Grove City College Top Questions

1) This one life you have is YOURS - so get to know yourself. Learn to express what you like, what matters to you, and who you want to be. While you're at it, get comfortable talking about your strengths and weaknesses: study, embrace, and enjoy them. Conforming or rebelling are YOUR choices, but don't get caught up in making statements for the sake of making them. The path is yours, so figure out what matters to you and make your choices based on that. 2) Give nuance a chance. Life is not as black and white as you wish it were. So while you're getting to know yourself and making life choices, learn to love nuance. Develop the ability to hold your values firmly while understanding the values and choices of others. 3) Take informed chances. Some choices are clear: you'll get accepted to your top choice or have one job offer. But sometimes you'll have more than one good option. Don't waste your life worrying. Gather whatever information and advice you can, then follow what your gut tells you. Chances are you will end up exactly where you are supposed to be.

See yourself as a member of a generation, and your generation as a member of humanity. Why is this important as a college student? College allows you to see the world without needing to travel, meet and interact with men and women of the past through their ideas, and learn about yourself, your culture, your past and the legacy you will leave one day. College is a springboard both to the future and also to the past. Do not forget to use your eyes to look ahead to the future and the opportunities that surround you on and off campus. Do not forget to use your eyes to look next to you, through seeking community and support: you cannot do this journey alone. Finally, do not forget to use your eyes to look behind to generations that have come and gone, but leave a pathway, footprints and beautiful testimonies and lessons to learn from. Look around. Don't forget.

Quite simply, I would advise my former self to distinguish the significant apart from the insignificant. Too often, we as college students (especially freshmen!) take curiosity at our poor academic performance, unfortunate social standing, lack of future career options, and so forth. We wonder and wonder, and so few of us are ever guided toward the proper conclusion: too many of us (my freshman self included) waste time in areas that detract from our primary endeavors. For example, if I do not have a thorough understanding that my primary role as a college student is to be a college student (sounds silly, does it not?), I can easily lose footing within the first few weeks of school. Personally, my priorities championed a strong social life, intramural involvement, girlfriends, and so forth, far over classroom endeavors. Indeed, while the former categories of college experience are certainly wonderful, they must have their proper place in the hierarchy of priorities. The little choices, in short, are what make the college experience make or break. If I could speak to my high school self, I would emphasize the value of the small battles. They add up to win the war.

The first piece of advice I would give to my high school self would be to not be afraid to try new things once I enter college. These activities are how you meet people and gain life experiences that will help you in the future. A second piece of advice would be about friendships. I would tell my high school self to spend as much time with my close group of friends as possible senior year and the summer before college, but not to worry too much about drifting apart from these friends. College gives you the chance to easily meet new people who are more like you and who offer more positive relationships than high school friends who are changing and drifting apart from you every day. Additionally, I would tell myself to have more experiences related to my field of study (elementary and special education.) These volunteer or learning experiences would benefit me greatly as I continue my own education. Finally, I would tell myself to focus more on my faith in high school, since I chose to go to a private, Christian school. This would help me as I continue my spiritual growth in college.

I would tell myself not to worry as much as I did about the college application process and the adjustment from high school to college. I was very stressed that I would not recieve admission to the schools that I wished to attend and that it would be hard for me to make friends and adjust to the college level. Grove City helped me with my transition into college and made it very easy for me to make friends and learn the tips and tricks of college life. I would also try to cure myself of "senioritis," as I will admit to catching it late in my senior year. I did not let my grades slip, but I did not work as hard or take my work as seriously as I had in the past, which made it hard to start working again once I began college. If I were able to do this, I believe that it would greatly help me and make my senior year of high school much better. Much of it was spent worrying about how college life would be different, and how it would affect me.

there is no guarantee you will find out what you want in your life within the next 4 years, if you don't that doesn't mean you got an F in life paths 101. here's some advice 1. try several different careers on for size, start early! take as many different interships and elective classes as you can, anything that you might be interested in try it. no matter what mom and dad say or how unrealistic it is, when it comes down to it, the year after graduation mom and dad will not be driving in the car with you every morning on the way to the job that's "just a perfect fit for you" that you absolutely hate or just simply doesn't fulfill you. you are the only one you have to answer to at the end of the day. 2. choose something that will be able to support your after you're done. if you want to major in basket weaving, minor in entrepreneurship so you can set the prices of your own baskets, that way you can have that cruise to italy and send your kids to school in the same lifetime.

