Interview with Jennifer Wells!

As one of my internship requirements, I interviewed Jennifer about being a college counselor. Even though it wasn't for the blog, I decided to post it anyway because it's interesting and she gives some good advice.

What jobs have you had in the past?

I majored in theater in college, and I got my masters in theater as well, so you can see I really wanted to work in theater. I was a waitress right when I got out of graduate school, and then I joined a children's touring theater company, and toured with that for a while. Then I came to New York and worked on soap operas for a year. Then I started writing plays, which I loved. While I was writing plays, I got a job at Paramount Pictures, which was big in New York. I started as an administrative assistant, but then I got a job in the film acquisition department, and I worked as a reader, and I also got to screen films. So I read projects that came in to the film acquisition department. My boss was in charge of picking up films that had already started from independent films, and then buying them and making them into Paramount pictures. So they didn't have to pay for as many films from the ground up. That was a pretty cool job. So then I went away to an artist colony for 7 weeks and while I was there I decided I was going to leave Paramount, and see if I could support myself writing. I got a job with a children's theater group and I wrote 10 plays for them. At the same time, I was writing adult plays. So some of them got picked up and I went to California with one, and I won a grant from the New York Foundation for the Arts for another. I was still doing the children's plays to at this time. I knew John Pettinato at that time as well. I started a theater program for him at Greenwich Village Youth Council. And so I wrote plays while I was there, which are now published all over the country and in Canada! I get royalties from them which is very exciting. Anyway, long story short I decided I wanted something more stable, so I asked John if he had any ideas, and he told me he had just started a school and said that I should be the college advisor. That was the beginning of this. That was about 17 or 18 years ago. So I've been here a long time. Every job I've gotten has been because I know somebody. 

Who are your influences in your job now or any of your previous jobs?

Certainly my biggest influence in this job was John Pettinato. I learned a lot about being open minded and not jumping to conclusions from him. It was a really great thing to learn. the way he was all-inclusive was good, and sometimes I really struggled with it, and I felt like I had to learn not to jump to conclusions. He was so good at problem-solving and I really admired that. When he hired me, he said "You know, you'll be really great at this job. All you have to do is pretend that each of the students is your child and you have to get them all into college. I keep going back to that because it was incredible advice. It was great because if you got along with them, didn't get along with them, it didn't matter because you had to think of them as your children. And maybe that child didn't like you so much but maybe someday they would. If you really began to look at it like he said, it was really an incredible way to work with teenagers. So I think he was a great influence for this job. It goes on to this day with the staff. The dedication they have is really very exciting and gives me energy and makes me remember all the things I want to do. I think the staff inspires me now and John did in the beginning. 

How has living in New York City affected your job? How do you think being a college counselor would be somewhere else?

Well, I think in terms of the day-to-day, I imagine that suburban schools probably have a lot more money, and that some things are easier. You probably don't have to worry about bills being payed. Things like that. We are always struggling to make ends meet. If we had a bigger budget that would be nice, as well as different. But also, I wouldn't trade it. I love living in New York, and having such a diverse population. I don't think our community could be replicated in the suburbs. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so. I grew up outside of a city, and my school was very big and it was diverse in some ways, but in many ways it was not. Everyone was pretty much from the same income area, some a little richer, some a little poorer, but pretty much the same. What is really exciting about working here is that a group of students comes through here, that for the most part is able to work together and respect each other, and by the time they graduate there is a relationship that they all have as a team together. That is such a beautiful thing really, and it makes you wonder why the world can't be like ICE. Can't we learn and accept each others differences and if we're not going to be best friends, at leas have that going forward.  ICE is really incredible. Even when students have started out not liking each other, by the time they graduate, theres usually a little something there. I really don't think a lot of students have that in their schools. 

What is the biggest challenge you've had in your time working at ICE?

