Alaisha Alexander
There are not enough words in the English language (or maybe even in language in general) to describe exactly how I feel about SAS. The School for Advanced Studies has become a home for me. Not only does it offer the rigor and opportunity of an academically advanced environment, it is also a place that fosters the growth of the individual student.
It is incredibly difficult to get lost in SAS because someone is always around who knows your name and cares about exactly what you’re up to. SAS is not the traditional experience but we are not deprived of anything. Our prom, dances, field trips, weekend hangouts, summer vacations, and all the free time in between is only enhanced by the amazing friends made who are truly like family. Although I have spent many a late night and sleepy morning working on assignments from our difficult high school and college courses, I wouldn’t trade any moment of my time here. With every late night came a new experience; every sleepy morning promised the encouragement of a friend or teacher who supported any goal I had a mind to set. Yes, the AP classes are difficult, the college classes are actually college-level, and the population smaller than most but these aspects make for a wholly individual experience with personal attention from teachers, intimate interactions with classmates, and challenges that prepare us for life beyond high school.
SAS gives us access to an array of advanced coursework unavailable at most high schools and personal attention that is invaluable when applying to college. We work on schedules, learn to talk to professors, and gain such skills that many don’t develop until their second year of college. Before coming to SAS, I had 2 AP classes from my freshman and sophomore year. I am now leaving with an Associate in Arts Degree, a panoply of memories and friends, and a future at my dream school, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Alaisha Alexander
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Class of 2018
Andrea Villa
I still remember the day I received an invitation to apply to SAS. At that moment I decided that’s the place where I wanted to go, today I think that is one of the best decisions I have made. SAS has exposed me to a rich academic environment that stems from the melding of college and high school courses. However, the school has gone beyond educational excellence to help me improve as a person. I have learned to take initiative, to go beyond my boundaries. My fellow students are a diverse mix of people who make me question my world views and opinions time and time again. I have made friends that inspire me with their exceptional talents and endeavors. I am humbled and overjoyed to have spent the last two years here and as they come to a close, I look back to when I first stepped onto school grounds, a timid but excited girl that would soon discover the wealth of possibilities at her disposal.
Andrea Villa
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
Stanford University, Class of 2018
Carlos Felipe Davila
I cannot justly put into words what my time at the School for Advanced Studies has meant to me, but this is my best attempt.
When I first set foot on this campus, I felt overwhelmed, intimidated, and everything in between. Every single warning I’d gotten about SAS was making me anxious and I honestly wanted to give up from day one. Soon I would find that SAS would be the best thing to have ever crossed my path.
For starters, the teachers here are generous, caring, and helpful. Every single one of them does it because they have a passion to share their knowledge; for love of advancement and nothing superficial. The administrative staff is friendly and lovable, not the fearsome presence that most high school administrators present. The students are here to achieve and excel academically, to be the best they can be, but most aren’t selfish and egocentric; you can almost always find a helping hand at SAS when you need it.
This school allowed me to mature into a person I’m very proud of being. Here, at SAS, I found the ambition I’d always felt I lacked. It gave me the confidence and courage to apply to schools I’d never dreamt of having a chance at, and it gave me the opportunity to have the academic credentials I needed to get into most of them.
All-in-all, I’ve found a save haven at SAS. I’ve found teachers whom I respect and admire as if they were my own parents, and I’ve found friendships that I plan to cherish for the rest of my life. I feel at home just by stepping into the SAS office, and I truly hope that this program is still there when I’m a professional and I’m using the skills that I’ve developed in my time here.
The flaw in this educational system is that our generation has so much potential to be great but so many students don’t have something like SAS to allow them to explore their true potential. I know I’ve worked very hard to get where I am at in my academic career, but I partly owe every opportunity I see in my future to what the School for Advanced Studies has given me, and I’ll be forever grateful for that.
Very corny, but very much so from the heart; Long Live SAS.
Carlos Felipe Davila
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
University of Florida, Class of 2016
Dana Ferraro
Deciding to transfer to SAS was one of the best decisions I ever made. The education I received at this school has been superb and has broadened my mind. Because of the plethora of classes Miami Dade College offers, I have been able to take classes not available at a traditional high school, including Marketing, Human Nutrition, Business Law, and Theatre Appreciation.
Students feel a sense of independence and what college is like from being on the college campus. We are able to participate in collegiate activities and see our professors during their office hours, which helps us prepare for our future studies at other institutions.
