Kansas City Art Institute Top Questions

First off, I would tell myself to focus more on planning ahead. Although college seems far off, it'll come before I know it and I need to make sure I've saved up and met all important application deadlines. I'd tell myself to find away to enjoy my last summer at home but not to forget to take care of responsibilities. I would remind myself how easy it is for privileges to be taken away, so don't take things for granted. Also, I would tell myself to stay firm yet respectful about the things I believe in. All in all, the best advice I could have gotten would be to have all that I need planned out early so that the summer before freshman year isn't so stressful, and to focus on having a positive summer.

I would tell myself that college is going to be even harder than I thought. I would tell myself that I should have worked a lot harder and focused a lot more in the beginning of college. I should have tried to do more art in my freetime, and because I did not, I regret it. I should have tried a lot harder to go above and beyond. Maybe if i had, I would have been "noticed" faster by other artists.

I would remind myself how special this time is, take classes slower, to be less afraid to reach out to fellow students and faculty for assistance in classes immediately. I would have told myself not to stress my gpa status and liberal arts classes so much. I would say to have more discussions with the students in my major, to make closer connections with the people that will be my future colleagues, and dedicate more of my mental and emotional strain into my art work. I would tell myself that it's worth toughing out school life and my work ethic by following the instruction of my professor closer than I did. I would remind myself that doing things my own way isn't necessarily unique, but just stubborn and not always the most effective way to learn. That even if you get by, you shouldn't worry about losing your own voice in your work that it will always show. I would tell myself that living in a dorm or fraternizing with free time isn't what college is about. In conjunction, to appreciate having my family's support, that financial support isn't better than having them nearby.

Don't be so shy. Life is way to short to spend it alone. People aren't as scary as they seem.

College is a pusher, and that is in everyway a reference to force of will as much as it is to the coke vans on Troost. You step in with this general idea of how things are. Then, you actually go through them. Your artistic sensebilities are pushed into overdrive - you purchase higher education for a product of an occasional elated feeling and insomnia. All and good for every negative that entails, but in the end that rush and fall leads to a much more rewarding end - growth. Not simply as an artist, but as an individual, I find myself egged onwards - to the point of dropping - by the reward of completion. Completing work isn't just a grade at this place, it's an added piece of self. Your integrity in the studio increases, along with your standing as an artist in general. Your personality is solidified - you know a bit more about who you are. To me, that - finding who you are in what you do - is the most rewarding experience a person can have.

I have had the opportunity to create my own path on my own terms. So far I have enjoyed the advanced way of learning through various websites such as D2L and Imail.

When I started my educational journey I was very timid and had no self confidence. This was the results of a dysfunctional marriage. My college experience has lifted my self-esteem and made it possible for me to conquer all sorts of things. .I was terrified of any math classes that I had to attend. When I graduated with my Associates degree of Business Administration I was the main tutor of all the math classes that my college offered to their students. I also have started a course through one of the sites that I interned at to conquer Algebra I, II, and Geometry. I will eventually conquer Trigonometry as well. College gave me the ability to grow in my personal and professional life. I now help friends that are looking to start small local businesses. It has been a very rewarding experience. It has also allowed me to show my 3 children that you can conquer anything that you fear as long as you put your mind to it and face it head on.

I have recieved a greater sense of my limits and what I can do. At first I simply drew how I wanted, but by making myself draw objects I wouldn't normally draw, I've gotten better and have enhanced my own style. I didn't like this at first either, but gradually through these weeks, I've begun to notice a more refined, more complex me. If I had gone any where else, I probably wouldn't have discovered this. If I hadn't attended I probably would've always been drawing how I'm used to drawing and I never would've gotten any better. I wouldn"t begin to understand who I am or why I do what I do.

There were three reasons I went back to school at 37. One, to finally get the piece of paper that said I was professional, two, to stay current on design and three, to get out of the rat race and the machine like design for the corporate world that says, "here's my vision, now help me make it happen." I have loved my first year in design school because they have helped me to find what is my vision and how can I make that work. What I feel now is not how can I do what other people want but how can I do what I want to do, produce what's in me because there's a lot of stuff in there! It's been so refreshing to be in a community of people who want you to succeed for the sake of yourself, not anyone else.

First off most importantly, I want to say that if I could go back in time, that would be AWESOME!. ok, now the question.. hmm I think the most important thing to try and get used to for me are all the expenses. There's tuition, gas, food, materials, gas,more food,leting your friend borrow some money for a bag of dorritos from the vending machine!. I would go back and tell myself to start saving up early as soon as i started my senior year, get a job and work my butt off. Yeah, i thought i wouldn't have time to work in highschool, but now seeing how busy I am in college, I see I had plenty of time in highschool, that I should have taken advantage of, but being the procrastinator that I am, i put off applying for scholarships. So i had to kill myself everyday of the summer applying. I ended up getting enough scholarships to pay my first year, but if I would have started earlier, i would have plenty extra scholarship money for those extra expenses. So this year i've started my scholarships early, including this COOL one! Thanks alot!