I think that with this job, there are lots of challenges, and lots of problem solving. I think there are a number of challenges that present themselves every year, whether it's communicating clearly with parents, whether it's getting a college to take a second look at a student, or trying to get a student to go beyond looking at reach schools and make sure they have some schools they're going to get into. Sometimes I'm successful at doing those things, and sometimes I'm not. When I'm not, it feels really bad. I have to examine why it didn't work well for this kid. You only have so much control over where the kids send their applications. These are the challenges I face every year. I'd like to say that they go away from one year to the next, but I think they always present themselves again in different forms. I think that as much as I can work with the students as juniors, the better. Like this year, it was really good because of the small classes. I feel like I really got to know the kids. 

What is the most fulfilling part of being a college advisor?

There are so many fulfilling parts! To work with young people at this point in their lives--when they are about to start a whole new part of their life--is pretty exciting. You all are in this really exciting place where you are thinking about the future, and soon moving away, and so just to be around all that gives me a lot of energy. I think I get to see the world a little differently then those who work at computers all day. The freshness that the students bring is like a gift. And just knowing that I can be helpful in the college process is really great. When you all graduate I feel like my heart is going to burst from excitement, and I can point to each of you and say which college you're going to. If you ask me about kids who graduated 10 years ago I'll tell you what college they went to. It all makes me feel good. I get a lot of gratification from my job, and I feel bad for people who don't enjoy their jobs. I think it's really important to find something you like to do. 

Thanks Jennifer!

Isabel

Tips for College Interviews from an ICE Senior

11th graders will be doing interviews with colleges soon, so here is a post with some advice and information about college interviews! I have absolutely no experience with these interviews since I didn't do any, but I interviewed a senior (who wished to remain anonymous) about her interview experiences. 

How many college interviews have you had?

I’ve had two alumni interviews (here in NYC) and two interviews at the actual colleges.

What was your best college interview? Why?

I was interviewed by a senior at Haverford College and we related to each other on many subjects so it was really easy to talk to her. We both loved photography and she was an English major and I was thinking of becoming one. She was also doing a senior thesis project (wrote her paper and was going to present to a panel) just like all the ones we do at ICE so it was perfect. Haverford was just like ICE to the extreme. Based on that I think the easiest way to have a good interview experience is to find something you and the interviewer have in common and be sure to show exactly how you would be a good fit at their school and not only why you want to go there. At another interview, the interviewer and I connected because he was also from NYC, and another because she was majoring in what I’m thinking of majoring in.

How would you describe the atmosphere of your interviews? Do you think this is typical of college interviews? Should students dress professional or casual?

For the ones I did at the colleges, we sat in admission rooms and they didn't really have specific questions. Both of them were with a student who works in admissions. The alumni interviews were with older people (duh they've already graduated) and we met in a cafe and a diner in the city. One of the alumni called me and we arranged a date, time, and place, and the other I did via email. The interview usually starts by telling you they want this to be a conversation and not just them asking you a list of questions, then they ask you to tell them about yourself, your school, your interests, and move on from there.

Of course you should dress professionally. No denim! I wore a colored blazer with solid black skinny pants and a nice shirt. Basically you would wear what you'd wear to give a panel presentation. When in doubt I’ve always heard that in general it's better to error on the fancy side.

Do you have any advice for how to do well on an interview?

Like I said before I think it's really important to show your common ground. Don’t just say a program sounds really cool, say my school had something a bit like this we did blah blah and i'm really excited to take this to the next level. Show that you learned from that common experience and how you can use those skills to make you great when you do it in college.

Also, of course, have researched your school and come with questions to ask. Ask your interviewer what they are majoring/did major in and what they're involved with and any questions you have about the school, of course. Another tip, one alum told me where she worked and I didn't search it before I went. It wasn't a huge deal but I wish I had because she referenced it during the interview. Also, in three out of the four interviews, I was asked what I was reading currently, so have a title ready just in case. One good thing that to talk about: ICE’s graduation requirements. They are a good way to show what kind of work you do.

