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.