Davenport University Top Questions

What should every freshman at Davenport University know before they start?

Samantha

Take time when choosing a college and deciding what you want to go into. I have changes my mind three times with three years, luckily I was doing generally the same thing. Also, so away to school. Staying home to save money is a good thing but you will soon regret it when going away to visit friends. There is so much more activity going on a big campuses and so many more opportunities. You can join more organizations and meet so many more people. Instead of living at home and trying to figure everything out on your own you will the more chances to experience new things. Be smart with loans! Your parents make too much money to help you but not enough to help you pay for school! Start putting even $50 out of every paycheck aside to help pay of student loans while in school so that you do not run out. Be smart and pay attention in classes, you will need to know this stuff when you graduate and actually try to find a job! Have fun and enjoy it, once you graduate its time to be an adult.

Gabe

The first thing you need to know is how to study. Don't take your brains for granted and think you can coast through college just like you did in high school. It is nowhere near the same. My second piece of advice would be to learn how to budget your time. You have to make time for homework and studying regardless of how much you want to party and hang out with the new friends you made. The last piece of advice would be to not give up. Even if you hit a rough patch in school, put your head down and stay focused on the task at hand. You can do anything you put your mind to.

Brandon

The work load has increased and you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel any more. High school is dragging you down and things can only get harder from here, right? Surprisingly, your best choice right now is to keep yourself together, work harder on that english paper, put more work into that math problem, research the thirty-first president of the United States. When you get to college, everything is what you want to do. Working hard in high school will prepare you well, college will be a breeze. The only new knowledge you are required to have is in the field you love, Everything else is an easy review. By the way, you will meet real friends here who understand what you are saying when you talk about your latest programming project. You have more free time than you think and the free time is nice. High school is your chance to get ahead, take it because it will never come around again.

Melanie

When looking back there would be a few things I would tell myself. For starters, make sure you are recieving adequate information before making a decision on which college you want to attend. You have to apply to more than three schools and ask every question imaginable before making a decision. Also, you cannot form an opinion about a school until you find out everything it has to offer. Next piece of advice is to not take on too much when you start college esspecially with moving away. You have to settle in and figure out the ground before you get involved in too many things. Do not try to take on all your classes, work, a few clubs, and a honors project all at once if you have never lived away from home before. Eventually, you will find yourself overwhelmed and needing to quit something. So, take things slow and figure things out before you get your feet too wet. Lastly, keep an open mind about the college life. Remember school work always comes first and parties second. Also, make sure you know who you are hanging out with before you find yourself alone with them.

Destiny

If I could go back and give my senior self advice about making the transition on college life I would say; "Destiny, take heed to the many pearls of wisdom others have given you about life and moving forward. Remember, nobody will baby sit or hold your hand. Take learning into your own hands and not wait on the instructor to instruct you to the next thing. Stay grounded in your morals. You can't miss what you never had." I'd continue and say, " Stay guarded and focused. Don't let barriers of culture, and language eat you up. You keep going. The college life portrayed on Television is not always accurate and realistic. You have a great heart but not all the time can you let emotion cloud logic. You can't help anybody if you can barely help yourself. Not everybody was born the same way you were. Not everybody is honest. People can be nasty, rude, and misleading but never lose sight of a goal and that's educate yourself, polish your skills and share your abilities with the world. Lastly, if something don't look or feel right LET IT GO!"

Matt

My biggest worry then was playing baseball in college. After my injury, I was devastated. My biggest advice to myself would be to stop worrying about what I cant control and simply focus on school, family and friends. I think I isolated myself for awhile, dead focused on rehab and training. Looking back, it just doesnt seem like a huge deal now. As far as transition to school, I would tell myself to read the chapters before class in college. I never read the textbooks in high school and figured I could do the same in college. This was not the case! I learned that lesson sometime mid-freshman year. Overall, the transition was stressful simply becasue it was a transition. I would tell myself to enjoy the experience and only worry about being the best friend, boyfriend, and son that I could be. Thanks for considering me! -Matt Rozelle

Rebecca

Dear Rebecca,So many years have passed between us. Years filled with emotion and experience. We’ve already made mistakes but you are doing it right. After 3 children and a failed marriage you are back in high school. You will succeed and the work you do now will get us into college and be an example to our children in the future. They are all college grads. You will be proud. We will have struggles. We can make them easier. The first lesson is that no one can rescue us. We’ll pull our self up by our bootstraps but keep looking for that knight in shining armor. There isn’t one. Still all that hard work pays off. In failure, hard work teaches lessons. Next, respect and believe in yourself. We can be a Doctor or Nurse or anything else we want to be. Don’t listen to the naysayers. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you our heart is wrong. Weigh all decisions within.Finally, the travel was worth it and education will be some of the most rewarding moments of our life. Don’t change those.Love from your future self,Rebecca

Kenneth

I would tell myself to take Senior year as serious as possible. It isn't a joke! Get a job on top of sports, not only for the income but also for something to put on a college application. Take more risks that won't get you in trouble with the law. It is okay to have some fun and try new things, don't be afraid to go through a little pain and enjoy the experience of how you got there. Ask the girl out that you wanted to, it might not have lasted going into college, but knowing you took a shot with it is better than just sitting on the sidelines wondering what if. Start that small food fight you wanted to. Yeah it might have gotten you in some trouble with the school, and some of your record, but what kid doesn't see a movie with a food fight and the lunch room and says lets try this? Take part in activities that might be deemed nerdy, for example, chess club, math club, or the debate team. Since your motto is go big, or go home, why not give it a shot.

jerry

thank you

Evelyn

I was a high school drop out and decided to go get my GED in 2005. If I would be able to rewind time, I would have to rewi nd it to my freshman year and try to take advantage of my full education. I would definately attend Davenport University again, it was the best fit for me. I'm currently going back to that school again. College is hard but it is definately worth doing. Education is the most important part of life, and it opens many doors for people.

