BY CHRISTINE GRIMALDI
Correspondent
MARLBORO — With advice ranging from time management to wearing flip flops as protection from communal bathrooms, members of the Marlboro High School class of 2004 recently gave members of the class of 2005 some advice about college.
Twenty participating MHS graduates were split between two presentations of the June 2 panel discussion “How to Survive College.” More than 400 of the 507 seniors eligible for graduation attended, Principal James Mullevey said.
Guidance counselor Steve Neues moderated the panel and asked questions that served as talking points “to get the true perspective of what it’s really like” in college.
Neues, formerly of Jackson Memorial High School, took the idea from a similar program at Jackson. He began coordinating the event last year with the guidance department headed by Anthony Carrino and with administrative support under Mullevey.
In June 2004, Neues asked each guidance counselor to give him five names of dynamic college-bound seniors. The students whose names were provided completed a form to indicate their interest in the program and were formally invited to participate by letter in May.
“I felt the [panel] kids were fantastic,” Neues said, adding that the returning alumni were of “great character” and positively represented both MHS and their colleges.
Schools represented included Boston University, Brandeis, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Sarah Lawrence College.
Certain discussed aspects about college were universal — the rising sophomores largely agreed on the importance of financial aid in relation to continuing education and strongly discouraged plagiarism. Paying attention to class scheduling and examining the quality of a school’s professors were also stressed.
Advice further derived from particular experiences.
“Location is a little more important than I thought it was,” said Jessica Whang, who attends the University of Michigan. Her visits home must be planned ahead, she said.
Elina Yankovich of Rutgers University urged students to find a trustworthy adviser with major-specific knowledge.
New York University’s Dave Glickstein said that “one of the best ways to improve your grade is to know your professor,” in addition to studying and attending class.
Members of the class of 2005, though somewhat reticent, asked the panel members questions about subjects like being away from home and even the truth about the “freshman 15” (weight gain some students see in their fresman year).
Senior Liz Circe said the presentation made her more excited to attend Villanova University in the fall.
“I think today [was] unbelievable,” said Mullevey, adding that the discussion could be improved further “if we get the kids to ask more questions.”