UNIVERISTY: Poly senior Jacqui Swney is accepted to the University of Waikato in New Zealand.
By Andrea Alvarado, Staff Writer
As the school year slowly begins to wind down, seniors across the country are receiving acceptance letters from either large, public universities in bustling urban settings or quaint, liberal arts colleges in remote suburban towns. Wherever a prospective college student’s heart may lie, the common ideal university is often located in the United States. Poly Bear Jacqui Swney (12) sets her sights elsewhere. Her ideal college experience involves the University of Waikato, located in the beautifully green north island of New Zealand, which she will attend in the upcoming fall semester.
Ever since middle school, Swney has dreamed of applying to a university abroad. Because of her dual citizenship and abundance of family members in the country, New Zealand proved to be the ideal choice. “I think it’s a good experience to get far away from home for a bit,” she added.
After applying in early February of this year, Swney was accepted to the University of Waikato on March 13. Although the grading system differs in New Zealand, she noted that the application process is similar to that of United States universities. “They tell you basic requirements like SAT scores and GPA on their website’s international student page, so it wasn’t all that different,” she explained.
Her move to New Zealand won’t be the first time Swney has traveled to the country. She is already familiar with New Zealand’s most obvious contrasts from American culture. “They drive on the other side of the road, there’s a lot more open land and the people seem to be way more chill,” she noted.
Though the university’s fall semester does not begin until February, Swney plans to arrive a few months in advance in order to better prepare herself for the drastic change. “I’m excited for that time off to explore and get to know New Zealand a bit better,” she said.
Swney hopes to visit University of Waikato’s campus this summer and looks forward to majoring in communications during her enrollment.