California State University-Chico Top Questions

I never had a chance to finish college because I joined the work force. I would like to complete my education but I need a scholarship to afford school.

So far, my college experience has been hectic to say the least. There is so much to do in the city of Chico whether it be bike riding in Bidwell Park on a bright sunny day, watching a Friday night movie with your friends, or enjoying the Thursday Farmer's Market in downtown! My favorite things about CSU Chico include how small class sizes are (my largest class only consisting of about 300 students), the endless amount of trees, Chico Creek that runs right through campus, and the majors and classes provided. Being in college and on my own has taught me a lot of responsibility, especially with the newfound workload that comes with each one of my classes! I was expecting more work in college, but not nearly as much as I have received. It has taught me, though, discipline and time management! It can be stressful at times but I have learned to better manage and balance the work required to ease off that unwanted stress. It can be done if you put your mind to it! I have a goal of a Bachelor's in Science in Nursing and I plan to achieve it!

Although I just recently began on my college adventure, I can truly say that I have enjoyed my 6 weeks here. I have met a ton of different induviduals and everywhere I turn there is some club or organization trying to get you involved with the school. Everyone has wonderful school pride here at CSU Chico and I could not picture myself anywhere else. What i love the most about the school is that I can't look around and categorize the type of people tha are here. I love the diversity that the people bring to the campus. My classes are awesome as well. I am a pre-nursing major and I am enjoying my teachers and the courses i enrolled in. It's going to be a long, difficult road to become a nurse, but I know I can do it. The thought of spending my next 4 years here is refreshing. I'm excited to see what else my journey holds for me.

Chico State put me to the test. I have always had the ability to resist peer pressure without a second thought. At Chico I have been tested every day. Having this environment has made me realize how strong I really am. Even in this college environment I am able to turn away from decisions I know might haunt my future. I am here to learn and experience a way of life. And that is what I have done and am doing. The people you meet in Chico are not the sort of people you flash a smile at and never see again. They are people that you have real meaningful conversations with. On the surface Chico appears to be...shallow, to put it bluntly. However, this is not true. Once you take the time to sit down and talk with a Chico student, preferably a sober one, you will find that they will challenge your beliefs and ideas of the world around you. They will encourage thoughts you might not have ever thought. At Chico State we may be known for our ability to party hard, but people stay because it is easy to see we are sincere at heart.

I have gained valuable social experiences and networks which I will continue to grow after school. I have began starting my own small business and will use the school community to advance my goals, growth, and leadership skills. College has been valuable to atend because it is helping me to grow greatly as a person and is giving me the social skills and knowledge to succeed in the future. College also enabled me to start my own business and is giving me a market and client base to for my business to take off from.

My dream has always been to work with at-risk children, teens and their families as a psychologist, but I had let so much time pass that my dream seemed unattainable. On my fiftieth birthday, I realized that I wanted to live the rest of my life with accomplishment rather than regret. I announced to my friends and family that I would be returning to school. I had many excuses and fears about going back to school. I was afraid that I would not be accepted by my fellow students, that my study skills would be rusty, that my friends and family would not take me seriously, about the finances and changes in my life style, and that my age would be a liability in acceptance in grad schools and future employment. I possess a B.A. in Psychology and am my first year in the School Psychology masters program at CSU-Chico. As my fifty-third birthday approaches, I am well on the way. I have learned that no dream is too big or too late to achieve. Courage is not about whether one is afraid, but whether one can act in spite of the fear. I am courageous.

I was the first person in my family to attend college and making a decision to attend CSU Chico was very easy because I had done my research before hand and felt that it was a perfect university for me. The whole process of transitioning from community college to a University was made easy with the help of faculty and staff at Chico State because they understood what the new students go through and the type of help they need to feel at ease about the process. I have gained great deal of appreciation for the instructors because I realized that different students have different learning styles, which was the reason why Chico State instructors try to incorporate different teaching styles into their everyday lessons. Chico State is very environmentally friendly campus and students go out of their way to make the campus as green as possible which opened my eyes to the environmental changes going on in the world and taught me to do my part to save the earth for future generations. I believe that if I had attended a university that didn’t have this program I would have missed out on this unique experience.

After I have completed my Professional Chemistry major and Mathematics minor here at California State University Chico, I plan to attend a chemistry graduate program at a prestigious school to earn my PhD. After graduate school I would like to continue research and at some time later obtain a teaching position to help educate young minds like my chemistry professors here at California State University Chico have done so well. I am a hard-working, motivated, well-communicated individual who is well aware of the demands in any graduate program. My commitment to excelling will be reinforced by the fact that I will be beneficially affecting individuals and hopefully the world of chemistry. My qualities and traits developed from my academic years so far have helped affirm my intent to enroll in a graduate program. With the help of this scholarship, I would be able to work less hours at my job and focus more on not only excelling in classes, but in involving myself in research programs, giving back to the school by tutoring young chemistry majors, interacting with the knowledgeable chemistry faculty, and furthering my education in hopes of fulfilling my dream of getting into a graduate program.

I feel that I am getting an excellent education with practical hands-on experience as well. The faculty and staff are amazing, they are friendly, remember who you are, and go out of their way to help with any situation. I am older than the average student but still feel like I fit in and have made many friends in my first year. This was an excellent choice for obtaining a bachelor's degree, I don't feel lost in the shuffle at school and the community is amazing as well.

Although my school year starts in August (and I've never attended it), I can't wait to meet tons of new and exciting people that I will hopefully become life-long friends with. I also can't wait to experience the University Farm and be able to work with animals on a one on one basis.