Claire - Johns Hopkins University - Class of 2013

I have always felt a strong affinity for animals. After three years of working at a veterinary hospital, I knew I wanted to continue to promote their health and quality of life as a veterinarian.

Narrowing my pool of college choices

My top priority was finding a top-ranked college that would prepare me for veterinary school. I also wanted small-to-medium-sized classes so I could get individual attention from professors, a pretty campus not in the middle of a city, and really friendly people. I figured that if the college kids were nice to the visiting high-schoolers, they must be at least decent to each other.

I picked colleges by looking at average SAT and ACT scores from their most recent freshmen classes. Comparing their scores with mine, I separated schools into "reach," "match," and "safety" schools. Next, I applied my location test: close but not too close. I wanted to come home with ease but I did not want parents "dropping in" whenever they wanted. Looking at the size of the undergraduate population and the average class size helped me shrink the pool of choices even more.

Johns Hopkins rises to the top

My dad and I spent April vacation traveling down the East Coast, looking at colleges on my list and deciding which ones were worth the application fee. Being able to actually visit the campuses was an integral part of my decision-making process. I found several schools that had the right amount of students, interesting campuses, and people who seemed very pleased to be there. This was especially true at Johns Hopkins. Our tour guide was so enthusiastic that my father and I both fell in love with the place. I was convinced that the beautiful Hopkins campus was perfect for me. And all the happy people I saw couldn't all be pretending all the time! I applied for an early decision, so when I was accepted there, I could not have been happier!

I believe I stood out to Johns Hopkins because I showed a deep commitment to being a veterinarian, such as volunteering at a maritime aquarium and an animal hospital for three years. My orchestra commitment showed the colleges I have a few other things up my sleeve. Also, meeting with the preveterinary advisor at Hopkins helped tremendously because she put in a few good words for me during the admissions process.

My ups and downs

The most challenging part of the application process was finding time to actually write the essays. I had to write 11 essays, one for each application. I recommend beginning the writing before senior year actually starts. I had six essays done at that point, so I didn't go completely crazy when school started. I have friends who didn't start early and were completely swamped with schoolwork and college applications.

The most satisfying part of the process was being done. When I submitted the last application and had nothing more to do other than wait to be accepted somewhere, it was a huge weight off my shoulders.

What I learned

Don't wait until the end of summer, or (heaven forbid!) the start of school, to find colleges you want to apply to or to start working on your applications. Otherwise you will face crazy days and sleepless nights as you rush to apply to your dream schools. Don't wait, make it happen!

The money factor

My parents are paying for most of my college tuition, but I have been searching for scholarships since junior year and have been awarded almost $17,000 in outside scholarships, which makes it easier for my mom and dad to think about funding my education.