Would you mind telling me your name, what school you go to, and your favorite subject?
My name is Mariah Randriambololona. I go to Woodrow Wilson senior high school, and my favorite subject is psychology.

Outside of school do you have any hobbies or extracurriculars that you’re involved in?
I’m really involved in community service around my old elementary school. I work at a recreation center there and I help tutor students. I’ve also been working part-time at this little boutique at Friendship. I also enjoy running and volleyball.

How has being in Minds Matter affected or impacted your future goals?
It has taught me to be more confident in myself and learn to reach out to other people. I think it’s really important to have a support network around you. I never had this support network before Minds Matter, and it’s taught me to step out of my comfort zone and be more comfortable. I think that’s something that has really impacted me.

What are some of the biggest things you’ve learned from Quinnie and Alex?
I think one of the big things that they taught me is to step out of my comfort zone. I never thought I’d be able to get into schools like Brown for the pre-college program. I didn’t even think I’d get into the Hurley program that I was in last year. It’s just amazing to me that they’ve taught me to push beyond my own boundaries and limits. They’ve also taught me to be more confident with myself.

Do you have a favorite memory of Minds Matter?
My favorite memory is probably the end of the year party. We play charades and have a fun time, but at the same time it’s kind of sad because it’s the end and eventually you have to graduate and go.

Can you talk about which schools you’ve applied to?
I’ve applied to Brown University, Oberlin, Franklin & Marshall, and Lafayette among others. In total, I’ve applied to 13 colleges. They’re all private liberal arts, and I really want to go to Brown. I went there this summer for the pre-college program, and I loved it.

Would you recommend Minds Matter to others and, if so, why would you recommend it?
I’d definitely recommend it. The support network is really important. Without the support network, I would have never known that I could do certain things, such as apply to pre-college programs. I think it taught me to be a more confident person. It also gives SAT and college prep, which is really helpful. They helped boost my SAT scores a lot. I think this is a really great community to be a part of, so I’d definitely recommend it.