Aurora University Top Questions

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would go and tell myself to step up to the plate and be better in school. To actually learn more about core classes, and no so much electives like I did. I would tell myself to not stop believing, and stop being lazy, and apply to others schools. The transition is not that bad if you are confident, but it could be scary, coming into a different environment. And that college is not the game we see in movies and the teachers don't explain it like it really is. The truth is the main mistakes I did in high school, were not in my senior year but I would definitely tell myself as a high school senior to try and make up for all that lost time. So at the end when he is in my position, writing this essay, he is regret free.

College is not the end-all be-all. Take your year off and don't be ashamed about it. Think about what's really important. Grades aren't important, learning is. Essays aren't important, telling people about something you care about in an informed manner is. You will meet people who will hate you for no reason. Be painfully nice to them. Read every day. Listen to music every day. Call your mother every day. Things are about to zoom past you faster than you are willing to realize. Stop. Take a look around. Gather yourself. You're about to go on an adventure.

My biggest advice would be to do everything you can as a high school student and beef up a resume because those expierences will definetly help in the future and it will keep you open minded when getting to college. You could carry those expectations from different clubs and activities to college and possibly do the same things there. It is a wonderful opportunity to branch out into new directions and expierence the world from a new perspective. The life long friends and memories you will make are a blessing and although I participated in some activities, there are some that I didn't and now looking back I really wish that I had while the oppotunity was still at hand.

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self I would emphasize the importance of becoming an educated person. Being a part of this learning community has made me realize how critical it is to be able to view situations and issues through different lenses. Understanding views other than my own helps me make better informed decisions in all areas of life. When I first began my college experience, I was just going through the required motions and taking the required classes to reach the goal of graduation; frequently putting my social life before my education. In retrospect, I would tell my highschool self to absorb the full process of becoming an educated person and realize the importance of giving thought to opinions and views that conflict with my own.

I would really focus more on getting all A's in all of my classes, and prepare more for the ACT test to get more scholarship money in college. I would do more ready and practice more writting. I would apply for scholarschips online, and do more vollenturing. I would encourge students to get into a table tennis club, and try to make it a college sport.

If I had the ability to go back in time I would tell myself not to panic. I wish I had an adult sit me down and tell me that no matter what college I choose to go to I can always change my decision. I wish I had someone tell me that you can always change the road you're on. I wish someone told me that it's okay not to know your major going in. Your college decision does not have to be a death sentence. It sure felt that way to me. I had numerous adults put pressure on me and it had a negative affect. I chose a college close to home instead of venturing out. Although my college experience is alright, I would have done things differently if I had a more positive influence from those around me. High school does a terrible job preparing students for college because teachers and counselors assume they CAN prepare you. They CAN'T. It's up to you to figure it out and that is perfectly okay. You don't have to have it all together. Things will work out one way or another.

If I could go back, I wish I would have had a set goal in mind. My advisor didn't help me very much, and because of her, I have to wait an extra year until medical school. Always listen to your professors. They're more understanding than you think, and as long as you put an effort into your class, they will help you. Stay involved, meet people, smile, and say hello. Don't be afraid to ask questions in class either. Keep your GPA high, and never be afraid to call your parents when you're feeling sad. Find the study techniques that work best for you and stick to them. Read ahead in your books. Enjoy every day. Laugh a lot. Don't only focus on school in college, there is much more to it. Use prezi, it impresses your professors. Take pictures. Get off campus every now and then. Plan one fun thing a week. Hang out in the "cool spot" on campus. Don't get the most expensive meal plan because you will not use every meal. Don't become a roommate with a friend. Become friends with your professors.

If I had the opportunity to go back in time to when I was a high school senior, I would advise myself to not procrastinate and use my time wisely. Even though some professors give us a week or two to complete an assignment, it is never okay to start on it a few days before. I would tell myself that a social life is also not all that. There will always be social gatherings, but school work and grades definitely come first. I would also tell myself to never give up no matter how tough something may be. To not be afraid of asking for help when needed and to always do my best.

I f I could go back to my high school self, I would let her know that she needs to be more social in college. She should make sure to go to the event fairs and get involved in student life. I would tell my high school self that although you don't want to forget about your old friends, it is going to be important to make new friends, especially since you are going to be living at school. I would tell her she needs to prepare herself to be more outgoing because you will be lonely at times if you always stay in your room and never socialize. It is important that you are involved because it looks good on resumes after college, as well. There is a big difference between high school and college, especially because you will be living on campus. As long as you are more open to meeting new people and making new friends, your college years will be easier and more enjoyable. So be prepared.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would definitely reassure myself that my decision to attend community college and then transfer into a small university is a good idea. I received a lot of pressure to go the natural route of going to a big university right out of high school, and I thought I would deeply regret my decision to attend community college and then transfer to Aurora University. My decision to go that route was honestly the best decision I could have made. I learned more about myself in the two years at McHenry County College than I could ever have imagined. I learned what I wanted to study when I transferred and I realized that I wanted to attend a small university because I enjoyed the student to professor ratio in community college. The time taken while attending not only saved my money, but it gave me the right amount of time to find myself and figure out exactly what I wanted when transferring onto a university.