American International College Top Questions

The best way to learn is to do so by doing. If I could go back in time and talk to myself, as a high school senior, there is a lot I would say. As I ventured through college I found it much different than I had thought it would be when I left high school. The best advice I would give myself is to start off with the basics. There are so many options out there for careers; it’s hard to pick the right one right way! Starting off with the basic pre-requisites is the way to go. By starting off with the pre-requisite courses you give yourself time and experience to figure out what major is best for you. This will open many doors of opportunity. Start off basic, take your time, and really discover what you love before committing to a specific major.

HS Senior Self: Who are you?! Me: Your future self! I came to tell you something important from the future and I only have a few minutes! HS Senior Self: What? Do we finally know when Kingdom Hearts 3 comes out? I've been dying to know. Me: Well, yes.....but that's not the point I'm here! I'm here to tell you to save up all the money you can! College textbooks are wicked expensive and eventually you will run out of money! Also make friends with as many professors as possible, they are the gateway to really fun opportunities at college! And the advice that those girls gave you that day at AIC are the truth, NEVER skip your classes! I'll never forget that advice. It's done a lot of good for me! HS Senior Self: Wow, the college life for me sounds awesome! Thank you so much! I feel much more prepared! Me: *starts to disappear* Oh and tell Mr. Ostroff I miss him! I wish he was a professor at AIC! HS Senior Self: Wait, why? What's going to happen to him? Me: You'll find out. *disappears*

Dear Abi, Congratulations on starting your senior year! You've made it this far, and you only have a few months to go before graduation. Before you head off to college though, there are some things you should know. First and foremost, you are oh so very smart. Don't believe what your high school's atmosphere has taught you for so very long. You can do this, and you will see when you get into college just how very smart you are. You're going to work very hard and get good grades and succeed the best you can. And you will love school. That's another thing. You need to love to learn. College is different from high school, you will have opportunities you didn't have before. Don't leave your passion behind, take it to college with you. And be prepared to learn outside the classroom as well. You are about to enter a culture entirely new to you. Listen to the people around you share their stories, and let them help you grow as a person in understanding and compassion. Well, that's it! Good luck! All the best, Abi

Well, since a good portion of my high school senior year was spent trying to catch up after a recent concussion I sustained, I would tell my high school senior-self to get on the ball as early as possible in the college process, and start a list of which schools look appealing. Tour them, if necessary, and research. Continue to gradually narrow that list down as the days go by. After all that, oh ever so fun, college application process, sit back and find out logistics about each prospective school. Base your opinions off research and personal visits. Maybe the large state school is just too daunting, maybe the quaint, compact setting tucked into a city is just right. Knowing what I know now, I would have told my high school senior alias to not even bother looking at larger state schools, because they aren't as generous with scholarship and loan packages, and are far too expansive. Massive schools like that are basically their own world, an easy one to get lost in. Smaller, private schools are much more forgiving in the financial aid process and are certainly a whole lot easier to navigate!

If i were to rewind and give myself advice, I would say to let go of everything. Don't get swept away by any drama, peer pressure, high school realtionship, or even lifestyle. College is an entirely different world: the real world. People are accepting, encouraging, and helpful. Don't be shy but live a little. Be care free but in a wise manner. If you want a fun senior year to remember, embrace the application process, drop any negativity, and just be happy. I know if I were given the chance to avoid or even redo a few moments, I would avoid come relationships and create others immediately. I also wouldn't be so worried about picking out the right college. It just hits you. I thought I would never go to AIC but once i visited it I fell in love. Moral of the story: don't judge, go with the flow. Good luck!

Going back to being a senior in highschool, I regret waiting until the last minute to send my applications in. Most colleges require an essay, therefore I would advise seniors to get them done and not wait. Transitioning to college was very hard for me, knowing that I'm going to be more independent than I already was. I advise seniors, when entering college, the or she should get involved in a sport or an activity group to keep themselves active and away from trouble.

Brittany push yourself to do better in all your classses. You are smart and wonderful and you will achieve everything you want to achieve in life, if you put your mind to it and do it. Don't worry about what people do and what they think, you are who you are! you will get your degrees and don't worry about how long it takes and don't worry about going to a community college, it's going to be good for you. Also get more out of your shell, be yourself and be friendly, make friends. You are great and never doubt it. You can do it, and I am proud of you Brittany. Life is going to throw you around, but keep God first and everything will be alright. Keep the faith! Love you Brittany!

work harder at you grades so it can help you get more money for scholerships for school because it is so expensive.

Frankly there will always be something I could tell my past self to better my future self. If anything right now I wish to tell myself that I need to start caring. Generally I was very apathetic towards most everything. If it didn't make me feel good or didn't feed my laziness I could care less about it. I'm not saying I was some uncaring teen that was unsensitive to others, but I did not give the slightest interest into my future. I did what I needed to do to pass a class and that helps no one. Now I'm trying to scrounge around for money to go to the college I want to attend due to MY lack of care towards academics and what I was to do for college. I thought I could skim by through everything in life and come out unscathed. I guess this results from being too much of a momma's boy. If you are spoonfed all your life and don't care enough to feed yourself, you will starve eventually. Now my parents cannot feed me the funds so I have to learn myself.

