Starting Your College Search

Welcome to all of those newly rising seniors!  This is an exciting time in your high school career.  Most of you have completed your standardized tests and have your college lists forming.  I wanted to pass along some advice from my experience searching for colleges.  I know it was 4 years ago, scary yes, but I still remember some great tips that helped me.

I used great sites like College Board, ACT, and US World and News Report to help me find different schools that I may not have heard of before.  On all of these sites there are different ways to search, by location, size, program, price, extra curricular activities, and many other criteria.  This is how I found Depauw University, one of the greatest college radio stations in the country.  You are also able to side-by-side compare schools in many cases.

Another tip: use your counselor/guidance office as a resource!  These men and women are trained to help you make a decision, and many of them were once involved in the college admissions process themselves.  Spend sometime flipping through brochures and talking to the different representatives that come to your school.  Sign up for mailings and information of schools that you have any sort of interest in.  You can always throw extra materials away, but sometimes the mailers are different from what you find on the school's website.

You can also start looking at scholarships through fastweb.com or other similar sites.  A lot of these scholarships are small amounts but every little bit can help, trust me.

I hope all of these tips help steer you in the right direction!  If I can be of any more help please let me know by emailing me at kwollner@gwu.edu or leave a comment with your personal tips!

Good luck!

Longevity Has It’s Place

To graduate from the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, every student has to take at least one performing arts class as part of the general curriculum requirements (although these requirements have changed significantly since I was a freshman, more here: http://columbian.gwu.edu/newsevents/spotlight/newgeneralcurriculumrequirementsannounced). To fulfill multiple requirements at one time, I choose a class that worked for the Columbian College as well as my major in political communications. The only class that fit this description was digital media production.

Although, I didn’t have much experience with filming and I never even tried editing, the course proved to be a perfect introduction to a skill that I hope to develop. In the class, I learned techniques on shooting and editing film as well as helpful hints on lighting and where to place the camera. GW has a top-notch computer center in the School for Media and Public Affairs as well as numerous professional cameras that can be loaned out.

I have always been interested in documentaries and I love to watch movies like “Bowling for Columbine” or anything made by Ken Burns. This summer I have decided to embark on an adventure through history with my grandparents tentatively titled “Longevity Has It’s Place.” I am really lucky to have all four grandparents and one great-grand parent alive, so I wanted to capture some of their memories and experiences on film. This project should be a great opportunity to spend time with them and learn about transformations they have seen in their lifetimes.

Hope Your Having a Great Summer!
-Paul
ps: feel free to email me if you have questions, pwaters@gwmail.gwu.edu

Summer Progress

It has been a busy few weeks!  The Fourth of July was crazy with two parades and a fireworks show, the campaign was able to reach a lot of people in the district.  It was a lot of fun to have everyone on the campaign come together and walk in the parades handing out literature, candy, stickers, and other information.  We came out in our orange to support Jeff! I definitely got my work out in running up and down the route making sure I hit as many people as possible! (the tan was also a nice added bonus.)

After the busy weekend, I headed up to New York City to meet my family on vacation!  I came into DC to catch a bus in the middle of the night to arrive in NYC around 5 AM.  There are a lot of bus companies that have numerous daily services to NY/Philly such as MegaBus, Bolt Bus, and the China Town buses.  A lot of these have a gradual fare so the first ticket is as low as $1.  It is super easy to get up the NY to visit family, friends, or to just go hang out!

It was great to spend some time in New York.  I was able to go to Ground Zero where they have started building the new buildings to replace the World Trade Center.  I also did plenty of shopping in the fashion district expanding my wardrobe :)  However, the best part was Broadway!  We went to see the revival of West Side Story and it was amazing!  We also stuck around the theater to get autographs from the actors at the stage door so we got to meet some of the most talented people I have ever seen! Despite breaking heat records (it reached 103 degrees in Central Park) I think it was a great trip!

Our next stop was back in Herndon.  After the play we piled into the car and made the trip back down to Virginia.  It was great to have my parents see where I am living/working.  We also made a trip into DC to see the Washington Nationals.  As I have said before, the stadium is beautiful and cheap!  You can get tickets for as low as $5 (and right now if you have a non-winning DC lottery tickets you can get them for free!)  So hopefully I will be able to make it to the Cubs v. Nationals game at the end of August!

Things are gearing up for the beginning of the Fall semester!  With CI over GW is super excited to see everyone back for the school year!  I am already getting emails about the Student Association and Housing and the Political Science Department.

I am so excited to be back on campus!

Remember, if you have any questions please feel free to email me!  I have received a few emails this summer and I am happy to response!

Letter Response

Here's a letter I recently got that I thought I'd share, I have a feeling a lot of you will have similar questions in the coming days, weeks, and months leading up to the fall.

