Metropolitan Community College Area Top Questions

As I was graduating from high school I knew what I wanted to do with my life; be a photographer. I applied for art schools and got in. My dreams seemed to be becoming a reality. Then summer rolled around and I thought to myself, " I can't move! Ill miss my family, my friends, my home." So I settled. I stayed and went to the local University for a year, which didn't even provide a photography program. Then the next year I switched to community college where there was a program, but it still wasn't my dream school. If I could go back to my senior year I would tell myself to follow my dreams. Ive always had a great support team, people standing behind me. I would tell myself to take things more seriously and to accomplish my goals and not put them on the backburner. Life can only be as great as you make it and if you settle you will be unhappy. Take opportunities, take chances, take a leap of faith and in the end youll be able to look back at your life and be proud of what you have acomplished.

If I was given the opportunity to go back in time and tell myself as a high school senior what to expect or what to do as a college student I wouldn't. Part of me would want to save myself the trouble, and make things a bit easier, but I wouldn't have that experience, and I wouldn't have truly learned. Like my mother says, "What is easiest isn't always right, sometimes what is most difficult is the right thing path to take." And see my mother tried to warn me, but I didn't really hear what she was saying to me. I believe that I needed to learn what I learned, and making it any easier on myself would have only hurt me growth not only with my education, but also as a individual. You should always be prepared, and that's what I believe college is, but you don't genuinly learn something until you experience it for yourself.

I would advise myself to take more initiative. I was always very low-key and relaxed, just letting the chips fall where they may. Actually, I'd probably more than give advice; I might physically smack some sense into myself. If I would have started gathering information at an earlier date, my whole experience would have been a lot smoother. Especially in the financial aid department. Waiting last second is the absolute worst thing you can do, but it's also difficult to take your first steps if you don't know what direction you're going in. I don't think my high school did a very good job of preparing me for college any further than in education. So maybe foremost, I would advise myself to have a nice long chat with a counselor.

Now that I am more than double my high school age, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I could have done what I am doing now "Nursing". I would say, the army offered to pay for you to be a nurse, just do it. You have so many choices ahead. You could attend College of Saint Mary's or another college, without having to burden your parents. It wasn't always about how much I would have cost them if I attended college. I thought I was keeping them out of debt, never really understanding how I would have got alot of help to get in to college. That getting into college is so much more than the endless tourture of trying to fit in of high school.

Imagine this; it?s your senior year of high school. You are the editor of the yearbook, president of three clubs, principal?s aide and captain of the tennis team. You are so busy pleasing everyone else that you forget to live for yourself. It must be pretty hard to imagine that for most people, but not me. Everything that I mentioned was everything that I was, I was living for everyone and forgetting that it was my make it or break it year. If I could go back to my senior year I have a list of things that I would change. The most important thing is; I would have picked an established four-year college and done everything imaginable to get accepted. The second thing is; I would have saved more money. I never realized college was so expensive, especially with a minimum paying job and no financial help from anyone. The third thing is; I would dropped some of my extracurricular activities. I was so intent on helping everyone that I was hurting myself and my future. However, my senior year experience has led me to my career; Secondary Education. I want to inspire and change lives.

Please stop assuming that everything will get handed to you on a silver platter. Work your butt off! Pay attention in Math class, trust me, you will need it later! Start researching colleges right away! Have fun!

College is an adventure unlike any other. It is filled with new friendships and oppurtunities. It is important to never give up on any of your goals, but also not overload yourself with too many goals at one time. College is not as easy as high school, and presents many new challenges to overcome. Making sure that your major is the one you will want to spend the rest of your life doing is always a good idea; so take courses in anything you may be interested in even if you are sure of what major you want. Life changes fast once out of high school and even with all the growing you have already done, there is still much more to come. Do not ever assume that you know best, but instead be open to new ideas and listen to everyones opinion; they may add insight you had never before thought of. However, most importantly be true to yourself and study hard, open your books, read your notes, and ask for help when you need it; there is no limit to your accomplishments, so reach for the stars.

If I were to go back and tell myself anything, it would be to express the importance of a college education for women. Although many women think that they will just get married and have babies, thus becoming stay at home moms, women should definitely have any education to fall back on. Not only does an education provide a person with skills to get a job and provide for oneself financially, but it increases self esteem and independence.

Self, don't go to community college, go strait to a university.