The smaller high school classes has also been very beneficial as our teachers are able to spend more one-on-one time with us in class and in their office. Our independent study time is very useful as we study and work on homework while also receiving help from teachers and other students. Many students, including myself, really appreciate this aspect of SAS.
These past two years have been demanding and rigorous, but also while being beneficial and fun. I am glad I chose SAS.
Dana Ferraro
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
University of Miami, Class of 2016
Dario Nunez
They say that school is your home away from home, and I have never found truer sentiment in that statement other than when I reflect back on my time here at SAS. Before accepting the offer to come to the School For Advanced Studies I was scared, hesitant, and reluctant as to what my potential was. Upon spending 2 years here at SAS, I am proud to say that I have found a group of friends, mentors, and counselors that would help me get rid of those thoughts, and push me farther than I ever imagined I could go.
What stands out to me the most is how the School For Advanced Studies has helped me accomplish my goals and reach my dreams. I still have a vivid recollection of the day that I went to the SAS intake session; I had to fill out paperwork so that the school could get specific information on me as a student. I particularly remember a portion of the paper work that asked “Career goals” as well as “Universities you are considering”. I answered with what I knew my passions were: studying Chemistry or Law at the University Of Chicago. My timid self decided to put that down on the paper without hesitation. After 2 years of hard work and the opportunities SAS has provided me, I have reached the exact goal that I dreamt of as an incoming junior, and I could not have done it if I didn’t have the support of my friends and family; the friends and family which I have found by coming to SAS. So now when I looked back at that pink sheet of paper as a senior that my younger self filled out, it makes me really appreciate everything that everyone at SAS has done for me.
SAS represents more than just an academic opportunity to me. I feel glad each morning being able to walk into the school’s office and be greeted by my teachers and peers. It is a place where I have found more than opportunity, a home where I feel I belong. I rest assured knowing that I can talk to my counselors and teachers as more than just a student. They care about how I’m doing, and are willing to lend a hand whenever it may be needed. Alongside the supportive faculty, there is a student body that represents a wonderful mix of individuals. Intellectual, social, and fun are words that just begin to describe the type of students that SAS fosters.
There are countless times where I have laughed, sought out advice, worked on homework, all in the same day with different groups of friends. Friends that I am proud to say will remain in my heart for the rest of my life. Our school this year adopted the motto “It takes courage”, and while I do find that fitting for a school like ours, I’d like to believe that SAS does its best to ensure that every student realizes the courage they already have and how they can apply that to reach their goals. Plenty of people say that the sky is the limit, but as my calculus teacher Mrs. Cabañez once taught me, the limit does not exist. There is no limit to the amount of compassion, dedication, and rigor that I have encountered while here at SAS.
Looking back on everything now, I am beyond grateful that I accepted the offer to attend the School For Advanced Studies. I wouldn’t have chosen to spend my final 2 years of high school any other way.
Dario Nuñez
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
University of Chicago, Class of 2018
Edgar Garcia
If my life were a series, albeit a rather dull one , I’d need to dedicate an entire novel to my time at SAS. I’d treasure this novel and tuck it away in the back of my mind in the hopes that someone will one day come along and ask me how I managed to get ahead. Dust accumulated, pages yellowed – I’d pull the book off its shelves when this day finally comes. With my memories rushing back, I’d spin the tale of a high school that is truly unparalleled.
Like any plotline, a high school experience is variable. As the hero of your own life, your goal is to maneuver against pitfalls, antagonists, and pop quizzes. But attending SAS is a plot twist. The moment you step foot on campus, you’re overcome with a purpose: to pursue a greater existence. Passively strolling through life puts you in a state of ennuie as you grow dedicated to the pursuit of both change and challenges.
As an institution, SAS sharpens your hunger for knowledge. Unsurprisingly, SAS is the only high school I know of that can boast about its dedication to the liberal arts experience. While you wander through courses like Human Sexuality, Microbiology, or Calculus 3 – you’re given an extra two years, free of cost, to mold and solidify your career choice. Though your peers are forced to conform to a core curriculum at other schools, you are given the opportunity to build a schedule that caters to YOUR interests rather than the state of Florida’s, the perfect premise for the development of learning. To reach the same level of accelerated learning at a regular school, you’d have to enlist in various AP classes that are of no interest to you; at SAS, the key to your future is vested in you, and not in what your school limits you to.
