Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Top Questions

When I was in high school my dad went to jail. Because of this, I went through a rough patch where my grades and test scores were the last thing on my mind. I had to go to LSU because I had to stay close to my mom and younger siblings. When I applied, my grades were so low that I needed to perform exceptionally on the ACT to get into LSU. My father valued education so much that he paid for me to go to the best and most expensive high school in Baton Rouge. Not getting into LSU would be a waste of all that money my dad worked so hard to make to secure my future. That was a wakeup call for me, I studied hard to raise my ACT score and it paid off. Before I got to LSU, I told myself I would never be that irresponsible and that school should always come first. The point of my story is that I don’t need to go back and tell my self anything. My wakeup call then, made me reach the path of success I am on now.

If I were able to give my high school self some advice I would be sure to tell myself to think more about what I wanted to pursue in college. I spent the first two years of college trying to figure out what major to pursue. Even after making the decision I would ultimately go on making, I am now not a 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} sure it was the right choice. I would also be sure to advise myself to make more financially smart decisions with regards to tuition. One of the biggest mistakes I made when looking at colleges was not considering the opportunities for scholarship provided by the universities. I strictly focused on the academic merit of the institutions. It probably would have been best for me to choose an in-state college.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself when I was a senior, I would have a lot to say. First I would start out with finances, advising myself to start working immediately and to budget myself instead of spending so much. Then, I would have myself take an ACT class so my score would reflect my potential as a person, and because every point on the ACT could be worth thousands in financial aid. I would council myself to apply to more schools other than my top three schools, so I would not end up at a school that did not fulfill my academic needs. After this, I would sit down and talk to myself about my depression, and the importance of seeking professional help. I almost lost my life this past year due to my battle with depression, and I wish I sought help much sooner. If I had sought help my senior year it would have been easier to manage and accomplish all the advice I’d given above. Finally, I would tell myself to not be hard on myself for failure, to learn and to work hard to fulfill my dreams.

First off, I would tell myself to take college and the scholarship and application process more serious. I would tell myself to stay on top of the game and be foucused no matter what. All through high school you heard about "Senioritis" which was when you became a senior you just slacked off, became lazy, and felt like everything is already fiinished and set in stone. I would've especially told myslef not to give into "senioritis" and do everything needed to do because you're not finished yet.

Dear Tayla, I know that you want to go to a university as far away from your mother as possible once you graduate, but there are so many things I need to inform you about first. For starters, I know that you feel trapped and you want to be on your own, but you cannot go through college alone, trust me it's impossible! Your going to need money to eat and do all those other uneccessary things you'll want to do, someone to help you with your work because not all teachers can teach but more importantly, your going to need a shoulder to cry on. All the heartbreaks, financial headaches, and friendship ruins will feel like the end of the world. Your going to feel alone and your going to have nights where you just cry yourself to sleep. Don't think that graduating from high school means that you don't need your parents anymore because Tayla, I promise your going to need them more now than ever before. I hope this helps.....

SAVE MORE MONEY. Out of state fees are high. Your gonna have a great time. Dont drink and drive ever. The girls are great, dont date and waste your time. Youll never wanna miss a football game. Go to as many away SEC games as possible. Have fun. I'm above ground and an American, what more can you ask for?

I would say to my high school self, consider expenses. I cannot do stuff around the state because I don't have enough money. Get a job, save for a year or so, then go to school. Or stay in my state, not go out of state to school. Consider meal plans, dorms, living expenses, and transportation costs. I made really good friends at my college, and I can't stay unless I can get more financial aid next year. I want to stay but my parents can't afford it and they don't want me to take out loans that I can't pay back quickly after I get out of school. My sister didn't get a good job until five years after she got out of college. That's the recession for you. I would say to myself consider everything.

I would tell myself not to take things so seriously and relax. I used to be very uptight and felt like I needed someone there for me if I was going to succeed, and that's obviously not true. I would also tell myself to refocus my energies more so on school than on my social life, which was failing miserably (and making me depressed). I was young--and still am--and should enjoy what I have, but I also think that I should have taken my academic career more seriously if I wanted to suceed later on in life. Now I have to work much harder. Finally, I would tell myself to pursue my dreams of traveling the world. I didn't study abroad until my final semester, and I loved it. I need to tell myself to do that! Everyone should have an opporunity to go on an adventure like that, and I know high school me would have loved it, too.

If I could go back in time to my senior year, I'd warn myself about the financial burden. It's extremely tough to pay for schooling these day, and everyone knows it. I would have warned myself to start looking for scholarships, and applying; however the biggest piece of advice I would have given myself has to be, study as hard as you possibly can. In highschool things are simple, you look over notes a few times and boom you have an A. College is about applying concepts, not learning terms. College teaches you how to think, not how to repeat something. On your first college test you learn that looking over your notes a few times isn't going to cut it, you have to actually expand on that and understand the material. You have to know each little nook in the information presented to you. Your professor will ALWAYS throw curve balls at you during a test just to see if you really, truly understand the material. My advice is to keep your education first.

"It is more easy to be wise for others than for ourselves." Francois Rochefoucauld If I could go back in time to give my high school self persona advice, I would have many points to cover. Always remember that every grade counts form ninth grade through twelfth grade. Also, it is very important to take not only honors and advanced placement classes, but also college courses that are offered through the high school. Many of them must be taken through the computer, but there are teachers at the high school to help one. Similarly, one should not get too involved in high school "drama". The people that are classmates now will not be around when it is time for college, so do not let them distract you from your goal of making all A's. You must also write a resume of all your accomplishments. You will be able to use this when applying for scholarships. Learning to write thank you notes is critical. After asking your teachers to write letters of recommendation, you better write them a thank you note. Finally, do not burn your bridges for your high school teachers can tutor you when you are in college.

