Aquinas College-Grand Rapids Top Questions

The advice I would give my high school self is to take more chances. Put yourself out there and don’t be afraid to be unique. Your uniqueness is what people like about you. Also, don’t be afraid to take risks. Ask the guy you like out or to a dance. Join more than just one or two clubs, get involved with your school. Take more classes that give you college credit, because college is expensive. Also, Challenge yourself. Without challenging yourself there is no way you could ever be prepared for college because college challenges you every day and without practice you are sure to fall behind in some of your more challenging classes. College is a lot like high school in the way that the people act the same but the classes are different and provide more of a challenge so when you study your senior year, study as if you were already in college. Then you'll be more prepared than your fellow classmates in just about everything.

Never underestimate the value of hard work. Be prepared to make sacrifices to make ends meet. Although some days taking on multiple jobs may seem overwhelming, it may be necessary to afford your college education. You have dreams now, of what your life will be like. These dreams probably include what college be like. Be flexible with your expectations. Some of the best college experiences are free and unorganized. Engage other students outside of the classroom. Learn about where your peers come from. By learning their stories you enrich your story. Get involved. Don't simply sign up for a club because everyone else does. You don't seem to connect to any of the clubs? That is okay, start a new one! And most of all, none of it matters if you do not have fun, learn, and grow from the four years you will spend in college.

I would tell my high school self to break up with the girlfriend before going to college (before summer started even), save all the money you will make during the summer, not to go into pre-med because you won't like it (switch to accounting/economics), don't join over 15 clubs but rather focus primarily on 5 clubs at college, change your roommate preference so you would be able to get a better roommate, and don't get into a relationship until you actually want to.

Focus more on school, and don't allow yourself to assume that you can get by without studying like high school. You're going to miss your family and friends but you will make new friends and your family will always be there for you when you come home. This is your future, and there is no second chances.

If I were able to go back in time to give advice to myself, I would first tell myself to get into the habbit of saving money. School is a lot more expensive than I anticipated. I would have told myself to get more involved with the community and after school clubs, in order to be eligible for more scholarships. I would have suggested to start small. If you do not have the income or scholarships to go to a well-known university, that is okay. Start at a community college to help cut costs and then transfer. Community college is a great place to help find out who you are, what you believe, and what you want to be. The diverse atmosphere allows a well educated opinion to be formed and an experience with other cultures. I would have told myself to not look down on a community college experience. Finally, check into all your options, and do not be afraid to ask questions. If I had asked more questions in high school about college, I am convinced I would have no debt going to school now.

College has been so beneficial to me because it has given me a chance to continue my running career and through this, I have become the happiest I ever have been. My teammates have become my family and have always been there for me. Running has always been important in my life and in college, my love for running has expanded so much. I am glad that I continued my running throughout college. College has given me the chance to realize that I want to become a teacher and help high school students get to college. My college experience has presented me with opportunities to branch out and create new friends. I thought that I wanted to be a teacher when I graduated from high school but when I got to Aquinas, my advisors helped me reach that goal. They gave me the right classes to take, what tests I need to take and they gave any other advice that I needed. Without college, my life would be very different today, and I'm very happy that I decided to attend.

College has taught me who I am and not only allowed me to polish my talents and abilities. It has assisted me in learning my flaws and understanding ways to grow and mature from them. I have gained friendships that I hope to keep for the rest of my life. College has also taught me how to adapt to my environment without changing who I am as a person. I have learned how to be diverse around others and interact without losing my identity. College has been a growing experience for me and Aquinas is a great school. I have gained education that I do not believe I would get anywhere else. Mentally I have grown and been able to hold conversations with many different people with different views. I have been taught to think outside the square and sometimes to even consider the grass on the other side before making hasty decisions or comments. Looking at the overall picture of something and what it says to someone else, can help you see what the artist was attempting to portray in one simple stroke. College is an amazing experience that I learn from every day and love it.

