Midwestern State University Top Questions

I have realized the need for further education. I did not achieve the level of education I desired and have realized the need to return to achieve my goal. I am enjoying the challenge of returning to college after a number of years in my career. I realize the importance of recieving the highest level of education you desire.

I am only a sophomore in college and I have already learned so many life lessons and have truly developed as a young woman. College athletics has taught me the importance of teamwork, hardwork, and how to be an affective leader. College has also taught me how necessary it is to act as a responsible adult. Balancing school, cross country, an after-school job, and maintaining a social life is quite a task, but I know that I am capable of doing it. All of these experiences have also helped me learn the value of independence. In college, it is up to me to make the right choices. It is up to me to follow the road to success. I am me. I am the decision maker of my future and a college degree is the path that will get to to where I want to be.

Oh, if I only knew then what I do now, how much better off I would be! College is a zero tolerance environment: Get assignments in, or get out. If I could go back and tell my high school self one thing to do differently, it would be to establish organized study habits before entering college. Study habits are the foundation for the college GPA. Having a weak foundation ensures a weak grade point average. If I had consistently practiced organized study habits in high school, I would definitely have had an advantage over my freshman peers. During my first college semester, I discovered that using note cards and study groups were my personal best study methods. If I had utilized these methods from the beginning of the semester, early grades in my classes would have been higher. Throughout my high school career, teachers constantly reminded us: ?College is the real deal. College professors won?t take late work, they won?t give curves, and they expect you to learn the material whether they lecture on it or not.? I was not sure those statements were completely factual until I started college. Now I know that they really are true!

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a senior, the number one advice I would give myself would be to fill out as many scholarship applications as possible. As I already have $14,000 in student loans for my first year of college. Another thing I would tell myself is to save my summer work money and not blow it on games, movies, and other activites. The last thing I would tell myself is to enjoy the last year in highschool as it will never come again.

High school in general is suppose to be a time of transition into begining of the real world upon completion. As most seniors in high school transition into the college application process brings with it thousands of questions and uncertainity. The one piece of advice I have learned with age is allow for life to take its course, dont be affraid of what tommorow holds. The future is bright and full of all kinds of opportunites for each one of us to pursue, so set high standards for yourself and stive high to achieve them. The world is your golden ticket so remember education is a privilage that we forget so often and be thankful for your opportunity to attend a higher instiuition. Take advatange of the extra activites your campus will offer and ulitilize the opportunites given to you.

If I was given the opportunity to go back in time to when I was a senior in high school there are two major things that I would tell myself. I would tell myself to take more dual enrollment classes and declared majors can be changed. At my high school they offered dual enrollment classes, which meant that I could take college courses for free and get college and high school credit at the same time. If I was given an opportunity to go back in time and give myself advice I would tell myself to take advantage of those classes since they are free. In high school, I was aware that people change their major several times once in college. I told myself that I would never change my major because I did not want to up taking extra classes because I couldn?t make up my mind. Now, I realize that changing my major was ok. With this opportunity, I would tell myself that it is okay to change your major because when you start to do what you were meant to do with the rest of your life you will realize it and you will love it.

Seeing where I am now, and all the things that I have experienced I would tell myself to just relax and try to enjoy as much as possible. I had this big idea in high school that college was going to be the hardest thing that I would ever have to do in my life. Don't get me wrong, it is very challenging. However, it is also very rewarding as well. I would remind myself not to get caught up in struggle of each semester and to take time out for myself. After all college life isn't all about acadimics. everyone needs their own personal time to wind down and enjoy themselves. This isn't to say forget about making good grades at all. I have over a 3.5 commulative GPA in my college career and have had plenty of fun along the way too. So the biggest thing I would tell myself in high school, or any high school student now, is to not get overwhelmed in the idea that college is this daunting task that only the smartest people make it through.

Note to younger self: 1. Do research and get answers you need about housing, hours, books, etc. WAY before deadline because something always comes up. 2. There's lots of money for school; it's just up to you to seek out scholarships and apply early to win the money. With luck, you CAN win enough to acquire a laptop, live semi- comfortably, and hopefully graduate debt-free. 3. Spend a lot of time looking at schools and considering majors; no time spent doing this is wasted, because you're setting the stage for your career & where you'll spend the next four years of your life. 4. Master time management: if you're working, going to school full time, and have any kind of social life, you'll be pressed for time- all the time. 5. Buy a camera! Make friends! Knowing people on campus makes life easier and can lead to unexpected opportunities. Go out! All study and no play make Jason a dull boy. Take one day during the weekend to get out , enjoy yourself, and make the type of memories you'll tell your kids about.

I would tell myself to think about what I want to do and not let the desires and needs of others influence the decisions I make regarding school. I went in thinking I knew what I wanted to do, but really it was the convenience that drew me to it. Now I know that I should follow my heart and do what feels right to me. I wasted more than a year in school because I thought I was doing what would help me have a better life. I'm thankful that I went through it though- because I now know that it was completely the wrong path for me. It helped me realize I'm not that person and what kind of person I truly am. I think the experience has helped me however, because now i know I am on the right path. But I sure would have liked to have known which was the right path when I was still in high school!

After I graduated from high school, I decided to go into the workforce for awhile before I went to college to figure out what I wanted to do, and to just take some time off from school. Almost a year later, and still no job, I am seeing that this was a big mistake. Due to the US economy being in the gutter at the moment, obviously it was impossible for someone of my age, education and stature to find any jobs. Anywhere. Period. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to just get it over with and apply for colleges and get in to one now while the time is right. Because I waited like I did, a few opportunities have disappeared. While it was nothing that seriously threatens my chances of getting into college, there were some money saving opportunities and some methods of simplifying this whole paperwork orgy that is getting into a college that I should have taken advantage of. But alas, the world still turns, and life goes on. All I can really do is hope for a better tomorrow.