Sarah S

03/09/2020 1:10 AM

My college search process was not typical. Coming from a family of Braves, Bradley was always on my mind. Not only did my dad and some of my extended family attend the university, but my older sister as well. You might be wondering if I even had a choice of where I went to school because of the many Bradley alum in my family, but I definitely did have a choice. Early on in high school, I claimed that I was never going to Bradley. No matter how many times I visited my sister and loved my time with her and her friends, I was insistent that Bradley wasn’t going to be the school for me. When junior year came around however and it was time to start looking at colleges, my perspective changed. Constantly visiting my sister at Bradley had got me hooked and I couldn’t see myself going anywhere else. In fact, when August of my senior year came around Bradley was the only school I applied to. I knew in my head and my heart (and every other part of me) that I NEEDED to be a Bradley Brave and the minute I got accepted in early September I was committed and ready to start my four years on the hilltop.

Now, you might be wondering when the switch flipped in my head and I realized that I really did want to attend Bradley, and honestly I have no idea. All I remember is seeing my older sister, who is my absolute best friend, having the time of her life in college, growing as a person, learning more than she could imagine and experiencing the greatest opportunities. I wanted all of that and watching her experience everything that Bradley had to offer while I was at home made me jealous. High school wasn’t the most enjoyable four years for me due to how overwhelming my school was for me. I was just another person walking through the halls of my very large school and didn’t feel like I really had the closest relationships with the majority of my teachers. I was having these feelings while my sister was thriving with all of the personal attention she was receiving from her professors and close relationships she was establishing. She was more than just another student on campus and I knew I needed that. My sister was also studying to be a teacher, a dream that we shared, and I saw all of her hopes and dreams within education coming true. She was achieving her goals and getting incredible field experience while doing so. Again, I wanted that and was jealous that I had to wait. And starting junior year, any time I stepped onto campus to visit my sister I just felt this overwhelming sensation that Bradley was where I was meant to be. It continued to feel like home every time I returned and I knew that I couldn’t stay away.

So long story short, at the end of the day Bradley had everything I needed. It had close family ties, an incredibly homey and welcoming feeling, personalized attention for all students and the most phenomenal education program I could’ve wished for. When a school has everything you need, of course you’re going to go there and I am so glad I did.