Have you ever wondered what your life would have been like if you didn’t initially choose HSMSE? Or felt so overwhelmed by the competitive environment and workload that you wondered if you should have chosen another option? Last fall, HSMSE welcomed three new sophomores who transferred from other high schools. The Echo conducted interviews with these students to get their thoughts on transferring to HSMSE, how it differs from their previous schools, and how they feel here.

The following responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Which school did you previously attend?

• Claire Efran (’28): West End Secondary School
• Nathaniel Li (’28): New Utrecht Highschool
• Madison Borgueta (’28): Millenium Highschool

Do you miss your previous high school?

• CE: No—my old high school wasn’t academically challenging. Here, I feel like I’m growing, connecting with more people, [and] the campus is beautiful. It was definitely the right call, but I’m still handling the drawbacks and getting used to the workload.
• NL: In the beginning, [yes], but not anymore.
• MB: It’s a mix of both—I miss the people but transferring was a better decision for my education.

What are some major differences between the two schools (work load, activities, etc.)?

• CE: There’s a [much] heavier workload here and the people tend to care a lot more.
• NL: My old high school had 4,000 people. This school is smaller—you know everyone, and you can walk out the building [during lunch] every day.
• MB: I think there are way more clubs and activities here.

What made you decide to transfer here in the first place?

• CE: I [felt] like I wasn’t learning as much as I could and that I wasn’t working at a good pace.
• NL: In my class, most of the kids went to specialized high schools. My school wasn’t that good. I took the test and got in [and] was pressured to go because of my mom.
• MB: When I first failed the cutoff in eighth grade, my parents and I wanted to try again to get into a specialized high school because we thought I would have a better chance at getting into a good college.

What word would you use to describe your experience in HSMSE so far?

• CE: New—new friends, campus, workload, and commute.
• NL: Different.
• MB: Competitive—my old school had a strong community which lessened the pressure of competition between each other.

How has your schedule, or mental health changed? Has the competitive environment affected you in any way?

• CE: I’ve been really stressed and I’ve gotten less sleep. However, I think I’ve been able to make more friends here and I think it was the right call.
• NL: It’s harder—in my old school, a lot of people would skip and still have 90s. But in this school, it’s hard[er] to maintain a 90.
• MB: I’m getting home later and some of the classes are a bit stressful.

From listening to the stories of these students’ experiences, it’s clear that their experience is not just about changing schools, but also having courage and resilience throughout the process. We learn from their stories that every new start comes with challenges, but it also presents opportunities that are able to shape our future and identity. As HSMSE continues to welcome new faces within the school’s walls, we should always remember the importance of an open mind and make room for those starting anew.