Congratulations to Grant Parker, the newest College Raptor $1,000 scholarship winner! In addition to writing a winning essay, Grant also answered some interview questions. Read on below to learn about his current college preparations as a high school student.
Tell us a little about yourself!
My name is Grant Parker, I live in Canton Texas and I am seventeen years old. I enjoy fishing and hunting and spending time with family. I am a hands-on person by nature and tend to dive right into things head first!
What do you plan to study in college?
As of right now I plan to major in some type of engineering, as of right now I’m leaning towards petroleum, but I am open-minded and willing to change that, should a better opportunity arrive.
From your essay, it sounds like you’ve been really on top of college prep and searching! How did College Raptor’s tools affect your work?
College Raptor’s tool made the college search much easier and helped me narrow down my college list by a few clicks of the mouse. The user-friendly interface made it easy to use and understand and wasn’t the least bit frustrating. It was quick and easy to use.
What has been the biggest challenge of your college selection process?
The biggest challenge of my college selection process has been finding a school that fits and choosing a major. I feel as though this is a big decision for a seventeen-year-old, in a sense I’m choosing my fate now and I have to pick a lucrative career that I will enjoy. It’s a lot of pressure.
What are your most important “factors” when considering a school?
Number one on the list of important factors when choosing a school is their quality, I would like to attend a university that I know will teach me what I need to learn. Location is also a big deal for me as I believe it would be very difficult to move far from home and essentially start a new life all at once. That seems like a lot of change and pressure regarding responsibilities for a college freshman.
It sounds like College Raptor helped you narrow down your college picks. Which schools are you considering? Why?
As if right now I’m looking at Texas A&M, the University of Texas, and the University of Oklahoma. Texas A&M has one of the top engineering programs in the state, and I have wanted to go there since I was little. UT has a nice finance and business school that I would definitely consider shall I get accepted. I also know several friends who have attended both schools and they seem to all like them both, so I know I am making a good choice when considering the two. Lastly, I am part Native American so I have several scholarship opportunities at OU and I think the change in location would be nice. I also know several students who thoroughly enjoy it there so again, I know it would be a good fit.
If you had one piece of advice to give to other students in the college prep and search process, what would it be?
My one piece of advice would be to study the colleges and make a choice that fits you, as hard as it may be. Don’t choose a college because of your friends, choose something that will be good for you.
Congratulations, Grant! Everybody here at College Raptor wishes you continued luck as you navigate the college search process.
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