Alumni spotlight: golden state of mind for Alex Van

For North Penn graduate Alex Van, his dream college was one where he could study medicine and be in California. He applied to several colleges in the Golden State, and deciding which one to attend came down to his own research on each school.

“After the acceptances came out, I had other schools in mind like Berkeley and the other UC schools, but then I started to research more about the University of Southern California,” explained Van. “I was spellbound by the amount of Trojan spirit and connections USC had. I wanted to visit right away; however, it wasn’t until I moved in that I was able to finally step foot onto campus. At that moment, I knew I made the right decision. It’s California!!! FIGHT ON!”

Favorite part about college- “My favorite part of the college life is the social aspect of it: getting to attend a world class university amongst a diverse group of students from different parts of the world. Since USC is located in the hub of Los Angeles, it is never a struggle to find something to do or try something new. I also get to meet celebrities who either are randomly out shopping, or even filming shows on USC’s campus. Just last week I saw Viola Davis and Alfred Anoch who were filming, “How to Get Away with Murder.” I also got to see Diplo, Kesha, and even Miranda Cosgrove.”

What do you miss most about North Penn? “I absolutely miss getting to spend most of my time with my friends and family. Since I’m going to college over 3,000 miles away from home, I miss it sometimes, and I always get reminded of all of the good times that I’ve had with every snap, text, or comment I get from all of my friends.”

Advice for high schoolers- “Grades are not your sole entryway into your dream college. Yes, it is essential, but there are so many other factors that go into the college process. Don’t stress too much about it, just plan and organize everything first so that you’ll have an enjoyable senior year. I know that I finished all of my college applications in the first two months of senior year, and it was all smooth sailing after that (except for when senioritis hit me). Treasure every moment with your friends and family, and remember, even though it may seem like you’re going to start a new life in college, you’ll always have a place to come back home to, so it’s never too late to make new friendships, try new things, and embrace who you are now.”