Brigham Young University-Provo Top Questions

Jane, the most important thing I can tell you to do is to save your money! You think you will be fine with your small savings account, but it will be gone after your first year. You need to save the money you are earning right now, and not spend it on clothes and things you don't really need. If you save it, you will have more money to pay for tuition and housing, and you will not regret it! You also should apply for all the high school scholarships you can. Also, don't worry about boys or the friends you have now. You will meet many new and fun people. Just remember to be yourself, and have fun! And don't worry about what people think of you, because it won't matter at all in a year. The biggest things I have learned to college, that I would tell myself in high school is that I need to save my money, and spend wisely. It doesn't matter what people think of me, as long as I have good friends and a good family. Have fun, study hard, and be ready to meet new, amazing people!

First I would be talking to myself as a high school freshman.... Lace, hang in there, slow it down a notch and relax because you may not know it now but you can do anything you put your mind to and by staying in school and continueing your education through college you won't have to age your soul faster than your years and put yourself through unspeakable changes. Do this for yourself, you'll really dig it and it's not as difficult then where you are now because if you don't you are going to find yourself an old woman who relized she had potential in making a difference and because she had wasted alot of valuable time spent locked away in her own stupidity that she found herself dreading that time would run out before accomplishing her goals. And Lace trust me, nothing feels more wonderful then to know deep inside that you did it and you are worth it, because nothing can feel so awful in knowing of wasted time.

The main thing I would focus on would be to not procrastinate. College has a larger homework load, so it is necessary to prioritize your time because it is a lot easier to get all your homework done, so you can have time to relax and you don't have to stress about it. When you get homework done early you can have time to revise it and make sure that it is well done instead of quickly finishing it and turning it in right before the deadline. Not procrastinating also helps with the necessary need to get more sleep. When you receive more sleep it is then easier to focus in class and to focus while doing homework. College is expensive and you can't live off your parents your whole life, so learning to prioritize your time will help when you have to work while going to college and still be able to keep good grades. I also think it is important to have time to just relax and have fun with your friends every once in awhile because our bodies and brains need a break, so work your hardest, but have fun and enjoy the experience.

I would tell myself not to just breeze through this last year and to make it count. Getting into a good college is not as easy as getting into high school. A high GPA will open up many doors that will contribute to my success. Stay focused on school and a career and not boys!

Dear Self, I am writing you this letter and sending it back to September of 2008. You are a senior at Mountain View High School. I know you are excited to graduate. You are working on your application to BYU. Don't worry, you don't get in the first time you apply, but try again and don't give up. Remember that you are smart no matter what your GPA says. Remember that you are unique no matter what people tell you. Remember, you can do anything. College life is different. Yes, it is hard, but it is worth it. There are a lot of people. A lot of competition. Don't let it go to your head. Keep your focus in your heart. Do the things that you are passionate about. Forget the status quo and follow your instincts. Nobody knows you like you know yourself. You know what is best. Remember to counsel with the people you love. They can give you insights that you would never imagine. Remember to love and be loved. Don't be afraid. Fear will be your barrier. Knock down the barrier and let people see you becuase you are great.

First off, I would advise myself to take my high school course load more seriously. I passed all the AP/IB tests, but I didn't get the grades that could have gotten me better scholarships. Secondly, I would advise myself to learn better time management, I thought it was hard in high school, it only gets harder in college with all that goes on. Thirdly, I would have encouraged myself to make more of an effort to meet new people, in high school I generally stuck with my closest friends, that doesn't work so well in college where everyone is a new face. Fourth, I would tell myself to get a better idea of what I want to do with my life before getting to college, it would really help in not wasting any time or classes at the university. Lastly, I would tell myself to NOT WORRY, college is fun. :)

Practice now (while in high school) to stay focused and work hard in school because it will become a habit and the transition into college won't be as challenging to pick up the college pace.

