NYU PRECOLLEGE ALUMNI
Have questions about the student experience?
After completing NYU Precollege, students have the opportunity to apply for an NYU Precollege Ambassador position. As an ambassador, NYU Precollege alumni assist the Office of University Programs with providing information to prospective Precollege students. If you would like to contact an ambassador, please contact Krysta Battersby at [email protected].
Name: Natalie Montas (Commuter)
High School: Cliffside Park High School
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Cliffside Park, New Jersey
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Multi-Media for Newbies and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: What I loved most about Precollege was how it got me to come out of my comfort zone. I had never really been to the city that often and when I have, it has always been with my parents or friends, so I was pretty nervous about being in the city alone. But luckily, I met a really great friend on my first day of class and she helped me learn the area around NYU and soon enough I was the one offering directions to other people! Precollege helped me gain more independence and freedom which is something that I appreciate dearly and I know that it resulted from those six weeks in the city.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: One piece of advice that I would give to someone entering Precollege is to be friendly and open to new experiences!
Future goals: My future goals consist of getting accepted into NYU, landing a fabulous job, and traveling the world!
Name: Aaron Harman (Residential)
High School: Warsaw Community High School
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Silver Lake, Indiana
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Intro to Sociology, Intro to Psychology, College Writing Workshop
Favorite Thing About NYU Precollege: My favorite thing besides getting the experience of living in the city was the opportunity to get an in-depth experience of what college life was really going to be like. Besides just the course being college level, having the opportunity to live and breath college life. Roommate, dorm rooms, Downstein...all of it made you feel as though you were already in college. However, I also loved the opportunities to experience the city with Broadway shows, food, exhibits, and much more of what New York City is all about.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Be yourself. Have fun. Don't forget anything. Don't procrastinate. When you do procrastinate, be ready for all-nighters and energy drinks!
Future goals: I plan and hope to attend NYU and study either Sociology or Spanish as a major. Eventually, I would like to get my Law degree and I would really like to somehow incorporate it into working with high schoolers and teenagers.
Name: Adelya Baimukhamedova (Commuter)
High School: High School for Environmental Studies
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: New York, NY
Courses taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Western Art History II, Creative Writing: Intro to Fiction, College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: My favorite thing about NYU Precollege 2011 was getting to know people from all over the country and the world. It was nice meeting so many motivated high schoolers who are already thinking of their future as college students. Another favorite thing was the campus of the university, especially Washington Square Park. I remember going there every day over the summer between classes just to relax and observe people.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Always participate in the events set up by the program, even if you are a commuter student! The events are always a fun and great way to meet new friends!
Future goals: My future goals are to find myself in this big world and to do everything that is possible to make sure I love what I do for living.
Name: Gabrielle Gunin (Commuter)
High School: Marlboro High School
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Marlboro, NJ
Courses taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Human Physiology and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: It taught me how to study. You may think that high school prepares you for college with good study habits, but I learned more about being a good student in 6 weeks than I did in my whole high school career. I'm so glad that I got to learn this and I won't be overwhelmed when I actually go to college in the fall.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Maintain a good balance between studying and enjoying the city. Precollege offers so many weekly activities, and you should definitely take advantage of them! But don't slack off on your studies--the courses require an effort on your part to get studying done. Take breaks and explore New York City! Overall, you should enjoy your summer.
Future goals: Psychology major; I want to be a behavioral therapist and work with kids on the autism spectrum.
Name: Yenesis Lovato (Commuter)
High School: Brooklyn Technical HS
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: Brooklyn, New York
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Medical Ethics and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: My favorite thing about Precollege was taking a unique and interesting class, Medical Ethics, which helped me learn a lot about philosophy and medicine. I also liked how I got to feel the fast pace and work of taking a genuine college class.
Advice for Future NYU Precollege participants: Take the class seriously! The program is a great way to explore both college and New York City, but it is still a class you are taking with work and credit!
Future goals: I'm not sure specifically what I want to be in the future, but I want to explore all my options before I decide!
