McNeese State University Top Questions

A word of advice I would give to myself as a high school senior would be to study hard and take college seriously. When I first started college, I was told by many people that you didn't have to go to class to pass and I was told that it was easy adn fun. I should not have listened. It was not even close to easy and fun. My first semester flew by so fast and before I knew it, I was failing four of my five classes. It took me three semesters to bring my grade point average up to keep from flunking. My advice to any high school senior would be to be prepared because it is not as easy as people make it to be.

Do not assume you will know what you will do with the next 10 years of your life. Things change and so do majors,..that is why you take a wide variety of classes as a college freshmen. You are learning what you are and are not good at. God is the only one who plans your life.

College is a different world and it is very difficult to prepare for something in which you know nothing about. If I were able to go back in time and pass wisdom to myself, I would graciously accept the chance. I would go back in time and tell myself to read and study much more. I believe College is not a measurement of how much one knows, but a measurement of how much time one is willing to put into their education. I would go back and tell myself to always be prepared and organized. Classes are very important which provide essential information. Do not miss any classes unless it is a complete emergency. College expenses are very expensive from books to everyday living expenses. I would have saved more money from my part-time job and looked for scholarships in which I would qualify for.. This critical information would have made my freshman year in college less stressful.

I would tell myself to learn as much as possible. Do not complete work just to get by, but complete it to know it because nine times out of ten you will see it again. Do not slack off at anytime. Do not start off by not working as much. Work hard all semester because once you get behind its hard to get back up.

If I could go back in time as a high school senior and know what I know now as a college freshman, I would tell myself to slow down and focus. College is a different world with much more responsibility. I would have focused more on my school work and search for scholarships in which I would qualify for. The cost of living arrangements, books and tuition is very expensive. I would have been more cautious with the money I earned from my part-time job. If I could just go back in time my college experience would not be so hard. Though, I cannot go back in time, I can move forward and do my best to succeed and receive my degree in Mass Communications.

I would definitely tell myself to just go for it. Don't wait until you are 20 years old to go back to school. Its not that bad. Just stay focused on the right things. Don't let yourself get sidetracked by things that don't matter. Be true to yourself and follow what God wants you to do. Don't battle with yourself. You know you need to do it and you want to do it. Be an example and set the bar high. You can do it! Now go out into the world and make a DIFFERENCE!

?Which college should I attend?? is one of the hardest questions a student or parent will ever ask. Ironically, the answer lies in asking more questions. First, the student must inquire of themselves: ?what am I looking for in and from a college?? Would a large or small school be more comfortable, nearer home or farther away, et cetera? Armed with answers; research and choose potential schools, and interview both current and past students. What is/was their experience? Do/did they enjoy attending? The student can speak to current freshmen and sophomores, sharing the same concerns about life on campus, social life, how hard classes are and so on. Parents may want to speak to non-traditional students and seniors about issues such as how good the professors and facilities are, and how much support the school offers towards finding a job. Such questions can help to narrow the choices and find ?the right school?. In order to get the most from the college experience, the answer is simple. Do everything you can. Live, try, explore, think, question, participate, meet, discover and learn. Use this time to grow into the person you are and the one you will become.

Make sure your child stays at school is focused. As long as your focused anything can happen.

I would advise students who live in the same town as a college to move away. I grew up in Lake Charles so my college decision was easy. But, I sometimes feel like I am missing out on some of the basic college experiences. I had an opportunity to live in the dorms but stayed in my parents' house for comfort. If I was in a different town, I would be forced to socialize more and get to know different people.

Go wherever your heart leads but listen to your parents opinions also.