Patrick Gohl

1693 Scholar

Hometown

Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Pompano Beach High School)

Academic Interests

English, Philosophy, Government 

Why W&M

If you had asked me during my junior year of high school where William & Mary was located, I wouldn’t have been able to answer.  As I compiled my list of schools to apply to, seeking a balanced list, William & Mary appeared on several lists as I searched for various qualities I thought were important to me. I applied regular decision along with a long list of other schools and did not think much about it after that. 

In the spring of my senior year, as I began receiving college decisions, I was still not sure what I was hoping the outcome would be. A chronic overthinker, I paced, made pro-con lists à la Rory Gilmore, dragged my family to every tour we could go on. I waited for the Eureka moment when suddenly everything clicked into place and the right answer presented itself. I assumed it would come once I walked onto the right campus; it never did. 

One late Sunday evening, I received an email letting me know I’d been chosen as a semifinalist for the 1693 program and I was excited. The prompts for the additional essay and video immediately made me like the place and program as they seemed to truly want to get to know me beyond a resume or academic achievements. Who has a one word essay prompt? Where else could I spotlight my favorite worm on a string in an academic setting? And at each juncture, I was connected with some of the most interesting, accomplished, and nice people who genuinely wanted to provide support. For a process that had thus far felt stressful, opaque, and like there was a right answer, engaging with 1693 was simply delightful.

As additional college decisions came in, I only grew more uncertain. My ability to question everything went into hyperdive. I asked every little question I could, looking for the big answer. My experience during Finalist weekend was nothing like I’d ever experienced: the lively conversations that spanned the silly to the serious and everything in between; the passion and brilliance from each of the current scholars; the encouragement from Dan and Kim who genuinely wanted each of us to land in the place that was right for us; and the community that was so welcoming from the moment I walked through the Murray House door. 

The day after I got home, I finally had my Eureka moment. It happened when I walked off the campus. I missed it. I missed the people and I wanted to be part of it.

High School Activities 

• PBHS Student Newspaper, Editor-in-Chief/student teacher
• American Sign Language Club, President
• Drama Club, Student Director / Actor / Head of Props
• National English Honor Society, President
• Broward County Public Schools AI Policy Task Force, Student Representative
• Summer Elementary Writers’ Workshop, Founder / Lead Editor
• Journalism Club, President / Founder
• PBHS Literary Magazine, Editor
• Broward Center for the Performing Arts Teen Ambassador
• Schoolhouse.World Dialogues Program
• Peer Mentoring
• National Honor Society

Awards / Distinctions

• National Merit Finalist
• Invited to participate in the UNC Chuck Stone Program for Diversity in Media
• Florida Scholastic Press Association “All-Florida” Award in Opinion
• Sun Sentinel Student Journalism Awards First Place in Opinion
• AP Scholar with Distinction