My Top 15 places to visit in NYC

Good evening everybody (or whatever time it is when you read this). Since our month in New York City will include some leisure time, we’ve each been asked to compile a list of our top 12 places to visit. I had a little trouble narrowing down this list, so here is my top 15:

15.Museum of the City of New York A museum dedicated to the history of New York City? Not a bad place to stop by when in the Big Apple. My dad actually grew up in NYC, so it might be nice to see what the city was like, all those centuries ago (just kidding dad).

http://www.mcny.org/

14. Carnegie Hall/ Rose Museum Few aspiring musicians haven’t dreamed of someday playing up on this stage. I, myself, am no exception, and although I may never have that honor, I can at least visit the Rose Museum to see the history behind this famous hall.

http://www.carnegiehall.org/Information/Rose-Museum/

13. New York Aquarium Umm… to be honest, there’s no specific reason why this made the list. I just like aquariums. There’s something really mysterious about them. At a zoo, you’ve probably already seen every species before, but at an aquarium, you’re bound to see dozens of animals that you’ve never even heard of.

http://www.nyaquarium.com/

12. International Center of Photography Although I am not a photographer, I have a great interest in the impact photos have had on our world. From the American flag at Iwo Jima to the falsified image of the Loch Ness Monster, certain iconic photos have been seen by just about everyone. It might be neat to spend a day exploring them.

http://www.icp.org/

11. Bronx Zoo I couldn’t help but put zoos on this list. I’m sure you all understand why. It just wouldn’t be a summer vacation without a trip to the most interactive museum out there.

http://www.bronxzoo.com/

10. Brooklyn Bridge Probably one of the most iconic landmarks of NYC, the Brooklyn Bridge is something I can’t miss out on seeing. I probably can’t base a whole outing around visiting the spot, but I should at least walk across it once on one of my weekends.

http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/

9. American Museum of Natural History This looks like a great museum with tons of impressive exhibits covering all scopes of natural history. As an AP Biology student, I’m really fascinated by the natural world, life and where we come from. Interesting side note, this is where the movie “Night at the Museum” was filmed.

http://www.amnh.org/

8. Cathedral of Saint John the Divine Although I am no way affiliated with this church, I want to visit it for its architectural beauty. Cathedrals are just amazing. The way they blend elements of medieval castles with renaissance design is captivating. I love that we have these here in America.

http://www.stjohndivine.org/

7. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) I enjoy visiting art museums here on the West Coast. My favorite experience has been at the De Young museum in San Francisco, during their Picasso exhibit. I assume that New York is a regular stop for world’s best art exhibitions, so I should take advantage of this opportunity.

http://www.moma.org/

6. Broadway Theatres I’m not sure if I’ll be able to, but I’d like to a Broadway show, preferably a comedy. For my mom’s birthday last year, my family and I went to the American Conservatory Theater in SF to see “Scapin.” The show was hilarious, so I want to go see another one, this time with some friends.

http://www.broadway.com/

5. Central Park Zoo A zoo in the middle of Central Park? Two of the coolest places to spend a day in one location? Say no more.

http://www.centralparkzoo.com/

4. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral This is on the list for all the same reasons as the first cathedral. It’s further along because I like the design even more.

http://www.saintpatrickscathedral.org/

3. Central Park What could be a better place to relax on a day off than a park? Answer: a massive park in the middle of NYC.  Plus, any place that’ll have a breeze and shade will be welcome during the summer heat.

http://www.centralparknyc.org/

2. Times Square When trying to pick the most iconic and memorable place in New York City, many people might say it’s the Statue of Liberty or Empire State Building. I would disagree. To a tourist like myself, nothing screams NYC more than Times Square. No one in America has seen the Ball drop on New Year’s Eve here and not thought, “That’s what it must be like to live in New York.” I don’t think I can say that I’ve lived there if I haven’t gone to Time Square.

http://www.timessquarenyc.org

…Drum Roll, Please…

1.    The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) It may not be the most famous place in New York, but it’s the on e I can least go without seeing. I can already see myself spending ours lost in those halls and galleries. Nothing quite compares to the feeling of silently staring at great works of art. It’s not the most exciting time, but it’s undeniably memorable.

http://www.metmuseum.org/

Happy Mothers Day!

A Little About Lenny

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.

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.

