As the national college commitment day approaches this week, seniors are quickly deciding and committing to their future schools. Senior Michelle Berkovich is excited to be attending the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida this fall.

NWN: What clubs and activities have you been involved in?

Berkovich: I’ve been involved in Hebrew Club and Relay for Life since freshman year. I have also been a part of Book Club and was a Lit Center tutor since sophomore year. This year I became a part of NHS and DEP (German Honor Society). I do sports and activities outside of school too, like Tae Kwon Do and figure skating.

NWN: How did you narrow down your options to UMiami?

Berkovich: The University of Miami was definitely not my first choice, but it was up there. I talked to UMiami representatives at the college night last year, which is when I became more interested in attending.  It was kind of a stretch for me to apply to a school so far away from home, but I decided to give it a chance because of their great nursing program and pre-med classes.  I remember coming home from college night and telling my mom about UMiami and her telling me that it was too far and what not, but look at me now! I got into some colleges near home, but I went with UMiami because I wanted some new experiences and to get away (and they gave me the biggest scholarship), and I thought Florida would be a great place for just that.

NWN: Did you visit the campus prior to your admission? If so, what’d you like the most?

Berkovich: Unlike most people applying to colleges, I did not visit the campus before my admission.  I had been to Miami in the past because I have relatives there, and I really love the environment down there.  I could definitely see myself living there. Because UMiami was not one of my top choices and I did not really think I would be attending, visiting was not that important to me. I just thought it would be cool if I could attend college in Florida, but I didn’t actually think that it would become reality. Don’t get me wrong, I did a lot of research on the school before making my decision to attend.  I really just focused on how well their academics are.  I adapt really well to new environments, so I think I will be fine.  Plus, what’s not to like about Florida?

NWN: What are you most excited for next year?

Berkovich: I’m really excited about meeting new people and being in a whole new place.  They also have an amazing gym, where they offer Zumba and other fun workouts, which I will definitely be attending. One thing that’s really cool about the campus is that there is a farmer’s market, which will make it easier to eat healthy and not gain the freshman 15.   I’m also really excited about all the learning opportunities I will have there, especially with research.  One interesting thing they do before finals is they set up hammocks all over campus, where you can lay and study.  I am definitely looking forward to that.  Of course, I can’t wait for the constant warm weather and spending a lot of time at the beach!

NWN: What advice do you have for students hoping to also attend UMiami in the future?

Berkovich: I think that students who never considered applying to UMiami should really consider it.  If you asked me a year ago where I thought I would be going to college, I would never have thought it would be the University of Miami.  Students who are starting to look into colleges should be open-minded and take chances.  They should think about what kind of college experience they want.  Grades are also really important.  UMiami is not as hard to get into as Harvard or UChicago, but admission is still very competitive.  They really stress the importance of  the difficulty of classes taken throughout high school and the grades earned in those classes. Besides grades, extracurriculars and teacher recommendations are really important to them, so make sure you have teachers that like you and will write something nice.