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The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

Tyler Kinzy

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief

 He/him/his

Grade: 12

Years on Staff: 4

What has been your favorite quarantine hobby? Reading about how technology controls our lives during a Zoom meeting

Is a hot dog a sandwich? Gordon Ramsay said so and I don’t want him to yell at me.

Who is someone that inspires you? The Lorax

All content by Tyler Kinzy
Navigating college admissions can be intimidating, but if I survived, you can too.

Intro: a complete guide to college admissions

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 13, 2021
At the expense of sounding arrogant, I won the game without playing the game.

About me: an overview of my application

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 13, 2021
What follows is my method of organization, with the obvious disclaimer that you should use whatever system works best for you.

How I stayed organized

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 13, 2021
One trend you’ll notice throughout the rankings formula is that, according to U.S. News, rich students = better school... how we determine prestige is a question that you should engage with.

How are the “best college” rankings made? Not well.

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 13, 2021
We can’t have nice things, so we get a confusing hodgepodge of letters and numbers.

Understanding the types of admissions plans

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 13, 2021
Of the nearly 8 billion people on Earth, one individual wields inordinate power over your admissions decision.

The ratings system and what goes on behind closed doors 

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 13, 2021
Click below to learn more about the Common App Honors and Activities sections, the personal essay, supplemental essays, test scores, interviews and letters of recommendation.

Parts of the college application

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 13, 2021
This is a chance to take a hard look in the mirror and consider what the weaknesses in your application are.

So you were deferred or waitlisted…now what?

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 13, 2021
The first thing to know about college interviews is that you shouldn’t worry about college interviews.

How to make college interviews less scary and more successful

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 2, 2021
If a college was going to admit you simply because you were captain of the math team, they wouldn’t need you to write this essay. What do you want to tell colleges about yourself that the activities section of the Common Application doesn’t?

But wait, there’s more: a guide to supplemental essays

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 2, 2021
This is an opportunity to put the ball back in your court and, for 650 words, tell admissions officers anything you want.

The personal essay from start to finish

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 2, 2021
I should also mention that most schools have a way for you to send optional rec letters beyond what is required... That’s fine if the extra work will help your cause, but there’s a saying among AOs, “the thicker the file, the thicker the applicant."

A primer on letters of recommendation

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 2, 2021
You could pour your time into additional test prep, or you could devote that energy to polishing the rest of your application, writing your essays, etc. In my opinion, the latter is likely to yield a higher return on investment.

A rundown on standardized test scores

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 2, 2021
There are hundreds of thousands of fancy sounding high school leadership positions in any given year; slapping those titles onto a college application isn’t going to move the needle much unless you actually achieved something in your activities.

Making the most of the honors and activities sections

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
August 2, 2021

Class of 2021 Commencement Address

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
June 1, 2021
It would be remiss of me not to mention that I emerged victorious in the Pathfinder's Bachelor competition.

Thank you.

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
May 3, 2021

Con

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
March 31, 2021
According to data from the Dec. 21 Parkway Board of Education meeting, in-school exposure to COVID-19 has resulted in at least 234 staff quarantines and positive cases, each one represented by a dot in the above image.

Parkway needs to listen to its educators

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
January 12, 2021

“walking in the snow” by Run The Jewels

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
December 31, 2020
Speech and Debate

Speech and Debate

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
December 22, 2020
"Nectar," released Sept. 25, is Japanese singer-songwriter Joji's second studio album.

Joji is back, and he brought more bops for emo teens

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
September 29, 2020
Protestors gather in Washington D.C. March 17, 2007 to oppose U.S. military presence in Iraq.

The conversation we need to have about 9/11

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
September 11, 2020
A collage displays students preparing for the first day of school. Parkway began the school year with districtwide virtual instruction upon implementing its ‘Plan C’ for reopening. “I felt slightly nervous before the day started because I didn't know how well our internet would hold up. The thing that scares me the most is that I will never know if the internet will stay up the whole day or if it will go down,” junior Aliana Sawall said. “This experience overall has taught me that I will have to have more patience than usual because this is new to everyone, including teachers.”

Photo of the week – Aug. 24

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
August 28, 2020
An arrangement of the cover art for the albums discussed herein.

