Name: Michael Tan

Graduation Year: 2023

Middle School: Redwood Day

Hometown: Berkeley

 

Why did you choose College Prep? I chose College Prep for its rigorous academics and the tight-knit community. Strong bonds are created between grades, even between upperclassmen and underclassmen. I could see that clearly when I shadowed.

 

What's the biggest difference between middle school and high school? Everything from the homework load to the amount of tests increased from middle school to high school, and it was pretty tricky to get the hang of. Eventually, I figured it out and now I'm able to finish my work much quicker and subsequently I'm able to go to sleep earlier.

 

What advice do you have for 8th graders applying to high school? Just be yourself. I remember being incredibly nervous about the entire high school process. But the thing I was most afraid of was the interview. I had never done an interview before, so I asked my father for advice, and all he said was, “Just be yourself.” Showing your true colors is much better than trying to be someone you aren't.

 

What is your favorite place on campus? I like ping pong, so the ping pong table is my favorite place on campus. So if you are looking for me, that's most likely where I am :)

 

What are you involved in on Campus? I was on the CPS soccer team freshman year, and now I play on the CPS JV basketball team. I am also in many clubs, such as the Survivor Club, Korean Club, and the Football Club. During my freshman year, I took Beginning Photography, and in my sophomore year, I continued my passion for photography by taking Intermediate Photography. 

 

What has been your favorite class? English, because the class is super interactive which fits my learning style. My freshman teacher, Julie Anderson, is truly one of a kind. She found a way to make a class which I previously thought was boring, into one that was so exciting that I looked forward to each class. Also my classmates were especially talkative, which led to many deep and insightful conversations.

 

What has been the best thing about College Prep? The community at CPS is so connected, and as I said before, I was able to get a glimpse of it during my shadow visit. Now that I have been able to experience it first hand, it is so easy to make friends from other grades because everyone is super friendly and always willing to talk.

 

What is your favorite College Prep memory? During the Leisure Sports Intraterm, we were playing dodgeball. I was the last person on my team, and there is a rule where if you catch the ball as the last person, your entire team gets to come back on. Someone threw a ball at me and somehow, the ball got stuck between my arm and my body. I didn't even try to catch it, it just kind of landed there. But because of that, my entire team got to get back on, and we ended up winning that round.

 

Who is your favorite character from a movie/book/television series? I really like Cobb from Inception, and how he has to fight his internal struggle with himself, and how the plot of dreams connects with that.

1. I wear night time contact lenses, and for the longest time my left eye was much more nearsighted than my right.

2. My favorite bird is the toucan.

3. I wear hats almost too much (mainly to cover up my messy hair).