Today the entire ILC student group (with at least one parent) met at Pinole Valley Middle School promptly at 6:00 p.m. for an orientation about what is to come before each cohort departs for their respective summer program. The meeting began with a lengthy discussion about the importance of not only being on time for meetings, classes and other get togethers, but how important it is to plan to arrive early Mr. Ramsey and Don both stressed the fact that punctuality and reliability are two very important features that any aspiring successful person must have. Finally, we learned that being early and following instructions are two major elements to succeeding in ILC, and ignoring either of these rules not only effects others besides yourself, but could also result in a termination of one’s scholarship.
The next portion of the meeting was spent reviewing many general aspects of ILC. We were all reminded of the importance of blogging. The ILC blogs not only let people know what we are up to, but they should also be descriptive in nature so that readers can get a feel for what we are learning, seeing and doing. We were also informed that some of those reading our blogs will be admissions officers and alumni from the very colleges that we are attending and visiting so it is a great way to let them know how we think and how we write.
In just fourteen days, we will be departing for New York City to begin our ILC experience. We learned that we will be meeting bright and early in the morning at El Cerrito High School---in past years it was at 4am! This early meeting time is so that our baggage can be weighed by two or three different scales for accuracy. Don also reviewed with us all the loaner items he has to offer us. Everything from laptops and power cords to electric fans and umbrellas are available for loaning out to ILC members, just as long as they are returned. It is amazing the amount of equipment the ILC has to offer to ensure that students are comfortable and prepared while on the East Coast. Even though much of this information I had heard before, I think it was valuable for our parents (and for us) to hear it first hand, and to help me remember that ILC is a program which really does want to help us learn, grow and succeed.
We then split up into our cohort groups. Ms. L took us to a smaller room outside of the main auditorium and she distributed a draft of the proposed itinerary for our cohort. During the first week we will be visiting Sarah Lawrence, Yale, Vassar, and the University of Pennsylvania. We will visit NYU the following week. At each school, we will have the opportunity to attend an information session and a campus tour. We are scheduled to have special dinners with numerous alumni, current students and admissions officers, opportunities that will give each of our cohort a chance to talk to these knowledgeable people about a particular college. I will definitely think about some questions I want to ask each of our guests so that I can learn as much as possible about college life as well as admissions details. Ms. L was very excited to tell us that we will be dining at numerous fancy restaurants in NYC and we will get to be tourists and visit places such as: Grand Central Station in Manhatten, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and Hyde Park in Poughkieepsie. This first week will no doubt be very busy with little time to sleep, but all these activities sound so fun and interesting that I hardly think I will notice my lack of sleep.
After discussing a few of Ms. L’s important rules regarding safety, we all met back in the auditorium for closing statements. Don and Mr. Ramsey thanked us all for coming and we found ourselves back in our cars returning home to blog! Every milestone event we have reminds me that in two weeks from today I will be in a steakhouse in New York City, a fact that I have to pinch myself to believe every time I think of it.
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