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FOCUS COLLEGE FOCUS 18 My Childhood Roommate by Marissa, Grand Junction, CO Eight Years To Go I was five when I began counting down the years until my sister would move out. Don’t get me wrong – I love her. I love her like I love the winter coat crammed in my closet; it’s great when the temperature is below freezing and I need it to keep me warm, but every other day it takes up half the space in my closet and I’m tempted to slash it into a million pieces. Since my sister is four years older, as a child, I thought she was the wisest person I knew. She took full advantage of this. Any story she told (like the one about the cat who gave birth to a chicken) was 100 percent true: the boogeyman really would kidnap me if I didn’t sleep under the covers, and when we played Scrabble, the word that scored her 36 points, confuzzled, was actually in the dictionary (just the newer edition we didn’t have). Along with the stories of me being adopted and all our relatives being able to do magic except me, my sister convinced me of another reason why I didn’t belong in the family. I had always been perplexed why my sister and mom both had striking strawberry blond hair while mine was dark. “That’s because Mom had an accident on your head when you were born,” my lovely sister reasoned. I washed my hair 100 times that week. Six Years To Go As a younger sister, I never once received first dibs on the chocolate cake batter spoon; I never got to be teacher when we played school, or be Beauty when we acted out our favorite Disney movie; riding I couldn’t wait for my sister to move out shotgun was completely out of the question. Sharing a room, however, caused the most problems. My sister must have failed basic math because the tape that separated our room clearly did not split it in half. It was more like 90/10. Guess who had the bigger slice. My “half,” however, included the closet. I assumed this gave me full reign over the clothes inside. Wrong. One day while my sister was gone (most likely torturing some other innocent person), I decided to try on her new Old Navy overalls with the rhinestone straps. I slipped into the two-sizes-too-big outfit and ran into the bathroom where I admired myself in the mirror, pretending to be flirting with Josh, the love of my life (that week, anyway). Far from my daydreaming mind, footsteps echoed down the hall. “What do you think you’re doing?” The words tingled down my spine like a spider. My heart stopped. My hands trembled. I had been caught. Please don’t kill me in my sleep. Dear God, please don’t let my sister kill me in my sleep. Four Years To Go The sounds weren’t unfamiliar; the slamming doors, the screaming voices, the shattering dishes. Mom was fighting with the boyfriend again. I had stopped remembering their names. My sister and I tiptoed into our room. Ignoring the tape on the floor, I crawled into bed with her and she handed me her CD player. Everything we had fought about that day didn’t matter anymore. She was the warm coat I needed. And I remembered why I love her. The next day, when we watched “Aladdin,” she let me be Princess Jasmine. Two Years To Go Tonight was yet another night with my head under my pillow, attempting to drown out the music that felt like an earthquake through the walls of our house. Tonight I hated my sister and her thunderous parties. I hated her for keeping me up until 3 a.m. when I told her I had an important test the next day. It was nights like these that reminded me why I couldn’t wait for my sister to move out. I walked downstairs and was disgusted by the teenagers drinking out of red plastic cups and groping each other as if they were checking for ticks. However, the worst sight of all was discovering my sister in the middle of it. No longer was she the wise, beautiful girl I had looked up to, but instead just another person who had let me down. It’s hard to remember why you love someone when all you can think about is how much you hate them. 0 Years To Go I had two Christmases the year my sister left for college. Finally I was free – no more sharing a room, no more being harassed, and best of all, no more nights of only four hours of sleep. After counting down for nine years, I was finally an only child. I thought I would be the happiest girl ever. And I was, at first. No longer did I have to take a three-minute ice-cold shower or share an entrée at an expensive restaurant. I was living the life of an only child and loving it. But after a few weeks I began to feel lonely. No one was around to give me advice about boys or fashion. Sure, my sister and I had our clashes, but we always had each other when we were in need. Now, separated by 500 miles and a string of mountains, I feel like I am missing my other half. ✎ College Application Tips by Jessica Abughattas, Corona, CA With college admissions becoming increasingly competitive and deadlines constantly looming, upperclassmen are always stressing to ensure that their applications are up to par. But fret not! The process can be simplified by following these tips. Pick your schools. Are you interested in colleges with fewer than 5,000 students, or more than 20,000? Public or private? In-state or out-of-state? Urban, suburban, or rural setting? Will cost be an issue? With these factors in mind, create a list of six to eight schools, some that are a reach for your top choices, a few schools that you wouldn’t mind going to if you got in, and a couple of safety schools that should accept you without question. Mark their deadlines