Fun Fact: Sarah Lawrence was the first college in America to offer a Masters degree in Human Genet

Formalities and School Facilities

Hello, my name is Oluwatomi Balogun, though, honestly, I prefer to just go by "Tomi". I am 15 and a Sophomore at Middle College High School, located in San Pablo, California. This summer, I will be taking the course of Constitutional Law at Columbia University as a member of the Ivy League Connection.

This is my first year both applying and being accepted into the Ivy League Connection program, and I'm very excited for what it entails, as everything is an entirely new experience for me. Prior to this school year, I had no idea that such a program existed until my counselor told me that I was eligible for application. I soon came to know about the Ivy League Connection, also known simply as the ILC--a local organization that allows capable students to attend summer classes at an Ivy League College, with absolutely no expenses payed on the applicant's part.

I applied for the ILC program as it seemed like wonderful opportunity for me to learn more about both the course I shall be attending and about myself. Through this experience, I hope to decide what kind of college I would like to go to as well as what sort of majors I would be interested in. I also plan on sharing what I learn with my fellow classmates. I hope by doing so they'll also be able to decide on what sort of college is right for them.

I expect the ILC program to be a very informative and interesting. As I said before, this is an entirely new experience for me, from the interviews and fancy dinners to New York City itself. My unfamiliarity with it all makes it both terrific and terrifying, and I hope that as the events pass by that fear and anticipation will subside into familiarity and adventure.

The course that I shall be taking, Constitutional Law, is a Monday - Friday class taught by professors Jeffrey Lenowitz and Luke MacInnis. While I class, I'll be partaking in many debates, discussions, and lectures that go over controversial laws, ideas, and issues, as well as how the Constitution that can either support or deter these ideas, depending on the interpretation used as evidence.

While in New York, I will not only be attending Columbia University, but I will also be visiting a number of other Universities within New York City, with one of them being New York University.

Located in Manhattan's Washington Square in Greenwich Village, New York University--also known as NYU--was founded on April 18th, 1831 by Albert Gallatin, the treasurer of President Thomas Jefferson. Gallatin and his fellow founders, envisioned a school where only a person's desire for knowledge, and not their personal background, was all that mattered. In a little over a year, Gallatin's dream became a reality when in 1832, 158 students reported to the first classes of NYU on Clinton Hill, located in lower Manhattan.

Now over 180 years later, NYU has grown to become the country's largest privately-owned research university with over a dozen divisions scattered across Manhattan and extensive abroad programs in over 25 different countries. Due to NYU's monumental success, it is one of sixty-two universities admitted into the Association of American Universities. As of now, NYU's student body has multiplied by over 300 time and has awarded nearly 12,000 degrees to its deserving graduates.

NYU happens to be a fairly large university with over 50,000 students currently attending the school as of this year. But with it's large student body, NYU comes accommodated with an equally large array of faculty and resources. As the school's staff reaches over 16,000, most, if not all, of the college's facilities stay fully equipped and staffed 24/7. Classes tend to average about 30 students, with an overall staff to student ratio of about 1:12.

NYU itself is divided into many smaller campuses that allows its Graduate and Undergraduate students access to major specific programs, institutions, and research centers--resulting in unique learning experiences that vary campus to campus. The only common factor between these factions' courses is that all students, no matter what major, is required to study liberal arts on some level. Some well known examples of NYU's specialized campuses, include the Washington Square Center, which houses over 10 different institute that offer courses ranging from business to science, the New York University Midtown Center, a continuing school, and the NYU School of Medicine, which as it's names suggests focuses on the medical field.

Incoming Undergraduates are presented with a 11 basic programs that branch off into course-specific majors, such as economics, public health, and individual study. While all students are required to take at least basic liberal arts courses, students are encouraged to engage in fields that gauge their interests, whether it be liberal arts or not.

NYU offers over 200 courses in fields such as business, science, art, foreign language, history, health, social work, liberal arts, communication and much more. An extensive list of NYU's programs can be found here. NYU provides its students with the best available resources, no matter what major or minor they decide to pursue. This along side their wide range of programs, creates an effective, unique learning environment that ensures that students are getting the best out of their studies. Personally, I think that I would enjoy studying their English, Psychology, and Dramatic Literature courses.

NYU is supported by over 350,000 alumni worldwide. NYU's nobel laureates include Robert F. Engle III and Thomas J. Sargent, who had both received a Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2003 and 2011 respectively, as well as Severo Ochoa, who studied at NYU's College of Medicine and received a Nobel Prize Physiology or Medicine in 1959.

