Shepherd University-Shepherdstown Top Questions

Knowing what I know about college now, I wish that as a High School Senior I studied more. As cliche as it sounds, I did not study as much as I should have during my senior year and it really hurt me going into college. I was not prepared to do things on my own without my professors holding my hand, like my previous ones had done. If I had learned peoper study techniques and actually used them during high school, I think that my grades during my freshman year would have been a lot better and I would have been a lot more happier with them. Not only would my grades have been a lot better, but tests and essays would not have given me as much stress as they did, becuase I would have known how to properly handle them.

If I could go back to be a high school senior, I would definetly take more advanced placement courses and prepare myself better for the final exams. In my senior year of high school I took four AP courses and only received credit for one. The three that I did not do well on were english, spanish and environmental science, which are particularly difficult subjects for me. I think that if I would have taken more basic science and math courses, then I would have been more successful. Knowing what I know now, I would have taken physics, calculus, chemistry and biology as advanced placement classes. By having completed more advanced placement courses in high school, then I would have been able to transfer to my four year university faster. Plus, I would have saved a significant amount of money since AP course exams are a fraction of the cost of university credits. Lastly, it would have better prepared me for the complexity of science and mathematic courses, which in turn would have made the transition from high school to college easier.

If I could go back in time as a high school senior I would give myself so much advice just from the expericance I had gained from my first semester at college. I would tell myself to work and save all money because so many little things that you dont even think about add up and empty your account. I would tell myself to get used to being more independent and realize what is more imporatant when it comes to friends and studying.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to start looking for a college sooner because I feel like I didn't give myself many options when it came to applying. I also would tell myself to pick a school that didn't cost as much and gave me more financial aid rather than loans. Lastly, I would tell myself to visit schools more than once before deciding if that is truly where you want to spend the next four years of your life.

Going to college is an important investment every individual should consider, in order to receive the proper credentials needed for performing a particular career. Even though the rapid increase of college tuition costs may seem quite overwhelming, there are many opportunities available for gaining enough money to afford a college education. Despite the vast amount of prepartation I did to prepare for college, there are some aspects I wish that I considered before attending college. Because of my superlative athleticism throughtout my high school career, I was given the opportunity to accept athletic scholarships to remarkable Divsion I universities; however, decided that pursuing a lawyer degree and participatiing in a college sport would be difficult to perform at the same time. First, if I was to give advice to myself I would have definitely said to apply for as many scholarships as possible, because of the superb accolades I was able to achieve in both academia and athletics. Secondly, I would have recommended myself to read daily, and to do exercises that enhanced my critical thinking, listening, and memorization skills. Therefore, I strongly believe that if I had focused more on these aspects, my college situation would have immensely improved.

"Travis, listen up! Remember how mom and dad told you you would blossom in college? Well, they were right. But you need to take a few steps yourself before that happens. You know your girlfriend that you just started dating? Break up with her. You are going to waste your entire first year of college trying to keep her happy. And when you break up, you'll finally get into the gym and lose those fifty pounds that you need to. You are going to hear of this club called Young Life. Get in there as soon as you can. You are going to make the best friends of your life there - and just maybe meet that special girl you've been hoping for. Dude, seriously... APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS!! When you get so involved on campus you are going to suddenly decide you want to live there but you won't be able to afford it. Get a move on! You are going to be so busy with sports and leadership responsibilities that you won't be able to work. Get ready. You are about to start growing exponentially. The best version of yourself is right around the corner."

IF I could go back in time, I would tell myself that it is not a race and that you do not have to rush through schooling. It is a great experience and that the greatest things are worth the vast amount of time invested. I would had make sure that I knew to check out other universities and colleges. Not all colleges are the same. I would provide the advice of applying for every scholarship available and to take advantage of the Promise Scholarship to attend a four year university. I don't regret anything I have done, but there are a few things that could have been made easier.

