Drexel University Top Questions

I will be the first in my family to earn a college degree and that has now become my purpose in life, to help benefit another's life through teaching. I now understand now the benefits of attending college. The dedication, self-discipline and responsibility that each one of us has to make our mark in this beautiful world of ours. I did not attend school, particulary high school, very often. I want to stress to our younger generation, that attending school and applying yourself, is the greatest gift you can give to yourself. It's never too late to become what you dream and live the dream. Anyone who says that you cannot be what you strive to be obviously does not know the power of determination and dedication. My experience in attending college has not only increased my thirst for knowledge, but has also strengthened my self confidence, through the many advisors and administrators, that I can earn my degree and I will earn my degree. Plainly put, saying "no" to getting a college education is simply not an option. Feed your brain, it's hungry......for knowledge.

Not only am I receiving an education in a field that can make a difference, I am learning about who I am and who I want to be as a person and member of society. College is a lot more than just grades and academic knowledge; it is about spreading your wings and becoming who you are going to be for the rest of your life. My experience at Drexel has taught me about who I want to be and shown me how I can get there, through personal relationships and career goals. Had I not attended school, I would not have exposed myself to the many experiences and opportunities that allowed me to gain these insights. My idea of the world and myself would be a lot more narrow.

If I could go back in time and speak to myself as a high school senior, I would reassure myself that all would work out for the best. As a high school senior, I was anxious and unsure much of the year. Senior year was like a frenzy, consumed with so many applications, interviews, tests, questions and decisions, that I felt as if I had little control over my future. I wasn't peaceful during that year because there were uncertainties and twsits and turns that I never could have envisioned. But I could have told myself that somehow the right path would become clear. I needed to realize that I had tried my hardest in high school and I simply must have faith that good opportunities were coming my way and that I would be able to recognize and seize those choices. As a senior, my realization that all was not within my conrol made me feel a sense of panic. Over the past year, I've realized that no one has complete control--this is a fact of life. We must make the best choices where we can, but also accept and even enjoy uncertainties.

If I could give myself advice, I would reccommend immediately getting involved in clubs and other activities and networking with everyone. Many schools have regular events and workshops that also help students make friends and get better aquainted with the University and I wish that I had jumped right in and taken advantage of them. I could have established a lot more contacts that would have especially been useful now that I am searching for a Co-op position. College and life after college is about who you know and how you can market yourself to other professional people in order to open more opportunities for yourself. Luckily, there are still many opportunities open to students on campus and I have been able to make up for lost time so to speak, but finding a job still would have been a lot easier had I already established the contacts.

Going back, one of the biggest things that I was concered about college was meeting new people and making friends. Knowing what I know now, I would not have waited almost a year to join my fraternity. High school students have misconceptions about Greek life, and those perceptions kept me from joining an organization that I have come to love. I have made many new friends not only through my fraternity but throughout all the school, because Greek students are part of just about every aspect of campus life. The one thing to beware of is time managment. All the crazy exciting things that happen at school can distract from the fact that you are actually there to learn and graduate. Get the senioritis out fast because the first couple years of school are the most important to your GPA. Living without Mom and Dad is awesome, but it is time to start being an adult and learning when it's play time or time to do work.

I should prepare myself better

Knowing what I know now about college & making the transition, would be to follow your dreams & make the transition confidently knowing everything there is to know. When I entered college, I figured I'd eventualy figure everything out & all would work out perfectly. Now that I look back as a sophmore in college, I wish I had educated myself more about my major instead of going for what my parents want me to become, & secondly, learning more about different ways to pay for college. If only I had done things correctly the first time, my family & I would not be in the state of financial instability that we are in now, but you live & you learn. I know now what mistakes NOT to make & how to do things CORRECTLY when I help my younger siblings as they apply for colleges & financial aid. Being the first in the family to attend college, I didn't have anyone to help me & therefore my advice to myself would have been to educate myself on the most beneficial ways of transition into college, & when it comes to choosing majors, be smart and make the best decision for YOURSELF.

If I could go back in time and speak tomyself as a senior, I would tell myself to lighten up and make lots of new friends at the beginning of the year because that really is the only chance you get to make connections with peple before everyone branches off into their own groups. I would tell myself to not be nervous because it is really laid back and easy to be alone in a new city. Although scary at times, do not let opportunities go by. Also, I wish I would have told myself to not get caught up in peer pressure and always stick to my morals beause the first week of college is very intimadating and nerve racking, yet it is never good o just go along with whatpeople say if you are not comfortable with it.

My conversation to myself is like this. Take more honor courses. Feel that you have pushed yourself harder than you thought possible. Don?t hold back, not wanting to be overwhelmed. Enjoy the many clubs offered in high school. Keep that great sense of adventure that you have. Continue to expand and grew as a person. Put yourself out there. Most of all enjoy the road and all its experiences on the way. The love for your friends and family will carry you through the rough spots.

First, I would encourage myself to apply for college immediately after high school. Because, I didn't have much encouragement at home, I never applied myself and am now back in school to complete my education. Achieving a college education is an amazing way to grow, to learn and to secure a brighter and more stable future. High school graduates enter the world with the opinion of of life just beginning which is correct! Indeed, I would have advised myself to take that idea and use it to fuel my ambition in becoming something great. The transition from high school to college is an amazing transformaiton that enables a student to grow and be exposed to many resources that repeatedly encourage positive thinking. For an example, getting involved with student organizations, attending sports games to support school spirit, creating study groups that hopefully result in new friendships and using all the resources that a college/university has to offer. This will ensure a promising future in any path a student chooses. In short, I would say STAY IN SCHOOL and continue growing and learning to provide yourself a bright future that will bring all your dreams and desires to fruition.

