California University of Pennsylvania Top Questions

I am a transfer student; Cal U was my second University that I attended. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to reevaluate why I was going to school. College is for education and not about picking a college for sports. I would also tell myself that while making the college transition is very hard, you have to study way more than I ever did in high school, and prepare for exams weeks before the actual exam. I would also tell myself to get involved with clubs that have to do with my major, that is what makes you meet the friends that are going to help get through college and also through my major. Biology is not an easy major and if I want a job in the medical field I am really going to have to start working for it and really preparing for college now instead of my sophomore year of college.

If I were able to go back in time and give myself advice, I would say I should've worked hard my first two years of high school. Each year, I saw myself progressing and working harder. However, I know I could've pushed myself my freshman and sophomore year. I tried my hardest the last two years, but what really pulled my gpa back was how I did those first two years of high school. I wish I could've graduated with honors or high honors. I do feel like I was prepared entering the college life. The high school I attended, taught me many skills and it made it a little easier to make that transition.

If I could advise my high school self I would have joined sports when I entered high school and stuck with them. I would have joined more clubs and organizations preparing myself to have a resume that stands out. I would better prepare for the SAT and look further into college's that I was thinking about. I knew what I wanted to major in, so I would have advised myself to try to set up a meeting with the advisor of my department at different universities to see if I would better fit with a different university. I would have chose Clarion University because they have a better accredited business program, but my friends were going to CalU so I chose to attend there as well. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself that college is everything, and if you are going to spend this amount of money on it, take the time to look into it to make the best decision for the future.

Don't slack your freshman year to avoid that extra year I have to go.

I would tell myself that college isn't as scary as you thought it would be. The professors don't want to see you fail and will help guide you to the right path in being successful. There are plenty of other people who want to help you succeed and will tutor you to do just that. I would tell myself that you can even apply for a mentor. My menor was extremely helpful when I was a freshman. I would also tell myself to join clubs/organizations early on and to stick with them. It is a wonderful way to get experience and a great way to meet new friends with similiar interests.

Going back and looking at myself in highschool, i would have appreciated more what the teachers really do for you. It is a big transition from highschool to college. For example, taking notes. In highschool they printed off fill in the blank notes, and in college you take your own notes completely. Also the classes in college only meet a few times a week. An average highschool student may think, "WOW, I have all this free time!" Well that is what i thought. But NO, you do not. There is so much more homework in your classes and you really have to be dedicated to your studies to succeed. The only advice i would have given myself is to appreciate all of the work the teachers printed out/did for us, because that does not happen here. You are your own independent person, and there are many responsibilities that follow living on your own.

I would tell myself that it is time to buckle down and brace for the real world. It may be scary, but the time has come to take it on. I know I was scared to go to college back then, but now I wish I could go back and tell myself that college life isn't so bad after all. I actually love it. So with that said, I would push myself to go to whatever college suits me best, not which one is closest to my home, my significant other, my best friend, etc. I would tell myself that no matter what, eventually your heart will steer you in the right direction, so you might as well try to make the right one now. No matter where you go, you'll get a good education and make good friends, because college is what you make of it, but you'll be happiest chosing a college you love. The transition is hard, but time helps this. I would give myself all the strength and courage I could.

If I could go back to my high school self there would be so much advice I would give. I would first remind myself of the importance of my freshman year. That first year is the starting point where you are getting used to the faster pace of work and it's essentially a bar that each student has set for their next year (sophomore year). If I did a little better in that first year I believe I would have done a little better throughout my high school. I also believe it's just as important to finish off strong and not get the "senioritis" as the students at my school would call it when you get a tad bit lazy. The last piece of advice I would give would be to apply for as many scholarships as you can because I can see my debt taking a few years to pay back already.

I would tell myself to pick a class schedule very carefully. Try not to take all the science classes at once and be prepared for a lot of stress, but to not let it control your life. Also not to spend my money on little things that I do not need because classes and books can be very expensive. To make time to study but also make time to relax with friends or just at home. I always thought I was ready but I had a management job in high school that I could take on the world and college was going to be a piece of cake. I learned that was not the case and I also let my medical condition get out of control which slowed down my progress at school. I would tell myself to make sure my body was ready to take on the stress of going to college.

I would tell myself to apply for more scholarships, and not to be so nervous. If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would say to have more confidence about school and to remember that you are paying for an education, so there is no reason to feel like you are a problem to people who are supposed to be helping you.