Senior Jenna Williams plans to attend college at the University of Miami

Q: What college will you be attending?

A: I was accepted and will most likely be attending the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. 

Q: Why did you decide to go there?

A: The University of Miami has been my first choice school since sophomore year. This is a very prestigious school only accepting about 25%-30% of the students who apply each year. I originally found out about UM on an Instagram ad. I thought the campus was so pretty, and I started to look into the school more. When I did more research, I found that Miami was a private school which means no out of state tuition. I also found out that the University of Miami was ranked very high for their nursing program and the third best nursing school in Florida. I visited the campus in the summer before my sophomore year and knew that was where I belonged. I continued to take honors and AP classes to help my chance of acceptance. 

Q: What are you majoring in or planning on studying in?

A:  I was accepted directly into the SONHS (School of Nursing and Health Studies) and will be a nursing major. However, I have a strong interest in aviation studies and will most likely minor in Aerospace Studies. 

Q: Will you be participating in sports/extracurricular activities?

A: At the University of Miami, I plan to join the club golf team and possibly try out for the cheerleading team at some point. I also hope to join academic clubs related to my major.

Q: What excites you the most about college?

A: I am the most excited about personal growth in college, especially since I will be moving out of state. I am also really eager to find out what my passion and purpose is in life and whether or not that leads me to continue with the major I have selected or possibly choose another one. I am very excited to make many new friends and experience the world in a whole new way as well. 

Q: Is there anything about college that intimidates you?

A:  I would say the most intimidating thing about college goes hand and hand with what I am the most excited for. I often worry “what if I don’t like my major” or “how will I find what I am really passionate about” and even sometimes “what if I can’t make close friends” but I just remind myself that everyone is new in the freshman class and I am not the only one who thinks this way.

Q: What other colleges were you looking at as other options?

A: Another college that I was and still am considering is Saint Francis University. This school is also at the top of my list for several reasons. First of all, I would be a part of the cheerleading team at the university. Secondly, they offer the opportunity to study nursing and also get your private pilots license which is something I have always wanted to do. Lastly, SFU is also ranked high for their nursing program with a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX. I would also save lots of money on traveling. 

Q: Why did you think this college was the best choice for you? What about the school interested you?

A: I think that the University of Miami is the best choice for me based on the reaction that I had when opening my acceptance letter. I also think it is the right choice because this school has remained my first choice now for several years. The choices that I made when scheduling my classes and staying up late every night to study were done for the entire purpose of getting into the University of Miami and seeing that my dream came true, I think it will be hard for me to live it down. However, SFU is also still on my mind. 

Q: How do you feel about senior year ending so soon?

A: This year is very special to me. This will be the first year that I completed the entire school year in person since 9th grade due to Covid.  It is hard to believe that my first full year in high school is going to be my last. I will miss it so much. I will miss the sports and extracurriculars the most. 

Q: What do you think will be the biggest difference between high school and college?

A:  I think the biggest difference between high school and college will certainly be how I study and manage my time. I think that although I will have harder classes in college, the amount of free time will allow me to take more away from my studies and hopefully get more sleep!