Florida State University Top Questions

This summer will host world changing events. Man will set foot on the moon for the first time on July 20! Max Yasgur's farm will host Woodstock! It's an exciting time to be alive and young, but there are many pitfalls. I know you are burnt out from the competiveness of high school and the "need" to get into a "good" college, but be cautious not to relax too much. There are a lot of drugs around, and boys, and what seems like freedom. This can be very deceptive... True freedom lies in knowing your own values and what is best for yourself, not in trying so hard to fit in with your new friends that you skip classes, ignore deadlines, and drop out in lieu of flunking. There is so much to discover about the world and yourself, and so much that seems to need fixing, like Viet Nam, hunger, prejudice, ... These are important, but you cannot really contribute much until you know more and have the education, skills, and credibility, to make a real difference. Remember, the best way to change anything is to be the best example of what you'd like to see.

I would encourage students to start the studying early. Arriving to college and trying the pay attention and one look over will not work. It is vital to succeeding that you go to class and study daily for the classes that give you trouble. Senior year is going to be one of the greatest years of highschool. Your freshman year in college will also be great, but you must focus on your studies. So many students feel that they can pay attention and pass. Those students end up failing. When choosing your colleges to apply to make sure to research what programs are offered by the college. If you want to go to a particular college apply early. The earlier you apply to those colleges with rolling admissions the better your chance of getting in, in my opinion. When it comes to students with financial aid need apply as early as possible for scholarships. Some scholarships have short windows. There are also four scholarships that can only be applied for as a senior. If you want to go to college and your worried about paying for it make sure to talk to local groups for help as well. Great Job!

You applied for community college thinking that eventually you would transfer to a university. Wrong! You end up achieving your Associates degree but find that the University level is not for you...so you think. I would say to continue your education no matter how long it takes you. If you find a traning school more feasible for you, go for it. Never give up on something you know you can handle. Yes at times it can get boring but remember in the long run that what you accomplish will help you get ahead in life. If it means starting the the community college level then go for it. It's never too late to finish what you've started. You may change career paths and find yourself in a training school but go for your dreams no matter how long it takes. You want to be happy in the end and doing all you can to educate yourself whether it be a 2-year, 4-year school or training program will help you take a step forward in your life. Strive for the top and trust in yourself.

If I could go back in time I would definitely tell myself to learn study habits that were useful for me because college is very different from high school. I would probably advice myself to take school more serious and to work harder if I wanted to get far. I will tell myself to remember to be myself and strive for the best.

Ryan, college isn’t the intellectual stimulating atmosphere you think it is. College isn’t that much different from high school, you still have to jump through hoops to get to where you want to go. Only now the hoops will be smaller, on fire, and your classroom sizes ten times larger. I am not saying this to be drab, but to keep it real. So disappointment doesn’t take you into a nose dive you cannot lift out of. Money will still be tight, but you’re used to that. You will not have the luxury of mommy and daddy’s credit card like so many of the other students you see, but don’t let this get you down. Plan out your finances; at the beginning of each semester figure out your rent and put it into your savings account to draw out of each month so it will always be there. Financial planning will be your make or break point for college. I wish you the best and remember, just because today might suck, it doesn’t mean that it always will or has to. Keep your end goals in mind and never stop working towards them.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to practice confidence. During the application process you need confidence while writing your essays, during orientation you need confidence in deciding what classes you want to take, and during the beginning of college you need confidence in making friends and getting involved in school activities. I envy the new students who can be class presidents, club leaders, or volunteers. If i had practiced confidence during my senior year I would be able to do many things that as of now I am too intimidated to try. Confidence is key in life and college life is no different.

No matter how awful things may get as the weeks seem to drag on and the sun never seems to shine, you must continue in your pursuit of exellence and strive to do well in your academics. Perservance and the belief that relentless effort and hard work will one day payoff will get you through the darkest days and eventually bring an incredible feeling of triumph once everything is completed and you begin to reap the fruits of your labor. Take pride in yourself and what you do and disregard any doubt you feel about your future success. Never be afraid to speak what you truly feel or show people who you really are and do not allow those who disagree or dislike you to see yourself as any less than you know yourself to be.

Believe in yourself. Do not give up if you ever feel that something will eventually fail. No matter where you go, whether it is a community college or Yale, college is college. It is on a joke, nor is it time to party. It is time to focus on your future and make goals in your life. You should start early and continue saving because you never know what might happen in your future. It's okay to have a good time but always remember to make sure you still have the ability to not slack on your homework, and to always follow the teacher's instructions. Professors do not give you lectures to annoy you, they give you lectures for a reason. Always keep in mind that they have been teaching as long as you've been alive, sometimes longer. They have more experience and knowledge as much as you may want to deny. Prove everyone wrong and make the right decisions. All of this hard work will pay off in the end. You might have thought that high school was a competition. College is more of a competition and more serious. Good luck with everything.

I would tell myself that I need to work harder and stop procrastinating on homework. I would tell myself to start to look for scholarships in high school and to start to save up money for college.

The first advice I would give myself would be, focus focus focus! College is definitely harder in different levels for different people. For me, it was a struggle getting accustomed so I think the best would have been to have taken more AP courses. More AP courses would have not only helped me prepare for the move advanced level of learning in college but also it would have helped me complete courses faster and provided time for my major. Another advice I would've given myself is, save money! Although I am extremely grateful to have received the Bright Future's scholarship, college has so many different unexpected expenses and finiding a job isn't always such an available option because of having to focus on classes and such. At the end of the day college is an experience in itself and we can't learn from things we have yet to live so I would tell myself, be ready for the unexpected and stay strong.