Who Gets In? They got in

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Compiled by Monica Haynes and Eleanor Chute, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

So who gets in anyway? These nine students from public school districts, Catholic schools and a charter school are among those who already have been admitted to college for next fall.

They've won admission to private universities such as Yale and Duke and state schools such as the Penn State and Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.

Their stories show that students are winning college admission with a variety of grades, SAT college entrance exam scores, activities and Advanced Placement and honors courses.

Student: Breylon Clifford, 17, Clairton


	Breylon Clifford

School: Clairton High School.
Accepted to: Penn State University at University Park, Robert Morris University, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Bethany College, Waynesburg College and New England College in Henniker, N.H.
Plans to attend: Robert Morris or Penn State
SAT: 870 of 1600 on old SAT.
GPA: 3.8
Honors/AP classes: AP comparative government; AP English.
Activities: Varsity football, Junior ROTC, Penn State Talent Search, National Honor Society, French Club, History Club. Works at Krispy Kreme.
Major/career field: Sports management or engineering
Important thing about the application process: "Including all extracurricular activities. It shows you're involved in other things and you still find time to maintain good grades while having a job and playing sports."

Student: Jessica Stein, 18, Carrick


	Jessica Stein

School: Carrick High School
Accepted to: Allegheny College, Bethany College, West Virginia Wesleyan College, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
Plans to go: Undecided
SAT: 1840 of 2400 on the new SAT
GPA: 4.0
Honors/AP classes: AP English, AP chemistry, AP calculus, AP U.S. history, also has taken classes in the Centers for Advanced Studies since sophomore year.
Activities: National Honor Society, varsity softball, varsity volleyball, altar server at St. Basil's Church, Carrick, softball for Pittsburgh Spirit, played softball in Europe Cup in Holland.
Major/career field: Undecided. Considering becoming a high school math teacher or an engineer.
Important thing about the application process: "Challenge yourself with AP classes your junior and senior years. Take the AP classes, stay involved in your community, play sports."

Student: Anna Miskis Neilson, 17, Knoxville


	Anna Miskis Neilson

School: City Charter High School
Accepted to: Duquesne University, Washington & Jefferson College and Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Plans to attend: Duquesne
SAT: 1670 of 2400 on new SAT
GPA: 4.17
Honors/AP classes: Honors physics, honors calculus, honors moral dilemmas, honors introduction to drama, financial accounting at Community College of Allegheny County.
Activities: National Honor Society secretary, school store salesperson, school office worker, volleyball, ballet, jazz, Pittsburgh Area Slovaks dance troupe, works in South Side Hospital gift shop
Major/career field: Special education teacher
Important thing about the application process: "It's important to be neat and organized and to make sure you have the right deadlines and dates. Be accurate about QPA (grades), classes and have a good essay."

Student: Kana Hatakeyama, 17, Squirrel Hill


	Kana Hatakeyama

School: Allderdice High School.
Accepted to: University of Pittsburgh, main campus; Emory University in Atlanta
Waiting to hear from: Stanford University, Pomona College, University of Southern California, Duke University, Washington University in St. Louis, New York University, Columbia University, Yale University
SAT: 1570 of 1600 on the old SAT.
GPA: 4.0
Honors/AP classes: AP English, AP French, AP European history, AP statistics, AP physics, took classes in the Centers for Advanced Studies from freshman year.
Activities: School musical, chorus, tennis team, math team, Key Club, National Honor Society, volunteer at Ten Thousand Villages, attends Pittsburgh Japanese School and performing arts classes at Point Park University.
Major/career field: Sociology or cultural anthropology.
Important thing about the application process: "Really thinking and reflecting on what you really want from a college experience and not just doing it because your parents want you to."

Student: Marc Perez, 18, of Penn Township


	Marc Perez

School: Greensburg Central Catholic
Accepted to: Duke University, University of Notre Dame, Boston College
Plans to attend: Duke University
SAT: 1580 of 1600 on old SAT
GPA: 4.07
Honors/AP courses: Calculus II through Penn State, AP biology, AP chemistry, AP U.S. history, AP English, Spanish IV
Activities: National Honor Society officer, academic quiz team, golf, hockey and lacrosse
Major/career field: Undecided
Important thing about the application process: "Details, deadlines and essays."

Student: Lily Steiner


	Lily Steiner

School: Winchester Thurston School
Accepted to: Haverford College
Plans to attend: Haverford College
SAT: 2030 of 2400 on the new SAT
GPA: 3.99
Honors/AP courses: AP European history, AP American history, two AP English courses, AP calculus AB, AP Spanish.
Activities: Field hockey, sports editor of yearbook, National Honor Society, Amnesty International member, played police officer in "Pirates of Penzance" in 10th grade, school dance ensemble, piano lessons for 10 years, volunteered at Center for Creative Play, ran a one-week camp for children at home; baby-sits and pet sits; summer apartment janitor.
Major/career field: Undecided
Important thing about the application process: "I think the biggest thing for me was visiting the campus of the schools because it really gave me a good idea. I learned I didn't like half the schools I thought I would because I didn't like the way the campus felt."

Student: Margaret Blume, 16, of Fox Chapel


	Margaret Blume

School: Aquinas Academy in Hampton
Accepted to: Yale University. Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University, Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va.
Waiting to hear from: Princeton University, Vanderbilt University, Washington University in St. Louis, Davidson College in North Carolina, University of Chicago, Christendom College in Front Royal, Va.
SAT: 2370 of 2400 on new SAT
GPA: 4.44
Honors/AP classes: AP European history, AP U.S. history, AP statistics, AP Latin: Virgil; AP physics B (earned a 5 on AP exams in those five subjects); taking AP government, AP literature, AP calculus AB, AP Latin literature.
Activities: Former student government president, choir, field hockey, basketball, earned honorable mention twice in the Pittsburgh Public Theater Shakespeare competition.
Major/career field: Teaching English, the humanities and the classics in college.
Important thing about the application process: "I think in the fall it's very important to stay organized and get it done and work hard. After you've sent it in, just understand that it's out of your hands and enjoy your senior year."

Student: ShaQuayla Hill, 18, Homewood


	ShaQuayla Hill

School: Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts
Accepted to: Johns Hopkins University.
Plans to attend: Johns Hopkins University
Honors/AP classes: AP music theory, Center for Advanced Studies classes.
SAT: 1590 of 2400 on new SAT
GPA: 3.85
Activities: Senior class vice president, National Honor Society member, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Pittsburgh Poison competitive cheerleading team, Student Conversation Association.
Major/career field: Biology, then pre-med.
Important thing about the application process: "In trying to write the application essays, stay as true to yourself as you possibly can. You have to show them who you are through those essays."

Student: Adam Hambrick, 18, of McCandless


	Adam Hambrick

School: North Allegheny
Accepted to: Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, Allegheny College, California University of Pennsylvania, Washington & Jefferson College, Ashland University in Ohio.
Plans to attend: Ashland or Slippery Rock, which is offering a full tuition, board of governor's scholarship.
SAT: 1740 of 2400 on new SAT
GPA: 3.45
Honors/AP classes: honors East Asia studies, honors anatomy, AP biology.
Activities: Football, co-president of Multicultural Student Union, peer mediator.
Major/career field: Physical therapy or pharmaceutical sales.
Important thing about the application process: "Writing a good essay, just letting them know who you are and what you're about."

First published on February 15, 2006 at 12:00 am