Joann Fetner (pictured left) recently graduated from St Andrew’s Cathedral School in 2023 and we are pleased to share that she has accepted an offer to study at the prestigious New York University (NYU) in New York City!
Congrats on receiving an offer to study at NYU! What will you be studying?
I’ll be studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in philosophy. I also might minor in marketing and advertising – I haven’t made up my mind yet because in the United States you don’t have to choose your majors until your second year of uni.
What was the process like to get into NYU? Was it difficult to tackle the American university admissions process?
Yeah I would say it was quite difficult, but not impossible! In the application process, American universities consider your academic strengths, but they also look at how many co-curriculars you were involved in and if you volunteered.
I was really lucky at SACS because I was given so many opportunities to get involved whether it was senior choir, going on the music tour, joining the global politics club or volunteering by helping young Gawura students practice reading. This really helped me during the application process because it gave me experiences to talk about.
Was there anyone or anything that you’re really appreciative of from your time at St Andrew’s Cathedral School?
Yes! Ms Skipsey was my English teacher in Year 7 and 10 and then she ended up being my Year 11 and 12 Language and Literature teacher for IB. She always knew that I was determined to go to the US, and she was really open to helping me, talking about application and all that.
I’m also very grateful for my Philosophy teacher, Dr Hall. Without Dr Hall, I wouldn’t have become this interested in Philosophy. He supported me throughout the application process and helped me narrow down my uni options to find a place that had a good philosophy department.