As Grady alumni come home from college for the holidays, they aren’t forgetting the classmates they left behind.  To give back, grads spoke at the annual Cupcakes & College Talk at the College Career Center on Jan. 8, 2014.

Susan Muntzing, one of the founders of the CCC, said that the goal of the Cupcake & College Talk event, was to have college-bound juniors and seniors interact with different college students. She hopes that Grady students will be able to make decisions more easily about which colleges to attend and to prepare for their freshman year because of the program.

The Grady grads that came from Yale, Georgia Tech, Spelman, Agnes Scott and Brown to speak with the 55 juniors and seniors.

Yale University freshman and 2013 Grady valedictorian Isabelle Taft discussed the academic workload increases at college.

“Time management is key for any college student,” Taft said. “Different from high school, college professors don’t budget time into class for people who don’t do their work, and you don’t get bonus points because you did what the teacher asked.  You’re expected to do it.”

Natasha Wilson, a Spelman freshman, wants the next Grady college-bound students to have realistic goals.

“I thought I was going to do everything,” Wlison said.  “There were classes, studying, activities and what about a social life?  Utilizing time management made sure I had time for work and for myself.”

Thinking back to their college search the Grady alumni advised their successors to come up with a short list of qualities they want in a college and start visiting schools as soon as possible.

“Do what you can so you can see the process,” Taft said.  “See what you like or you don’t. “You might love a school on paper, but when you get there, the grass may be too well manicured or the teachers too old.”

The also alumni spoke of the freedom college can give but also spoke about the challenges that come with the new independence.

“Academics are very difficult and stressful, but there is a lot of help- clubs, study breaks-all you have to do is put yourself out there,” said Kate DeGive, a Georgia Tech freshman.

The suggestions came as sound advice to junior Tatyana Sampson who came to the CCC looking for insight on living away from home and not being overwhelmed with the harder classes.

“It was really nice hearing about the different experiences from people at different colleges,” Sampson said. “I’m pretty nervous about the transition from high school to college and hearing about it first-hand made me feel better about the process.”

Sampson believes Grady is very fortunate to have the College Career Center, along with programs like the Cupcakes and College Talk, so easily accessible.

“If it weren’t for the College Career Center I feel like I would be a lot more stressed,” Sampson said “I wouldn’t know where to start and definitely wouldn’t be where I am right now in my college search process.”