Part of the core requirements for graduation from Grove City College is taking a series of Humanities courses, all of which examine different aspects of cultures, religions, and worldviews. This college has, thorugh these courses, caused me to think critically about WHY I believe WHAT I believe. This applies to both my spiritual life and the stances that I take on hot-button issues such as abortion, stem cell research, and homosexual civil rights. I knew what I believed before coming to this school, but now I can defend my beliefs! I can take a firm stand against any opponent and, while I will not always have all the answers to the questions they present or the issues they raise, I will be nonetheless firmly grounded in my views and be able to challenge them to also think critically about why they think the way they do. Because of this awareness, it is as if I have a passion that's been ignited within me for each and every belief to which I hold. When my generation is attacked by the influences of the media and ill-informed peers, I will not be moved. I will stand my ground.

Since attending Grove City College, I have grown into a more mature and complete person. From the challenging educational requirements, I attained a thorough understanding of my vocational pursuit and have learned to work hard to achive success. Engaging with different people from different backgrounds has expanded my understanding of human beings. Living away from home and being forced to cope with a degree of stress has increased my understanding of what it means to be an adult living independently of my parents. College is a time for the student to grow into an adult who is capable of providing for himself and a family. To be a provider, the student must have a vocation, the ability to interact with other people, and the maturity to manage stress. Attending Grove City College has been a crucial part of becoming an adult.

Although I am only a year and a half into my college career, I have loved every minute of it. At Grove City, I learn so much and I feel well prepared for life after college. The professors are helpful and caring, and they give me hope as a future educator that it is indeed possible for me to have an impact on the lives of my students. I know that for a teacher, a degree is a must, and the classes that I'm taking give me information that will actually be relevant to what I plan on teaching later in life. Even though the schoolwork is diffiicult, it is always worth it. I have also met amazing friends there who I know will be a part of my life for many years to come.

It is a huge privilege and blessing to be able to attend a college, especially a school so determined to equip me with as much knowledge as possible. Grove City College has afforded me such an amazing experience, and I am merely a freshman! I have learned so much and not simply just in the realm of academia. Collegiate life has illuminated certain truths of the world a little more brightly than they previously seemed to me. I have learned just how wealthy a man with one truly loyal friend is. I have learned how quickly people can change. I have even learned the value of a dollar, as it is necessary every time I wish to have clean clothes. College has taught me the value of independence; it is up to me to get motivated to study, to do my laundry, even to ensure that I have a ride home for holidays. However, more than lessons of industriousness I have learned the importance of rest. Yes there is a necessary time for intense study, hard work, and diligence; but the fast moving pace of modern society has neglected the importance of rest. To achieve academic excellence rest is needed.

I believe that I am getting a great education at a well respected school. I am learning more about myself and learning to be more independent. I have met some interesting professors and have made some friendships that will last a lifetime. Grove City College has been a good choice for me. I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering and I am enjoying this field of study and looking forward to a great future.

So far, I have learned many things about myself that I did not necessarily want to know, but discovering these things and being able to work on them has helped me as a person. I have already learned quite a lot in and out of the classroom, and I have been able to explore many different activities, as well as focus on those I enjoy the most.

When you attend college, you get just a glimpse of how the big the world is and how many different types of people there are. However, you come to realize that there are many people like you out there too. For example, I was only one of the few devout Christians at my high school. When I got to college, I was comforted by the fact that there are so many people working toward the same goal that I have - to love, serve, and obey the Lord! It made me feel not quite so alone. It has been a valuable experience that I would never trade. I now have gained much confidence in myself and in my faith. I feel like I am being prepared to live life after college much better than I would have been if I hadn't attended college, especially such a challenging and rewarding college such as Grove City.

