Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Top Questions

For starters, don't bother applying to any other college. You'll save yourself about $300 in application fees, a metric buttload of stress, and time taken to fill out the applications. Not to mention the disappointment of a few waitlists and rejections. Besides, you'll probably end up in the same place anyway given your financial status. Not to mention you've already finished your early acceptance into the place you belong (Georgia Tech!!). Next, stop working and go have some fun. All those parties you've been invited to, go. Your crush of three years went to all those parties and I didn't, so get going. Unless you want to wait for prom, but keep in mind you'll miss the homecoming dance too, which I remind you I skipped as well. Keep going down this path and your grades will be better than any other year you've been in high school, and it won't even matter because it's too late now. Besides, once she leaves for China then she won't have known you long enough to commit if you procrastinate...again. Go get 'em, tiger!

When making your college decision, make it for yourself. As a high school senior, you're going to keep hearing what your parents' and friends' opinions are, but trust yourself. You know where you will be happy, so trust your instincts. Your choice in a college will not define you, but rather, you will define your college experience. Your four years in college is a new start to your life; you can be whoever you want to be. Embrace every aspect of college, try something new, experience the true college life. But stay true to yourself. College is a big step into becoming more independent, and just remember the person you want to be. Stay focused on your goals and never lose faith. There will be times when you struggle and feel like you fall short, but surround yourself with friends and know that in the end a degree from Georgia Tech will be worth it!

I would tell myself that time management and organization are most important in college. Many students procrastinate until the very end as they did in high school; however, procrastination only leads to wasted time and more stress. Some Georgia Tech students do poorly their first semester of classes because they are used to getting by without studying in high school, which is no longer the case at Georgia Tech. It is crucial to attend all classes, complete all assignments, take notes in class, and stay organized with all school and extracurricular work. Organization is the key for success at Tech because students are involved in so many different activities, that it is easy to fall behind. I would advise myself to keep a planner and stay organized. I also tell myself to keep all notes properly organized because sometimes a professor will go over only one example of a certain problem which is usually on the test. Organizing notes would allow me to keep up will all the material, and this will benefit me when studying for finals as well. I would also tell myself to maintain a healthy life-style through proper diet and exercise.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to enjoy my last year of high school and not to spend any time worrying about moving to a new city or making new friends. I would say this because as a high school senior, I was very worried about trying new things, since I had lived in the same town for most of my life. I was scared that I would fail out of school or not make friends. I would tell myself not to be scared to try new things, because they will pay off in the end. I would also tell senior me to challenge myself as much as possible, because the challenges that I have faced in college have helped me become a better person.

Do not procrastinate! Work on everything as soon as you get enough information to start! You may feel like you can just put off working on a project, but you will feel much better if you get it out of the way. If I had been any slower in addapting to life a Georgia Tech, I may have missed a major assignment that would have brought me down and least one letter grade. This doesn't only apply to school work either. Applications for financial aid, job applications, housing choices, and student loan forms should all be handled as soon as possible in order to avoid unnecessary stress. You may not be the only student having this problem, but I know you can overcome it. I did, even if it did take me a bit too long.

Be curious! Ask questions and search for answers. Remember, it is important to be able to work independent. Be organized. It is important not to leave homework for the very last minute. If you have a chapter to read, start reading it the same day. As more time you give yourself to study as more chances you have to succeed. Be excited about every task, every project, every paper! Think about it as an opportunity to conduct a research and demonstrate your knowledge or express your personal point of view. It is important to receive high grades. But it is also important to be able to remember studied material for a long term and to be able to use it in life and future career. Grade is an evaluation of your knowledge; so a grade does not really matter if in two weeks you can not remember anything you have read. So do not try to memorize everything just for a test; try to absorb all the useful information for a long term and make it a part of your knowledge. It will help you to develop your intellect and become a self confident knowledgeable person.

Well the first thing I would say to myself is relax and continue to perservere. I was a bit nervous about what I was going to do with my life and be sucessful that it took alot of my time away to really concentrate on what matters and that building connections and making lasting relationships with professors and friends. And also to perservere and push myself to extend my capacities as I know now what I am capable of and wish I could just have known earlier. I believe success is not just determined by material goods or what is in your bank account but what you leave behind for years to come, your legacy. And to accomplish this, you need to have the right resources and knowledge, which I found at georgia tech. In this way, I would tell my old self to start making my legacy earlier and stop worring about the future career and status. This scholarship will most definitely help me aquire the necessary resources and toold to accomplish my goals.

