Tag: Chapman

Graduation

mushuooLeave a comment

It’s here in five weeks, the day we have all been waiting for; graduation.

June third is the end of a beautiful chapter in our lives. I have grown so much in these past four years that I would say I am now, at 18, a completely different person than I was at 14 when I was a freshman.

I was so sure at 14 that I wanted to go to Stanford University and become a lawyer, and nobody could convince me otherwise.

Now at 18, I am going to Chapman University and majoring in either political science or business (still not sure), which I cannot believe because four years ago if you were to ask me to live in Los Angeles I would say absolutely not.

This year, I only wanted to go to schools in LA and did not even consider Stanford.

Regardless, I am beyond excited to be going off to study at Chapman in five months. I cannot explain my gratitude for everyone who has helped me throughout the past four years.

I am ecstatic.

 

It’s All Coming Together

mushuooLeave a comment

It’s that time of year again, college acceptance, and denial, letters are coming our way. After months of working on applications, seniors are finally beginning to hear back from schools.

It feels as though I have been waiting a lifetime to get these letters. My dream school is the University of Southern California, and I want that school more than any other.

I have been accepted into all of my backup schools, two of my three targets, and neither of my two reaches, yet.

Chapman University recently sent me an acceptance letter, and when I got the e-mail I felt this enormous sense of relief, knowing I had been accepted into my third choice school.

The only reason it is my third choice is because I have applied to two more academically rigorous schools; Occidental College, and USC. But those schools are both reaches for me, meaning I have a smaller chance of being accepted.

I am completely happy attending Chapman, but I would be ecstatic to go to Occidental or USC.

Because I will be a pre-law student, meaning I will be going to law school after graduating from whichever undergraduate school I attend.

Because of this, I want to go to the most prestigious school I can in order to give me an edge in the Law School application process.

I am thankful I have options on where I go to college, but I am conflicted as to which school is the perfect fit for me.

Although transferring is always an option, I don’t want to build a life somewhere, make connections with other students, and learn the lay of the land at a school where I am not completely happy.

My best friend just got into Chapman as well, giving the school an enormous edge in my book. However, I have to make sure I make the right decision for me, not anyone else.

At this point, Chapman is it. But if I get an acceptance from Occidental or USC, that may change.

How do I choose the right school?

https://keck-cms.usc.edu/sitecore/shell/Controls/Rich%20Text%20Editor/~/media/FC8915914E7E43D38F3F6585E46E1433.jpg
Photo credit to: keck-cms.usc.edu

College

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

It is about that time in my life that college becomes a hot topic.

Where do I want to go? Where can I get in? Can I play sports? Do they have the sports I want to play? Where is it? How big is it? What do I want to study?

So many questions and ultimately all of these questions have to be answered to narrow down the long list of schools to one.

Recently I have been doing some research and I have started to look at schools so I started to put a list of schools together so it is all laid out.

College Location Sports
Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX FootballHockey
Duke University Durham, NC FootballHockey
Stanford University Stanford, CA FootballHockey
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA FootballHockey
University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA FootballHockey
Brown Providence, RI FootballHockey
Chapman University CA FootballHockey
Boston University Boston, MA FootballHockey
University of Denver Denver, CO Hockey
Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN FootballHockeyLacrosse
Northeastern University Boston, MA FootballHockey
Northwestern University Evanston, IL FootballHockey
CU Boulder Boulder, CO FootballHockey
University of Oregon Portland, OR FootballHockey
Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD FootballHockey

In the coming months I will be adding and deleting schools as I compare and contrast the pros and cons of each on the list, and as I discover other schools that will fit into my plan.

I am looking at majoring in either Molecular Biology, Human Biology, Kinesiology, or Sports Medicine.

I have wanted to become a doctor for a very long time.

I want to be able to introduce myself as Dr. Keaton Shiffman, having that prestigious M.D. at the end of my name.

My ultimate dream would be to be a team physician, working on the field or on the ice with the best football or hockey players.

I know that has gotten very specific, but I feel that if I stick to what I want to do that I will make it happen.

As much as I don’t think I will be able to come out of my school and play high level intercollegiate sports it is always worth a try.

