DePaul University Top Questions

I would tell mtyself to not procrastinate , because that will affect me much. I wouls also think about the difference of college life to high school life, teh change is grandiose and to be prepared for anything. I wouls also mention that to give my all because this is my dream and I am going to make it come true!

My father was killed when I was twelve. My mother enrolled me in a vocational school, so I would be able to develop the skills to work in business. In my senior year in high school, I worked part-time and went to school part-time. My mothers concern was for me to find a job to support myself that offered medical insurance. Going to college was only a dream - not a reality or option. If I could go back in time, I would have encouraged myself to apply for colleges and seek the help of my high school counselors to apply for scholarships. It is easier to go to college while you are young. The challenges of an adult non-traditional student is not easy. You have to balance school, work and home life. The transition is not difficult from high school to college. Just remember to focus on your studies and you'll do just fine.

Allow yourself to succeed. Enjoy every accomplishment while in school. Get to know your professors, they can be the biggest help and asking lots of questions will let them know you want to succeed. Attend every class, not only will it make studying for midterms/finals easier but you're paying for them even if you don't go! Tuition is expensive at DePaul, make the most of your money and get good grades. Study alot and take classes you'll enjoy! It'll make the studying easier and you'll get excellent grades! Take advantage of the tutors available, they're not only free but very helpful if your professor isn't in office hours. These are supposed to be the best years of your life, don't be shy, involve yourself in every activity possible and meet lots of people. All of the people you meet could be a potential connection that will land you a job. Most importantly, be yourself.

Go to a community college and take advantage of the writing labs. The professors at the city colleges are helpful and very understanding, and to mention very dedicated to all their students.

Don't listen to the high school academic advisor. Though, I knew this when I was a HS Senior too. No one knows what college you belong in more than yourself. I chose DePaul because it is close to home (a 5 hour drive to St. Louis, MO) and is a big city with a lot of jobs. When I was a Senior, my first choice was Loyola Chicago, but when I visited DePaul, I knew I belonged here before the campus tour even began.

My college experience over the last year-and-a-half has been rather unforgiving to those who are unsure of their life path. I applied late to the school of music and, despite my first chair audition scores, recieved no financial aid as punishment for my delay. This has caused a lot stress for myself and my parents as we navigate through FAFSA and the loan process. Thus, really make a wise use of your high school years to discover what you want to do. More importantly, do yourself a favor and really look for a school that speaks to you. Don't be afraid to go somewhere far your best friend. College is not the end of your youth, it is a transition into the real world. So prepare for it. Visit a variety of schools. Big schools, small schools, state, and private. Eat in their cafeterias (it'll be your new diet for the next four years, you know). Talk to the professors, talk to students, and don't be afraid to ask questions. You wont offend the institution, but you will get a much better idea if that school is right for you or not. Good luck!

I would have listened to my teachers and applied to DePaul earlier. I then would have withdrawl all other applications so I could have no doubts what so ever

I would remind myself how fun and fufiling it is to be active on campus. I went into college worried that I would have no time for extracurriculars, so I was hesitant to join any student organizations. But half way through my freshman year, I felt that something was missing and that is when I began to get more involved on campus. I loved it! I became an officer in the DePaul Music Business Organization, joined University Ministry to serve the community and travel to other communities to serve, and joined the Liturgical Chior. I am actually doing what I want in college and still building on my career and getting an education.

Get involved your freshman year of college, join social clubs and particiapte in intramurals. Academics are different in college than in high school it requires more out of class effort and constant studying. Have the time of your life, but keep school your number one.

Don't buy books from the bookstore!!!! Biggest mistake you can make. Find a way to either trade books with fellow classmates or friends. I usually wait till the first week to feel out the teacher and see what they say about the books. If you buy books too early, sometimes they will tell you you don't need one or two of them and now your stuck because in general you can't return them. Half.com became a friend of mine saving hundreds of dollars each trimester. College books are expensive and teachers require 5 or even more books for a single class. College students are usually strapped for cash and teachers require books that are rarely used to their full potential. The transistion to college life was quite easy and I officially finished college a few hours before I filled out this survey. Time flies, embrace the experience.

