Roger Williams University Top Questions

Dear High School Senior Angie, Don't stress now and don't stress later. RWU might be two and a half hours away from home, but don't worry -- you'll get to see your family often (they love any excuse to go to Rhode Island, and to see you.) The course work is the same as the past two years; you've taken AP courses to prepare for this. Don't worry about not having a declared major, you're going to get your Core classes out of the way early and then you'll be able to focus on Psychology sophomore year. I know you're worried about making friends, and you're only going to make a few of them freshman year. But trust me, the fewer the better. These are the life long friends that everyone always talks about. You'll meet your best friends in your freshman year dorm and they're going to stick by yourside no matter what. College isn't as scary as you think. The people here are nice and you'll fit in just fine! Love, College Junior Angie

College is something you need to take very seriously and you should go into it was an open mind. It's great to know what you want your future to look like, but sometimes your interests change, and that's okay as long as you continue to work towards a goal that you know will make you happy. A degree doesn't always mean a career in this economy, but don't worry too much about it, stay true to yourself and your beliefs and don't attempt a major that brings in the money, but go after what you're passionate about, if you know your passion it shouldnt be that hard to work towards a goal; no goal is hard to achieve if you work hard and rationallly towards that goal.

Dear Senior Me, Live life senior year, and take things a little less seriously; college is not that bad. Apply for as many scholarships as you possibly can no matter how tettious it may be next year you will be thankful! Each day the sun rises is another day to try to live your dreams.

To join as much as possible. Give yourself as little free time as possible. Get connections, by not only making friends but by having relationships with professors.

I would say to start the first two years off at a community college where it's cheaper and you can get all your general education requirements out of the way first before jumping into your core major classes. By then you may have changed your mind to a different major because so much changes from that transition period from high school to college. I would have studied a lot more for my SAT's in high school to get into a better college although I am glad I attended a community college first. Try to enjoy the experience and don't stress over too much!

I had a really hard time finding a college I really liked and wanted to go to. I have already transfered and I'm only a freshman. I wish i knew how important it was to look into the college and make sure I really liked it. When it came down to it I made a snap decision because I didn't know what to choose so I just choose the cheapest one. looking back on that I had an easier time finding a new college to go to but I wish I didn't have to transfer. Now I have to start over in a new place and try to make friends again, doing that once was hard enough. I should have gone on more college visits my senior year and been more prepared to make a decision.

Having spent this past year on campus. I would definitely tell myself to start practicing to network and socialize with people more often because I found myself struggling to do so this year. I never really socialized with anyone outside of my friend group in high school, but that definitely changed in college and I found that I enjoyed myself a lot more when I stepped out of my comfort zone rather than when I stayed inside my bubble. Other than that, though, I would tell myself to pace myself with the whole college application process; to stop stressing the small things and to look for help whenever I need it but not to leave everything for last minute like I tended to do in high school. Scholarships also played a huge contributing factor in my having been able to attend my university, too, so I would also tell myself to apply to as many scholarships as I possibly could without concerning myself with my fear of rejection. If I were to have thought about these things when I was in high school, I feel like my transition would have been a bit smoother even though it was already smooth.

I would tell myself to get more involved and stay in touch with old and new friends.

The advice that I would give myself is, when picking a school to live at for four years and study at for four do not worry about money, there are always ways to help cut the cost down. Pick a place that offers what you are interested in. Tour the campus because if you do not feel right when you tour the school, it is most likely not going to be a good match. When you tour the school, you will know if it is right or not. If it is the right place you will be able to picture yourself walking around the campus, sleeping there, living there, meeting people and having fun while studying. This is a big decision in life and it is hard, but when you find the right school you be able to see yourself living there.

Since I did not finish high school and got a GED at age 29, I would beg myself to stay in school. I would tell myself just how important it is to receive a high school diploma, because going to college at age 31 is extremely difficult. Becoming a quadrapledgic in 2002, everything I do since then requires more effort, physically and mentally. Had I known this would be my fate I would have taken my life and schooling much more serious. When we are young it is hard to see just how important school is. We believe we are invincible and life is a breeze, when in fact life is a serious of struggles and hard work. In short, the best advice I could give my high school self would be to straighten up and take it serious. That college is going to be a fun experience where you will meet a lot of great people, but it is also very hard work. I would surely tell myself that life is going to be tough, so do what you can to make it a little less so by putting your education first.

If i could give myself an advice as a hih school senior I would tell myself to be involved more. After completing my freshman year of college I now realize that you end up regreting what you didnt do more than what you did do. Now looking back, I wish that I had danced in the senior girls half time show for the homecoming pep rally, I wish that I had joined the swim team freshman year rather than wating till senior year to join. I regret not doing these things now because I realize that they would have really enriched my high school experience. I would have been able to hang out with my friends and have a good time more. It would hav also given me somethig to do rather than stress of applying to college. I would also tell myself if I could that college is going to be an amazing experience. That youll gain more friends, knoweldge and memories than you could ever imagine and to embrace every second of it.

