Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Top Questions

In high school, teachers always warned us about how difficult the course load would be in college; I concentrated too much on getting good grades my first few years, and didn't focus enough on making friends and growing as an indiviudal. College is the place where you truly become yourself, which I discovered after transferring to Penn State University Park and rushing Phi Sigma Pi, the National Coed Honor Fraternity. You won't get the full college experience if you bury your face in a book the entire time; go out and make friends! Make mistakes, and learn from them. Try new things, take classes that have nothing to do with your major, because worst case you will uncover a passion you never knew you had. Of course do all of your assignments, GO to classes (even the ones in giant lecture halls!), and keep your GPA up... balance is the key. Learning to do this is how college really prepares you for life.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, the one piece of advice I would give myself is to relax and enjoy the experience. Often times, humans have a tendancy to race against time. We are always busy, stressed, and tend to take on too big of work loads. Going to college is not only to better your education, but helps in bettering yourself as a person as well. I would tell my high school self to take on every social opportunity and to reach out and explore. Transfering to a University from a Community College will give me the chance to start over and really enjoy the experience. I plan to slow down, focus on my studies even more, and transform into an educated, cultured, and personable human being. I am so excited for the upcoming opportunities and plan to take on every new experience with an open mind and open heart.

College is an excellent opportunity for young adults, having the chance to further your education gives you experience, knowledge and expertise in the field of your study. I encourage you as a high school student to further your education with a college degree of your choice. You are only preparing yourself for the real world, you will be ahead of your peers and qualified for a career job that will allow you to make good money, save money, enjoy life, go on vacations, buy a home, prepare you for your future family, allow you to raise your children in proper manner I can go on and on. Great things happen when you go to college you discover skills and your direction in life; you do things you would never thought you would have gotten an opportunity to do, like study abroad, choose a job in another country, or become a doctor where you could save a life, be the next president of the United States. Education is one of the best experiences a person could have. Obtaining a degree is one of the best accomplishments in your life. Always remember be the best you can be live and love life.

My advice that I would have given myself is making sure I knew the major I wanted pursue before attending college as well as not waiting so long to start, I should have gotten the ball rolling as soon as I graduated from high school to further pursue my educational goals and stopped procrastinating because by now I could be done with school and working within my field of choice within the major that I had chosen.

"I'm going to make this short and sweet: Stop socializing and begin to take advantage of the education that your high school offers. Soak in all of this information, ask questions, get involved, these are opportunities that will allow you to stick out like a sore thumb in a crowd filled with other students. This will determine whether or not you will be accpted into that university, this will be the determining factor as to whether or not you receive help toward paying back your student loans. This may seem harsh but I don't have long to say everything I want to say. You may think that you are "unintelligent" but I can promise you that I have proved this accusation to be false and you can, too if you follow your heart and take the advice I am giving you. " "NEWSFLASH: you can and will be successful, it may not be easy but I know you can do it. No one has ever guided you toward success, all you need is this little push, some inspiration, dedication, and motivation. Set goals, push those negative thoughts away and prove that you have what it takes to be successful!"

I would tell myself to take a deep breath, smile, and introduce myself to people more than I did. People like friendly people and friendly people have friends.

Looking back on senior year and remembering the difficulty of choosing the right college, I would give myself the following advice: follow your heart, pick a school where you’ll not only excel but also have fun, compare the in state and out of state costs, think logically. I would also tell myself to try and imagine yourself their walking through the halls and going to class: Do you look happy or sad? Do you have friends or are you all alone? Are you falling asleep in class or engaging in the lectures? Is this what you want? Making the transition from college to high school easy for some and challenging for others, my advice to myself is to expect the unexpected, plan for the worst and hope for the best. While college is supposed to be challenging don’t forget that it’s also supposed to be the best years of your life.

Hey you, "WAKE UP", it's time to get on the right track. Education is the root of your life so seize the moment. While you are in high school lets start planning for your future. The first step is to stay healthy because it's a vital part of feeling good and having the energy needed to study and learn. Next get organized and stay balanced. Don't take your classes lightly give 200{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} because giving it all you got should be your top priority. Your GPA is your credit score so always keep it at your maximum. Last but not least, build relationships with your guidance counselors and teachers. Their knowledge can be the fire to help ignite your future. So feed your soul with as much knowledge as possible laying a foundation to better your future and reach your goals.

As a high school senior, there was not a lot of emphasis placed on picking a major or career to pursue early on. I did not have any particular interest in any one subject, so I applied to many schools as a general studies major. Knowing what I know now, I would have spent a lot more time deciding what I was meant to do with this life and should have followed my passions. This world can be very distracting to a young person out on their own, and it is easy to lose focus, especially when you do not have a clearly set goal. I would have dreamed bigger, been more adventurous and more fearless. The transition from high school to college is indeed scary, but embracing that fear of the unknown is far more satisfying than becoming inhibited by it. Knowing what you want and seeing yourself in that role or position is a powerful motivator. And once you dedicate yourself to achieving that goal, absolutely no one can stop you.

Explore all options. Really think about what you want in college. Choosing the right campus is very important. You can to go to a school you will fall in love with. At first the transition may be tough but so is every new situation. Look at all the clubs and organizations you can get invloved with. Also look at the program for your major and which will give you the most real-world experience. And most importantly look as finances. Its always great when a school can offer scholarships and grants.