“It was amazing to be able to connect what I am learning at Sturgis to the real world right in front of me,” said Freshman Grace Rizzuto. “I was able to read Latin and observe the Roman culture I am studying in person. School trips to places like Spain and Italy are important because they expose students to different cultures and promote global citizenship.”
Many thanks to Ms. Mead, Ms. Cardone, Mr. Fetzer, Mr. Porteus and Ms. Manrique for organizing and chaperoning the trip!
Counting the Days Until College for the Class of 2018
As the 2017-18 school year winds down, seniors are counting down the months until they begin college! While the college application process is very laborious and stressful, it is very rewarding in the end. I was able to catch up with Kimberly Watson, a senior at Sturgis East who will be attending the University of Rhode Island in the fall, and ask her a few questions about her experience applying to college. She applied to college using the Common Application, an online platform where students can apply to multiple colleges at once.
1. How stressful was the college application process for you to navigate?
“I found the college application process quite stressful until I got the hang of it. Some requirements for your application are difficult to find on the Common App website. For example, three requirements on your application are your SAT/ACT scores, teacher recommendations, and essays. Since these requirements were not all on one website or link, I was very stressed because I constantly had the feeling that I was forgetting to do something for a college I was applying to. However, talking to my guidance counselor about the application process helped me significantly and eased my stress.”
2. What drew you to URI and what are you most looking forward to?
“I found all of the opportunities at URI very exciting. I do not know what I want to major in, but URI has a lot of different majors and programs of study as well as many clubs and activities that suit my interests. The campus atmosphere also attracted me. Even though there are approximately 18,000 students at URI, there is still a classic college campus feel to it.”
3. Is there any other advice you would give to rising seniors?
“I would tell rising seniors to look at colleges over the summer and go on college tours. Also, I would recommend making your Common App account and looking at the essay questions the summer before senior year. Third, if you’re unsure about applying to a school, apply anyways. I wasn’t going to apply to URI, and now I’ll be going there as a freshman in the fall. My last piece of advice would be to apply Early Decision/Action. Even though there is a lot happening in the fall of senior year, you’ll feel relieved having your application done!”
By developing a plan for checking out and applying to colleges early on, students can find a college that fits them well without becoming overwhelmed by stress. The more time you have to complete the college application process the better! The Sturgis StormWatch staff would like to wish Kim Watson and all the graduating seniors the best of luck as they begin the next phase of their lives.