Brigham Young University-Provo Top Questions

Given how difficult and selective the admissions process was, I would like have known beforehand how easy the classes were. The general education cirriculum at BYU was not as challenging as it should have been.

I wish that I had known that school credit was needed to apply for financial aid if you are a transfer student. And that the financial aid deadline is only once a year- during the middle of a semester.

I wish I would haveknown the academic excellence that is expected at this school. Students go from being the very top of their class, to suddenly being very average students. I didn't have to work very hard in high school to acheive good grades, but at this school, to get a C requires hours upon hours of study. I wish that I would have developed better study habits that could have transfered over to my college experience.

I wish I would have known that making friends is something you have to try to do. It isn't the same as jr. high or high school. If you want friends, you have to seek them out. It isn't as natural as high school. You are in big classes with a lot of people you don't know. Make friends when you can, find allies in your classes to study with, and make sure you are well-rounded and not just focused on school.

How to study. I did fairly well in high school without needing to study a lot, so when I started college, I struggled to learn the material and how to study the material at the same time.

I wish I knew how much harder you need to work to succeed here. Be prepared to set aside plenty of time for study and homework if you want good grades.

How to manage my money.

I wish I would have looked for more funding opportunities before entering college. I assumed there weren't many outside funds available but I was wrong. I also wish I would have become more dedicated earlier in my schooling.

Before starting at BYU, I wish I had known about the resources available to help students succeed. The administration at BYU works hard to help students, specifically freshmen, succeed in and out of class. You can schedule a campus tour and ask any questions you want. There's a counseling center where you can get help organizing class schedules, choosing majors, and learning study skills. There are dozens of student clubs and organizations to meet new friends. Best of all, there's a single website with all this information and more. Just look up "One Stop" on the BYU website.

How hard it would be.

I wish I'd known more about how people are. It's a different feeling, socially, than high school. My brothers and sisters all went to BYU, so I knew a lot about it in many ways, but I didn't interact with students there. It's different than normal people in Provo. Maybe because people come there from all over the country and all over the world and they have to have really good grades to be there.

You will definitely want to bring warm clothes with you because it snows about every morning during winter. Also learn how to use all of the resources here because there are tons of academic, financial, and student centers here only to help you succeed. Be willing to ask for help because you will be more successful. Manage time. There are so many clubs and activities to participate in and you need to be able to get your work done so that you can have some fun. It's great.

I wish I would have known how much extra college really costs. I would have worked harder before to get scholarships. I'm not facing the high prices of college and without the help of scholarships it's getting more difficult for me to pay for everything I need to. I'm down to the basics; food, rent, tuition and textbooks. Even just paying these has become a struggle for me lately, especially with jobs cutting hours down because of Obamacare. I definitely would have focused on scholarships before coming to college.

I wish I had applied for more scholarships.

Work hard from day one, don't ever slack off.

I wish I had understood better study habits. I tried to study and be prepared for tests, but I really did not know how to study well and actually learn a lot and retain a lot from my studies. If I had better understood how to study I feel that I would have performed much better in the exams. I would have understood and retained more information from classes. I would have made better connections between my classes and my studies.

I wish I had come to BYU with a better idea of what I would like to major in. I strongly recommend job shadowing in high school because once you get to college there is so little time. Even if you have a pretty good idea about your major, make SURE that you job shadow, job shadow, job shadow. I believe the average college student would agree with this. Be sure that the college you apply for requires internships and shadow different career pathways, not just those you are familiar with. Trust me :)

I wish I had known that this school has such an amazing research library. I think it would have made me want to come here more.

I wish I had known what a rare and wonderful blessing it was to be there. I wish I had enjoyed it more- the classes, the teachers, the students, and the unique opportunities for growth. I wish I had known how it would change me as a person and help me become the person I want to be. Had I known all these things before I arrived at BYU I would be learned more and become a better person.

I wish I had known more about the Honors program -- what it is, how it works, and what the extra courseload is. It's a good program, but it definitely consumes your time.