CUNY Hunter College Top Questions

If I could go back in time and tell 17-year-old Leslie anything, it would be to be fearless. At 17, the world that I knew was small and intimidating. That fear was paralyzing; it did not allow me to seek out different experiences for fear of failure or for fear of inadequacy. 27-year-old Leslie now understands how big the world is, how full the world is with possibilities for anyone who wants it bad enough. Failure is not something to dread; on the contrary, failure is a liberator. Failure allows you to weed through what works and what doesn't work and continue on your path more efficiently. Fear is the quicksand that keeps you stuck at a job you dislike for fear of the unknown. Fear is the kryptonite that stifles all human super powers: creativity, art, ideas, innovation, beauty, love, compassion, acceptance and tolerance. So if I could go back in time and tell any 17-year-old anything, it would be to be fearless.

Dear High School Senior Caitlin: FIRST, kudos to you for deciding to take honors academic courses to prepare you for college courses because that has helped tremendously! College is fun, don't make it a stressful transition. Take high school more seriously, study those extra hours, make those higher grades that count toward your GPA because that grade point average is more than just a number. Your GPA can be a ticket into many different organizations and societies that will aide in taking you to higher places and meeting people who share some of the same goals as you! Along with academics, continue on with your dancing career; don't let it go to waste. Keep learning new moves and improving because many colleges will appreciate your talent and offer you scholarships in this area as well. Stay in touch with colleagues and those people who have helped you through the years; you will thank them one day. Keep doing more than just the minimum, never stop improving, and continue to challenge yourself daily because education is unlimited. Also, drink more water and try the vegetarian diet; it is very rewarding! BRAIN POWER!

So Anna, you're applying for college... so heads up first, Hunter is another Tech, except there's a prettier library and the computers can go onto Youtube. Remember everything you did this last year? Like how you decided to not go to class sometimes, or when you didn't do your homework till 4am the day it was due, or even worse when you decided to just not do it at all? Get your stuff together. Do your homework, make a schedule, clean up your desk once in a while and go get some sleep. It doesn't help when you decide to do your sleeping in class. Also the judo class that you're taking, keep it up even after getting into college. There are occasions when people ask you what skills you have and you can't just list a whole bunch of stuff that you learned but was never good at. The last thing I want to say to you is just go for it. Don't worry about what other people think, so what it's a CUNY? You might not have known much about Hunter but you're not going to regret it.

I would tell myself not to take myself so dang seriously. I've always been a perfectionist. I have always put letter grades and my GPA in front of my happiness. I'm not really talking about the different between an A and a C. I'm talking about the difference between an A and an A+. I took time off school because I became depressed as a result of this kind of thinking. When I got a B for the first time, I was really upset. It was pretty ridiculous. When I came back, I had realized that it didn't just matter what I did inside the classroom. That would help, but work experience and internships could also give me an edge. I have tried to find what I love doing and become a well-rounded job candidate. It's alright if I get a B so long as I keep going. I don't need to be perfect. And I shouldn't take myself so dang seriously.

Take the SAT, go to college.

Be sure to sign up for any scholarships that apply to you. Thankfully your college experience will be an easy transition when you enter LaGuardia but it will get much more difficult when you enter Hunter as the work load is larger. Take this time to learn to manage your time better and plan which assignments get done. When you take your first classes try not to get too nervous about the work you are given. You know your strengths and you take your work seriously. This is why when you are given any assignments or its time to study for your midterms or finals do not second guess yourself. Study and do the best you can. Your professors will see you are taking the class seriously and putting in the effort to do as well as you can. Just because you are transitioning to college does not mean it will be brutal. If you keep the responsible behavior you have now you will do fine. Do not let the horror stories about college psych you out. It will be stressful at times but you will be able to handle it. Be sure to enjoy this time as well.

I would look myself in the eye and say “your life will soon become very hard but the efforts are worth the reward". Because even before my senior year of high school I knew what i wanted and what is was going to take to get there. And there is no better advice to give someone that knows what they want then to just perceiver. Just like what John Quincy Adams said "Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."

Knowing what I know about college life now, I would go back to my bench at Arvin High, October 2005, tap on my shoulder, look at myself and say “Evangelina, stay positive, connect with people and don't be afraid to leave your family. Don’t be afraid to open yourself up to new experiences and incredible knowledge because once you do, the sky really is the limit. Be prepared for late night studying, writing papers and moments of self-appreciation for writing such awesome papers. The advice I’m giving to you is out of love and fore warning of the many rough and not-so rough school years ahead. Go away for school and don’t become another lazy statistic by not finding employment to help with tuition. Do not allow your parents to hold the burden of payments. Have fun in college because there are fun times but do not lose sight of the goal and what’s important; your time, energy, and money. Listen to me and have a wonderful prospering life.” Along with knowing what I know now, I know that I cannot change my past but my future is bright.

College has a way of making a person humble. I entered college assuming that I will do well, but I did not prepare myself well in some classes and ended up with below than average grades. I learned that in order to succeed you need to work towards your goal on a daily basis. Make a table of assignments and deadlines for each class. Actively participate in class by asking questions and open your mind to the answers. When studying do not simply memorize, instead, give yourself time to understand the answer. Balance an academic life with a social life. Having a job, volunteering or simply hanging out with friends and family replenishes your drive to study. Also, network with people in class to form study groups or have someone to call for help. Most importantly be honest with yourself and plan for your future. If there is an opportunity that you want, believe in yourself and apply so that you won’t regret it later. Build your resume and curriculum vitae: apply for internships and summer enrichment programs and volunteer in areas that interest you. Mainly, make things happen for yourself. Improve yourself and take care of your health.

Going to college has been paramount on my agenda. Growing up in a family of six with both my parents Masters Degrees holders in their educational careers,i promised myself that i would also acquire the same level of education as they did. My College endeavors hasr been chalenging for me,but i continue to strive for excelence in my studies. As a full-time worker and also combining it with college can be cumbersome on your body and mind.I managed to encomperate healthy lifestyle into my studies,such as exercising regularly . High school life is different from college life whereby the student has less responsibility to assume, especially with financial challenges that college student has to deal with. In my honest opinion i think high school students should start thinking about saving for college when they are still in high school.This would reduce the burden of financial instability by half. In conclusion,my advice i would give to myself would be acquire as much knowledge as you can in high school because that would go a long way in your studies at college,save for college and get a mentor to help you make good career choices.