OneDublin.org

Aslan Brown - UC Berkeley Freshman

Dublin High School Class of 2011 graduate, City of Dublin 2011 Young Citizen of the Year and University of California – Berkeley freshman Aslan Brown took a few minutes to share the experience of his first year at UC Berkeley with OneDublin.org.

OneDublin.org: Why did you choose UC Berkeley?

Aslan Brown: “I selected UC Berkeley because it’s one of the top public universities in the whole world. Its science program is amazing. I’m doing a biology major – molecular environmental biology – so I looked at schools based on where they rank in the sciences and Cal was in the top five.

“In addition, Cal is close to home – it’s only a 35-minute drive away so I can just pop home whenever I want to. If I crave some home cooking, or have some laundry [laughs] … mainly it’s just an amazing, prestigious school.”

OneDublin.org: What were the other schools you considered before selecting UC Berkeley?

Brown: “Others schools I considered were USC, a great private institution that is also good in the sciences, UC-San Diego and University of Chicago where I was wait-listed. I ultimately decided to stay closer to home and attend Cal.”

OneDublin.org: What has been the biggest transition from Dublin High School to UC Berkeley?

Brown: “There’s nobody telling you to do your homework, there’s nobody telling you to study, nobody telling you to do anything or making sure you are doing your stuff. It’s all on you, it’s all your own responsibility – if you slack off you are going to pay the consequences. You are not going to do well on the test or get that extra grade bump. A lot of the grade point differential between a B and an A is determined by the professor: they look at your test scores and see if there is an improvement. An individual’s drive is very important – the main difference is you have to be able to do it on your own.”

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by Veronica Rubio (Dublin High School Class of 2011 and Carroll College freshman)

My name is Veronica Rubio and I am currently a freshman at a small, private, liberal arts college called Carroll College. It is located in Helena, Montana and is a very small school, with about 1,500 students. Carroll College has about the same number of students as the high school I graduated from, Dublin High School. I had a great experience at Dublin High. My teachers were terrific and the curriculum prepared me very well for Carroll. I made some great friends and was involved in the school through leadership, sports, and clubs. I had grown very comfortable at Dublin High and while I was excited to start college, I was also nervous about going to a school so far from home with a bunch of people I did not know. All of the Carroll’s brochures told me how nice the campus was, the challenge of the classes, and the community feeling of the school. I went and visited the school and really liked it, but I was still nervous. There was really no way of knowing what it would be like until I experienced it.

In August, my parents and I made the trip to Helena. I got my room all sorted out and before I knew it, I was by myself in Helena, Montana at a very small school with people I knew nothing about. However, after a short while I made friends and started classes. The brochures were right-the campus is very beautiful, the classes are challenging, and there is a true sense of community on campus. Anywhere I walk on campus I see someone I know or someone says hi. The scenery is beautiful, with snow-covered mountains and grass-covered hills everywhere. I am an elementary education major, and the classes for that major do challenge me and have already had me in a classroom observing a teacher and interacting with children.

Dublin High School Graduation

Carroll makes a significant effort to make you feel connected to the school and to meet people. All freshman (with the exception of a few students in certain situations) live in Guadalupe Hall at the bottom of a hill, about a five-minute walk from the football stadium and school gym. Guadalupe has an open door policy, meaning if you are in your room, your door needs to be open (unless, of course, you need some quiet time, are doing homework, or have another good reason). It creates a very close feeling throughout the hall and it helps people feel more comfortable to go into someone’s room and get to know them and visit with them.

Carroll also has many resources to get you involved on campus and they truly want their students to have a great experience at Carroll. All of my teachers knew my name and wanted me to do the best that I could. They went out of their way to help me in my classes. My counselor, whom I have met a few times, knew my name before I met her and has sent all of her students emails and letters to meet with her just to see how their semester is going. It is at a small school like Carroll where this could occur. At larger schools I have visited, there seems to be more distance between professors and counselors and their students. While that works perfectly fine for some students, I prefer to have a relationship with my teachers and counselors, and know I have people to turn to if I need help in classes or with anything else. At a small school like Carroll, teachers do know who you are and they want to help you do your best in school.

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by Michelle Lee (Dublin High School Class of 2011 and Harvard University Freshman)

Michelle Lee

I remember when I first found out that I had been accepted via Early Action to Stanford University.  I was in the car when the email popped up in my inbox letting me know I had gotten into my dream school, and I burst into tears of pure joy.  I spent the next few months imagining myself as a Cardinal, loading up on Stanford gear, and preparing myself to accept their invitation.

However, when the remaining admissions decisions came out, words can’t begin to describe the elation and consternation I felt when I learned that I was also accepted to Harvard University.  Thus, I faced one of the toughest decisions in choosing between Stanford and Harvard.

I decided to visit both campuses before making my final decision, and to my surprise, fell in love with Harvard.  I had been so set on becoming a Cardinal that I hadn’t given serious thought to the possibility of going somewhere else.  As soon as I set foot in Harvard, everything felt right.  The campus, the classes, the people, all made me realize there was no place else I wanted to spend the next four years.

After I enrolled at Harvard, I was eager to start the next phase of my life, but anxious at the thought of being across the country so far from home.  Saying my goodbyes to my family and friends made me fully aware of my newfound independence.  I had no idea what to expect, and I feared that I would be lost at such a prestigious institution.

One semester later, I have to say that I had made the best decision of my life.  I have found my home, and I have become part of the Harvard community in so many different ways.

In a few short months, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that college is far from easy.  Academics are harder than ever, but I have the freedom to study whatever concentration interests me.  I applied as a pre-med student but this semester has shown me that there are virtually limitless options to explore before declaring my major next year.

Dublin High School Senior Homecoming 2010

I have found the AP track at Dublin High School prepared me for the challenges of Harvard’s coursework.  In my first semester, I took courses in calculus, life sciences, expository writing, and Korean.  Classes often consist of lectures by professors together with smaller sections taught by graduate students, and supplemental student study groups.  Collaboration in study groups is a huge part of surviving Harvard’s tough academic load.  If I ever felt over-loaded, I only had to walk down the stairs to see my proctor, or set up a meeting with my academic adviser or PAF (Peer Advising Fellow).

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