Brandeis University Top Questions

If I had the opportunity to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would probably tell myself to refine my work ethic. Though I am more disciplined than the average student, I still feel like I have room to improve. College is a lot more straining and time-consuming and thus requires better time management skills. I've always thought that if I had been a little more interested in focusing on schoolwork and less in socializing, I feel like I would have seen an improvement grade-wise. However, this would not mean I would encourage myself to be less social because socializing is very important to the whole transition phase of college. I just need more practice balancing the two. I would also recommend that I become more familiar with my professors (first name basis, etc) and utilize more of the resources made available to me while studying. Finally, I would tell myself to stop snacking so much, especially at night, because the freshman 15 is NOT a myth!

As a high school senior, I was extremely preoccupied with making the right decision about college and deciding on a career path. After being in college for two and a half years, I have realized that being in college is the best time to figure out what you want to do, whether it is through your coursework or your extracurricular activities. I switched my major three times, and I am very happy with the major I finally chose, so I would let students know that changing your mind is not the end of the world. As I stated before, extracurricular activities are a great way to explore options for your future as well as to meet new people who have similar interests. Finally, I would advise my high school self to attend every class, even if it seems dull, because that is the best way to do well. It is easy to sleep through classes or choose other activities when there is no one monitoring your actions, but by disciplining yourself and going to class, you will get the most out of your education and get better grades. Finally, I would remind myself to have fun while college lasts.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would reassure myself that I did the right thing by choosing the school that felt right instead of the school that was free. I would advise myself to look for more outside scholarships though, and to get a summer job to save up for all the money that I would need at college. I focused a lot on academics when making decisions in high school because that was what was important for me, but I should have paid more attention to money and the future of my social life. I would emphasize that balance is important in making decisions about college. One has to balance financial, social, and academic concerns carefully and not focus too much on one thing. A good balance between work, school, and fun is key to a good college experience, and high school seniors need to take this into consideration when choosing schools.

As a freshman in college, I would tell my high school senior self that college is a much different world than high school is. Growing up with the guidance of my parents at almost every step of my life, I was quite sheltered from what some would call 'the real world'. With the new independence in college, I quickly made many poor decisions without thinking of the advice my parents gave me throughout my life. During the first semester of college, I stopped serving my community and strayed from my faith, among a few other things. Looking back, I would tell myself that I should stay who I am and not let college change me. God made me and, therefore, I should not let my surroundings determine who I am. It's a different world out there, but that does not mean I have to conform to it. I would remind myself to stay true to myself and to my God because I am not alone, even though I may be away from home.

If i could go back and talk to myself i would have alot of adive to give. College isn't like what you see on TV. Its not all about parties and having fun. It's extremely hard to try and get through it. If i knew i had to work full time and go to school full time i would have planned ahead by saving money. The reason for having to do this is because i have to stay full time at work to pay for rent, my car loan, and other living necessities. The reason why i have to stay full time at school is so that i can stay on my mothers health insurance. Even if i could go further back i would tell my self to prepare for the future because so far it has just became more complicated. especially having one parent in prison. One huge advice for myself is to stay stong and i will come out on top. The harder you have to try the greater the reward will be.

Time , if we allow it, can be an immensly important part of our lives and can exhibit a great amount of power over us. If I could go back to the time when I was a high school senior, I would teach myself the art of time management, which I am currently mastering. The key to gaining a successful college experience in my mind, lies in the ability to manage time well. With this key, not only can there be academic success, but social as well. Putting in the time for what needs to be done can easily result in time for other things I have a passion for. While it may seem tedious and repetitive, following a self-created schedule has proved to be satisfying in my own experiences. Although I am content with my senior year of high school, I am sure that it would have been that much more successful had I known the significance of time management.