My name is --- and I am about to be a Senior at a high school in Georgia. I was on the GWU website and I came across your amazing blog, and I thought you might be able to help me out a bit. I'm sure you know how difficult the college process is, so every bit of advice would really help. 

1. What is a good SAT/ACT score and GPA? (I know it gives you an idea on different sites like the Princeton Review but I wanted to know straight from a student.) 
2. What would you say is the best part of attending GWU?
3. What are some of the best clubs/organizations available?

MY RESPONSE:

First off, thanks!  Hearing "amazing" in the same sentence as "your blog" is more than enough flattery to swell my head!

And you're right--I do know a lot about the college admissions process.  As an employee as well as a volunteer for GW's admissions office, I'd like to think I've gained a lot of know-how on the topic.  

I'd like to start by saying that schools are definitely weary of giving admissions statistics for some reason, but lucky for you, I was able to find this link with the ballpark range for accepted Freshmen in all of GW's schools:  http://www.gwu.edu/apply/undergraduateadmissions/beforeapplying/freshmanclassprofile

Anything within those grade ranges is more than acceptable, but if you deviate outside that range, don't worry!  I'll use myself as an example: I took both the ACT and the SAT, and I did SIGNIFICANTLY better on the SAT, one might even say I did just "eh" on the ACT.  And my GPA was good, but not a 4.6 or anything ridiculous like that.  So my numbers weren't nearly perfect, yet I got an admission offer and some SWEET scholarships!

As for the best part about GWU, I'd say it's how connected the school is with DC.  GW is the only DC university with a metro stop right on campus (all others have it near or in the same neighborhood, and with most you even have to take a shuttle bus to get to the stop!)  The campus is really urban; it's right smack dab in the middle of everything DC, yet you can still tell very distinctly when you're on campus and when you've ventured off.  It's definitely because of all that that I fell in love with GWU.  And I'm not just selling you a line here, I truly love school.  In fact I'm REALLY missing it and I don't want to be home anymore!  :(

Best clubs?  Well, I'm not sure!  I guess I have to plug Voices for Choices (The Pro-Choice & Sexual Health Awareness Club).  I'm a board member, along with Kim Wollner, another blogger.  However, if that's not your thing, there's a club or student org for literally ANYTHING.  College Democrats is huge on campus, and it probably has the biggest membership, but College Republicans also has a following.  There's even really specific groups like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), The Humane Animal Treatment Society (HATS) and the Fair Trade Society (I think that's what they're called?).  Additionally, there's a bunch of student theatre and a capella groups if you're interested, and there's a club for most every religion or ethnicity.

I always end up writing more than I anticipated on these responses.  I hope you found all this useful, and let me know if you have any other questions or updates!

--- Enjoy it?  Thought so.  Keep emailing!  ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu

News from the Front! GW at a Glance!

Since nothing new is happening in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, I asked my sister Meredith, a rising sophomore at GW, to be a guest blogger. She is staying the summer in working part-time for Mount Vernon Campus Life helping them out with the three day freshman orientation program, Colonial Inauguration.

Greetings from CI 2! I am pleased to be your guest blogger stationed in Washington, DC for the Summer. Amidst the longs days interning and the awesome weekends exploring DC comes four Colonial Inaugurations, GW’s beloved freshman orientation program. I have the pleasure of staffing it from GW’s Mount Vernon Campus as a summer assistant for Mount Vernon Campus Life. We are busiest on Day 2 of CI, where there is a Buff and Blue Barbeque on the Mount Vernon Quad. Students get to the Mount Vernon Campus by taking The Vern Express, which shuttles students between Foggy Bottom and the Mount Vernon Campus and takes about 10 minutes each way. On the Vern, students enjoy the barbeque and get to take advantage of the entire campus. The soccer field is open for pickup games and ultimate Frisbee, and the pool is available as well. Students can hit around at the tennis courts or do arts and crafts under the tent. If the heat is unbearable, Eckles Library is open for students who want to kick back and view movies with their newfound friends. In addition, every residence hall on the Vern is open for tours, including the new Pelham Hall, which will be open in the fall. CI days are super long, but lots of fun. I can’t wait for CI 3 to start on Friday!
Enjoy your summer!

Meredith Waters

A Week In DC!

Hello, all!  I am now reporting from INSIDE THE BELTWAY!

That's right, I'm back in DC!  But only for a week.  I've got a lot of family down here, and this Saturday is my cousin's wedding!  So I decided to come down a week before just to help prepare and to hang out with the family as all the drama is coming to its culmination--sound crazy?  Yeah, it is.  Tensions are a bit high, as this is the first wedding of all my cousins on this side of the family, so everyone's kinda learning the ropes.  It's a bit hectic, but my family is sooooooo much fun to be around, so it's fun to see them amidst the chaos--their true colors come out.  And let me tell you, they are VERY colorful people.