Do not hold yourself back from being as social as possible. The most important thing for you to do here is meet people and make connections with people that will help you in your future career and life. The winters here are not fun, but do not allow it to affect your mood, otherwise you will miss out on a lot of these social opportunities.

My advice to myself would be to just remember what your parents taught you. Study hard and have fun at the same time. Just remember that college is very independent and that it takes a strong person to make it. But as long as your rember who you are and your values, you should be fine.

I don't regret anything I have done in my life, am actually extremely grateful. Having said that, I would offer one piece of advice to my younger self. It is a quote that my mom shared with me during my freshman year of college when I was going through a time of struggle. "Storms always lose to the sun." As a senior, I had a great group of friends, was playing as the principal flutist in our orchestra and band, I had been named the Music Sterling Scholar. Being a naive senior, I wasn't prepared to be a freshman in college and have to work my way up again. If I had been able to ponder that quote, I might have taken some of my challenges in my first two years much better. As a freshman, I was considered the most inexperienced flutist, had to make new friends, and found college coursework to be much more difficult. Thankfully, I have learned from my experiences that things always get better with time and hope. You must have blind faith going into every day and know that somehow, "storms always lose to the sun."

I would tell myself to get involved in more clubs in order to get a better idea of what I want to do with my future. It would have been a good idea to take a wide range of classes and try harder to absorb the material and see what I really am interested in. Also, I would have joined more organizations in order to get to know a wider range of people.

I wouuld deffinately have told myself to work harder and take those AP and honors classes becasue it helps you get ahead in college.

This has been a question that I have actually thought about. It is very unfortunate that my high school did not prepare students for college and the number of students that did attend college and finish is very slim. I would tell myself that college is in the near future and is possible continue higher education. Work is very hard and do not let monetary things get in your way and continue to focus on my near and far goals. Set realistic goals both small and large to achieve the final destination.

DePaul will give you a great first year experience, but since it is a comuter school, the friendships you make your first year will break. away. It'll be sad but you can get through it. There will always be at least one friend who will not leave you. Don't choose a college just because it is in a city and you don't want to go to an in-state school. If you choose to go to an in-state school it does not mean that you are any less than you would be if you went out of state. I know you want to race out of your hometown and fly away from Ohio as fast as you can, but remember your past will not disappear if you do. Don't get so stressed out about which school to choose, yeah its a big decision, but you can always change. Please take into consideration the money situation. Just because a school is expensive and private doesn't mean it is better than a cheaper public school. Don't hurt your parents by making them pay DePaul's overpriced tuition.

While which college you attend is important, your happiness is more important, so you should listen to yourself and not anybody else in making this decision. If you get to college and realize you made the wrong decision, life isn't over; you can transfer. Just do your best and everything will fall into place. Forcing decisions hardly ever ends up the way you would like, and in the end what is supposed to happen will happen. Remember who you are and where you came from while you learn even more about what you're capable of. Life is beautiful.

Make sure that you stick with your goals that you have had and don't ever give up when your classes become extremely overwhelmingly hard. Everything always will work out for the best. Make sure that you stop procrastinating because once you're in college, it's going to become a heavy burden upon yourself. Strive to meet others and interact with them. You will come to find that the other students that are a part of DePaul have a lot to offer and can become some of your best friends. You will be amazed as to how many opportunities are awaiting you once you come to DePaul.

Elizabeth, do not worry. Worrying only causes stress and doesn't get anything done. College life is not as intimidating as you think, and most schools are there to help you succeed in your career, not to watch you fail. As a high school student, with no family who's attended college, it is understandable why you would feel completely lost. As you've probably discovered, however, the best thing you can do is sit down with an academic advisor and talk about your plans. Even though you have no knowledge of how college works, along with the financial and academic aspects necessary to attend a college, everyone learns through experience. A fews years from now, you're going to have to help your brother with the same things, and it's better to know as much as possible than none at all. You've done well all throughout high school, making the transition to college is not going to be very difficult in your case. Keep studying hard and focusing on your dreams. If you don't know what you want to be, explore different subjects because you are bound to discover something of extreme interest. Best of luck!