St. John’s School is proud to be the home of ambitious, dedicated, understanding, determined and caring students who thrive in the classroom and move on to bright, successful futures. Andrew Mathews has received a full merit scholarship where room, board, research and study stipends, and full tuition for 4 years are provided. Hear what he has to say about his St. John’s experiences and the experiences and opportunities that await him in college and beyond.
Andrew Martin Sulla Mathews
Class of 2015
What colleges were you accepted into?
University of Houston and University of Portland
Which college will you choose and why?
I chose the University of Houston because it has a good reputation as a leading research school for the sciences, and also for the variety of activities available. I am familiar with the city of Houston, as my family travels there often, so it will not be a totally foreign experience. Also, I’m not very far from my family, making it easy to visit them. In addition, Houston has provided me with a full merit scholarship in their Honors College, so I feel fortunate to have this opportunity.
What is your planned college major and minor?
Major in Physics and Mathematics, Minor in Education
Why do you wish to pursue this major or career? How does this match with what you would like to achieve in your life after college?
I want to pursue both physics and math because I enjoy both subjects and I hope to branch out to particle physics or astrophysics, because I really enjoy asking questions and exploring the mysteries of life and the universe. I also plan to pursue at least a minor in education because if there’s one thing I like more than learning, it’s teaching. To me, teaching is sharing what you know, and I’ve always enjoyed seeing people learn new things.
What about college are you most excited for?
The food and the exciting new opportunities & experience
What advice would you give to a high school student starting college applications?
Start early. Research schools first based on what you are looking for, but try not to get too specific. It’s better to have too many colleges on your list rather than too few. Also, keep your options open; don’t focus on just one school – sometimes a school you might not have considered may be your best fit. And above all, DON’T PROCRASTINATE!
How well has St. John’s prepared you for a successful college future?
Extremely. The applications process was helped by my college counselor, and the workload is similar to that of college.
What will your lasting memories of St. John’s be?
It was all fun, but there’s a time for work and a time for play.
Over 1.4 million juniors in some 22,000 high schools entered the 2015 National Merit Scholarship competition when they took the 2013 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Last fall, approximately 16,000 Semifinalists were named. Semifinalists were the highest-scoring program entrants in each state and represented less than one percent of the nation’s seniors. 12 students from Guam were identified as semi-finalists; 7 of those students were from St. John’s School
To compete for Merit Scholarship awards, Semifinalists had to advance to the Finalist level of the competition by fulfilling additional requirements, which included a detailed scholarship application with an essay about extracurricular activities, awards, and leadership positions. Semifinalists also had to have an outstanding academic record, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, and earn SAT scores that confirm the qualifying test performance. From the Semifinalist group, some 15,000 met requirements for Finalist standing and 6 were identified as Merit Finalists from St. John’s School.
Robin Hood Drama Production, 2015
Glee Club Performance, 2015
Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalists
St. John's School, Guam 