Ohio State University-Main Campus Top Questions

I would tell myself to not sweat the small stuff, kick butt in classes and get good grades, but still have a good time. And don't be afraid of new experiences. Go and join that small group, I don't care how nervous you are about being in a new social situation, you need to get over it. Who cares what anyone else thinks of you? And no, you do not look fat by any stretch of the imagination. I also would tell myself to just forget about the boys. None of the ones I liked then weren't even worth liking, now that I look back on it. Being single is great. Get to know yourself and embrace who you are before you embrace someone else. If something doesn't seem right to you, question it. Just because your teachers and fellow friends think something is right doesn't mean it's right. If you've got something to say, say it! Give those people something to think about! Show them there's more to you than meets the eye.

When I was younger I had heard the phrase "go with the flow" but I had never contemplated its meaning. In high school, I constructed a plan for my whole life. I decided to become a designer and meticulously laid out the steps to attain this goal such as what college to attend and which internships I would need to secure my dream career of advertising agent. My compulsive planning, mixed with my slightly anxious personality, made for a very stressful senior year. My first quarter at college, something did not feel right; while I loved sketching, I felt like my art classes were chipping away at my sanity and happiness. One day it hit me: I did not want to go into a career in art. For the next week I struggled with throwing away all of my planning and changing majors. Eventually I came to the realization that I could not plan my life; I could only go with the flow and follow what felt right for me at that particular time. The new me appreciates this flexible way of life. Had I understood that phrase earlier, I would have had more enjoyable memories of high school.

High School is all about making mistakes and then giving advice to everyone who is in the same situation. The best advice that anyone can give you is advice based on their mistakes through their own experiences. If I could give myself any advice for my high school self I would say to take the ACT more seriously and study sooner rather than later. I did not realize that colleges weigh so much on a test that does not indicate your intelligence level. I wish I would have studied harder for this. The next thing I would tell myself is to take post-secondary classes my junior and senior year. This way the college transition would not be so hard. The thing with post-secondary education is that the student would only take a few classes at a time and then slowly progress to a few more. When you are just thrown into college the student would take as many as four classes to get used to and that is just not a great way to help the GPA. In closing ACT and post-secondary education are the two most important aspects of future education.

Hey, you. Take a break and enjoy high school more, college will be fine without working yourself into a heart attack now. In a year is when you're life begins, don't try to jumpstart things too early.

Enrolling into college isn't as scary or hard as some people would lead high school students to believe. Yes, looking at academics and tuition / room and board costs as well as financial aid is important for going over college options, but it's also important for students to enjoy the atmosphere of the campuses. It's very noteworthy to visit colleges that one has on the top of his/her list so that person can get a feel of the student life style. Atmosphere is very important because a non-diverse college or the surrounding town/city/countryside can mean a lot when it comes to a person's comfort. If a student isn't comfortable in their college, their performance would not be as great as it could be. As for making the most of a college experience, a person should be able to socialize with the people they meet with in class and in extra-curricular activities / sports. Socializing can help a person concentrate on bettering themselves within communication so they can improve their over-all character rather than just improving themselves on an academic level.

Finding the right college is about more than just academics, it is also about the feel of the campus and what one hopes to gain from the college experience. Academics are, of course, important since the ultimate goal of attending college is to graduate with a degree. Students should choose a school offering a broad choice of majors, as most students will change their major at least once. When that change is made, students can wind up in an entirely different field than the one for which they originally signed up. Since many schools have wonderful academic records, a campus visit and conversations with current students and professors help narrow down the choices. On this visit, a prospective student should feel as if he or she would belong at that school and should be able to picture himself living and learning at the institution for the next four years. Additionally, students should decide with what knowledge or experiences they hope to leave college, aside from a degree. Many hope to gain life experiences, lasting friendships, or study abroad. Students should then choose the school that they believe is conducive to achievement of these goals and that feels the most welcoming.

I would give different advice depending on how certain the student is on what they want to do after college. I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I enrolled in a large university with many programs as an 'exploration' major. Now, after my freshman year and after I've decided I want to do film/media creation, I'm looking at other schools that have better programs than Ohio State. This doesn't mean I regret choosing to attend Ohio State, it's a great school and I'm glad I could spend time there, it just means it took some time to figure out exactly what I wanted. As for being in school, try stepping out of your comfort zone. Also, make sure you stay social and active in clubs and other groups where you can make and maintain friendships. Stay motiviated, make plans and build your portfolio (be it actual or intellectual). Time management isn't as large a problem as you may think as long as you do those things. Also I suggest getting a job, or hunting for internships early.

It is important for students and parents to begin discussing and looking a different colleges early. Once a student is in high school it is time to get serious; four years is a short amount of time to find and decide on a college that is right for you. You're college experience should be valued. Students need to take time to brainstorm on what they want to do in life; it is okay to remain undecided, however, having a rough idea helps the process. College is a great experience and should not be taken lightly. It is easy to put school work and studying off, however, getting back on track and playing catch up is difficult. In order to be successful, students have to stay organized and up to date on all classes. You have plenty of time to socialize and hang with friends and you can not take back mistakes which effect your school performance. College will be some of the best years of your life, as long as you're focused and serious. You are responsible and accountable for you're actions, once this is realized the rest is smooth sailing.

The advice i would give to parents and student about finding the right college for them is to find the environment in which u feel most comfortable. Get to know the type of people who attend the school there and ask whether or not you think you would fit in. Also choose somewhere where you have a multitude of options both for study and recreation and your not going to constantly find yourself being bored. Definately take financial situation into account but dont let it completely dictate your choice as i have had many friends end up "stuck" somewhere where they are completely unhappy simply because it was the cheaper choice. If you really have your heart set on a university and are given the opporunity to go there, there are many ways of making it happen through financial aid and loans. Although school is extremely challenging it is also supposed to be the best time of your life so pick a place where you can make the most of it.

I would say that the parents need to start preparing the students in their junior year of highschool so they do not get too overwhelmed about all the transitions the kids are going to go through. I also encourage every student to apply for as many scholarships as possible. Most are given to graduating seniors and then many sudents including me regret it!