I would first tell myself to breathe. Not that I needed reminding to complete an essential function for human life, but the thought of starting college made me quite anxious. My life was about to change drastically, and I could not figure out how to emotionally prepare myself. Immediately after I moved in with my roommate, we became friends. I met people in classes, participated in intramurals, and attended sports events. So, I had fun. I wish I would not have worried so much and trusted that I would be just fine. Second, I would tell myself to not be afraid to be me, to have confidence that I am a smart woman with a bright future. My first few years at college, I would get wrapped up in school, and I would forget that this was a unique experience that I would always remember. School work is important, but so is being happy. The truth is, even if I could have given myself advice, it probably wouldn't mean as much as if I was learning it through my own experiences. Ultimately, I think college is about finding yourself and finding your own path in this world.

Going back to the days of being a high school senior it's easy to think you know everything that's coming your way once that diploma is in your hand. Because of the resources I had such as the Internet, social media and MTV I was sure to have everything I needed to know under my sleeve. I was wrong. Knowing what I know now about college and making the transition, the first thing I'd tell myself is, "It's really not as easy as you think." Writing papers, short deadlines, and understanding all the material taught in class was never on TV. All the work and expectations put on you as a college student doesn't begin to compare to the work given in high school. Giving myself another piece of advice, I'd tell myself to stay focused. In college there's so many different things going on it's almost too easy to get side tracked. I know this because it happened to me. It is so important to keep your goals in mind at all times becuase once you mess up getting everything fixed becomes a nightmare when it could've all been avoided.

Drop a class instead of taking the chance at failing. The poor grade is worse than a W.

As a high school senior I believed I knew everything there was to know about making the transition to college and I always told myself how involved I planned on being. The summer before college started I did what most girls do and started filling out forms and getting letters of recommendation to hopefully become part of the Greek System. This process was tiring, exciting, scary and time consuming all at the same time. I went into college with an open mind and expected everything to be okay. However, after the first few weeks I stopped getting involved and kinda just waitied for opportunities to present themselves to me. If I could go back in time the most important thing I would make clear to myself would be to stay involved. College is a great experience and I have had both amazing and terrible things happen while experiencing this transition. However going out of state not knowing anyone can be VERY lonely at times and if you stay involved your mind will stop thinking of all the negatives and you will be able to focus on all the positives that are happening at this current time.

You are not going to believe how easy it is to get lost in the crowd. LSU is big and trying to find friends seems daunting but make a few they will help you. Those late night study sessions are lonely when it is just you but with friends it is always a little easier. You need to go to as many residential life events as possible, they seem lame but you can meet great people at them! Don't sweat the small stuff in college no matter what people say just look to the next task and always try your hardest because everything counts. You may decide to change majors during your first year and lose a scholarship or two but don't worry money will makes its way to you.

Dear High School Self, Remember that it is okay to remain "Briana" and that you should never change for anyone no matter the situation. Hard work always pays off and do not forget to hold on to your wonderful study habits. It is always good to be involved, as you already are however keep a list of your main priorities posted somewhere near as a reminder. Continue to challenge yourself and never second guess your decisions no matter what happens, more than likely you are right. You may have a difficult time being an African-American, young lady, and majoring in Engineering, however do not let that deter you from your dreams. Accept it! You may not be able to receive help as often as others and you may build a wall to make sure others do not see your fear. When you start to build the wall, KNOCK IT DOWN! You are wonderfully MADE and SUCCESSFUL, do not give up! You will do great and will succeed no matter how long it takes or how hard it may turn out. Continue to stand for what you believe in and encouraging others to be the best! Love, College Briana

Change is not something to be afaid of. It means that you are ready for the next stage in life. Every challenge you have overcome is an achievement in and of itself. Have faith in yourself. Don't be afraid to try something new. Go out and meet new people. You know the old saying," The early bird gets the worm"? It's true. Get things done as early and as well as you can. Do not be afraid to use a schedule or a checklist.

I would tell myself to stay away from certain people and stay focused on my course work when I got to college. I would tell myself to change roommates as soon as I got to school. I would tell myself to get involved early in the school year.

Well...since i didnt start yet, i would tell myself to be early on doing things for college like applying.

If I were to travel back and speak with me, I would make sure, by all means, to get four major points across, along with a bunch of smaller things. First of all I would tell myself to save money, and by save, I mean approximately 10-30 thousand dollars. Secondly I would tell myself that every girlfriend that I have up until pharmacy college fails, and to avoid all of them on the intimate level. Thirdly I would tell myself to start studying Biology’s core concepts, and learn them in great detail. Fourthly I would stress watching and understanding cultures, heathcare, and governmental type information as much as I can. If I were to know these four helpful tips, I could’ve saved time, money, and stress/heartbreak. Also, I would have been able to tackle through some golden opportunities that I had to pass up; such as: different colleges, and living quarters. By having enough money, not worrying about intimate female relations, understanding biologys core concepts, and getting familiar with societies dealings, I would be in a supreme position throughout my whole AA, my BA, and especially my Doctorates.