Me, Myself, and I

My name is Adrianne Ramsey and I am a junior at El Cerrito High School. I applied to the Constitutional Law program to gain a better understanding of the United States political system, learn more about the United States constitution, and discover the art of debating. My father is co-founder of the Ivy League Connection and I participated in the program last year; I took the course "Women and Leadership" at Brown University. I hope to gain insight about Columbia University and learn much more about the college application process and what college will be like. When I come back home, I hope to inform more students about the Ivy League Connection and hopefully talk to my senior AP United States Government and Politics class about my newfound knowledge of the United States constitution. I cannot wait to hold debates and mock trials; I've been interested in learning law since I was a child.

I participate in a lot of extracurriculars - I am the Editor-in-Chief of our school's Literary Magazine, write for the Time Out section of the West County Times and El Cerrito High School's school newspaper, am a member of ECHS' Varsity swim team, play classical and jazz piano, and do community service through my church. My nickname is Busy Bee since I am constantly running around doing something. I lead a very busy life but I would not live it any other way.

The college I chose to do research on is the University of Pennsylvania, which is an Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1740 and has an undergraduate population of about 9,865 students. There are four undergraduate schools: College of Arts and Sciences (the most popular), School of Engineering and Applied Science, Wharton School of Business, and the School of Nursing. If I attended the University of Pennsylvania, I would definitely be in the College of Arts and Sciences and be interested in the psychology and writing majors. Some famous alums that attended the University of Pennsylvania range from Donald Trump to Leonard Myers.

Who I Am and Why I Am Here

Hey everyone, my name is Lucas Lochner Bravo and I am a sixteen year old junior currently attending El Cerrito High School. I was raised by two parents who, partially because they were not born in this country (my mom is from Chile and my dad from Germany), gave me a childhood a little different than most people toward growing up in America. I think this has been a fantastic thing, although that opinion may vary from person to person. Of course, I have still found my own way to blend in to this culture, as I finally joined Little League sports and became a passionate fan of American football. That being said, I still get funny looks from the majority of people when I tell them that I’ve never owned any video games or that I really do not wish to drive a car. I enjoy these looks, though, as I am very proud of the person I am and I don’t mind at all what others think of it.

Martin Luther King Jr., someone I find to be one of America's
most inspirational leaders.

All this being said, though, I still have a whole lot in common with kids my age. Like every teenager, I struggle every day to find the precarious balance between academics, health and personal interests, all while (trying to) avoiding the distractions flying at us from every direction in a world that becomes more and more complicated every day. There are days when I love school, when I am able to soak up information about the things I love, such as hearing the stories of World War II survivors and debating the numerous meanings of symbols in George Orwell’s 1984. Of course, there are just as many days on which I feel that there is somewhere else I could be, something else I could be doing, and a much better way to use precious time. When not absorbed by schoolwork, I spend the majority of my time pursuing personal interests, particularly baseball and some of the many issues concerning society. I am currently starting for El Cerrito’s Varsity baseball team and am a member of El Cerrito’s speech and debate team. I am extremely passionate about politics and issues concerning not only myself but every one around me, and if I were to have the opportunity to use my time differently, it would in some way be related to this passion.

People across America weighed in on whether or not they felt
the Occupy movement had taken the freedom of speech too far.

In fact, come this summer, I will have that opportunity. That is precisely the reason I applied to be a part of the Ivy League Connection; I was offered the opportunity to pursue some of my most passionate interests. The person I am and the goals I have drew me particularly to the Constitutional Law course at Columbia University. The course focuses on the role of the U.S. Constitution and its connection in the relationship between law and society on a variety of topics including freedom of speech, gun control and civil rights. This focus is achieved primarily through class discussion and debate, a format design to help students develop skills reading and interpreting Supreme Court documents and to sharpen reasoning and analytical skills through forming persuasive arguments. From the sound of it, this class is taught in a way which I feel will truly help me succeed in the course, and it covers a wide range of topics encompassing exactly what I was looking for when I applied.

With the help of the Ivy League Connection, students in the WCCUSD like myself are able to spend their summer studying what interests them at some of nation’s most respected universities, all expenses paid. What this experience means of course, is different for every student. Many will find themselves being guided toward a particular path in academics, others will simply find themselves changed as a person. Through offering the opportunity to experience college life and study a topic which fascinates me, I feel that the Ivy League Connection will help me to gain that knowledge of politics and law that comes with experience, get a taste of college life, and by studying something I truly love, enjoy myself! I enjoyed simply writing the application essay; now I will be taking an entire course on the topic! As a person, the Ivy League Connection will help me learn what it is like be away from the life I know, and, living in an area of predominantly Democrats, gain the perspective of others who live and view the world differently than I.

