California State University-Sacramento Top Questions

The most important thing is to focus on one of your many dreams and follow through with it. Throughout life's journey, you will choose many different careers and jobs that are all part of the grand experience. Choosing a college or a major doesn't mean you are choosing the rest of your life. Take time to think about which path you'd like to pursue at the time and concentrate on completing that goal. After studying business in college, I went into the Peace Corps and came out with a different career goal than when I first started my undergraduate studies. Research as much as possible, all the different work opportunities at the school to which you are applying and all the scholarships, grants, programs available to you prior to starting your college education. This will help you financially and will alleviate stress caused from working while attending school. In the end, your education is an investment to your brain and to yourself. Regardless of what you choose to study you will grow mentally, emotionally, socially through your college experience. Embrace all that it is and remember that you are learning how to become independent.

I would tell myself take more summer courses, not let so many GE requirements wait until the last semester, and take some fun creative classes. I probably would have told myself to apply and go straight to CSUS rather then spending a year at another campus. I would also warn myself about all the classes that sounded great, but ended up being horrible. Another piece of advice would be about my future goals, rather then spending a year wondering about my future I would start college with the same mindset I currently hold. Having a goal has vastly improved my class preformance and if I had known what I do back then I would have dedicated more time to my work early on.

If I was given the opportunity to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school student I would tell myself to take advantage of all the opportunities I had at the time. I would tell myself to take mor AP courses. Although, it would have challenged me slightly more I would have been better prepared for the classes I would have needed to take in college. I would also have been able to eliminate a few of the required GE courses that I now have to take. Also, I would have told myself to take more courses at the community college. Since tuition was free to high school students I would have been able to save thousands of dollars that I am now spending by going to a university. Lastly, I would have told myself to listen to my mom about how she wanted me to go to a school closer to home. Not only would this have allowed me to save more money, but I would also be less homesick.

make sure you dont fall into pure pressure

As a high school senior i would tell myself that i need to know what my goals are to stick to them. We all know tha transition is hard, but I would advise myself to be patient, consistent and think of what the future will bring at not the struggles presented at the moment. I would advise myself plan ahead and do thorough reaseach in regards to those plans. Most of all to be prepared for the unexplected and be flexible to changes in plans and situations

Transferring from high school to college in Sacramento was the biggest change that I had ever made. Looking back on high school from college there are definitely many things that I would take into consideration about preparing for college better. In high school I never really learned how to study and my senior year during high school I had barely any classes to concentrate on. Although my GPA was the highest my senior year I would have liked to have focused more on learning how to study and what would help me the most in college during my lectures. If I could tell myself what I know now from being in college to what I did not know in high school I would say, " Aleena, you need to study more, get good grades and concentrate on school. Don't worry about your friends, if they are your true friends they will always be by your side and they’re for you whenever you need them. You need to concentrate on all of the steps that it takes to get yourself into college, do not get behind!" If I could go back to high school I would have done better.

If I could go back as a high school senior, i would tell my self to focus on my studies and study as hard as possible. I would tell my self not to be afraid to seek help if I did not understand. I would really encourage my self to focus more and be disciplined and serious about academics.

If I was able to talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I know now, I would be sure to tell myself to take as advanced of math classes along with other classes as you can because most likely you will need the prerequestique fulfilled for college and in some cases you may be able to save yourself money by passing the class in high school and not having to take it in college. I would also say try to develop a strong studying plan because most of the work of learning is placed on you in college and not spoonfeed by the teacher as was the case in some high school classes. An finally enjoy senior year because life is alot different once out of high school.

College is valuable because it helps you become who you were meant to be; and it is in college that we decide whom that will be. Before college I thought I was lucky because I did not need to try as hard as my peers to get good grades; but that turned out to be my downfall. Being smart can make you lazy. Its one thing to score through the roof on an SAT reading comprehension test and quite another to think you can cram for your college statistics exam. It took me longer that I care to admit to get my act together in college, but eventually I learned that it takes discipline to succeed. College also gave me the opportunity to explore different majors and participate in school activities such as theatre productions and sporting events. My college experience has helped build my resume, but it has also taught me life skills and given me the opportunity to discover who I am and what matters to me. A college diploma is more important now than it ever has been, but knowing yourself is even more important, and that is what my college education has given me.

My college provided me with an opportunity to get more socialized. I grew up in a very small town, so it provided me with an oppotunity and a window into the bigger world. As with any educational institution it has prepared me for the job world. Hopefully it will place me at a better chance of aquiring a good job, especially within this economy. Another hard fact that I have learned from this school is that life goes and no one stops for your particual problems. At the same time hard work will pay off at the end.

I am very greatful for the years I have spent at college and this is not simply due to the fact that I learnt a lot of new information in my academic classes. I am mostly thankful for the opportunity that was granted to me to meet so many bright, intelligent and lively people such as my math professors and other science and language instructors and athletic coaches. I gained a lot from these people. I learned how to be a more self-motivated, dedicated and hard-working person. College work and sports have built my character and helped me develop my personality and, most important, build my stable goals and futher looking plans for the future. Through the interaction with my professors I learned a lot of new ideas and beliefs that eventually helped me to become a more creative and prospective student. In addition, thanks to my tennis coach, I learned how to be more optimistic, open-minded and cheerful person. I became more open and friendly towards others and it made my each day go by with excitement and positiveness. And i could feel and notice more and more positive things around me which was absolutely amazing.