As you burn through courses and watch your GPA fluctuate, you can’t help but notice the bonds you’re making at SAS – both with your peers and with your professors. Brought together by the strength of mutual understanding, SAS students are tightly-knit, and all the while driven. Each day is another attempt to venture into Miami and walk a path towards changing the world, both in the classroom and outside. When I walked onto SAS, the staff and the individuals I met pushed me beyond what I thought I could accomplish. Through every trial and tribulation, the class of 2014 stood strong and together, growing increasinlgy intimate with each passing day. This feeling of unity, and the atmosphere of excellence that SAS brings to you pushes you to raise your expectation and aspirations.
As I prepare to walk the streets of Cambridge, I can’t help but acknowledge all the effort SAS invested into my future and the impact these past two years have had on my track. With all the passion and the support thrust upon each student by the faculty… I just simply hope that I can one day give back for the investment that this school made in me. I hope that one day I can thank all of these teachers enough for giving me the chance to prove myself. And I hope that you – our aspiring scientists, lawyers, politicans – are able to make a choice in the right direction. I long to see more and more individuals making their own novel-length memories and experiencing the thrill ride that is SAS, like so many of us have before.
Edgar Garcia Saiz
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
Harvard College, Class of 2018
Javier Valdes
SAS is a wonderful institution that has enriched my mind with knowledge and prepared me for the challenging path ahead. The rigorous courses we take at SAS have helped me develop a sense of maturity I never would have acquired in another public school. I have also developed the social skills needed to effectively communicate with my fellow classmates and teachers. I have grown accustomed to a schedule which allows me large amounts of free time, but I have learned to use my time wisely in order to keep up my GPA. SAS gave me the freedom I needed in order to grow and it made me into a responsible adult.
Although I have a very busy schedule due to my school work and college classes, I have learned to balance my time in order to have academic success without giving up my social life. SAS has become my second home, and my time here holds nothing but precious memories. I leave here with the hope that one day my children will be able to have the same experience I have had by attending SAS.
My teachers taught me the skills necessary to get through college, but more importantly, the faculty at SAS has trained me for success in life after college. SAS challenged me and pushed me into becoming the best I could be. I hope that the skills and friends I have acquired these past two years will remain with me for years to come.
In the fall, I will begin attending the University of Miami, and even though most teenagers my age would probably feel terrified, I feel a sense of excitement and confidence because SAS exposed me to a college environment at a very young age. The workload I have experienced on a daily basis is no longer difficult for me because I now have what I call “Academic Endurance”. I am not scared of what is to come in my life. I am excited and prepared. Thank you SAS.
Javier Valdes
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
University of Miami, Class of 2016
Melanie Tercilla
Within my first week at School for Advanced Studies, I felt more comfortable and cared for among the teachers and staff than I had in any other school I had previously attended. The exposure to a number of different college classes and professors along with independently registering for classes has prepared me for college more than any AP course or dual enrollment class. SAS allowed me to venture beyond a private school experience, make friends that will last a lifetime, and connect with teachers I will never forget. I thank all SAS administration and faculty that has put in the hard work and effort to make my two last years of high school at School for Advanced Studies a heartwarming and amazing experience that I will never forget. Go White Tigers!
Melanie Tercilla
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
University of Florida, Class of 2016
Melissa Maccarini
Coming to School for Advanced Studies has been one of the best experiences of my life. Having previously attended an all girl’s school, I was at first hesitant to even consider SAS as an option. After doing some extensive research and discovering that many students at this school had been accepted to the highest-ranking colleges, I made it my goal to get accepted. The teachers at SAS have been nothing short of available at all times, making the needs and concerns of the students their priority. Not to mention, the college classes at MDC give the students their own responsibility to attend class and manage their time between high school and college. SAS provides a program that brings focus and independence to individuals in a competitive yet welcoming environment.
As secretary of the Gay-Straight Alliance Club and treasurer of the Chess Club, I have learned that the students of SAS are truly exceptional at making all different people feel welcome. It is a small yet close-knitted school that brings together ambitious individuals in their last two years of high school. It is an unforgettable experience that serves as a challenge for those who are willing to take it—a challenge with positive outcomes for the future. I have learned to test myself in ways that have brought out my strengths and weaknesses, an insight that has helped me tremendously. Through the help of the teachers and my dedication, SAS has been the perfect school to maximize my potential.
Melissa Maccarini
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
University California Los Angeles (UCLA), Class of 2016
Rebecca Lester
hat I love about SAS is that it allows me to be part of a tight-knit community while still maintaining my individuality. That is what I told a representative from UPenn when asked what I liked best about SAS. A year later I feel the same way.
