Notre Dame of Maryland University Top Questions

I came out of high school being involved in everything. I was in the youth group, I was president of my county student government , and worked at a doctors office, ect. My life was very busy. If I could go back to prepare myself better from college I would have worked harder on school instead of extra activities that I did. College isn't easy and acedemicly I would have tryed to prepare more. For example knowing how I should study best. I would have also tryed harder to get more scholorships. College is not cheap and you never know what is going to happen finatialy in the future with your family. The last things that I would have told myself is that when you start college, socially you start all over again along with everyone else. If I had wrapped my head around that idea before college I don't think I would have worried so much about fitting in and making friends. It's important just to relax and be yourself.

If I could go back in time and give my high school senior self some advice I'd say, "Be more social.? In my freshman year of college I felt very lonely because all my friends were attending different colleges in other states. I always stayed cooped up in my dorm room, scared to start fresh with the whole "make new friends" thing. I had known my high school friends for so many years and just like that I was all alone. However, if I could go back in time, I'd tell myself not to be afraid to meet new people and to put myself in situations where I could socialize with my peers. I'd suggest joining different clubs and being more active in the college community. Your freshman year is a great time for you to explore and/or find things that interest you (especially since the workload is usually less stressful). I regret not taking advantage of that opportunity back then. It would have made the transition a lot better.

Seeing as though I am very happy with my decisions throughout my three years of college, I would just encourage my high school self to go with my gut. My family was so important in my decision to begin at our two year community college and then be a commuter student at my four year school. With such a supportive family it would be hard to remove myself from that enviornment as well as the significant decrease in overall price for a commuter.

The only advice that I would give myself would be to try a little more challenging classes in high school and I would've started at a four year college right off the bat. I started at a community college, which was a great start, but now, I'm just ready to be out of school and actually teaching. I learned a lot from my community college classes and am learning even more in my classes now at College of Notre Dame of Maryland, but I am so ready to jsut teach!! I can't wait!

One of the hardest choices in life is that of your college, where you will spend 2-4 years of your life studying and perfecting the career you want to persue. The worst thing you can do is to just settle with whatever is cheapest or easiest. College is expensive, I know, believe me, but putting the money into something that will affect you for the rest of your life is much more important than saving up for that new car. I went with my current college because it was cheap, easy, and the only thing that accepted me (but I only applied to three.) I am miserable. Don't do the same as me, and really look into various schools of your interest. Talk to the students that have gone there, find out what it's like, and don't just settle with something because you feel you have no choice. You always have a choice!

My advice to parents and students about finding the right college is do your research, everyone is different and so are colleges. I would advice not to make a decision based on money, a private college may actually be less expensive to attend than a public college. I would definitely advise to visit the college and maybe even stay on campus for a few nights. Once you begin attending your perfect college, get involved with clubs and organizations, sports or all the wonderful opportunities available to you. College is not just about classwork, it's about finding yourself.

Live you r college experience as if it's your last moments alive-have fun, make mistakes, learn, live, andd love. And when times get difficult and the future seems bleek, parents, encourage and assist your child. Make sure the college you attend suites your personality and contributes to your mental, physical, and most importantly, spiritual growth.

Take your time, and don't freak out about not finding the right school by the Priority deadlines. Unless you know exactly what school you want to go to, it doesn't work that way. Once you do find a school, give it a full year, and if it isn't totallyy your cup of tea, transfer. However, if there is the slightest glimmer of hope that you would miss something at your school if you left, stay, and cultivate that interest. That's the only way you'll realize what opportunities you could get there as opposed to another school.

My best advice for parents and/or students about finding the perfect college is to always visit the school. I was completely confused about where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do until I stepped onto the campus of College of Notre Dame of Maryland. I was immediately called by the century-old brick buildings, the friendly faces, and the electricity in the atmosphere. I could see myself being nurtured, encouraged, enriched, and happy there. I never questioned that immediate insticnt. To make the most of these precious college years, I've learned that it is necessary to get involved in anything and everything. By experiencing many different aspects of campus life, such as honors programs, book clubs, community service groups, or student government, you become exposed to amazingly diverse people and ideas. You gain new thoughts, opinions, experiences, and interests; before you know it, you've grown into an open-minded, thoughtful, and responsible member of this world. The right college is not about decent classes and an awesome dorm room. It is a place that should make you feel excited about life. Let your instinct guide you there and life will never be the same.

The advice that I would give parents and/or students about finding the right college is that it isn't necessarily going to be the most well known school or the school that is the largest and co-ed. It is about finding people who you can engage in an intellectual conversation with while still being able to go out and have a good time with the same people. To make the most of the college experience, joining any kind of club or organization or sports team is the best way to make the most of the experience. Especially by joining a sports team, the student will get a lot more exposure into what college life is like, and make the best friends that they will ever make in college. One other way to make the most of the experience is to live on campus and enjoy the company of the diverse individuals around you. Getting involved is one of the most important reasons to choose a college and to make the most of the college experience.