Why Ivy League

One of the bigger misconceptions about the college process at Devon Prep is the thought that if no students are going to an Ivy League college that something must be wrong. But the school’s philosophy isn’t about forcing a “name” college on a student to make everyone look good - it’s about making sure a college is the right fit, to set that student up for success. Of course, if Harvard is the right fit, great, but there’s so much more that goes into the decision.

“If a student is able to gain admittance to an Ivy League (or other Tier One) institution, it certainly is a great honor and a time for celebration. These schools tend to have single digit or admit rates under 15%. These students not only exemplify outstanding scholarship but also have found a way to differenti-

ate themselves among the tens of thousands of applicants from across the globe,” says Eshleman.

And it’s not just about whether or not a student is qualified to gain admission to an Ivy League school. Crucially, finances are a major determining factor - Harvard’s Cost of Attendance for the 2020-21 school year is $72,357. “I have had a

student in the past be admitted to an Ivy but turn it down due its cost. He decided to attend the Honors Program at Northeastern University’s College of Engineering with a $27,000 scholarship (which, at the time, was more than a 50% tuition scholarship.) His family did not qualify for any need-based

financial aid and the additional cost for the Ivy League school was not worth the extra $100K.” Eshleman recalled.

“I had another student decide to attend Villanova Honors Program with a full tuition scholarship over the University of Pennsylvania. I had another student get admitted to Tier One institutions (Georgia Tech, University of Notre Dame to name two) and turn them down. He opted to attend Schreyer Hon-

ors College at Penn State University instead and graduate with little to no debt.” Considering the ever-increasing cost to attend, it’s not surprising a student would make the decision to minimize debt, especially if the quality of education received is still excellent.

“College is an investment and it is expensive,” concludes Eshleman. “More and more students and families are not willing to take on that kind of debt.” Sometimes the smart move is to plan long-term and allocate resources towards a masters or other advanced degree. “If students are considering an advanced degree, money

saved with merit scholarship can be used towards the advanced degree instead.”

Alumni College Process

Alex Pachella ‘11

Alumni College

1. What college did you attend? What major did you study?

I attended Hamilton College in upstate NY, where I majored in Public Policy

2. What led you to that school? What were you looking for in your college search?

During my college search, I was looking for a small school where I could get a great education while also being able to play collegiate baseball.

3. What other schools were you seriously considering?

Other schools on my radar were mainly smaller, high academic schools such as Haverford College, Ursinus College, Lafayette College, and Lehigh University

4. Reflecting back on your college years, what were some major likes and dislikes about the school?

Major Likes: Social Life- It was a very small school and a very tight knit community. Everybody seemed to know everybody. I met some truly amazing individuals at Hamilton who have remained my best friends to this day. Student Teacher Ratio: The small class sizes allowed more individualized attention in which the professors were able to get to know their students on a personal level and help teach the material based on each student's individual learning styles and capabilities. Career Center- Helped me understand what I wanted to do with my life following college and the advisors at the career center gave me the tools on how to achieve my career goals. Major Dislikes: Weather: In upstate NY, some years it snowed until May. I absolutely loved the campus but the non-stop snow was the one thing I could have done without!

5. Do you feel that school was the best choice for you?

Hamilton was absolutely the best choice for me. It was a school that allowed me to mature, learn about myself, and meet some amazing people along the way.

Eric DiPietro ‘15

1. What college did you attend? What major did you study?

Drew University in Madison, NJ - I graduated with honors in business studies with a minor in Sociology

2. What led you to that school? What were you looking for in your college search?

I was looking for a similar experience to the one I had at Devon Prep. I wanted to be able to do whatever I wanted to do and make a name for myself other than the baseball player- which I also did. Being in a nice area, small student/faculty ratio, opportunity to join clubs and run events.

3. What other schools were you seriously considering?

Juniata College (Huntingdon, PA) , Washington College (Chesterfield, MD) , Dickinson College (PA)

4. Reflecting back on your college years, what were some major likes and dislikes about the school?

Likes - opportunity to do what I wanted to do. Small group so I got to know some really good people. I was a name not a number walking through campus. Constant interaction with faculty/ older people which sharpened my skills and made me more professional. Dislikes - North Jersey attitude, other around me not having as much of an open mind about trying new things/being friends with certain people, It may have been a little small (maybe not freshman year but I began to outgrow) , not being able to have a car until Junior year, 98% of students lived on campus all 4 years, it was pricey but since the tuition has dropped 20% 5. Do you feel that school was the best choice for you? How can you know? I am a big believer in you get what you put into the situation. I do not know what my experience would have been like at any other school. I do know my experience would not have been as amazing as it was if I sat back and was just another student going through the ebbs and flows of the college experience. The balance of friend, having fun, working hard, getting good grades and putting yourself in a position to be prepared for your life is all on you. Do not doubt your decision if you hate your school, just go to another! It is all about who you are surrounded by and the opportunities you get yourself into. I think I would have enjoyed the college experience anywhere I went because I would have surrounded myself with like people and lived the experience I wanted to. Noone will ever know what the best choice was or is or will be. It is all about what you put into it. Alumni College 18

Alumni College Dave Randall ‘15 1) What college did you attend? What major did you study? I attended Cornell University and majored in Industrial and Labor Relations with minors in business and inequality studies.