The most valuable things I have gotten out of my college experience are the degree and the major specific knowledge. I need a degree to be competitive in the job market as a signal to employers that I am capable of completing something, anything. Also, despite the complete waste of time I spent in General Education classes, those classes I took that actually were relevant to my future career and current interests were beneficial and stimulating. In fact, the amount of useful information I gained from my "real" classes is nearly matched by the trivial and rather disappointing information gleaned in the often mind-numbingly boring classes that were meant to round out my education. Perhaps their value will be fully realized when I eventually appear as a contestant on Jeopardy and am faced with the category "Aztec Geography." As for now, I can rest assured with the knowledge that my degree and dutiful work in my major will wing me wistfully and successfully into a bright career.

I feel like I never would have met as many people as I have nor been able to study such a variety of topics as I have at Sacramento State. It's definitely been valuable to attend because I have learned many things I didn't expect to learn before and have taken classes that are different, but still end up being really interesting and almost some of my favorites.

I joined a club on campus my junior year and realized how important it was to get involved on campus. I was one of those students who attended class and went home immediately after the class was over. I dreaded coming to campus and didn’t feel connected with the campus. I didn’t stay and socialize or reap the benefits the campus had to offer. Once i joined the club, I ran for the VP of Community Service, hoping I could make a difference. Once i was elected for the position i made it my mission to get the campus involved in helping out the community. Knowing that you, as an individual, made an impact on the school and also the community is an amazing feeling and very rewarding. I met many amazing people that have gone on to contribute their amazing qualities elsewhere. I would not be the person i am today if i didn’t attend Sacramento State and get involved. I learned that I have a strong passion for making a difference in someone's life. I loved the campus so much; I am back getting my teaching credential.

Through my college years I have learned that I need to spend a little more studying for my classes and just educating myself in general. For example, reading the books, newspaper, or listening to the radio regularly so I could improve my vocabulary and language. Another thing that I learned is try to not give up setting a goal because the result will bring only the positive things when reach a certain goal.

So far I have gained an increased knowledge of my resources available on this campus along with how to go about recieving help in the real world if I ever need it. I have been given the opportunity to make many new friends and find myself along the way. I value Sac State and its ability to mold me as a person not just in my mind but on the outside as well. I love this school!

My college experience has been a necessary tool in my academic and personal advancement. It has encouraged growth in areas that one would not stereotypically associate with academics and college. Besides having significantly assisted me in increasing my academic abilities, many of the classes taken have also offered invaluable insight into myself and the world that I live in. I have been forced to take both a critical and personal view of my character and how it relates to what I have experienced, am experiencing, and what experiences are still to come. I have further come to realize that, "No man is an island," and what I do will not only inevitably affect me, but those I associate with in day to day life. To me, this has been the most valuable reward of my college experience.

I now understand that each class I take is a stepping stone for the next class and so on. A lot of information I learn I try to teach other people and students, and motivate them to go to school and get a higher education. My job is a Child Development Assistant, and working with older youth at church for many years. I try to teach them what school did for me, and what it can do for them. It has been valuable to attend becasue I an work and learn from really intellegent people/professors. But I fear that without adequate funding I wont be able to reach my goal. I also learned its really hard to get any scholarship. That is why Im asking you to review this application and allow me to finish/resume my education without dropping out due to lack of funding. Thank You.

Thus far, I cannot honestly complain too much about the educational experience I have received. I realize that, with this economy, schools all over are doing their best while having to cut funds to classes, majors, and "extras" ( like bus lines, housing costs, etc). However, I am a little peturbed to see what Sac State has done. While expanding the Nursing program to a different building (they just purchased this year, off campus), they have cut pertinent portions of student funded services. They have closed down the Hornet Shuttle during the most convenient hours; students with a 7:30 AM class or an 8 AM can no longer take the shuttle, they would be late. Also, they have cut the shuttle before dark hits. With all the rapes and sexual assualts that have occurred in just this past semester, I am stunned they would do such a thing. Lastly, they have taken funds from majors to place in the growth of stabile ones. It seems that a student's experience at this campus is no longer in the school's plan or interest.

I have had the most amazing experience of my life as an older college student. I returned to school after 8 years of being away, and college has given me the confidence to follow my dreams. It has made me extremely organized, allowed me to create friendships with people of all ages, and see the special talents others have. College has made me less critical of other's differences, and more accepting of people in general. I have loved seeing how caring the faculty are over their "flock" of students each semester and how they want us to be happy in our pursuits as much as we do. College has humbled me at the same time to realize there is a huge world out there with a ton of information, but given me the power to use my resources to access it. I appreciate my education and how fortunate I am to be the first one in my family to have an Associates, and soon a Bachelor Degree in Nursing. My parents never were encouraged to purse higher education, and they will be proud when I graduate as one of seven kids. College has significantly connected me to other people.