I would tell myself to try in school and take the classes that were more challenging and develop a well rounded study habit.

After my spending a year and a half at Georgia Tech, I would definitely tell my high-school-senior-self to apply for everything I see-- whether it's scholarships, leadership opportunities, freshman organizations at college, and anything else you can think of. First of all, there are a ridiculous amount of scholarships for incoming freshman. Half of them take less than 15 minutes to apply so just DO IT! Also, after my first semester of college I committed myself to applying for everything I see that remotely interests me, which resulted in my selection as Georgia Tech's 2012 Homecoming Chair as a result of this. The more you expose yourself to opportunities in college -- and there are a lot of awesome organizations, leadership summits/retreats, and speakers that will come to your campus and you never know what is going to give you a spark of inspiration. Sometimes all it takes is a short application that not everyone will be willing to fill out. Apply for everything! You can always turn it down later if you change your mind.

While Georgia Tech holds many exciting opportunities never seen in high school, please be prepared for some greater responsibilities as well, as college will not live life for you. Eat well and maintain a healthy lifestyle, since it will be a lot easier to catch yourself with unhealthy fast food as a quick meal than in high school. Learning how to cook for yourself will prove to be one of the most rewarding experiences in terms of both long-term health and expenses.Also take advantage of the campus’s ample athletic facilities for all sports needs to maintain a healthy body, which will be much more beneficial and exciting than chugging energy drinks all night. But above all else, you are not alone. Have some friends! Colleges can bring in all sorts of people and maintaining good contact with others will become one of the most crucial aspects of surviving college in terms of social, academic, and career support. College does not last forever, and it is important to befriend not just fellow students, but also professors and businesspeople who may connect you to a bright career opportunity in the future!

I would tell myself to keep down the path you are going, you are venturing in the right direction. You will meet a lot of people so stay in contact with the ones you know who are good and will be helpful to you, you have a keen sense in determining this. One thing you need to improve is your study habits. Up to this point you have not really had to critically study, classes will get harder and you will have to learn how to really study. Stay focused because there are a lot of distractions in and around the college life. You have been very good at getting your work done before you decide to have fun or participate in other activities, keep at it even when the work becomes much longer than you expect. There is something for you in life, and you will achieve it.

All-nighters are not something to be proud of - learn time management skills. Instead of always relying on the teacher or professor to teach you everything, you have to learn to open the book once in a while and learned how to teach yourself. Lock yourself in a room or at a desk in the library and just focus - no distractions like Facebook or YouTube allowed. In fact, deactivate Facebook because it kills your time and right now, it isn't all that great. Read ahead - teach yourself math and sciences. You'd think that a school for engineering would have professors that can teach those very important subjects, but sometimes (normally) you get unlucky and you are forced to learn the material yourself. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Getting tutored does not make you weak. Ever. Ask friends, but don't be a burden. Balance social life and school - it's possible. And sleep.

The most important thing to do is to mingle and connect with your class mates because you are all in the same struggle. Working with others can inspire, motivate, and ease your course work. Take every class seriously, if you are studying math and sciences everything builds on itself. Learning subjects well early will make life much easier, when taking higher level courses. Be friendly to students and faculty alike. Take the time to go to the offices of your professors and talk to the about course work, class performance, and or available opportunities, you will be surprised at how helpful they can be. Show that you are working or willing to work hard, teachers and students alike will take notice. Finally, get your work done early so that you can relax later! Start early on all work because it usually takes longer than you expect.

Looking back is always a dangerous thing to do, but sometimes this risk is necessary to move forward armed with the new knowledge and wisdom of years past. I attended a Magnet high school, graduated with a 4.6 GPA, played Varsity Tennis, was on every year’s Executive Board, and took 14 AP classes, graduating with 29 college credits. This might seem like the ideal high school experience, but it wasn’t. This is because it wasn’t reality. Reality is failing even when you try your best. It’s accepting that there might always be someone who’s better than you. Reality is harsh, but learning to accept and love yourself when reality hits the hardest is the biggest life lesson one can learn. And I learnt it in college. So looking back, I would remind my high school self that grades are only one aspect of measure. Extracurricular Activities don’t matter, if you’re not truly interested and passionate in pursuing them. Forgot the college application occasionally, and give yourself the freedom to do what you want. Take yourself less seriously, and try to learn and absorb knowledge as much as you can. Be a kid.

