California State University-Los Angeles Top Questions

What should every freshman at California State University-Los Angeles know before they start?

Elizabeth

Do not not get completely absorded in any one thing, make sure you balance out academics, work, friends and other school activites. The point of attending college is to study so make sure your classes are a priority. With that said do not forget to have a little fun because college only lasts for a short time. Make friends and build those relationships that will last a life time. Do not stress so much over things that do not work out as planned. Simply relax and approach the problem from a logical perspective, because if you use your emotions you could make an unwise decision. Do not sit around and wait for firends to find you, go out and make contact with people on your own. After a little while you will forget that C you got on a paper, but you will forever remember the fun you had and the memories you made along the way. Do not worry, you have a whole life ahead of you!

Dora

I would tell myself to stay focused and watch out for people who would stray you away from the wrong path. Also I would advise myself to study more and take the SAT and ACT. I would tell myself to apply to all the colleges near by and in the Maryland area and apply for more jobs, or stay focused on the one I had now. Keep up the good work with the grades and push myself. Continue with any sports. Make sure to establish some financial aid plan along with some financial stability

Syrena

I would tell myself that procratination doesn't pay off in any way. I would tell myself to stay up on top of information,schoolwork and important dates. The most important thing I would tell mself is that you get what you put in, you can't expect to get a B when yo didn't do the work to get the B. Also that last minute doing work will give you what you deserved.

Jacob

What I have gained from my college experience is the perseverance and determination I need to acomplish any task or obstacle that I incounter in my every day life. That includes my work, my relationships, my family, and my continued school work. I have learned so much from all of the classes I have attended and have learned very vauluable information and study skills from all of my instructors. It has taught me to deal with difficult situations and especially difficult individuals through the many group projects I have accomplished as well as the every day interactions with instrutors, students, and faculty members. I found it very valuable to have to interact with individuals from multicultural back rounds who i may have not interacted with if it was not required to. I have been able to grow as an idividual through the diffrent experiences i have encountered in my college career and I am continuing to grow still to this day. College has just been an amazing, fun, hard, stressfull, and life changing experience that will forever have a influence over my self and my future.

Eric

Going to CSULA has exposed me to an entirely new world filled with diverse people and has taught me different ways to think. Before college, I went to school with the same people, day in and day out. I had grown accustomed to my middle class suburban neighborhood. However, going to a public school in Eastern Los Angeles with easy access to public commute showed me a whole different part of the world. CSULA has a very diverse student body, with students of all ages, ethnicities, and incomes. I was able to meet several peers in my classes who came from totally different backgrounds. The way my peers acted was very different from what I was used to, as they had been raised much differently than the people from my neighborhood. When we collaborated together for schoolwork, they introduced me to different ways of thinking to better reach an educated conclusion. Being shown these different viewpoints has helped me determine how to best make decisions in tough situations. My college experience has helped me learn how to better interact with the people around me and has helped me develop new and better ways of thinking.

Matilde

I have to say I've gotten a lot out of my college experience at CSULA. Because I am involved on campus, I've been able to meet a lot of great people with the same ideals as me and I've been able to be apart of a lot of awesome events on campus. Since I am apart of some clubs on campus I have been able to get to know my professors on another level than just in the classroom. For example, I am the secretary for the queer connection, which is a group for LGBT student and allies too. It's humbling to see professors attend our events and support our group. It's been valuable to me to be involved because it goes beyond learning in the classroom. It's made me into the well rounded person I am today. I know how to manage my work in school and include time to be involved as well. I value my education, but I am glad to be involved, which makes me value my campus, it's various organizations and events. It makes college much more enjoyable beyond the academics.

Jennifer

What I got out of my college expreience is that there are schools with professors that enjoy teaching, and there are those school that do. not I started out at a college with terrible experiences, but today, after transferring to CSULA showed me that there are professors out there that encourage you to keep going. I also learned to take online classes during winter-session or breaks to get more done during a time that you would not take the time to do. I have met some wonderful people going to college and i have a feeling that we are going to best friends for life. Going to college has been valuable to attend due to the facts that I have been able to somewhat write better, and teaches me how teach when I become a teacher. I am constantly learning what to do and what not to do from professors in this campus. I would not be able to be a teacher without my professors here, nor would I be as great as a musician thanks to a dear friend that taught the previous school I attended, but now is trying to get a full time gig with CSULA.

matthew

I enlisted in the military 5 years ago.It was an honerable job, but it provided me with many chanlenges and obstacles.The hours were long, and the work at times could be dangerous. When I was sent to Balad Air Base in Iraq, it became more than apparent to me that i needed to change the direction my life was headed.Though i could work this blue collar job,and potentially make it a career, I saw more for myself. I felt i had the ability to further my education. I decided to seperate from the military in 2009, with an honerable disharge and registered at the local community college. Here, as a pre-med major, i flourished. I ended my first semester with a 3.6 average, and an acceptance into the University of California Davis. I currently attend UC Davis, where I am a Bio-Chemistry/Molecular Biology major. College is one of the most important things in my life. Without it, my potential would not be able to be reached. I am now in the position to succeed, which I most definitley will.

Jaqueline

My college experience has been fun and knowledgeable. I have met many new people from different backgrounds. I have learned to live on my own and take responsibility into my own hands. It has been valuable because I have learn to take responsibility and taken control of my life. I have discovered new study skills and have applied them to my work habits.

Francisco

When i first started college, it was kind of difficult for me because i wasn't used to the pace of the classes and i also did not know anybody. But after a couple of weeks, i got the hang of it and classes seem a little easier. A lot of it can still be confusing but you just have to work harder and really concentrate and be more resonsible. In college, there is no one looking after you so you have to be responsible and make desicions for yourself. That is one thing that i have gotten out of my college experience so far, which is to be more responsible. Another thing is that you make a lot of new friends. You meet a lot of cool people. It's a totally different feeling being in college than high school but i think thats part of the experience, which is to try new things and have a taste of what the real world is like.