Montana State University Top Questions

I would tell myself to do better acedemically in high school and to acheive a higher GPA to receive scholarships or potentially a full-ride. Also I would tell myself to find and apply for as many scholarships as possible. If your like me and have no support from your family even while being in school and you are having to pay for every single thing you have in your life by yourself, a $100 scholarship is the best news ever!

You have to recognize what you enjoy to do in life and go to college for just that. Put the money aside and just go for what you’re passionate about. You know you enjoy designing, building, and adventure. However, I knew someone who had the same interests in high school and went to college for renewable energy because he knew it would be a growing industry to get a job. Later he realized he didn't just want a job. He noticed that when he graduated there was an uneasy and uncomfortable feeling when we was applying for jobs and that's because he lacked the passion. Even though he applied for jobs he never got them because deep inside he knew that he didn't really want them, so he never got them! His real passion was in environmentally conscious design. So he decided to go back to college for exactly that and knew that this time around he would tune more into the connections he would make and the experiences that would find him. So my advice to you would be to recognize what you enjoy doing, do that, and the money and job will follow.

Dear me, Don't be scared. You're smarter than you think. Life is about to change so much you won't have any time to worry about what you might lose and that's ok. The people who matter will still be there in the end. Live in the moment and hold your GPA dear to you. You will excel so much if you keep your head in the game. Also, focus on your academics right now and try to get yourself a scholarship. It may not seem important in your shoes but it will be worth it down the road. Love, You

If I were able to talk to my highschool self, I would need to tell him one important thing: "there is nothing in this world that can stop you from accomplishing what you put your mind to." After an incredible first day of school I was given life-changing news that my dad had passed away of a heart attack. I was stunned and lost on what to do about anything: my family, the funeral, school.... anything that was previously concrete in my reality was now altered completely. After a few days at home I knew in my heart that my dad wanted me to be at school and become who he knew I could. I returned to school that following Monday taking 17 credits as a freshmen, one of which was Calculus 3, so I had plenty to catch up on, but I knew my dad was there to get me through it. After first semester finished, I had earned a 4.0. If I can get a 4.0 in the same semester as my dad's death, I'd like my highschool self to know there is nothing he can't do, no matter the circumstances.

If I could go back in time and tell my high school senior self anything, it would be: "Don't stop believing in yourself. Life is going to throw so much at you in the future. You can make it through anything if you believe in yourself. Don't worry about tomorrow, keep your eye on the goal but take things one step at at time". As a college student, I often want to tackle every project at one time. It is tiring and wears you down. As a high school student, I wanted to do the same thing. However, in the world outside of high school, it is important to take your time and do things correctly.

If I could go back in time to give my senior self advice I would tell myself that saving fifty dollars a paycheck will really help out in college when it comes to buying books or paying for tuition. School was alot more expensive than I orginially thought it would be so when the time came to pay for everything I was unprepared for the amount it would cost. I would also tell myself that the dorm rooms are alot smaller then you think so you dont need to pack as much as you originally planned to. Lastly i would tell myself that college is a fun time and you get to meet alot of new people so expect to learn time managemnt!

If I could give myself any advice, I would have told myself to get more involved with the campus activities. It is easy to get isolated on campus if you do not take the initiative. Campus offers many wonderful opportinities to meet new people and make friends. It is a great way to help college seem less overwhelming and and to enjoy the experience of learning that much more.

Passion isn't enough, but it's a start. As a senior, I was obsessed with the date of graduation and completely confident that college would be a breeze for me simply because I was interested in the subject matter. I wasn't prepared to pay back the interest on my loans, or to live off of campus food. The first day, I fully anticipated a gorgeous man driving in to sweep me off my feet. College takes work. Once you get into the flow of things though, that's when the real fun begins. The future is bright because it is hazy though, and retaining that hope and confidence I had in high school is still a key part to being successful in college.

Listen up kid, your irresponsible and it's going to take you lots of places, some of the good, most of them bad. It'll build character but to forget all that, character means nothing without responsibility, responsibility for your actions, for the actions of others that you contributed to. Real responsibility doesn't just involve "I'm sorry" it involves real actions that show where your stand, words don't fix mistakes (admittedly they can help). Everybody messes up, a lot... So keep your head on straight, stumble with pride, dream like mad, get in over your head, get comfortable feeling uncomfortable in the most responsible of ways, but most of all, don't get caught in those little traps your brain will set for you that can really drag you down. Most of all, wear your mistakes with pride because it's really only in failure that we learn about ourselves, the world around us, and most importantly we learn how to dust ourselves off. Besides that responsibility is charming and will make you a humble person. You can attain all the knowledge in the world and be a fool but you can't be wise without responsibility.

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior I would go back and tell myself to stay in touch with your friends. Freshman year can be very daunting and overwhelming for many people. They leave their high school where they had a standing schedule and friends, and they come to college where they may be alone and have to fend for their selves. In this senerio it is best to have your friends with you. They can help you work through those initial jitters and get into the swing of things.