Form good study habits now! It is easy to slide by in high school especially when you go to such a small one, but it will pay off immensely in college. Don't merely do the bare minimum requirements; know the materials that are expected of you and be able to apply them. Ask questions! Even if it seems like an obvious one. Don't just seek to get straight A's, seek to gain knowledge and become learned and wiser. A grade is just a letter and won't mean a whole lot in the future, but the knowledge you acquire will stay with you forever and you will benefit from it for the rest of your life. When you do get into college, plan ahead. As soon as you sign up for your classes, print out all of your syllabi and shedule assignments and test dates into your planner BEFORE the class even begins. Do your readings before each class period so you won't be lost in the dicussion that day. It becomes very easy to get behind and discouraged so stay on top of things magage your time wisely!

If I could go back in time as a high school senior, I would listen intently to all the advice my teachers gave me. I would study hard and be a serious contributer as a student in the classroom. There would be less time spent socializing and more time developing great study habits that would carry me into college. I would research colleges to attend and be resourceful in finding means to afford college without placing heavy burdens on my mother. If only I could go back and be a better person to many whom I took for granted or just downright mean to, I would love to take those moments back and make all the wrong that I have done to make right. I would be helpful to those who were less fortunate than myself and not be so caught up in my vanity. I would be more considerate of my mother who struggled to care for my brothers and I by taking school seriously and making her proud. I would do more to serve my family and those around me, instead of myself . I would have loved to have Jesus in my life then rather than later.

The best advice I could give to myself is to be prepared and to focus on my high school academic school year. When you are prepared, you will work two-four years before college to save money for the cost of books, room and board and meal plans. If you follow this rule, you will alleviate some of your stress, which at that point, you will find yourself more focused in your school work. As a senior you should set a standard for yourself by developing your knowledge and skills in school. You develop this knowledge by studying, seeking help from your counselors/teachers, taking college prep classes and being prepared for the ACT and SAT's. If you stay on this level, this will help you transition smoothly, which in turn, will lead you to success.

If I were to go back in time and prepare myself for the transition into college, I would have developed better study habits. In high school, it was easy to get away with not reading the chapters out of the book before class. I didn't feel like there was a ton of effort needed on that part in order to do well. Now that I am at a competitive university where a big part of learning is up to your individual study, it is easy to fall behind and sometimes to not be able to catch back up. Overall, there is a higher demand of time devoted to studying if you hope to succeed. I would also adivse myself to make use of the TAs that are available to you. Typically, there are at least 2 for each class and they are more than willing to help you succeed. That is what they are there for. Don't be afraid to ask for help if something in particular does't make sense and needs to be clarified. It is a good way to get some one-on-one help. Last of all, work hard and do your best.

Dear High School Self, College is hard, I'm not going to lie. It's not like high school, but you don't need to be afraid. Just be prepared It will take you a while to get used to college life, but you'll adjust. Don't get frustrated. Just remember that most adjustments take time. Another bit of advice I have for you is to get involved. Make friends with your dorm-mates. Attend activities. Participate in service projects. Have fun! This is an important time in your life, and you will be making life-long friends while at college. The biggest bit of advice I have for you, though, is to stay organized. Write assignments down. Check the class syllabuses often. Plan ahead. And if you need help, ask for it! You are pretty much on your own now, proving that you can make it without your parents' help. And you can do it, because you're smart enough and strong enough. This university accepted you as a student, knowing that you could rise to the challenge, so don't be afraid to spread your wings and fly! Love, Your College Self

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself that I needed to be outgoing and not afraid of what other people thought of me. I think this hindered many of my relationships in college. I also would tell myself that teachers are there to help and that I should meet them and talk with them so they knew me better. Lastly, I would tell myself that I should trust my gut. I made my decision for a major before my freshman year and that major was all wrong for me. I should have taken the time to really explore what classes interested me and what I was good at. Then I could have avoided changing my major and taking a long time to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Listen to your gut, even if others tell you it is dumb.