My roommate’s alarm goes off, I wake up, get dressed and the two of us head out the door for our 8 AM Biology lecture. We walk through the forest-like campus, exchanging greetings with familiar faces as the sun comes up. I sit through the fifty minute lecture about the Nervous System and stay a few minutes after class to talk to my professor about last night’s episode of The Office. This description was a typical morning on my small college campus. Going to a small school was better than I ever imagined. Being a Biology major, I was able to talk to my professors often. They really cared about me and my future. For me, college was not only about academics, but about relationships. The relationships I made in college have helped me grow into the person I am today and helped me to achieve my professional goal of becoming a Physician Assistant. Without my college experience, I would definitely not be where I am now—getting ready to start graduate school. I am grateful that my experience has changed me in many positive ways and I have my Aquinas College community to thank for that.

In high school I never really knew what college was about. I thought it was just a time to move out and go to classes just like high school. My school was set in preparing students academically for college, so I was set for classes. But I don't think I was ready for the amount of people I would meet. I came from a Catholic school of about 520 students. Going from that to a college of 2,600 was a little bit overwhelming. It would have helped me a lot if I could have spent time on campus more than just the few individual days I came to visit. If I was a senior again and I could tell myself anything, I would tell myself to not worry. No matter where I go I have all the opportunities at my fingertips and I just have show people that I can do whatever I set my mind to. I was shy in high school and I thought that I was always going to be shy and that college was just a big high school. But now I know I can do anything if I have the confidence in myself.

Dear Abbie, Transitioning into college life is going to be more difficult than you think. I know you think being farther from home isn't going to be a big deal. You think that you'll be perfectly content away from your family and your friends. Abbie, you'll be wrong. The transition into college is going to be a difficult one. You're going to miss the people that you spent your entire life growing up with. You're going to wish you chose somewhere closer to home. Don't give up. You'll make it through. You're a strong and confident girl-don't ever forget that. Make friends you can trust and have fun with. Don't succumb to peer pressure and don't put yourself in uncomfortable situations. Remember all that you were taught growing up. Don't forget about your life in high school, but don't dwell on it either. Thinking about how great your life was back then does not change your current situation and only makes things harder. Embrace where you are in your life because college is going to fly by even quicker than high school did. Good luck!

I would advise myself to make as many friends as possible, as quickly as possible. Choosing the college that I did I am further away from home then most of my graduating class. So I would definetly tell myself to make as many friends as possible. I would also tell myself to get out and have fun. When someone invites me to do something I should go. I would tell myself just to pick classes that I want and have fun with them, as well as take more than 15 credits every semester so I can graduate on time. The last thing that I would tell myself to do is to get off Facebook and actually go do all of the things that I just mentioned as well as study a little more.

College isn't as easy as what you picture in your head. You know the bumper stickers on facebook that say you can only choose two options out of the three choices of good grades, sleep, and a social life? Well as much as that sounds like a joke, I wish it was. It isn't easy, there will be tears and sleepless nights full of cramming, but in the end it will all be worth it. Balance your time between school, sleep, and friends. Put your health first, school second, and friends last. I know going to college you think about all the freedom you have for being on your own, but it is during this time where you need to step up and prove to the rest of the world that you can take on the resposibility and succeed on your own. Don't let the social scene influence your education, as hard as those situations are to stay away from, you need to focus on your future and what is best for you. After all, why else would you be going to college?

If I could go back in time to give myself advice as a high school senior, I would tell myself to not give up. Even through all the sick days and all the pain of having migraines daily, to stick with it and try harder to get the grades that I know I was capable of making even if I didn't believe it then. To trust in my teachers and that they really wanted to see me succeed. I would also tell myself to get into the habit of studying with others so that when I'm in college my study habits wouldn't slow me down in achieving the grades that I could get otherwise. To become more organized and timely with schedules to help myself get into the idea of having deadlines all the time. I would also tell myself to learn how to make new friends. I would tell myself this because it's hard to make new friends in a new environment with different people. When you have no friends your level of success goes down because you feel that you are alone. You need friends and others to succeed in life.