I would tell myself to not go to AIC, it is a good school, but not the right one for me personally.

I would tell myself to never diminish confidence in yourself. In highschool I would have never thought I'd be persuing a BSN--I was not very academically correct in high school--I just got by. If I had to give myself advice I'd say to pay attention to your studies--in high school you don't think of the importance it has on your future--but it's extremely important--your grades are key to your success.

If I could go back in time and change my senior year I definitly would. High school is about having fun, making life long firends, and also focusing on your future and where you want to be in your life when it comes time for your 5 year high school reunion. In high school I didn't take school as seriously as I should have-I just figured they would accept me for playing sports,volunteering, and doing extra curricular activies. I was wrong when every four year college I applied to sent me a letter stating I was not accepted. It is important for any student attending high school to make school there number one priority but also focus on extra curricular activites that make them happy, being well-rounded is very important when applying to colleges. I am happy that I finally decided to take school and my future seriously because I am now on my way to becoming a registered nurse.

Oh, how I wish I could I got my GED at the age of 16 and had I known the what I know now I would have told myself to slow down to get a high school diploma. I would have also advised myself to start college immediatly and to never give in to the circumstances that you are handed to reach for more. Additional I would say that anything worth having takes hard work. However had I started college earlier I am not sure that I would have had the drive or motivation that I now have. Never the less i would have encouraged myself to start earlier and that there can be nothing negative about bettering yourself and furthering your education.

Try to get as involved as possible on campus because that is the best way to network as well as make friends.

The advice that I would give myself if I went back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I know now about college, it would be that to take advantage of the time I have left for school to get all the help that I need to find scholarships and different financial opprotunities to pay for the college I want to go to. Despite the problems that I go through I need to know that I could be whatever I want to be depending on my college major even if someone thinks its a farfetched goal or job in the near future. If I believe in myself and put my mind to it, I could get far no matter if their is obstacles in my way that are big or small. I would also tell myself that in college there is always going to be an obstacle or a curve ball that come at me, I just have to know how to get passed it with whatever technique it maybe. Just remember to do all my work and focus on getting good grades when I am in college . Work comes first then play.

One of the most important things that I have learned while attending college is to redirect my priorities. Many people believe that college is a time in people’s lives to cut loose and have a good time. However, I have learned that it is not all fun and games. Although I am currently enjoying my time in college, I realize that the main objective is hard work and dedication. In addition, I have learned that nothing worthwhile in life is easy. There have been a few occasions where I have felt like giving up college. However, I realize that college is the best long term option. Developing a passion and being committed to what I am learning are essential aspects in obtaining my degree. Finally, I have learned to be more punctual. Over the course of my life, I have possessed a habit of being late for important events. However, college has helped neutralize this and turn me into a more dependable person. Being punctual is an essential aspect of being successful in the workforce. I believe that college has been exactly what I have needed to discard myself of my imperfect habits.

One of the most important thing that i really must emphasize is the fact that you really get to know who you are as a learner. This is one of the best experience so far only because i struggled soo much to find the best fit for me.when i finally found what i was good at, mt grades improved dramatically.

Attending college has a tremendous impact on the life of a student. Not only are great friendships formed with fellow classmates and teachers, but the material learned is chosen by the student and is actually of interest. In classes, a student is engaged more because the classes are actually appealing and exciting. Not to say that college isn’t hard work, because it is; but the satisfaction you receive after getting a good grade on a test or getting high marks during the semester are worth the hard work. College also opens the doors to so many extracurricular activities that a person may not have thought to participate in before. There are so many opportunities to get involved and to make a difference in the lives of others. College is necessary to attend because it sets a student up for their future, and allows them to successfully work towards their dreams one day at a time.

I received a lot of valuable experiences from this year of college. I met a diverse range of people as well as teachers. It was very valuable experience also to live away from home and I learned a lot about responsability. From the College itself i learned very important things to look for in future schools both good and bad. For example to find another school with great student support and many things to become involve in. Also, to find a school that is much more affordable especially after paying so much for one year and having many problems with the internet , elevators, hot water vandalism and the food. I would also look for a school in a much safer part of the city. The most important experince that was the most valuable was the work load and stress management skills that I gained this past year of college.

I have learned about the need to expand our minds and explore all the possibilities in this world. I have been able to begin to analyze things in life in a way I wasn't able to do before I went back to school. I also have a greater appreciation for hard work and dedication. I have also come to a deeper understanding of how post-secondary education is so vital in today's society. I would now encourage anyone to go to college after high school. I strongly believe in pursuing your dreams, following your passion. Attending college and doing your best to excel in everything you do will help you to fulfill your dreams; that's what I intend to do. I have grasped a second chance at fulfilling my dreams in life and I intend to pursue them and become an accomplished person. I will be remembered in decades to come for my contributions to society. I will leave the world a better place than when I found it. I appreciate the opportunity to compete for this award.