on your calendar and start planning your applications. Start thinking about recommendations. You should find three teachers in academic subjects who are willing to brag about you, so get going. Which ones love you? In which classes did you excel? And most importantly, who do you think is going to write a letter about how qualified and intelligent you are? Those who know you personally are Stretch the essay prompt to paint a good picture of yourself your best bets. Transcripts. Request your most recent transcripts at the registrar’s office to send to colleges based on their deadlines. Senior year is not an excuse to slack off! Alphabet soup. All those tests – SAT, SAT II, AP, ACT – will finally mean something! Find out which ones your colleges require or recommend, and be sure to report your scores in time. If you plan ahead, you can take tests over, if necessary. The infamous essay. Your most significant experience, your favorite book, what world crisis you would solve and how … for some reason, colleges think that requiring applicants to compose an essay on these topics will make them more personable. Well, don’t let that limit you. Stretch the college’s prompt as much as you need to paint a good picture of yourself. That’s the point. Have your teachers and peers edit your essay until you have a good draft, but make sure to ask for help nicely and in advance. Revisions from teachers who are unfamiliar with your writing will likely benefit you the most. Remember that your essays can be recycled, shortened, or lengthened as Teen Ink • APRIL ’09 • COLLEGE CONNECTION needed to fit a college’s guidelines. Don’t limit yourself. Mercy in the Common Application. In the midst of rigorous college regulations and requirements, a genius came up with the common application. Thousands of universities accept this standard application in place of their own, so instead of filling out eight different applications, you may be able to do only a couple. The college’s admission website will usually say whether they accept �� the Common App, but for a complete list, visit www.commonapp.org. Some colleges require a supplement, so make sure you complete this if necessary. Early action/decision. There are pros and cons to being an early-action applicant. You must begin working on your application(s) very early. Early action is like having two shots at a school. However, if you need financial aid, early action is discouraged. Those are the basics. Good luck! ✎ Colleges and Universities (by state) �� SOURCE: U.S. Dept. of Education 200 or more 100 to 199 0 to 99 ��
‘‘The atmosphere ... makes me feel completely at home amongst strangers who are quickly becoming family.’’ Abbi Snee ’12 • Acting/Directing Major Maybe it’s the friendly nature of our students, faculty, and staff of our suburban campus in Pennsylvania’s scenic LehighValley. At any rate, there’s a remarkable experience to be found. 877.4.DESALES www.desales.edu Top 20 reasons noted as important in selecting college 1. College has a very good academic reputation 2. Graduates get good jobs 3. A visit to campus 4. Offered financial assistance 5. Size of college 6. College has a good reputation for social activities 7. Cost of attendance 8. Graduates gain admission to top graduate/professional schools 9. Wanted to live near home 10. Rankings in national magazines 11. Information from a website 12. My parents wanted me to go there 13. Admitted through an early-action or early-decision program 14. Could not afford first choice 15. High school counselor advised me 16. The athletic department recruited me 17. Religious affiliation/orientation of college 18. Not offered aid by first choice 19. My teacher advised me 20. My relatives wanted me to go there Activities in the past year Performed volunteer work...............................................................87% Attended a religious service ............................................................80% Socialized with someone of another racial or ethnic group ............68% Tutored another student ...................................................................58% Came late to class ............................................................................58% Played a musical instrument............................................................40% Was bored in class ...........................................................................40% Felt overwhelmed by all I had to do................................................37% Asked teacher for advice after class ................................................28% Participated in political demonstrations ..........................................22% SOURCE: The American Freshman: National norms for Fall 2007 published by University of California at Los Angeles Higher Education Research Institute. FICTION WRITING & PLAYWRITING DEGREE PROGRAMS Develop your creativity, tell your stories, and gain skills essential for personal and professional development in the FICTION WRITING DEPARTMENT AT COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO. UNDERGRADUATE BA/BFA degrees in FICTION WRITING, with specializations in Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Playwriting, Electronic Applications, Publishing, and Story Workshop® Teaching; and BA/BFA degrees in PLAYWRITING, interdisciplinary with the Theater Department. GRADUATE MFA in CREATIVE WRITING – FICTION, with specializations in Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Playwriting, and Teaching; MA in the TEACHING OF WRITING; and COMBINED MFA/MA degrees. STUDENTS-AT-LARGE