2) What led you to that school? What were you looking for in your college search?

My college search was primarily driven by a desire to attend a school that maintained a balance of academic rigor and an exciting social element. I also wanted a program with enough flexibility in the coursework that would allow me to pursue a career in either finance or law. xq

3) What other schools were you seriously considering?

UCLA, UC Berkeley, Michigan

4) Reflecting back on your college years, what were some major likes and dislikes about the school?

Pros of Cornell: interesting coursework with professors that genuinely care about the successes of their students, stunning campus with a traditional college atmosphere, vibrant social scene, fantastic hockey team, unbelievable alumni network - Cons of Cornell: it gets REALLY cold

5) Do you feel that school was the best choice for you?

There is no doubt in my mind that Cornell was the best choice for me - the well-rounded education I gained has helped launch my finance career on a strong path and the amazing and diverse group of friends I made on campus have helped shape me into a better person. Cornell afforded me countless opportunities for personal and professional growth, I'm enormously grateful for my peers and teachers at Devon that helped me take that step.

Patrick Mannion ‘09

1) What college did you attend? What major did you study?

I attended Harvard College, and studied Economics.

2) What led you to that school? What were you looking for in your college search?

I chose Harvard because of the opportunity it provided to pursue my interest in studying government. My interest in this area was piqued in Mike Collins' AP U.S. Government class, which I took in a year that overlapped the 2008 presidential election. At the same time, I was serving as the President of Devon's Student Council and enjoyed the challenge of building consensus while working with my team to get things done. Despite thinking that I wanted to pursue government rather than business, I made the switch to Economics after just one semester, and have worked in business since graduating from college.

I was also looking for a semi-urban campus and a school where I could walk on to the swim team, both of which criteria were met by Harvard.

3) What other schools were you seriously considering?

I was seriously considering the Huntsman Program in International Studies & Business at Penn, which would have allowed me to study international business with a focus on deepening my expertise in the German language and culture. My interest in German was cultivated by four years of language classes at Devon and a summer exchange the school organized with families in Berlin and Stuttgart, Germany.

4) Reflecting back on your college years, what were some major likes and dislikes about the school?

I enjoyed the intellectual community at Harvard and the inspiration that came from meeting people with vastly different backgrounds, passions, and fields of study. The liberal arts core curriculum in particular helped expose me to this broad group of people. At the same time, academic flexibility to try classes in computer science, engineering, visual and environmental studies, and languages taught me new ways of thinking. As far as dislikes go, I would have preferred a shorter winter than the Boston October-to-April variety, particularly when crossing over the Charles River at 6am on the walk to swim practice.

5) Do you feel that school was the best choice for you?

I've always thought of that as a hard thing to judge, given that most people only attend one school and the window provided by visiting other schools or hearing from other students is a limited one. Who knows what path I or anyone would have followed at a different school? That said, I do feel that attending Harvard was the best choice for me - I was incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to study at one of the most highly regarded academic institutions in the world, and to meet fantastic people who helped me challenge myself during college and still offer support and friendship in the working world.

Alumni College Process 19

John Clementi ‘14

1) What college did you attend? What major did you study?

I attended Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, from 2014 to 2018. While at Marist, I studied Environmental Science and Computer Science.

2) What led you to that school? What were you looking for in your college search?

I was drawn to Marist for a few reasons. The first was that the Environmental Science department was relatively small, which gave me a chance to really connect with my professors and classmates. Additionally, there are a few notable environmental research organizations in close proximity, namely The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, where I eventually did an internship and NSF funded research project. Finally, if you have ever been up to the Hudson River Valley, it is such a beautiful place. Marist’s campus and the surrounding area are quite picturesque. There is a reason there is an entire group of artists belonging to the Hudson River School of art. I will say that the landscape was the cherry on top - it wasn’t a major factor when I was identifying schools to look at, but once I visited, I fell in love with the campus.

3) What other schools were you seriously considering?

Marist was definitely my #1 choice, but I was also considering SUNY-ESF, Ithaca College, and George Mason.

4) Reflecting back on your college years, what were some major likes and dislikes about the school?

Firstly, I really enjoyed my studies once I got past the introductory courses. I was surrounded by students and professors that were passionate about the subject matter and fostering a community of learning. I also really appreciated all of the extracurricular opportunities that the college had to offer. One thing I wish I could change about my experience is that I wish we had a larger impact on the sustainability of the college as a whole. Over my four years there, a number of my professors and classmates lobbied the administration for changes such as greenhouse emissions audits leading to emissions reductions.

5) Do you feel that school was the best choice for you?

Absolutely. During my time at Marist, I found a home and branched out into theatre, computer science, and residential life while continuing down the path of studying environmental science. I think college atmosphere provides a great petri dish to grow and develop your interests and for me, Marist was the petri dish I needed. I found life-long friendships and interests in activities and areas that I never would have explored. For that I am extremely grateful.

