Alyson Lo is a senior at Arrowhead who’s going to be off to college next fall. She will be attending UW-Milwaukee for Nursing. Lo had applied to UW-Green Bay, and other schools before choosing to attend Milwaukee. 

Lo says she is excited for graduation and being able to finally “escape” her high school years. 

Lo says, “A few reasons I’m excited to graduate and enter into my college years are being able to have more freedom, and being able to meet a more diverse group of people. Also gaining more independence is something I’m looking forward to.”

As much as Lo is excited to go to college, she says the process to get there was daunting. 

Lo says, “It was very scary applying to college, and you have dream colleges and you’re scared of getting rejected and talking to parents about it is very scary. I feel like they have high expectations but once I got in I felt a lot more confident and relieved.”

Lo is not participating in the usual freshman experience of having a dorm. Instead she’s planning to commute to school.

“My sister and I are planning on getting an apartment this summer near campus. I’m sad I’m not going to be in a dorm, but I feel like it’s better since I’ll be able to gain more independence,” she says.

Many people have reasons for choosing their major and Lo has hers. 

Lo said, “My mom’s a nurse so I think it’s a secret genetic predisposition we have in our blood to become nurses. Another reason is I simply love helping people, I’ve always had an empathetic heart and want the best for people. On the other hand, the pay’s good as well.”

There’s many types of nurses like RN (Registered Nurses), LPN (Licensed Practitioner Nurse), or CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants) that you have the ability to become.

Lo says, “I want to be a travel nurse, I just want to see the world and meet different types of people.”

To become a travel nurse a person generally must have a degree in nursing, and some may require Registered Nurses, according to Colorado Technical University.

There were a few Arrowhead classes that Lo feels will help her for her nursing degree. 

Lo says, “Med Terms, Health Occupations, Personal Law I feel have helped me prepare the most for my life out of high school.”

As Nursing is a Bachelor of Science it requires STEM classes. 

Lo says, “I enjoy Science however, Math is not my strong suit but if I preserve and get the help I need I’ll be able to get through.”

Lo is currently looking for scholarships related to her major and ones that are exclusive to Wisconsin residents and students who are going to Wisconsin colleges. 

Lo gave a piece of advice for any students who will be applying for college next year. Lo says, “Definitely start creating your lists now. The earlier you have your college list created the easier it is to narrow down where you want to go!”