I was lucky to know about SAS from day one of high school; it was the only reason I made it through freshman and sophomore year. When I finally arrived at SAS I wasn’t disappointed. I was finally in an atmosphere that provided me with a challenging workload, teachers who cared not only about my grades but my well-being, and a whole new family.
SAS is not just a place I, or my classmates, go to learn. We show up to school to have fun, to play sports, be challenged in class, and make ourselves better in every way. Whether it is taking college courses that pique our interests, creating a new club in which we form lasting connections, or sitting in the Trailer (the SAS office) to talk with friends and teachers alike, SAS students are always engaged.
A lot of what makes SAS the way it is, is because of the administration. The administration is not only concerned with our academics and our future but they want to ensure we keep our sanity while we handle the intense workload. I cannot express how grateful I am when the e-mail goes out that we can start getting ready for the winter trip or when the administration makes sure we don’t have too much work during college finals. Not to mention the fact that we have a principal so concerned with making sure everything is being run well that he sets aside time to visit every class and talk to all of us students. It is for all of these reasons that I am unimaginably appreciative to have been a part of SAS.
SAS is more than just a school, it’s a family; one that I am very proud to call mine.
Rebecca Lester
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
Cornell University, Class of 2018
Samantha Gonzalez
When I switched to SAS, I was welcomed with the best teachers and counselor I’ve ever had. Although the school is recognized academically, one of the most valuable things about it is the community. It’s a rare experience to have so many intelligent, driven, and passionate people together all at once; it’s even rarer to go to a school where teachers actually care about every student. An environment that’s both social and academically rigorous is hard to find, but that’s what it’s like at SAS – a place to make friends that are equally ambitious as oneself, where teachers, administrators, and counselors support students’ biggest dreams, and where everyone matters.
SAS is what each person makes of it. Not many high school students can say they’ve taken Calculus 3 or Anthropology before attending university, and that’s difference between SAS and a traditional high school. There are so many things to learn about in the world, and MDC offers a glimpse at a broad range of subjects not available to most high school students. At SAS you will work hard, you will get stressed, but you will succeed. I’m thankful for all SAS is and has provided me with; without this experience, I may not have ended up where I am today.
Samantha Gonzalez
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
Columbia University, Class of 2018
Sarah Chavarriaga
SAS is infinitely more than just a school for me: through my two years here, it became a home, a sanctuary, a place where I finally felt comfortable but properly challenged, an individual but part of something much bigger than myself; and every single person here became family.
There is endless talk about the recognitions School for Advanced Studies has earned: its academic excellence, exceptional curriculum, unique experience, and its impressive standing amongst the very best high schools across the nation. But the foundation for such a successful environment is connection, love, and appreciation: the most unique and enjoyable part of the SAS experience. Nothing compares to walking into the office, and having the faculty address you by first name and ask you how you are or being friends with the entirety of your class; the aura of attention and interpersonal care felt here is something unheard of at any other institution I’ve been part of.
I’m honored to have gone to school along side so many brilliant young intellectuals, all of us being guided by a team of amazing men and woman who always had open minds, open ears, and open hearts for whatever we needed along the way. This in itself is humbling enough, but to be able to say that I formed friendships and bonds with these breathtakingly exceptional people is a privilege – one I would’ve never had without this school.
We are offered the world on a silver platter at SAS: we are taught that opportunities are endless and we are able to reach as far as we allow ourselves to. We have the freedom to explore intellectually and the support to know where to go next along the way. Though at times this meant hard work, late nights, too many cups of coffee, a literal pile of essays, exams, outlines, and exhaustion…the lessons that came along with the experience were more than worth the effort they deserved.
School for Advanced Studies demands responsibility and effort, builds character and motivation, enhances attitude and personality, and creates individuals full of what it takes to be ready to face the future with no restraints. It has been a truly life changing experience for me, and as I get ready to continue the next chapter in my life, I look back and am honored and thankful for everything that this school allowed me to find out about who I am, about my strengths and abilities, everything it gave me in the form of other people influencing, guiding, and changing me, and the way it felt like home more than any other place ever has.
Sarah Chavarriaga
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
Columbia University, Class of 2018
Sofia Charlot
After having the privilege of attending School for Advanced Studies High school, I can honestly say that I have grown as an individual. I attribute this growth to this school’s rigorous academic challenges and diverse social climate. Like iron sharpening iron; the challenging Advanced Placement classes, the variety of college classes, the diverse population of high school and college classmates, the actual college environment, and the vast opportunities to get involved in extracurricular activities in both the academic and social realms has established, reinforced, influenced, and challenged my way of thinking and interacting with others; making me a better person and scholar.
