Point Loma Nazarene

Today I embarked on my second college tour of my summer vacation, this time to Point Loma Nazarene. When I was first listing out which colleges that I wanted to visit, Point Loma wasn't even really on my list.  It was in the back of my mind mainly because they had accidentally sent me about twelve postcards asking me to visit them.  My mom urged me to put them on my list, so I agreed, knowing that I would at least be spending my time in a beautiful place. When I set up the visit with my dad, there was a checklist of what I wanted to attend.  I dutifully checked off the "tour" and "information session" boxes before asking my dad if he wanted me to meet with my admissions councilor.  When he said yes I rather dubiously checked that box as well, wondering if it would be weird to meet with the councilor if I wasn't even seriously considering the school.

When we arrived at the campus, I immediately remembered how beautiful it really was (I had driven through the campus once without being set up for an official tour).  When I started learning more about different aspects of their academics and feeling the atmosphere, I realized that I was beginning to become very interested in this school.  Spoiler alert, I am probably going to apply now that I have gone through the tour and the information sessions!  Since I am trying to get myself back into writing regular blogs, I thought that I would share what type of information and atmosphere could so turn my head when considering a college.

First, the academic options and opportunities. From the time that I was in the first grade, I have wanted to be a pediatrician.  That choice came from knowing, even as a child myself, that I wanted to work with children and I wanted to do something that I felt would be challenging and would change lives around me.  I know now that there are many careers and ways that one can accomplish these things, but healing people is the one that has held a special interest for me for over ten years now.  Though I know that I want to go into medicine, I don't want to actually major in pre-med.  I want to have a degree in a hard science so that if anything were to happen and delay my ability to go to medical school, I would be able to have a degree with which to get a job.  Pre-med is mostly good for getting into medical school, while I could get a better job with a chem or bio-chem degree.

This being said, I was extremely interested to hear about Point Loma's medical and nursing programs.  Very well known in the area, these provide great internships, networking, and opportunities for their students. Even more interesting was finding out that you did not have to be pre-med or pre-nursing to be in these programs; in fact, there was no such option at Point Loma.  Once one qualifies for the pre-med program, they can major in whatever they want, even if it isn't a science.  Point Loma also has a number of great scholarships even at the freshman level for students wanting to major in bio-chem.  

Though this was one of the academic interests that piqued my interest, a big part of changing my mind about Point Loma was the school's atmosphere.  Unlike many schools, they were unabashedly Christian.  Many Christian schools will say something along the lines of "So, we're a Christian school but... Don't worry about that! Look over here!", whereas Christianity seemed to permeate every aspect of Point Loma.  Even though they are of a Wesleyan tradition that differs theologically from mine, I like their honesty about their faith. Even aside from the Christian atmosphere, I just felt a 'vibe' of a close-knit, lade back sort of school that reminded me of a much larger Mount Rainier.  It also helps that Point Loma is literally on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  So, as I go forward in my college search, I now have Point Loma as a top contender!

University of San Diego

Ah, vacation, the most relaxing time of the year where you don't have to get anything done, right? Wrong. This being the summer before my senior year, I have a lot of things that I need/want to get done, though I have picked what I believe to be the best place in the world to do them - San Diego.  A midst the sun bathing, shopping, body surfing, and just plain chilling out, I have decided that I am going to get my college applications done this summer.  This means that I need to really get a feel for the colleges that have already made it to my short list.  Luckily for me, almost all of these colleges are striking distance from where I am staying with my grandparents, so I am going to visit the California ones this summer!
Today I decided to start out with the very first college that I ever toured - The University of San Diego.  I remember being awed and intimidated by my first taste of a college campus, but I was also sure that I had idealized the experience in my mind.  I was right.  Though I still adored the beautiful architecture and vibe that I got from the campus, I didn't feel like this was the only college in the world that would do for me.  I think that my reaction was a good one for what I need to get done this summer.  Now, rather than comparing every college I go to up against the larger than life version of USD, I'll be comparing everything evenly.
This is not to say that I no longer like USD or plan not to apply anymore; on the contrary, it is still one of my top choices! I am just not letting it take the unfair advantage of being the only one of my California schools that I have been able to tour the campus of so far.
So, what I like and don't like about USD at first glance.  I love the location and campus.  Down below will be a collage of pictures that I snapped while on my tour, but nothing compares to actually being there.  It is on a hill in sunny San Diego, able to see the fireworks from Sea World at night, and always the perfect weather.  It is also a good school both academically and in it's atmosphere.  The University of San Diego is an independent Catholic college that is still grounded to it's Christian roots, which is a major plus for me.  Though a religious school is not a must have for me, it's still something that makes me feel more comfortable and at home when I visit those colleges.  It's the feeling that I know that I will have some people around me and part of the larger church who will love me as a sister in Christ.  USD also does many service projects, mission trips, and studies abroad that can make almost any high school student dizzy in contemplating.
All together, I realize that I was right to have loved this school right off the bat, but I was also right to come back to it with some more mature eyes.  I think that this summer will be a blast, and I hope that finding the right colleges will be a part of that!

Why I want to go to college

Nelson Mandela, a remarkable world figure, once said that “education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world”.  Though Nelson Mandela can seem like a man far removed from me, his words strike true for me because my parents have taught me the same idea in both words and action.  Both of my parents were the first in their families to go to college, and they have impressed upon me the importance of doing so.  They have taught me that the most important skill one can possess is to think.

The are many reasons that young people want to go to college.  Some are simply forced into it by expectation, others go only to find themselves a well paying career for financial security.  Thinking introspectively, I find that there are three main reasons that I would like to go to college.  First of all, I do want to prepare myself for the career path that I have chosen.  Getting a good college education would prepare me to apply to and study in medical school.  I have known from the first grade that I wanted to be a pediatrician, but I have also known that the medical career poses long years of education.  Without college, I would never be able to realize my dream of becoming a doctor and working with children.

Though not generally put into the category of ‘career’, I know that one day I am going to be a parent.  When I am, I would like to have the ability to teach my children the way that my parents have been able to teach me.  I want to be able to answer their questions and encourage them to learn for their entire lives.  College will prepare me not only for the more tangible career of medicine that I have chosen, but also for the possible calling of being a future parent.

I know that I would specifically like to go to a liberal arts college because I agree with the idea that college is not meant to merely teach one job specific skills, but to teach one to think.  I want to be an active and educated citizen of my community, church, and country.  When analyzing political or social issues, I want to be able to truly evaluate the arguments rather than being led by sensationalist media.  Even as a Christian, I know that I want to understand, as much as I can, what I believe.  I want to be able to give an apology of my faith to others, and through that, be a better witness and Christian.

Aside from learning how to think and preparing one for later in life, college is great place for a young adult to grow as a person.  When I go to college, I will be the tender age of seventeen, eager and terrified to go out on my own.  I will learn my strengths, but also my weaknesses.  College will be the first time that I will truly be out on my own, away from my parents, for an extended period of time.  College gives a safe ground for young people to test their wings and, inevitably, fall.  It is a place where all will grow in ways that they may not have completely forseen.

This is the Immaculata Church at the University of San Diego