By Maxwell Baldridge ’18
US students tend to take our wonderful school for granted. The brotherhood and the exceptional academics offered at our school often go unnoticed. Jamie Schwab (Class of 2015) is someone who, every day, appreciated and took advantage of the opportunities US offered, and he did so with grace and enthusiasm. I recently talked with Jamie about his US experience.
Why did you choose to attend US?
I chose US because I felt the smaller class sizes would be beneficial to my learning. I went from a class size of 20+ students to classes where there were less than 15 students.
What is your favorite memory from your time attending US?
My favorite memory at US has to be senior week. During our senior week, we set up a volleyball court in the courtyard, and after every period, everybody would meet up and hang out. Whether it was a game of Frisbee, volleyball, or fishing in Lake Kilroy, that week really brought our class together.
What makes US preferable to other schools?
I believe US is preferable to other schools because of the relationships you make with your peers and the faculty. The relationships built with my classmates are something that will stay with me throughout my lifetime. The teachers at US especially care about you. That’s something I really looked for in a college during my college search, a place where the professor really cares about your comprehension of the material. I remember when I first transferred to US in the 7th grade, I did not do well on the first quiz I took. The teacher spoke with me when I received my grade and set up a schedule to meet with her after school. She truly wanted me to succeed in her class.
In what ways has US prepared you for college and life after college?
US prepared me for college more than I thought it would when I graduated in the spring of 2015. People had always told me that the hardest thing to do, when first starting out in college, was staying focused on schoolwork with the new freedom of no parent supervision. But when I got to college, I never felt as though I was forcing myself to do the work. I knew my first priority was to get my work done. US really taught me how to budget my time and to focus on my work before anything else. Brrr.
