By Allegra Tepper

Zaakirah Daniels ’10
Annabelle*

Intended major: Human Development

Was this outcome expected or unexpected?

 

Totally unexpected. I wasn’t even considering Cornell at the end of junior year. I’m a very open person, and I kept it on because I was talking to the track coach, and I ended up falling in love. USC was always high on my list, and I expected to end up either there or at Columbia.

What excites you most about freshman year at Cornell?

 

Being with a new community of people in a completely different environment. Going into the social sciences, I will be able to apply my experiences to my studies and my knowledge to my life at Cornell. I’m curious to find out if West Coast kids really are more relaxed than our East Coast counterparts. I’m excited to experience four distinct seasons.

Any advice for the juniors?

 

Start your essays early, and do the Harvard-Westlake summer essay workshop. I only got two out of 12 essays done over the summer, and all-nighters before the deadline are no fun.

Elijah Lowenstein ’10
Shawn*

Intended major: History

Was this outcome expected or unexpected?

This was very unexpected. Originally, I wasn’t even going to apply to Wash. U. because most of the schools I was applying to were reaches. I only applied there on the very last day of the deadline because it didn’t have a supplement. I thought it was too high a reach and I had other reaches that I knew more about.

What did you learn about yourself?

My social security number.

What do you wish you had known?

I wish I had known how random [the college process] is. I got into a lot of schools I had no chance of getting into and I didn’t get into schools I would have put down $500 that I would have.

Any advice for the juniors?

I think once you send everything, just be content that you did the best you could do. Leave it at that, and don’t think about it. Stress won’t tip the balance in your favor. Work hard, send them in and then just live life.

Kat Arenella ’10
Taylor*

Intended major: Undecided

What did you learn about yourself through the college process?

I learned that comfort is important to me. I didn’t realize I needed a place that was small and supportive until I visited them, but it’s exactly what I need.

What did you wish you had known?

I wish I had known that I didn’t need to stress. I think I would have ended up at the same place even if I hadn’t worked this hard. I wish I had taken more time to smell the roses, but there are plenty of rose gardens at Scripps, so there’s still hope for me yet.

What was the worst advice you received?

I feel like I would have done a lot better if I had done more activities. I think schools would have liked me better if I was a little more well-rounded, and not just a student who deeply developed one talent.