Jaclyn

Don't change a thing. College was a blast and you will have no regrets. Going back to school in your thirties is just part of life's journey. You wouldn't trade this experience for anything.

Faith

I really knew what I wanted to do my whole life. I wanted to be a cosmetologist. I spent a lot of my own time in the salons because my aunt and good friend of the family both worked in salons. I was able to attend hair shows with them and watch them work. I think having that passion really has prepared me for doing what I wanted to do. However, I really didn't take the time to think about paying for college. The advice I would give myself was to put away as much money as I could. I immediately started working the day after I turned 16. I have tried not to be a financial burden to my family. I should have been saving money all along to help me pay for college. That would have helped me so much. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship. I will not let you down if I am chosen.

Sally

If I were to go back in time I would have told myself, focus more in school and join an after school program. As a high senior back in 2009 I wasnt involved in any school programs, nor did I participate in any sports. Now that I am in college, I had to pay my way through school and it was very hard the first year. Many schools offered scholarships for students who participated in sports and were involved in programs like DECA etc. I never really gave life after high school much thought. I was just 18 years old trying to hurry and graduate. Now that I am 22 years old, I have faced reality and now I am finally graduating with my asscociates degree this summer 2013. I recently got accepted into University Of North Texas and will be attending in the fall. I am overly excited to attend school in the fall and start working on my major Fashion Merchandising.

Daniel

Don't choose a college by what other classmates are doing. Check out colleges - visit , and if possible ask current students about their experiences. Don't put a lot of pressure on yourself to move out and live in the dorms. Living at home can be a great cost saving option if it's close to the campus. Living at home also gives you more opportunities to continue to pursue your own interests on free time - like hunting, fishing, biking, etc. College doesn't have to redefine who you are - keep it in perspective. The goal for college should be preparation for a good job or career. Choose a focused college that will help you meet your career goals without adding the stress of added liberal arts curiculum that you are not interested in.

hope

Do my best in all courses never give up. Research colleges first before graduating from high school so you won't be lost finding your future. College life is different so make sure to make wise decisions. Going to college and graduating is the most important decision any senior will make in their lives. Education is the most important goal all kids should achieve. Not having a college degree will keep you in a bind of debt, low paying jobs, stress and considered non-competitive in the workforce. Having a college degree can open more doors to more jobs, offers, success and blessings in your life. I am the first person to graduate from college in 2012. My parents, or grandparents or great grand parents didn't go to college. I am so proud to becoming a soon to be graduate knowing I will be more productive in the workforce above high school graduates. Go for GFS= Go For Success!!!!

Michael

I would have told myself to continue my education. I would tell myself that there are no obstacles too large and that I could do it! I would make sure I had resources to give to my younger self to make getting that education easier. I would also have to tell myself that no matter what I am telling myself, it is wrong. I am smart, I can do it and my family is wrong. I can do anything I can set my mind to.

Joseph

As a current college student, I would focus on the element of college as more of a social convention than an educational choice. College has become seen as a given, a natural next step after high school that one finishes after four years, probably with now-sizeable debt. I myself have taken a slightly different path. I have gone to two different colleges now, and have come to realize that my choices as to where to apply for college, and what to major in were more driven by trying to impress my friends than by choosing the most fulfilling path for me. I am now going into my first semester at a four-year school where I will complete my BA in Psychology, hopefully with Honors. To my high school senior self: ignore what you think everyone else thinks! Don't be rash in this; others can have constructive suggestions, but don;t for example go into engineering because it seems a proper manly major or pre-med because it sounds like a nobl struggle, instead choose the path of light, the one that says "I am happy with my life and what I am doing with it."

Bethany

To complete my degree directly out of high school. I attended a two year college and decided I was done with school. Several years later, I realized that without furthering my degree, I was not going to be able to progress my career life any further. It was important for me to advance in my career field. Even though I have now completed my degree, for the time being, I still wish that I would have stayed in college through the Master's program. When we graduate from high school, one of the first ideas that several students get is to begin working and start college after a couple of years. From personal experience, this mind set is a horrible belief. If I would have known how difficult it is to go back to school and get back in the mindset of studying every night, I would have completed at least a bachelor's degree right out of high school. To say "I can go back at any time" is a very untrue statement. When life begins and it is necessary to work everyday, going back to school becomes further and further from one's reach.

erica

The advise I would have to give myself is that high school is not just about fun and games. In high school I never took anything to serious and I wish I would have. I believe that I have the brains I just never used them in high school. I was to worried about my friends. If I could go back in time I would have turned those B's and C's to A's and B's.

Heather

I would tell my self to relax and not stress so much about the acedemic challenge, because it does nothing but allow me to grow and understand the world, and I will end up doing a great job! I would also tell myself to become involved in many activities on campus such as clubs or theater because it would introduce me to many new people and ideas which would help shape me into the well-rounded person I aspire to be. Lastly, I would tell myself to always carry an unbrella because walking across campus in the pouring rain is not fun!