Ben 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute , Architecture Program

Class of 2021

DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS:

Applying to schools is overwhelming because of the sheer amount of work. Fortunately, Hughes tutoring and the Common Application helped me organize the requirements I had to meet and the deadlines that I had to meet them by. Looking back on the experience I was much more prepared to do college applications than many of my peers. 

WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY IF YOU COULD?

I probably would have focused more on visual art earlier on. I took a lot of band classes and ended up having to make an art portfolio to apply to architecture school. While it all turned out fine in the end, I think that taking more visual arts earlier on could have helped me a lot. It’s important to try a little bit of everything. 

WHAT'S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE TO UPCOMING SENIORS/CURRENT JUNIORS?

Ask yourself where you want to be in ten or twenty years, then look at how to get there. Sometimes the path that you want to take can be discouraging so make sure that you know what it’s going to be before you commit to it. Life is what you make of it!

OF WHICH ASPECT OF YOUR APPLICATIONS ARE YOU MOST PROUD?

My essays and my art portfolio turned out really well!

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT FOR NEXT FALL?

I’m super excited for the opportunity to study architecture. It’ll be great to study something that I love, even though I know it’s going to be difficult.
 

IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS FOR A DAY, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE? 

It would be super helpful if all colleges turned to the Common Application for their admissions. Applying to schools that don’t use it can become frustrating.