Celebrating College Commitments, Round 1!

by Talia Herbst, SSLI ‘25 

Editor’s Note: Early applications have started to come in, so, in order to celebrate the seniors’ college commitments, PPN will feature members of the Class of 2025 throughout the school year as they decide where they will be next year. 

Photos are from @sslidecisions2025 on Instagram

Yael Pedram (PPN Co-Editor in Chief), New York University 

“Next year, I will be attending New York University. I'll be in the College of Arts and Sciences, and I plan to pursue a pre-dental track; being a dentist has always been a dream of mine, and I'm excited to take the first step to ultimately achieve this goal. Next year, I'm most looking forward to living in the city! I have always loved the city and everything it has to offer. I'm so grateful and excited for this opportunity!”

Risa Rogers (PPN Co-Editor in Chief), Emory University 

“Next fall, I will be attending Emory University with a major in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. I chose this major because I find the human brain to be fascinating, and I also love biology. The Emory hospital is right on campus, and I hope that I will be able to conduct research that will help people suffering from neurological diseases and disorders there. When I visited Emory, I felt an instant connection to the campus and the people. Everyone was very welcoming. Also, the campus is beautiful, and there is a great Hillel. I am most looking forward to meeting new people, getting involved in different clubs, and exploring the city of Atlanta.”

Jacob Cohen, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 

“I am attending RPI, also known as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. I am majoring in Computer Science, although I might end up changing into a more specific subject of computer science. I am fascinated by computers and their capabilities, and I think it will be fun to experiment and try to make a new system or useful invention.”

Jared Greenfeld, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 

“I’m going to RPI. My major is Aerospace Engineering. I chose Aerospace Engineering because while I was always interested in building things and engineering, I’ve also been interested in planes, spaceships, and astronauts, which is what aerospace is all about. What I’m looking forward to most is the freedom I get from living on my own and being able to make my own decisions and choices. I’m also excited for the community and meeting new people.”

Ellie Strachan (PPN Co-Editor in Chief), Northeastern University 

“In the fall, I will be attending Northeastern University and majoring in History, Culture, and Law. I chose this major because I have always had an interest in a career in law and an interest in learning about our world’s history. This major combines the two. The major explores how different cultures have affected legal codes throughout history, which is right up my alley. I’m looking forward to getting to explore the city of Boston. It’s such a fun and active city, and I can’t wait to have amazing experiences there. They also have a really amazing Co-Op program, where you can take six months off of school and work at a professional place of your choice, which is an amazing opportunity. I also am super excited to meet all of the new people!”

Liam Golan, University of Arizona

“I am going to the University of Arizona next year. For now, my major is undecided. I chose the University of Arizona because I wanted to be in a place warmer than New York, and I like the programs they have there.”

Natalie Gordon, Montclair State University 

“I am going to Montclair State University. My major is undecided because I’m not completely sure what I want to do with the rest of my life, and I wanted to keep my options open instead of limiting the rest of my life to a temporary small interest. Something I’m looking forward to is getting the chance to learn more about myself. I’ll have the chance to figure out who I am on my own and learn new things about myself and my interests that I don’t already know.”

Talia Herbst is a writer for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since December 2021. Talia is currently a senior at the Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: therbst25@schechterli.org