Now that I have been in college a while, I have learned plenty of lessons but yet have so many more to take in. If I could talk to my high school senior self, I would tell her to enjoy every bit of the college experience to its fullest. Enter college with an open mind and an open heart. There are many things you wouldn't ever consider trying in high school that are available to students in college. Join clubs you know nothing about. Make friends with people from places you've never heard of. They say college is the place to find yourself and that statement is true to its word. As a high school senior, you're almost past the stage where you're judged by the brand of clothing you wear instead of the ideas you have to share. In college you start to realize that you are a part of the next generation that will be entering the real world. Your words and actions may have been overshadowed in high school but in college, don't be afraid to express how you feel. We all share this planet together and every bit of input helps.

Dear High School Zane, Do not worry about college. You are exceptionally suited to college life, especially at Brandeis University. The first few days will catch you off-guard, but after that you'll be fine. You'll have many friends and diverse social groups, you'll gain acceptance into the extracurricular clubs you want, and you'll handle your academic courseload just like you always have: with excellence. It's okay to worry about the future, but understand that your worries are completely unwarranted. You worry about finances; everybody does. Everybody else manages to pay off their debts, so why won't you be able to? You worry about academics; again, not a problem. Regardless of how busy you are, you've always found a way to reach the top of the class, and college offers you new freedom to organize your time more efficiently. The biggest thing you need to worry about is patience. If you can wait for results, or if you can focus on the present instead of the future's hypothetical problems, you'll be much better off. And if you figure out how to do that, please, tell me how. yours (literally), Zane Relethford.

Make connections. See your instructors during office hours and ask questions of instructors and fellow students. Find out if there is a course/instructor evaluation guide so you can determine who the good and not so good instructors are. Do not over-schedule. Make a schedule for classes, exercise, studying, recreation, and socializing in order to manage time. Find a quiet place to study in the library. Make sure you take ten-minute breaks for every hour that you study. Do not get behind on your schoolwork. Study as you go. Keep your room orderly and clean. Do your best to get eight hours of sleep and to eat healthily. Do the laundry a few times with your mom before you leave for school.

I would tell myself to enjoy every minute of the experience. College is an amazing opportunity to experience new things, meet new people, learn new information. Make the most of of the experience, and enjoy everything. Attend all classes and really engage in the classroom discussions. Developing relationships with teachers is very important, and make the most of their effort to help you. Go above and beyond in the classroom, and this will then translate into your social life. College is about getting a good education first and foremost, but it is also about experiencing new things and developing life-long friendships. It is important to not only excel academically, but also socially. Don't regret anything you do, or anything you try.

If I got the chance, the only thing I would tell my high-school-senior self is: have fun. I?ve always worked very hard as a student. I knew that in college I would continue to push myself academically and creatively, and Brandeis is a great place for that. But in my senior year, I realized the importance of stepping outside of the college bubble once in a while. Especially in times of great stress, in the middle of finals or tech week for a play, I really need to pause and look at the big picture. The truth is, I?m only in college for four years; I?m only young once. Yes, I get a lot out of studying and participating in clubs?but it?s important to leave some free time for yourself. At Brandeis everyone is so passionate about getting things done, and we?re all hard-wired by the admissions process to cram all our time with productivity. But life doesn?t have to be like that. Sleep, good food, vegging out?there are all worthwhile! Relax, for God?s sake. Work hard and play hard?it?s a delicate but crucial balance.

Figure out what you want and go for it. Try a lot of different things and don't hold back. Make new friends but try to keep in touch with high school friends too.

I would tell myself to not worry about anything petty. Life is really what you make of it and if you get involved with anything too dramatic, life will be difficult. I would tell myself not to sweat the small stuff and learn how to go with the flow, to be open minded and be yourself. I think that college is definitely a time of learning, but not all learning happens in the classroom. College teaches you social skills that last a lifetime. It is a great time to figure out the type of people you are compatible with and those that you aren't so you have the skillset to surround yourself with people that bring out the best in you, while you help to bring out the best in them.

