Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to get more involved and to challenge myself more. I would also tell myself to value the teacher's and counsuler's advantages of opportunities, and to take the time to actually retain some of the information I learned.

I would tell myself to be prepared for many distractions and to always know your goal. Because in college even the smallest thing can distract you and cause a huge affect. I know now that if I have a goal and have my mind set on it, then it will be impossible to stop me from getting there. I wish I would have been more prepared and aware of the distractions around me so that I could succeed to the highest.

I would advise myself as a high school senior to become more involved upon arrival at the campus. Becoming more involved in social activities releaves the home sickness we all experience. I would also advise keeping an open mind to various possible majors by taking classes I normally wouldn't take. I would advise putting myself out there more. I would say don't be afraid to ask questions of teachers, other students, advisors, and campus employees. I have found most people more than happy to share their wealth of knowledge and helpful hints with me.

When I chose to go to Saint Vincent College, I made my decision based on volleyball and the education program. Saint Vincent led me to believe that I would be able to graduate in five years with an Elementary Education certification and a Masters degree in Special Education. I later found out that I would have to go through the Elementary program, graduate, and then reapply in a graduate program to get my masters. I also did not like many of the teachers at Saint Vincent. They were not helpful and did not seem to care about there students. When I was in high school, I was only concerned with the campus being pretty and the volleyball program. After experiencing classes, I chose to transfer. At Penn State Altoona, I will graduate in four years with an Elementary Education certification and a minor in Special Education. I still play volleyball, but I have realized that it is not the most important factor in my life. The best advice I would give my high school self is that graduating with a good education and forming strong relationships with students and teachers is the most important aspect of college.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to read, read, and read some more. In college courses there is a lot of reading so I would advice myself to prepare for it. I would also tell myself that college professors are allowed to set their own grading scales therefore you may have to push yourself harder to get an A. I would also tell myself that college professor do not hold your hand through their class or check in on you to make sure you understand everything. As a college student it is your responsibility to keep up with the work and to seek help if needed. I would tell myself that college professors assign homework but usually does not collect it and that it counts for nothing when grades are calculated but still to do it because it will reflect on exams. I would also tell myself to prepare mentally and set goals for myself. It is easy to get distracted in college because of the freedom that you have. By setting goal you can force yourself to do what needs to be done.

If I could give myself advice as a high school senior, I would tell myself to work as hard as I possibly could. Though friends may seem more important at the time, in the long run it is worth it to spend the extra time studying. If you put forth your best effort, you can accomplish anything. However, remember to start right away! Never wait to until you struggle in a class to ask for help from faculty; do it right away. Over all, enjoy the experience! You will look back on this time and forget about the struggles, only remembering the good times you had. Before making decisions, always remember to ask yourself, "is this how I want my story to look?" You can do it! I believe in you!

Back in high school there would be so many talks about the perfect life as a college student. There would mainly be talks about the parties; this was something that I would constantly hear about. The topic of discussion the rarely came about was funding for the college education. This would definelty be something that I would've advised myself on during my sophmore year in high school rather than as a senior. I would usually go shopping 24/7 and was never concerned about the amount of money that I was being wasted when that same money could've been saved for my future. Funding for college is something that I never took quite serious and unto this day, the more I mature, I realize that college isn't as easy as it's sought out to be.

Dear Megan, I know it has been about two years since we have last talked, so I wanted to catch up. I hope your senior year is going well and that you are enjoying the time you have with your friends. You won't believe how much things have changed since I have been here at college. The job I got at the mall is awful, so please enjoy the one you have at the restaurant, even though you come home smelling like cigarrettes. Always remember that Mom and Dad try to do everything they can to help you and that you won't always get what you want. Work hard and don't slack off just because you got accepted into college; you want to finsh as strong as possible. Most importantly, don't let stress get to you. You have it easy in high school and you won't fully appreciate your life until you get here. Take care and stay optimistic. You are doing this for a better future. Love always, Me

If I could go back to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would look at all of my options with each college that I was interested in and compare and contrast what I really wanted out of the school that I would attend and how I would be perceived as a student to that institution. The most important things to consider would be class size, housing options, who teaches in the classroom (accredited professors or grad students), and how involved a student (especially freshman) can be in the college community. All of these aspects play a very important role in the everyday life of a college student and can drastically affect how involved you become with your school in both the acedemic and social fields. One wants to choose an institution that will positively affect them and get themselves involved with other people and expanding their outlook on today's society and the endless possibilities that one can gain through simply going to college. I would pick a place that would challenge me to work hard, learn valuable life lessons, and grow as a person. Also, don't attend a "name brand" college just to say so.

If I could flashback to the past, I would tell myself to declare my major before I started college. I would have been applicable to receive a scholarship for $4500 a semester for all four years of college. Both of my friends received this award because they were declared in the major from the starting semester. Having this award would have helped me from becoming really far in debt once I completed college.