Mathew Kristoffersen

When I was a senior at Redlands East Valley High School, I took night classes at Crafton. I took MATH 251 in the fall with Professor Crise, then MATH 252 and MATH 265 in the Spring. At first, I felt lonely, and like I didn't belong at Crafton. I would sit next to a working-age mom in one lecture and next to a recent high school grad in the next. And my math classes were pretty tough, too. But the friends I made in my classes are still my friends now that I've gone on to Yale. They are among the smartest, kindest, most hard-working people I've ever met, and I'm glad that I walked into my math class two years ago -- no matter how scary it felt at the time. For all high school students who are thinking about taking classes at Crafton, I highly, highly recommend it. I came to Yale with a solid background in advanced calculus that many of my friends didn't have, and a healthy familiarity with how college classes work. One thing I'm still not used to: the weather. It's far too cold in Connecticut, and I miss the poppies in the spring.