Dillard University Top Questions

If I could go back in time and give advice to myself as a high senior, I would tell myself to stay focus, work hard, and don't get distracted.

Dear Erica, right now it is hard for you to see past all this pain but many great things lie ahead. I understand that the girls in the group home pick on you and you feel alone in this cruel world, but that will change. Erica, you dont see how much school will help you succeed because you have never been taught to take it seriously, but education will hold the key to you magnificent life. You are a beautiful women who only has many rainy days so that you can charish the sunny ones; but this storm is almost over. I know you are afraid to love because you have been abused but there is a wonderful man waiting to love you unconditionally. It sounds crazy, but I swear you will be the first in your family to go to college! You will have a 3.6GPA and double Major in Psychology and Mass Communications. It is true your future is beyond bright, you will move from California to Louisiana and join four diffrent campus organizations. Most importantly you will find sincere happiness. So dont give up on yourself because I have not given up on you. Love, Erica

Throughout my years of experience as a college student I have experienced leaving home after graduating high school to go to a four-year college out of state, I have experienced transferring home to a 2-year community college, and I have experienced transferring from a 2-year community college to a four-year university in state. The advice I would have given myself as a high school senior would be to take advantange of all the tools available to you in college. Resources in college are endless and the resources are typically free and are waiting for you to take advantage of them. Becoming involved with the college and the community are also essential, because college is one big family full of people that want you to succeed. I would also suggest taking advantage of every scholarship you can, because scholarships can assist you with finishing your education and getting you to where you need to be to be successful in life and accomplish your goals.

If I could go back in time as a high shcool senior, I don't think there is a lot I would change as I transitioned to college. Having strong parental support in high school had me focused on what would be needed in college. Being that I was on my own, the best I could give myself is to learn early about organization. I do believe I would have done better in my freshman year if I was more organized. Organization is the key to scheduling assignments, exams, and projects to make sure they are done on time; not at the last minute.

Thelisia, you are an intelligent and capable person. Never lose sight of your reason for going to college. You have to push yourself even harder during those times of confusion, frustration, depression, feelings of failure, to concentrate on your coursework. Join clubs and field related associations right away. Participate in sports. You liked volleyball so much in high school and you can continue playing in college to perfect your skills. Give back to the community. New Orleans is such a beautiful place and it needs people like you to care about it after all the devastation it has faced. Network! Never meet a stranger but remember while socilizing is key, dating can hold off. Try to refrain from dating. You are in college to learn and to take measures toward advancing your career. By ALL means network but never give anyone too much of your time if they do not have your best interest at heart. Out of all the important words that can be told to a college student, "Call and visit home as often as possible." is the most important. Your family will be able to lift your head and your hopes when you have no energy to.

Dillard has taught me how to survive in the real world. I have learned that not everthing is going to be handed to me when I want it, or if I am even going to get it. I have learned patience, because dealing with Dillard sometimes can be an extremely long process. I have learned that I might not live in the best neighborhood when I come out of college, and if I don't thanks to Williams Hall dormitory it wont matter. Dillard has taught me that not everybody I come in contact with will not be my friend, but most of all I learned to never give up no matter how hard school gets, or how hard my living conditions get or when I think I have rto much on my plate, just keep going.

I have gotten my Associate in Ats in Criminal Justice abd its been valuable to me because I am the fisrt one in my immediate famil to attend college. I am trying to be the first one in my family to get my law degree in a few years.

Some things that I have gotten out of my college experience is learning to better manage my time, stop procrastinating, always give your best, never give up and just because a few obstacles have been put in my way, it does not mean that I have to shut down or let it deter me. Attending Dillard has been valuable because I have been surrounded by people with positive energy. I have been surrounded by people that motivate me and push me. As a Freshperson, I came from a high school where some of the faculty and staff did not really care about the students and we were just numbers to them. At Dillard, I am more than just a number, I am a person and the people on Dillard's campus recognize and respect that.

The advice I would give myself would be just to do the work. Go to class, do the work, and just manage your time. College is all about time management. The transition for most is hard, especially if you go out of state, because you don't have family with you holding your hand. For me, the transition was complicated because I came to a school that was far and so it pulled me out of my comfort zone.

High school is the foundation a person needs in order to be successful in college. If someone is acedemically successful in high school, he or she will have little to no problems transitioning to the college setting. Both college and high school can be conquered with a "what you put in to it is what you get out of it" attitude. If I could go back and talk to myself, an average C or boarderline B-making student, I would encourage myself to be better than just average. College offers more distrations than high school. No one is here to force you to do the right thing. If I had been a better high school student, not procrastinating or slacking, I would have had practice in being discipline. Now that I am in control of my on faith, I have to force myself to be discipline. HIgh school is the foundation to the rest of your life.