Student to Student Night Brings College Perspectives to SHS

SHS Juniors: Arjun Sriskanrthan, Raphael Sutiono, Wade Han On Wednesday evening, May 20, 2026, despite the pouring rain, Scarsdale High School juniors gathered in the SHS cafeteria for the annual Student to Student Night. This event brought together current SHS students and recent SHS alumni representing 17 universities across the country. Organized by the SHS PTA Student to Student Night Committee: Zhendi Shi, Tracy Tang, and Sunny Wang, in coordination with the Scarsdale High School College and Career Center, the evening gave juniors the opportunity to speak candidly with recent SHS graduates about college life, academics, campus culture, and the transition from SHS to college.

Unlike traditional college fairs or admissions presentations, Student to Student Night allowed students to ask unrestricted and honest questions to alumni who recently navigated the same rigorous SHS experience. Student to Student Night Co-Chair Tracy Tang noted that approximately 30 to 40 SHS juniors attended the event. While the rainy weather and busy spring schedule for juniors may have impacted attendance, Tang emphasized that the evening remains especially worthwhile because students are able to hear authentic perspectives about college life directly from peers they can relate to. In addition to the conversations with alumni, students also enjoyed dinner and dessert during the event.
Seventeen universities from across the country were represented, ranging from California to nearby New York City. Universities represented included:

Barnard College
Boston CollegeCollege Juniors: Ryan Hogan - Occidental College, Eiji Tsukamoto - University of Miami
Boston University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Emory University
Fordham University
Indiana University Bloomington
Occidental College
Stony Brook University
University of California, Berkeley
University of Georgia
University of Miami
University of Notre Dame
University of Southern California
University of Texas at Austin
Wake Forest University

Students asked questions that ranged from academics and workload to dorm life, campus culture, and dining options. Raphael Sutiono asked how the workload in college compared to the rigor at SHS, noting that SHS alumni were uniquely qualified to answer because they had experienced both environments firsthand. He added that a random admissions representative or tour guide would not necessarily understand the demands of SHS coursework in the same way. Wade Han focused on campus culture questions, hoping to get a sense of the “real vibe” of each school. Meanwhile, Isabel Lin asked alumni one of the evening’s most popular questions, “How good is the college food?”

College Sophomore Caitlin Higgins - University of Notre Dame, College Freshman Felicity Bennett- University of Georgia, SHS Juniors Arjun Sriskanthan, Wade HanStudents left the evening not only well-fed from the large dinner spread, but also with valuable firsthand insight into college life. Alumni also enjoyed reconnecting with former classmates, meeting current students, and sharing their experiences. Though attendance was smaller than organizers had hoped, the evening was still considered a meaningful success and remains a valued tradition within the SHS community.