In 2012, the concept of college seemed like a fantasy to me. I didn’t know anything about college rankings and the level of prestige for respective schools other than the highly acclaimed “Ivy Leagues,” such as Harvard and Stanford. I was a mere 8th grader; I wasn’t ready for high school, let alone college. In 2013 as a freshman in high school, I was too immersed with being introduced to the idea of “being in a high school” and the surprising workload that came with it (in comparison to the dearth of homework I got in middle school) that I completely blocked out the idea of college. However, after a couple meetings with my guidance counselor, the idea of “college”, and “the next step in life” caught my eye. Now, in 2014-2015, with more knowledge of different universities and colleges, I have begun to develop my list of “Dream Colleges”; colleges I aspire to attend.  The three colleges I hope to go to right now include Boston College, the University of Michigan, and Duke University. Whether it is because of the beautiful campuses, the locations, the colleges’ academic excellence,  the astounding programs, or a combination of the  four,  attending one of these Dream Colleges would be a huge milestone in my life.
        

Various colleges have caught my attention in the past couple of years, but only a few have stuck with me. The idea of studying at these colleges has sparked my interest and motivated me to work even harder in hopes of getting accepted. First of all, one of my favorite colleges would have to be Boston College. Situated in the beautiful village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, Boston College is heralded with having one of the most luxurious campuses in the country. Not only does Boston College have a gorgeous and eminent campus, but it also has been known to be a competitive school that excels in all majors. Ranked as one of the top 30 schools in National Best University Rankings, Boston College is a competitive school that requires high test scores, a good GPA, and a diversity of extracurricular activities. The level of competitiveness that Boston College requires makes me want to go there that much more. I know that through tenacity and perseverance, I will be compatible with Boston College’s rigorous programs. Although I know it will entail a lot of time and effort, I am determined to accomplish what it takes in order to enroll in a school like Boston College.
        

Correspondingly, a college that has a reputation as astounding as Boston College is University of Michigan. Also ranked in the top 30, the University of Michigan is located in the beautiful city of Ann Harbor. The downfall of chilly weather does not seem so problematic when observing the academic excellence and reputable athletics program at Michigan. Always one of the top-tier basketball and football programs, Michigan would be an extremely school-spirited and competitive school to go to. In addition to an impressive array of athletics , Michigan also offers vigorous academic programs that exceed that of many schools. I personally have a couple family friends attending the school right now, and I’ve been told how alluring and how fruitful going to the college is. Like Boston College, the University of Michigan will demand  many hours of tedious work, but I know that if I ultimately am able to attend this college, those hours will pay off immensely.

 Lastly, one of my favorite and admirable colleges I hope to attend is Duke University. Located in North Carolina, Duke University would be the most ideal college to go to. Not only is it in the top 10 ratings for academics, but it is always among the top-tier basketball teams in the nation. Some NBA Duke alumni stars include  Jabari Parker, Kyrie Irving, and soon-to-be freshman Jahlil Okafor. However, among my top three schools, Duke holds the lowest acceptance rate, making it the hardest college of the three to get into. At Ramapo High School, only one student has been accepted to Duke in the last five years. However, I plan to persevere through my studies in order to attempt to break the barrier that has held Ramapo High School students from being admitted into the beautiful campus of Duke University.

In order to potentially enroll in any of these 3 colleges of mine, I plan to study sedually. In order to excel in all my classes, studying with unyielding effort is essential. Involvement in extracurricular activities and having grand test scores is also needed. I have embarked on this arduous but fruitful journey by receiving  decent grades, scoring well  on my PSAT and SAT subject tests, and engaging myself in many clubs  such as DECA, Math Team, and Stock Market. Another achievement that I have greatly embraced is the initiation of a club; my friend and I have established a club that links with the formal organization Wounded Warriors, an institution that supports and donates money to veterans in need. I have also been to various Mission Trips to places such as New York and Seattle, and have also attended many charitable events. I have also partaken in athletics, as I play basketball and tennis. Although more than this is obviously needed, by the time my High School career ends, I aim to go beyond what I have right now two-fold. 

Conclusively, Boston College, the University of Michigan, and Duke University are 3 colleges that I desire to go to. Although it will be a strenuous and sometimes extremely stressful journey, the reward that comes with getting accepted into these colleges outweigh any source of fatigue or worry that I may have. All in all, getting into these universities would be an accomplishment that will commence the next chapter in my life- the spine-chilling but extremely exhilarating introduction to college.