Essusman has been part of the Concept School's Family since 1st grade, that's 12 years of academic excellence.
How does it feel to get accepted into MIT?
"At first? Surreal, shocking, and surprising all at the same time. I couldn’t believe it. I checked my admission letter multiple times to see if it hadn’t grown legs and run off. It was a dream of mine but one I never expected to accomplish. Now? I feel both relaxed and excited. The grind is over. Instead of stressing out over college applications and test scores, I can relax. I can play games I never had the time to or see movies that couldn't fit my schedule. Not only that, but I can start turning my dreams into reality, something I’ve never really been able to do before."
What was it like being a part of CYSP?
"Eight years. I've been part of the Concept Young Scholars Program (CYSP) for eight years, and it's been glorious. I've grown in ways I can't describe and watched my peers grow alongside me. From going bowling to taking pictures at the Renaissance Festival, these people feel more like family with each passing day. I don't know what my academic career would have been without them."
What would you say if you could give studying advice to fellow students?
"Enjoy it. Learning anything from a class is impossible if you don’t enjoy it. I’m not saying you must enjoy all of it. But find something in that class that you like. Maybe you’re in biology and like how detailed the pictures and diagrams are. Perhaps you’re in English and like how you can express yourself through writing. Maybe you are in math and like how the numbers make sense to the world. Anything. Just that thing that you enjoy and learn. And don’t say, “I like nothing in that class.” You do. You’re just not letting yourself like it because you feel as if you’re too cool for school. Well, you’re not, nor are you supposed to be. Like it, enjoy it, and learn it. Because if education is the key to success, do you really want to keep yourself locked out?"
What are you hoping to study in college, and what will you do with that degree?
"At MIT, I would major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Course 6-2). I’d also get my MEng (Master of Engineering). I chose this major partly because I’ve been in love with computers since I could talk, but also because of the breadth it gives me. I won't have to limit myself to working in a single career field and can freely move around. I’ve also been thinking about minoring in astronomy. I’ve always found astrophysics and the work NASA does to be interesting. I want to work for them in the future, advancing humanity one discovery at a time."