I have grown so much since I began college for the first time at age 18. I stopped and started again at age 24 and now, at 27, I have a 17 month old daughter and have just graduated with my AA. The educational opportunities and experiences I have encountered over the past 3 years have been invaluable in regards to my growing as a person. I have been forced into uncomfortable, difficult situations; studying for finals at 3am after rocking my crying daughter to sleep for the nth time. Nights that seemed never ending, time after time breaking through the thoughts of "why am I doing this?" "It's not worth it" "It's too hard", etc. to emerge on the other side, triumphant and more confident than ever that I really can reach my goals and fulfill my dreams of becoming a teacher. Though impossible to know it at the time, through every difficult plight, my character was being stretched, molded and tested and I have come through the fire, refined and ready for whatever lay ahead.

I believe education serves purposes beyond simply preparing one for a career. A meaningful education not only achieves this preparation, but also empowers one to help others through their own, newly refined abilities. I feel that my own education can be a valuable means of expanding my capacity to help others and positively affect my community. The decision to attend my local community college, Los Angeles Pierce College, turned into a significant experience of my life. Many obstacles were presented by attending Pierce, such as having no official transfer curriculum, transfer agreements, or counselors to guide me to my four-year university. However, I managed to secure and thrive in my required courses. I have learned through this entire process that my success depends on my determination and perseverance. Along the way, I have developed persistent, resourceful, and motivated characteristics. Consequently, the confidence in my ability to accomplish both my educational and career goals and to take control of my future has expanded immeasurably.

My experience at Grove City College has been enlightening and inspiring. I have grown even further in both the spiritual and academic sense. This has been the beginning to an exciting stage of my life. I have not once regretted ever attending this colllege and would recommend it to anyone who desires to be challenged in every aspect of their life.

I have gotten so much out of my college experience so far! Grove City has amazing academics, it is a great Christian environment, a very safe campus and very affordable. The academics are challenging but I learned a lot just in my first year. I have had the opportunity to play varsity and intramural sports, participate in ministries, and make many wonderful friends. I highly recommend Grove City to anyone looking for a good Christian school with a good academic reputation.

The most important thing I gained from my college experience is self respect. I never considered myself smart before or even really all that educated. Going to college has changed that. I now have a 3.5 GPA and am very knowlegable in all sorts of different subjects. It feels good. I have learned so many knew and interesting things. Things I never even thought I would be interested in. School has inspired me to learn as much as I can. I believe college is a very important experience and definatly worth attending. Attending college has given me self respect, a new insight to the world, and tons of new interests to go along with it.

Because I am a secondary math education major, many of my courses focus on guiding me to the teaching profession. I enjoy my math and education courses and genuinely believe they are preparing me to become a meaningful teacher and to positively change the lives of my students; however, my college education encompasses more than these academic courses. Today I woke up to the blessings of a (semi-)full night of sleep in a comfortable bed, a hot, (semi-)delicious breakfast, and the opportunity to attend classes taught by brilliant instructors. This past semester, my thankfulness for my joyful college experience has been transformed into a desire to repay these gifts with service, so that I may pass along some of my joys and blessings to others. By participating in several on-campus ministries including Prison-fellowship and Adopt-A-Grandparent, attending a mission trip over Easter Break, and applying for an internship at a Christian summer camp for urban youth, I am learning that serving others offers more fulfillment than any individual success. Every night I fall asleep with a smile on my face as I learn to praise God for this incredible college opportunity by ministering to others.

The most helpful thing to know when first coming to college is to stay on top of work, but still find time to have fun. The work that is put onto students can be extremely overwhelming at times, but if they put things off, it only makes the work that much harder. The only thing is that it's also very important to fit fun in somewhere too. College is when people are figuring out how to be more responsible and to become independent while getting ready to work in a profession that they are likely going to do for the rest of their life until they retire. That is a lot to put on someone all at once. There needs to be some type of fun or stress release in their lives so that they do not get overwhelmed. I personally wouldn't have been able to make it through the first semester and still be mentally stable if I had not found a way to have time for fun. It has kept me sane under the pressure. With the combination of getting the work done and some type of fun/stress release, college can be an amazing experience.