Lake Erie College Top Questions

Afraid? I know that starting something new can rattle your nerves, but you will always be starting something new in your life, new job, new marriage, becoming a new parent. College is just the next step in the learning process and better now with your peers then to go back once when you are older. Every year you delay going to college you will be developing a life for yourself and you will start accumulating responsibilities. There will always a reason why you should wait until until "next semester" to go back to college and next thing you know you are 30. You may take a few classes over the years, but you may also become a single parent and then will not be able to leave the kids alone at night and the next thing you know you are 50. When you are driving and you see a batted, bloody person coming toward you telling you that the bridge is out, do you stop the car and turn around? Let me be the person that you see who is 50 and returning to shcool because I can't get a job. Now that is something to be afraid of.

When I finished highschool, I was not really thinking about going to college at all, instead I planned to go right into working in my field. I took a year off just working and during that time I decided that college would better prepare me for the rest of my life than just working. In order to make the transition easier for myself, I should have been more analytical when choosing my first college. The first school I went to was completely unsatisfactory and did not challenge my intellect the way that LEC does. So if I could go back and advise my high school self, I would have told myself to ask better question when on campus tours and to talk with current students about how they felt about the college. Also, I've learned that on campus visits, schools tend to project a better image than is acutally reasonable. In that sense I would have advised myself to look past a pretty campus and buildings to try and see what the school would actually be like when the school year actually started.

nothing just party less and concintrate more on school.

The first thing I would tell myself is... STOP CARING! No, I don't mean stop caring about school work, because that is definitely the second thing I would say to my high school self, pay more attention and be more organzied, and study study study! I regret not taking in the spanish, and I only wish I could have tried harder and consequently gotten a better grade on those thesis papers. But I know now that those things are important, but it is more important to know who you are. It took me two years to be able to look my music teacher in the eyes, I got caught up in the useless drama that is high school, and even now I admit that I get scared to make a phone call every now and then, but growing up and moving ten hours from home has really forced me to be independent. It took me this long to figure out that it doesn't matter what you look like, the only thing that matters is the difference you make with your actions. Stop caring, start working!

I would tell myself not toprocrastinate and to visit as many colleges as possible. I know it can be very stressful to pick a college, but take a deep breath and find one that fits you. Your college experience depends on what you make of it. College isn't as scary as people make it out to be. Join some clubs that interest you, make friends, work hard and no matter where you go, you will have fun and be successful. Also, apply to numerous scholarship applications. College can get very expensive, so fill out that small survey or write that 500 word essay and you will be so glad you did when you have to pay for your schooling. Have fun and stay motivated and you will be fine!

I would tell myself to study harder, to practice for the ACT & SAT, to stay in shape, and strongly pursue my interests. This advise would help me better prepare for college and enable me to have a better financial standing than my current one. It would also keep my self-dicipline at its best. I would be traveling an easier path with less work and more enjoyable free time.

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self I would tell myself to take school and my search for secondary education more seriously. I did not look hard for colleges that I should have. I would also tell myself to learn to manage my time better because it is hard to juggle practice, games, study tables, classes, and time with friends. The most important advise I could give myself is no matter how stressed or home-sick that you get just try to maintain a positve attitude and try to rememeber that this hard work will be worth it in the end. College will allow me to make a better life for my future family and I and it was the best decision I have ever made.

Education and work are two different things. As a high school senior, I was career focused and felt that I should select a college and major that reflected that. Later on, I found that while I wanted a career in a certain line of work, I did not want to study it. Essentially, I wanted to walk before I could crawl. I needed to select a major that I wanted to both study and have a career in. The two are inseparable.

Definitely I would advise myself to not stress so much. I thought college was going to be class and study for 16hrs a day with no time for life. My image of college life was much worse than it was. College schedules are much more flexible than high school so I have added some fun (non-academic) classes into each semester. I have taken a dance class and a gardening class so far. This is my treat for working hard. These fun classes have proven to be a great way to bring my stress level down while still learning something new. I would also tell myself to make a study schedule and stick to it like it was the Holy Grail. In high school the home study time was minimal because there was so much built in study time through out the day. College is not very forgiving when it comes to home study or study outside of the classroom. I have planned study time for each class marked on my calendar and I do not let anything bump into that time. I have a schedule for each day of the week as if it were my job. It works.

I would have to tell myself that in college, there are no excuses. Your parents are no longer there to call you in sick. The dog can no longer eat your homework. You can no longer go to the nurse, fake sick, and go home early. In college, being absent can determine whether you pass or fail a class. Professors will not accept late work. Once you graduate, you will need to step it up and take responsibility for your actions and choices. You are the adult now. The ball is in your court and you must work hard to keep it in control. Although this may sound scary, you will truly enjoy this experience if you stay on task. You will meet great people, make new friends, and learn a ton of useful information that will help mold you into a great teacher. Work hard and have fun!