Fernanda Salazar started at Preuss in August of 2017 and continued her journey from there. Fernanda is one of 2024’s successful graduates. She serves as a design editor for The Preuss Insider, is an officer for both finance club and Tri-M Music honors society, has served ten years as a pianist, and is an assistant at her local church’s youth group.  In the fall, Fernanda will be attending UC Davis. 

Q: What is your favorite Preuss memory?

A: “Air Band was one of my favorite memories here at Preuss because it’s where all Preuss high school students got together in their advisory classes and we all got to dance and had enjoyed our time together.” 

Q: What surprised you the most about Preuss or senior year?

A: “Before Senior year I wasn’t expecting so much stress from college application season, and during that time I found that I didn’t have a lot of time for myself and doing self care because I wasn’t prepared for college applications. I didn’t have a list of the colleges I wanted to apply to, I didn’t have any of my essays done, and I found myself rushing a lot of my essays and my extracurricular descriptions, but Preuss gave me a lot of resources, and my advisory teacher, Dr. Weber was there to help revise my essays.” 

Q: What advice would you give to incoming seniors? 

A:  “I would advise incoming seniors to have a list of colleges they would like to apply to prior to their senior year, just so they already have an idea of the amount of essays they will have to write and and they know what exactly the colleges are looking for in their applicants, so that way they can include that into their essays but also know who they want to revise their essays. I think that’s very important in the college application process. Pick someone who knows you best; that way they can help you show your true potential.” 

Q: Tell me about your proudest moment.

A: “One of my proudest moments was last year when I got a scholarship to attend a pre-college program in Oxford, England, and I was able to travel for two weeks to the University of Oxford. I completed two pre-college courses: business and international relations. I was very thrilled to travel abroad and study in a place of different culture.”  

Q: What motivated you throughout high school?

A: “My family was a big motivation, especially with our financial struggles and experiences my parents endured, which was very motivating to me, just wanting a better lifestyle and also wanting to achieve financial stability so that I wouldn’t have to go through what my parents did.”

Q: What are you most excited for in the next upcoming years?

A: “I’m looking forward to my college experience. There’s a lot of opportunities that I want to pursue once I’m there, and I also would like to try other hobbies in college, like dance or a sport. I look forward to being independent and leaving San Diego on my own, learning how to navigate through the environment.” 

Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years? 

A: “In the next 10 years I see myself pursuing an MBA and possibly already having a career in finance, maybe not my ideal position, but having a starting position in that career.”