Senior Insights

How has Key prepared you for college?

Key has given me confidence and precision of expression, allowing me to develop and pursue my interests in collaboration with my peers.

Intended area of study/Academic interests

Atmospheric Science

Looking back over the past year or so, what stands out as the most important thing/s you did to find a college?

The key to my college process was weighing my criteria. I reflected on how important each aspect was to me, both personally and logistically.

Now that you are done, what advice do you have for juniors and their parents as they embark on their college search?

Don’t let a single criteria bottleneck your search.  If I had not agreed to entertain the possibility of a northern school because of the weather, I would never have found my match now. Leave yourself open to possibilities, especially as you are still growing.

How did you make a decision about what college to attend?  

Being on campus and experiencing the feel of the place ultimately cemented my final choice.  Seeing a school in motion is the best way to experience it and discover its values.  The moment I explored my campus I knew that I had found the right college.

What were you most looking for in a college when you started your search? What ended up being most important as you made your final decision?

When I started my search, I was most focused on program. Making my final decision, however, came down to the people. I saw myself reflected in the community, with a place to be challenged, collaborate, and grow.

What did you find most helpful about the college advising process at Key?

Key is an incredible support network throughout the process.  When exploring my options, I knew which values I was looking for in a school, and Key helped me understand how these might be shown in the real world.  They grounded my search while I honed my ideals.

What will you miss the most about Key?

I will miss Key’s culture of close relationships. I have truly bonded with both peers and faculty over my years, and hope to carry these connections through college.

How has Key prepared you for college?

Key’s civilizations curriculum makes me feel prepared for 4 years of college-level humanities. Since freshman year, I’ve been held to a high standard regarding not only the quality of my essays, but also the nuance with which I examine primary source documents.  

Intended area of study/Academic interests?

I intend to major in Political Science and minor in French and Francophone Studies, with a possible concentration in International Relations.

Looking back over the past year or so, what stands out as the most important thing/s you did to find a college?

My biggest requirement throughout my college search was finding a campus within a city. I value the community and safety and “college experience” that comes with a traditional campus, but I’ve always wanted to experience the culture and opportunity that comes with living in a big city. When choosing what school to attend, that requirement remained at the forefront, but affordability was definitely the most important thing. 

Columbia was always my dream school, and choosing to apply early decision was the easiest decision I've ever made. I always loved the campus, the location, the diversity, the academic rigor, the post-grad opportunities, etc. It felt like the only school for me.

Now that you are done, what advice do you have for juniors and their parents as they embark on their college search?

My advice to current juniors would be:

1. Continue to improve academically. Junior year (and the beginning of senior year) grades are what colleges will be looking at the most. 

2. Ask yourself what sets you apart. College essays and interviews aren’t about listing your accomplishments. They’re about showing the reader who you are and what makes you unique.

My advice for parents would be:

1. Let your child take control of this process. My parents were always there for support, but this was my journey. Know that this is your child’s future and they need to truly understand what they’re getting themselves into.

How did you make a decision about what college to attend?  

I talked to a lot of my older friends about their college search and asked them what they most enjoy about where they ended up.

What did you find most helpful about the college advising process at Key?

I found the college application summer workshop to be the most helpful advising tool throughout my college process. It was not only an opportunity to sit down for a couple hours and crank out the Common App, but also a place to practice my interview skills and dive into the aspects of myself that needed to appear at the center of my application.

What will you miss the most about Key?

What I’ll miss most about Key is the close-knit community. Going from a high school of less than 200 to a college of over 6,000 will be such a leap. Although I’m excited to meet a bunch of new people and take advantage of all of the opportunities that come with larger student bodies, I’ll miss being in a place where we all know each other.

How has Key prepared you for college?

I know most people are going to talk about things like the student-to-teacher relationship, or self advocacy, etc., which are all really important. But I think something Key alums often overlook is just how much Key truly teaches you how to think in a critical way. We are expected to draw connections, themes, and motifs from so many different disciplines and combine them into one cohesive idea. That is a way of thinking that won’t only translate to college, but to life. 

