Santa Clara University Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to my past high school senior aged self I would tell him to start absolutely everything college related as early as possible. Honestly, to accurately answer the question I would go back as far as I could and tell whether it be me or my parents to start as soon as possible. There were many things even going into high school that would have been helpful to know; things such as that your Grade Point Average matters as far back as freshman year, college tours are a must at an early age to know what to shoot for, the importance of truely being well rounded. Most importantly if there was only one piece of advice I could give it's this: getting into college is not as easy as it seems, working hard and harder than you expect; but if not even more important than all that good grades of As with sprinkled in Bs is not enough anymore to get into a good college. These are the things I wish I had known and constantly tell parents of friends to watch out for, the process is lifelong.

I would give myself the advice of having having balance with academics, social life, and extracurricular activities. It is important to have a balance in life because it builds a healthy environment. Academics is significant because basically determines your future. One must have strong academics in order to do be awarded with a great career. Having a social life is another factor of having a balanced life because one must be able to social and have friends to have fun in college. It is great to go out and have a great time with friends to relax the mind and to enjoy. Extracurriculat activities is the last important part of having a balanced life because a person needs time for him or her self. Personally, I like to do martial arts and do volunteer work. My problem was that I was stressing too much about college applications, that I did not have enough time to even think about my extracurricular activities. Having a balance with academics, social life, and extracurriculat activites creates a healthy lifestyle, and is the best advice I would give myself about making the transition to college.

Relax, don't worry about jobs or majors. You'll be able to learn about yourself, and it's perfectly acceptable to make the decision later on. You'll be amazed at how things will just fall into place. You made the right decision, even though it might seem a little too close to home, this is where you need to be. Doors are going to open, and a wealth of opportunities is going to be available to you. Don't be afraid; try out every single one of them! Break out of your comfort zone. That's where you're going to learn the most. It might seem hard, but I know you can do it. College is the place to discover yourself and become a more well-rounded person, so get out there!

I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. I might not have had the same "freshman" experience if I was aware of certain information. I would not want to go back and talk to myself as a high school senior because then I would miss out on the experiential learning of college. I would want my senior self to go into college with an open heart and mind, making decisions based on her own judgment and not focusing on advice from my future self. It is important to be independent because college prepares us for the rest of our lives. It is the time to make mistakes, friendships, and memories. I would never deprive myself of the chance to experience life as a blank slate, free from marks, ready to discover.

Don't turn your back on what you really want to learn. Just because you may be smart does not mean you are responsible for going into scientific fields. Don't worry about money, or what people will think. You're heart is in reading, writing, and Ancient Studies. Listen to your heart.

I would tell myself how important sleep is when you get to college, and that it is always best to set a bed time (a time when no matter how much homework you have or no matter who wants to hang out, you will be in bed) everyday and always stick to it. I would also tell myself how important breakfast is and that it should not be a rushed meal. I would tell myself that you will not have the energy to do your homework or go to classes if you do not eat a good healthy breakfast. Another important thing that I have learned and that I wish I knew at the start of my college life is that during the school year, if you want to hang out with friends, you better make sure you do your studying with them, because there is not enough time in the day to have a social life and to study.

I would definitely tell myself that college requires much more self discipline because unlike high school, you are on your own. There are lots of things you need to keep up with and teachers will not always necessarily be reminding you of things. It's good to have a good work ethic and stick to it. Moreover, there will be many distractions and its up to you to make the decision of whether or not they will affect you.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself, I would tell myself to go directly to a four year university and to not bother with a junior college. I would explain to myself how the junior college will end up being more expensive due to the fact that after you transfer to a four year university, there are still certain classes that must be completed only at that university – thus you are completing freshman/sophomore classes while also trying to compete to get into your junior/senior classes. This entire process will set you behind years due to poor counseling from the junior college. The degree that should have taken four years to complete will end up taking you six years all because of the junior college.

My advice to myself would be, don't worry. Don't stress. I have every skill possibly needed to help the next year fall into place. I would tell myself that I am a great dancer, and to stop worrying because yes, I am good enough to be in a college dance program. I would tell myself to not worry about what I want to do for the rest of my life, because there are almost limitless options of classes to take and areas to explore, and that yes, there is enough time to figure all of that out. Don't worry about how to new friends, because everyone will be trying to make new friends too, and life has taught me how to be open and connect with people. I would want myself to know that yes, I can handle college. I am ready for it. I can handle the academics, the independence, and everything else that comes with it. Do not worry. You can do it.

I would tell myself to keep going in life because there is so much to learn.