Off to UCLA he goes! With a grade-point average of 4.6, Tobin Anders officially earned the title of Claremont High School’s salutatorian on May 23 at the Renaissance Rally. Anders had been on the academic grind for years, his efforts paying off.
”I’m the Vice President of the Science National Honor Society,” Anders said. “I also tutor people in the library for German, Physics, and Math.”
Anders has taken multiple high-level courses, including Physics, IB History of the Americas, and IB Math AA. He is a full IB Diploma candidate and has also taken multiple AP and dual-enrollment classes. However, despite the title and GPA, not all of his courses have been strictly academic. Anders elaborates on how classes like Film Study and Art History have defined his experience as a student.
”Over the summer, I did a lot of dual-enrollment classes such as film history, which I thought was really interesting,” Anders said. “So when I travelled in Europe, I was able to take the class while visiting Amsterdam.”
Outside of academics, Anders has maintained a balanced lifestyle, from rock climbing three times a week as a hobby, teaching kids German through SPARK, to interning at a computer hardware company to assist with their Amazon marketplace. His professional experience, combined with Anders’ skill and interest in mathematics, made him aspire towards a major and career in electrical engineering.
”I really enjoy math, and being able to apply it to real scenarios,” Anders said. “I already took an engineering course at Mt. SAC over the summer, and electrical engineering sounds cool, and aligns with my interests.”
This is a path that he also seems keen on following at UCLA, where there is a strong department for all types of STEM interests. Anders also pointed out the variety in UCLA’s campus life, which offers both opportunities and activities to match his hobbies.
”UCLA has a racing team, where you can work on the electrical systems for the cars,” Anders said. “[UCLA] probably also has a rock climbing club or team I can join.”
Anders also pointed out what he believed helped get him into the notoriously exclusive public school, with an acceptance rate of only nine percent.
”I’m really happy because UCLA was definitely one of my top choices,” Anders said. “And I’m glad that I have worked hard, otherwise I may not have gotten in.”
In the end, despite leading a very academic career at CHS, grades were far from the sole factor for Anders’ acceptance. Between heaps of extracurriculars, leadership experience, academics, and an overall impressive application, Anders now has the opportunity to fulfill his dreams and create change in the world while helping others do the same.
“I think it’s important to be educated and learn about a variety of topics so you can decide what you want to do in the future,” Anders said. “So thank you to my parents for supporting me, for working really hard, to make sure that I can live in a nice city like Claremont. I really appreciate you.”
