Hi everyone! My name is Vicky Alvarez Gutierrez, and I’m currently a freshie at the University of the Ozarks in Arkansas. I’m proudly from Masaya, Nicaragua, where I studied high school at St. Mary High School, a traditional and bilingual school. I’m currently studying Finance and Mathematics, and my story behind it? A bit ironic, to be honest.
Are you curious about it? Then, stick around. This is my story, where college was the destination, but finding my true self was the purpose to fulfill.
Why the US to start in Higher Education?
I chose the United States as my next stop for my education due to the financial aid opportunities. Besides the U.S, I also applied to universities in Europe, Spain to be specific. Back when I was applying, I found that many colleges in Spain often offer scholarships covering tuition, while the student had to search and pay for room, cover the costs of meals, and materials. So, it was a huge contrast with US colleges, where financial aid encompasses almost all costs regarding the student necessities, and most of the time, they are covered.Furthermore, I chose the US over Europe because of the opportunity to double major. Europe might offer you to major in a single discipline, but in the US, especially at Ozarks, you can major in up to three majors, plus your intended minors!
Why UofOzarks?
As I previously mentioned, one of the reasons I chose UofOzarks was its LENS Program (Learning Environment for New Synthesis). This program is designed to allow and encourage students to gain expertise in multiple fields simultaneously; the program's flexibility often allows students to stack credentials across different "lenses.”When applying to colleges, you will be assigned an admissions counselor, who will be your main point of contact at the institution you’re applying to. This person will probably be the first person to read your application, and the one you can approach to ask questions or update your app. My admission counselor, Mr. Tom, was one of the reasons I now attend Ozarks. Each interview, call, and his help in the process made me feel at home at Ozarks without stepping onto campus yet. I encountered other Latino admission counselors, but it made me realize that a college doesn’t necessarily have a major student body from people from your region, but rather the quality of its community, and Mr. Tom is the living proof of it.For me, a tight-knit community was an unnegotiable factor for my future home for the next four years; that said, I was excited to step into the Ozarks campus as a freshman due to its small campus and a community where I now know everybody’s name and keep strong relationships with my professors.
Application Stats
Back in St. Mary School, I always had good academics, but it wasn’t until my senior year that I wanted to study abroad. I finished my senior year with a GPA of 99/100, and as for my overall high school GPA, I got a 98/100. I believe that, although not many students decide to study abroad, St. Mary’s curriculum is very complete and competent for students interested in going to college outside of Nicaragua. There, they assigned you a college counselor, who was up to the student whether to contract their services. St. Mary is a small school, and studying there pushed me to seek a community similar to it, both academically, socially, and intellectually.
Learning to be THAT Leader: Opportunities and Extracurriculars
Outside the classroom, I consider myself to be really extroverted and talkative while also being very caring and empathetic. I volunteer throughout high school at an intercollegiate club called Big Siblings, which provides support to low-income kids with the purpose of helping them develop the essential skills for their educational and emotional development. We focused our work based on each kid's necessities, adapting our study plans according to their performance and needs in several disciplines such as math, language, arts, and much more.
Being able to connect with kids full of curiosity and drive to learn something new, and the fact that I could spread knowledge to empower the youngest minds, opened my eyes to realize that every leader needs a more humane side. All leaders need a community to lead, but not all can connect and engage with it smoothly, which is a skill you gain while helping others in need and putting yourself in their shoes._
However, it is well-known that leadership is not all sunshine and rainbows, or hanging with the ones who get you. For me, the leader needs to have a balance between empathy and objectivity to ensure things are done the way they are supposed to be. Therefore, my experience at Debate Academicos para Lideres Estudiantiles (DALE Nicaragua) was key for me to find such a balance. DALE is an annual and the most awaited conference in Nicaragua, organized by and for high school students interested in global affairs, debate, and oratory. Once I enter a debate room, I look for ways to lead, ways to take my team to live the best of the experience. I’m not going to lie, but I often encounter people with the same ambition of leading and making things harder to tackle, but that’s where your character and skills get challenged, tested, and improved. I attended three DALE conferences while in high school. As the saying goes, the third time's the charm; I was awarded the Best Delegate Award in my committee.
Finance & Math thanks to English?!?
