by Gina Scarpa

Last week on America's Next Top Model, Allyssa Vuelma became the latest contestant to be eliminated after a photo shoot depicting the aftermath of partying too hard. The Florida State student never dreamed she'd be modeling, then found herself making it quite far in the competition this season. As she waits to find out if she'll get a second shot due to the highest social media standing, we caught up with Allyssa to find out more about her time on ANTM.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You entered the competition with no modeling experience - what made you decide to get involved with Top Model?
A. Allyssa: Well, I've been a fan of Top Model since I was a kid, just like many of the girls on the show. I've always been scared of modeling because it's such a slim industry where to make it, you have to have all the drive. I was in school, wanting to be a doctor. It came across as the perfect time. My sorority sister posted the audition information on my Facebook wall and I wanted to see if I could make it. I put it on my vision board and step by step, I kept making it until I got on the show. I made it pretty far for someone like me.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Being a fan of the show, what was it like to actually be competing and see Tyra for the first time?
A. Allyssa: The first time we saw Tyra was during the backyard during semi-finals. I was like, "Where are all these people running to?" and sure enough, it leads me to Tyra Banks. Everything is magnified times ten thousand when she's standing in front of you. It wasn't just tv! Being in the competition, I would refer back to the episodes I would watch as a kid and say, "Okay, this is how this usually goes!"

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Each week held a different kind of challenge for the models - which challenge or photo shoot took you the farthest out of your comfort zone?
A. Allyssa: I would have to say... but it took me out of my comfort zone is a good way... the Tyler Perry acting challenge. They didn't show my challenge in that episode. I just remember I was like, "I'm going to go in front of all these strangers and I can't be embarrassed." I was kind of like a working actor and that took me out of my comfort zone, but I always wanted to try it. It was a good step out of bounds.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Were you surprised to find yourself standing beside Laura in the bottom two after she had scored so well in recent challenges?
A. Allyssa: Surprised? Absolutely. But we were all kind of taken back after Leila went home. After that, we were feeling there's no way of foreshadowing anything. Anything goes, anything can happen. With Laura by my side, I was like, "I can't believe I'm in the bottom two. This could be taken away from me so easily." In my mind, I knew i was going to be in the bottom two so I watched all my friends get their photos and I was like, "I'm gonna take one of the team." I was gonna go out beside someone who is doing so well and that's an honor to me.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You spent most of the competition in the middle of the pack - you generally had good responses from the judges and social media, but you weren't really standing out. Looking back, would you have done anything differently to make more of an impression?
A. Allyssa: Because I'm beginning modeling, everything is a learning experience. In hindsight, obviously, I would work my angles a little better. I would've spent more time in the mirror finding my angles . I wish I would've practiced a little bit more after every single panel that I did make it through but other than that, everything I did I learned from it and that's one of the most important things.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How has life changed for you since the show and what's next for you?
A. Allyssa: People look at me much different now. I think people believe what I say. Before I was like, "I'm gonna try out, I'm gonna make it" and I think that surprised people. That made me better as a person. I have fans, I have people advocating me, and it kinda freaks me out! I'm just a regular person! What I wanna pursue is modeling, acting, maybe hosting. I love being in front of the camera, I can talk for hours on end, and I feel my personality is compatible with other people's.

America's Next Top Model: College Edition airs Fridays at 8/7c on The CW.

(Image courtesy of The CW)

Follow Gina @ginascarpa