Intended area of study/Academic interests

Major: Mathematics 

Minor: Philosophy and Economics

Looking back over the past year or so, what stands out as the most important thing/s you did to find a college?

Starting to get a sense of what you prioritize in terms of your college search. That can be location, prestige, specific programs, social atmosphere, diversity, etc. Once I began vaguely ranking what was most important to me, finding a college became much easier. 

Now that you are done, what advice do you have for juniors and their parents as they embark on their college search?

Breathe and trust the process, because it’s a long and arduous one. Also, ask a lot of questions (Laura will tell you how many times I’d ask her questions).

How did you make a decision about what college to attend?  

Saying to myself, "Jaeden, where will your needs be met?" That means your academic needs, your social needs, and your financial needs. Luckily, when I was making my final decision, I was at a position where the difference in what a school offered me academically and financially was virtually negligible. So I had to ask myself what environment did I want to be in? When I chose Stanford, I thought, I’ve never been to west, it’d be a new experience for me, the weather is great, the atmosphere is energetic, the student body is diverse and collaborative, the black alumni network is deep, should I go on?

What were you most looking for in a college when you started your search? What ended up being most important as you made your final decision?

I’m going to be completely transparent and say that I was definitely looking for prestige at first (a close second was being in a city though). I knew I was a competitive applicant and I wanted my college to reflect that. In the end though, my decision wasn’t really based on prestige as much as it was based on environment and social atmosphere. I had to put my ego to the side and consider where do I truly see myself not only as a student, but as a person!

What did you find most helpful about the college advising process at Key?

The constant communication between the advisors and students. The frequent check-ins, milestone reminders and progress reports made it so much easier to navigate the mess that is college application season. 

What will you miss the most about Key?

I’ve tried to be unorthodox in almost all my answers, but for this question I have to be clichè and say the tight-knit community. Whether it be from student-to-student, student-to-teacher, student-to-advisor, etc. Never once at Key did I feel like a number. I constantly felt like my place in the school was reaffirmed by everyone around me, and that is something that I will certainly miss.

How has Key prepared you for college?

Key has helped prepare me for college both academically and mentally. Key has taught me how to push myself within my academics and how to manage my time successfully. Key’s civilization course had challenged me like no other class before but allowed me to grow the most. From my first day at Key in 7th grade until now, my writing skills have been pushed to the limit and I can now say, I feel confident about the work I put out. The biggest gift you can ever give a young mind is the opportunity to learn and obtain knowledge and Key has done exactly that. I have been able to take classes I genuinely love and learn information that is going to help me in my college life. I am extremely thankful for how much Key has prepared me for college and it could not be possible without Key’s community.

Intended area of study/Academic interests?

My major and intended area of study will be Business Management. Over the past two summers, I have had the opportunity to work for my dad and learn the in and outs of the business world. I have a huge interest in sports analytics and management. During my senior year, I did an independent study on the Business of Sports Marketing and Management. I was able to interview different people that related to my study and learn the importance of business in the sports industry. I am continuing my love of sports into my senior project as I am interviewing sports analysts, NFL coaches, and social media relations assistants.

Looking back over the past year or so, what stands out as the most important thing/s you did to find a college?

Looking back over the past year, I learned that touring the campus and doing online research was the most important thing in finding a college. I enjoyed watching YouTube videos and looking through social media platforms for information. It was very important that I found a school where I could see myself, not just purely based on academics.

Now that you are done, what advice do you have for juniors and their parents as they embark on their college search?

Make sure to communicate and be open! This can be a stressful time but it is important to express your feelings and have honest conversations about what you are looking for. The college process goes by extremely fast, and the sooner you start it the less stress you will have. I highly recommend taking Laura’s summer workshop and to use your time wisely during that week. You can get a lot completed during that time, and trust me when I say you will feel better knowing that you are already ahead of the game!

How did you make a decision about what college to attend?