My family is full of doctors, and for years I thought I would follow in their footsteps. But my perspective shifted in seventh grade when Mr. Selim, my math teacher, helped me understand the subject clearly and confidently. He challenged me to go from average grades to near-perfect grades of 99 or 100. That's when I realized I wasn't just good with numbers, but that I actually enjoyed them. Later, my interest in finance arose unexpectedly thanks to an assignment in my English class—a class I didn't particularly enjoy—where I had to read books and write weekly summaries. I couldn't get into novels or science fiction, but I started reading texts related to money and investments, like The Richest Man in Babylon, and I discovered my fascination with financial concepts and economic debates, to the point of reading them for pleasure rather than obligation. Furthermore, the influence of my mother, who works in real estate, reinforced this interest by allowing me to observe the world of investments and real estate firsthand. The combination of a passion for mathematics, early exposure to the financial field, and academic experiences that sparked my curiosity confirmed that finance and mathematics were not only areas in which I excelled but the career path that truly motivated me.
My Gold Pin Zebra
My most memorable essay, I would say, without a doubt, is my Personal Statement. At the very beginning, I wasn’t quite sure what to write about it, until a friend of mine gave me a piece of advice:‘Think of it as coming up with something that no one would ever think of. If you're in your room and you need to leave without coming back, what's the first thing you'd take? There’s your theme.’
Thinking about it, I found that the one thing I’ll carry with me even if the whole world disappears will be my gold pin zebra, a special gift made by my father. I chose it not because of the aesthetic or because it's the first thing I saw in my room, but rather for the story behind it: My father is a man of few words, so every word, piece of advice, and conversation has a tremendous weight; the pin was a reminder of my connection to him as his daughter.Once my essay was submitted and acceptance was entered into my applicant portal, my admission counselors at each college not only welcomed me alone, but also opened the school’s doors to my gold pin zebra as well. So, double acceptance!
The Waiting Game and the Weight of Financial Aid
From my own experience, I would say that the most challenging part of the whole admissions process is filling out the financial aid documents. Just knowing that every number needs to be accurate caused me headaches. Besides that, the waiting periods aren’t always the best, especially if your birthday is near decision day!
Financial aid and need aware policies aspects might discourage any applicant, but as a Christian, I promise myself not to get angry or frustrated by these situations or rejections because God has a special plan for you, and He won’t let you down.
Scholarships
UofOzarks is very generous for both U.S citizens and international students. Specifically, UofOzark is one of the three colleges that partner with the Walton International Scholarship Program, which is a full ride scholarship open to Central America and Mexico. I was awarded a separate scholarship, which is the 4.0 Scholarship which covers a good part of the costs, specifically a bit more than +18k a year.
Life in Arkansas
When I first arrived on campus, I remembered that UofOzarks was known to have a small campus, but stepping foot on campus made me change my definition of a small campus!
It definitely feels like home, not only because we have a small community, but also because there are a lot of Central Americans around campus. I don’t have to worry about forgetting how to speak Spanish, because I can practice my English during my lectures and classes, and spark new conversations in Spanish outside the classroom. I love the flexibility of their curriculum, where you can tailor your schedule and classes according to your interests and academic goals. Whether you wish to take sophomore or junior classes as a freshman, if you have the time, you can definitely sign up for them! Recently, I participated in their Startup Challenge, the odds were against us as freshmen against juniors and seniors, and still, my team and I managed to secure a spot on the podium.
Ozarks offers a ton of opportunities for the student experience. For instance, if you want to start a new club, you can receive $1000 in funding; if you ever find yourself lost with a topic, you can always reach out to your professor for free; and there are plenty of options for jobs on campus.Arkansas is filled with Latin American culture, so once in a while, the city hosts fairs or other cultural events where Eagles can go and enjoy some quality time. Thus, reinforcing the sense of family, the college intends to offer to its student body.
Advice for My Past-Self
If I could look face-to-face with my past self, who was applying to college unknown of what the future holds, I would tell her not to be afraid. There are going to be people around you asking why you study so hard or to give yourself a break, but the effort you pour into each one of your goals will flourish tomorrow, and it will be longstanding compared to a fleeting pain. My mom always told me, no matter what you do in life, be the best at it, because that’s what sets you apart. Do not be angry or scared when rejection letters start showing on your portals, because those rejections or waitlists are slowly guiding you to the place you’re meant to be. Trust God, because He has a better place waiting for you!