The worst thing that could happen is I won’t play, but best case scenario my dream comes true.

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College and Its Struggles

therightliberal1 Comment

Now that I enter the final phases of the college process, I look back at the godawful endeavor that it has been. While many people will tell you that these sorts of things teach and make you stronger, I could have gone without that lesson.

Now let me make it clear, I am very happy where I ended up. In the Fall it looks that I will be attending Chapman University. It is a great school and I am lucky to go there.

But what it took to get there was frankly hell. From the amount of work required on the applications during a busy part of senior year to the pains of the financial aid process, it has been an experience to forget.

My advice towards those who have not yet experienced the joy of applying is this:

1. Start Early. This makes life a lot easier for you and your family. If you can have an idea of the type of college (eg. small, big, east coast, west coast, etc.) you want to go to by the end of the summer before senior year you are on a good track. This will allow you to pick out schools you really want to go to and not stress out which ones you are applying to.

2. Be on the same page. A key to the college process is communication between the student, their parents and the college adviser. Make sure that all parties know of the general expectations and plans at all times. This ensures more productivity and less fights/homicides.

3. Be realistic. The worst thing you can do is think you are built for Stanford when you really should be going to a state school. There is nothing wrong with going to a college, no matter which one you choose. But save yourself and the admissions offices some time and choose schools within your range. Still apply to reach schools and safeties, but don’t shoot for the stars with a bottle rocket.

4. Save Save Save. Some people may have a healthy money tree in their backyard but if that is not the case then start saving now. As much as you think you are going to get those scholarships or “it will all work out” chances are you want to avoid being 100k in debt when you graduate. Save what you can and go over what you can really afford before you chose a college. Again, be realistic about what you can do and find the best option for your money.

There are parts to the college game you just have to find out as you go. Work hard in school and prepare and it will be as easy as possible. I am not saying it will be easy because quite frankly I haven’t been hearing any of my friends say what an easy process it was.

But with hard work and maybe some luck you can end up in a good college where you can really succeed and have a good time while doing it. That is the end goal and it is attainable with work.

Decisions, Decisions

rangerthecat3 Comments

The past few months have been a game of waiting and then a game of choosing. I applied to 7 colleges, and received acceptances from 5 – Chapman University, California Lutheran University, Sonoma State University, San Jose State University, and UC Merced.

All of these schools seemed like good options to me. A few of them were closer to home than others, and I was just a little unsure if that was something that I wanted or not. I decided against San Jose State and UC Merced for a few different reasons. But there was one college I really wanted to go to, and that was Chapman.

I’ve known many people that have gone to Chapman, and they all love it there. It’s in a great location, the education is great, the campus is beautiful, and the people are extremely nice. The one downfall is that it costs about $58 thousand each year to attend. When I received my acceptance letter, I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t get financial aid. But I waited, and waited, until my financial aid letter came. And, unfortunately, my fears came true when I was only offered loans as financial aid. I knew that my family wouldn’t be able to afford that much money for 4 years.

Because of my unfortunate incident with that school, I had to look at the rest of my choice. I knew two of them were out, so it was basically a choice between Sonoma State and Cal Lutheran (Located in Thousand Oaks near LA). They both seemed like really great schools, neither of them were too big, and students seemed to really like both of them. Sonoma is much closer to my house. But, Sonoma is a public school with 5 thousand more students than Cal Lutheran. I visited Sonoma in January, and the one thing I noticed and absolutely loved were the dorms. They were like miniature apartments. They are probably the nicest college dorms I have been in. I visited Cal Lutheran just this past week, and although the dorms were not as nice, the campus was very pretty. I talked to a former student of OVS, and she seems to really like the time she has spent there. She said that the teachers were extremely helpful and that the classes are pretty small – the average class size is below 30, while I know Sonoma state has up to a few hundred in certain classes.

Even after I visited both, I still was unsure what I wanted. Sonoma meant I could visit my friends at home and family much more often. Cal Lutheran meant that I could go to LA and visit my friends that live down here, and also I felt like I would get more help with schoolwork if I needed it.