There you are, sitting in the back of Coach Brown’s civic class. I understand the thrill and the excitement you get from debating with your classmates. I understand the joy of getting the best grade and having Coach read your opening statement to the class. The bell rings and off you go to your Young Medical Professional’s club meeting, and you feel the same excitement thinking about the upcoming Pre-Medical program at WVU. I remember being in those shoes. The confusion about your future and what route you should take is nothing new; it is something that has been in the back of your mind your whole life. However, after going through two years of college, I can tell you that you were wrong; medicine is not your future. You missed out on opportunities, like interning at the court house, chasing a medical dream that is not for you. My advice to you, my high school self, is follow your heart. You’ve always known that, although science interests you, you love law, history, religion, and politics. You can do more good for society if you follow your dreams and not your analytical brain.

Before making the decision of a lifetime, ask yourself these questions: Do you like the campus? If you have not seen the campus, you must visit it. Do you know what you want to study? If yes, does the school you're interested in have that major? If not, do they have something similar? Do they accept transfer credit from AP classes or the local community college? Are they helpful and friendly? You need people around you that want to help you succeed. How many kids do you want in your class? Can you sit in a lecture hall with 400 kids or do you want your professor to know your first name? Are you going to commute or live on campus? If you plan on living on campus, the most important questions to ask yourself are, Can you see yourself living here? Do you feel safe? Be prepared to walk a lot, live with unpleasant people, and eat bad campus food. Never lose sight of your goal and the bad food, all the walking, and the bad roommates won't matter.

Now that I have made the transition from the high school life to college life, I have realized it is an overwhelming alteration. The most essential advice that I would give myself as a high school senior would be prepare for the future. This includes: challenging yourself academically, staying motivated, and never giving up on yourself. To challenge yourself academically, you as a student should schedule for standardized tests as soon as possible. The sooner you get your scores back, the sooner you evaluate them and decide whether to retake the test or transfer your scores to colleges. Take classes that'll make you work hard and study. If you put the time and effort into your classes, then you will be prepared for the college life. Motivation is the key to success during your senior year. The lack of motivation leads seniors down the drain. Staying motivated will make your senior year and college years more productive, enjoyable, and successful. Life is continuous and never ending, so never give up. There are different stages in your life and you must keep your head held high. The way you view yourself is the way you live your life.

I basically had the same mentality as a senior that I had now. See, it was in my senior year that I realized I needed to crack down on my grades, and therefore i maintained above a 3.5 in my senior year. My previous years however, I wasn't as dedicated. Now that I'm in college, I'm still maintaining above a 3.5, and I'm sure that I can do better. Regardless, if I had to choose something, I'd say to realize that yes I'd be losing a lot of my friends when they went to different colleges, but that I'd see them quite often, and that I'd make a lot of new friends very quickly.

My college experience at Shepherd University has opened my eyes to how valuable a college education is. Since Shepherd University is a liberal arts college, every student is required to take general studies classes such as art, music, history, etc. At first, the thought of taking classes that may not directly benefit me later in life did not interest me. However, after taking these courses I understand the need for them. My knowledge about various cultures, historical events, our world was widened. I feel as if I have tested my own abilities and achieved new heights with my education. I would have never enjoyed the classes or learned so much if I were attending a college other than Shepherd University.

My college experience has shown me the value of money. Coming out of high school I knew college would be a pain to pay for, but I didn't fully understand. Now, as a sophomore, I really understand it's importance. I am applying to as many scholarships as I can trying to help me get through school, and help my parents stay out of debt as much as possible. I also already have over 10,000 dollars in loans, and that's not including the one 7,000 dollar loan that my parents paid off already. My parents are trying hard to keep me in school, but I can't let them use the money they need to live in order to give me a future; I need to do the best I can to help pay as well. It's been valuable to attend college because of the experience it is giving me for my future. By getting my bachelor's degree I can go to medical school; the job experience I have obtained will help me get a job after school and help me recieve the hours I need for medical school. Overall, it's been amazing.

When I graduated high school, I knew that I wanted to work in a library because I want to assist the people of my community. I researched the field and realized that I would need an undergraduate degree and a graduate degree. Because of financial circumstances, it took a lot longer to reach my goal of graduating, eight years actually. I worked, sometimes two jobs, to pay my tuition and bills. Having to fight to finish school has taught me perseverance and problem-solving skills which will help me to meet my next goal to get my graduate degree.

