Jasmin Fowler-Puja 

Major: Art
Hometown: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

 

What were your favorite Pre-College courses?

"Introduction to Cultural Anthropology" and "Introduction to Ceramics"

What was your favorite part of Pre-College?

I got to experience a whole new environment, take courses that really inspired me and meet amazing people with whom I am still connected. It was challenging, too. I had never been without my family in a strange place for so long, and the courses were very hard and required a lot of self-discipline.

Did Pre-College help you academically?

Being in an environment in which I was in total control of how I handled homework, extracurriculars, social time and even downtime was an important experience. I was home-schooled throughout my pre-collegiate years, and after Pre-College a lot of my time-management was up to me. Pre-College gave me a really good foundation for organizing my activities and obligations to the best of my potential.

Did Pre-College influence your college search?

Skidmore was already high on my list of potential colleges (in fact, I believe it was at the top of that list). Pre-College really confirmed my desire to attend Skidmore. I also had a better idea of the level of academics, size of school, and kind of environment I preferred, which helped in my overall college search.

Did Pre-College help your transition to college?

It definitely gave me a leg up. I had always been home-schooled, so the social part of Pre-College was a particularly important glimpse at what it was like to live in an environment made up almost entirely of people around my own age. It also gave me a better idea of what to expect in terms of class participation and how important it is to reach out to professors and others for help. I had a better idea of where to go and how to deal with problems or questions that came up.

Why would you recommend the Pre-College Program to others?

I learned so much, made great friends, and had such a fun time while learning valuable life skills.