San Diego State University Top Questions

Listen to your heart and not you friends or family. Only YOU have real control of your educational future and career goals. Passing on the biggest opportunity of your senior year (i.e. turning down the college of your dreams) just to satisfy others, is only going to consume you in your early 20s. I made this mistake my senior year and wished that if I could have the chance to do things differently, I certainly would. After I became a high school teaching assistant, I started to realize that some students where in the same boat; when I looked at their faces, all I could see was uncertainty, guilt and misery...they looked exactly the way I felt when I was their age. I still remember the conversation I had with one of the brightest students I ever met: "I was accepted and want to go to NYU," she said, "but my family wants me to stay close to home and go here (a state college) just to be near them. "Tell your family to quit being so selfish" was my response. Selfishness. It's what's for dinner...and some families should really learn to encourage potential. Period.

That I would tell him to begin college right after highschool, or even a year later and to have great passion for college and whatever degree you choose to do the rest of your life. Plus college isn't exactly like highschool, and you can have a clean slate and start over.

Kyle, do not be afraid to be social in college. You spent your entire first year with only a couple of friends. You made excuses not to go out with people because you were scared of what they would think of you. You did not get involved in any school activities or clubs. You did not take the time to talk to a single person in any of your classes. You stayed in your dorm almost all the time after your classes, and went home every other weekend. That is not the way to live the college life. This is the time to be more adventurous and more outgoing then you have ever been before. Take advantage of everything they have to offer. Just go crazy!Join as many clubs as you can. Say “hi” and get to know somebody in every class. Use your dorm only to sleep and study. Otherwise, stay out of there! Go on a date, have your first beer, or go to a couple parties. Don’t get out of hand, but enjoy yourself. Don’t be afraid to make new friends. It’s the best way to make that transition away from home.

I would tell myself to work as hard as I could. Dorm life is worth it, so to do it even if I am entering the university of choice as a transfer student. That experience in my field of study is equally as important as my degree that I am after, so try to apply to internships from the start. I would tell myself that there is no experience like studying abroad, so try to take up a language and live in a different country for six months to a year's time. Lastly, I would make sure i knew that a university offers so many services, so I need to find out what is available and to do all the research I can (i.e. visit the academic advising center more, pop into the career services center a few times, and to remember that the professors want us to succeed so to visit them during their office hours every once in a while).

If I could go back in time to when I was a high school student I would tell myself to follow my heart and my passions. I went through my entire high school career thinking I wanted to be a registered nurse btu when I got to college I realized that nursing was the last thing I wanted to do, I wish i would have figured that out sooner. I would ask myself "is this really what you want to do, or is this what you think you want to do?" I would tell myself to sit down and think about what truly makes you happy and what you would want to do for the rest of your life. Again, I would tell myself to follow my heart and my true dreams and passions.

I would tell myself to stop screwing around and focus more. I would also tell myself to get evaluated sooner for ADHD because being diagnosed and on medication has made a world of difference in my education. The improvement in phenominal. I would say to buckle down, pay attention and do the best that you can and know that you can't always be perfect. Things may not come as fast for you as others, but once you get it, it's like fire spreading. Keep your passion for what you truely want and it will aide you in your studies.

If I went back in time to advise myself about college, I would tell myself to have in mind that education is very important in our society. I wouldn’t focus on things that would distract me from learning like trying to be popular, dating, etc. Also, I would tell myself to study in my free time to learn, not to just pass the test. I would continue to go to school and not take breaks in between because if you do so, it will be harder for me and I will fall behind. I will have in mind what I would like to achieve in life because having a career is very important.

Knowing that the high school I attended favored arts and sports, I enrolled in varsity soccer to make it through school. consequently, this withdrew me from my academic planning. Therefore, the best advice that I would give myself would be to begin my career search early and decide what I want to become professionally prior to entering college. I spent the first 2 years of college switching majors without a solid career plan. Now that i have concrete professional goal planning I can see all the time I could have saved and parhaps I would be close to graduation at this point. Also, when I got to college Iwas not prepared for a rigorous schedule with lots of studying time. After seeing how organization of schedules is highly necessary, I would tell myself as a senior to begin practicing time managing skills. For example I could have kept a planner filled with my personal activities so that I get into the habbit. These are two things I would tell myself if I could go back in time but there are many things that could have made my college experience a lot better if only I knew back then.

Time management would be the best advice that I could give myself to prepare for college. Though then I was also a working student it was not enough to prepare me for what I was about to do. Finding the balance between work, school and social acitivies is the key to being successful. School will become the biggest priority so finding time for it will be necassary. Any free amount of time whether a little or alot will be dedicated to studying so I would tell myself to get used to it now. I would also have to tell myself that although although then I didn't have very much discipline it would help me so much more if I learned this important factor early on rather than later. Time management is key but if the time I take to study is being distracted by the outside enviornment then it was not well spent and was a waste of time. These are the main topics of advice that I would give myself that I believe would help me to be more successful today.

Well going to college is one of the most exciting and scariest times in a young students life. Leaving out of high school the student is just bursting with energy and a positive outlook on life. We are optimistic, eager, determined, success oriented, and nervous. We are really not sure of the road or path we would like to take and that's where the nervousness comes in to play. So going back in time and talking to myself as a high school senior I would say, "enroll as fast a you can get your hands on the application." The networking and exposure to so many diverse cultures of people will help the student to become well rounded. I would tell the student life is all about experiences and how well you handle those is what determines your lot in life. I would tell the student to define purpose, winning, losing, success, balance, harmony, peace, love, justice, vision and wellbeing! Once you define those terms look to apply them in your everyday life and watch your life take on a whole new meaning and mission. Through education we can change the world! Go to college and let your light shine.