Name: Lisa Ng (Commuter)
High School: Stuyvesant High School
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: New York, New York
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Music of NY, Creative Writing: Intro to Poetry and Fiction, and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: I honestly can't choose! It was the best summer experience of my life. I would probably have to say the people! I loved meeting people from so many different places!!
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Take classes that you are genuinely interested in! Do not take a class just because you think that it would look good on an application. You will have so much fun in class if you are really interested in whatever topic you are learning about!
Future goals: My future goal is to be happy. It doesn't matter if I end up a lawyer, a writer, or a musician, as long as I'm happy doing it.
Name: Kylie Unell (Residential)
High School: Home-schooled
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Greensboro, North Carolina
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Intro to Psychology, Intro to Applied Psychology, and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: My favorite thing about Precollege was going to NYU, the school I have dreamed of attending. I was able to take the images I had seen on my computer screen and bring them to life. It was also amazing to be in a group of people who felt the same way about NYU; it’s very unifying.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Get ready to work. Although it is amazing to be in New York City, you aren’t attending Precollege on the basis that every day will be spent wandering around the city; academics are an integral part of the program. If you ask any past Precollege members, they will all tell you that you will spend many long days in Bobst library, and quite a few all-nighters hyped up on 5 Hour Energy. There will be times when you won’t be able to go have fun with your friends because you’ll be stuck studying for an exam, but I promise you that it will pay off in the end. There is no better feeling than ending Precollege with an amazing GPA because that will be so much more important than that one time you didn’t get to go shopping on Broadway with your friends. Once that GPA helps you get into college, you can do all the shopping that you want!
Future goals: I plan on double majoring in Psychology and Early Childhood Education at New York University, in order to fulfill my goal of becoming a child psychologist
Name: Angelina Usherenko (Commuter)
High School: Edward R. Murrow
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Brooklyn, NY
Courses taken in NYU Precollege 2011: Human Physiology and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: The activities offered for commuters and residential students aside from the courses and the fact that we are in the best city in the world: NYC!!
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Don't be shy because there are so many opportunities out there and you can always grasp one.
Future goals: To become an anesthesiologist!
Name: Jennifer Puleio (Commuter)
High School: Talented Unlimited High School
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: New York, NY
Courses Taken in NYU Precollege 2011: Multimedia Skills for Newbies and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: I learned a lot about what I was studying and what I want to be studying in the future. The people I met also made my time at Precollege amazing.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Take advantage of everything the program has to offer. The events are a great way to meet people and the college planning series is a lot of help.
Future goals: In the future, I would like to be getting my masters degree while interning. After college I hope to have a career in broadcast journalism. Most of all I would like to make a change in the world. Making a positive impact on someone’s life would mean more to me than anything.
Name: Geoffrey Kwan (Commuter)
High School: King George V School
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Kowloon, Hong Kong
Courses Taken in NYU Precollege 2011: Journalism: Reporting for Newbies 1, Food Microbiology & Sanitation, College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: Being able to interact with many people from different cultures and just having a great time.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Play hard, but remember to set aside time for your grades!
Future goals: A career in the nutrition field.
Name: Teresa Morin (Residential)
High School: Mercer High School
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: Mercer, Pennsylvania
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Reporting I and Going Places: Modernist Travel, Writing, and Art
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: Precollege really helped to immerse me into the college life at NYU. I didn't feel like "just a high school student" taking a few classes over the summer. I felt the sense of community and acceptance that is very prominent in the program and at NYU. The friends that I made in the program are some of the best friendships that I have. Living in New York City and going on all the amazing outings and activities only added to the already amazing summer.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Make sure you manage your time well! It's easy to get caught up in the New Yorker lifestyle but make sure you know your limits, so you can get your schoolwork done. Also, participate in as many of the program activities as you can! They end up being the most fun experiences of Precollege!
Future Goals: Attend college to pursue a career in Law and Journalism.
