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Phil Barker is a recent graduate of North Shore Senior High School who is currently attending Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and is majoring in Anthropological Sciences. Just over 1,100 miles away from Houston, Texas, OSU boasts a student population of roughly 60,000, with an alumni base of over 500,000. The numbers are impressive in their own right, but even more impressive is how well our former Mustang is adjusting to his new environment.

Although transitioning from home to an out-of-state college is never easy, Phil has been too busy to get homesick. While his first year has been hectic, he was able to get a head start on his college career by taking AP classes and transferred 31 hours of Advanced Placement and dual credit, which not only saved him time and money, but also saved him from overloading on his first year. Even though the coursework and time management have been challenging, he is getting used to dividing his time and keeping a healthy perspective and routine.
While going to an out-of-state school can be expensive, OSU was actually cheaper to attend than some other Texas universities. To further assist with costs, he applied for local scholarships, which helped lower his overall tuition tremendously.

Phil is glad he neither limited his options of schools nor let the distance limit him from his family. This experience has helped to broaden his horizons and enrich his life with different cultures, giving him new perspectives on the world.

Phil’s advice to those who are still in high school and in the process of searching for the right college is to read carefully the recruitment pamphlets from each university. These brochures can provide an outstanding overview of what they have to offer new students and if that particular school is the best fit for a student’s goals.

Phil also encourages seniors to take their last year in high school seriously.  He suggests the same work ethic you display in high school, especially the last year, is what one takes to their freshman year in college.  Additionally, he added, organization is the key to success since there are no reminders in college.

Phil stated, “Have fun if you have time, but most importantly don’t sell yourself short, work hard to set yourself apart, and be responsible.”

We are very proud of Phil! We wish him the best of luck and look forward to hearing all about the amazing things he will do after graduation.