We got this letter from a recent graduate that we’d like to share:
There were not many classes that I struggled with in high school. I was the typical SDA student. I took AP classes, did all my homework and balanced a million things at once not only because I wanted to have many activities to put on my college applications but because sitting around and relaxing only stressed me out. I am the type of person that always has to be busy, and while I might complain about the many things I have to do, I am actually more productive when my agenda is full and I have to use my time management skills. Because of this, the 4×4 schedule was something I really enjoyed because it always kept me busy yet there were times that I struggled with it, especially when I took AP World History.
As a sophomore I am going to be completely honest and say that I was not prepared for AP World History. All of a sudden, I had 35-40 page chapters of dense material I had to read and take extensive notes. I remember spending more time with my history book than my family. I even began to call my textbook my boyfriend, and made jokes about how our study sessions were very intimate. While I struggled through that class though, it was definitely a hurdle that needed to be jumped and once it was, it seemed to be smooth sailing from there.
By being offered a class like AP World History so early in my high school career, it really allowed me to learn the skills I needed for college learning. While it might seem a little intimidating to be on such a fast paced schedule, the 4×4 really prepared me for the amount of work and type of work that I have experienced so far in college. I have met many people who say they have to read so much and that they never had to read this much in such a small amount of time in high school and all I can think is back to that AP World class. I have been reading long college-like chapters in condensed amounts of time since I was 16. I really have not experienced much of a change at Syracuse University from SDA and I fully attribute it to the 4×4 schedule.
I feel that SDA truly prepared me for college life. All high schools say their courses are college prep, but so many people enter college without the knowledge of time management needed for college life. SDA provided me with that knowledge from a young age and did so with teachers that truly care about your success. SDA teaches and nurtures its students from a young age so that when its alumni enter college, they do not seem so lost. I have been at college for 3 weeks now and let me tell you it’s a little bit colder than Encinitas, and there’s no view of the ocean, but my classes are just the same.
Nicole Fisher (2010) attends Syracuse University.