Springfield College Top Questions

I would be more involved in high school and realize everyone has a story. I felt that in high school, I was very quick to judge, but no having a year of college under my belt, I have to realize everyone comes from somewhere and everyone is here for a reason. My worst day might be someones best day.

Although you probably think taking a break in between you bachelor degree and your Master's degree is something you "deserve", it is so much harder to go back to school after stopping than you would think. I guess you don't anticipate circumstances that occur. It may sound cliche, but "life happens" and school may not be a priority anymore. The economy changes and there is more competition for what jobs there are out there. Get you education done early and market yourself. Get in the field you are interested in and then you can retire early. Don't put it off because you will regret it later.

I would not have waited to attend college so late... however I believe that it is better late than never to continue your education!

If I could go back in time to talk to myself senior year in high school, I would give much words of encouragement. I will tell myself to keep up the great work, because I realized once I got to college I never gave myself enough credit. I’ve always known I had the potential and thrive to succeed, so I always pushed myself to keep doing better. When I would struggle on a project or in a certain class, I never gave up. I picked myself up and kept going. If I would go back in time I would tell myself to still do the same thing, but to stop and acknowledge all the greatness I have already achieved, smile, pat myself on the back, and then get up and try again. In high school I was so hard on myself, instead of looking at all of my accomplishments and acknowledging them, I looked them over like they didn't mean anything. I will tell myself from senior year when transitioning into college, admiring your accomplishments especially something you struggled with and work hard on is nothing to look down upon. Acknowledging your achievements is something everyone should do.

I would tell myself that there is no need to be nervous about making the transition from high school to college. Springfield did a great job of making new students feel welcome and comfortable and it was very easy to make friends once I got there. The work load is tougher so I would of told myself to study over multiple days instead of trying to cram everything in the night before. I would also tell myself that college is nothing like high school and there is no pressure to fit in or do anything that you do not want to do. There are so many opportunities to get yourself recognized by teachers and peers if you try your hardest in everything you do and it will not go unnoticed so try your best at everything.

The biggest advice I would give to myself, being a student who would do well in school but only do enough to do well (I didn't go above and beyond), would be to take the risk of AP or college level classes in high school that fit in a subject you are interested in. If you do well in the class you can get college credit and save yourself a lot of time and money when you get to college. Additionally, even if you don't do as well as you hoped in the class, when you take it again in college you have a solid background of the information that is covered in the class. College level courses can be difficult and having previous exposure is a huge help for when you get to college, you will find yourself a step ahead and the feeling takes the stress off!

College is not as difficult as people make it sound if you manage your time wisely. lot's of people go into college with the idea of how much partying they will be attending and how much fun they will be having. My advice is why take out 20-40 thousands of loan just to party for a year? If the main reason of wanting to attend college is to party, why not stay home and party. College is a expensive party to attend if that’s the main reason you want to attend college for. The biggest advice I would give myself or anybody I know is work really hard Monday thru Friday on your studies, then you can have all the fun you wish to have during the weekend. Last, try attend all your lectures. Do not miss a class unless it’s something really serious because once you start falling behind it is hard to catch up with missed assignments, lectures and labs. In Conclusion, the main three points are work really hard Monday thru Friday in you studies, so you have the weekend to have fun and do not skip classes because you are been lazy.

Dear Paige (self), Knowing how difficult my college classes have become, I would have taken some business and more advanced math classes during high school. High School was so easy as compared to College and I could have accelerated my learning while in pre-college and used the free tutors and attentive teachers to help me learn advanced level information and form much better study habits.

If I had the chance to go back and live my senior year again I would take the time to really learn the material in each of my classes rather than just studying the notes to do well on the tests. Most of the classes I took in my senior year are very similar to the courses I will be taking throughout college. I would also tell myself to just relax a little more about the college choice, I was constantly stressing over which school to choose and what major to enroll in but the stress only made it more difficult. The best thing to do is get real life experience. Visit as many colleges as possible and take opportunities for internships in different fields. Theses experiences will help tremendously with the life changing decisions. Finally I would remind myself not to procrastinate, the sooner you get things done the less you have to face at the same time.

I have never allowed myself to have regrets in life, and I still do not have any. My transition went smoothly from high school to college because I was definitely ready to make that change. If I did go back though, I would tell myself that this an experience to take full advantage of, always try your hardest, stressing out is not worth it, and to have the best time as you possibly can!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have a lot to say. I gained a lot of knowledge about college life and making the transition during my freshman year of college. I would tell my high school self that staying focused on school is the most important thing to do. There isn't any time for messing around or playing games. I would also tell my high school self to stay away from peer pressure, drugs, and alcohol in high school so that those bad habits don't carry over to college. I'd tell my high school self to get involved in activities, such as clubs and sports, to make my college application look better. I would also tell my high school self to volunteer in a field that my major is in, so that I can get experience and know beforehand what I'm getting myself into when it comes to college. That is the advice I would give my high school self and I believe I would be a lot more prepared if I had known this information.