If I but had the chance to speak, as I am, to my high school self but once, letting him know what lies ahead, I would speak to him concerning honesty & integrity. In a constant world of comparing and competing… it seems too often we jeopardize the very precious person we have been so diligently giving our all to become. I would comfort myself, giving the counsel to calm down, take a deep breath, and to uphold my character. There is no greater success, nor source of success, than that of a man of moral worth. College was never about the grades. A job interview was never merely about the resume. But rather, it was about the man-be more. Maintain the grades, but do not be ‘possessed’ by the A’s; plan your life, stretch yourself, go for the scholarships, internships, and study abroad; seek advisement help, learn how to network, give service. Education is so much more than merely a ‘formal’ education. Regardless where his passions and ambitions might take him, a good man will lead a happy life. He will be successful… in whatever way he believes ‘success’ means to him. That is the life I want.

I would tell myself to work harder, and to start to be more responsible. I would say that in order to get good grades and to have a good chance of getting scholarships, I need to stop being so childish, and to realize that college is a big responsibility. Looking back, I know that if I worked a little harder, and put some effort into my senior year, and even treated my friends and family differently, I would have gotten at least 1 scholarship. Even though I feel like I am in a good place right now in my life, I feel that I could have succeeded even more in college if the decisions I made in highschool were different.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself I would definitely tell myself that college is for learning, not for having fun. It is important to enjoy yourself while there but the classes are not like high school courses, studying for them takes up your whole day. You need to go to bed early and stay on top of your course work, just focus on school. I would tell myself that college was going to be hard and being away from home would make it even harder. Everyone is capable of doing hard things in life. While in college you might feel like you are just wasting time and money but in a few years you will be thankful for the opportunity you had to be in school and all you accomplished. Just push through this and you will learn so many wonderful things about yourself that you never knew!

Hey Me! There really is no way to be fully prepared for everything you will go through at college. I could advise you about studying hard, but then you may just end up having horrible teachers which you aren't prepared for. I could advise you about making friends and study groups, but then you might have problems with your academic advisor or financial aid. There are a million things to prepare for in order to succeed at college, and trust me it is not worth the mental strain in trying to be perfectly prepared for every one. Let me just remind you that every time you had to take on more responsibility in your life you were not fully prepared, but you stepped up to the plate and succeeded at whatever responsibility you took on. This is no different. You will have greater responsibilty in college but you will step up to the plate just like you always have. Trust and engage yourself in whatever you do and you will succeed. This is more than just advice for college, this is advice for life.

At 1st you will feel out of place and maybe stressed out/homesick, but once you open your eyes to all college offers, you will love it! Set priorities and make study buddies; these people could become great friends. Talk to your teachers! You may need reference letters in the future and knowing your teachers will make that process much easier. For social life, find out what's going on (on- campus and off-campus)....aka make friends! There are plently of cheap/fun things to do, you just have to find them! Mainly, the fun happens when you have the right friends. Have lots of fun, but also remember that you want to do something with your education, so figure out a career as soon as possible!

If I had the ability to travel back in time to speak to myself as a high school senior with my current knowledge of college life and the transition it takes to be successful, I would advise myself to stay and keep focused on my high school classes with the goal of making and maintaining a 4.0 GPA or as close to it as possible; and to work hard to maintain that GPA throughout college. I would tell my younger self that this goal will allow for the maximum scholarships and honor programs that college has to offer, alleviating the need for school loans and the weight and stress of having to pay them back. I would also tell myself that this focus will lead me down a more financially secure path with better life options. Better options on, who to marry, where to live and raise a family, how to financially invest money, and what to invest those funds in towards retirement and my children’s educations. I would also let my younger self know that college life offers many opportunities to create and secure great friendships that can last a lifetime.

if i could back and talk to myself again i would tell myself to be more focused and actually do your research into what school your going as well as weighing out your options. the cost can be great and you may not always have help. you want to grow up so fast that you overlook all the major details. friends influence and can come in the way as well as relationships. take your time to focus and do your research and always do what heart tells you to.