School for Advanced Studies has also given me the confidence to broaden my horizons. In the fall, I will be attending a top 20 university outside of Florida; and I honestly would have never even fathomed such a thing if I had not joined the SAS family. This family plays together, groans in unison in anticipation of the next calculus quiz, rallies in support of those affected by death and tragedy, celebrates the perfect SAT scores and dream college acceptances of each students as if it were our own, studies together, and we even procrastinate together! Because of the School for Advanced Studies; I am a better person, with bigger dreams and a family to share them with!
Sofia Charlot
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
Emory University, Class of 2016
Tia Aquart
Prior to becoming a student at SAS, I was enrolled in the IB program and had barely enough hope to pass my AP exams, let alone pass the IB exams. I was desperate not to let my life’s hard work go to waste and during that stressful period, my mother just so happened to lay eyes on an SAS bumper sticker. True story. Not only has SAS given me the advantage of earning my AA degree a semester before my high school degree, but it has also given me the opportunity to be able to further build a strong academic record, be involved in many community service opportunities and clubs, and still thoroughly enjoy my senior year (grad bash, senior brunch, prom, etc).
My two years at SAS has provided me with well-educated teachers, welcoming administrators, supporting peers, and the independence along with responsibility of handling my college classes as a great preparation for schools like Johns Hopkins and beyond. I succeeded and thrived in the school without having to sacrifice more of my life outside of school than was needed. I wholeheartedly believe I couldn’t have been accepted to any top 20 school without SAS.
I highly recommend the program and would hope it could be expanded in the future so that even more students could benefit from the experience.
Tia Aquart
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
Johns Hopkins University, Class of 2018
Ushaia Kappen
Cultural diversity continues to play a major role on who I was yesterday, who I am today, and who I will be tomorrow. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India stated, “Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.” I am blessed to have had the opportunity to attend a prestigious school among peers with an array of cultural backgrounds.
When the opportunity arose for me to attend School for Advanced Studies I was very hesitant and skeptical. SAS was the school for me, especially Wolfson campus. The teachers pushed me to work hard; they constantly found new innovative ways to teach the material. It was difficult at first, but they helped us become accustomed and I look back wondering why I thought it was so difficult, but it definitely paid off. The tight knit community among the faculty and students allowed me to grow as an individual where I was able to have everlasting experiences and relationships that could not be achieved anywhere else. I was able to work on different community service projects from tutoring children, feeding the homeless, and best of all being my favorite children’s book character, Curious George at the Book Fair. Through the college curriculum I had the opportunity to team up with the Bendixen and Amandi Associates and help track the 2012 Presidential Election behind the scenes with at Univision.
My classmates became friends. My friends became family. My teachers became life mentors. I could stand here all day long and tell you how each individual at my campus and many among other campuses have shaped me into who I am today. Each one may have different road maps in life but we all share the stroll down the avenue of School for Advanced Studies. No matter where we continue from this day on, I will never forget how each of you made my junior and senior year memorable ones. Before we know it we will gather for the 10 year reunion and look back at great opportunity and where we stand today, together as high school graduates, as SAS White Tigers!
Ushaia M. Kappen
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
New York University, Class of 2018
Valerie Katz
At SAS I found exactly what I was looking for: a place I belonged.
I was surrounded by like-minded individuals, all extremely focused on their studies, but also passionate about endeavors outside of the classroom. Everyone was driven, and this environment pushed me to excel more than I could have ever imagined. And while the course work was challenging, there was always someone around to help, be it a teacher or a fellow peer, there was a well-established support system that I recognized right away.
My favorite part about SAS was all the options I was provided. Unlike a traditional high school where electives are limited to the courses taught on campus that must be taken for a full year, I was able to select from an enormous selection of dual enrollment classes at Miami-Dade College and take a new class every semester. Because of this I was able to jump into fields that interested me, and advance beyond bounds, I was even able to take Organic Chemistry, something that would have been impossible had I not come to SAS. I also got the chance to try a wide variety of courses, giving me the opportunity to figure out what I enjoyed studying and what I didn’t, better preparing me for my future.
Without a doubt, SAS is the springboard that will launch me into a successful academic career and facilitate my transition to Cornell University.
Valerie Katz
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2014
Cornell University, Class of 2018