By DEREK LEBZELTER
So, what are you doing after you graduate? If you're a high school
senior, this is the most common question that Auntie Beth and Uncle
Chuck are going to ask you.
How are you going to answer? Did the army recruiter finally win you
over? (Boy, those guys are really stubborn. If you aren't seriously
considering going into the military, don't show any interest. They will
hound you until your dying day!!) Have you been thrown to the
wolves? Err. . . I mean, are you going right into the work force? Or are
you going to pursue higher education? I've decided on option 3, and I
think I've spent more work trying to get into college than I have with
my classes this semester.
I'm starting to regret my decision just because I'm going to have to
disappoint all of those great college recruiters, counselors, deans and
students who call night after night. They all seem so nice and helpful.
I don't want any of them to think any less of me because I'm not going
to their school.
OK, so maybe they aren't as kind and caring as they would like you to
believe. Sometimes you just have to wonder about them too. When
they call for you at 10 on a Tuesday morning and ask your dad for you,
you have to wonder. I mean, someone with college aspirations is
probably going to be in school then. Maybe they were so intent on
their jobs that they don't know what time it is.
I also love colleges that call me up when they know that they don't
even have my major. I ask them about physics and they kind of
sheepishly acknowledge that they don't have a physics program, but by
gumbo they have a swell business program. Well, that's great - for the
business majors, but we science majors need a little something
different.
The colleges that crack me up are the ones who describe what a great
student you are and how they know that you would fit in perfectly at --
---- University.
For the longest time, I got mail addressed to "Derek Gebzelter."
I
didn't know who he was, but I have the sneaking suspicion that he was
me. When they said that he was just what they were looking for, I had
to wonder. Were they looking for a non-existant person? Mr. Gebzelter
got some free applications too, so if he is real and he's reading this
now, he can pick them up at my house. I have an entire box full of
stuff for you.
Colleges love to send mailings too. That's where I figure half of your
tuition goes. (The other half goes to the grad students, but that's
another beef.) I must have 50 separate mailings from Transylvania
University in Kentucky. I had never heard about it before I got their
first brochure, but do I know that name now. I don't have any plans to
apply, but I do know all about their beautiful campus and friendly
faculty.
I'm always cautious of the tours given out by students at the campus.
After you give so many tours, I think I would just give up telling about
what the college is really like. If you have a friend who goes to that
college, have he or she tell you what's going on or just walk around
campus by yourself and see what's going on. Get the opinion of
someone who isn't the president of every group on campus while still
maintaining a 4.0 GPA like many of the students who give tours.
If you go to one of those prospective student weekends and you like
what you see, go back on a normal day when there aren't a hundred
high school students running around. Also, check out their cafeteria
food. I can't be too emphatic on this. Check out the food.
You're not always going to have a catered lunch like the preview days.
There may be a big difference between your lemon pepper chicken on
the preview day and the thing that sort of tastes like chicken that will
be slapped down on your plate on freshmen orientation week.
Don't forget to take beauty into account. You won't want to stay at a
campus that looks like it was spliced together at the last minute. Also,
make sure that your campus isn't sprawled out over five miles. You
will want to be able to get from point A to point B without having to
stock provisions in your backpack.
Use your high school counselors. They're not there to sit in their cushy
offices and play with their computers. If they were, a lot more people
would be counselors. They are there to help you with your college
decisions. They can give you invaluable advice on what strengths and
weakness a college has and how easily you'll be able to pay for it.
They're great people. Use them!!
College entrance exams are essential for getting into most four-year
universities. The ACT is the most common around here, but there are
the SAT I and the SAT II: Subject Tests for some of the more elite
colleges. You need to do these early. Don't wait until the last minute
and pay a late fee. Take them at the end of your junior year and
beginning of your senior. They are tough, but you have all sorts of
resources available to you. Instead of rushing out to Walden Books and
taking out their entire stock of SAT books, talk to your counselor or
high school librarian. More likely than not, they'll have more
information than you'll ever need. Don't spend $70 on a test when your
score may only improve by one point.
Don't let me scare you away from college. It will be one of the best
times of your life, but also one of the most challenging. I just want to
remind you that there's all sorts of propaganda out there that you need
to sort through. Don't take something at face value. Dig deeper and
uncover what it really means. Happy college hunting!
Lebzelter, between taking the SAT and ACT tests and carrying in the
mail, is a Conneaut High School senior. He last wrote about Buckeye
Boys State last summer for Teen/Currents.
By DEREK LEBZELTER
Things that you may want to keep in mind when looking at colleges:
-Beware if the student who shows you around campus is wearing the
sweatshirt of another college. If his bumper stick says, "This school
sucks," this may not bode well for an unbiased tour of the campus.
-Also beware if the student who shows you around has her college's
logo on every piece of clothing she owns . If you ask what other
colleges she looked at before attending this one, and she slaps you, you
may not be in for an objective look at the campus.
-If all the students on campus give you the "finger" when you
arrive on
campus, this may not be the most friendly place to go to school.
-When you ask about security and the dean tells you that ONLY two
rapes and one murder occurred on campus this semester, you might
want to be a little wary.
-When looking through the course catalog and you see the course
"Klingonese 101," you shouldn't be too enthusiastic about its
foreign
language program.
-While continuing through the catalog, if you see "Bleeding with
Leeches 253," the school's biology and pre-med program may not be
up to par.
