George Mason University Top Questions

Picking a college that is the right fit for you is important, but no matter where you go, you will find your niche and a group of friends that is perfect for you. Don't be afraid to expolore things you've never done in high school, because after graduation, you won't be in high school anymore. College is a new experience, and though it is intimidating and daunting, some of the best experiences of your life await you. Most of all, stop stressing! Though the school you pick is important, the effort you put into your education is worth more than what the college you choose to attend is "rated." No matter where you go, you can make the decision to be successful. It is up to you, not the office of admissions!

Dear Whitney,

After attending just one semester of college, I have gained enough experience and understanding to begin regretting some of my past decisions. To begin with, I would advise myself to get a job. This is extremely important for your future, and it is best to start practicing while still in high school. Find a job that you can work at during the weekends and even some weekdays because it is essential to learn to balance school, homework, a job, and leisure time. Plus, you earn some extra money which you can save up for college. Furthermore, pass those AP exams! I was fortunate enough to earn 16 credits that transferred to college, but had I passed a few more, I could have taken summer school classes and gotten an entire year ahead. The reason why I’m so keen on graduating a year early is because college is pricy, so the less time I spend there, the less money I spend there. Not to mention, there’s graduate school after that, adding another two years to my agenda. Ultimately, I would advise myself to work faster, with more efficiency yet with just as much intellect, but remember to have fun.

Remember to consider all of your choices very carefully and to think about the many ways that life is affected by each thing you do. I married young and had children very quickly after I married. My first baby was born just before my 21st birthday. Starting a family was a conscious choice I made, but I didn't fully think through the implications that those choices held for my education and carreer. Many people do a great job of balancing family and career, but I think that can only be managed with a lot of foresight and planning. When we are really young sometimes we just make choices based on what feels good at the time without fully thinking through all the implications. I dropped out of school when the demands of my family became too difficult to balance (because I hadn't planned well for them) and didn't make it back to school for a decade. I don't know that I would have made different choices if I could go back, but I think I would have been happier for much of that time if I had made those choices more consciously.

Hey mini-me fom the past! Listen up, okay? High school is almost over, and I know you're dissapointed in yourself. All I can tell you is to forget the past, and move forward. Stop being lazy, and just work hard. If you don't put effort in, don't expect to gain anything - you've learned that the hard way. Ask yourself what you really want, and I am sure that when you realize it, you'll be able to pick yourself up and make life more meaningful. Don't regret high school; I look back and still cherish those people, those memories. Everyone goes at their own pace, and you are no different. But don't waste the time you have now either! Every minute, every second is time that can be well used and less regretted. Remember, the most difficult battle you have is with yourself. "The most effective way to do it, is to do it". You either do it, or you don't. Spare yourself wasted time, and you will find yourself living happily. Stay optimistic as you always have been, and here's a tip to start you off: Go practice violin. Now!

Dear Kati, You're a high school senior and about to graduate. You finally recieved your acceptance letter to George Mason University. Congrats! You worked very hard for this moment. I know how excited you are to leave home and start a new life for yourself. Before you leave though, I have some advice for you. 1# Don't Forget You're Purpose When making new friends, attending events, and joining clubs, it's easy to get caught up in college's social scene. Although being involved on campus and having a social life is important, academics come first. Gaining knowledge and earning a degree are your ultimate goals. That's why you came to college in the first place! 2# Time Management Make schedules and prioritize your responsibilities. Pay attention to deadllines and never procrastinate. Using your time wisely is the key to success and avoiding stress. 3# Try and Do Everything... Legal! Attending such a diverse campus and living so close to Washington D.C., take advantage of the unquie oppurtunities that the area offers. Experiment with fashion trends, try new foods, and explore D.C.'s nightlife. Have fun, but always be safe! Sincerely, Your College Self

