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| Chandler High School wrestler Max Mejia (right) plans to enroll at Harvard next fall for its academics and wrestling program. He was sold when he visited the campus. |
Academics, athletics factored into choice
Chandler High senior wrestler Max Mejia had a stringent checklist he adhered to while deciding which college to attend.
His criteria were two-fold - academics and athletics.
He examined the tuition and the opportunity for graduate school. With an interest in dentistry, Mejia is committed to studying past an undergraduate degree.
He also wanted to continue to pursue wrestling and felt his best opportunity for success was with a program where he could compete as a freshman and alongside teammates and coaches that were a natural fit.
"I tried to give myself the best of every single thing," he said.
Mejia found the answer to those requirements in Harvard.
"The atmosphere and the people - they were amazing," Mejia said.
Mejia decided on Harvard the day before Thanksgiving, settling his future at the beginning of the high school season. Other schools he was considering included the U.S. Naval Academy, University of Pennsylvania and Stanford. He took trips to all three schools.
"The trips are important because I'm going to spend the next four, five, maybe nine years there wrestling, going to school," Mejia said. "So if I didn't like the atmosphere, the town, the people, the classrooms, just everything had to be right."
Mejia's goal is simple - to become a national champion.
"I expect to start at 125 (pounds), and I expect to make a big impact," he said. "I'm going to give it my all, and hopefully I can make some noise and qualify for the NCAA tournament."
Vidal Mejia believes competing in college will be a change of culture for his son. Right now, most of Max Mejia's time is dedicated to school. He maintains a 4.6 GPA, and his nights are consumed by homework.
"I think he'll really blossom at college because he'll actually get to spend more time training," Vidal Mejia said.
So with Max Mejia's four-year future planned, it would be easy to assume this wrestling season is an afterthought. But Mejia still has something to prove.
Yes, he's a state champion, winning the 103-pound weight class as a sophomore and taking second place at 112 as a junior. But Mejia's fire to compete and win is still ignited as long as there are meets on the schedule.
Entering this week's action, Mejia is 10-3. The feature event of the season outside of the state tournament is the Flowing Wells Invitational in Tucson today and tomorrow.
"I want to get first place; I want to win," said Mejia, who is competing at 121 this season. "That's like a preview of the state tournament, so you're going to see everyone there."
His criteria were two-fold - academics and athletics.
He examined the tuition and the opportunity for graduate school. With an interest in dentistry, Mejia is committed to studying past an undergraduate degree.
He also wanted to continue to pursue wrestling and felt his best opportunity for success was with a program where he could compete as a freshman and alongside teammates and coaches that were a natural fit.
"I tried to give myself the best of every single thing," he said.
Mejia found the answer to those requirements in Harvard.
"The atmosphere and the people - they were amazing," Mejia said.
Mejia decided on Harvard the day before Thanksgiving, settling his future at the beginning of the high school season. Other schools he was considering included the U.S. Naval Academy, University of Pennsylvania and Stanford. He took trips to all three schools.
"The trips are important because I'm going to spend the next four, five, maybe nine years there wrestling, going to school," Mejia said. "So if I didn't like the atmosphere, the town, the people, the classrooms, just everything had to be right."
Mejia's goal is simple - to become a national champion.
"I expect to start at 125 (pounds), and I expect to make a big impact," he said. "I'm going to give it my all, and hopefully I can make some noise and qualify for the NCAA tournament."
Vidal Mejia believes competing in college will be a change of culture for his son. Right now, most of Max Mejia's time is dedicated to school. He maintains a 4.6 GPA, and his nights are consumed by homework.
"I think he'll really blossom at college because he'll actually get to spend more time training," Vidal Mejia said.
So with Max Mejia's four-year future planned, it would be easy to assume this wrestling season is an afterthought. But Mejia still has something to prove.
Yes, he's a state champion, winning the 103-pound weight class as a sophomore and taking second place at 112 as a junior. But Mejia's fire to compete and win is still ignited as long as there are meets on the schedule.
Entering this week's action, Mejia is 10-3. The feature event of the season outside of the state tournament is the Flowing Wells Invitational in Tucson today and tomorrow.
"I want to get first place; I want to win," said Mejia, who is competing at 121 this season. "That's like a preview of the state tournament, so you're going to see everyone there."