The transition from high school to college is a great step that I think no one can truely prepare for without just experiencing for themselves. Socially and acedemically college is so different, but I feel it is with in yourself in which you either make the transition an easy or a hard one. Personally, I was ready to move onto college, and although I was nervous and did not know what to expect, I would not change a thing about how I went into the situation. Experience different chapters is an important part of one's life, and I believe that everyone needs to go through those unexpected life choices and take chances at least once in their life. College is a chapter in my life I will never forget or regret; if I was to talk to my high-school-senior self, I would keep my experiences secret. Adventuring through life without negative expectations is exciting and I would not change my decisions for the world.

Take school seriously. Study hard and take the time to fully understand the material. Do not be afraid to ask for help with school work or whatever else you may need help with. Get yourself out there and take chances. Join clubs, be a leader, and stand out. Be open to new experiences and do not shy away from the unknown. Be loyal and honest. Be a good friend. Be proud of your accomplishments. Learn from your mistakes. You only get four years so make sure you make them count! And of course, GOOD LUCK!

Prepare for college as early as possible. Get all applications, financial aid, and any other paperwork done on time. Don't procrastinate. The more you put it off, the more you're hurting yourself. Sit down early with your parents and discuss all your options. Make sure you are all on the same page, have a realistic plan, and are working together. Do your research, especially with financial aid. Grants and scholarships are the way to go, and loans should be the last option. You want to enjoy college without going into thousands of dollars in debt. You don't want any problems to arise because of poor planning. It's important to pay bills on time in college, and it gets serious if you don't. Overall, prepare and plan early!!!

Never second guess yourself. Always go with your gut instinct and just stick with it. Life is too short to look back and wish you did what you wanted. Go for your dreams and never settle.

Although it is very challenging, I feel as if I have gotten a lot out of college. I was able to start fresh and make new friends, meet new people, and engage in positive activities that I wasn't able to experience in high school. I also feel as if I have grown academically because I managed to achieve a 3.8 grade point average my first semester, which was my goal. I also feel I have grown academically because I am learning more about the field I want to go into and applying it to real world situations. I also feel as if I benefited through attending college because I was able to network and meet a lot of meaningful adults, who I now use as resources. I also learned that college isn't all fun and games, as many people mistake it to be. I study a lot, and party a little, and I have learned to manage my time extremely well so I can be academically and socially successful. College has definitely made me a better person and I look forward to the person I will be after graduating and obtaining my degree.

Springfield College has been not only educational, but life changing as well. I've grown tremendously as a person, even in the few short months I've spent here. When my father passed away in 2004, I didn't think I would ever have a relationship with my mother. Thanks to Springfield College, I'm closer to her than I've ever been. Springfield has given me the motivation to pay it forward in the world and to start now. What better time to make a difference than right now. I'm young, I have connections and resources, I have energy, and most importantly I have the greatest support system. Springfield College has inspired me to make a goal for myself to accomplish within the four years I'll study here- to create and run an inner city teen drop in center in inner city Springfield. But my service won't stop there. I made a promise to myself after seeing the Freedom Writers speak- I will be the change I want to see in this world and I'll use every moment I have to make that happen. No moment is too small to make a difference.

I have gained friends who will last a lifetime, and an education that is preparing me to excel into my career path. I have been introduced to a variety of new people, and ideas that have led me to become a better, more well-rounded individual. I feel college is valuable because you are forced to learn how to balance your life. With so many decisions to make, you quickly determine your priorities, and they type of person you will be. This is very important for your future. As you age and mature, you have more and more responsibilities to take control of, and college is a chance to gain some experience in juggling multiple things at one.

I have gotten a great deal out of my college experience. Making the transition from a small high school in the ghetto to a private college in another state was never easy for me. It was like someone picked me up and threw me in another country where they spoke a different language. I was forced to adapt because everything was so new to me. I was a baby again. In my high school the majority of the kids where Black with some Hispanics students as well. When I started college the majority was now Caucasian. Intially I felt a l ittle uneasy and more than often intimidated just walking around on campus. But as I started to make friends I began to feel more comfortable. I no longer had cold feet, and I started to branch out and meet new people. Turns out I had more things in common with my new friends than I thought I ever would. Just completed the fall semester of my sophomore year and I bonded with more people than I did before I started college. Looking back at where I came from, attending Springfield College so far has been an utmost experience.

While attending college has been important to me academically and professionally, I feel it has been most valuable in helping me grow as an individual. Going away to school I was no longer living under my parents supervision and this allowed me to explore who I am as an individual. I also was able to meet new people from more diverse backgrounds than myself. Talking to them has helped me grow as an individual. Lastly, the responsiblities that I took on by attending college have helped me to change and mature the most. I was forced to become more independent and self-reliant. These changes have helped to prepare me for life after college. I have a few more years of college left in which I hope I will grow even more as a student and individual.