Anything else you want to add about college interviews?

If you can interview at the school, do it. I didn't get into either of the schools I did alumni interviews for (not saying they aren't an asset to your application, these schools were also my extreme reach schools) but they were kind of awkward. one was in a diner and one was in a cafe and there was all this added stress of ordering food or not ordering food (at the diner I got a soda so I could still talk, my interviewer got a meal) and having to talk over excess noise, etc. That said, they were really helpful to learn more about the school and I think it's better to do one if that's the only option, but if it's available/convenient to do on campus I found I preferred those (I got into a reach-ish school and a target via them). Last but not least, you should always get the interviewer's name and send them a thank you card/email!

Thanks to anonymous senior! Hope this helps the juniors who have interviews coming up.

Isabel

NY Times Article-Measuring College Prestige vs. Price

A recent New York Times article, Measuring College Prestige vs. Price, talks about the rising prices of college and whether expensive private schools are worth the massive amounts of debt they entail. Students these days have to weigh whether they can afford to pay for the more prestigious college, or whether they can get into the grad or medical school they want to if they choose the cheaper, less prestigious college. There are a lot of things to consider when deciding how much money to spend on college, such as what kind of life the student wants after they graduate, graduation rates of the possible colleges, any merit scholarships the student may receive, as well as how much debt the parents and the student can handle. Rather than say students should choose their school based on prestige or price, the article concludes with the advice that families should look at what they can realistically afford, or think about how much debt they are willing to deal with. There are a lot of factors that play into the choice, so it varies from family to family.

Here is the link to the full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/20/your-money/measuring-college-prestige-vs-price.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Clark University

In early April I went to visit Clark University for a tour and information session. Clark is located in Worcester, Massachusetts. It's a small private liberal arts and research university, with about 2,300 students, 32 majors, and 31 minors. Clark is an SAT-optional school, and has an acceptance rate of about 60%. The university is especially known for their Geography and Psychology programs. 17% of the students major in Psychology. Clark is also one of 40 colleges in Loren Pope's book, Colleges that Change Lives.

Standing by the Science Center and Admissions Office.

Clark has an accelerated B.A./Masters program, which 25% of undergrad students take part in. It offers a 5th year at Clark with free tuition to get a Bachelors and Masters degree. They offer 14 accelerated degree programs. Here is a link to the information about that: http://www.clarku.edu/undergraduate-admissions/majors-academics/tuition-free-masters.cfm

Worcester is the second largest city in New England, after Boston. It is an hour west of Boston and 45 minutes Northwest of Providence. 

As I mentioned, I was at Clark for a tour and an info session recently. At the info session, there was a student panel who answered questions and told us about their experiences at Clark. They talked a lot about helping and giving to the Worcester community and it seemed that the Clark community and the Worcester community are very connected. We took a tour of the campus, which is pretty small, but has everything that the students need. The students were friendly and inviting, offering only the highest praise for their school. 

I may have a somewhat biased opinion since I'm going to Clark next year, but overall my impression was that it's a great, community-oriented school. For more information about Clark, visit their website: http://www.clarku.edu/

Isabel 

Interview with Danielle Dubno-Hammer (ICE Science Teacher)

ISABEL: When did you become interested in science?
DANIELLE: I became really interested in science in my 9th grade biology class. It was a very traditional class, and very different from a science class someone would take at ICE. We sat in rows, my teacher was 75 years old, and he had transparencies that he would pull out of a file and slap on the projector. We would take notes, and then we would take tests. We would have lab and it would always follow a set procedure, we never designed experiments. But even though most kids in the class really did not enjoy that, there was something about science that always fascinated me. I just found myself always wanting to learn more, and wanting to learn as much as I possibly could about how everything works, and wanting to know all the laws of the universe that I could possibly know. So I took science classes during the rest of my high school career, and tried to get a good background in chemistry, biology, physics, and earth science. So it started there, and then I went to a special summer camp for teenagers who are interested in science, the outdoors, and specifically environmental action and education. That was a life changing experience for me, because I figured out that I wanted to work with kids and that I really wanted to do something related to science. I saw what the adults there were doing, and I really liked that, so I came back as a volunteer for a few years and then eventually worked at a couple camps like that.

