Ian M. '14, Harvard '18

As a BC “lifer,” I started Berkeley Carroll when I was three and now I've just finished my first year at Harvard College. My time at BC prepared me for college life, academically and beyond. I feel that Berkeley Carroll really set me up well to write in a really strong environment. One of the best lessons I received from the school was the ability to write coherently and put together strong essays.

Historically Berkeley Carroll has always had a strong baseball team and ever since I was 8 or 9, I had a dream and goal of playing on it. I had so many great experiences on the varsity team playing against good competition and working very hard with my friends, teammates and coaches. It led me to an Ivy League program where I'm playing Division I baseball and getting a great education -- just that opportunity has been fantastic for me.

The small size of Berkeley Carroll’s classes allows you to get to know people on a deeper level. I think that getting to know my teachers here and learning to be comfortable talking to them and asking questions gave me the confidence to do the same with my professors at Harvard, simply by approaching them, even in classes with as many as 200 students.

Berkeley Carroll gave me a strong foundation that allows me to understand how to manage what I love to do, and also find time to try new things. This grasp on my independence has helped me balance my time in college between sports, academics and friends — a skill which will serve me well throughout my time in college and after I graduate.