Taylor - Cal Poly Pomona - Class of 2009

I love to cook, and my dream is to own and manage a restaurant. I might have been happy going straight to a culinary school, but my parents, my counselor and my high school environment all pointed me to college. So I wanted to get a college education and at the same time develop my culinary and business skills.

Combining college and cooking

I started out in the summer before my senior year looking online for schools that offered hospitality, culinary, and business management programs. Purdue and Cal Poly Pomona were the most highly ranked, so they were at the top of my list. I applied to other top colleges, like the University of Houston and Las Vegas. The rest of my applications went to a few state colleges that looked interesting, but these were not at the top of my list. The more prestigious the school in my field, the more I wanted to attend, because the opportunities were better.

Visiting pays off

When I visited, I found that every campus was completely different. The smaller schools made me feel more welcome and helped me feel more at home. They were not as overwhelming. Although many students find large campuses exciting, I felt like just a number.

I paid attention to how well organized the campus was. Cal Poly Pomona had an open house event that was well run. The people were really nice and couldn't wait to show me everything. I felt completely at home there.

I wanted a top culinary and hospitality program, and I got that in Pomona. Except for Purdue, the other colleges just weren't as competitive in those areas. Purdue was too spread out for me, and I liked the Pomona environment much better.

My ups and downs

Even with tutoring and a test prep class, my SAT scores did not change. This was very frustrating. I am just not a good test taker. My grades are much better in comparison with the scores.

When I visited Cal Poly Pomona after I applied, I talked with an admissions person who looked at my application online. That person told me I probably would not get in. Even my dad and my counselor thought I would not get in.

My Pomona acceptance was the last to arrive, so you can image how difficult it was to wait for it. I was so happy when I got in!

What I learned

One of my friends applied to 26 schools because she had no idea where she wanted to go or what she wanted to study. She actually visited every single campus! She did not have a life for her entire senior year. I think it is very difficult to choose among so many schools. You should do the work to narrow down your choices before applying.

Colleges are very different from each other. What matters is to choose a school that feels good and which allows you to get a good education.

Applying for scholarships and filling out the FAFSA can pay off. Many students don't this. There is a lot of money out there to help for college.

The money factor

My parents and grandmother are paying most of the cost. I do have $4,500 in scholarship money. Next year I will take out a loan and do work-study.