Ramapo College of New Jersey Top Questions

I would advise myself to take advantage of the college social life more in my freshman year. Freshman year is a relatively easy going year and should be taken full advantage of. I should have dedicated more of my time getting out more and meeting new people, rather than sitting in a room on a computer.

If I could go back in time and talk to my highschool self, the most important advice I would give is to trust yourself and continue to push through when things get tough. I wouldn't change the path that brought me to attend Ramapo College of NJ and I would do the exact same things as I did when I was a senior in high school. Transferring to three different colleges in three years was not easy, but it was important to take those chances and follow my dreams. If I did not take that road, I would not have been able to decide on a major or experience everything I have. Overall, I would let my young self know that all the perserverance and dreaming will pay off one day and you must stick with things no matter what.

This year of highschool is very important to you and your future. You need to try harder, finish your homework, focus on the markerboard and not the girls around you, and raise your GPA because if you get use to the hard work now it will make your college experience much easier. You will make mistakes, and they will turn out for the best in the end, although I do suggest finishing a full year of college before you put your schooling on hold.Try your hardest becasue the grades will matter, college isn't about sports and girls, it's about making a better life for you and your family-to-be. It took me three years, and a baby girl on the way, to realize that I needed to take a step back and start my college education over. I know it will be hard, but in the end it'll make you happier and inspire your daughter to be the best she can be.

If I could go back in time and give my high school self some advice, I would tell myself two things. First, take more AP courses. With only two AP courses, I walked into college with 12 credits, placing me almost a full semester ahead. The second piece of advice that I would give myself would be to venture outside my dorm room more often during the first month of school. I was somewhat shy during the first month and associated primarily with friends who had gone to the same high school. When I finally did start venturing outside of my room more often to do homework in the dorm lounge I made a lot of friends to whom I became very close. I would have greatly enjoyed getting to know them earlier than I did, and thus that would be the primary advice that I would give to myself.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior I would have told myself to study harder and to use all the tools available to me. I had a very hard time at the start of my college career and I changed majors several times as well. Now that I'm at a new school and I believe I have finalized my major that is the one thing I wish I could have told myself. I also would have said to take things more seriously because if I had I wouldn't have taken a break from school to get myself organized again.

The transition from high school to college served as a huge transformation in my academic self. In high school I was the girl who was smart, but did not apply her knowledge in the best possible way. I was very lazy when it came to school work, doing everything at the last minute and only doing what was absolutely required of myself. I graduated with a 3.75 gpa and never got any grade below a B, but always knew I could have done better if I had only applied myself. When I got to college I realized I wanted to do my absolute best, and prove to my high school self that I was capable of greater. As a college sophomore now, I have a cumulative grade point average and have an amazing work ethic. I realize attending class and doing everything possible to learn and maintain a great grade point average is essential. I would tell my high school self to care more and always apply my best when taking a class. School is not only to get good grades, but to obtain knowledge to use outside of the classroom. Knowledge and education are key in life.

The value of a college education began to benefit me the moment that I opened the little white envelope. I had been accepted into the Ramapo College of New Jersey with a Provost scholarship. I had always been a hard worker, but seeing the words “You’re Accepted!” made all of my hard work and perseverance seem worthwhile. This helped to affirm for me the American Dream; the promise that success comes to those who work for it, as a reality. Once I arrived, I adjusted quickly to the new environment, meeting new people and jumping into my new classes. One of these classes was American Government. In addition to providing me with the necessary social sciences credits for graduation, it gave me a much broader and personal sense of understanding the 2010 midterm elections. It made the nationwide election coverage real to me and helped me to understand how the democratic process truly affects me as an American citizen. I ended the semester with not only a 3.933 grade point average, but with a solidified understanding of both the American Dream and of my role as an American citizen.

On August 29th, when I moved into college I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Was I going to love it there? Was I going to love the classes and my roommates? It was complete new territory that brought on so many responsibilities that were completely new for me. As it turned out, some of my roommates are people I will never forget, while some were not what I expected. Being put into this suite with six other girls was going to be a huge challenge for me. Living in my own room at home with only my mother, I had no idea what it was going to be like living with six people, let alone six girls! Throughout the first month there were a few issues with some of the girls, but it was a learning experience. We all learned to get along, or tolerate each other. We learned each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It was something new for us all, so we were all stuck with the new responsibilities. I believe we all grew up and learned things about ourselves. College is a learning experience, which is why I believe is it very valuable.

My college experience has taught me that college is so different from high school. It has taught me how to be responsible and that I have to have discipline because I have the choice to go to last everyday or not to. There won't be anybody to baby me along the way and it teaches what being an adult partly about. My colllege experience has been valuable because there are so many people who don't get the chance to attend college. They either just don't have the means or they didn't have anyone to push them to want to get a higher eduction. College is so valuable for my future so I know that I have to take every class seriously and not slack. Also, at the college I attend, I have so many people that I know personally that are there to help me. So, I have no reason to fail and I definitely don't have an excuse on why I couldn't get something done, whether it be class related or something else. The college I attend is really great, too, because of the smaller class sizes, which make me more comfortable.

Out of my college experience I have learned to embrace challenge. Many times, students the transition to college a difficult experience as I did when I first got to college. I soon learned that I would not meet new people or learn anything if I did not work for it. Sometimes it is difficult to be the person to say the first word, but that can make all the difference as I met my best friend in the laundry room at my school. Many students end up having to drop out because they go out to parties too much and some find themselves isolated because they don't go out enough. It is a challenge to balance both academics and social life but if I put a lot of effort into both it never becomes overwhelming. With change comes challenge. I have learned a lot about what I am capable of. I challenge those who are afraid to come out of their comfort zone by taking the first step and embracing what comes with it. Whether the result is good or bad, I can learn a lesson from it and continue to challenge myself to make it better next time.