Craig Wrobleski, Class of 2011

PTA: Please tell us when you graduated from Elro, where you are now studying and describe your academic focus.
CW:  I graduated in from Elro in 2011, and am now a freshman at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park Campus. As of right now I am undecided in terms of my major, but I plan on pursuing a degree in Business Management with a double minor in Economics and International Business.

PTA: How did Elro shape the educational direction you chose?
CW:  Elro gave me a wide variety of core subjects and strong framework for my future education. In high school, I took an extremely wide range of courses from British Literature to Forensics. Such variety opened me to different things that I might not have otherwise considered.

PTA:  How do you feel your high school education prepared you for college? Where there areas in which you feel you gained a leg up on your college classmates based on what/how you were taught at Elro?
CW:  During my time at Elro, I always heard from former students and friends that they found college work to be fairly easy, after the workload and education they received in high shool. Now that I am nearing the end of my first semester, I can truly say that all these statements were correct. Elro did an excellent job of teaching me how to  handle a demanding workload, especially during my senior year which included two AP courses. Many current classmates if talked to from other schools didn't have as rigorous a senior year, and found it difficult to adjust to the demands of the first year of college. At Elro, I was taught the right way to do things. For example, I value what I learned from Ms. Fink and Ms. Ryan my senior year in terms of how to properly cite and write a research paper. I can now do these things with ease and others often come to me when they have questions about the right way to approach such assignments.

PTA: How did the Elro college placement process help you in your school selection?
CW:  The Elro placement process is honestly one of the things I am most grateful for. Our College Office and staff were amazing! Ms. Cohen was always active with the juniors and seniors and that really makes a difference. There were constant visits from colleges which was a great information resource. My SAT scores weren't that great, so Ms. Cohen pointed me in the direction of SAT-optional schools that had much to offer. I took advantage of the College Office hours for even the most minor issues or concerns I had. Ms. Cohen made time for us to discuss what each potential school could offer both during my time at the school and as a graduate. Ultimately, I chose Penn State. It's proven an amazing institution and I have no regrets about my decision.

PTA: Are there specific things about your high school education that you look back on with particular fondness?
CW:  Looking back on high school, I really miss the connections with the teachers that I developed. In such a small school, it is very easy to become close with teachers. I miss being able to walk into their rooms to discuss things that had nothing to do with the subject they taught or laugh off horror stories of past exams in their class. This is something that I think was very special about Elro and something I won't forget.

PTA: What advice might you have for current students?
CW: For me, two things stick out. First, take your AP classes and tests seriously. Down the road, your future college may accept these credits and allow you to skip intro-level class. Special kudos for Ms. Miller's AP Economics notes which are making college economics fairly easy for me. Second, in deciding on a college, go to the school where you feel most comfortable and genuinely think you'll be happy. I never had a clear-cut "number one school" and narrowed my choices down to three. After that, I revisited schools and felt most comfortable at Penn State. Now that I have been there for three months, I can honestly say that I love it. In my eyes, there is no greater feeling than waking up every morning and knowing that there is place you would rather be. It's a great feeling that will keep you motivated and driven.