One of the most major pieces of advice I would give myself would be focus more on reading and studying rather than playing videogames and slacking off. In college I quickly learned that grades are much more important than playing games with the friends I had made. Not to say that all I do is study, but I have a healthy mix of study/homework time and hang out with friends time. Another piece of advide I would give would be to start managing my time more wisely. Instead of watching television right when I get back from class, I do the homework that was just handed to me. This allows for more freetime or more time to work on an essay that is due later during the week. These pieces of advice would have greatly helped me if I had started working on them before college.

I believe that I was well-prepared and had realistic expecations for college life and making the transition. If I had to give myself some advise, I think that I would want to tell myself that I should start my college career by having the proper supports in place in case I need help. I would also recommend that I spend time investigating ratings of teachers that were assigned to me for my first semester classes and spend time with the registrar to make sure that I am in classes with teachers that I can connect with and learn from. I would want to better understand that teachers and deans are available to help students reach their potential and take care of problems that might arise. Getting involved in different campus activities and finding like-minded friends is also important.

The advice that I would give myself as a high school senior would be to keep my options open. Apply and explore as many schools as possible that sound when it comes to choosing a school to go to you have many choices. When you go to college you don't want to feel restricted because you didn't allow yourself to have enough options and you won't be truly happy with the college you decide to attend.

I would tell myself not to be so afraid and shy. While it is hard to do, get used to striking up conversations with random people because it will help you in the long run. Half of your friends will be moving away to other colleges and you're going to feel alone sometimes. However, once you find new friends, you will be feeling so much better about yourself. Speaking of friends, take time to appreciate the ones you do have even if they are far away. Someday, you'll never know when there will be the day when they are gone for good. The new friends you do make can also help point you in the direction of a possible career choice. I would also advise myself to look everywhere for scholarship oppurnities. Even if they are a small amount, go ahead and apply. In these times, every penny counts. Most of all, I would just like to let my high school self know that she is not alone. Someone will always be there watching out for her and if she needs help, all she has to do is raise her hand.

Looking back at my senior year of high school, I realize that I was very nervous about my upcoming journey. I was nervous that I would not make any friends, that I would not fit in at my new school, and that I would not be able to handle the work load. If I had a chance to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to be nervous. I would tell myself this because everyone is going to be in the same boat as you, and you will not be alone. I would also tell myself to have confidence. I was extremely nervous that I would not be able to handle "college work", it seemed so overwhelming. However, now that I am here, I have noticed that I use the same method I used back in high school, time management. I would tell my high school self, there is nothing you can not handle, as long as you are determined and believe in yourself.

I would prepare better for living with roommates. As an only child, the transition of learning to share space with three other people in a small dorm room was difficult at times, however, I got through the year with minor frustrations. I would advise to participate in more clubs and social activities. Moving away from home is a stressful enough experience, but, more participation in clubs would allow me to meet more people, make more friends and enjoy a more social atmosphere.

A college degree has turned into a high school diploma. You need it just to get by in the world today. Each person must choose what college is best for them. I chose a small school where I could excell by building relationships with peers and teachers. My experience in the small town setting allowed me to be a person in a class rather than a number. Large classrooms as large universities tend to lose the identity of its students. Attending a small school provides a better support system for your academic acheivement. College is extremely valuable in today's society. Not only academically but also socially. An individual can learn about themselves while attending school. They learn the good, bad and ugly. They have experiences that mold them into the successful adult they want to be. College will educate you academically, but learning about yourself will almost help you out more in the real world than book smarts. The social construction of college varies at each school, but is as important in one school as it is in the next. Its the time where you get to make mistakes, have fun, learn right from wrong and create your identity.

My time at Roger Williams University was an amazing experience that I would never replace. I found myself; my education, my views and opinions, my life goals, lifelong friends and so much more. Majoring in Global Communications was the perfect avenue for me to make positive differences in the world through my career path. Although I come from a family whose financial situation is not the most fortunate, I attended RWU since I believe it was the right fit for me. While I furthered my education, I realized it was worth it to sacrifice my financial situation in order to earn my university degree. As an aspiring event planner, I thank the people I met through RWU who helped me discover my desired career. I value the experience I have from RWU because it changed who I am in the way it was supposed to.

Since I am a freshman, I have only recently started my college experience. I have been at Roger Williams University for three months now and I have already grown so much. Leaving my home and saying goodbye to friends and family was not easy, but I have come to realize that it is only a part of growing up. Sometimes college life is tough; the dorms are loud, the work is tedious, and the days never seem long enough. However, it all pays off. The next four years of my life are going to be an adventure that I look forward to experiencing. The friends that I have met are incredible people and everything I encounter is new. It was a little scary at first, but now I am really enjoying myself. It has been exciting to use what I learned in highschool and apply it to my work in college. The essays, books, and assignments are never easy, but i am coming to enjoy challenging myself.