Here is a little bit about the ILC and
myself.
If you have been reading this blog thus far,
you already know a bit about me, but I’d like to take this time to say (write)
a little bit about myself.
Hi, my name is Leonard (Lenny) Eisen, and I’m taking
Constitutional Law at Columbia University this summer. I’m 16 years old and a
sophomore at Pinole Valley High School in Pinole, California. I was born at
Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley. At the time, my family and I lived in
Richmond, but we moved to Pinole when I was seven and have been here ever
since.
My interests include playing the trumpet,
debating, acting, writing, reading classical literature, and (as you might have
guessed) studying Law.
I applied to the Ivy League Connection (ILC)
for a few reasons, the first of which is that I thought it would be fun. I get
to spend a month away from home, in New York City, living on a college campus,
rooming with students my age, from around the world, that share my interests. Not
a bad way to spend my time. The past three years, I’ve spent my summers taking
classes at UC Berkeley with Academic Talent Development Program. Although I
enjoyed these, they could never accurately depict what college life was like,
as the courses weren’t at a college-level difficulty, and I was still going
home every night.
That’s the second reason I applied for the
ILC; I want to experience college life before I decide where to apply. Through
this program, I will not only live in on Columbia’s campus, and use their
facilities, but I will also get to tour other colleges on the East coast, such
as Yale and University of Pennsylvania.
The final reason was the classes. Although I
applied for multiple programs in the ILC, Constitutional Law was always my
first choice, and I’m glad I got it. I’m very interested in the Constitution
and its effects on our world today. I can think of know better way of
understanding why our nation is the way it is, than studying the central
doctrine that it is founded upon.
You may be wondering at this point, “What is
the ILC?” Indeed, earlier this year, I was too. I’ll try to sum it up as best
as I can. The ILC is a program run (and I believe financed) by the West Contra
Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD), of which, my school is a part. The
purpose is to allow high achieving students in my area to explore their
academic options outside of California. It’s organized by Charles Ramsey, Madeline
Kronenberg, and Don Gosney.
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| Members of the ILC from my school last year. |
Make no mistake; the ILC is not a vacation.
The classes we will be taking are difficult, and the process to get in is
highly selective. Only students with an un-weighted GPA of at least 3.85 and a
PSAT score of 140 or more are eligible. Students who meet those pre-requisites can
apply to the classes in the ILC that they are interested in. For each course,
they must write on an essay prompt pertaining to the subject. Students with the
best essays make it to the interview stage, where a panel of judges test their
critical thinking skills, as well as their understanding of important current
events. Do well, and you’re in.
After the interview, you still have to apply
to the schools themselves, but this is mostly a formality. The ILC has a number
of spots reserved for them for each of these classes.
The ILC pays for all necessary expenses on
the trip: tuition, air fair, food, and housing. In return, they expect only the
most professional behavior from us. We are expected to stay in touch with the
ILC at all times, and during our voyage we must blog every day. Actually, these
posts are kind of just practice for the real deal. We may also be asked to speak
at dinners and before our city councils and school board.
We are also asked to share our experiences
with those around us. The ILC’s goal is not only to have an impact on our
lives, but on all those in our community. They ask us to encourage others to
consider higher education outside of our local area, so that they may have a
positive impact on many through helping just a few.
I’d like to once again thank everyone
involved in the ILC for giving me this opportunity. I know this will be a life
changing experience.
Sarah Lawrence College:
Over the course of our trip to the East
Coast, we will be visiting several universities, one of which is Sarah
Lawrence, in Yonkers, just 30 minutes from Manhattan.
Sarah Lawrence is a small private school of
about 1200 undergraduates. Their curriculum focuses on one-to-one learning, and
the maximum classroom size is 15 students.
Sarah Lawrence was opened in 1926 by
real-estate mogul William Lawrence, who named the school after his wife. It was
originally an all women’s college, but in 1968 it became co-ed. The school was
founded upon Lawrence’s belief in the arts as a central aspect of social
development and learning, as well as the principles of equality between men and
women.
Sarah Lawrence offers a Bachelor of Arts
degree, but instead of having majors, the students take classes focusing in the
Curricular Distribution of Creative Arts, History and Social Sciences, Natural
Science and Mathematics, or Humanities. If I were attending this school, my
studies would probably fall under the category of History and Social Sciences,
as that includes Political Science, Anthropology, and Sociology (some of my
main interests).
The school has no required courses, and the
classes work around a two-part schedule of seminars and conferences. The
seminars resemble standard college lectures, only smaller, while in
conferences, the students work with the professor to develop personal projects.
These projects focus on tying the course subject into each student’s personal
interests.
Rather than utilizing standard grades, Sarah
Lawrence monitors its students’ progress with academic evaluations. Most
classes have primarily replaced tests with final research papers. In fact, SAT
scores are optional when applying to Sarah Lawrence, as the admissions process
is centered mostly on essays and personal statements.
Famous S.L. alum include Hollywood
directors, J.J. Abrams and Brian De Palma, fashion designer, Vera Wang, Alice
Walker, author of The Color Purple, musician, Yoko Ono, and President Obama’s
former Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel.
Sarah Lawrence is an amazing school with a
unique approach to education. I can’t wait for a chance to see it in person.