I knew the minute I had talked with people about Providence College and toured the campus that it was the school for me. Walking around the campus with my family provided me with a similar sense of community that Key has. I loved that it has a civilization program and strong teacher/student relationships. I love the location of the school and being a big Patriots fan, I knew I was in the right place!

What were you most looking for in a college when you started your search? What ended up being most important as you made your final decision?

When I first started my college research, I was looking for a school with a strong business program, a tight-knit community, and located on the east coast. I made a spreadsheet with all the colleges I was interested in and compared them to one another. On paper, I loved them all, but it was not until I toured each one I was finally able to see where I should be.

What did you find most helpful about the college advising process at Key?

Laura was the biggest help throughout my college application process. She was always there to give me advice and listen when I would rant about what I was looking for in a college. I feel really fortunate to have someone like Laura who has so much knowledge regarding colleges and what colleges are looking for nowadays. Being able to openly communicate my thoughts and feelings toward Laura during a stressful time was able to put me at ease. Laura and all my teachers were able to guide me each step of the way and I knew that I could reach out to any of them throughout my college application process.

What will you miss the most about Key?

I am going to miss the community and outdoor education the most. I love being able to walk around campus, seeing familiar faces, and engaging in conversations along the way. Key is built on a strong sense of community and it allows me to feel at home. I am going to miss all the amazing relationships I have formed with my teachers and the grades below me. Most of all, I'm going to miss the outdoor education trips that created some of my favorite memories and highlights in life. I never thought I would be one to say I love camping, but when it is spent with people you love it truly makes the difference. The outdoor ed trips taught me life skills that will help me in the future and I hope in years after we all graduate my grade can reunite to do one last camping trip!

How has Key prepared you for college?

Key really taught me how to self advocate. I think that having the ability to speak up for myself and ask for clarification when needed helped me in the college application process and will continue to help me as I navigate the very new and unfamiliar setting that is college. I also think that it has helped me build relationships with teachers and various other people, which is an important skill that I will take with me to college and beyond. 

Intended area of study/Academic interests

I’m planning to study business (maybe entrepreneurship) and psychology.

Looking back over the past year or so, what stands out as the most important thing/s you did to find a college?

1. I found that visiting schools in person was really helpful. You’d be really surprised how much location, weather, campus feel, etc., can affect how much you like a place. Use your fall senior visit days to your advantage! If you visit while school is in session, you can observe what daily student life is like and get a sense of whether or not the community is a good fit for you. 

2. Really take a lot of time to reflect on yourself as a person and a student. Ask yourself: what kind of environment do you thrive in, academically and personally? 

Now that you are done, what advice do you have for juniors and their parents as they embark on their college search?

Parents: Remember that this is not about you. Your job is to be a support for your child, whether that be emotional, moral, research or something else, not to figure anything out for them. 

Students:

1. You’re going to make mistakes along the way. Don’t panic. Almost everything is fixable; you just have to advocate for yourself. 

2. Apply to places you genuinely see yourself happy at, not just what names sound the coolest or where your parents really want you to go. It’s not worth wasting time, money, and energy on an application to a school you don’t really care about going to when all of that could be spent on schools you really do want to go to (it sounds like obvious advice, but a surprising amount of people go overboard in this stage of the college process).

How did you make a decision about what college to attend?  

Since all of the schools I applied to were ones I could see myself at, I really just thought about where I could get the most diverse experiences for the best monetary deal (the most bang for your buck, if you will). 

What were you most looking for in a college when you started your search? What ended up being most important as you made your final decision?

Because my intended major is so common, I didn’t have to worry too much about what schools offered my major. For me, looking for a college was not only about looking for a school that I was going to spend the next four years of my life in, but also a home. I needed to be in an environment that I would thrive in both inside and outside of the classroom. For me, that was a large school with an urban campus setting–somewhere I would get to have a variety of experiences and meet lots of diverse people. In the end, when it came to decision time, I looked at what school would give me the most diverse and unique experiences.

