small?
“Where you go to school is a very personal preference. I think OES is a good gauge of where you want to go to school. If you really enjoy the OES community, then you’ll be likely to enjoy a small liberal arts college. If you want a change of scenery and want to meet new people every day, then maybe try a larger school. But it’s not to say that one is better than the other, it's just where you think you’ll be the most successful.”
 
What about choosing a major?
“Most people don’t know what they’re going to do before college. I think the first two years are where you figure out what you want to do. Don’t stress about it during the application process.”
 
“Your advisor can help, but keep in mind not every school has advisors (I was surprised to find out I didn’t get an advisor at my school). If you like a lot of support, then a school with an advisory system is for you. But take your requirements first, take a lot of different courses, and then you can decide on a major.”
 
What is something you wish you knew before you got to college?
“While you will have more freedom, you will want to structure and schedule your daily life. Be sure to keep on top of all the things that need to be done.” 
 
“I’ve realized that everyone feels the same way (as a freshman). Everyone has their anxiety, their worries, even if they don’t talk about it at first. You realize you’re not alone in the process. And I didn't realize how welcoming the older students would be."

“I wish I knew how to take care of myself, find balance. You have a lot more freedom in college, but with that freedom you find that what you do is really self-motivated. It’s primarily you taking care of yourself—you don't have your mom telling you to get up, and to cook for you. It took me a while to find that healthy balance.”
 
Do you have tips on the application process?
“Make sure you present who you are on your application. They want to see every experience you have had. If you’re in a film club and you’re applying for something not related to film, include that anyway. They are looking for well-rounded applicants. They want the most successful students, people who are resilient and can find success.”

Is it hard to manage the college workload?
“OES prepared me super well. Knowing how to write an MLA paper is a huge thing that not everyone knows!”
 
“There is definitely a lot of work, but I think that OES prepares you really well in terms of academics. My advice though would be to start on that project or paper as soon as you can.”