Assuming that I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior; knowing what I know NOW about college life and making the transition, I'd have some very helpful advise for myself (I believe). I would tell myself instead of wasting time and energy filling my class periods with teacher's assistance hours, etc., I should opt to take more foreign language classes. I would also tell myself to enroll at the local junior college to concurrently enroll in college courses to give myself the exposure early. I would tell myself not to take any time off in between high school and college. I would tell myself that while my high school transcript grades were excellent, I needed to supplement with involvement in community groups, etc., to make my 'portfolio' look even better. I would have given my former, younger self advise on the upcoming harsh realities of the real world and better prepared myself for it soas not to suffer as much, but to brace myself and know that while I am strong and capable...I couldv'e saved so much time and heartache figuring that out about me.

Be patience,life isnt easy. Working hard and trying is all it takes. when it seems too hard,and you just want to walk away,take a deep breath...and be patience. Its all worth it in the end. Have faith in yourself,you will be alright. I promise.

George Mason is a great place to live on campus. It has its own movie theatre where they play movies as soon as they come out on DVD, and its free with you campus ID! The dorms I would advise you to pick are the Student Apartments. It has a kitchen, microwave, stove and oven, and bathroom. The laundromats around them are free with your Mason ID. Plus. Student Apartments is the cheapest on the campus and convenient if you're going to become a music major and taking more than 12 credits per semester. The campus also has small versions of restaurants like Chick-Fil-A and Taco Bell (Or at least it will because it has them there in my time). Did I mention the food is great and the friends you will meet are awesome and they actually like you, unlike some of the folks here in high school. I do hope you consider this, bro. Make sure you sign up for financial aid because Mason isn't cheap, but it's worth the cost! If you don't come here, you don't know what you're missing! Be there in the future, bro!

If I could go back in time and give advice to myself as a high school senior I would be sure to tell myself to just take each day one at a time. Never try to do more than you can as far as balancing schoolwork and your social life. Yes, it is good to stay busy but you do not want to find yourself stuck and with such a full schedule that you are overwhelmed. This will just create unecessary stress that does not need to be out on top of the stress that you will already have from college life itself. I would also tell myself to not have any worries when adjusting to college life. Once you walk onto the campus take a deep breath and know that everything will be alright. You worked numbers of years to make it to this point, no time to turn around now. College will be one of the best times if not te best time in your life, so make the most of it.

My advice to my younger self would be to take my time and really think about what I want to pursue. College seems to be the natural next step for many high school graduates and they, myself included, often jump into this amazing opportunity without fully deciding on what area of study they wish to focus. College is an tremendous step in life and is financially, socially, and academically challenging. Taking the time to reflect on why it is you are deciding to take this step is crucial to one's success in school and in future career plans. Some students do not know what they want to do but still get As in their classes, pick a major without much thought, get As in those classes and then graduate, only to find themselves in a career that they do not truly enjoy. I think we all need to take a step back and not rush into this decision and take the time to volunteer, intern, and generally explore different career fields as well as ourselves so that we can make a whole-hearted decision before we undertake this incredibly important step in our lives.

If I were able to give myself any advice when I was in high school I would have emphasized the importance of confidence and self motivation. I believe that confidence and self motivation, especially in todays evolving society, are key in making educated and healthy decisions. Having learned from experience, and being a returning college student after a six year absence, has shown me that having the condience to believe in yourself and the willingness to follow your own goals, no matter what the world has going on around you, is the key to success and achieving your goals. In high school, I now realize that the assignments came somewhat easy to me, and I lost my motivation to strive for greater things. I allowed myself to believe that it would always be that way, and once out of school I very quickly realized that is not the case. Confidence is neccessary to be able to stand your ground at times when peer pressure and distractions may have gotten the best of me. As I return to school all these years later, I have learned so much and try to instill both traits into my every day life and education.

Do not give up track and field and your other extracurricular activities. Those help build more connections and will keep you extremely happy. You will not regret that. Also, stay active! Freshman 15 is real! So take advantage of the gyms and club sports. College is not like highschool. You cannot get away with not studying and going off memory. It is a lot harder and more intense. Stay focused, study, and do not lose sight!