What did you find most helpful about the college advising process at Key?

I found Laura’s support, both emotional and writing, to be super helpful. She made the process a lot less overwhelming by giving me honest advice on my essays and by keeping me level headed when things got complicated. 

What will you miss the most about Key?

The teachers I was able to build relationships with over the past several years.

How has Key prepared you for college?

Key has prepared me for college by not teaching me what to think, but teaching me how to think. I feel prepared to take on the rigorous levels of critical thinking college requires. 

Intended area of study/Academic interests

Philosophy, History, Urban Planning, International Relations. 

Looking back over the past year or so, what stands out as the most important thing/s you did to find a college?

It may not be the easiest for everyone, but traveling to the schools you are interested in and discovering the school's vibe is extremely important. Also, having fun with the process completely opens up your mind and options. 

Now that you are done, what advice do you have for juniors and their parents as they embark on their college search?

Since this process is so time-intensive, give it as much time and thought as possible. 

How did you make a decision about what college to attend?  

I revisited the two schools I was primarily interested in, and after my revisits, I sat with my thoughts and let the recency bias wear off. I think for some people it comes immediately, but for others (including me) it takes serious concentration and thought which necessitates time. 

What were you most looking for in a college when you started your search? What ended up being most important as you made your final decision?

The primary aspect I looked for in a college was a culture of intellectual curiosity as opposed to a heavily pre-professional school. In the end, I prioritized what kind of freedoms I wanted in both the curriculum and location. 

What did you find most helpful about the college advising process at Key?

Laura's availability! I will never forget in junior year when she would text our GroupMe and say she was answering questions outside. I found those sessions so helpful and informative. It also helped me build my relationship with Laura. 

What will you miss the most about Key?

The incredibly close-knit community and the consistently small seminar-style classes.

How has Key prepared you for college?

Key has prepared me for college by fostering independence, communication skills, and self-advocacy. The discussion-based classes, open-ended assignments, and opportunities (such as independent studies, senior projects, etc.) taught me how to think creatively and persuasively convey my opinions and arguments. Key's biggest strength is the student-teacher relationships. Talking with adults and communicating effectively is one of the most important life skills and is crucial to the college process and beyond. Overall, for me, Key has acted as a "mini-college" experience, and I feel incredibly well prepared for college. My biggest advice is to utilize all the opportunities and relationships Key can offer.

Intended area of study/Academic interests?

I'm planning on studying media management with a minor in screenwriting and psychology at the University of Miami. I am interested in the creation of characters within television, specifically behavioral motivations, patterns in television, and what makes characters within media successful.

Looking back over the past year or so, what stands out as the most important thing/s you did to find a college?

The most important thing I did to find a college was my meeting with Laura and the University of Miami advisor. I almost didn't go (it was on Halloween), but I believe that meeting was not only a huge deciding factor for me, but the college as well. The class had a weird year with limited opportunities to visit schools because of the pandemic. Therefore, we did a lot of visits centered around wherever we happened to be. Even if it's not a college that you are particularly interested in, visiting schools can help you find what you want and don't want in your college experience. My biggest regret while making my decision was not visiting as many schools as possible.

Now that you are done, what advice do you have for juniors and their parents as they embark on their college search?

My biggest advice is to utilize all opportunities that Key offers. Go to the meetings with college counselors when they visit Key in the fall of senior year and make relationships with your teachers! You will find a college that works for you, and it's okay to skip the tour because you know it's not the place for you. Don't limit yourself to one specific type of school or size, and look at as many as possible to find what you like. Finally, take a deep breath. People say this all the time, and it annoyed me, but you will get in somewhere, and any opportunity is what you make of it.

How did you make a decision about what college to attend?  