I know that test taking is not my best skills and I would have tried to become more proficient in test taking by seeking out others who could teach me ways to quickly read questions and discard possible answers quickly and calmly. But since I didn't do this in high school I would give myself the advice that even though I was very successful in high school that college is so different that I would give myself permission to seek out help now and not rely on my old skill set that worked in high school but may not be working in college. I would be open to taking a class on test taking or on note taking so I could be the best student possible in college.

If I was able to go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would be able to help myself out and give myself some good advice. First and foremost, I would tell myself to apply to colleges and to have attended school for a semester. I took a two year break to go and serve a mission for my church, a great decision I would make again, although it would have been nice to have completed a semester of school first. Another useful tip would have been to be more frugal with my money. I worked throughout most of high school, and even though I did not make a lot of money, it would have been better had I saved more money than I did instead of having to rely on savings that I am making now. I was lucky enough my senior year to have gotten good grades, so the most important things I would have told myself would have been to keep up the good work, apply to and attend college, and to be smarter with my money.

Rita, please stop messing around all the time! Trust me, you can have a lot more time for fun if you shape up and go to a real university instead of a community college. Don't believe all the hype! Community college is a place you will get stuck for years if you keep doing what you're doing. You will be fighting to get classes and the classes you can get will never benefit you. Sure, other people have gotten to get out and transfer within two years, but that was before budget cuts and all this other messy stuff going on. Students from other countries will get more priority than you will. If you try and crash classes, there's only a 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} chance you'll get a seat because most teachers let students in by raffle. Please, Rita, dump your boyfriend. He's holding you back from wanting to go to a school more than 15 miles from home. Don't let him keep you from Boston or San Diego. Shape up and maybe you won't end up stuck like I did.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would give myself a little bit of advice knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition. During high school, I was a 4.0 student and developed a good work ethic. When I came to college, I didn’t have any trouble transitioning to college academically. The advice that I would give myself is to get out of my box and stretch myself socially. I am a very introverted person and, now that I am a senior, feel that I have missed quite a few opportunities in college due to this. Just recently, I have gotten out of my box and did a few activities that I wouldn’t normally have and have enjoyed myself immensely. One example of this is the College Age Skit that I am currently in at the church that I attend. I wouldn’t have participated in this when I first came to college (because I like being in the background), but am now sad that I haven’t participated in it for the five years that I have been in college.

The best way to successed is to attend class, even if it doesent make sense a surprise is the worst case scenario that could be given. Also the best possible thing to do is to get the work done and ask questions, somebody will answer and if an anwser isnt found then look online.

In highschool I had a lot of great mentors in my life. My greatest mentor though was my granmother. Not only was she my mentor though, she was also my teacher since I was homeschooled. She taught me a lot of academic knowledge as well as invaluable life lessons. If I could go back to highschool I would tell myself to practice typing out essays on a computer. For most of my highschool years I did do a lot of essays--research, creative writing, etc.--but when I did write those essays I wrote them in the traditional fashion of paper and pen (or pencil) since my grandmother wasn't good at using the computer herself. In my first semester of college I had to familiarize myself with MLA format, Microsoft Word Office 2010, PDF, etc. That was probably my biggest transition. Otherwise, the curriculum I had in highschool prepared me very well for college and my studying style had already been well established so moving on to college was an easy transition. The only thing I had to do was continue my habits I learned in highschool and I was fine and have been fine.

Put yourself out there and don't be afraid to fail because of taking risks. Be outgoing and invovled with your field, develop skills you'd like to have starting now.

Do not take anything for granted. I know that right now there seem to be so many problems in life, but remember all the good things you have going on in your life. In college you will go through struggles, maybe even a lot of struggles, but remember there will always be someone there for you to support you in your decisions adn help you reach your goals. You are never alone even if it seems that way. I know this is blunt but not everyone you meet is going to like you, still be kind to everyone you meet. Just be you no matter what. You will have different views from other people, but you need to respect their views and opinions. Do not be afraid to stand up for what you believe. I know that everyone says, "College is the best time of your life," ignore them. College is what you make it; other portions of your life should be even better. Do not be afraid of college - it is just another step in life that gets you closer to your dreams. Fulfill your dreams sooner rather than later, why wait?

Do not take anything for granted. I know that right now there seem to be so many problems in life, but remember all the good things you have going on in your life. In college you will go through struggles, maybe even a lot of struggles, but remember there will always be someone htere for you to support you in your decisions and help you reach your goals. You are never alone even if it seems that way.

If I could go back and tell myself anything throughout high school, I would tell myself not to worry. Just because you don't know what you want to do with the rest of your life does not mean your future isn't as bright as everyone else's. The way you spend your time in college is what matters. Don't use your senior year to just to have fun, enjoy it, but do that while you're preparing for college. You don't need to worry about guys or friends, or any of the things you found so important throughout high school. You shouldn't even worry about them until after college, until you know exactly what you want to do in your life and have made the best future you could have ever imagined. Do not worry about the little things, everything works itself out and you will make it through.