Demy Alfonso
Coming from an already academically challenging program, the International Baccalaureate, I thought I knew exactly what I was in for when coming to SAS, but boy was I wrong (in the best possible way ever).
School for Advanced Studies set forth a rigorous course load in order to challenge me and my abilities. I became motivated to work even harder towards my education. I also had big support from all the teachers and faculty to help me through my endeavors. I was able to find myself and find exactly what I wanted to do in life, which has made everything worthwhile.
I came into this school looking for a higher education, but I am also walking out with a lifetime full of memories.
Demy Alfonso
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2013
Johns Hopkins University, Class of 2017
Jose Bacardi
The School for Advanced Studies has been one the greatest institutions that I have had the pleasure of attending. The irreplaceable friends you make, the invigorating sense of autonomy you feel, and the passionate support you get from your teachers make the choice to attend SAS all the more worth it. SAS is unique in the sense that it literally gives you a second chance in high school. You’re placed in a new, close-knit school with the opportunity to make friends with people who are in the same situation as you. You’re also given a large variety of classes to take at the college; classes that truly interest you and help you build towards your future, not just classes that are mandatory or one of the 10 or so electives available at a traditional school. Although at times SAS can be very demanding, especially with homework, it is absolutely possible to be successful with commitment.
When I received my invitation to attend, I had many doubts about coming. I was worried that the workload might be overwhelming, that I would have to leave behind many good friends, or that I might no longer have a social life; the usual things everyone worries about before coming. I was told by my counselors and teachers that I wouldn’t be able to get the “high school experience,” that there weren’t any field trips or dances or prom, and that I could never come back to the school since it wasn’t my home school. Regardless of their attempts to scare me into staying, I decided to go and I can honestly tell you that SAS has everything a traditional high school has and so much more.
Jose Bacardi
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2013
University of Virginia, Class of 2017
Aliaha Daphnis
Leaving a traditional high school to attend SAS was a major decision for me. I was unsure of how a small high school functioned communally. I knew that SAS would help me to achieve academic excellence, but I wondered if it would be the correct fit for me socially. When I first arrived to SAS students were enthused to come into school. Students were socializing with other students and laughter filled the hallways. This really gave me a sense of ease and comfort. I felt a spirit of family and togetherness and the students made me feel part of that family. It even amazed me to see students that have graduated came back to visit SAS students and tell them about their current college experience. It really empowered me to see other students from SAS go off to prestigious institutions and to know that I too am capable of the same. SAS has also prepared me for my college education with not only the rigor, but also skills such as how to contact your professor, how to register for classes, or how to purchase books. I know that I could not have received a greater education elsewhere.
As I come to the end of my journey at SAS, and recollect all of my experiences and joys, I am truly satisfied with my decision to attend School for Advanced Studies.
Aliaha Daphnis
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2013
Mt Holyoke College, Class of 2017
Ronald Gil
As time passes at SAS, the experience only becomes better. There is a level of independence not available at typical high schools which truly allows students to flourish. Once the adjustment to the school is made, it is up to the mind to explore the limits. The college provides an immense class variety not available in high school, access to collegiate activities, and a real college atmosphere while one is still in high school. Yet, even with the wealth of resources provided by the college, we also have our high school. Miniscule size, independent study time, and a class with the counselor guarantees that we have contact with everyone. Literally, we all know each other, and the supportive feeling that a close-knit community provides is incredible. Being part of SAS has meant making a move forward in life, and I have never reconsidered the choice.
Ronald Gil
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2013
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) or Cal Tech, Class of 2017
Julia Godinez
SAS is more than a high school; it’s a community of students aiming to achieve more than just a high school diploma. Through the class options available at Miami Dade College, we are able to take various dual enrollment classes, jumpstarting our college career by as much as two years. Our selection of classes is more expansive than most schools, and we are fortunate to meet many great professors at Miami Dade College. SAS has dedicated teachers and guidance counselors. Because of this, SAS students get into some of the best schools in the nation. From the office staff to the security guards, everyone affiliated with this school is more than willing to help students achieve their goals.
Julia Godinez
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2013
Mt Holyoke College, Class of 2017
Carlos Gonzalez
The environment at SAS is the complete opposite of what one would experience at a typical high school: small, personal, and enthusiastic. The teachers here have vested personal interests in each individual student; they go much further than what is required of them in their jobs. Their unrelenting belief and support truly made a difference during my college application process. Moreover, thanks to SAS, I was able to take advanced classes that traditional students would never be able to take. Classes like differential equations and physics, which are usually out of reach at a normal high school, are now under my belt.
Like most students who transfer, I was originally hesitant to leave my home school to join SAS at the beginning of junior year. I didn’t want to leave so many of my friends for, what I believed at the time, only slightly better prospects of being admitted into a top university. However, as the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. I honestly believe that this change has been pivotal to my academic career, and without it, I wouldn’t be going to Caltech next fall.