Also, I'm manning the Voices for Choices table at CI.  Voices for Choices is the Planned Parenthood-affiliated pro choice advocacy group on campus, and I'm an executive board member (along with fellow blogger, Kim!).  During the student org fair at CI, I'll have a table set up with our usual fare, including a "keg o condoms" and pamphlets upon pamphlets of free literature.  And stickers!  I'll only be one of a bunch of tables set up to recruit new members and get email addresses for our periodic mailings.  So if you'll be there, stop by!  I'd love to chat!

I love getting email, too--so make my day!  ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu

~~~Shireen

My Campaign

Hey Everyone!

It has been a while since I posted so I figured I would update you on my happenings.

Like I said before,  I am working as a DCCC Campaign Fellow in Northern Virginia.  My race was switched to go from the 11th District to the 10th, but I am still having a blast!  I am learning new campaign computer systems like NationalField and the VAN, getting to know some really great people, and working to get a great guy elected to Congress, Jeff Barnett.  I work long days and a 7 day week, but it will definitely be worth it in the end to see a Democrat win over the 29 year incumbent!

I am living in Herndon, VA in supporter housing which is awesome because I get to get away from the city for a while and have my own room and bathroom!  I don't even get that when I am at my own house!

For all of you going to CI this summer, PREPARE FOR THE HEAT!  I have been out canvassing the past two days and sweat through my clothes within about 20 minutes of stepping outside.

What is everyone else up to this summer? Any cool trips or adventures?

Don't forget to email me at kwollner@gwu.edu!  I love to hear from blog readers!

LSAT

I’m back! I took the entire month of May off to study for the LSAT. I plan on applying to go to Law School in the fall, but I think I will need to take the test again. It’s a major bummer, but I took the SATs three times and I my scores definitely improved from the initial attempt. I can tell you that the LSAT makes the SAT’s seem simple (except for the fill in the blank math section of the SAT).

For the rest of the summer I am interning at the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in my home town of Harrisburg, PA (a very different capital city from DC). At the commission, I am researching cases of discrimination in education throughout the Commonwealth. It’s interesting work and it is funded through the GW Shapiro Public Service Award.
In looking for colleges there are dozens of relevant factors, but I can say that one often overlooked area, even among current students, is undergraduate research and fellowships. GW has numerous amazing programs that provide funding to study everything from nuclear physics to ancient Jewish history. Their website is a bit complex but it’s worth a look anyways: http://www.gwu.edu/~fellcent/.
Coming soon:
A Blog on Summer Activities & a First Hand Look at CI from Meredith, my Little Sister!

The many intricacies of being home.

I realize that I never let y'all in on my summer plans.  I will now take a lesson from Kim and backtrack a bit.  Here goes:

After working at commencement, I really didn't do anything with my May.  We repainted my bedroom at home, I visited my old high school, I caught up with friends, romped around NYC a bit (as evidenced by my last post), and pretty much just hung around.

Now, I'm beginning a campaign internship with my local congressional representative, Congresswoman Nita Lowey (NY-18).  She's the one I interned for on the Hill this past spring.  I'm really excited to gain some campaign experience and to continue working for Mrs. Lowey, as I loved working in her DC office.

Additionally, I'm hoping to hone my language skills this summer, as I'm starting up again with both French and Farsi.  I haven't taken French since high school, and I couldn't take Farsi this past semester because the timing conflicted with my internship.  So I basically need to learn level 2 in that, along with re-learning a whole lotta French!  But I'm optimistic.  It shouldn't be too bad, right?

Email me!  Wish me luck!  ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu

<3 Shireen

My Fleet Week Blog!

For the unordained, here's how it goes:  Fleet Week is a magical time each year when the incomparably lovely New York City hosts the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.  It leads up to Memorial day, when the biggest events are held, but I went the day before with my cousin to avoid the REALLY bad crowds, though the touristy areas were packed as ever.  Times Square--oy.

We didn't take part in the traditional Fleet Week activities, like touring the ships or visiting the Intrepid museum, but we were able to see the Navy Band Northeast in Times Square!  That of course was fantastic, but other than that my day of Fleet Weeking was rather unconventional, other than multiple midshipmen sightings!

One highlight of the day was the Taiwanese cultural festival in Union Square.  I love the Union Square area, and I didn't know much about Taiwanese food or culture, so it was a great experience!  Plus, my cousin loves all things Asian.  And we were NOT disappointed.  The food was sooooooo good!  Bubble tea and this funky shaved ice thing and bamboo tamales!  Very different from anything I was used to, but really really yummy.  I'd highly recommend that you all go try Taiwanese fare.

I didn't take many pictures, but there was a guy at the festival doing sand drawings which was really interesting to me:

Also, a view of the park:

And that's really it!  My cousin took better pictures but she didn't post them yet and she probably won't for about six months, so--sorry!  Email if ya wanna, I promise I'll respond more promptly than I'm blogging these days!  ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu

~~~Shireen