As students begin their college admissions process, many are filled with stress, anxiety, and questions about essays, applications and deadlines.
However, senior Paris Fietsam has had this stress lifted from her shoulders by being one of two people admitted early to the University of Iowa starting next fall. “The head of admissions called me and told me he wanted to personally tell me that every year they pick one student in-state and one student out-of-state to be accepted out of all 30,000 plus applicants,” Fietsam shared.
Before applying, Fietsam had a Zoom call with admissions counselors to see if University of Iowa was her best fit. She asked questions about the school and its programs and got to understand more about the university while expressing her interest in the school. After applications opened in May 2020, she applied to the University of Iowa within the first month for the Fall 2021 semester.
Once she is at Iowa, Fietsam plans to double major in English and High School Education. After graduation, she hopes to become a sophomore English teacher and return to PV to teach. She credited much of her passion to become a teacher to English teachers Don Fry and Julie Small and History teacher Jeff Meyers.
While the application process can usually cause significant stress for most students, for Fietsam, the process was much smoother. “I had to provide my GPA, ACT score, classes and credits that I had taken; it was super simple and short.” Fietsam emphasized how much stress was taken off her shoulders by simplifying the application process.
Upon hearing the news of Fietsam’s early acceptance, her mother, Jill Petersen, was ecstatic. “I’m so proud of you! You are driven, and a leader,” she wrote on Facebook.
Alongside her early acceptance, Fietsam is anticipating tuition scholarships as well. Additionally, she has also received merchandise from the university and is planning to post pictures promoting the university to her social media.
With University of Iowa having an enrollment of roughly 32,000 students, having a Pleasant Valley student accepted early to enroll is a big achievement for not only Fietsam, but the district as well – it is a testament to the excellence that the district cultivates in students.