Carlos Gonzalez
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2013
California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech), Class of 2017
Francesca Majluf
Most would say that SAS is an ideal high school with successful alumni thanks to its academic rigor and statistics. After all, here at SAS students handle both AP and college classes at the same time, which makes them develop valuable time-management skills and discipline. However, my experience these past two years has proven to me that there’s much more to SAS that makes it the optimum high school. Here, teachers challenged me to perform at my best, while continuing to shape my moral character. If a student’s honesty or integrity ever comes into question, it is addressed. But the staff also shows concern and affection when it is most needed.My carefully-selected peers at SAS made me face competition like I hadn’t faced in a long time. Here at SAS, every student has the ambition to succeed in life, and this common goal made us more than compatible with each other. We understood each other’s struggles; we shared sleepless nights and cups of coffee. We celebrated each other’s achievements like they were our own, and never failed to enjoy and fill the present moment with laughter. SAS provided me with something more important than an outstanding education: a group of people who encouraged me to excel as both a student and a human being; a family. I would never be where I am today if it had not been for SAS, and I will always carry the memories and knowledge I gained at SAS close to my heart.
Francesca Majluf
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2013
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Class of 2017
Miles Marcotte
I came to SAS to broaden my mind. Enrolled in an extremely demanding arts high school had left me acquainted with hard work, time management, deadlines, and stress, but I yearned for a purely academic setting where I would surely gain a better idea for how I wanted to pursue my dreams. The breadth of class choices available to me in the college was exciting. I’ve taken Music Appreciation, Human Growth and Development, and Energy in the Environment – all diverse subject areas that have left me more informed, curious, and ambitious about the world around me. One of the highlights of my experience here at SAS was the relationships I have fostered with my professors, both in Miami Dade College and the high school. Visiting teachers during their office hours has been not only crucial to my success, but supplemental to the knowledge learned inside the classroom.
The opportunities that have been given and presented to me by coming to SAS are overwhelming. Serving as a Student Ambassador for the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, being trained as a Peer Leader for the Miami- Dade County Public Schools Speak Your Peace Youth Empowerment Summit, and becoming nominated and being named a Posse Scholar for Syracuse University are among some of the roles and distinctions I’ve been able to partake in. Engaging in each of these challenges has taught me that diligence and creativity does pay off. The same can be true of my time at SAS- working smarter, not harder, has made the difference.
I gained insight and focus through this special dual enrollment program. Students become independent and driven if they apply themselves to their goals. To wrap up, I must say the best part of coming to SAS are the people I have met. One is surrounded by culturally diverse, like-minded individuals who are a constant nutrient towards personal growth, acceptance, confidence, and collaboration. I have made the best friends at SAS, ones that I know that have changed the trajectory of my life and continue to inspire me. SAS yields an intellectually stimulating environment that guarantees the success of each member.
Miles Marcotte
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2013
Syracuse University, Class of 2017
David Pena
Attending the School for Advanced Studies has shown me the purpose of education by allowing me to take classes from the field of study I am interested in. Not restricting me to the typical English, Science, and Math courses that every other high school has. The knowledge I have garnered from my college and high school courses has allowed me to excel in other areas outside of school. The teachers at the School for Advanced Studies don’t just do their job because they have to, but because they love teaching, watching the students succeed, and helping the students make the best out of their education. At SAS, you are not just another student, you are an individual. The curriculum at SAS taps into the potential that other students neglect at regular high schools. I am proud to say that the School for Advanced Studies is my school since it has taught me more than what I would have hoped to have learned in high school alone.
David Peña
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2013
California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech), Class of 2017
Kelly Watts
When I first received a bright yellow paper in the mail that read “School for Advanced Studies (SAS),” I was initially skeptical about switching to a new high school. I was attached to my friends, and I did not want to miss out on a traditional high school experience. After reading about the prestigious schools that SAS students were accepted to and the competitive scholarships that they received, I understood that SAS must be a high school of academic excellence. Despite my mother’s futile attempts to dissuade me because I would “lose my high school experience,” I finally decided that SAS is where I wanted to be. Coming to SAS has changed my life. I have become a more mature, responsible, and dedicated individual.
Unlike traditional high schools, students at SAS have the opportunity to choose from an array of college courses at Miami Dade College and organize their own class times. It is the student’s responsibility to stay on top of all of their coursework in high school and college. And while there are some days in which it seems as if there is a never – ending pile of work, there are many resources to help students succeed. College and high school teachers are available during office hours and are glad to assist students, and because there is such a close – knit student body at SAS, students are always looking out for one another. At SAS I did not lose my high school experience, but rather I gained the experience of challenging myself to exceptional levels, being taught by dedicated teachers who care about my success, and leaving SAS with two years of college under my belt.
Kelly Watts
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2013
Hamilton College, Class of 2017
Alexandra Wellnitz
When I signed up for SAS I knew I was going to get a great opportunity and education. What I did not expect was to find a new family. SAS became a place where I could be comfortable as I was surrounded by people with a multitude of talents and abilities. SAS is a place where everyone knows your name, a place where it was ok to laugh, cry, and dream together with your classmates. Choosing to go to SAS is a decision I will never regret because it was a life experience I will always remember.
Alexandra Wellnitz
School for Advanced Studies, Class of 2013
Mount Holyoke College, Class of 2017