Name: Caroline de Quesada (Residential)
High School: Academy of the Holy Names
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: Tampa, Florida
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Criminology, Urban Cultural Studies, and the Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: It's impossible to pick only one thing! Over the summer, I made many close friends that I still keep in contact with.The program gave me a chance to excel academically, and personally. NYU Precollege made the previous summer the best summer of my life.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Be adventurous! Also, don't overpack. Leave lots of room in your suitcases for new souvenirs.
Future goals: I hope to study Biology at NYU, and go on to eventually become a nephrologist.
Name: Rowan Olivia Baluta
High School: Voorhees High School
Graduation Year: 2012!!!
City and State I Live In: Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Medical Ethics and Discovering Archaeology in New York City
Favorite Thing about NYU Precollege: I don’t just have ONE favorite thing from this summer—I loved EVERYTHING! From making lifelong friendships to living independently in the greatest city in the world, going on tons of trips and participating in countless activities (most involving free food), and experiencing college life at one of the country’s top institutions (including classes taken alongside college students, with actual professors and midterms and finals!) made Precollege so amazing, I wish I had learned about it before my junior year, so I could do it twice!
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Here’s two—be outgoing. If you’re normally shy, look at this as an opportunity to change. Make friends with anyone and everyone you can; you’ll be happy you did! I now know people on three continents and from at least five countries! And take advantage of the bustling city around you. Don’t confine yourself to your dorm or the library to do homework 24/7. Go on the trips, even if none of your friends are going. Sign up for outings, even if they don’t seem like “your thing”. Explore the amazing urban setting that is your home for the next six weeks—eat out, not just at the dining halls, but in Little Italy, Chinatown, and the Village. Go shopping all over the place; go see a show; just go out and HAVE FUN! And of course, don’t completely ignore your homework or procrastinate; while you want to have as much fun as you can, you also want to get ahead in college by hopefully getting credits. Don’t waste your parents’ money by skipping out on readings or getting in trouble!
Future goals: I am attending NYU’s College of Arts and Sciences to study Chemistry, Biology, or Biochemistry on a Pre-Professional Medicine track to one day become an anesthesiologist or geneticist.
After completing NYU Precollege, students have the opportunity to apply for an NYU Precollege Ambassador position. As an ambassador, NYU Precollege alumni assist the Office of University Programs with providing information to prospective Precollege students. If you would like to contact an ambassador, please contact Krysta Battersby at [email protected].
Name: Natalie Montas (Commuter)
High School: Cliffside Park High School
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Cliffside Park, New Jersey
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Multi-Media for Newbies and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: What I loved most about Precollege was how it got me to come out of my comfort zone. I had never really been to the city that often and when I have, it has always been with my parents or friends, so I was pretty nervous about being in the city alone. But luckily, I met a really great friend on my first day of class and she helped me learn the area around NYU and soon enough I was the one offering directions to other people! Precollege helped me gain more independence and freedom which is something that I appreciate dearly and I know that it resulted from those six weeks in the city.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: One piece of advice that I would give to someone entering Precollege is to be friendly and open to new experiences!
Future goals: My future goals consist of getting accepted into NYU, landing a fabulous job, and traveling the world!
Name: Aaron Harman (Residential)
High School: Warsaw Community High School
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Silver Lake, Indiana
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Intro to Sociology, Intro to Psychology, College Writing Workshop
Favorite Thing About NYU Precollege: My favorite thing besides getting the experience of living in the city was the opportunity to get an in-depth experience of what college life was really going to be like. Besides just the course being college level, having the opportunity to live and breath college life. Roommate, dorm rooms, Downstein...all of it made you feel as though you were already in college. However, I also loved the opportunities to experience the city with Broadway shows, food, exhibits, and much more of what New York City is all about.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Be yourself. Have fun. Don't forget anything. Don't procrastinate. When you do procrastinate, be ready for all-nighters and energy drinks!
Future goals: I plan and hope to attend NYU and study either Sociology or Spanish as a major. Eventually, I would like to get my Law degree and I would really like to somehow incorporate it into working with high schoolers and teenagers.