At the conclusion of this program, I will share my experience with others to generate more interest in college and the ILC, and describe to others what the unknown is actually like. Hopefully I can bring back advice on what an experience like this can do for one, and help combat any uncertainties others may have regarding stepping out of one’s comfort zone or challenging one’s self. I will also integrate what I have learned into my school and community, be it as a club leader at my school on a small level, or 50 years from now as a politician on a much larger stage.

Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut 

In addition to attending a course at Columbia, our cohort will be making numerous college visits in the days leading up to the course. In preparation for this, each of us was assigned a university to do some research on, and I was lucky enough to pick up Yale University. Yale, consistently respected as one of the top universities in the United States and the world, is a highly selective private school located in downtown New Haven, Connecticut. Applicants aspiring to be a part of Yale’s class of 2015 were accepted at a rate of only 6.8% --- one of the lowest rates in the country and Yale’s lowest acceptance rate in history. Roughly 5500 undergraduate students attend Yale, 12% of them coming from outside the United States.

Yale University was originally founded in 1701 as The Collegiate School by members of the colony of Connecticut aspiring to create an institution to train ministers and leaders for the colony. Originally the only college in Connecticut, The Collegiate School was for the sons of the elite. In 1718, businessman Elihu Yale of the East India Company donated a large sum to the college for the construction of a new building, and out of gratitude the school was renamed Yale University. Curriculum and culture at Yale University revolved greatly around religion in 17 and 1800’s, in fact, until the mid 1800’s it was considered a campus crime to express disbelief in the Bible or profanity toward the Sabbath.

Today, students are a little less restricted in their interests and beliefs, as they are given the opportunity to study roughly 100 majors over 13 different schools, all while boasting a low student:faculty ratio of 5:1. Were I to attend Yale, I would love to study International Relations and Affairs, Political Science and Government, or Sociology, although I would be grateful simply for stepping into a class for 10 minutes to listen.

John Kerry and George W. Bush during the a debate for the
2004 Presidential election. Both graduated from Yale.

Yale has produced numerous respected alumni over the years including 49 Nobel Laureates, 2 U.S. Secretaries of State, 19 Supreme Court Justices, several foreign heads of state and 5 U.S. Presidents (William Howard Taft, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush). Yale alumni are represented in all levels of government across America, in fact, Yale alumni were represented on either the Democratic or Republican ticket for every presidential election between 1974 and 2004. Both Bushes and Senator John Kerry were as part of the Skull and Bones secret society, although they refuse to reveal what their role was.

I acknowledge that I have a habit of overworking and staying up until ungodly hours, so I’ll wrap it up here. I also acknowledge that my titles are very uninteresting; I'm working on this.

The Story of a Potential Lion

Greeting fellow bloggers. My name is Aurea Riboroso and I will be attending the American Presidential Power at Home and Abroad: From George Washington to Barack Obama course at Columbia University this 2012 summer. My motive behind applying for this course stemmed from my interest in social science. After realizing my appeal to social science from my AP U.S. History class, I was immediately drawn to the course. The fact that it will be held at Columbia University, a potential university on my application list, is an added bonus.

The reason I am able to attend the program is due to an organization known as the Ivy League Connection. The Ivy League Connection, also known as the ILC, provides students of the West Contra Costa Unified School District with opportunities to attend a summer program operated at an Ivy League university. With all expenses paid, students are able to further their education at an East Coast university while exploring and learning about themselves and their surroundings. Upon my return, I plan to use my experience at Columbia University to encourage younger students to challenge themselves by applying for the ILC. The depiction of college as the “hardest four years of one’s life” is a stereotype I’d like to break to encourage others to go to college and enrich their lives for a better and brighter future. And for those who plan on going to college, I intend to have them rethink about their college choices and inspire them to apply for more stimulating schools, such as an Ivy League university.

The Presidential Power class is a three week summer course at Columbia University instructed by Martha Zebrowski who has taught at Columbia’s Department of Political Science for about twenty years. The class is a research, writing, and discussion seminar on the development and transformation of presidential power in the U. S. constitutional and political system. Due to limited class space, students are given individual attention. The course is an enriching college level social science and humanities class teaching students research and writing techniques.

