Choosing a college is one of life’s big decisions, and the process of getting in is an exciting — but often stressful — rite of passage. To find out what that passage is really like, U.S. News visited T. R. Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida, in late April to ask a group of seniors what went into their calculus for deciding on a college.
RHS is a neighborhood school whose International Baccalaureate diploma program attracts about one-third of the student body. Nearly a third are connected to the military, with family members stationed at nearby MacDill Air Force Base.
The school population is diverse: 47 percent of students are white; Hispanics comprise more than 21 percent; and African-American students account for 15 percent. Nearly half qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Eighty-five percent of students go on to college. Here’s how eight seniors found the right fit — and what it took for them to make the cut.
The top graduate among non-IB students applied to and got into just two schools: the University of Florida and the University of South Florida. The key reasons she’s staying in state include the less costly tuition and the fact that all the credits she has earned by being dually enrolled junior and senior year at Hillsborough Community College transfer.
“I have enough credits for an associate degree,” she says. Paight could finish a premed degree early with all those credits — she plans to be an anesthesiologist — but she wants to stick around to double major in psychology and biomed.
And why not? She is getting 100 percent of the costs of her undergrad degree — at USF — covered by school and state scholarships. While the University of Florida did offer her some money, she says, it took several months to get information about scholarships, which left her “disheartened.” USF reached out to her almost weekly.
GPA: 3.92
SAT/ACT scores: 750 math, 690 critical reading, 630 writing
Extracurriculars: Volleyball, school service club, Feed America Club
Essay: USF doesn’t require an essay. For a National Merit Scholarship essay, she discussed her growth through high school, a tumultuous time that involved three moves and a respiratory ailment.
Helpful: Quizlet, an online place where everyone can share knowledge in any subject, “was great” as a resource that “helped me achieve my GPA.”
Kind of helpful: “My dad tricked me into taking the SAT as a freshman.” He signed her up and dropped her off, thinking the experience would help her later.
Best part: Not having to apply to a lot of schools; she knew in early fall that she was a National Merit Semifinalist and would get a full ride.
Do-over: Would have emphasized dual enrollment rather than take 13 Advanced Placement classes. The college credit would have been more likely to be honored as a basis for placement in advanced math and science, she thinks.
Advice: Make connections with key teachers and staff well before senior year. While applying, you’ll have to do “a lot of running around” to them asking for recommendations and transcripts.
This story is excerpted from the U.S. News “Best Colleges 2017” guidebook, which features in-depth articles, rankings and data.
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