I was having such a hard time deciding that I went to my good friend for help. She knows a lot about college in general, and had a hard time deciding for herself, so I figured I’d ask how she did it and what her advice was. She asked a question that made it really clear for me that I hadn’t thought of; “Where will you thrive?” I thought for a while and realized that in a school of 9,000 people, even thought considered “small” compared to many universities, I felt that Cal Lutheran would really help me learn more and challenge myself to a point where I will succeed and feel extremely accomplished about it. I started to feel like I would get lost at Sonoma and let me responsibilities slip away from me.

So, that night, I called my parents and talked to them about my decision. Since Cal Lutheran gave me $14,000 dollars per year through a scholarship, it ends up costing about the same (though a little bit more) than the public tuition of Sonoma State, which was a great thing to know. Even though my family is well-off financially, my dad is paying for 2 other kids to go to college, and has paid for 4 years of my private education here at OVS.

In no time, I had paid my enrollment fee and housing deposit for California Lutheran University. I have officially decided where I am going to college and have committed! I was so excited that I even treated myself to a Cal Lutheran sweatshirt, something I felt kind of dorky doing but felt it was appropriate for such a major decision in my life.

Honestly, I was a bit nervous that I was making the wrong decision, but now I feel very confident in it. I feel like it is a very strong and welcoming community that I will fit well in. And, of course, if I end up just hating it – which I completely doubt – I can always transfer somewhere else.

In short, I’m just so glad I have made the decision and committed. The next 4 years of my life are set for me now. Even thought I had initially wanted to attend a different school, I am starting to think that this one will be just as good if not better. I’m a bit nervous to start my first year of college but I’m also excited at the same time. I can’t wait to see what this experience brings me.

Countdown

rangerthecatLeave a comment


I CAN HARDLY HANDLE IT!!!!
I’m getting so anxious there are no words to describe the feeling.
So anxious and crazy and excited and nervous that I can hardly focus.
I want graduation to come; even though I’m going to miss this place like crazy, there will be the most amazing feeling when I walk across that stage and officially become a college student. I will officially have made it to a place in life that I had serious doubts about a few times in my past.
Oh, and I guess that going to Cabo with 7 of my closest friends doesn’t exactly suck either, huh? 😉

So, due to this slight mental chaos that I’m having, I’m going to have a random blog.

First, I wanted to start by sharing a video and singing duo that I find to be just utterly fantastic.


They call themselves Jayesslee, two twin sisters named Janice and Sonia. They have so many covers of songs that have millions of views on Youtube, so the’re pretty popular. Their harmonies just make me want to melt… And I can’t stop listening to this specific one. I highly recommend anyone and everyone to listen to their stuff!

Secondly, I’m just getting so nervous waiting for my last college decision. I’m so pleased with the schools that I got accepted into (and a little bit disappointed with the ones I was rejected from). But most of my friends have already received their Chapman letters of acceptance, and I’m getting very antsy – I JUST WANT TO KNOW! I checked online on the website, and it says that my decision letter has been mailed out already, so it’s just a matter of time… Unfortunately I’m not the most patient person on the planet.

And last, I know that they are over about 2 months away, so I still have time, but I am already stressing out over the AP tests. Man, am I glad that I dropped out of a few of the AP classes I had been taking in the beginning of the year and lightened my load. Now, I only have AP Psych and AP English as opposed to 5 total as I had in the beginning. Still, I feel like these will be really difficult tests and I’m definitely no where near as prepared as I’m hoping to be. One of these weekends I’m going to have to do some serious looking into what the tests are going to expect.

For now, I’ll just keep looking ahead to the good things in my future like graduation and Cabo!!!!! Hopefully it will help the time pass faster, because as of now, it feels like everything is going by so slowly, I can hardly stand it.

College, College, College

rangerthecat1 Comment

Remember back in December/January when I posted a nice little blog about waiting for colleges to respond back to applications?

Well, finally, the waiting is over! (Most of it, at least).

Last Wednesday, I was sitting with a few friends when I looked to see I had a text message on my phone. It was from my Mom, so I wasn’t expecting anything super mind-blowing.

