Academic Future

I think it's time for a school-related check in, if only because I have so very few of these and because high school will be over a year from now anyway.

Currently, as you all well know, I'm in IB, which is basically college readiness on crack. This year is my last year of taking AP courses, but I'm kinda done with them. My unweighted GPA is 3.33 and my weighted GPA is around 3.74, I think. Definitely will change by the end of the year, since both are rough estimates based on sophomore year. So far, I have passed all of my AP exams (score of at least 3), which have been in World History (3, my first test), Psychology (5, a no-brainer considering my intended major), English Language (3, a miracle), and European History (3, a shock). I take American History and English Literature this year, and while I'm supposed to take French Language in senior year I could care less, considering my IB exams that I'll have to worry about. Speaking of that, I had my first IB exam this year for SL Art, which I think went well. I'll know my scores in a couple months, I hope. I've already taken my SAT (final Reading/Math score of 1360/1600) and ACT (composite of 30/36). My grades for this year are decent, with more B's than C's and a few A's. I'm a part of two honor societies: English and French (I've been voted secretary of French).

My choices are University of Rochester (upstate New York), DePaul University (uptown Chicago), and University of Central Florida (Orlando, by Disney and Universal Studios). However, I can't say that they are listed in any particular order, as each university has its own special draw and its own fall. For Rochester, I am in love with the area (I intend to settle and raise children there), especially the climate, I have an emotional attachment there, and I'm applying to the dual-admission GRADE program, which means that if I'm accepted into undergraduate studies, I'm automatically accepted into my choice graduate program of school counseling; however, Rochester is the most expensive ($60,000 per year undergraduate) and the most prestigious, thus the most difficult to afford and, therefore, attend. DePaul is in an urban area, which I'd like to experience before I settle down and have a family, and it provides my favorite graduate program of Community Counseling, which prepares me for both school interactions and family interactions, like marriage and family therapy; better yet, one of TJ's choices is the University of Chicago, which is only a 20 minute drive away.  The downside is that it's a little expensive ($32,000 per year undergraduate), and on-campus or campus-affiliated housing isn't guaranteed for students, so I'd be basically living in an apartment fending for myself for all of my schooling (not a problem if TJ and I live together, though). Finally there's UCF. It's the cheapest (I have Florida Pre-Paid for my tuition), the graduate track I'd use is getting a School Counseling degree with a certification in Marriage and Family Therapy, and getting a job to pay for fees would be fairly easy, considering the theme parks love hiring college students; however, I despise Florida and I don't want to spend an additional 6 years here following high school, plus Orlando is only a 1.5 hour drive from home (meaning I don't have an excuse not to come home for non-holidays, and people could drop by and visit whenever).

A year from now, I'll know where I'm going for the next 6 years (max). Kinda scary but exciting at the same time.

I'm confident in my abilities to maintain good grades (mostly B's) while also staying sane. IB, for my schools, is basically my savior for any merit-based aid, let alone acceptance into the university. Not only does the program offer the rigorous courses that colleges want students taking, but it forces students to create projects that focus on helping others (gaining the "leadership" and "good Samaritan" characteristics colleges crave). If I can stick out this program and keep up with the million other things in my life, I should turn out to be someone colleges chase to have in their student body to the extent that they throw tens of thousands of dollars at me. I need to be that, otherwise I won't be going where I need to go.

Besides not being financially able to go out of state for school, TJ is my only other concern. I've done long distance (as I'm sure you all are well aware), and it was really hard. Things happened, mistakes were made, choices were chosen, and we both ended up hurt in the long run. But if none of that had gone on, then I'd have to say it'd be worthwhile. I'm not going to give up on us just because of a few temporary years apart. If we both stay in Florida (he likes UF), we'd only be 2 hours away from each other, allowing for us to see each other at least once a month. If we both go to Chicago, then not only would we be only 20 minutes apart, but after our first year we could live together. If we both go to New York (he'd go to the Pratt Institute), it's a 6 hour drive, so basically one visit a month at the most, but it's better than the alternative. As for any other combination, we'd have to fly, which frequency would depend on how much spare money we had for plane tickets. Being apart will be really hard, considering how we'll be going from seeing each other basically every day to only a few weekends, but if I'm confident of anything it's that not only will school be distracting us from how much we miss each other but the experience can only strengthen our relationship. I've made any mistake I can before, and I'm not losing TJ because of some crazy impulse. Any unfinished business with any guy has either been finished or the possible repercussions have been worked out (hence why I crossed UNC off my college choice list). I want TJ, end of story, and I'll be by his side for as long as he'll have me, because to choose a girl with a past like mine and keep her is a miracle in my eyes.

I'll have a few more academic updates: the end of junior year with my final test scores for this year's AP and IB classes, when I receive my acceptance letter(s), and when I make my decision as to which one I pick.

---Caitlyn