Finding the right colleges would be tough so I suggest that students and parents should visit the school to get first impressions. For the best college experience, dorm, dorm, dorm! There is nothing better than making long lasting friendship and finding the right group to hang with and study!

In the process of finding the right college, I believe starting research early and college visits are most helpful. The earlier you start researching colleges, the sooner you will know which ones to apply to, giving you ample time to complete the application and increasing your chances of getting in. As for deciding on a college, a visit is most helpful. You don't know how you're going to respond to a college until you're there. As for making the most of your college experience once you're there, I advise you not to be shy. The first few weeks may be awkward, but once you find the group of people you click best with you can start having fun. Once people have already established groups of friends, it is hard to find your group.

When looking at colleges you must ALWAYS observe the people who make up the campus. The cafeteria food will always be cafeteria food, but the people are what actually create your college experience (consider seeing a bad movie with great friends versus seeing a great movie with so-so friends). While college-hunting you should have conversations with people, ask students about their biggest pet peeve about the school, and look around for lots of smiling. This is a key factor for finding a good atmosphere. When at college, no one is going to lead you to your destiny. As cheesy as this may sound, college is your first taste of life as a grown-up. Don't let anything phase you and don't be scared of anything. You can customize your life. You can start from scratch. It is liberating and scary at the same time, but of course you should always look to the positives. Keep your material possessions to a minimum and your social and spiritual possessions to a maximum. And the #1 rule for college: If you haven't tried something before, and this means everything except hard drugs, you have to try it now.

The truth is, no matter where one chooses to attend college, there is only so much that the university can do to make the experience enjoyable. A subsitantial part of any college experience is finding one's self, learning how to make the best of specific situations, and facing obstacles on one's own. One must be prepared to enter college with a genuine and sincere willingness to work hard and maintain success, in which ever definition of success one may have (sports, academics, socially, etc.). When times get tough, one must learn how to cope and push through. When choosing a college one should ask themself, "Which insititution will provide me with the tools to make me (for lack of better word) smarter? Which insitution will teach me more about history, science, math, and literature?" While in college however, the student should ask him/herself, "Now what can I do as an individual to enable myself to graduate from here wiser?" College provides the opportunities, but it is up to the individual to take advantage of those opportunities and then apply those experiences to real life. Getting accepted and choosing the right college is only the first step.

Being a first generation American, born to Greek native parents, I was urged since young age to make the most out of life. On my first day of college, this advice held nonetheless true. Before departing to go home, my dad told me to study and work hard, but to always cherish each moment of my college career. Having these words in mind, I embarked on the most amazing experience of my life, my college years, and tried to make the most of every interaction that came my way. College was absolutely wonderful to me. Brandeis' strong academic background, ranked 30th best college in the country, coupled with the amazing credentials that our professors had, made my time at Brandeis very well-worth it. I do not regret anything that I've done in my life or in my college career, for I believe that every stumbling block that comes along the way is an opportunity to learn from. There have been times where even among the worst of failures, there was ALWAYS a silver lining. Words to live by!

I have gone throught the process of picking the right school twice in my life now-when I had to choose a prep school and when I had to pick the college I wanted to attend. It strangely happened that during both decisions, I chose the schools that I had not visited as opposed to the ones that I did visit. This was because I visited the schools that I had always desired to attend since I was in elementary school. However, a lot of things change between then and college. Hence, when picking the right school, it is important to throw all past conceptions behind. The schools, believe it or not, pick individuals for specific reasons despite the large amount of applicants they recieve. Therefore, once admitted, even if it is not the first choice of a student and he applied to it only as a "safety school," should give it a thought, a chance. During the consideration, the biggest question should be about the student's desired size of the school. This lays out everything about colleges: size of classrooms, diversity, parties, role of Greek life, sports, and availability for assistance. Size allows students to predict everything.

College is what you make it. Make sure wherever you go has the basic elements you value, and then it is really up to you to take it from there. Remember to cherish the classroom experience itself just as much as what happens outside, because that is what will be absent from your later life.