Columbia University is a private Ivy League university located in exciting New York City, New York. Originally settled on Park Place, the institution has migrated to Forty-ninth street and Madison Avenue and now resides at its current location at Morningside Heights on 116^th Street and Broadway. The university encompasses six blocks of New York City, roughly thirty-two acres and houses about twenty-eight thousand students. The school was initially named King’s College when founded in 1754 by royal charter of King George II of England. After the Revolutionary War, the name was changed to Columbia College and has expanded to Columbia University. Columbia University is the oldest university in the state of New York and the fifth oldest in the nation.

Columbia University

Columbia University has twenty-one different schools ranging from architecture to journalism. Undergraduate students must follow the Core Curriculum, a set of common courses deemed the necessary general education for students, regardless of  major. The classes include Contemporary Civilization, Literature Humanities, University Writing, Art Humanities, Music Humanities, and Frontiers of Science. Home of the Lions, Columbia participates in the NCAA Division I league in twenty-nine varisty sports.

If given the opportunity to study at Columbia University for college, I would be most interested in the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. Building has always fascinated me, even as a child, so engineering seemed the perfect choice as my intended major. Columbia ranks as the fifteenth best engineering school in the nation. The university offers civil engineering, a major dealing with the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of structures and the infrastructure. The construction of essential foundations in society, such as bridges, highways, and power plants, are headed by civil engineers.

Prisdent Obama, a Columbia Alumni

With an acceptance rate of about six percent for undergraduate studies, it’s no wonder to the great minds that have left Columbia University. Notable alumni include nine Chief Justices on Supreme Court and twenty-nine heads of state, three of which were U.S. presidents. Great minds such as Alexander Hamilton to Amelia Earhart have attended this prestigious university. By Nobel count, seventeen prizes have been awarded to Columbia alumni. Two Nobel Peace Prizes have been bestowed to President Theodore Roosevelt and President Barack Obama.

A Little More About Me...And a Little About Vassar.

Hello everyone, My name is Morvarid Mehdizadeh, I am sixteen years old and an upcoming senior at Pinole Valley High School. I am an Iranian-American and was born in Iran, until my family decided to immigrate to America when I was only four years old. I am a fluent in both English and Farsi, as well as proficient in Spanish. On my free time, I usually draw, paint, or dance which are definitely a few of my favorite hobbies, tutor other students from grades K-9, or simply help my mom with daily activities. I enjoy debating, and take part in many extra-curricular activities such as Junior Statesmen of America, National Honor Society, Forensics Speech and Debate, Float Building, and Interact. Currently, I am  running for my school's SA Commissioner of Extra-Curricular activities as well as as also starting a new UNICEF club at my school. I consider myself a leader and take pride in my creativity as well as my hard-work. If I had to chose, three adjetives that would describe me are;

I. Diligent – No matter how hard a task may be, and in spite of all difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement, I am determined to see it through. My competitive nature allows me to embrace my work as a daily challenge. Although I may not be always 100% successful, I constantly give all my effort in all the things I do. I’m attentive and persistent towards the things I set my mind to, and careful and persevering in carrying out my tasks and duties. When I set my mind to something, I’m guaranteed to fully devote my all into it.

II. Optimistic – One characteristic that definitely describes me is optimistic. I always look to the future and hope for the best regardless of what happens. The past has proven to me that nothing is bad forever, and really all you can do is do the best you can and improve the future ahead. There’s really no point of sitting around constantly thinking about the negatives, what’s important is to think towards the future and work to make the future brighter not only for you, but also for everyone around you. That has been a lesson that has been proven to me in life. If you start off thinking you will mess up on a task, chances are you’ll never try hard enough to succeed. On the other hand, being optimistic draws you to focus and have faith in yourself and others. It allows you to commit yourself and invest a lot of hard work to reach your goals. Also, it’s important to understand that setbacks won’t ruin the rest of your life, in fact, some setbacks are just ways that life gives way to major comebacks.

III. Open-minded - I’ve encountered so many different people in my life from different areas of the world, that I’ve really come to admire different view points and ideas. I love hearing other people’s opinions, whether I agree with their points of view or not. My transition for Iran to America and the cultural changes that followed has allowed me to become very open-minded towards different cultures, beliefs, people, and all aspects of life in general. That in itself has allowed me to function better in groups, adapt easily to my surroundings, and connect very well with people regardless of their backgrounds or ways of thinking. I’m very curious and welcoming towards ideas and opinions contrary to my own. I appreciate others and what they stand for.

