CLT: Thank you for talking with us, Pia! Tell us about your first year at the University of Dallas. How did you choose what to study?

PB: I’m studying English because I’ve always loved English literature, especially poetry, and I want to understand exactly what makes poetry so powerful. I’m studying Classics because I love learning languages, and I think reading a text in the original language is the best way to fully understand it and appreciate all the nuances that may be present. As of next year, I will be the news editor for our school newspaper, co-editor-in-chief of the drama department’s magazine, and (probably) a tutor for the Classics department. One of my friends and I also started an informal English Country Dancing group, which we’ll continue, and I also plan to continue a reading group I started that discusses marriage and related issues.

CLT: How did taking the CLT10/CLT help to prepare you for college life, and how did your CLT10 Scholarship benefit you as a first-year student? 

PB: Taking the CLT meant that I had to get used to reading and comprehending many different kinds of texts from many different time periods, which has helped me with reading for class, especially when the assigned reading is something I wouldn’t necessarily choose to read on my own. Having the CLT scholarship meant that I didn’t have to take out unsubsidized loans for my first year of college, and it let me focus on the first year of my studies without worrying about how I was going to afford it. 

CLT: That’s amazing to hear. Which class from your first year had the greatest impact on you, and why? 

PB: I really loved my second semester literature class which covered Dante and Milton! I had to write my first-ever major research paper for the class, which was actually really fun and made me improve dramatically as a writer. The other class which had the most impact for me, though in a different way, was my intermediate Greek class which I took in the fall. That class made me realize I actually really enjoy studying Greek, especially since my professor is amazing.

CLT: Lastly, tell us what piece of advice you would give to other CLT/CLT10 test-takers who are planning ahead for college right now? 

PB: Don’t write off a college before you’ve visited, especially if it’s a small liberal arts college. You can’t get a sense of the campus environment off of a website, and it’s also really helpful to be able to sit in on classes and meet professors, especially ones who teach in fields you’re interested in. Finally, if you can, meet and talk to students! They’ll tell you all sorts of stuff, both positive and negative, that you won’t learn from anyone else (but do take it with a grain of salt).