Northwest Nazarene University Top Questions

I would tell myself to maintain good grades, take college classes while in high school, and work towards scholorships. Kids do not understand how important school is. Take your youth and focus all of it on school like it is your full time job. You will thank yourself in the long run. But being the 18 year old that I was I simply did not understand this advice.

I believe that fear is what grips most young people during a transition between high school and college- fear of the unknown, fear of leaving friends and family, fear of failure, etc. If I could tell my high school self one thing, it would be to abandon fear and wholeheartedly pursue my passions. I would say that if you play it safe, chances are you won't fail. But by playing it safe you are susceptible to an even greater risk of not being fulfilled, and that is much worse than failure. Dreams and ideas are scary, but not as scary as settling. I would urge myself to be vulnerable to both success and failure. In the vulnerability, dreams are fine tuned and gold is created. Put yourself out there, explore uncharted talents, take risks, do what you love, and do not fear a hypothetical situation. Finish the year with no words left unspoken, no ideas left lingering, no regrets of not taking risks. Enter college with a bravery that allows you to make friends, work hard, get involved, and change the world. Fear not; dream on.

If I could visit the Ronny Beech who is a senior in high school, I would tell him two things about college life: enjoy the ride and do as much as you can for other people. That's what it is about. Building relationships by investing in others around you and enjoying the things around you as much as possible. This means trying to build meaningfull relationships with professors and students, volunteering time during the week to community organizations/events and attending as many college events as possible such as athletic games and plays. I could delve into logistical advice, such as what classes to take and what to major in, but I won't. All of our hindsight bias is 20/20. All we can do at the time is make the decision we think is best and dive in. If you decide to change your major half way through college, it is pointless to wish you could go back and do it over the way you think you should have. No experience is a wasted experience if you invest in those around you and enjoy the ride.

I could create an endless list of adive to give my former self. I would begin with handing over a complete guide of the financial aid world; I would stress the importance of financial aid and how expensive school really is. Going along with the expenses part of college, I would advise myself about the trickery of college books. You buy the books for a crazy dollar amount and sell them back for less then 75{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of what you paid. A helpful tip I would pass along: Buy used books then sell them to fellow students you know will be taking that class next semester. Fellow students will pay more for your books than the bookstore. The most important peice of adivce I would give to my former self is that your envolvment with the school is just as important as your academic progress. Creating many relationships, prfessional and personal, and involving yourself with the school will create a memorable learning experience.

I would start at a community college to figure out what I want to do and to avoid student loans. After completely my Associate's, then I'd transfer to a 4-year university.

I would tell myself to pay for the A.P. classes and C.P. classes that I took so I would already have a head start on college. I would also try to do more afterschool activities. I would start filling out scholarships during that year so that I had better financial aid. Lastly, I would tell myself to find time to relax because even though all this stuff needed to get done, I shouldn't worry myself so much and have some fun. I would have loved to enjoy being a teen more rather than stressing over my future.

If I could go back in time and speak to my high school self about college and what I know now, I would definitely tell myself to just be enthusiastic about the transition in every aspect. The transition for me honestly wasn't that hard. The only things that I had difficulties with was simply being overly nervous and scared about starting in a completely different institute. I continued with my focus and good grades, but just remained a very reserved person. I would definitely give my high school self the advice to stand out and not be shy. I ended up making friends quickly enough for being a shy person and I always made good grades, but my nervous attitude about college would have disappeared had I had a lot of confidence in the transition going into it.

I would advice myself to work hard in college. As if I was speaking to myself I would say, "don't give up. I know it seems like the world is against you and I know you feel lonely and discouraged I know you can use education to find something better for yourself. Don't let your dreams go just because people are bringing you down, you're stronger than that. Get involved with student run activities, be appart of something. Make yourself known, make yourself needed. You have something to offer the world, you're a smart girl. Show them that you have that potential. Prove to them and yourself that you are in control of your life, you decide who you're going to be not anyone else but you. You've dreamt big all these years, be persistant and make your dreams a reality." I wasn't as motivated because of a divorce that had occured at the time and I really let myself slip thinking that I had nothing going for me. But others helped me, teachers encouraged me to look past all that and find something better.

Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition successfully, I would remind myself as a high school senior that this is a big change and it won't be easy. I would tell myself to be open and friendly, make friends and work hard. And don't be afraid to try something new, even if it isn't "your thing". People will get homesick and leave, but surround yourself with the people that are just as excited to be there as you are. Keep in touch with all the members of your family when possible, but become close to those you live with. They will be your family for the year. Do not get so enwrapped in homework that you forget to have fun and friends. And don't let the summers keep you from contacting your new school family.

You need to start college right away. You can make the money you will need to get through college, and still gain work experience that you need in life. It is important to find out about the colleges around you so you can make the right decision about where you want to go. Sometimes the most important thing is not going to a college that is widely known. You will need to work hard and not take a break from school. In the long run, it will not benefit you to put your education aside.

I would just say take every opportunity that comes your way. Apply to every college your interested in and don't sell youself short. And don't get impatent waiting for college to come. The stage you're in right now can also be fun, exciting, and meaningful if you work to see how you can grow right now.

Research schools thoroughly. Don't choose a school just because it's convenient and you've heard things about it. It's fine to start at a community college, but it's really best to go into it knowing what school you're going to transfer to, so that you can tailor your education there to fit with what you'll need at your four year univeristy. And even if you think you know what school you want to go to, ask an advisor or someone about other schools: it really is worth it. Pay attention to what your advisors say, since they really do know more about what credits you need than you do, despite what you may think. It's good to get second opinions on everything, though, and to take time making big decisions.

I would encourage myself to take more AP classes to get prerequisites out of the way. I would start looking for scholarships earlier and do my best in order to get the highest grades possible so I understand things better as well as make more opportunities to earn scholarships. I'd work on making good habits so that it would not be as difficult to transition into college life.

Try to take different classes, you never know what you will like. You dont have to make a decision about what you want to do today just stay positive and work hard.

Not becoming a student until after my thirties, the first advice I would give myself now is to apply myself in high school and push myself to achieve excellence in my high school academics - take school more seriously. I would also advise myself to apply for college and stay determined to attend regardless of the obstacles that arose. I would try to explain to myself that I should trust myself and stay confident and determine and not to lose sight of my goals.

I've learned that no matter what has happened in your past or what you've done, you can always pick yourself up and move forward if you put forth the effort. My college experience has been valuable to me because it was in college that I received the push that I needed to take control of my life, and be the best person that I can be. Through the good and bad college has taught me a lot, and I know that if I keep trying and if I keep pushing forward I will succeed!

I recently became a single mother. I have two children. My son has a brain disease called Sturge-weber and suffers from seizures. I have decided to go to school to become a physician assistant so that I am able to provide for three of us. I have a great support system which will help me to accomplish my goals. As a physician assistant I hope to help some of the people in my community who cannot afford expensive health care costs. I also plan to attend mission trips where my services will be needed. Currently I am attending my community college part-time, raising my two beautiful children, and working as a part-time janitor. Being able to attend college is very important to me because it will help me to become financially independent, and give me the opportunity to pursue my passion for medicine. Thank you for this opportunity.

I learned that it best to be well-rounded, but also to have a specialty. A specialty in a certain field helps provide direction and meaning in life. When a person knows an ample amount in one area, they are more apt to be hired and they also have more self-confidence. Knowing a little in many subject areas is useful in social situations. Also, a person never knows what job they will have so a broad knowledge base will always be useful in life. In college, I received both a wide range of knowledge and a degree in my specific field.

Though it is expensive, I choose Northwest Nazarene University because it is a good investment for my future. Here, they encourage their students to study various subjects in order to become a more rounded person. They want their students to be driven by a goal of excellence to glorify God to do their very best in their work and studies, not just the minimal amount. It may take four or more years to complete my degree but I will be better suited for any job once I start working. NNU also teaches its students to have a humble heart, striving to serve the community. Instead of working for a high paycheck, I will be working towards developing my efforts on helping my community. NNU educates its students to look at multiple perspectives, allowing them to make better, more educated, life choices.

NNU is a Christian college but it is also an Academic university. A spiritual environment and a challenging academic setting have been two of the most beneficial things about NNU. Campus life has also been a huge factor; NNU is designed to have a place for almost anyone to have fun and to grow with God. As a Freshman I came to college shy and unsure but as my freshman year ends I am more confident and closer to God than I ever have been.