Franklin College Top Questions

I feel like when I was in high school, I didn't know who I truly was. I followed my friends around and tried to be like them. Since I have been here at Franklin College, I feel like I have found myself. I have realized that I am more of a leader than ever and can make my own decisions. I hold a position in my sorority and I am hoping to be the co-coordinator in my New Student Program position next year, which is something I never would have thought to do before. I have changed my mind about what I want to ultimately do with my life. I grew up thinking I wanted to be an elementary teacher, and have now realized that something with history would better suit me in the long run, which I never would have let myself think anything other than teaching was best for me.

I have had the opportunity to actually understand who I am on a personal level. I have been able to see myself grow both mentally and physically. I have also been able to help my community while working with Habitat for Humanity. I have been able to travel to other countries and delve into different cultures. I am very pleased with every aspect of my education both in the classroom and outside of it. My knowledge in the area of biology has grown exponentially and without Franklin and the instructors there I would not be the person that I am today.

My college experience so far has helped me to have a better understanding of life after school. I have learned to manage my money better so that I can pay for college and other expenses. Overall I have found my college experience very valuable because it has made me a more responsible and mature person.

There have been many things that I have been able to leave Franklin College with. One of the most important things that I have learned to that of critical thinking. I also feel that I have been educated well in the area of Biology and Chemistry, and that I know I will be sucessful in these areas. Franklin College has taught me how to be open to all areas of life including: race, religion, sexual orientation and many other sides of life that arent always visible to people. Franklin College also allowed me to become more culturally diverse, allowing me to travel many times to other countries to see a different side of the world.

I would tell myself to stay true, to follow my heart, and to know that at the end of the day it is my life and it is what I do and what I want that I must live with. I would tell myself to pursue all my dreams and goals and that it is important to make the most out of every day, so that I do not look back and wish I would have done more. I would tell myself to not be shocked and be active and take initiative. I would remind myself that it is only a small transition in the long journey of my life and that at any point I can control my outcome by my actions day in and day out. I would tell myself to never settle and to realize that there are millions of students across the globe making the same transition and that I am not alone. I would let myself know that I want to become a doctor, and that it is important to get some experience early and to make sure I do all that I can in my classes, to leave no doubt each day. Thank you!

If I had the chance to go back in time and talk to myself when I was a high school senior, I would tell myself to not worry and to think positive about this experience. College is going to be the best experience that I have had because I am my own and I am able to learn more about myself and who I really am, not who everyone wants me to be. Before I left for college, I was scared about the experience and that I would not get along with my roommate. Well I was almost wrong about that. However, my college experience has been wonderful, even though I have had a few rough patches through out the years. I have changed roommates three times and dealt with problems that have made me question myself. If I had the chance to meet myself when I was in high school, I would not recognize myself. I have grown tremendously in the past two yars. I have turned into someone that I did not think that I would be. I have broken out of my shell and have learned to find the good in every situation, no matter the situation.

I would consider what it would be like to live on campus, away from home, knowing that most of the students go home on weekends. It's hard to find ways to entertain yourself when quite a few of your friends leave until they have to be back for the next week of classes. I would suggest trying to make sure I spent time with other students more so that I didn't feel so alone, at times, and want to try to choose a better roommate. Dealing with roommates has taught me what I want in a roommate and what I don't want. I should have been more specific on the roommate agreement form.

I would tell myself not to sweat the little things. In high school I always got worked up about the littliest things. In college you have to learn to accept failure or defeat and move on. Life will go on. I would also tell myself to cherish every moment. I have already been at college for a semester and it feels like I just got here. High school went by the same way. I just let the days fly by and never really took advantage of the opportunities I was given. I was always so worried about not getting introuble, and eventually, it took over my life. I was also always too afraid of getting introuble so I never took any chances. That is the biggest lesson I have learned being at college. It is okay to take chances, as long as they are smart chances that won't affect your future in a negative way. But above all, I would have just told myself to enjoy everyday as it comes and not worry about tomorrow until it gets here.

I would advise myself as a high school senior to apply for scholarships early in order to get as much help as possible. I made the mistake of not working as hard as I could to get myself financial aid and now I am paying for it in more ways than just having to take out a lot of loans. I am now not able to participate in as much on campus due to lack of personal funding or get a car in order to get a better job to help pay for school. I would also advise myself to save more money than I spend because that would have helped pay for my college education as well.