Most seniors spend their whole year dreaming of the moment they can walk across the stage (hopefully without any embarassing tumbles) and take their diploma, forever leaving the high school realm and finally becoming a college student. College is an amazing experience, but there are a couple of things I wish I had known before entering that new chapter of my life. Once at college, I finally understood what independence was, and with that independence came a great amount of responsibility. You are in charge of your grades, your actions, your finances, your diet, etc. Simple things, yes, but it's far better to enter college having an idea of what your standards and goals are in stead of making giant mistakes and then scambling to regroup from them. With that said, its imporant to have an open mind when you enter college as well. You will learn many new things and meet new people with different beliefs and backgrounds from yours; learn from these experiences and these people. They will change you and make you the person you are meant to be. College is exciting, challenging, and life changing. Take advantage of the opportunity and be thankful for it.

"Life is short. College is shorter." This may freak you out Lishan, but I am you, two to three years from now. Why have I come back in time to speak to you? I wanted to let you know that you are about to make the most arduous decision of your life: college decision. And I know that you will make the right decision, but I also have a piece of advice for you. Do what makes you uncomfortable. I know you are currently timid about trying things, but college is where you are given a blank slate. Only you can transcribe what you want it to say. Take on that leadership role for that project, or put yourself out there for an executive position for that project. Failure may come, but that is where you can learn. Experience what college means and absorb everything you can. Try to meet new people and save a couple of trees along the way. Volunteer to take ownership of things, to take command of groups, to lead by example. Inspire others and take full advantage of this great opportunity that you have been given at Tech. I mean, you only get four years.

As a high school senior, I know what you are thinking: ‘I’ve got plenty of time to plan my future’. However, I can tell you from experience that this is not the case. I’ve been in your position and walked in your shoes. The time to plan your future is now. For me, I waited till my sophomore year of college to get serious with my education. Due to this, I wasted the first year of college on unnecessary courses and threw away my money on tuition and books. Don’t do this to yourself. Begin planning the next four years of your life in high school so that you can optimize your funding and time. You can also begin to take advantage of the many opportunities available to you on campus. For me, getting involved in Phi Theta Kappa, the International Honor Society, was the best decision that I have made. As an officer of the Gamma Lambda Chapter of Hinds Community College, I have found a family amongst the other officers as well as the honor’s department as a whole. So think hard about your future for it affects me more than you know.

Dear less-mature, Highschool -Gabi, Enjoy your senior year. It goes by a lot faster than you could have imagined that first day of senior year when you realized that you had a whole year left "stuck" in highschool. Continue working hard- you will be relieved to have gotten in early to Georgia Tech while all your friends wait for their results in the spring. College is a time of growth, and although you think that you are a mature adult, I assure you that you are not. It might be easy to get "lost" in the the college campus with so many things to do and no parents to advise you on what is right and wrong, but stick with the friends that you have and be open to make new ones who will help you grow. Just because you have what seems like unlimited freedom doesn't mean that you should lose your strong sense of rationallity. Have fun, become involved in groups such as the American Medical Student Association in order to meet people who share your same interests and remember to always try your hardest. Sincerely , College Gabi

Take a risk. Being scared is normal, but you need to take chances in order to truly learn something. It’s alright if you’re unsure about where you want to go, or who you want to be. We learn who we are through unique opportunities, so don’t turn them down just because of fear. Open yourself up to campus life. Interacting with those around you is a great learning tool that can help you grow confidence, and create friendships. Join up with a club and learn about your community and the people around you. You might find something new about yourself. Life is short so enjoy it. Don’t over work yourself. Find a balance between work, school and friends. Too many people suffer because they tip the scales to one area. You are going to make mistakes and you sometimes might fail, but don’t ever let it get you down. If you fall down stand right back up. Analyze your mistake so you can do better next time around. Believe in yourself and work at your goals. Remember you are special to many people who will stand beside you all the way.

The most important thing I have learned being at college is to not work so hard at getting people to like you. In college, what is important is grades. I promise you will make them in your classes and around campus. If you want to meet people, then it will just happen, trust me. There are so many people around you to meet and learn from, you don't need to go out of your way to meet them. There is no need to fill-up your schedule with extra-curricular activities and go partying. Another important thing to remember is that this step into college is extremely important and you should not take a year off to give yourself more time to look around. You need to make a decision now. Do not be afraid that you won't make the right decision, it's ok. Now is the most important time to build your future. It is ok to not know what you want to study. Also, you are doing very well in highschool now, so you can continue those habits into college. Things change when you get to college, please don't make it harder on yourself.