Culinary Institute of America Top Questions

You are already everything you want to be and more. Continue to grow and live your life with happiness.

If I was able to travel back in time to my senior year of high school and give myself advice on college life, I would start by telling myself that it is very important to get to know all of my professors. The reason I found this very useful my first year of college was because it allowed me to reach the goal I had set for myself which was to ask many questions and meet new people so I could learn from their past experiences. By stepping out of my comfort zone and talking to my professors I was able to gain valuable knowledge on how to succeed in class, life tips and career knowledge so that I could decide on the right career for me. In high school I did not talk with my teachers, I only did what was asked but in college it has proved to help me grow and learn to network. I know this will be a useful skill when I venture out in the real world.

I would tell myself to think about how I was going to be able to pay for school and maybe choose a school that was a little more offering of financial aid. Maybe look for a few more loans of scholarships.

If I could go back in time and give myself advise on transitioning to college, it would be to not quit. No matter how hard college life may feel, or what curve balls life may throw at you, keep going. It is better to take fewer credits and take your time achieving your degree, than to drop out and try to finish it later in life. I wish someone had told me that when I was a senior, I would not have stopped attending college, and I would have a degree by now. It is always best to talk to someone, like an advisor, about your life and discuss your options to continue going to college. There will always be circumstances that may stop you from attending school; however, if you can avoid quitting college, you should. It is more beneficial to finish now, rather than later. In this economy now, many people cannot find jobs without a degree. You do not want to be one of those people. Take my advise, DON'T Quit, Try 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} and FINISH!

I would have taken a lot more time to seriously consider what I truly felt passionate about before deciding on attending a college. I would have gotten much more experience working in kitchens in order to better prepare myself for the culinary industry. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the experiences I had and the knowledge I have gained from my education at Central Connecticut State University.

Going back to being a senior in high school, I would give myself advice on varying topics but would stress one main action: Calm down! After less than a year, I have grown as a student, a person, and an aspiring culinarian. One thing I have learned through recent life occurrences is not to stress out under pressure. Rather than worrying about everything, prioritize and focus on what needs to be done first and remember that everything will work out. Proving hard work pays off, I have successfully completed my first year of college three thousand miles away from everything I knew. In the kitchen, loosing your cool does not help get the job done. While sometimes anxiety is unavoidable, as stress and pressure is constantly present while serving customers, it is best to stay focused, work efficiently, and multitask not only actions but also thoughts. Applying this work method to life, I find myself much less stressed and more adaptable. Being willing AND able to improvise is an extremely important aspect to life. So if I were speaking to myself, or any highschool senior, I would say do not lose your focus. Things will work out for the best.

Deciding on a major early is extremely important. Also apply for as many scholarships as possible, and as soon as you can! Continue being self motivated and you will succeed!

When it comes to transitioning from high school to college you need to be well prepared. It stops being about hoping to do excellent on a test or getting an A on your project. Within college it is about putting in your all and driving yourself to do the best you can absolutely do. High school may have been filled with classes you did not want to take but college is something that you strived for. It is about the real world and learning as much as you can so you can be on top of the person next to you. College is setting you up for your career and what is going to be what helps you support your family in the future. When making the transition you need to be fully prepared and organized. You must have an open mind and not be nervous because it doesn't matter what people think of you. It matters what you think about yourself and how much you are getting for every penny you put into it. You should go in loving what you do and ready to learn through every minute of every class.

I would give myself the advice to seriously hunt down and dedicate time to filling out scholarships. It never hit me until recently that tuition can truly be helped by telling people honestly about your goals, ambitions, and the things that you are passionate about. Taking a little time out of your day to be commited to scholarships can leave you graduating from one of the best schools in the country with little or no bills to show for it. I would also advise myself to remember that college is an awesome experience. You meet people that you may remain friends with for a lifetime and be introduced to different things, but the ultimate reason for attending college is to take away knowledge that will catapult your career. Always remember your purpose ,and enjoy the ride that you take to get there.

I would tell myself that college is definitely a challenge, but taking the time and studying is what will help you succeed. The transition is a little strange but go around your dorm and campus and meet people. Everyone here is friendly because they're all passionate for food. College is similiar to high school, but definitely more work. I would tell myself to keep a study chart and go to the library from day one and read as much as I can about the culinary field. This industry is constantly changing, and the best chefs from an early start read everything about food.