Name: Adelya Baimukhamedova (Commuter)
High School: High School for Environmental Studies
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: New York, NY
Courses taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Western Art History II, Creative Writing: Intro to Fiction, College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: My favorite thing about NYU Precollege 2011 was getting to know people from all over the country and the world. It was nice meeting so many motivated high schoolers who are already thinking of their future as college students. Another favorite thing was the campus of the university, especially Washington Square Park. I remember going there every day over the summer between classes just to relax and observe people.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Always participate in the events set up by the program, even if you are a commuter student! The events are always a fun and great way to meet new friends!
Future goals: My future goals are to find myself in this big world and to do everything that is possible to make sure I love what I do for living.
Name: Gabrielle Gunin (Commuter)
High School: Marlboro High School
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Marlboro, NJ
Courses taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Human Physiology and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: It taught me how to study. You may think that high school prepares you for college with good study habits, but I learned more about being a good student in 6 weeks than I did in my whole high school career. I'm so glad that I got to learn this and I won't be overwhelmed when I actually go to college in the fall.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Maintain a good balance between studying and enjoying the city. Precollege offers so many weekly activities, and you should definitely take advantage of them! But don't slack off on your studies--the courses require an effort on your part to get studying done. Take breaks and explore New York City! Overall, you should enjoy your summer.
Future goals: Psychology major; I want to be a behavioral therapist and work with kids on the autism spectrum.
Name: Yenesis Lovato (Commuter)
High School: Brooklyn Technical HS
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: Brooklyn, New York
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Medical Ethics and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: My favorite thing about Precollege was taking a unique and interesting class, Medical Ethics, which helped me learn a lot about philosophy and medicine. I also liked how I got to feel the fast pace and work of taking a genuine college class.
Advice for Future NYU Precollege participants: Take the class seriously! The program is a great way to explore both college and New York City, but it is still a class you are taking with work and credit!
Future goals: I'm not sure specifically what I want to be in the future, but I want to explore all my options before I decide!
Name: Lisa Ng (Commuter)
High School: Stuyvesant High School
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: New York, New York
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Music of NY, Creative Writing: Intro to Poetry and Fiction, and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: I honestly can't choose! It was the best summer experience of my life. I would probably have to say the people! I loved meeting people from so many different places!!
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Take classes that you are genuinely interested in! Do not take a class just because you think that it would look good on an application. You will have so much fun in class if you are really interested in whatever topic you are learning about!
Future goals: My future goal is to be happy. It doesn't matter if I end up a lawyer, a writer, or a musician, as long as I'm happy doing it.
Name: Kylie Unell (Residential)
High School: Home-schooled
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Greensboro, North Carolina
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Intro to Psychology, Intro to Applied Psychology, and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: My favorite thing about Precollege was going to NYU, the school I have dreamed of attending. I was able to take the images I had seen on my computer screen and bring them to life. It was also amazing to be in a group of people who felt the same way about NYU; it’s very unifying.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Get ready to work. Although it is amazing to be in New York City, you aren’t attending Precollege on the basis that every day will be spent wandering around the city; academics are an integral part of the program. If you ask any past Precollege members, they will all tell you that you will spend many long days in Bobst library, and quite a few all-nighters hyped up on 5 Hour Energy. There will be times when you won’t be able to go have fun with your friends because you’ll be stuck studying for an exam, but I promise you that it will pay off in the end. There is no better feeling than ending Precollege with an amazing GPA because that will be so much more important than that one time you didn’t get to go shopping on Broadway with your friends. Once that GPA helps you get into college, you can do all the shopping that you want!
Future goals: I plan on double majoring in Psychology and Early Childhood Education at New York University, in order to fulfill my goal of becoming a child psychologist
Name: Angelina Usherenko (Commuter)
High School: Edward R. Murrow
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Brooklyn, NY
Courses taken in NYU Precollege 2011: Human Physiology and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: The activities offered for commuters and residential students aside from the courses and the fact that we are in the best city in the world: NYC!!
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Don't be shy because there are so many opportunities out there and you can always grasp one.
Future goals: To become an anesthesiologist!
