There is a lot to celebrate when it comes to the class of 2020. They are leaders, artists, athletes, critical thinkers, and compassionate community members. Their outstanding qualities are reflected in the amazing communities they will join this fall as they head into the next chapter of their lives.
At the end of her first year as Director of College Counseling at New Hampton, Maggie Farnsworth reflected on the triumphant year the class experienced.
“As the end of my first year at New Hampton as the Director of College Counseling draws to a close I am in awe of all of the incredible places our students are headed. They were admitted to 188 colleges across the country and around the world, and will matriculate at 56 different institutions. The academic firepower in this class is immense as we have a number of students headed off to the Ivies, NESCACs and other top universities. We also have a number of students realizing their dream of being college athletes. We have students that will study to be pilots, nurses, speech pathologists, engineers and artists. The Class of 2020 will be deeply missed, especially knowing we could not celebrate their success in person this spring. However, we know that even more great things lie ahead for them.”
To celebrate these college acceptances and to better understand the role of New Hampton School’s College Office, we asked three students to reflect on their college search experience and provide advice to rising Seniors.
Sammy ’20: Purdue University
How did the College Office help you during the college process?
“The College Office was a huge help when applying to schools this past fall. Ms. Farnsworth took the time to read all of my essays and give insightful advice regarding what to add or take away. With her abundance of experience, she knew all the tips and tricks for making an essay stand out. I think my essays were a big part of why I got accepted to schools like UVA, USC, WashU, and, of course, Purdue. The College Office was invaluable in helping me stay on schedule, navigate the Common App, and produce the best applications that I could.”
What programs or features drew you to Purdue?
“Although I got into many other great schools, I was drawn to Purdue by the campus environment. I visited in October and was impressed with the beautiful campus and just how friendly everyone was. I love the idea of going to a huge Big Ten school with 34,000 other students, and am looking forward to double majoring in their smaller business school, Krannert. As a top 25 business school with a heavy focus in STEM, I am very excited to be a part of this program.”
What is the #1 piece of advice you’d like to pass on to rising Seniors regarding the college process?
“I would highly recommend visiting the colleges you’re applying. Obviously it’s a bit harder right now, but hopefully come fall rising seniors will have this opportunity. I visited five schools and by doing so was able to eliminate multiple colleges from my list based on the vibe of the school. Visiting is so important but also make sure to take part in all of the cool virtual events that schools are hosting now. Also, your grades still matter senior year! Best of luck, Class of 2021!”
Tristan ’20: Dartmouth College
How did the College Office help you during the college process?
“The New Hampton School College Office helped a lot during my college process. One of the biggest ways they helped me was to keep me on track and working on my applications. They were also very helpful in working with me to make sure that my essay was the best it could be by reading it multiple times. In addition to all that, they were very supportive throughout the whole process and were great at answering any questions I had.”
What programs drew you to Dartmouth?
“One of the main features that drew me to Dartmouth was how much emphasis they put on learning from many different disciplines. I was also really drawn to the feeling of the whole school and how friendly everyone seemed with each other. The final thing that drew me to Dartmouth was their Engineering program and Arts program which I plan to double major in.”
What is the #1 piece of advice you’d like to pass on to rising Seniors regarding the college process?
“My number one piece of advice to rising Seniors is to write as many essays as you can as quickly as possible for the Common App. I found this really helpful as it allowed me to find a few interesting topics which I was later able to combine into one much better essay. I would also say do not stress too much over first drafts of essays as it is best to get out what you want to say quickly so that it does not become obscured.”
Kerem Öztürk ’20: University of Chicago
How did the College Office help you during the college recruitment process?
“The New Hampton School College Office really helped with my recruiting process. Ms. Farnsworth knew a lot about each school that was recruiting me. To see how happy Ms. Farnsworth was when I got into UChicago showed me how passionate she is about her job and her students’ success. Everyone in the College Office was there whenever I needed help, whether it was signing up for the SAT or completing my Common App. I really am so grateful for them.”
What programs or features drew you to the University of Chicago?
“As a student, I have always found myself drawn to many fields of study. My brain works well with numbers but I also really love studying history, and taking classes like anatomy and public speaking. In my opinion, a successful person is someone who is a versatile learner and I really thought that the principles portrayed by the Core Curriculum of UChicago reflects this belief.”
What is the #1 piece of advice you’d like to pass on to athletes that are looking to play at the next level?
“My advice would be to keep your mind open to every school. When I first came to the US the only acceptable colleges were Division 1 colleges. I didn’t even respond to some Division 3 schools at first which, looking back, I really regret doing because it was unprofessional. Eventually, I realized my main goal wasn’t playing D1, it was to go to a school where I could play basketball and receive a great education. Therefore, I advise everyone looking to play sports in college to consider every school that reaches out to them and see what they have to offer before you make an assumption.”
Learn More
Want to learn where more Huskies will head to next year? Search the hashtag #huskyclassof2020 on Instagram to see all of the fantastic opportunities our students will pursue next year. Congrats, Class of 2020!
