CLT10 National Award Winner Spotlight:
Jeremy Holford
In preparation for the release of the CLT10 awards in September of 2023, CLT is celebrating some of our past National Award Winners!
We reached out to a handful of CLT’s scholarship winners from 2020 and asked them to share about their testing experience at CLT, their time at their CLT partner college of choice, and their college preparation advice for other high school students.
This post celebrates Jeremy Holford, a rising sophomore at Hillsdale College. His answers focused on his application of the skills he learned from taking the CLT to college life, the positive impact of being open to new experiences in college, and the value of finding a college full of people that reflect your own beliefs. Congratulations, Jeremy, and thank you for your insightful answers!
The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.
CLT: Thanks for talking with us! So, how did taking the CLT10 prepare you for college, and how did your scholarship benefit you?
JH: The CLT really demonstrated for me what a rigorous classical exam looks like. It allowed me to apply what I learned in high school to a standardized test and added to my base of knowledge along the way. This skill is useful at my liberal arts college, where I also utilize my high school knowledge to learn through its application. The scholarship I received from the CLT10 gave me the opportunity to take more classes than I might have been able to. It enabled me to tackle more of the wonderful challenges that my school offers and to spend more time meeting fellow students.
CLT: Would you identify any one class you’ve taken this year as the one that has impacted you most?
JH: The most impactful class I took my freshman year was my core Religion class. I had never participated in anything quite like it before. It taught me to see Christianity in a startling, new, and vivid light. Because of this class, I decided to change one of my majors to Religion.
CLT: Could you suggest one thing you wish you had known before starting your freshman year?
JH: I wish I had known to not worry about what classes I might be in or clubs I might join. The best class I took was not one that I would have anticipated impacting me as much as it did. As the school year progressed, I learned how to be better at being open to new, unexpected experiences.
CLT: That is quite a proportion of the college experience! As we wrap up: what advice would you give to other CLT10 and CLT test-takers planning for college?
JH: I would say to look at the people and professors of whatever college you are considering. I think that one of the best ways to decide whether a college is right for you is to examine the kind of people and teachers that it attracts
__________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for reading the CLT Journal. Look for more National Award Winner Spotlight posts as we anticipate the announcements of our 2023 CLT10 Awards, and enjoy your weekend!
Published on 8th September, 2023.