Patrick Rohr ‘15

1) What college did you attend? What major did you study?

I attended the University of Scranton and double majored in Accounting & Finance with a minor in Operations Management.

2) What led you to that school? What were you looking for in your college search?

When I was searching for colleges, I was looking for a college that felt like home, had a good business program, and an opportunity to play baseball. What led me most to Scranton was the sense of community I felt when I stayed overnight on campus in my senior year of high school. I could see that everyone got along very well and overall, the students and faculty were very welcoming and friendly. Additionally, the members of the baseball team treated me like I was a part of the team for my day on campus. That was the feeling of community that I was looking for in a college. The second thing I was looking for was a college with a good business program with a strong and involved alumni network. Scranton offered many opportunities throughout the year to network and meet alumni, as well as offer programs to strengthen my interview skills and resume. The final thing I was looking for was an opportunity to play baseball. Although this was not my main focus of finding a college, I saw it as an “added bonus” to be able to play baseball at the collegiate level, and Scranton offered me this opportunity.

3) What other schools were you seriously considering?

I was between two schools when I made my decision: DeSales University and University of Scranton. Both schools offered me a great sense of community, a strong business program and an opportunity to play baseball at the collegiate level.

4) Reflecting back on your college years, what were some major likes and dislikes about the school?

Looking back at my college years, I really only have positives and I don’t have many negatives about Scranton. I found that Scranton is a great size school with approximately 4000 undergrad students. This size really drove the sense of community feel on campus because I was always in a class with people I knew, and even walking around campus, I would see my friends and be able to say hello. At Scranton, I wasn’t a number. To go along with the size of Scranton, another positive was that I could walk to every single class. I did not have to worry about taking a bus or driving my car as everything was within a short walking distance. Another positive was the on-campus dining options which were actually really good. From Chick-Fil-A to Starbucks, the food options were amazing. I really don’t have many negative things to say about Scranton but one negative I found at Scranton was that if I needed to go shopping at Target/ Walmart and other stores like that, I would have to drive about 10-15 minutes. For me, this wasn’t a big deal, but it would have been nice to have stores a bit closer to campus.

5) Do you feel that school was the best choice for you?

Absolutely. Looking back now, I am grateful that I chose to attend Scranton. It was my second home and I loved being there. I was able to secure a job before I graduated which is a testament to Scranton’s well-known business program and their ability to prepare their students for their career. I made life-long friends and memories which are attributed to Scranton’s sense of family and community on campus, and I had the opportunity to play baseball at the collegiate level for four years. Today, if I had the choice to go to any college in the world or go back to Scranton, I would choose Scranton.

Jacob Andrien Temple University

Niral Bangha University of Pittsburgh (BS/MS/MBA and Honors)

Berenger R. Bauers Randolph Macon College

Ryan J. Bill Temple University

Matthew Bradley Penn State University

Vaughn J. Brogan College of Charleston

Nadir J. Bryant Stevenson University

Aidan Cosgrove Haverford College

Noah M. Curry Drexel University

Patrick E. Dean University of Alabama (Honors)

Anthony J. Deoria University of Tampa

Harsha Dheekollu Princeton University

Keegan M. Dunfee Villanova University

Mattew L. Egan Fordham University

Jack W. Eshleman Hamilton College

Zachary T. Fedyk University of Pittsburgh (BA/JD)(Honors)

Michael Ferry Villanova University

Ryan T. Foran Penn State University John C. George Temple University

Griffin C. Gillece Gettysburg College

Paul J. Grycewicz Wake Forest University

Jack H. Hermes West Chester University

Stefan A. Jonsson University of Utah

Robert E. Joy Clemson University

Jackson W. Kelly Drexel University

Nathaniel Kelly University of Pittsburgh

Nicholas Kelly Loyola Marymount University

Ian B. Kennedy Drexel University

Thomas Kent High Point University

Joseph Koroly Immaculata University

Ignacio Llorente Fernandez St. Joseph’s University (Honors)

Jake Lorenz University of Pittsburgh (Honors and BS/MPA)

Daniel J. Manders Drexel University

Ryan J. McCabe University of South Carolina

Colin McCusker St. Joseph’s University

Ian M. McKnight Haverford College Coleman R. Miller Villanova University

Christopher Patton King’s College

Michael S. Romano DeSales University

Andrew M. Sack Penn State University

Noah A. Salewski Gettysburg College

Joseph Savit St. Joseph’s University

Joseph A. Scavitto Cornell University

John P. Schuller DePauw University

Ethan Skorup University of Tennessee

William Stanley Drexel University (Honors & STAR Scholar)

Christopher D. Supplee Fordham University

Ryan P. Thiele Penn State University

Brendan J. Thompson Duquesne University

Benedict F. van Schaijik University of Dallas

Eamonn Walsh King’s College

Ryan Welsh Penn State University

William Welsh Penn State University

Michael Woodburn Drexel University (Honors & BS/MS)

College Acceptances and Scholarships Class of 2021

As of 5/24/2021, the 54 members of the class of 2021 have been offered over $13,000,000 in merit scholarships