Charlie Miller

Hometown

Apex, NC (Thales Academy)

Academic Interests

Data Science, Government, Computational & Applied Mathematics & Statistics

Why W&M

My college search began in Sophomore year with a monstrous spreadsheet of over 900 colleges — every school in the Eastern half of the US with over a 50% graduation rate. I slowly but surely winnowed down the list, one by one, eager to make the perfect, rational choice for college. This entire time, however, part of me knew that my heart had already made the choice the moment I first stepped foot on William & Mary’s campus. Just a brief visit at the tail end of a whirlwind college tour was enough to change the way I thought about college. That whole time I was making my huge college list with its hundreds of options, only one school came to mind when I imagined what college would be — or at least what it should be.

Something about W&M — the campus, the people, that intangible feeling of community that cloaks the campus — changed the way I thought about college. However, my rational side refused to give in to what felt right — I worried about the cost of out-of-state tuition, about giving up opportunities that might come along elsewhere. So I embarked on the application process with my mind scattered between nearly two dozen schools and my heart stuck fast in Williamsburg. In the Spring, as decision day loomed, I felt worried and lost. I was stuck between an in-state option that was both very affordable and well recognized, but simply did not feel like home, and an Ivy League school that promised “prestige” but would inevitably deliver massive debt.

While pulled between these two schools, I knew that at heart I wanted to go to W&M, but I couldn’t rationalize out-of-state fees or turning down a selective school. When I got notified about my 1693 finalist designation, I was overjoyed. I finally had a beacon of hope, the chance to align my heart and my mind. When I actually went to Finalist Weekend, W&M continued to make more and more sense. I learned that undergraduates can pursue significantly more research opportunities, starting during their Freshman year. I also found that study abroad opportunities and internships were bountiful and the classes available were taught by incredible professors. As soon as I got a text from Dan the following Monday, I accepted.

I chose W&M because I found a treasure trove of academic and career opportunities on campus, and the financial security and incredible community offered by the 1693 program sealed the deal. But really, I chose W&M in the fall of 2022 when I walked onto the Sunken Garden for the first time and realized how incredible college could be. It just took me two years to realize I had made that choice.

High School Activities

NC Junior Classical League, State Board Member & State Board President
Model UN, Creative Director, Vice President, President
Math Team, MVP
Vexillology Club, President & Founder
Hiking Club, President & Founder
Philosophy Club, Vice President & Co-Founder
Certamen, Team Captain, Dux Certaminis, Consul
History Club, Secretary, President
Debate Club, Team Captain
Student Council, Class Representative
Everyone Needs to Read Non-Profit, President & Founder

Awards / Distinctions

Valedictorian
Perfect SAT Score
Perfect ACT Score
Coolidge Senator
Coolidge Debate Presidential Cup Semifinalist
National Merit Semifinalist
JCL Certamen State Champion
Honor Roll 95+
AP Scholar with Distinction Award
National Honor Society
National English Honor Society
National Latin Honor Society
Thales Model UN Secretary General Award
JCL Certamen National Competition - 12th Place (2022) / 10th Place (2023)
CLT National Award Winner (2023)
National Latin Exam perfect score, 3 time gold medalist
10-time 1st Place State Award Winner - North Carolina Junior Classical League
5-time Gold-medalist and 5-time Silver-medalist, American Classical League National Testing
4-time Top Five and 7-time Top Ten Award Winner, National Junior Classical League