I got bored during Winter vacation and decided to search up some summer programs that colleges offered. It intrigued me because during the summer of ‘06, let’s just say things were pretty lethargic.
Needless to say, right after I added the websites of the pre-college programs to my favorites, I literally forgot about it until April of this year.
Most of the applications for the pre-college sessions were already due - which sucks. However, there was only one college that still accepted rolling applications.
The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. I decided to myself, "What the hell? If Detweiler was talking about it, the current Secretary of Defense was an alumni, and if Jon Stewart attended here, it must be good." And another perk, it was all the way in Virginia! Being somewhat isolated in a desolate area, away from your family, especially your brother that annoys you for food... it’s worth the time to just apply. I mean, "What if?"
It was like sending in an application for college. I had to send in my official high school transcript (failed Algebra and all), have my current social studies teacher (Mr. Kurnas) to write a paper that talks about my qualities and attributes, write an essay explaining why I would like to learn Early American History during this summer and so on. I had so much fun writing the essay. If you want a copy of it, just ask. (Although I don’t know why you would want it however.)
Everything was due on the May 14... the same day as my French trip and FBLA banquet. I realized that I need a parent signature for a paper that the school needed so they can send my transcript. It wasn’t signed, so literally, in the gym locker room, I walked up to the nearest girl and asked, "Can you forge signatures well?" She mimicked my mother’s signature and I was off to the Orchestra locker room to get all of my application materials.
I had everything completed except for my teacher recommendation form. I knew that Mr. Kurnas would complete it, regardless of how little time there was.
Oh and guess who was there at the Orchestra locker room just chilling?
Ahh yes, it was none other than one of my best friends, Ulric Kelly. So I decided to talk to him, but you know how best friends do, we ended up talking until the bell rang. Which was a bad thing considering that the bus for the French trip was leaving in 5 minutes and I had to talk to the ladies at the guidance office to send my application.
I told the ladies at guidance my situation with the whole teacher recommendation form and one of them admonished me and said, "You really need to stop procrastinating. I don’t know if he would sign this. I mean, he has to write a page." I responded with, "Yeah, well I know Kurnas would do it. He’s just cool like that." (I know, I can’t believe I spoke that improperly to an elder before...)
I was off to my French trip, hoping that William and Mary would accept me.
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Four weeks has passed and every time I saw a mailbox full of Cosmopolitan, TIME, and American Girl magazines, and no sign of large envelopes that had my name plastered on the front, I gave up some hope. Sure, I did have a 70 or 69 as a final grade for 9th grade Algebra. But that’s Algebra. Clearly it wouldn’t be in the curriculum for Early American History.
Or maybe Mr. Kurnas decided to not write my teacher recommendation form. I didn’t even tell him face to face on what he has to do. Perhaps he just threw it away and said to himself, "She should of told me earlier..."
Or, perhaps the ladies over at guidance forgot to add something to the envelope? I heard that if admission directors didn’t get what they were asked, they immediately discarded your application. Eck!
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After I got home from my Honors Orchestra Concert on June 5th, I was pretty damn tired. Running all day, hanging out with some of my best friends before the concert started, worrying about a variety of things (ahem, finals), I just needed some time to sleep.
My brother went up to me before I was about to fall on the floor and says, "You have some mail." College brochures enveloped the table, but this white envelope with my name plastered on the front caught my eye. On the upper left hand corner, "The College of William and Mary Pre-Collegiate Program..." I quickly semi opened it and read the first word... "Congratulations!..." [This immediately woke me up.]
With all the paranoia and the bizarre questions I kept asking myself, I can finally say, I’m going to college... pre-college that is. Let the sleep deprived days live on into the summer nights!
Have a great summer guys!
Oh and remember to send me some sweet ass packages!!! (no seriously...)
Emmellene Leanne Usera
c/o The Pre-Collegiate Program
National Institute of American History and Democracy
College of William and Mary
P.O. Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
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In other news, Congratulations to Nick Migliacci on becoming our new Key Club Vice President!
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Okay, so I leave for Virginia in exactly ONE month. Any suggestions on to what I should bring... besides bug repellant?