But instead, I open it and immediately start freaking out. She told me that Cal Lutheran had sent a letter to my house addressed to “Accepted Student” and asked if she could open it. Of course I said yes, called her, and she read me the letter. It said I had been accepted and that they were offering me a $15 thousand scholarship. I was so excited I even asked her to send me a picture of the letter.

Cal Lutheran wasn’t a school I was absolutely dying to go to, but getting that acceptance made me feel just that much more secure. I felt like I didn’t have to worry as much, and that I could relax for the rest of my college admissions (or rejections).

When I returned to school from the honors ski trip, I checked my mail box, and surprisingly there were two more letters waiting for me from Sonoma State and San Jose State. Accepted!!! I then checked online at Cal Poly, and unfortunately I wasn’t accepted like I was hoping… But to be honest, I wasn’t as disappointed as I had thought I would be. About a week later, I logged onto UC Merced‘s website and had another acceptance waiting for me!!!

I’m still waiting to hear from 2 colleges, Chapman and UC Santa Barbara. I really hope I get accepted, of course, but at this point I’m just too excited that I got into 4 colleges that if I don’t get in, it won’t be the end of the world.

Now comes the time to choose which one I want to go to. It’s going to be a really tough decision. Most of them are good schools and I feel like I’d have a great time at all of them. At this point, I don’t have a clue what I’m going to do, but it feels AMAZING to know I have options and that I don’t have to worry anymore.
I finally did it! There’s only 82 days until I graduate from high school and then just a few more months until I will be onto the next 4 years of my life in a new place.


Okay, time to think for real

shredicusmaximusLeave a comment

It’s official. With the warmth of the April sun came the arrival of my long awaited letters from the various institutions I had hoped would see enough light and potential to accept me into their ranks as an admitted student. Three places received my applications, Chapman University, Bard College, and (as referred to in one of my previous blogs) The University of San Francisco. All three of them have since sent packages back informing me of my admission. I looked through the packets from each different place and thought “oh —-, now what do I do?”

How do I make a decision that affects possibly the next four years of my life? A commitment to an institution for the best is what is required of me to make come the first of May. A first rate education, and a great time with many different opportunities presenting themselves. Who could I meet at these places? how were the dorms? where are they located? Questions of “where do you want to go?” and “what do you want to study?” have now transformed into “where are you going to call home for the next four years, out of these three?” So with all these thoughts in mind, now I really have to consider what options I have upon my table. All these places I have applied to because I liked each of them and what they could offer me as a perspective student. Now, here I sit, amidst all these new pressures. Pressures of “where do we go from here?” have replaced the ones of old regarding “what do I need to do to get there and how am I doing?” All I know is for the next week or so, I might lose some sleep at night. Bags may form under my eyes and I may feel much lighter on my feet but why worry? After all, I know I’m going somewhere. (:

Graduation

yourgingerkidLeave a comment

T-minus 61 days. That means we have about two months left of this school year.

jksdhfskdjghsjdklgnkeldmfgnkjdfghueirjhgjkdsfnvksdjfgheiujrhgjrehgjkernfdkjsghuweirth!!
Excuse my improper spelling, grammar, and exclamation, but this is pretty big deal.

I’ve been at this school for five years. Some have been here for thirteen of more. It’s crazy to think that it all has boiled down to these last few weeks. All 27 of us, (hopefully we’ll stay at 27) will be moving in each and every different direction, down our own roads, to new and wonderful lives.

We should all end on a good note, right?

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel as if there is far too much tension between us. Why is that exactly? Can’t we all just look past that and think, “Hey! We’re almost done with this year! We should just relax and finish this year with class and with relaxation!”

We have students going to Wesleyan, UC Berkeley, Chapman, and UW. Shouldn’t we all be proud of our friends? It’s pretty big deal to get into colleges such as these whether we chose to believe it or not. Just because we watch it happen every year doesn’t mean that it happens to the collective population outside of our school?

Can’t we unify as one? We still have enough time to really appreciate these people one last time. All these people we’ve known for years will soon be out of our lives with the blink of an eye. I’m sure you’re thinking “I’m glad! I can’t wait to get out of here!” But once you’re actually gone, you’re going to miss it. I know that I’ll miss it.