Honestly, I had no idea where I wanted to go. I applied to vastly different schools and was vaguely indifferent. I didn't know what I wanted. After receiving most of my decisions, I called my best friend in Connecticut and told her my options. She let me drone on about all of my schools and afterward looked at me and said, "It's Miami." I loved the program, the academic style, the city, and the social element; it was the only one that I couldn't stop smiling throughout. One of the best ways to decide is to just talk about it (everything from location, size, classes, social elements, etc.) and have someone who has no dog in the hunt (aka probably not your parents or someone who went to one of the schools) tell you which one you seemed most excited about. If you are disappointed in their choice, you know your answer about the school and vice versa. It sounds moderately unconventional, but sometimes you need other people to bring out your true opinions beyond school names or reputations.

What were you most looking for in a college when you started your search? What ended up being most important as you made your final decision?

I was mostly looking for a different social experience from Key. I love Key, and I love my friends, but I knew I wanted something different for my time at college. Originally, I was afraid of looking at larger schools and thought I wanted something academically similar, but as my search progressed, I realized what I really wanted was a larger pool of people and opportunities. I know we are supposed to say academics, but I think you can get a great education in most places. What is most valuable, at least to me, is building connections. 

What did you find most helpful about the college advising process at Key?

The most valuable part of the college advising process at Key is the access to college admission counselors from schools across the country. Being a small school, we have the opportunity to gain personal relationships with the admission counselors, which can be crucial to your decision on both ends.  

What will you miss the most about Key?

I will most miss my class and teachers. We are very close and bonded in a way that I haven't seen in any other school. My critical school experience was incredibly unique and exciting, and I'm delighted that this is where I was able to spend my last fifteen years.

How has Key prepared you for college?

Key has prepared me for college by strengthening my work ethic, time management, and independence as a student. Key has also taught me to work with others effectively. One word that was ubiquitous on college applications was collaboration. Schools want to know that a student can work with others in class, not just excel on their own. Key incorporates collaboration into the curriculum, from hands-on labs in groups of two or three to editing each other’s essays and giving feedback. Furthermore, Key’s small class sizes have allowed me to develop strong relationships with my teachers. This practice from early on will make my transition to college easier.

Intended area of study/Academic interests

I plan to major in Chemical Engineering and minor in Music Theory.

Looking back over the past year or so, what stands out as the most important thing/s you did to find a college?

Some of the most important things I did to find a college was to take campus tours virtually and in-person. Additionally, I attended summer programs for pre-college students at Georgia Tech and Cornell. Staying on campus at Georgia Tech allowed me to experience whether I would like to stay close to home or far away for college. Taking a writing course at Cornell helped me to test my ability to perform at the college level. I really enjoyed those experiences and strongly recommend them to students looking to find a college that is right for them.

Now that you are done, what advice do you have for juniors and their parents as they embark on their college search?

My advice for juniors and their parents is to really invest your time into the exercises and activities Laura asks you to do. Not only are they essential to having a smooth college process, but you learn more about yourself and your junior throughout. These exercises help bring out who you are as a person in a concise way and formulate your application. In addition, my mom attended the college meetings and learned a lot from the recommended authors that Laura shared with the parents. Those resources helped her guide me through my senior year.

How did you make a decision about what college to attend?  

For me, I fell in love with the Cornell campus on my first visit. I applied early decision and put my all into the application. I was very fortunate that it worked out.

What were you most looking for in a college when you started your search? What ended up being most important as you made your final decision?

I was most looking for a college that had a strong engineering program and allowed students the flexibility to explore other programs and concentrations. Research with faculty was also top on my list.

What did you find most helpful about the college advising process at Key?

I loved that Laura gives students a personalized guide to getting through the college process smoothly. Laura sat down with my parents and I and helped me outline the work I had done throughout high school. We developed a strategy to highlight my strengths. I also really liked that Laura had a summer workshop prior to senior year where I was able to get a head start on my common app essay and application. She gives us tools, one on one feedback, and brings in alumni to help guide us through the process. She also set up individual mock interviews with current college counselors, so we were prepared for interviews in the fall.

What will you miss the most about Key?

I will miss the community the most. I am so grateful for all the relationships I formed and am so thankful to have so many mentors to look up to.