Chapman University Top Questions

Get your GE courses done within your first 2 years. Bring a car, make sure you can afford housing in the area. Get involved in Greek Life

If I could talk to myself as a teen making a transition to college, I would have so much advice to give. My transition was not easy. I did not enter college out of high school. I entered as an adult with a husband along with small children. The main word is “motivation”. You have to find something to keep you motivated. YOU have to be determined within yourself. In order for you to grow and learn is to have the motivation to do so. Don’t blame the things that happened to you on someone else. Even if it wasn’t actually your fault, as I stated before your life is yours and yours only. We were not put here to share lives. Throughout the few years that I have attended college, I have met so many people. I have met people of different cultures, different ages from young to old, and even other teachers were sitting in my class that actually already had a bachelor’s but insisted on returning to school. I call that motivation, determination, and consistency! That would definitely be my advice to myself. Stay strong and change with the world, don’t fall behind.

To be honest, I would have to sit my younger self down and plead with them to plan ahead as much as possible, but at the same time to not put all my eggs in one basket. Having options is the best strategy when going through the college application process. Along with that I would tell them that if a high school or college counselor elludes to anything about the transfer process from community college to a 4 year university being simple and easy, or that something is guaranteed, to take that with a grain of salt. My experience was the opposite of what my advisors had described. All in all, I would say "Use your head and don't slack off!"

I would tell my high school self: YOU NEED TO GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!! Stop worrting about what other people think about you and start working harder! Don't wait so long to transition from high school to college. It's going to be tough, but so worth it in the end!

You are ready. Don't be nervous about going off to college because you are going to be fine. The biggest transition is being on your own. Know your schedule and what you can and can't fit into one day. Appreciate the time that you have at home because you are going to rarely want to go home on the weekends once college starts. There are a lot of parties and other temptations on college but remember that your studies come first. Don't overload yourself with classes; leave a little bit of time just for yourself. A movie in with the roommates is not a bad night out; in fact, those may be some of your best memories. There is no need to try and be popular; you will find a circle of friends who will be perfect for you. And it's not a bad thing to want to go home every once in a while, even if it's just to do laundry, get some money, and have a home cooked meal.

I would convince myself that finishing college before you are 25 and before you get married and have children or any real responsibilities is the best decision for you and everyone involved in your future. I wouls also explain that knowing what you would enjoying doing everyday would be half the battle in regards to planning for your future. If you know what kind of lifestyle you would enjoy i.e.: what kind of car you want to drive, or where you would like to live ... if you want to live by the ocean or in a large city. These are important questions to ponder as a young person. It is extremely important to think these options over, while you have them as options. Once you have children, and they start school themselves, it is difficult to move them from their friends and the roots they have come from. In other words, once you have these kinds of responsibilies, you have more to think about and there are more lives to consider than just your own. I think the pondering should happen as a freshman. You are making a plan for your future and it starts as early as possible.

I would tell myself to apply to as many scholarships that are available. Looking back, I knew then that schools would offer me money to go to their school. I thought 'it's okay to not receive any scholarships because the school is going to give me.' But now that I am enrolled in a university, I now know that scholarships are very important. Although my university offered me a lot of scholarships and grants, it is still not enough to pay everything. With all the loans and work-study that I have accepted, scholarships would still be a big help to me. I have graduated from high school and regret that I didn't apply to all the scholarships available.

It's nothing like what you see on TV. Sure, you're away from the parents and on your own, but that's not all it's cracked up to be. You need to learn how to juggle doing laundry and studying at the same time. There is no dinner on the table after classes are over. No one to pick up after you. You will not be able to survive on 4-5 hours of sleep more than a few nights in a row. College courses will be hard. The work you're doing now is a piece of cake compared to what is ahead of you. Professors speak a completely different language. Social life....what social life? Throw a boyfriend into the mix and you're toast. So bottom line, my advice to you is buckle up and enjoy being catered to by your parents while you can because college life is about to begin.

I would tell myself to not wait and just go for it. That way I would have attened college as soon as I graduated. Instread I waited and am now apply when it is much more difficult for me. But, despite everything working against me I keep my head help high,because I was blessed witha beautiful son, Cyrus. He makes me want to work harder than I every have before. I want him to look up to me and know that I have done something with my life. Myself as a senior was carefree and spontanious. Now I am determinded and goal oriented, and my goal is to graduate college. The only speed bump is my financial situation. I hope you will consider me for your scolarship, because I am in need and would not take advantage of such kind gesture.

Do not assume you know what you want to do and who you want to be when you finish college. Your plans will change. You will realize you have many more options than you initially thought, and you will push yourself and exceed all boundaries in a way you never expected. You will realize medical school is not the right path for you, and you will find a way to contribute to the community through participation in a variety of groups on campus. Be open to new ideas, new clubs, new people, new methods of learning and studying and new food. Do not hold back during orientation just because the events are all silly--you may miss out on some incredible opportunities you will never be presented with again (and most importantly, bring the friends you've already made along!). Be silly with other people and don't forget to laugh and smile, even when you're stressed beyond belief. There will always be room for smiles during the rough adjustment period during the first semester of college. And always remember you are not alone in any problem or challenge you may face in school, especially in the dorms!