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235 Hope Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 / 732.542.4777
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List of 10 news stories.
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Inaugural Panther Tank Grant Winners Announced
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Ranney Students Awarded Honors at Jersey Shore Science Fair
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Ranveer Virdi '28 Qualifies for Stevens Trading Challenge Final Finals
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Nick Magnone '26 to Compete in New Balance Indoor Track & Field National and Adidas Indoor Track & Field National
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Ranney FBLA Chapter Earns Top Ten Placements
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Panther Innovation Award Finalists Announced
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Highlighting Ranney Student-Athletes in Collegiate Competition
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Jeremy Li '26 Accepted to Present at Human Brain Mapping Conference in France
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Ranney Speech and Debate Has Impressive Performances
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Ranney Students Advocate for Financial Literacy Legislation in Trenton
My College Journey, A Junior’s Perspective by Sarah Klein, Class of 2016
The college admission process is different for everyone. Yet, it is hard to make it sound unique when, you know, everyone is moving toward the same goal in the same way. Still in the early stages, I find that the best word to describe the preparation is: suffocating.
If you ask a room of juniors, “Who has purchased an SAT prep book?” you will find that the majority will raise their hands high. This exercise is disheartening, however, when you realize your friends have started studying, but you have not brought yourself to do so. The giant blue book is glaring back at you on your table at home, but some part of you just thinks that it looks better as an expensive paperweight.
Who would want to disturb a paperweight from its job? Not me!
In reality, it isn’t that you don’t want to study, but your AP Chemistry test is on the same day as your AP World History quiz, and your AP English project is due one day before your painting is due, and in two more days, you have to go volunteer, lead an honor society meeting and a youth group meeting, babysit, practice your lines for the play, walk in the Crop Walk and fit in Hebrew tutoring. When you still feel like you can’t finish all that work, not only does that paperweight continue to haunt you, but you also can’t find the time for your friends. Even though they are going through the same thing, you can’t fathom a busier schedule. It becomes a sick competition because you want your friends to do well, but if they do better than you, they might be the one person in front of you on a college acceptance list.
You also are finally starting to realize that as soon as that giant, blue book opens, if you don’t do well, it is only your own fault. You can’t blame anyone.
On top of all this, because you are stressing out so much, your acne is taking over your face! You worst thoughts spiral in your head. According to teenage logic, you are now hopeless, will never get a date to prom and will have to sit at home cuddling up with the giant book that should have been opened much earlier. Can you picture that?
Being a junior at Ranney comes with a lot of pressure, but also provides me with the resources I need. Since standardized testing isn’t my thing, I talked to the College Guidance Office. They took my schedule into consideration and offered different private tutoring programs. They helped me pick the best choice for me and also recommended that I attend the class college trip in the spring so I can become more comfortable with my choices. Whether it is private tutoring or taking the class at school, I know they will find a way to accommodate my schedule and my needs. That is pretty cool.
As the paperweight stares back at me, I still have the same goal: stay my optimistic, motivated self, no matter what score I get on my first ACT.
Junior Sarah Klein has been attending Ranney School since 9th grade and will be writing about her college search process through her commencement in May 2016.
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If you ask a room of juniors, “Who has purchased an SAT prep book?” you will find that the majority will raise their hands high. This exercise is disheartening, however, when you realize your friends have started studying, but you have not brought yourself to do so. The giant blue book is glaring back at you on your table at home, but some part of you just thinks that it looks better as an expensive paperweight.
Who would want to disturb a paperweight from its job? Not me!
In reality, it isn’t that you don’t want to study, but your AP Chemistry test is on the same day as your AP World History quiz, and your AP English project is due one day before your painting is due, and in two more days, you have to go volunteer, lead an honor society meeting and a youth group meeting, babysit, practice your lines for the play, walk in the Crop Walk and fit in Hebrew tutoring. When you still feel like you can’t finish all that work, not only does that paperweight continue to haunt you, but you also can’t find the time for your friends. Even though they are going through the same thing, you can’t fathom a busier schedule. It becomes a sick competition because you want your friends to do well, but if they do better than you, they might be the one person in front of you on a college acceptance list.
You also are finally starting to realize that as soon as that giant, blue book opens, if you don’t do well, it is only your own fault. You can’t blame anyone.
No matter how scary the realization, your GPA cannot be high forever. You are not smarter than all your friends. You cannot join every club or honor society. You cannot always hang out with your friends. You will not be accepted into every college.
On top of all this, because you are stressing out so much, your acne is taking over your face! You worst thoughts spiral in your head. According to teenage logic, you are now hopeless, will never get a date to prom and will have to sit at home cuddling up with the giant book that should have been opened much earlier. Can you picture that?
Being a junior at Ranney comes with a lot of pressure, but also provides me with the resources I need. Since standardized testing isn’t my thing, I talked to the College Guidance Office. They took my schedule into consideration and offered different private tutoring programs. They helped me pick the best choice for me and also recommended that I attend the class college trip in the spring so I can become more comfortable with my choices. Whether it is private tutoring or taking the class at school, I know they will find a way to accommodate my schedule and my needs. That is pretty cool.
As the paperweight stares back at me, I still have the same goal: stay my optimistic, motivated self, no matter what score I get on my first ACT.
Junior Sarah Klein has been attending Ranney School since 9th grade and will be writing about her college search process through her commencement in May 2016.
Ranney School
235 Hope RoadTinton Falls, NJ 07724
Tel. 732.542.4777
Our mission is to know and value every child, nurturing intellectual curiosity and confidence, and inspiring students to lead honorably, think creatively, and contribute meaningfully to society.
We envision Ranney School as a nurturing learning community, in which families, faculty, alumni, and all of Ranney’s constituents collaborate to know and value every child, foster individual talents, sustain powerful connections between children and adults, and graduate resilient, globally-minded citizens.
We envision Ranney School as a nurturing learning community, in which families, faculty, alumni, and all of Ranney’s constituents collaborate to know and value every child, foster individual talents, sustain powerful connections between children and adults, and graduate resilient, globally-minded citizens.