I: What would you say your favorite science subject is?
D: My favorite science subject was always the biologies, but it's hard for me to just say one. My favorite college course was ornithology, which is the study of birds. The reason I loved that class was because we went out into the field a lot, and we were able to observe birds in their natural habitat. We did a lot of stuff I had never done before. Sometimes we had to get up at 4 in the morning and scout owls that were just waking up, and a couple times we would go to the coast and look at birds that I had never  would have noticed or had been able to see before. We recorded them, and observed them, and memorized a ridiculous amount of information. It was unlike anything I'd ever done, and so I really enjoyed it.

I: So where did you go to college? 

University of New Hampshire

D: I went to the University of New Hampshire, in Durham, New Hampshire. I started out as an Environmental Conservation Major, because that really was my passion and still is a passion of mine. But I realized I would have a lot more options if I changed my major to biology, and that major would hold more weight in the real world, and could go in more directions. At that time I was thinking about becoming a teacher, and if I had that degree, I could be a biology teacher and still do a lot of environmental stuff. So I changed to a biology major and kept my minor in environmental conservation.


I: That's great. I'm thinking of majoring in Bio.
D: It's a really great major, very versatile, because you can do so many different things. You could go to med school, you could be a teacher, you could work in a lab, you could work in all kinds of settings. It's a respected major. It's not easy, its a hard major. Any of the core science majors are a lot more work then some other majors, like communications or psychology, because they have labs. The labs are at separate times, maybe even on separate days than the actual class. So all of my friends who were not science majors would be done with their classes by 10, and I would be in the lab for more hours that afternooon. So I put in a lot of time, but I'm happy I did it because I'm really happy with what I do. I love what I do, and I wouldn't have it any other way. But it definitely was more work.

I: Jennifer told me that you were Pete's student teacher when you first came to ICE, so tell me about what happened from undergrad until then, and into that. 

Danielle at the Museum of Natural History

D: After undergrad I actually worked in a stem cell lab at Mt. Sinai. I saw a job opening in the New York Times for a lab technician, and I thought it was a reach but it sounded amazing to work in a stem cell lab in a major research hospital, so I applied and they called me in, and I got the position. I was really excited and I made very little money but at that time I didn't know better. I suggest that people apply to jobs even if they may be out of their reach, and I also suggest that you send thank you notes to the people who interview you, because that is part of what got me the job. So then I went to NYU for my teacher education, masters. I was actually supposed to student teach at a different school than ICE, but then at the last minute it fell through, and my professor, a good friend of John Pettinato, called him up and asked if there was space for me to student teach at ICE. At that time Pete was the department head of science at ICE. He said he would meet me, so I came in, and he asked me why I wanted to work at ICE. So I said, "well I'm learning all these great styles of teaching, and different methods that are not traditional, but I haven't actually seen them anywhere, so I'm looking to see that in action." Pete said, "Well, you're in the perfect place; you're hired." So I worked with him, and it was a really interesting group of kids that year, and they were doing some really cool projects. We worked on the bridge project, which is still a major project at ICE, as well as the catapult project, and I definitely was timid and still just figuring things out in the beginning, but Pete sort of threw me in there and I learned pretty quickly. It was a really great experience. The next year there was an opening for a science teacher, Pete convinced John Pettinato that I should have the job, and here I am 8 years later.

I: You started bringing kids to NYSCEF, right? How long ago was that? 2-3 years? Tell me about that. 