I would advise myself to banish the creeping fingers of the pesky pestilence called senioritis, to keep my academic drive as enthusiastic as always. I would advise myself to not worry about college life, to reassure myself that the responsibilities are not as scary as they seem, that my goals are achievable no matter the obstacles in front of me. I dream of an apotheosis, I dream to become immortal by leaving behind an envious legacy founded by education and merit.

Don't put it off. Fight for it and take the chance when you have someone there to help you and get it done. Don't think that just because you did bad in High School that you will do bad in college. You do amazing and you are a fighter. You work your butt off and do what needs to be done to make sure that you and your son have an amazing life. College is always possible.

Make friends and enjoy the time you have in this exciting new place, but don't ever forget the reason you're there is for an education. There is so much to experience and you'll be given so many opportunities to make friends, to have fun, and to just be a silly college kid. Remember you'll be there for four years. Don't think you have to fit it all into your first semester because that will be your undoing. Going to class is important. Studying is even more important. Most important of all, though, is finding a balance. I hit the extremes on both ends. I spent my first semester playing too much and I earned horrible grades. I spent the next semester working too much and that made me miserable. It took some time for me to find my balance, but after I honed it my college experience was so much better. Realizing that you can be a part of both the parties and shenanigans just as much as the study groups and lectures is the most important lesson you can take in. The earlier you learn that, the better off you will be.

Do not focus on intermediate goals. Determine your ultimate educational goal and seek counseling ASAP. Talk to your counselor, apply for an internship in the field you are considering. Shadow someone in that profession. Ask them the pertinent questions. Ask about how long it takes to get to that goal? Can you work and go to school at the same time? Once you start working in that profession, can you go back to school for a higher degree in that profession? Do employers value that offer a raise for it? If you have the oportunity to start at a Community College while another institution reviews your records, start at the Community College. Otherwise you might end up losing time, knowledge, and motivation. Make sure you talk to your College Counselor and find out which classes are the limiting factors to getting into the program you want. Also, ask when is the application deadline, and further, by when must classes be completed in order for your application to be considered for that semester.

I would have advised myself to stress out less about grades. Don't get me wrong, high school grades are important to get into college, but once you are in college, no asks you about your high school GPA, thus, I would have recommended myself and others to enjoys their high school years without over stressing on getting the highest possible grades or being a striaght A student. I would have also advised myself to go more to the career center to start exploring possible career fields sooner so that by the time I got to college, I would have had narrowed down my major options. I would have recommended myself to keep going to the career center regularly as a high school senior and continuing to do so during the transition to college and beyond.

Aim for straight A's and focus on one extracurricular activity or job and one volunteer opportunity. These will make you competitive in the workforce and in college. Attend a community college and do not take out any student loans. Grants alone will be more than enough to attend Ivy Tech Community College. Apply for every scholarship that you are eligible for. While in school, work a part-time job that either offers tuition reimbursement, free training, is related to your major, or a combination of the three. Have higher standards about the men you date. If they can't respect your whole person and work on their own positive goals, they are not worth your time. Your romantic relationships will impact your education and professional goals. Stay home! Don't be in a rush to be grown. Live with your parents until you graduate and are fully capable of running a household on your own. During this time, save up so you can buy a home upon moving out of your parents' house instead of renting. This will make your college life and transition into adulthood more successful.

If I could go back I would probably go to a school with more people from my high school and in state. It is very expensive to go to a school out of state and it also makes it more difficult to come home and be with family if I wanted to. I also came to school knowing no one and got stuck with a random roommate. We were total opposites and that made the first weeks of college rough. If I had been with someone I knew, it would have been less stressful transitioning into college. I would also go back and try to be less shy. It is hard going to school knowing no one and being shy. I knew I had to make friends but I didnt know how. If I could go back I would tell myself to be more outgoing and try to say hi to everyone.