One may ask why I decided to join the ILC. Well first off, being the first generation of my family to actually be raised in the United States deprived me from the opportunity to look at back at my parents or family from advice when it came to my education in the United States. Almost everyone I know has always had a "role model-like" figure they turned around to when they had questions but I never really had that. My parents never took things like the "SAT" or the "ACT," so it was always more like me teaching them what went on. Thus, I was always limited to my own research to guide myself through. On the other hand, students that knew a lot about college and paths to take towards success, were usually really secretive to avoid competition. It wasn't until one day during my sophomore year, one member of the the Ivy League Connections sat down with me and taught me a lot of things that I never knew before. For example, I never knew about subject tests until I was informed by a friend. Throughout my high school career, I was never once told these things by any of my counselors or teachers, perhaps maybe because it was falsely "assumed" that everyone already knew. However, from that day on I was inspired by the member of the ILC that helped me learn the things I needed to know, and decided that I too, would like to be part of the Ivy League Connections. The Ivy League Connections urges members to become ambassadors in their own communities and spread messages to other students regarding things they know and their experiences. I was thrilled with the idea of helping other students like myself learn more about steps towards college and educate them on things they have not been introduced to. I wanted to make it possible for another student to avoid what I had to go through in the beginning of my high school career, and I decided, a perfect step to doing this would be through the Ivy League Connection. The Ivy league connection would grant upon me experiences and irreplaceable knowledge that would be impossible to achieve without the help of the organization. It would provide me insight on college life while attending one of my favorite, most prestigious college's in the world. Those were merely only a few of the many reasons I decided to become a member of the Ivy League Connection.

Today, the Ivy League Connection has given me the opportunity to take advantage of the "American Presidential Power at Home and Abroad" course offered at Columbia University in New York. 

The course itself calls for lots of research, writing, and discussion regarding the development and transformation of presidential power in the U. S. constitutional and political system as well as how the power was developed and operates today. The course will allow me to write a 20 page college research paper and help me prepare for these kinds of college papers in the future while teaching me college-level social science. United States history has always been one of my definite interests, and soon I will have the opportunity to learn through a dynamic "seminar-style" class in a college environment taught by Professor Martha K. Zebrowski who holds twenty years of experience in the field. Just saying "I am excited" is not enough to show how much I truly can't wait to take advantage of this course. Thank you so much Ivy League Connection!

However, before arriving to the University itself, we will all have the opportunity to visit many other Universities and colleges on the way. One of the colleges we plan to visit is Vassar University. Vassar is a highly selective liberal arts school founded in 1861 in the scenic Hudson Valley; Poughkeepsie, NY. The campus itself totals up to 1000 beautiful acres, including two National Historic Landmarks. The college itself bares an impressive facility ratio of 8:1, with almost 90% of those students living on campus. Fortunately, unlike many other schools, housing is guaranteed all four years for students attending Vassar. The total cost to attend this prestigious school is $52,270 including room and board, tuition, and fees, and admission is "need-blind." According to the website, "The college was founded in defiance of conventional wisdom." Matthew Vassar created the school as a single-sex college to promote higher education for women, equal to that of a male. Being a woman, that really caught my interest. Later, however, they opened their doors to men in 1969 and became coed. Interesting right? Yet still to this day, women dominate 60% of the school.

On campus, there are about 1,650 campus-wide events annually, and 23 different varsity sports teams being a part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association (NYSWCAA), and the Liberty League.

On the other hand, academically Vassar offers a variety of 50 different majors, including the Independent Major where students may design their own majors. However, the most popular majors offered at Vassar are English, political science, psychology, economics, and the biological sciences. Aside from requirements in each major, there are also four other graduation requirements for all Vassar students which are; Freshman Writing Seminar requirement, Quantitative Analysis requirement, Foreign Language Proficiency requirement, and Distribution Requirement. A full description of those requirements can be found on: http://deanoffreshmen.vassar.edu/academic/requirements.html.

Nontheless,Vassar has given pride to many notable alumnae such as poet Elizabeth Bishop, actress Meryl Streep, Journalist Evan Wright,  and Flickr founder Catherina Fake.

Will you be next?