On Their Way 

Our seniors are headed to some great colleges and universities

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Each member of the Class of 2022 has worked with the College Counseling team throughout their time on the Hilltop to find the best school. Together, they explored and discovered colleges and universities, applied for admission, reflected on the acceptance decisions they received, and, ultimately, chose the right college. While each student’s college search path is different, we spoke with five seniors about the twists and turns they took to reach the next stop on their academic journey. 

Kisuq Levy dreamed of going to Ringling College of Art and Design since she was a freshman when she first learned about their gaming art degree — one of the top programs in the world. When she came to Pomfret at the start of her junior year, she began working with her college counselor, Associate Director of College Counseling Sarah Gawronski, to identify other art schools that offered a gaming art degree, but Ringling was the goal. Kisuq also worked with Digital Arts Teacher Anthony Foronda to tailor her art portfolio for each school’s application. Early on, she received some acceptances to great colleges, however, it was not until April 30 that she heard from Ringling — the day before National College Decision Day. “I’m so glad I waited to make my decision before committing to another school, says Kisuq. "When I received my acceptance, I was so excited, and now I'm a Ringling College of Art and Design student — something I have been dreaming of." 

Alex Navarro has known about Connecticut College since middle school, but it wasn’t until he started exploring his options that he knew it was where he wanted to continue his academic career. Coaches and friends from his hometown squash developmental program attended Connecticut College and spoke highly of their team and the school. Alex kept their advice in the back of his mind when looking at schools and ultimately decided on Connecticut College because it was close to home and felt like a "bigger Pomfret." He worked with Gawronski to apply for Early Decision and was accepted. “I am so excited to attend Connecticut College," says Alex. "I already know many of the players on the squash team, and they have been so supportive of me becoming a part of their community."

Coco Williams is also excited about the community that awaits her when she starts at Tufts University in the fall. She found her perfect fit after narrowing down her choices. She wanted a school that was not too big or too small, that was close to a city but not in a city, and had a diverse community. The medium-sized school outside of Boston was everything she was looking for. “Tufts is dedicated to an inclusive and collaborative environment,” says Coco. “While many schools preach about diversity, I saw real examples of how Tufts has initiatives in place, such as the Africana Center and their array of clubs and organizations.” When applying to Tufts, she worked with Associate Director of College Counseling Arthur Horst. He helped her finalize her essays and prepare for her interview, all the while instilling confidence in her. When doubt began to creep in as the decisions were being released, Director of College Counseling Bruce Wolanin worked to help calm her nerves. When she finally received her acceptance, Coco celebrated with Wolanin and Horst.  

Tais Mota knows just how stressful selecting and applying to colleges can be and was fortunate enough to have the support of the College Counseling team to help her find the right school. Originally from Brazil, Tais came to Pomfret to play soccer. But before she stepped foot on the Hilltop, she found out she needed to have surgery to repair her ACL. Despite being diligent in her sports rehabilitation, she discovered she would need to have a second reparative surgery. Her chance to be recruited for a collegiate athletic scholarship was dwindling as her senior year began. Wolanin helped Tais identify schools with financial aid opportunities and scholarships for international students. Ultimately, she was accepted to the University of South Florida and received financial assistance. “I am excited to attend a school in a warm climate, have the opportunity to study biomedical engineering, and make some great friends," says Tais.

Kaya Horvath also experienced a soccer injury that altered his path to college. He planned to play soccer in college, but after breaking his leg only weeks after arriving on the Hilltop as a freshman, he started acting in the school musical and decided he wanted to study theater in college. With the help of Gawronski, he narrowed down colleges to explore and began recording monologues and auditioning over Zoom to supplement his application. He was accepted and chose to go to Washington College. “Applying to colleges and finding the right one was hard during the pandemic. I did not get to go on many tours, and my focus was on other things," says Kaya. “But, I found a school that I am excited about. It all worked out in the end.”

Each student’s college acceptance story is unique, and for many, the journey is full of twists and turns. But in the end, they all found the right college and the next stop on their academic journey.