Portland Community College Top Questions

I would remind myself that grades are important to colleges, but so are extracurricular activities, clubs and community service. Make personal connections with teachers, coaches, and other adults. These people are a great source of recommendations for college applications and of advice in general. Do a sport, join a club, or volunteer somewhere. Not only does it look great on a college application, it can help you keep your perspective and broaden your outlook. You'll learn valuable lessons about life and about yourself that you won't learn in a classroom. In addition to your GPA, colleges will look at the rigorousness of your coursework. Don't be afraid to try a challenging class like an AP or IB class. Even if you get a B instead of an A in the class, colleges will value that you challenged yourself and tried something that wasn't easy and safe. I would also remind myself to relax and make sure to take time for fun. Make the most of your time with your family and friends. It won't be long before you're off to college and time with them will be harder to get.

I would have said to my high school self "Scholarships are a lot of work. You have to write essays on a certain topics and sometimes get teacher recommandations. So start on them NOW. You need to get general requirments out of the way before you can focus on your major, yes that means you'll have to take math again. Don't throw out your old Algebra notes! In college, you have to be your own advocat. Don't expect the professor to ask you if you understand everything. Last but not least: ask for help when you need it"

When I was in high School the number one thing I didn't care about was my grades. I was focused only on receiving my diploma. So the number one thing I would tell myself is to focus more on my math and Architecture grades. Writing was easy, so I got easy grades without trying. If I could have tried harder in math I could have placed higher in college math and would save money in needing to retake algebra and geometry. Also, I took college level Architecture; however I elected not to pay for the credits. In college i had to retake the classes. I could have started my college years out at an advance of one year if I had focused more on how my high school classes would affect my college ones.

Don't be worried about going to college. You will meet great people and the teachers are amazing. If you are going to worry, it should be more about the transition of life, not schools. Things are different and you don't have to get up at seven in the morning anymore. More sleep means more energy to pay attention in class. Don't stress out about what you want to do in life. There are many option to choose from and just do a little bit at a time. It's going to be harder than high school, but at the end it will be worth all the hard work. Nows the time to try out new things and new career options. Figure out what you like to do and what you are good at doing.

Start earlier

Advice that I'd give myself would be once you step into the college gate, more freedom is equal to more responsibilities. It's okay to have fun and let yourself experience life as a young adult, but after you wake up, you're still a college student, and your role is to go to school and complete all the requirements in order to pass whatever courses you're taking. Just always remember the purpose of why you want to go to college, this motivation will help you accomplish your goal.

I would tell myself to keep focused on what I'd like to do eventually. There's still a very long road ahead of you and if you get burned out before you get your degree you may never want to go back to school. I would also tell myself to get a job as soon as possible because lord knows how difficult it is to get one now and consistent income is better than no income no matter how small the paycheck.

Take advantage of the things you are getting to learn now for free. It will be a lot easier for you to get through your future schooling if you do well now, because you will have to take less college courses. Also, learn good study habits. Anatomy and physiology is like a full time job, and you have to know it all for your profession, so the better you get at studying, the easier it will be for you.

I feel that I was very prepared to enter college. I took college classes during high school so I knew the stress of the work load. The one thing that I wish I had done to help prepare myself was find a job after I graduated (2008). Paying for college is extremely expensive and stressful when you do not have any assistance from parents. I think that the transition would have been less stressful if I had gotten a job the summer after graduating rather than waiting until this summer (2009).

Were I able to go back and speak to my younger self, I'd make a point of emphasizing that there's nothing to be gained by stressing over the small things. As a senior in high school, I can remember feeling overwhelmed by my indecision about the future. At a time when everyone was asking me what I would do with my life, I was helplessly unsure of what direction I would go in. Knowing what I know now, I would offer nothing to myself but reassurance. Don't worry-- it'll be alright. Pursue what interests you, but don't feel pressured by the expectations of others. It's okay to take a break and mull over your options. It's okay to not have a five year plan. It's okay to follow your own dreams; you may disappoint someone, but anyone who cares about you will understand that we all must live first and foremost for ourselves. Be true to yourself, appreciate the little things, and apply yourself to what you are passionate about. Take a deep breath, and don't fuss too much. College will be a hundred times more enjoyable than high school.