Danielle at NYCSEF with Kristen Clevenson

D: So 3 years ago we had a few really exceptional students who wanted to do something more in science. We, at that time, did not have any sort of science research program in place, and we were not familiar with the science competitions that were available in NYC. This was a new thing for us, but because we had motivated students we pursued it. JD (Jennifer Dahlstrom, science teacher) was also a huge part of getting it started, because she had come from Fordham University and her professor is one of the lead directors of NYCSEF (New York City Science and Engineering Fair). He encouraged her to get students involved in NYCSEF. So it was a perfect collaboration because I was teaching the Graduation Requirement--the course where they design experiments--and I had support from JD who brought this competition and was really able to help guide us through the process and mentor, with me, those students. We had two really phenomenal grad req projects that we were able to get accepted to the competition, and then to finals. They were the first two students we ever sent. One of those students project was selected as one of the top 15 projects in NYC, and as the top in behavioral science, and she went to ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair) and had the experience of a lifetime. Last year we started the Research Methods course, which is a 12th grade elective for students who hadn't yet finished their grad req, as well as for students who wanted to enter into the science fair. Every year we've seen the number of students interested in NYCSEF grow. The first year it was 2, the second year  we had 6 students, and this year we had 9. We are now meeting with the current 11th graders who are interested for next year, and there are at least 26 kids who are interested.

I: So since you came here you've seen the sciences at ICE grow so much more. How does that feel to be pretty much causing that?
D: Well, I give a lot of credit to my colleagues at ICE. But it feels really good to look back at what science was at ICE was when I first came here and to have had a vision of what it could be--and ideally what was possible here--and then to be able to work with such amazing people, who supported me in that and who also had a huge part in making that happen, and then see it come to life. It's been absolutely incredible. It's been pretty much what I've devoted the past 8 years of my life too. It was quite a project, and it was a lot of fun, and I absolutely loved it. So it feels great, and I wouldn't want to do anything else.

I: Do you have any future plans for ICE's sciences? (besides the ton of students who are doing NYCSEF next year)? Or ideas that you want to do?

Danielle at NYCSEF with Gabriella Benhutta

D: Yeah, definitely. What we're trying to do now is develop partnerships with scientists at local universities who will allow ICE students to intern at their labs or continue to deepen their research in a professional science setting, because we want students to be able to do harder science, and have access to technologies we don't have here at ICE. That is what we see kids at other high schools able to do, so we are sort of taking a lead from some of the big science high schools in NYC, like Stuyvesant, or Bronx Science, and help kids from all kinds of backgrounds use science to improve their lives and create new opportunities for themselves. We are working with a few labs. We currently have 3 ICE seniors working in labs in NYC, and they've all gotten great reviews from their mentors, so we're hoping that next year we can have more ICE students fill those places and also expand our relationships with other scientists. Another goal is to further develop the research course in 12th grade. Our third goal is to continue with this program we're involved with, called GK-12, that puts scientists into classrooms. We have two scientists working at ICE who are graduate students in neuroscience, and so they come into the classes and help mentor the students, and that's really changed the caliber of work we've been able to push kids to do. So we want to continue to do stuff like that, having people come into the class and work directly with the students. One of the things we're trying to acquire for the neuroscience program is an EEG machine, which is a device that sits on your scalp and allows you to measure brain activity through waves that are emitted. There is one of these devices that we are interested in purchasing, that costs $2500, so we are fundraising, and a parent is helping us write a grant to buy it so that students can measure brain activity more directly, and not just behavior. To really be able to do something on a more biological level. Those are some of our goals.

I: Do you have anything else you want to add about science, or working here? 
D: I just feel really lucky that I was able to work in a school like this that allowed me to experiment with different things and try different things, and allowed us to do real science and have a program that demands that every single student who comes to ICE fills the role of a scientist. That's a very special thing that doesn't happen anywhere else that I've seen, outside of the consortium schools, and definitely not where I come from. I think that's really special, and I'm really happy to be a part of that.

Guest Post by Leo Hardman-Hill

Leo is a senior at ICE and has been accepted to many very prestigious conservatory programs. In this post he shares his knowledge about conservatories and offers advice for how to go about applying to them. 