In high school I was very much secluded from others and easily intimidated. Moving to a college away from home, gong into a feild which I loved, but was also intimidated by, terrified me completely. If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would say to get out of my shell and stop being scared of everything. I was worth more than the quality of my artwork, and I could easily make friends who would stick with me and prove to be a wonderufl support. College isn't as frightening as I was expecting, and critiques are only temporarily scathing. A bad critique does not mean I'm a bad artist, but that there is so much for me to obtain. I would tell myself not to be scared to accept and learn new things, for my shell was art, and not it has expanded and changed me for the better.

Don't be afraid to experience college life to it's fullest; it is a fun, unique, and incredibly time in your life that will be over before you know it. Be prepared to be completely responsible for everything about your new life: your food choices, the complete freedom of activities, making sure schoolwork gets done, and keeping track of finances. You are an adult now - no one is going to take your hand and help you take baby steps! Be open to the unexpected and the unusual; you never know who might be your new best friend or what might be your new favorite activity. Explore everything the campus and the city that is your new home has to offer. Meet people outside of the school. At college, it isn't only about how you grow academically - it's also about how you grow as an individual. Know that you are going to change, but that it's alright. Don't spend all your time alone in your dorm room studying, but don't stay out every night partying. Balance yourself, and soak up everything you can before it's over and you're on your own!

While in highschool make sure you figure out a practical method for note taking. I have found that taking notes during a lecture is extremely beneficial to my learning experience. Usually someone cannot immediately absorb everything you have learned, thus the process of taking notes and going back to them in the future helps refine your knowledge of a certain subject.

Do not procastinate becuase it perpetuates. This is what I would tell my highschool self after seeing it happen to myself and others in there first year of college.Once your giving an assignment jump on it until its finished. If you wait until the last minute your entire schedule will be out of whack. It'll be like that for a couple of weeks if you have alot of classes. It will cause you to handle one class lukewarmly. Before you start your year off evaluate why your going and your aspirations. This willl you give you the will power to drive up those up hill slopes in the middle of the semester. Where ever you are staying get a picture of your aspiration and tape it to your door . I have a appliction for Nike becuase I want to be an athletic clothing designer. Your inspiration maybe something you promised to your mom or to honor some one dear to you thats passed. During your Christmas break you should also revive yourself, think back when you were a kid zealous about whatever it is your going to college for.

If I was able to go back and give myself schooling advice I would be very thankful. I would tell myself to work hard. Go to school more and get better grades. I would stress that deadlines won't change because you think they should. Start early on searching for the right school. Think about your future. Make sure to apply for scholarships early. For the most part be prepared.

If I could go back and give myself advice as a high school senior I would have told myself to start researching school early and don't be afraid to take that leap out of your comfort zone. When deciding, 3 years later, to apply to an out of state school, I took that leap and it was the best decision I have made in my life thus far. It was somewhat accidental but I could not have planned it out better myself, it has truly been the experience of a lifetime thus far and I have and continue to learn more than I ever imagined. I can not wait to get out and see the world and implement my learning in to something that will truly make a difference.

?You are a strong, intelligent, and talented woman?don?t give up on yourself, and don?t lose focus.? Out of all of the words I could possibly say to myself, I find this small phrase to be the most pertinent. The transition into college was a difficult one, and lacked positive reinforcement. I had little support from my family, my peers led me to distraction, and my employer acted as if the two days a week that I dedicated to school in my personal time off was burdensome. Even though I passed my first semester of school with a 3.8 GPA while making the Dean?s List for Academic Success, I lacked the confidence due to the lack of moral support I experienced, as well as the motivation to keep at it when I was simultaneously burdened with term papers and paying my own bills. Had someone said to me then the advice I would?ve given myself, I might have pursued my education sooner, rather than shift my focus to my career. In the end, nothing can be more important to success than faith in one's self.

If I had the opportunity to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to step up my game and be more studious in my general education classes. Also, since I was currently taking several fine arts classes, I would inform me to push myself a lot harder and challenge myself more with my work. I would let myself know that I should study about and work on my use of the basic formal properties of art such as composition, line, material, subject, etc. I would tell myself to branch out and experiment with more materials, compositions, and subjects. I would also definitely let myself know that doing some life-drawing exercies would help as well. Overall, my intended message to myself would be to basically dive head-first into my art, and push myself above and beyond my limits.

Don?t let anyone else talk you into what you should do about your future. You know yourself better than anyone else. There is no need to rush into college if you don?t have it figured out yet. Go to community college for a few semesters. Take classes in all the different things you are interested in. You may end up wanting to do something completely different then what you thought to start, and you don?t want to waste a lot of money finding that out at a costly university. You save money if you take your basic classes at the community colleges. Do A LOT of research. Pick five top schools, and apply to them all. You want to see what kind of scholarships they offer you. Talk to the admissions councilors over the phone too. Don?t be afraid to ask them questions. You are NOT bothering them. It?s there job! They want you to go to their school! Also, apply for scholarships!! Even apply for the ones you don?t think you?ll get. The more money you can get for school, the easier your life will be when you?re out of it.

I would advice my self to go to a community college first. Although I love my school it is so expensive and I really can not afford it. That is the only thing I would advice.