Dimond Seniors Apply for College

With the first quarter of the school year already halfway done, seniors at Dimond High School are starting to think about college applications.

But before seniors can begin applying to schools, they need to decide where they want to go.

At Dimond, as in any high school, there are many students with many different interests, passions and career goals. Unsurprisingly, all of these things play an enormous role in helping seniors decide where they want to apply.

Senior Cara Frischkorn has always been passionate about engineering, science and mathematics. When doing research on colleges to apply to, she specifically looked for schools that would help her further these interests.

“I want to go into aerospace engineering, so I am applying to Utah State University, the University of Alabama, Huntsville and the University of Portland. All of these colleges have mechanical engineering programs with an emphasis on aerospace,” Frischkorn said.

While Frischkorn chose colleges to apply to, some colleges are choosing Dimond seniors.

Senior and Dimond Commissioner of Spirit Amy Cordell was offered a sports scholarship by San Diego State University.

“I didn’t do any college research. I just got an email from a man at San Diego State offering me a rowing scholarship, so I figured I’d go there,” Cordell said.

Cordell is excited to attend college in southern California. “I love the warm weather and I could have fun weekends in Tijuana,” she said.

Indeed, for many seniors, the college search is all about location, location, location.

Dimond senior Makayla Maisey is not yet sure of all the places she wants to apply, but is looking at schools in Utah, Washington and California.

“One factor in choosing colleges was being close to extended family in Utah, and also being close to immediate family if I went to college on the West coast. Also, I prefer the culture of the West coast over the culture of the East Coast,” Maisey said.

Family is certainly an important part of students’ lives, and their wish to stay close to their loved ones definitely affects what colleges they look at.

Dimond guidance counselor Chris Higgins helps seniors with their applications, and thus has a good sense of why they apply to certain places.

“Schools in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska seem to be popular….being one plane ride away from home and family is certainly an advantage for a lot of students, and the Alaska Performance Scholarship makes it more affordable to stay in state,” said Higgins.

For Senior Venessa Corpus, affordability and family are the main reasons why she will be attending the University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA).

“My parents want me to stay in state to be close to them, and it’s cheaper for me go to UAA and attend beauty school in state. UAA has a good business school, and I want to be an entrepreneur and open my own salon, so it works out for me to stay here,” Corpus said.

Although some seniors are not choosing to stay in state like Corpus, they still wish to pursue some favorite Alaskan pastimes.

Frischkorn, who greatly enjoys skiing, would love to attend Utah State.

“The climate is really nice, and there’s a downhill ski resort down the road from the University, which I’m really excited about,” Frischkorn said.

Maisey is also looking to enjoy the outdoors during her four years of college.

“I want to be somewhere where I can adventure outside of school. I don’t want my college to be urban, I want it a little more secluded and close to nature” Maisey said.

Maisey hopes to attend BYU in Utah, not only for the outdoor opportunities, but the religious ones as well.

“Because [BYU] is Mormon, it would really strengthen my faith to go there. I also want to spend a year as a missionary, and BYU would be accepting and supportive of that where other schools might not be,” Maisey said.

Numerous factors can play a part in where seniors apply, but in the end, most of them simply want to go somewhere they love to learn and develop their passions and interests.

Said Maisey, “I’m considering a lot of colleges and career paths…I just want to find something I love and stick with it.”