I would say to really think about what effect this decision will have on your future, and to take it very seriously. I wish I had learned more about my school and really been more focused on my decision. Think about how your life will be at this school and even make a pros and cons list. Listen to what the students at this school are saying about it because they are living it and they have the experience. Keep a folder with information from all the schools you visit and look into and when it comes to making a decision think about what aspects are most valuable to you. Whether it be sports, academics, social life, finances or anything else. It's hard to realize how big of a decision choosing a college really is when you are in high school but once you get to college you may have made the wrong choice. That's why i think it's important to be focused on this decision and take it very seriously. I wish I had thought more about my decision and listened to myself and my instincts. In the end you want to be happy at school.

When I was in high school, I did not think too much about financial aid. Drexel University is a very expensive school. It is difficult because I need to work really hard in school, but I also need to work to pay for it. In high school, after I got accepted to Drexel, I was blinded by the beauty of the university. I wish I could tell myself then that I would not be able to afford it. I thought I could always get a loan to help me pay for school. It was very naive and ignorant of me. I could not get an eligible co-signer to get the loan. I love Drexel University: the atmosphere, my classes, and my fellow classmates. However, if I could tell myself to look into more options concerning the tuition of a school and financial aid, I would. I feel like that is the most important subject concerning college. A high school student needs to know that it is not that simple to pay for college anymore. Although, there are many scholarships available, there are also just as many people fighting for it.

As a high school senior I would definitely emphasize how important applying for scholarships are. Even one scholarships can make a difference between going to school and not going to school. I would utilize my teachers to assist me with letters of recommendation and college essays for competitions. This biggest piece of advice for myself personally would be that grades matter and you can never quit working hard; hard work paysoff. Those excellent grades will have help me get into and pay for school instead of being in debt now. I would study every night in high school and in college because after a lecture in class, studying the provided information allows you to learn and retain the information, instead of cramming later just to get through the test. If you have questions or do not understand something, ask. I would definitely attend orientation and arrange to stay on campus to get a true feel of the environment, dorms, and college life itself. This would truly help me see the real picture. I would find out if there is a tour and take one; having a visual, hands on type experience will allow me to pack and prepare for moving.

Knowing what I know now, I would have chosen a public univeristy with more affordable tuition that also had a cooperative internship program. For example, Akron University or the University of Cincinnati would perhaps have been better choices for me. With the economy in this condition, the value of a $30,000 or more per year education has been devalued in terms of finding a position after graduation that makes it possible to afford the student loans tied with such education. Also, after having spent the past five years in downtown Philadelphia, I would have preferred to attend a school outside of the city. It was difficult to justify having a car on campus due to crime and general wear and tear on a vehicle, and with Drexel's distance from a grocery store and other ammenities life became somewhat difficult for me there. All of these things were difficult to see prior to attending the school, and overall my experience was positive. Needless to say, I learned a lot about myself in the time that I spent there and at the end of the day I got that degree which will ultimately find me the job I want.

I think about this now, and how I wish I could go back in time to tell myself how important it is to have good grades. To say that not everything is about friends and fun. That I should take the couple extra hours to just finish my homework each week because in the end it will be for the better. Taking care of myself should be my number one priority when it comes to my schooling and career. those friends in high school won't always be there in the end so taking care of myself is most important.

To stay focused and organized and never give up.

1. Do more research on career outlooks/projections when deciding on a major. Use sites such as the Bureau of Labor and Statistics and job search engines to aide in your research. 2. Before choosing a major, try to visit someone in that field to see what their job entails, and get their opinion on the pros and cons of their profession. 3. Visit your school counselor to see if he/she can give you any career tests, so you can see what professions are recommended to you based off of the exam results.

Make sure to absolutely to try and go and visit campus of any school you are applying to. I applied to many schools outside of my scope of travel and had to go on pictures from the internet. Also take into great consideration of how far you want to be from home because you will want to go see old freinds and travel home every now and then. I also reccomend to do a 180 turn from your usual environment. I'm from a rural area and love Philly now.

I would first tell myself, "Get a daily planner." Starting college this year I realized that college was definately about time management. The first couple weeks without my planner, I was a complete mess. Next, I would tell myself that it is crucial to keep my grades high to build a strong grade point average because college was indeed a call to reality in becoming an adult. I would probably tell myself to dorm instead of commute because you can become more involved around the campus and have more time to study with groups of friends or even a reliable tutor. It would probably have been wise if someone told me to search for the textbooks I would need for each class and try and find them online cheaper before my classes started. I would tell myself to try a variety of classes including hybrid classes that can help me to become familar with graduate courses that are mostly online. College is an experience that a person has to "try on" and become comfortable with. If I could go back and tell myself everything that I stated above, it would be easier, but that is all part of the experience.

I would tell myself to not go to school for what I'm necessarily "good" at, but for my passion. Also, not to worry about 2 or 4 years, because I'll do just fine and take right to college life.