City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College Top Questions

Transitioning into college life can be a difficult thing. As a young adult, it is the single most important life decision you will have to make. Trying to figure out what college to attend, or what profession to choose are all factors that will make a huge impact in your future. Believe me, I would know. This year was my first year back in college since getting my Bachelor's in Fine Arts in 2010. My decision to get another degree was because the career choices I had made in the past was not fulfilling enough. Now, I have a positive outlook on life, and a clear direction of what I want to do. I think the most important advice I could give to future college attendees would be to not rush into the experience. Take you time thinking about your life goals. Once you have a solid direction of what you want to do, make sure you do your homework and research all possible options. It is also very important to work out a game plan financially. Make sure you don't take out too many loans that you will not be able to pay back in the future.

I would tell myself to start at a community college first. I would of told myself to get my general education courses out of the way first. I would of told myself to be careful with spending money on new books. If I would of given this advice to myself 6 years ago, I would of saved time and money and most likely would of had my career at this time.

As a high school senior, I lacked the focus on drive to complete tasks on time and to the best of my ability. I know my potential as a student, and I'm disappointed in myself as not only a high school senior, but a high school student throughout all 4 years of that part of my education. I would tell my high school self to stay motivated, and build relationships as soon as I can with as many people as I can. Now that I'm a young adult I've become more acquainted with the power in networking. Not only would I have notified my younger self of that, but also to not procrastinate. I would begin assignments as soon as I get them to prevent experiencing so many "all-nighters", too. Knowing what I know now as a young adult, I feel I would've been better repared as a teenager with more career success tools. Better preparing by saving money and time, would put me in the position to be better professionally and personally accomplished sooner.

Going back in time, I would tell my high school senior self that failure is not the end of your high school career but instead a perfect opportunity to learn about the future. In life, there will always be disappointments but that shouldn't sway someone from trying harder. College will be a learning experience for you where you will have to pull yourself from your boot straps and get back up when something does not go as expected. Just keep your head up high and remember that nobody is perfect, even yourself.

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, the one piece of advice I would tell myself is to have a better sense of time management. College is so much more different than high school in terms of being self-sufficient. Majority of the time it is up to the person to determine how much time is needed for completeing thier work as well as studying for a class. Time management is essential in reaching college success. Time management is one concept that I did not have during my first year of college and had I done better with time, it would have reflected in better grades. Now being older and knowing this concept it is much easier to balance my workload and know what areas I need to focus on more than others.

Now that I am in college, I would of definitely prepare myself with letter of recommendations. Once I started college, I was searching for a job. I didn't had a complete resume nor a cover letter. I would of also visit the colleges and ask a lot of questions. It is very important to get to know the campus. No one wants to be late or lost in their first day of class. Meet new people and get involve in clubs. A lot of schools look for students that have actively been involve in school activities. Take a leadership role at your school. Do not be afraid and adventure what is there to offer. Take advantage of the resources the school offers. Most students are not aware of the school's resources and miss great opportunities!

The advice I will give myself is making sure I have money for school. Meaning how I'm going to pay for school(FASFA or paying for school myself. Making sure what school I will attend because I didn't even know what school I was going to go to until last year december. Also, don't never give up on school it might be heard sometimes but it's worth waiting for.

In high school I was a very excited student. I always came to school with a positive attitude. My outlook on the future was optimistic and I constantly counted the days until graduation. Now as a second year college student I think about my year as a senior and wish that during that last year of high school I could have done some things differently and made more important choices pertaining to college. If I could talk to myself as a senior I would tell myself, LeVonnga, to always come to class and avoid having severe absences. The more I am in class the more I have opportunities to converse with my teachers and counselors on the many college choices available. I would also tell myself to have more patience when choosing a college or university to attend. I would research all of the options available to me as a student and narrow down my choices from there. This would include searching through scholarships, loans, and jobs such work study and internships to help with my college expenses. If I could talk to myself as a senior I would remind myself to always be open-minded and stay positive.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senoir, I would tell myself that the problems I faced were not as bad as they seemed, and that I should prepare myself for many more to come. I would tell myself to prioritize my goals regarding my education, and my personal life, and to combine the two to ensure a successful future for myself.

Going to community college was the best decision I can ever make for myself. I have saved lots of money but at the same for a big price. I pay tuition out of my own pocket without financial aid or parent help. I have learn to be responsible with my money and wait until I was ready to transfer to a 4-year college. The thing that I would say If I where back in high school as a senior is to encourage myself do more challenging classes such as Physics, Trigonometry, and Calculas. Taking challenging classes in high school would help me prepare and know what to expect in college. Do all your hard work now and relax later, everything will pay off in the end. I would tell myself to stay in community college for 2 years and not going on almost 4. Plan and be organize with college credits and go on the right course to fulfill an associates degree.