Relax. Pick the one that feels right. Bring sunscreen and extra whiteboard markers. Go out and meet people even when you don't feel like it. Rearrange the furniture as much as you want - you'll never have modular furniture again, so it'll never be easier. Stand up for yourself but also be willing to compromise, especially in roommate situations. Do your homework. Talk to your professors - they really do want to help you. Don't be afraid to ask for or offer help. Play in the rain. Celebrate birthdays exuberantly - decorate with toilet paper, if possible. Watch for bargains. Buy and sell your textbooks online. Animal crackers, salsa con queso, and homemade fudge from your roommate's grandma will become major food groups. Use the resources available at the library, career center, financial aid, and the department office of your major. Investigate grad school early. Take advantage of the cafeteria unlimited salad bar. Drink lots of water. Wear warm boots. Take a minute to appreciate warm sheets, fresh out of the laundry. Thrive.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, what I would say is, "Cole, stay focused in the here and now. Take care of the things that you know need to be done. Remember not to be so lazy about your homework and the assignments you think are "dumb!" The fact is that many will benefit by your success. You will open new doors to greater potentialities than you thought possible. Effort is required. There is no free lunch. You should still have fun, but rather than procrastinate and put off your studying until Sunday night- why not get it done on Friday? That way you will be able to enjoy the weekend without having to worry about failing the test coming up on Monday. Remember that these are the crucial months where you must decide how you are going to stage your emergence into the world at large. Make them count. For every individual that receives an education- the world is one small step closer to a time where both the young and old, the rich and the poor alike, can fulfill their total potential."

I would tell myself that doing homework is what helps to make you succussful with passing class. Studying and going to class everyday is so important. Making the transition was easy, and making friends in class will help with the tough coursework. Keeping up your grades is also very important. The scholarship for Aquinas is based on GPA and grades, and it helps to maintain those so tution is small. Study and get help when you need it. Aquinas offers a lot of advising for most classes. By doing homework and managing your time, you will be successful.

College classes are a lot more challenging than high school classes. If your sitting there bored on facebook you should probably get off and do some reading or studying even though your test for chemistry is later next week. Get a job. When people say that college students are poor they mean it. Don't worry about making friends, every other Freshmen on campus is stressing about the same thing. Just because you might not like your roommates or your suitemates it doesn't mean that you can not live with them. When you go home on breaks you really miss all of your friends at school because they become your family. They help you through your trials and you help them through theres and together you both grow and learn from each other. Learning to balance school work with other activities is very important and however hard it may be you might have to give up playing a sport or acting in a play if it means better grades.

I would tell myself to not bother going to a community college, go straight to Aquinas. Yes, it is more expensive that way but the atmosphere and helpfulness of the teachers are so much better than a community college. Aquinas teachers push their students to do well and it will be a much greater asset in the future than saving some money now. Focus on the academics, and put them first. It's alot better to make friends in a work place environment and excel in school than it is to be friends with everybody and let school work slide, even the tiniest bit! Remember to save money and apply for scholarships, because college pays for itself only after you graduate. Lastly, remember to eat well and stay active. It's a key part of being able to focus in the classroom.

I would not have had senioritis so bad and actually worked hard and kept my GPA up. My whole high school career i worried about grades and sports and how well i did, but my senior year i let the grades slide so that i could consentrate on getting a track scholarship. i got that track scholarship like i wanted, i also got a academic scholarship but if i had kept my grades the way they were in previous years i would have gotten $2,000 more. and now after i just lost $4,000 from the Michigan Promise award that was revoked this year that money would have been nice because i would of had that $2,000 cushion! Npw i have to figure out how to pay for Ireland in the fall and school next year! So winning this scholarship would be just the answer to my prayer that ive been looking for.

I would try to look harder into a college that i like as much as Aquinas, but cheaper in price. The price of this school is what is holding me back, not knowing whether or not I have enough for the next semester is very stressful.