If I could go back in time to my high school senior year, I would work harder. Seniors traditionally feel as if they have earned the right to coast their last year of school, but I had not earned such a right. In fact, I harmed myself by not working hard. I believe if I had given 110{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} during my senior year, my adjustment to college classes would have been easier. Instead, I grew accustomed to just getting by and it such a work ethic harmed my first semester GPA. I have learned from my early errors to take control of my studies and work hard. However, if I had worked harder as a senior, I would have worked harder as a first semester college student. So...my advice to high school seniors--work hard. It will pay off and establish a much-needed work ethic for college.

Mary, Senior year is hard because you are so ready to leave and you can start to see yourself pulling away from everything around you. Hang in there! College will be one of the best things that have ever happened to you. Before you go off, try to end every relationship on a good note. Your relationships with family and friends will change but you need to let them know they are still important. Get in the study mindset; college is hard work and in order to succeed make sure your priorities are straight. Know your beliefs and values so when you get to college you can figure out who you are and how you fit in. If your convictions are not strong, it will be easy for you to be swayed. Go in with a friendly and open attitude. Be ready to meet all sorts of people, you will find a group you click with but be open to everyone; the more friends the better. Let people know from the start who you are. Be real with people, you are starting fresh so you have nothing to lose. Get ready for the best time of your life.

Get involved with activities on campus. Have fun, but don't neglect the school work. Keep up with assignments as they are given, especially the big ones. Don't put the work off until the final due date.

If I was to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to be more involved. I am only a sophomore now, but I still don't have as many friends yet, but maybe that's part of it, but I would tell myself to go out of my boundaries and talk to people. Not necessarily join a sorority or a club, but go up to people and start chatting. They may not be the type of people that I would get along with, but at least I tried. So far, I'm doing pretty well with transitioning from high school to college. I was a little scared at first, last year, but it wasn't what I expected. It was even better. I wasn't overwhelmed with homework and tests and a lot of stuff being thrown at me I couldn't handle. That is what I expected, but that was not the case. This year, being a sophomore, I am doing a lot more work and I am starting to understand what the real world is going to be like. It's preparing me for the future.

Don't worry so much about the price or the location, make sure it's a good fit for you as a student. Parents, let your kids have some freedom to choose where they want to go, but also make sure they have the knowledge and experience before college to be able to choose the best one for them. Support them in anyway possible and make sure your kids know you love them! Students- have fun, enjoy making your decision and don't let it stress you out. You will find ways to fit in and make new friends, so don't worry about feeling lonely or out of place, but make sure you choose a school that will best fit with your personality!

enjoy the ride

Make sure you visit the campus and talk to students AND Alumni.

Parents and students need to work together to find a school that offers a quality education along with a strong support system, as going away to college takes a lot of adjusting. If a student-athlete is going to attend college, he/she should not choose the school soley on the athletic experience, as they may not end up participating in the sport for their entire 4 years. The student-athlete needs to choose an institution they will be happy at if athletics do not work out for them. The student should find a school that offers a variety of extra-curricular activities and clubs to help take their mind off the monatany of academics. With that said the student should also choose a school that offers assistance in the forms of tudors, mentors, study groups, and simply quiet places to study. The price of tuition should not be the main decision-maker for students and parents, as you cannot put a pricetag on your education and future.

Choose the college that feels right, not the college that you have known growing up or the one that all of your friends from high school are going to. You managed to make friends in high school, so you will be able to in college as well. Pick a school that offers things for you to do that you are interested such as a debate team, student congress, political clubs, etc. School work only takes up so much of your time and you will have to be able to fill empty space with what you want to do. If you pick a school that doesnt offer the things you want to do, then your empty space will make you hate it. Also, look at the people when you visit and see if most of them are good looking or ugly. You dont want to be attending a school where everyone there is ugly and you have nothing fun to look at!

For starters, a visit is a good idea, but it does not give you the whole picture. If the student knows a peer that goes to the school, it is best for them to spend a few days with them to get the "student" feel of the campus. Also, personal choice of a small school over a big one goes a long way. At a small school social life is huge and it is often easier to get to know many people quickly, but big schools also have a different vibe to them. They do not get as boring and there are always many more new people to meet.

As far as choosing the right college, parents need to support whatever decision their children make. The worse thing a parent can do is push their kid to go somewhere close to home simply because thats what they want or to go where they would prefer in general. Let the student decide, it works out better that way. As for the student chosing, be sure to go on actual visits to the colleges and I promise your decision will be easier. There is a feeling you get when you step on the right college campus. When you think about living there for the next 4 years you have no fear. You'll know the minute you walk onto the right campus for you, it simply feels like home. Lastly, don't hold back. Get involved in anything and everything. Don't be afriad to try new things and meet and hang out with all different types of people. These are the "best four years of your life"! Step outside of your comfort zone and take risks, they will pay off and it will make your experience so much more enjoyable. Above all remember to have fun :)