-When the only extracurricular activity at the college is "underwater
basket weaving," you might want to try a college with a little more
variety.
-If your application comes with your Publisher's Clearinghouse
Sweepstakes entry card, you might think twice before sending it in.
You'll have better luck winning the money than getting a decent
education.
-When the dean of admissions tells you the last good concert on
campus was when "that Vanilla Ice played," don't expect a huge
music
scene.
-If the theatre department can only afford to put on Thorton Wilder's
"Our Town," every year, a theatre tech major might not do too
well.
-When you talk to the physics professor about Newton's laws and he
says, "Who's that?" this may not be the school for you.
-If your application comes with a note from the dean of admissions
that says, "You don't have a prayer of getting in here," the school
may
be a little too elite for you.
-If you visit the campus and ask to see the computer lab and they say,
"What is this computer you speak of?" you could be in for some
trouble.
-If you visit the campus and a there is a large quarantine flag flapping
in the breeze, this may not be the best college for you.
-If you've seen the dean on "America's Most Wanted," try another
school.
-If this college's motto is "Education R' Us," you may want to
reconsider applying.
On a more serious note, make sure that you are comfortable with the
campus that you're staying on. You'll be there for four (if not more)
years. You need to be able to learn in this environment as well as have
fun. Good luck on your college search!
Laura Dowler
on movies
It's December, a time of snow, vacations and Christmas.
What better way to get in the Christmas mood than a few movies?
Christmas movies are as much a tradition as the Christmas tree. Some
are funny, some are sad and some bring out the true spirit of
Christmas. Sit down with a big bowl of popcorn and some Christmas
cookies as you enjoy these classics.
"Miracle on 34th Street." This Christmas classic stars Natalie
Wood as
a young girl who doesn't believe in Santa Claus. When the Santa Claus
of the department store where her mother works claims to be the real
Santa, his sanity is challenged. He is put on trial for lunacy. If you
don't believe in Santa, this movie will change your mind.
"A Muppet Christmas Carol." The classic Dickens story with a new
twist. Muppets play the leading roles. Michael Caine has the human
part as Ebineezer Scrooge. Kermit the Frog plays Bob Cratchitt and
Gonzo is narrator. As in the original, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts
that cause him to make several life changes.
Comedy and music make this a must-see for the season. Don't try to
watch this instead of reading the book for English. When you point out
that Bob Cratchitt was a frog, the teacher will know.
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Dr. Seuss' evil grinch comes
to life
in this classic holiday special. The grinch, in an effort to take
happiness away from Whoville, tries to steal Christmas. The hopeful
attitude of the Whos show the grinch how wrong he is. Susie Who can
still bring a smile to any grinch's face.
"A Charlie Brown Christmas." If you missed this on CBS earlier
this
month, make a point to rent it. Charlie Brown and his friends learn the
true meaning of Christmas. It's not about commercialism or gifts, it's
something bigger. This cartoon is guaranteed to put you in the
Christmas mood.
"It's A Wonderful Life." This is THE Christmas movie. George Bailey
had it all, a nice family and friends who care. When money from his
savings and loan turns up missing, all fingers point to him. He decides
that life would be better without him and decides to jump from a
bridge. Clarence, his guardian angel, is sent to show him what life
would really be like without him. Be sure to rent the black and white
version for the maximum impact and don't forget the Kleenex.
"A Christmas Story." All Ralphie wanted for Christmas was a Red
Ryder BB gun. His life around the Christmas season revolved around
the gun. Nobody was as excited as he was. His parents sure weren't.
"You'll shoot your eye out," they said. Finally after a Christmas
he'll
never forget, Ralphie learns a lesson."
Dowler is a junior at Edgewood High School. She wants a dangerous
weapon for Christmas too, but it has four wheels and an engine.
This is 17- year-old Amanda Tackett.
To make things complicated, she's a computer information systems
programming major at the Ashtabula County Joint Vocational
School. This means she knows more about computers than you ever
will. Don't even try.
Amanda lives in Ashtabula and her favorite TV show is "Third
Rock From the Sun." Interestingly, she doesn't believe in aliens.
(What she doesn't know won't hurt her. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Oh, sorry.)
She considers herself a dog person and used to have a basset hound
named "Itchy."
If Amanda won the lottery, she would take a trip around the world
and eventually move to Australia.
G'day.
You'll be hanging at the mall this weekend anyway, right?
So check out Grand Valley junior Laurie Beth Mraz. She'll be
singing at the holiday stage Sunday at 2 p.m.
Answer that profound holiday question, will she sing "Grandma Got
Run Over by a Reindeer?"
Remember those good old Teen/Current pages of the past? The kid
running for office, grade inflation, the teen with his own computer
bulletin board, career passports, the girl who jumps out of planes, all
of those folks who have traveled to far-flung worlds.
Hey, why don't you travel to the basement, risk meeting those
squeaky mice, and find those old editions and read them again.
Or, from the safety, security and well-lit comfort of your computer
room, read those former pages on line. Get to it from the Beacon
Web site at www.ashtabula.net/StarBeacon via the Internet.
Tell your friends you did it. Make up a T-shirt that reads "I read
Teen/Currents with no newsprint on my fingers."
People will be in awe of you. You will finally gain that respect you
never thought you would attain.
Hey folks, anytime.
Due to health problems, cross Saturday's "You'll Rock" concert
from
your social calendar. It was slated for the Ashtabula Party Center.
But fear not, others will be coming up.