Oliver Seifert Commits To Claremont McKenna College
ATA senior Oliver Seifert committed to attend Claremont McKenna College this coming fall, where he will join the CMS Stags varsity men’s tennis team, while pursuing an education in computer science.
“My decision to apply to Claremont McKenna was based on my wanting to study computer science at an academically highly ranked school while playing college tennis,” Oliver said.
Oliver also seriously considered Rice University in Houston Texas as well and RPI, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in Troy, New York.
Seifert was introduced to Claremont McKenna by ATA CEO Jack Newman, a Claremont alum himself.
“At the beginning of my application process I matched both academic and tennis rankings for schools who offered a computer science program,” Seifert said. “I then showed the list to Jack Newman, who added a few schools, one of them being CMC.”
Claremont McKenna is one of the nation’s top liberal arts schools. It is part of a consortium of five colleges that are each fairly small (CMC has a student population of 1300) and each has its own identity. The schools share some facilities like the library, and students are allowed to take 30 percent of classes at any of the other schools.
“What ultimately set CMC apart from the other options was the balance between academics and athletics as well as the location and the overall impression I had of the campus when I visited,” Oliver said. “It seemed like the perfect fit for me.”
Seifert explained that the ability to personalize his course schedule based on his interests was a major role in selecting Claremont McKenna.
“I look forward to studying computer science in an inspiring environment and being able to choose my classes depending on my interests, e.g. if I decide to take a more science-oriented course I can take a class at Harvey Mudd,” Seifert said. “I like that aspect of flexibility when choosing my courses.”
The CMS athletic teams are made up of students from Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps. Oliver will take the court with the nation’s #4-ranked Div. III men’s tennis team.
“Athletically, I am most excited about being part of the CMS tennis team,” Oliver said. “My goal is to make it to the top 6 line-up, playing against great teams like Amherst, Williams, Emory or Middlebury, just to name a few. The CMS tennis facilities are overwhelming, and I can’t wait to join the great team that Coach Settles and his coaching team have worked with so successfully.”
The Claremont colleges are situated in southern California, about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in a suburban setting at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains.
“When I visited the Claremont colleges last year, I was impressed by the individual character of each campus,” Oliver explained. “I loved the landscaping and the lush Southern Californian climate. Once a year there is a “Ski-Beach Day”, when the students get to ski in the morning and go to the beach in the afternoon. The small town of Claremont not only has beautiful tree-lined streets, but its “Village” is made up of boutiques, art galleries, restaurants and a cinema, all right next to the Claremont colleges.”
Oliver came to Austin Tennis Academy after moving from Germany in 2010. He hadn’t played competitive tennis in over a year, after spending a year at a boarding school in England.
“I’ve come a long way since then, working hard with coaches who were excellent teachers and who always supported and challenged me,” Oliver said. “Thanks to their guidance and my passion for tennis I was able to thrive and succeed on and off the court. I have learned great lessons of perseverance and leadership and have experienced team spirit and the desire to give back to the community.
All this has shaped me and made me the person I am now, and I feel ready to join the CMS tennis team, which will be my new tennis family for the next four years.”
Come join Oliver, along with teammates Sam Loudon and Rob Steinwedell, as they sign their college commitment papers at the ATA Signing Ceremony this Thursday at the ATA Fitness Center.