A brief overview of conservatory advice in the form of a Q and A between imaginary 11th graders and myself:

Q: What’s it like applying to college?

A: You’re going to hell and back. The devil is the college board. But before I cast you into a spell of nauseating paranoia of the months ahead, I should clarify that hell is truly manageable, college board truly just a fly on the wall, if you manage your time. I know that’s easier said than done, but you will truly benefit by at this point in life spending 30 minutes a day doing college related things (15 of which include studying for the SAT’s--even you, conservatory students).

Q: What’s different about applying to conservatory?

A: If you have any intention at all of even possibly applying to conservatory, start your work now. Do not wait until your friends now. It’s really not that bad, but do know that in terms of sheer workload your boat will be twice the size of other people. Start now, take it one step at a time--I started late, tried to take it 2 and a half steps a time, and was tripping all over myself on the way to conservatory victory.

Q: Haha what a funny piece of writing--so where do I start?

A: For starters, find possible conservatories that could work best for you. There are a ton of them out there, each with their own individual types of programs, faculty, connections, etc. Research the kind of place that works best for you--and ask advice from teachers in your conservatory field (musicians, feel free to ask me any questions if you have any). By midway through the summer, start adding audition practice to your daily routine (but keep up the other hard work you do in the field--schools will look not only for a good audition performance, but signs of your talent).

Q: What’s the difference between going to a conservatory and a liberal arts college and majoring in music?

A: This answer speaks more towards what I know of trying to becoming a musician, but is worth reading and taking into consideration for the rest of you also. Unfortunately, the world has changed considerably. While it used to be easier for people to go to a liberal arts college, get a music degree if they choose, and go get a masters in music of some kind, this is now a lot harder to do. The cost of college is higher than ever before, and it is not always easy to pay for both an expensive liberal arts college, and get a masters. Furthermore, you’ll be competing with former conservatory students for a masters degree. Why can’t you just major in music and then become a musician? Over time, the bar has continued to be raised for musicians in terms of skill and chops. WIth a limited amount of jobs out there, you want to be able to have every leg up you can get--the intensive practice, plus connections, you can get at a conservatory will give you that leg up. Besides, music is a skill that takes time, you want to be able to have time in your life to really put in hours.

Thanks Leo!

A Visit to SUNY Geneseo

Last Weekend, I went to an Admitted Students Open House at SUNY Geneseo, with fellow ICE senior Zora Kosoff and our families. SUNY Geneseo is located in Geneseo, New York, just a 30-minute drive from Rochester. Geneseo is a small, historic town. On Geneseo’s main drag there are a few restaurants, a disproportionate number of hair salons, as well as a number of other private businesses. It’s a quiet town with friendly people.

 

SUNY Geneseo is known as one of the top SUNY schools in the system. It is often compared with private schools such as NYU, Boston College, and Cornell University. It has an enrollment of some 5,000 undergraduates, and a full time faculty of 241. Geneseo offers 54 undergraduate majors and many study-abroad opportunities. They recently built the $53 million Integrated Science Center on campus, which houses all of the sciences, including physics, the major that Geneseo is one of the nation’s top producers of. Geneseo is the most selective of the SUNYs, with an acceptance rate of 43%. The average SAT score of an applicant is 1330 (Math and Reading Sections Combined)

Integrated Science Center (ISC)

At the Open House, Zora and I met other admitted students and got a sense of what the student body was like. The two predominant populations of students come from Rochester and Long Island, with New York City close behind. The older students and tour guides were friendly and helpful. At first we wondered if they get bored being in such a small town, but were told that there is a free bus to Rochester, where students can shop, eat, and go to music events.

The following link gives a good description of Geneseo's assets. It is slightly old, but everything it says still applies. SUNY Geneseo is a great college for a great price.

http://www.kiplinger.com/article/college/T014-C000-S002-top-100-best-values-in-public-colleges.html