Name: Jennifer Puleio (Commuter)
High School: Talented Unlimited High School
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: New York, NY
Courses Taken in NYU Precollege 2011: Multimedia Skills for Newbies and College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: I learned a lot about what I was studying and what I want to be studying in the future. The people I met also made my time at Precollege amazing.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Take advantage of everything the program has to offer. The events are a great way to meet people and the college planning series is a lot of help.
Future goals: In the future, I would like to be getting my masters degree while interning. After college I hope to have a career in broadcast journalism. Most of all I would like to make a change in the world. Making a positive impact on someone’s life would mean more to me than anything.
Name: Geoffrey Kwan (Commuter)
High School: King George V School
Graduation Year: 2012
Current City, State: Kowloon, Hong Kong
Courses Taken in NYU Precollege 2011: Journalism: Reporting for Newbies 1, Food Microbiology & Sanitation, College Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: Being able to interact with many people from different cultures and just having a great time.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Play hard, but remember to set aside time for your grades!
Future goals: A career in the nutrition field.
Name: Teresa Morin (Residential)
High School: Mercer High School
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: Mercer, Pennsylvania
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Reporting I and Going Places: Modernist Travel, Writing, and Art
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: Precollege really helped to immerse me into the college life at NYU. I didn't feel like "just a high school student" taking a few classes over the summer. I felt the sense of community and acceptance that is very prominent in the program and at NYU. The friends that I made in the program are some of the best friendships that I have. Living in New York City and going on all the amazing outings and activities only added to the already amazing summer.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Make sure you manage your time well! It's easy to get caught up in the New Yorker lifestyle but make sure you know your limits, so you can get your schoolwork done. Also, participate in as many of the program activities as you can! They end up being the most fun experiences of Precollege!
Future Goals: Attend college to pursue a career in Law and Journalism.
Name: Caroline de Quesada (Residential)
High School: Academy of the Holy Names
Graduation Year: 2013
Current City, State: Tampa, Florida
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Criminology, Urban Cultural Studies, and the Writing Workshop
Favorite thing about NYU Precollege: It's impossible to pick only one thing! Over the summer, I made many close friends that I still keep in contact with.The program gave me a chance to excel academically, and personally. NYU Precollege made the previous summer the best summer of my life.
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Be adventurous! Also, don't overpack. Leave lots of room in your suitcases for new souvenirs.
Future goals: I hope to study Biology at NYU, and go on to eventually become a nephrologist.
Name: Rowan Olivia Baluta
High School: Voorhees High School
Graduation Year: 2012!!!
City and State I Live In: Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Courses Taken at NYU Precollege 2011: Medical Ethics and Discovering Archaeology in New York City
Favorite Thing about NYU Precollege: I don’t just have ONE favorite thing from this summer—I loved EVERYTHING! From making lifelong friendships to living independently in the greatest city in the world, going on tons of trips and participating in countless activities (most involving free food), and experiencing college life at one of the country’s top institutions (including classes taken alongside college students, with actual professors and midterms and finals!) made Precollege so amazing, I wish I had learned about it before my junior year, so I could do it twice!
Advice for future NYU Precollege participants: Here’s two—be outgoing. If you’re normally shy, look at this as an opportunity to change. Make friends with anyone and everyone you can; you’ll be happy you did! I now know people on three continents and from at least five countries! And take advantage of the bustling city around you. Don’t confine yourself to your dorm or the library to do homework 24/7. Go on the trips, even if none of your friends are going. Sign up for outings, even if they don’t seem like “your thing”. Explore the amazing urban setting that is your home for the next six weeks—eat out, not just at the dining halls, but in Little Italy, Chinatown, and the Village. Go shopping all over the place; go see a show; just go out and HAVE FUN! And of course, don’t completely ignore your homework or procrastinate; while you want to have as much fun as you can, you also want to get ahead in college by hopefully getting credits. Don’t waste your parents’ money by skipping out on readings or getting in trouble!
Future goals: I am attending NYU’s College of Arts and Sciences to study Chemistry, Biology, or Biochemistry on a Pre-Professional Medicine track to one day become an anesthesiologist or geneticist.