Tommy DeMarco: Surprising everyone

Last update: April 28, 2007 - 4:47 PM

Tommy DeMarco

Tommy surprised everyone, including himself, by choosing the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management.

The Cretin Derham-Hall senior has attended Catholic schools his whole life. The U was the only public school he applied to and, at the start, was at the bottom of his list.

The U and other schools offered Tommy scholarships, and he narrowed his choices to the U and the University of St. Thomas. The Carlson School's strong reputation and the U's wide choice of majors, should he decide not to stay in business, tipped the scales.

His parents, who thought he might end up at his dad's alma mater, St. John's University, were surprised.

"They kind of assumed I would end up at one of the smaller private schools, but now that I've chosen, they feel good," Tommy said.

Catholic and Christian student groups at the U will allow him to continue his church involvement. That the U is cheaper than his other choices was a plus, but it wasn't a determining factor, Tommy said.

"This is what I wanted."

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