Alondra
Alondra was in my Pre-Calculus Honors class as a junior, and then lead my math club to great success. When she graduated, a lot of us wondered how our school could continue without her.
What is your name?
Alondra Ponce
When and where were you born?
March 8, 1999. Palm Springs, CA.
Where did you grow up?
Cathedral City, CA.
Where did you go to high school, where are you now, and how far are you planning to continue your education?
I attended Rancho Mirage High School. I’m currently at Harvard College, and plan on doing a joint MBA/JD in the future.
Do you have specific career plans?
Roughly, but what I know for sure is that I’m going to change the world.
Are you politically active?
Definitely — I protest, I resist, I hold officials accountable. I think at the very least, one should do their best to stay informed about what’s going on in the world, not just at home.
Are you religious?
Very Humanist (thank God).
Do you have pets?
His name is Wilfred. He’s beautiful.
What are you reading? Watching? Listening to?
I just finished Más allá del invierno by Isabel Allende, and I’m finishing up Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. I’ve also tried to take a more active role in choosing literature that is not typically considered “American” because I feel it’s important to look beyond the hegemonic structures in place. I’ve turned to incredibly influential Chicanx writers such as Gloria Anzaldúa and Cherríe Moraga, and Nuyorican poets like Piri Thomas.
I enjoy watching La Casa De Las Flores, Fringe, Jane the Virgin, Cable Girls, Sense 8, The Office, Queen, and The Shape of Water.
I listen to a variety of genres, but some of my favorite artists include Natalia Lafourcade, Monsieur Periné, Mitski, Bad Bunny, The Smiths, Queen, Billie Holiday, and really anything else that will get me dancing.
Dust first, then vacuum, or vice versa?
Dust first, then vacuum.
Which is worse: fast in the slow lane or slow in the fast lane?
Obnoxiously slow, and fast, drivers. Doesn’t matter the lane.
Do you have advice for high-school students who want to pursue the best education they can?
Don’t worry too much about the end goal. Find things that really interest and motivate you, take that motivation, and apply it to other aspects of your life (academics, family, etc.).
Do you have advice for high-school students specifically about the application process?
Don’t be discouraged by an institution’s grandeur — apply anyway! As for the application itself: if you’re alone in this process, I know it feels overwhelming, and I’m sorry you have to do it all by yourself, but know there are many resources available to you (counselors, teachers, advisors, online tutorials), especially at RMHS.
Do you have specific study techniques you’ve used?
Work where you feel comfortable, but not too comfortable. Freshman year, I made the mistake of studying in my room more often than not, meaning I was much too close to my bed. Also, find others in your classes that you can study with and that’ll challenge you to do better. This is by no means finding people who will give you all the answers, but rather people whom you can collaborate with and have lively debates about a given topic.
You were accepted at several of the top schools in the U.S. How did you make your choice?
I made my choice based on the following factors:
- Friendly/welcoming attitude (I received phone calls, letters, emails, and personal invitations from Harvard)
- Geographic location
- Diversity of student & faculty population
Academics (types of majors, undergrad/graduate programs, etc.) didn’t make it on this list because my interests are constantly changing and evolving, so I felt that if I couldn’t find an area of study that really interested me, I could find a way to make it happen.
Furthermore, I feel the above criteria showcases the school’s character — its values and priorities.
You maintained a high GPA throughout high school. How did you find the motivation?
I saw good grades as an avenue to a better life, something my mom was always striving to provide for her two children. My high GPA was my own tangible way of showing my mother that her back pains and headaches had not gone unnoticed.
How did you balance your many non-academic school activities with academics?
Rather poorly if I’m being completely honest. When I’m passionate about something, I give it my very best, sometimes at the expense of my academics. I think it was easier to do this in high school because the classes were not excruciatingly difficult for me. I didn’t have to dedicate as much time to studying the material as I do now.
Do you think public K-12 education is working, or is there something you would change?
Should I submit my dissertation? But basically: like climate change, not enough people care about/realize the long-term effects education has on both the individual and our society, and therefore, place less importance (less $$$) on improving/restructuring/researching our system.
How is college different from what you expected?
Cliques still exist, but they’re much easier to infiltrate than in high school.
What non-academic activities have you engaged in in college? How important is “college life”?
I’m in two different social entrepreneurship/innovation organizations; I’m working on an immersive technology that truly puts the user in “other people’s shoes,” using cutting-edge VR/AR techniques; and I’m spearheading a neuroprediction startup. I also try to stay involved in cultural organizations on campus.
Is “college life” important? Depends on how you define it. For me, this goes further than just my social circles and how involved I am in school-specific activities. “College life” is about self-discovery and exploration, learning new things about yourself that you wouldn’t have learned had you not been placed in this college environment. Yes, it’s important.
Are you a different person in college than you were in high school?
When your worldview is ever-expanding, you change in ways you didn’t know you could. Being at an institution and city with such diversity of thought has very positively impacted me.
Is there a skill you picked up in high school that turns out to be more important in college than you thought it would be? Is there a skill that you thought you would need that turns out to be less important than you predicted?
Learning how to effectively talk to your superiors and collaborators — teachers, administrators, and other professionals — is incredibly useful in college.
Is there something you did in high school that you might not choose to do if you could go back in time? Is there something you wish you had done?
I wish I had been more involved in clubs, which I think are great physical spaces to meet others.
Do you have advice for high-school teachers? Counselors? Administrators?
Inspire students to take on new initiatives, not just join existing ones. Don’t be the reason your students feel discouraged, or feel they should settle for less.
Do you have advice for parents of students?
Students need encouragement, and we need support during all those times of self-doubt. Treat us with respect, like you’d treat anyone else who’s not your child.
Do you have advice for students who are about to head off to college?
Proactively meet new people who come from different backgrounds.
Are you enjoying college?
Too much.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I guess it would be the kind of person I’ve become.
Rank in order of importance: money, fun, love, security.
- Love: humans are wired to connect
- Fun: I crave adventure in all forms
- Money: more transactional than transformative, but it definitely helps
- Security: I like to live spontaneously
