In this article, you will be reading about two of Central Regional’s Alumni, Jack Santora and Scott Truhan.  Both Jack and Scott are juniors in college, Jack attending Rutgers University and Scott attending Stockton University.  In this interview we focused on questions which could possibly help out students and answer any questions or concerns they may have about college.

What are you majoring in and why did you choose this major?

Jack Santora: I have been majoring in business and finance.  Ever since I was around the age of 16, I have always found the stock market to be very interesting and realized that it was something I would want to make a living from.  I also have realized as I’m going through college that I want to have a career in investment banking as well.

Scott Truhan: I am majoring in physical therapy to become a physical therapist.  I have always been intrigued by physical therapy because of the medicine and my love for sports.  My dream would be to help athletes recover from injuries so they could continue playing as they would before their injury.

Why did you choose your school?

Jack:  Something that really pushed and urged me to choose Rutgers was that it has a very prestigious business program which is what I wanted to pursue.  Some other things that drew me towards my decision was that it was a Big 10 sports school, had a very large campus, a large social scene, and that it was very close to home incase of emergencies.

Scott: My choosing of Stockton was mainly because it is a school nationally recognized for their in doctorate physical therapy program.  Some other advantages that came along with this is that it is close to home, close to the beach, and has small classes with around 20-30 students.

Describe how different high school is from college academically and socially. 

Jack: Unlike high school, in college, there is a lot of free time and time spent with yourself and friends.  A downside to college is that a lot of things learned are self taught since you are all on your own.  Also, the fact that college is way harder than high school was.

Scott: There are many realizations that came to me once I went to college which was that it is way more difficult than high school.  These difficulties consist of having to develop an understanding of materials in lecture classes, having exams that could make or break my grade, and having to learn how to manage my time correctly

How long did it take for you to adjust to this new lifestyle of independence?

Jack: It did not take very long for me to adjust to the social aspect of my new lifestyle.  On the other hand, it took me a long time to adjust to the school work and I realized that college would not be a breeze

Scott: My first night of moving in I seemed to adjust well since I made a bunch of friends and felt that I found a community where I fit in.  But the school aspect of it took me about a month to get it all figured out.

Do you feel that your school is adequately preparing you for your career and why?

Jack: Most definitely, most of my professors formerly worked in the corporate world and they share their useful insights and past experiences with us.

Scott: Absolutely, my professors are constantly asking me how to relate the topic we are covering back to my major, physical therapy.

Are you interested in or currently in an internship? Describe what you are or would be doing.

Jack: Yes, I am currently applying for finance internships in New York and North Jersey.  My goal is to really learn from these internships and gain more information about corporate finance.

Scott: Yes, I am currently employed at a physical therapy internship in Galloway.  I am hoping to keep my job as an aid and hopefully use this as an internship.

What are some ups and downs to the major that you chose?

Jack: Some advantages to my business major is that I’m learning how to manage my money well and business can lead to very successful job opportunities.  Some disadvantages is that business is a very competitive field to work in because it is a very popular major that students take on.

Scott: A positive advantage to my major is that physical therapists are at very high demand nationwide due to the increase of people taking physical therapy.  Some negatives to my major is that it is a total of seven years of schooling which means that I will be paying a lot of student loans.  At Stockton, only 32 people are accepted into their doctorate program which is also a disadvantage due to the chance of me not being able to get in.

In what way did Central Regional guide you towards the choosing of your college?

Jack: Honestly, Central Regional did not affect my decision to my choosing of Rutgers, just the fact that it fit for my major and that it was a Big 10 school is what really gravitated me towards my decision.

Scott: My decision for choosing Stockton was influenced by my guidance counselor as they sent me to Stocktons Decision Day after helping me develop my resume and submit my SAT scores.  While I attended decision day I received a scholarship which eventually led me to the decision of choosing Stockton.

In what ways should students prepare from making the transition from high school into the real world?

Jack: A piece of advice that I have for students making the transition would be to always stay organized and stay on top of what needs to be done.  Having lists to plan or how to achieve your goals is always something that helps me.

Scott: Something I would like to share with students transitioning is that you need to learn to become independent since you don’t have many people to rely on and you hold a weight of responsibility.  Be responsible for your tasks and what needs to be done so that you don’t fall behind on anything.

What advice do you have for students as they look for future careers or programs to apply to?

Jack: When you make the decision to choose your major, choose something that really sparks your interest and something that you will be happy pursuing 15 years from now.

Scott: Pick a major that you will enjoy learning about in depth throughout college and something that you find very interesting and exciting.  Pick something that you will be happy doing for the rest of your life.