Head of Sixth Form catches up with Old Salopians on US Universities tour

Whilst heading over the Atlantic over exeat, the Head of Sixth Form took the chance to visit some colleges and universities, as well as to catch up with some of the Old Salopians currently studying in the US.

The first stop was a surprisingly non-windy Chicago, with visits to Northwestern on the banks of Lake Michigan, and the University of Chicago. There, Mr Percival caught up with Felix, Boris, Sacha and Jakin, where it was particularly good to see them thriving on its rich academic diet, although economics featured heavily in discussion.  Much like those on the campaign trail, North Carolina was next on the list, with visits to Davidson College and Wake Forest University, whose sporting pedigrees chime with the aspirations of many Salopians. 

With introductions to the admissions deans forged, it was time to visit two other universities popular with alumni: UNC Chapel Hill and Duke.  At the latter, Iris was able to offer her insight into the life of a recruited athlete, as she goes into her second year.  At the former, Joss and Anni were very generous with their time, offering a true ‘behind the scenes’ tour to life at UNC, with a quick sneak onto the hallowed (astro)turf at the Kenan Stadium.  Joss joins fellow OS Finn as a Morehead-Cain scholar, whose programme has already included an outdoor leadership adventure and is embracing all that life has to offer; Anni has just started as a recruited rower. 

A pit stop in DC allowed for a catch up with Louis, who has already hit the back of the net as the leading goal scorer in the football team at George Washington University and whose lectures are sometimes interrupted by presidential visits and motorcades sweeping by (the university is a few blocks from the White House and State Department).

The final city had to be Boston, called ‘college town’ due to the 50+ universities in the region.  As well as visits to the admissions teams at Boston University and Tufts, it was fantastic to see both Luke and Nat living the Crimson life at Harvard.  As well as a full tour, including a heated debate over whether Noch’s or Joe’s did the best pizza, it was obvious that they are having an amazing time: Nat has already made an impression at the boathouse, coxing her crew to victory at the Head of the Charles River and picking up Latin again (much to her former tutor’s delight); Luke has been selected as one of the twelve Krokodiloes, Harvard’s oldest acapella group, whilst navigating Mesopotamian literature and finding a second home at the Business School.

The trip provided a tremendous chance to develop a fuller understanding of life at US colleges; the system is very different but it is clear that the opportunities can be tremendous.   We look forward to catching up with some of the OS next October, as the school runs its first US college tour to New York and Boston.