Local Students on College Roads Less Traveled
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Megan Hasse in the title role of Mabel in the Pirates of Penzance at St. Andrew’s School
By Megan Catherwood For Middleburg Life
www.middleburglife.net
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December 2014
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ecember brings good cheer and, for many, a welcome holiday from work and school. Families with high school seniors, however, may feel there is little break in sight. The college application season is upon us. Twelfth grade students who met “early app” fall deadlines are sighing in relief. Most, however, are still in the throes of it: polishing their essays, submitting SAT scores, and ensuring teacher references are completed. A few of these students, driven by personal passions and interests, forge a unique path to find their “best college match.” “In an average graduating class of 30 to 40 students,” said Matt McDonough, longtime director of college counseling at Wakefield School, “I typically find a handful have a clear idea of the subject they wish to pursue, and sometimes these can be pretty specialized.” One current Wakefield senior, focused on the emerging field of commercialized space travel, is applying to programs that combine aerospace engineering with business entrepreneur-ship. Another has set her sights on conservation biology. Barbara Conner, director of college counseling at Foxcroft School, finds that “students who are interested in niche majors have already done a lot of thinking about their chosen subject -- sometimes for years. They’ve sought internships and other experiences in and outside of school. “One member of last year’s graduating class didn’t just want to study journalism,” Conner said. “she wanted to actually help create new media platforms.” They identified the more progressive journalism programs, and American University’s School of Communication provided a perfect fit. Her application portfolio included films created for Foxcroft’s development office, as well as projects completed for private clients while she was still in high school. Another recent Foxcroft graduate dreamed of a career in international hospitality. This well-traveled young citizen of the world looked at schools in both the U.S. and Europe and is now studying at Spain’s Escuela Superior de Hosteleria de Sevilla. “We all have these Rolodexes in our heads—full of schools, programs, and contacts,” Conner said. “But when a student comes through the door aiming for something novel or specific, well, that is very stimulating for me as a college counselor, and for our school generally.”
Courtesy Photo
It takes an added spark of initiative to fuel a specialized college search, develop the necessary portfolio and other submission materials, and secure relevant skills and experiences. Paul and Vicki Hasse of Upperville know about unconventional college quests. Son Daniel graduated from NYU’s film school last year, while daughter Megan is finishing her first semester studying musical theatre. Both graduated from The Hill School in Middleburg and then St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Delaware. In their recent college search with Megan, the Hasses learned that musical theatre is extremely competitive, not only at the professional level, but also the college level. Bachelors of Fine Arts programs typically accept only 14-26 students for an incoming class. The parents were shocked to discover that applications to 12 programs might yield a single offer. Still, Megan was undeterred. She calibrated her expectations accordingly, and applied to 18 schools. Taped and live auditions to demonstrate singing, acting and dancing abilities were paramount to her application process. “Megan did all the research herself and kept up with all the auditions and deadlines,” Vicki Hasse recalled. “I coordinated the travel.” During a “unified audition” in Chicago, where hopefuls performed for multiple schools, Montclair State University in New Jersey first came across their radar. The program was holding open auditions and Megan decided, why not? The head of the department immediately saw her potential and offered her a place on the spot. Though she had been considering NYU’s prestigious program, a visit to Montclair’s campus and simultaneous acceptance into their academic honors program made it clear this was where she was meant to be. Wakefield junior Will Fitzgerald, son of Caroline and Brian Fitzgerald of Middleburg, is in the preliminary stages of exploring which college programs might best prepare him for a future in menswear design. In weekly sewing lessons with Berryville-based custom clothing de-signer Karen Ewbank, he is learning the mechanics of construction and, under her guidance, cre-ating his first portfolio pieces. “This is his total passion,” his mother, Caroline, said. “Weekends are often spent at the machine, meticulously, patiently sewing in three to four hour stretches.” Regardless of whether a college-bound teen’s intended major is specialized, mainstream or undeclared, each will appreciate only the most encouraging inquiries this time of year. Once those applications are in, the long wait for news of acceptances begins. n