NOCTILUCA October 2016

NEWS Appleton, Wisconsin October 2016 Volume XXII Issue II Page 2 How to continue college readiness preparation in October By Sophie Mariano 9 10 11 12 It may seem early, but with all the new opportunities that It’s not too early for sophomores to be thinking about col- It’s finally time to put all of your college prep into action. You

Junior year is when the college process begins to sneak up on you. Start studying for standardized tests including the PSAT and the ACT. There are both PSAT and ACT re- view guides that are help- ful for studying the mate- rial and are also filled with test taking techniques. Almost all colleges require either the ACT or the SAT, so if you begin taking these your junior year, you have time to retake them if you are not happy with your first score. Also begin researching col- leges, either in person by touring or online. It is helpful to have an idea of the schools you are going to apply to before your senior year.

are now able to start applying to schools by using the Common Application, (www.commonapp. org) or other applications specific to certain schools found on their websites. If you need a letter of recommendation, ask your teach- ers now. Many teachers receive multiple requests and have many letters to juggle, so make sure they are able to get you yours before your school’s deadline. Send in your ACT scores if you didn’t re- lease them when you took the test in March (you can do this from the ACT’s website), and head over to guidance to fill out the transcript re- lease form. While there don’t forget to check the scholarship list. Finally, take a deep breath. Applying to col- lege is scary and stressful but your teachers and guidance counselors are here to help you.

present themselves in high school, start looking for your passions. Join clubs that interest you and explore differ- ent activities and extracurriculars. Colleges love to see commitment, so if you join some- thing freshman year, and continue to contribute to it throughout your high school career, colleges will take notice and appreci- ate your dedica- tion. (And don’t forget that yes, your grades count now.)

lege either. This year you will have a meet- ing with your guid- ance counselor who will help you create a plan for the rest of your high school ca- reer. You will discuss classes that you have to take in order to graduate, as well as classes that will ben- efit you depending on what college or uni- versity you would like to attend. Before you have this meeting think about the path you want to take after high school, including possible careers you are interested in.

Each month, the Noctiluca will provide college advice for each grade level at Apple- ton North in the “Noctiluca University”. Advice will be specifically tailored to each month in order to provide the most timely help. Juniors and seniors: pick up a copy of college readiness timeline in the guidance office for more in-depth information regard- ing the college application process.

Catching up with North grad who is pursuing the political pathway By Fatima Ali

W: I’m very passionate about economics as well as staying involved in the federal government. I want to con- tinue with what I am currently doing in Washington D.C., but I also want to encourage financial literacy as well as continue to study into how the government and the area of economics relate to each other. I hope to continue a career that will stay focused on econom- ics and policy. N: What advice do you cur- rently have for high school students who are aspiring to do something in the political field? W: The biggest advice I can give to students is to stay aware by keeping up the news and joining a community of people who care about the community in which they are in. Students can start exploring the political field by learning about local issues, and later getting involved with student government programs around the community and city. From sixth grade through college, I was very involved with stu- dent council and activities similar to that, and I met pas- sionate and aware individuals that really encouraged me to think in new ways and pursue what I was passionate about. To see Shweta introduc- ing Bernie Sanders, go to https://youtu.be/ cbUN9UwoBX0?t=15 m16s

at Georgetown my freshman year. I canvassed door-to-door for the positional and it was an experience that really set the stage for my Georgetown experience. Last November, I had the opportunity to in- troduce Bernie Sanders at a major stump speech he had at Georgetown. No matter what your political perspective is, it was humbling to meet some- one who has dedicated his life to championing the political progress that he believes in. Other than that, I have really loved being able to have in- ternships during school, to be able to have “life education” to supplement my academic education. N: What was an experience you had in Georgetown that helped you explore the area of politics? W: Georgetown is located in Washington D.C., so by nature, there is a lot of politi- cal involvement around that area. In 2012, my freshman floor would watch the Presi- dential debates together and we could discuss with our peers about what our thoughts and opinions were about each candidate. Being in Washing- ton D.C. also helped me get a lot of cool internships in areas that I currently work in. N: What was hard about col- lege? W: The students at George- town definitely raise the bar, and we are encouraged to

work harder so that we can challenge each other to keep up and stay on top of things. College taught me a lot about work ethic and the importance of prioritizing items. What is different from high school is that your entire life is con- centrated in one place, so sometimes you have to take the initiative and back out of an activity. Compared to high school, you have to deal with studying, socializing, eating and sleeping all in one concen- trated area. Luckily the peo- ple on my floor freshman year were amazing and are still my best friends to this day. Over- all, college was challenging because it pushed me harder as a person even outside of academics. N: What classes did you take in high school that helped you become prepared for college? W: AP Calculus with Mrs. Klunder taught me work ethic and fundamental upper level math that still sticks with me today. I also really loved Mr. Ramponi’s AP English class in that he brought feeling to the texts we were reading and the essays we were producing. Fi- nally, Ms. Prudom in guidance was such a supportive coun- selor and friend to me (and still is) in pursuing the classes and colleges that I was passion- ate about. The North teachers were always very helpful, sup- portive, and kind. N: What are your future goals and aspirations?

Shweta Wahal, a former stu- dent from the Appleton North class of 2012, has recently start- ed a job in the U.S. Department of Treasury, after studying In- ternational Political Economy in the School of Foreign Ser- vice at Georgetown University. The Noctiluca caught up with her to see what she’s been up to since she left North. The Noctiluca: What are you currently doing, as far as schooling and work? Wahal: I started school at Georgetown in 2012 and I graduated this past May. I studied International Po- litical Economy within the School of Foreign Service. I was very interested in student government and economics all throughout college, which naturally led into internships and work in economic policy with the federal government. I had an internship with the U.S. Trade Representative, a cabinet-level office of the White House. It was an amaz- ing experience being able to work for the White House, to understand the development and implementation of trade policy. I now work in the U.S. Department of Treasury as a special assistant in the Office of Legislative Affairs. In that capacity I support Treasury’s work with the United States Congress.

take at Georgetown? W: At Georgetown, my classes centered around po- litical economy, studying the close relationship of political activity and economics in the world. I learned a lot about analytical tools that you would use for study of political econ- omy. Other topics I studied were issues of female empow- erment, behavioral econom- ics, and international trade. I also continued my education in Spanish, which enabled me to direct enroll in a university in Argentina for 6 months. Having the opportunity to use my Spanish in practice was a whole new education, because I had to communicate just to get through day-to-day life, not just school. N: What was the most exciting thing you did at Georgetown? W: First, it was being in- volved in student body Sen- ate literally days after I arrived Shweta Wahal, graduate of Appleton North and George- town, is now becoming in- volved in national politics

N: What classes did you