As the 2024 school year comes to an end, Cathedral’s seniors are looking into the future; which for many of them means college. Picking a college can be quite the challenge, but most of the Class of ‘24 has succeeded in picking the school that best fits their wants and needs.
No matter where the college is, private or public, how many people are admitted or any other factors, Cathedral hopes that the newest Irish alums are successful and take the lessons and skills that Cathedral has provided to make the world a better place.
A high majority of this year’s graduating class has decided to attend Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. This is a great choice for many Cathedral students because of the community that they will already have when entering college. IU is also fairly close to many Cathedral students’ homes, only being an hour and ten minutes away from Cathedral itself. This makes it very easy for students to visit their friends and families all year long. Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and their School of Medicine are two perks of Indiana University.
Business and Medicine are two very broad majors that are extremely useful in helping students get a job after graduating college. Izzy Marasco is one of those members of the Class of 2024 that will be attending Indiana University in the fall. She says, “I chose IU for so many reasons, but the main one was to stay close to home. I’ve just loved IU my whole life and it’s one of the prettiest schools in the Midwest.”
Like Izzy, many Cathedral students will enjoy getting to stay in touch and close to their homes. She also explained how she has grown up with a love for her future school. With IU being one of the more prominent schools in Indiana, many students grow up forming a connection to the school which makes it easy to transition to this new chapter in their lives.
Another leading school for the 2024 Cathedral graduates is Purdue University. Purdue is also fairly close to home and another very popular school in Indiana. It holds a prestigious engineering program that is difficult to get into. The university is particularly known for its strong programs in engineering, pharmacy, business, and agriculture.
Izzy Carrillo of the senior class has decided to attend Purdue University and is excited to experience the amazing sports, Greek life, and community that she will find there. She says, “Purdue has an acceptance rate of about 50 percent, which shows it’s not the easiest school to get into. Therefore, the people around me will also have aspirations for success. I’m most looking forward to meeting new people and having a fresh start leading into adulthood. I’m excited to be independent and explore what the future holds.”
Izzy also explained that she is going into Purdue without a decided major. She plans to go into the exploratory program, and said that Purdue has “an amazing exploratory program that I feel will better help me decide what career path I want to take.” This is a great choice for students that do not yet know what career path they want to take.
Other Cathedral students have decided to attend schools that are outside of Indiana. For example, Tess Wojtalik of the 2024 class plans to attend the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.
Admission to West Point is highly competitive with an acceptance rate of only 12%. Tess spoke about how Cathedral shaped her decision of choosing West Point and said, “My sophomore year I did a Civil Air Patrol J-Term that helped me explore different aspects of the military. That was when I first started thinking about joining the army.”
When applying to West Point, applicants must meet the academic, physical, and character requirements. They also are subject to a difficult selection process that includes interviews, medical examinations, and congressional approval. After graduating, cadets have to serve in the U.S. Army for a minimum of five years, followed by three years in the Army Reserve or National Guard.
Many choose to make the military their lifelong career, but they are not obliged to. So, Tess will enlist in the army and serve for about eight years after studying in college. She is not totally sure what she wants to do for her career, but is leaning towards a major in economics and human resources.
Tess explained that “the main reason I chose to go to West Point was because I want to serve in the military. West Point offers a formation of character and an education that exceeds the other schools I was looking at.” While in their time at West Point, Tess and other cadets will undergo a transformative experience that shapes their leadership skills, physical fitness, and academics in preparation for their roles as officers in the U.S. Army.
While speaking to Izzy Carillo, she mentioned that she is looking forward to the newfound independence that she will be able to hold in college. Many students would agree with this statement and are happy to be able to experience a new and unknown environment.
Unlike the structured environment of high school, college gives students a newfound sense of freedom. From choosing their own classes and managing their schedules to deciding how to spend their free time, college lets students take more control of their lives. Other than academically, independence in college extends to navigating dorm life or living off-campus and making decisions about everything from meals to laundry to budgeting. This is a great opportunity for students to create responsibility as they learn to balance academics with social activities and personal time.
While the transition from structure to independence can be challenging, it is an extremely valuable time for students to grow and find their place in the world. Through navigating the ups and downs of college, students develop important life skills such as time management, problem-solving, and decision-making, setting the stage for success both during their college years and after.