Well, because my dad had been laid off when I came to college, I didn't plan on living in the dorms. I was going to be living with my sister and commuting, but upon meeting some new friends, I realized I had made the wrong decision. Living on campus gives a student the full college experience. I definitely would tell myself to work harder on getting scholarships, grants, and loans, so that I could have started the year in the dorms. By getting more scholarships and grants, I could have had the money to live in the dorms without having to ask my parents. Now that I live in the dorms, I wouldn't change it for my freshmen year, or anybody's.

I would definitely tell myself to explore my options more fully by taking all the classes that were of interest to me. I would have taken as many concurrent enrollment classes as possible, giving me the possibilty to graduate from high school with an associates degree. I would have been more diligent in actually learning to love to learn. Thus, by doing so, I would be able to more fully enjoy the subjects in school, rather than just trying to get the course work finished. I would have tried to pull more life lessons that could be applicable in my everday life from each class that I attended. Finally, I would advise myself to look for what principle of learning each teacher was trying to portray and glean more fully for those things that help them succeed in the world.

Take more Advanced Placement classes. I would have taken AP Statistics, AP Economics, and AP History. It would have helped me get a head start. Get a job freshman year that would have substained throughout college.

The college experience is about more than just classes, exams, and grades. It's about building relationships and finding out who you are. It's about making the right choices—and learning from the wrong ones. That's what I got out of my college experience. Initially, I chose classes based on my interests. Then, I realized that they weren't very interesting after all. I changed my major three times before getting my degree! Although this set my graduation date back, it helped me develop my character. It made me who I am today: someone who contributes to society. Attending college has been valuable because without that experience, I would have never discovered where my true strength and passion lay. I would have likely remained closed-minded to a world of possibilities. The interaction with like-minded individuals, as well as the not so like-minded, can only be found in a college setting. It’s a direct connection to those who crave fresh knowledge. Author Tom Clancy wrote, "Life is about learning; when you stop learning, you die." My college experience was a learning process, one that has taught me that I can never stop learning.

So far out of my college experience, I think the most valuable thing I've gotten are my friends. There are so many different people here and most everyone is extremely nice. Living in the dorms, I've been lucky enough to create a little family with everyone on my floor. We look out for each other and I know we'll be friends for life. I've also learned many new things and have stumbled upon new interests due to the fun (and sometimes good-looking) professors and staff. Overall, I'm really enjoying my time and I plan to stay for the rest of my academic career.

After only a semester I can't fully grasp the benefits my entire college experience will provide. Thus far, I have made quality friends, learn valuable time management skills, and learned how to live on my own. Not exactly what I expected to learn or experience from classrooms and a new campus, but they are extremely valuable lessons none the less. Attending university has been valuable for many reasons. The previously stated are valuable life lessons that I have already learned. I expect to continue learning and becoming more educated toward my desired major, Biology. With that degree and the valuable knowledge I will gain, in and outside of the classroom, I plan to provide myself with the greatest number of options and open the most doors I can in order to attend Medical School and have a successful career and family.

My college experience thus far has been great. I am attending a local community college in my hometown and will be transferring to Saint Cloud State University next fall. It has been nice to take classes at CLC. I have gotten to see what I really want to do for the rest of my life by taking a class for a low rate and seeing what I do not want to do. I currently work at a local coffee shop making minimum wage and working 20 hours a week. It doesn't take long before all my money is gone and I have only ten dollars for food until next pay day. Having this money would be really helpful.

Where I come from, it is expected that students will graduate from high school and continue with college. Whether that college be a 2-year, 4-year, public, or private university, it is much more common, and therefore, expected, for boys and girls to attend college after high school. However, this does not mean that the experience of college is any less valuable. Since attending college has become more mainstream, so to speak, it has consequently become a more competitive environment. For me, this means I'm in college because I want to be, taking courses that I want to take. I am not in college by anyone's drive but my own. Although I am not even halfway finished, being part of a university beyond high school has introduced me to people with similar interests, ideas, and ways of life that I would probably have never encountered otherwise. The courses offered in college are courses taught by passionate experts, leading to a completely new intake and absorption of information that I wasn't ready to experience in high school. Attending college has enabled me to view knowledge as a privilege rather than an obligation.

From my college experience I have gotten a since of community. I value this because I do not feel alone at my school but more I want to participate and make my school better. I love that I have a place where I feel is my own. Feeling a part of something bigger than myself makes me feel great inside.

First thing that I have gotten out of my college experience is the perpetual taste of independence. I realized that I had more freedom in my first week of college than I did in high school. When I mean independence I am not relating back to the thrill of finally leaving the nest, but rather pertaining it to my high school friends. In college I could be by myself, and explore the campus and all the opportuinites that San Diego State Univeristy had to offer. I was able to expand and meet new students along the way. It was enjoyable to meet a variety of mature and open people compared to my friends in high school. College life has given me a chance to form a new person; a confident and mature young adult. Of course I will never forget the friends I had made in high school, but college has given me the opportunity to venture off and explore everything on my own. Attendance at San Diego State University, has been most valuable to me in that it has given me the chance to interact, explore and meet intresting people.