Ripon College Top Questions

If I was able to talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to get ready to go full-steam ahead. I would reassure myself that I made the right decision for my college, following my gut was really the best way to go when deciding where I wanted to go to school. I would tell myself all about all of the things I have been able to accomplish in just 2 short years and I would talk about all of the plans and hopes I have for the future. I would encourage myself to push harder and do more with my senior year because those memories are some of the best I have from high school but I would also tell myself not to be afraid to jump in head first and make new memories at college. Overall I would just say keep doing what you're doing, follow your interests and your instincts, and never forget to open up and have fun!

The first thing I would tell myself is not to worry so much. Classes are a lot of work, but I can do it, and it’s not as hard as everyone makes it sound. There are long papers and tons of homework, but the environment is perfect for working on those kinds of things and makes it easy to focus. Plus, I am a lot stronger and smarter than I realize. I am brave enough to do the things that scare me and smart enough to not do the things that are bad for me. I will make mistakes but they are worth it for the learning experience, and as long as I remember that and not let it bother me so I can stay positive, I can do anything I put my mind to, even the things I have not yet dreamed. I do not need to be so self-conscious and reserved all the time. It only makes myself nervous disappointed and awkward. Don’t worry about making friends or weather people like you. Get involved with theater right away, focus on learning, make personal goals, discipline yourself, but most of all just smile and be happy.

The advice I would give myself is be more involve with after-school activities and have some experience in volunteering and sports. I wish I had taken some AP classes and pay more attention in class. I wish I was more involve in sports team and the clubs that it holds. I would advice myself to choose my college carefully and visit all the college that I choose before knowing which college to choose and look closely at what I want to major in.

When I enrolled as a twenty-six year old nontraditional student, I did not know what to expect from college. However, I was determined to excel and work hard. I took every assignment seriously, whether it was homework or a research paper. I studied more than I thought physically possible for every quiz and exam. After a semester, my grades spoke of this dedication. So I went into the scholarship office to ask questions, but instead had life changing questions proposed to me: "What do you do to give back? How are you involved at school and in your community?" This conversation opened my eyes, and I realized that I needed to put the same amount of commitment into helping others as I did pursuing high grades. I got involved. Although I continue to go above and beyond in my classes, I also aspire to empower fellow students and citizens. Attending college has taught me that sometimes the greatest successes are those you help others achieve. Good grades are important to the individual, but good character can be appreciated by the world. I will take this valuable life lesson with me as I continue on my academic and professional journey.

So far, I am learning to be much more well-rounded - learning in a not-so-diverse community lke the one I am used to - as well as open-minded. I have been forced out of my comfort zone and into many challenging situations and this has only ade me reflect and grow. College can be a great experience if you walk in there, ready for anything and everything and motivated to learn in the classroom and outside the classroom.

Well in college you learn the materials necessary to fullfill the requirements of the job that you want as an individual. The experience of college was worth the amount of money that one has to invest in it in order to accomplish the necessary classes for whatever field an individual decideds to do. Most people are looking for jobs that without a degree would be hard to do, such as teaching, medical field, the biological field, physics, and more. People get a general idea of what different courses are during high school but by having a degree in a specific area, one can narrow in on more learning and understanding of the field and with this knowledge they can apply it to the careers that they want. It is valuable to attend college because people need this extra understanding and study to know more about the career choice they want so that they can accomplish the job to the best of there abilities and college helps them open there minds and discover more in those choices of study.

What I have gotten out of my college experience is been a lesson all in itself. There are so many different people that you meet in college that they really do help you make your transition into the real world, they teach you haw to work with different people with different personalities and backgrounds that it really shows you how life after college will be. It has also been valuable to attend due to the fact if you don't you really are not going to make the grades, get the degree and get the job that you want.

In my short time here at Ripon College, I have no only learned a lot from classes, but I have also learned my life lessons. Experiencing living on your own, balancing playing a sport and going to school at the same time, and meeting many new and exciting people have all helped me become a better overall person. I have learned to organize my time better and prioritize in order to get the most I can out of college. Ripon has helped to open me up, putting me in situations that bring me out of my "shell" and I can honestly say that I have changed for the better.

Starting with a blank slate; mentally and physically is a great idea. Attending a new school means that you will have the opportunity to make friends you might not have had in high school, feel free to wear that shirt you have always liked but your classmates back home always teased you for, develop new ways to connect with people such as working out regularly and joining intramural sports. You will learn more about yourself by learning to open your eyes and mind and see the new world around you. During the first few days of college you will feel the urge to stay in your room; it is somewhere you are already familiar with. I urge you to fight back these feelings and explore outside your comfort zone. By doing this, you will inevitably find other people doing the same thing and just by accepting all of the emotions that come with starting college, you will see that you are not alone and other people are experiencing the same emotions. This mutual feeling of being in a new environment will make life time friends, no doubt. So feel free to grow a new pair of wings and fly.

Just breathe. You always try to control the situation. That's not necassarily a bad thing, but for the next few months, don't. Just let things fall as they may and go with the flow. Don't second guess yourself. All that does is cause you unneeded stress. You made the right choice. Believe that. College may not be exactly what you expected but it will be so much more than that. It's not a fantasy; it's reality. There's nothing better than that. Enter high school was a hard, long, and difficult struggle. We both remember that. But at the end you knew exactly where you were and where you wanted to be. You're happy right now. I know change is hard and we've never been particularly open to it, but this change is different. History won't repeat itself. This won't be high school all over again. It's somthing much more than that. This is endless opportunity. This is a change that should welcomed. Open your heart and your mind and nothing will be too difficult for you. This isn't the end of the world. It's a beginning.

Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, the advice I would give myself would to be careful who you trust. I was very naive going into college, I was still stuck in that high school mode I'd say, but surely that changed immediately once school started. I was finally free to do what I wanted, without my parents there to help me with all my needs. So I relied and trusted the people around me, but that was something that would completely change my life. Because I had trusted those who I thought were my friends easily, yet they themselves one night freshman year roofied me; I immediately felt different and started to freak out. Thankfully I managed to crawl out of the room while my supposed friends laughed. I was sent to the hospital that night because of how intense the drugs affected my system that I nearly died. This trauma still hasn't stopped me from continuing my studies because I am determined to succeed, but hopefully my story can help prevent from this happening to others.

I would tell myself to be open-minded and accept all opportunities. I would grasp every chance to expand my interests and not hesitate to involve myself in activities with others. I would tell myself to try my best every chance I got and to not let what anyone said or did, no matter who they are, sway me from doing any less than my best. I would encourage myself to take a deep breath and jump right in and have fun, start conversations with strangers, because that one time you do, you may just meet your best friend for life. I would tell myself to not take myself too seriously, to let go and have fun, to not care what anyone else thinks. I would tell myself to just be myself and that my college experience would end up being all I could ever imagine it to be.

Transitioning into college is the easiest thing you'll ever do, especially at Ripon. The Student Support Services do everything they can to make it easy, and the campus starts to feel like home in a few days. Everyone is really nice, and upperclassmen are usually more than happy to point you in the right direction if you somehow get lost. Ripon College is everything you want in a college, the programs are great, and the professors are awesome and really understanding.

I would have told myself to worry justy a little but more. In high school I was a football player and very good. I assumed that College would be essentially the same as high school. It is not. Its hard, and being smart isnt the only thing you need to make it through, you have to work hard, and I would tell myslef to work hard now, so that in the future at College it will be easier. Thats the most important lesson I can think of, to learn to work hard now, in High School, so that when college comes its no shock to have a serious work load.

During my senior year I had an unimaginable workload--school work, extra-curriculars, and paid work. If I could go back I would tell myself to have really taken the college search more serious and to listen to my mom. In searching for colleges I did little to pursue scholarships or activley engage in communicating with colleges. Everynight my mom would bring up new and different colleges and I would brush her off, instead focusing on the situations at hand and not those in my near future. While I am happy with Ripon I would beg my high school self to have really intently looked at schools that had programs which would be of interest to me. I would have focused both on taking a closer look at academics, the location, and student life of the school. I would tell myself to apply to challenging universities, leaving areas I was familiar with and begining a whole new life. But that is all in the past, is it not?

If I had an opportunity to communicate to myself as a senior, I would say that I need to participate as much as possible and make sure that I get involved in activities and the community. I would be sure to tell me to get to know as much people as possible, to find friends with similar and different interests and opinions than myself and to not be afraid of just being myself. I would also tell myself that education is the reason that I am going to college, so I need to study, study, study! I would take this opportunity to remind myself to practice my spanish vocabulary and tenses because I will need a good review for the future! Spanish will be a hard course, work on your pronounciation and get extra help if you need it. This is the same for all of your future courses, take advantage of tutoring opportunities. Also, don't let anyone decide what your major is going to be for you. You will not be happy with a business major so don't get forced into accounting because it is a difficult class and it will end up bringing down your GPA.

Make sure you visit the college and get to know the staff. Make sure you ask a lot of questions and make sure that you will be getrtting the best in the opportunities that are out there for you at the school. Make sure you like it.

The best way to find the right college is to be sure to visit and make sure you sit in on classes. A campus may look beautiful, but it's the people that you want to make sure you connect and fit in with. When you find the right college, you will know because it just feels right. Once you get to college, don't spend time trying to fit it. Colleges are diverse and just by being you, you will find a group to fit in with. Make sure to ask your professors questions. They are there to help and it really shows that you care.

The best advice I can give is to go into college with an open mind and be who you want to be when you get there. Make friends and don't be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone at times because the benefits will outweigh the nervousness or uneasiness you feel at first. Get involved in activities but make sure you put the necessary time and effort into your homework and study time in order to get the best grades possible. Also, don't be afraid to ask for help because there are plenty of willing people which will make your overall experiance better and more enjoyable. But more than anything else, have a good time and live your life because once you graduate you will be in the real world and everything will suddenly become more serious, just don't overdo it and make sure you keep a mature, accurate perspective on all aspects of your life.

Visit as many schools that you can, whether you are interested in them or not. You will never know what truly fits you if you do not visit. Also plan an over night trip to get a true experience away from the parents. Don't focus too heavily on all the "drinking" concerns, college students are the same all across the nation, the kids will drink and no one will ever be able to stop it. Also, explore all financial options to make even the more expensive schools a possibility. Don't expect your child to come home every weekend. Encourage them to stay on campus, otherwise they will be cheating themselves out of having a true college experience. Enjoy it while it lasts.