I have made new friends, learned from some of the best Music Edcuators in the world. My Professors have alot of experiences to share and with this they bring excitement and the anticipation of what lies ahead for me. I am excited to be in the Music Education field of study. It began in High School for me and the Professors at Shepherd University have only amplified my love for this field. I am anxious to teach and extent the love of music to the new generation of musicians. I highly recommend Shepherd University because of its standard of education and quality of professioners.

When friends ask me if I think it is wise to continue on to college rather than begin working I tell them my person experience of college. This is my response: High School life is nonstop work, work, and more work. When students in High School consider whether to attend college, they are often overwhelmed by the idea of more school. I felt this way too. Once began college though, I realized that college life is a quasi-adult life. The demands of parents are gone. Professors take on the roll of mentors rather than traditional teaching rolls. College weeks break into 8 hours of class time, 15 hours studying with friends, and the rest is freedom. Rather than rushing into adult life, college students loiter in the student center with friends. Sure, there are times when students rush for finals, but this short period of stress is meager compared to the stress of adult life. College is a time of freedom, enrichment, and changes that will shape your entire future. The value of college for me has been memories that will last my whole life, mentors willing to guide me to success, and ultimately learning to enjoy learning.

I'm enrolled in a two-year nursing program and I have been fortunate to receive an education directly from some of the best nurses that New York State has to offer. I have already begin to apply that knowledge hands-on in regard to patient care on my clinical experience. I have helped to heal patient wounds, ease their anxieties, monitor labs and vitals and in some instances even caught irregularities that most likely prevented an acute disease from occurring. Furthermore, I have met some of the most genuine, helpful and overall caring students, teachers and hospital staff. I have attended many colleges and have never been in an environment where everyone is so helpful and invested in the success of others. My college experience has always been rather selfish in previous programs, but here, it is really a team experience and having such high regard for others and others for me, really makes for an optimal learning and college experience. If all aspects of life always had such a great support network, then I daresay the world would be a much more cohesive place to live!

My overall experience at Shepherd University taught me to think critically, engage in careful research, refine my writing skills, and expand my horizons. In particular, the development of improved study habits, along with the necessary skills to assess and analyze material, was facilitated through specific papers, projects, and assignments. The library facilities, combined with accessible computer labs, provided the necessary tools for research and project preparation. Additionally, my studies fostered a greater understanding and appreciation for differing perspectives on complex social, political, and economic issues through exposure to new concepts and ideas. Opportunities to participate in the community were extant in the form of fundraisers for the American Cancer Society, poetry-reading nights, open mic music performances, and attendance at stage plays. A love for literature, music, poetry, and art were especially enhanced through my experiences at Shepherd. Outdoor activities were available through hiking, caving, biking, and rock climbing, thus providing occasional breaks from academic pursuits, and the beautiful campus provided an ideal environment for study during the warm months. In the end, the most beneficial aspect of my experience at Shepherd was that it encouraged me to pursue higher education while refining my dreams, goals, and career decisions.

I would tell myself to prepare for major study habit changes from what high school had prepared me for. As well as highly recommend I find someone I know to live with on campus, random roommates can turn out frustrating. I would also advise that I find a job on campus before moving here, so that I would be better adjusted to the area and not looking for a job while taking classes. I would give a warning that everything I once knew about interactions among people could be false, high school was not an example of the real-world.

When I was a senior in high school, all I dreamed of was to go to a private all women's college. I pulled off the grades, even got lots of scholarship money, but it still wasn't enough. I wanted it so badly, that I didn't mind putting myself into $20,000 debt (it'd be worth it in the end, right?). Actually it turned out to be a huge mistake. I realized after a year at the private college, that the education/living costs were just not worth it. I've transferred back close to home and now attend a public university. Overall, the quality of education and class sizes are about the same. If I could go back, I would tell myself that it's sometimes better just to stay home and go to the cheaper school - it's better than making those loan payments!