WELCOME. YOUR STORIES. YOUR FUTURE. Columbia College Chicago admits students without regard to age, race, color, creed, sex, religion, handicap, disability, sexual orientation, and national or ethnic origin. Attitudes and Characteristics Student Financial Aid of Freshmen at 4-Year Colleges Federal Grants/Loans PHOTOGRAPH BY MARY ELLEN MARK, ACROBATS REHEARSING THEIR ACT AT GREAT GOLDEN CIRCUS, AHMEDABAD, 1989 Our renowned Story Workshop approach emphasizes voice, imagery, audience, and positive reinforcement of your strengths as a writer. For more information about our diverse study programs, extensive course listings, award-winning student anthology Hair Trigger, and visiting writers series, check out http://fiction.colum.edu, or call 312 344 7611. Pell Grants .......................................................................................$12,881,000,000 Veterans .............................................................................................$3,644,000,000 Military/other grants..........................................................................$1,619,000,000 Federal Work-Study...........................................................................$1,175,000,000 Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants....................................$771,000,000 Academic Competitiveness Grants.......................................................$340,000,000 Smart Grants.........................................................................................$310,000,000 Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships ...................................$74,000,000 Perkins Loans.....................................................................................$1,135,000,000 Subsidized Stafford Student Loans Ford Direct Student Loan Program..................................................$5,159,000,000 Federal Family Education Loan Program ......................................$19,349,000,000 Unsubsidized Stafford Student Loans Ford Direct Student Loan Program..................................................$4,417,000,000 Federal Family Education Loan Program ......................................$19,291,000,000 Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students........................................$10,071,000,000 Other loans ............................................................................................$171,000,000 Federal education tax benefits...........................................................$5,880,000,000 Total Federal Grants and Loans ..................................................$86,288,000,000 State grant programs..........................................................................$7,730,000,000 Institutional grants...........................................................................$26,323,000,000 Private and employer grants ............................................................$10,170,000,000 Total Federal, State, and Institutional aid.....................$130,511,000,000 Number of recipients and amount of aid per recipient: Program Recipients Amount Pell Grants ..............................................................................5,165,000................$2,494 Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants......................1,291,000...................$597 Academic Competitiveness Grants............................................400,000...................$850 Smart Grants................................................................................80,000................$3,875 Federal Work-Study...................................................................880,000................$1,335 Education tax benefits ............................................................8,519,000...................$690 Perkins Loans ............................................................................514,000................$2,208 Subsidized Stafford Student Loans ........................................5,135,000................$3,240 Unsubsidized Stafford Student Loans ....................................3,754,000................$3,593 Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students.................................722,000..............$11,179 SOURCE: The College Board, 2006-7. Reprinted with permission from The Chronicle of Higher Education. COLLEGE CONNECTION • APRIL ’09 • Teen Ink 19
Page 1 and 2: APRIL 2009 O U R 20 T H Y E A R T E
Page 3 and 4: A PRIL 2009 COVER FEATURES The Coll
Page 6 and 7: non•fic•tion 06 Boot Camp Adven
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Page 10 and 11: non•fic•tion 10 The Hospital Vi
Page 12 and 13: artgallery 12 Teen Ink • APRIL
Page 14 and 15: opin!on 14 Facebook Snoop by Kristi
Page 16 and 17: heroes 16 Grandmother Anna Purvianc
Page 20 and 21: FOCUS COLLEGE FOCUS 20 Is the SAT U
Page 22 and 23: FOCUS COLLEGE FOCUS 22 Parting Ways
Page 24 and 25: FOCUS COLLEGE FOCUS 24 How Public S
Page 26 and 27: college essays 26 Failing Successfu
Page 28 and 29: educatorof year the Kathy Nelson LA
Page 30 and 31: UA has a rich tradition of excellen
Page 32 and 33: Suffolk University, located in vibr
Page 34 and 35: Poetry 34 I Got the Joy! I got the
Page 36 and 37: you&your health 36 Pipe Dreams by D
Page 38 and 39: Travel&Culture 38 A Summer of Exces
Page 40 and 41: Video Game reviews Read more video
Page 42 and 43: Movie &TV reviews 42 DRAMA Revoluti
Page 44 and 45: fic•tion 44 Her, Him and the Rece
Page 46 and 47: fic•tion 46 Improvising by Onjuli

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