San Francisco State University Top Questions

i would had study more hard.

I would advise myself to take several Science related courses to better prepare myself so they would not seem so new in college. I would tell myself to experiment with my career goals by volunteering. I have found my passion in regards to what career I want to follow, but by volunteering, I could be so helpful to society as well as having the chance to learn things that I can only learn from experiencing what the job entails. I would tell myself to keep up my studying discipline and to not deviate from that because being focused means that I have high chances of excelling. I would tell myself that hardships come our way, but it is by working hard and never giving up that we reach our goals. Knowing that all the scholarship and grant opportunities would be extremely helpful in college would give me a peace of mind to focus on school. I would tell myself that working hard to give my all in high school, learning studying techniques, organizational skills, financial opportunities will build me up into becoming the best I can, to become a better skilled professional, more ready for what awaits for me.

Just to take things slowly.

You may think that you're all grown up going away to college but let me tell you you're not. You need to be careful, you won't have anyone to tell you no. Almost all of your rules are thrown out the door if you've moved out of your parents place. The next couple of years are going to change you, and you're really going to gain a sense of who you are and where you stand through the many experiences, good and bad, that you will have. Make sure to give yourself a break from studying, enjoy a few nights out with friends. Be brave enough to stand up against peer pressure. Realize that one more drink could be one too many. Don't be selfish and not call for help if a friend has drank too much because you're afraid of getting into trouble. Their life is more valueable than your pride. Experiment if you want, but be in a safe enviornment. Let yourself grow and enjoy every minute. Live in the moment.

If I could go back and talk to myself...this is something, though I love my life and what it has given me, that I always think about. So often I wonder where my life would be if things were different in highschool. Sure I had friends applying to college, my closest friend went to UC Berkely, I didnt take her lead. I had no idea how to even begin applying to college. It was never expected of me to go off to college or do anything but go to the Community College. My parents didn't push me, I wasn't in honors classes so my teachers didn't help. I stayed behind. If I could go back to highschool and talk to myself, I'd tell myself to ask questions, to not be scared, to apply. I'd answer all the questions I had that made me skeptical to apply that I still have even now. I'd tell myself how great this life could be. No one in my family went off to college let alone got an Associates Degree. I would give myself the pep talk my parents never gave when I needed it the most.

I am a resident assistant for freshman at San Francisco State University. As result, this year I am experiencing a sense of community that was lacking my freshman year of college. If I were able to go back to a time before I went to college I would advise myself to get more involved in extracurricular activies outside of the classroom. Not only would this have enhanced my freshman experience, but also it would have helped to be less homesick since I go to school 400 miles away from my hometown. Now as an RA I am able to give incoming freshman the advise I wish I would have been given. Additionally, my younger sister also attends the same university as me, and I made sure that she was involved in many different groups on campus. Creating a community will help new students assimilate to a new environment and ultimately encourage success during their freshman year.

If I were to go back in time as a high school senior, I could've told myself to work harder on the Math portion of my college entrance exam because I didn't want to be placed in that Math 60 and 70 courses during my first two semesters. These courses are remedials for people who did not meet the minimal requirement on their ELM exam. Basically, people who are taking these math classes are taking it for no credit, which is a complete waste of time in college. Now I'm taking a statistics course as a sophmore at SF State. This statistics class is lectured upon college level math. This course is a class taken with college credit that goes towards my General Ed math requirement. If I was to pass my ELM exam, I could've been placed directly into this Statistics course and not waste my first year taking remedial math courses. Overall, the low score on my ELM exam gave me a bad head start, math-wise, in the first year of college. I could have done better, but I just did not have the knowledge to pass the exam with the minimal score.

Looking back, I believe that there are three things that all highschool seniors should know about college : to be open to new experiences, to be open to the future and to be open to yourself. Being open to new experiences means discarding any previous expectations you might have had about college. Everyone experiences things in different ways, so I find it best to let things happen as they will and take them in the best possible way. Furthermore, being open to the future is a huge part of college. Sometimes things can become clouded with uncertainty. What major to choose? What career to pursue? Where will I end up? In all the worrying and anxiety, it is important to remember that the future will come no matter what. All you can do is prepare for it in the here & now. Lastly, be open to yourself. The years spent in college are often life-changing years. You are discovering what it means to be "you" and things about yourself that you never knew before. It is truly a time when you come into your own. Don't let anybody tell you differently. There is so much to be learned.

In retrospect I realize there were a lot of things I could have done in order make my life a lot easier than and now. First thing I would have told myself to do is study for the ELM and EPT placement test. I didn?t know that ELM and EPT would have such a huge impact on the classes I had to take. My low test scores really put an anchor on my free sailing to graduating on time. Second I would have told myself to establish better communication with my parents who are supporting me through college. I would have asked them each how much they were willing to pay for my education because now im at the mercy of their day to day moods. Each day is a new text saying they can?t pay for their share or they can pay. It is very frustrating because I would have looked for more student loans had I known it would be this way. I would have also told myself that despite all the hardships I may face in the future I would overcome them thanks to my perseverance and my positive attitude.

For the most part, I think I picked a college that's a good fit for me, but I wish that I had been more relaxed during the college process. I worried a lot about which college would be best for me and if I would find friends that wanted to get to me for who I am. I would advise my high school senior self and other students to not to worry too much about finding the "perfect school". Find a school where you can picture yourself being a successful student and reaching your academic potential, a school where you can find students who are completely different, or even students who have many common interests. Look for a college where you can become involved in activities and events that you are passionate about, and where there are people that are always there to support you. Basically, seek a school where you have the ability to be the happiest person you can be.