Top five albums to come out of quarantine

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
August 24, 2020
Teacher Andrew Van Herik protests outside Chicago Public Schools headquarters July 22.

Podcast: COVID-19 and America’s teacher crisis

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
July 29, 2020
Continuing their story, juniors Emma Pence, Chloe Stillman and Ruthie Vierling participate in an activity at a Spanish Club meeting Jan. 24. Club members added one sentence in Spanish before passing the paper onto the next student. "Chloe Stillman had some really creative ideas about Harry Styles concerts. She's just hilarious, and I love being around her," Vierling said. "[I think it is] important to experience other cultures and step out of your own comfort zone because you have to not understand it at first to understand it."

Photo of the week – Jan. 20

Tyler Kinzy, Deputy Managing EiC
January 24, 2020
Junior Laura Young refines her speech after receiving feedback from teammates. Young and her debate partner, junior Zoey Womick (not pictured), placed second in the Greater St. Louis Conference in Public Forum Debate for the 2018-19 season. “Being a girl in debate is sometimes intimidating because when you go up against really good teams that are two males or even just one guy, they oftentimes have more of a reputation than the really excellent all-girl teams do,” Young said. “A lot of events are also male-dominated, which is also extremely intimidating because they come off as very charismatic and have so much more of a reputation that it's just really scary to go up against them.”

‘They already trust the guy’

Tyler Kinzy, Deputy Managing EiC
September 18, 2019
Reviewing notes, junior Kathryn McAuliffe prepares for the Greater St. Louis Speech Association Workshop Aug. 24. She finished ninth in Internal Extemporaneous Speaking at the 2019 NSDA Eastern Missouri District Tournament. “I've always prepared [for tournaments] knowing this bias is something I've had to deal with. Public speaking-wise, I always make sure I'm not loud when I speak, that I'm always controlled in what I'm saying so that I look very poised,” McAuliffe said. “That pays off so your judge isn't judging you for being too passionate, and they can't say that you're outrageous in what you're saying.”

‘The most annoying voices’

Tyler Kinzy, Deputy Managing EiC
September 17, 2019
Before the first round of the tournament, junior Grace O’Connor rehearses her Program Oral Interpretation (POI) performance at the Randy Pierce Winter Classic at Pattonville High School Dec. 7, 2018. Competitors create a performance using various published works of prose, poetry and drama around a central theme. “It hurts when people don't listen to your piece because you spend so much time working on it, and you do really pour your heart into it,” O’Connor said. “When people dismiss it simply because of your gender, it's so heartbreaking and for a lot of people it's not worth it [to continue competing]. It's not worth the emotional labor and the aspects of just not being heard because of what you look like or what your gender is.”

‘Viewed as a mannequin’

Tyler Kinzy, Deputy Managing EiC
September 13, 2019
Using only string to stack cups, Spark! students and seniors Christian Hopkins, Ryan Mendonsa, Matthew Weitekamp, Rachel Fleming and Parkway Central senior Sophia Chelist complete a group bonding activity. The program allows students from all four Parkway high schools to explore various career paths of interest in lieu of taking three on-campus courses. “It's nice to leave the traditional day and go [to Spark!]. It's not a typical classroom setting, it helps you to learn about the real world,” Fleming said. “[Spark! has helped me] see if teaching is what I want to do when I'm older, if I actually enjoy it or not before I go spend money on it in college.”

Photo of the week – Aug. 19

Tyler Kinzy, Deputy Managing EiC
August 23, 2019
11:56 a.m.
Conversing with classmates, sophomores Fatima Shabab and Josh Rushing participate in a speed dating activity during their AP World History class. Teacher Kristen Collins (not pictured) assigned each student a historical figure to research and portray. “Suleiman the Magnificent was mine. My favorite part of the assignment was being able to dress up like the figure,” Rushing said. “[Creative projects] are a lot more enjoyable, because you have more control over how you tackle it.”

[Photo] 11:56 a.m.

February 4, 2019

[Video] Inside an Improv Show

Tyler Kinzy, Sports Editor
May 24, 2018
This Is America Review

This Is America Review

Tyler Kinzy, Staff Writer
May 23, 2018
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Tyler Kinzy