St Catherine University Top Questions

Well Anna, this is it, the start of your senior year. I have a few suggestions for success once you get to college. Keep working hard, and follow what you feel is right. After graduation, things won?t be so easy. You will argue with the parents and friends, but things get better. I promise. Work is important, but be proud you achieved the scholarship so don't work so much. When you get to the dorms, leave your door open and don?t be scared to say ?hi? to someone new, they are scared too and you?re going to wish you had more time to socialize once classes start. The professors are inspiring and helpful; don?t be afraid to ask for help. Also get to know the other interpreting majors they will be very helpful. Lastly, follow your dreams and love who you are becoming. Things get a little rocky but it is very worth it, because after all the hard work, you know you will be able to survive on your own. So, keep up the good work, study hard and always remember what dad says ?find the fun? it will get you far in life.

I am a 19 year old Hmong American attending the College of Saint Catherine. My dream has always been to become a radiographer and work at the Children?s Hospital. To achieve this dream, I have worked hard to get to where I am at now. Ambition and motivation has kept me going when I wanted to give up. My senior year I decided to do the post-secondary enrollment option at a community college. I balanced high school and college courses together. College is so different from high school. If you don?t have the time set aside to read or study, you won?t succeed to get the best grade you possibly can. If I could go back in time to senior year, I would tell myself to take full time PSEO instead of part time. I would miss my senior year but it?s worth it to replace it with college courses. I would have saved so much money because my courses would have transferred to Saint Catherine. I wouldn?t have heavy loans to pay off when I graduate and I wouldn?t have to worry about whether or not financial aid will cover for me.

The transition to college is not an event, but a process. At first, throwing away the past and jumping into school may seem like a great idea - exit childhood like ripping off a bandaid - quick and painless. I found my transition worked okay this way, until I realized what I had thrown with that bandaid. In preparation for college, I went through my possessions and kept only items I thought I would use in college. I packed what I hoped I needed, not exactly what I had been using at home, but what I considered most likely useful for school. When I arrived at college, my stuff worked well, for a while. After a month I realized that, I really did want that shirt I thrown out at home because it would work nicely in my dorm climate (a balmy 72 degrees). After more classes and studying, I realized more items that would have been useful to have and some that I brought but didn't even touch. I may not be far into my education, but I sure have learned one thing - throw out the stuff you don't need only after you are settled into your new situation.

The advice that i would give myself is plan ahead and set your mind to it. Making a plan will get you ahead so you won't always be wasting your time thinking what you should do next. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions when youdon't understand, because one mistake is one step back from your goal. The number one problem that college students have is financial problems. High school don't teach you things on how to spend your money wisely, so thats why college students have such a hard time dealing with money. First of all, save as much money as you can before you go to college. Only buy the necessary things, so you won't be caught up in so much loans. One last important thing is know how to balance your time. Using your time wisely will bring you less stress and better grades. Please do not do last minute papers or assignments, college papers are no joke but a real deal that gets you good grades. So think of it as this, " Learning is an opportunity". Remember, make the best out of everyday so you won't regret later in life.

Make sure to talk to students that attend the schools you are considering. Do not be afraid to ask questions that you might think are embarrassing, like questions about the amount of partying that occurs on campus. Current students are probably the only ones who will answer questions like that honestly so they are the ones you should talk to. Also, do not choose a school based only on how much scholarship and grant money they offer you. This is too big of a decision to make based only on money, and there are always more scholarships to apply for if you just research. Try really hard to take the time to sit in on a class during one of your visits. Not only will you get a taste of the teaching technique of a professor from that school, but once you see how students from a school behave during class, you will be able to decide if it is the kind of classroom environment you want to be a part of.

Cirien- If you knew now, what I didn't know then....Gosh, you might be amazed. I'm living it in and I'm in awe! When you sit down in The Reflective Woman that first Wednesday morning, don't let your first thought be "What the hell am i doing here?"! Why don't you try, "what the hell as I going to do here?" or how about "when am I going to start doing everything here?" or "when do i start?". Turn to the young woman on your left and say hey, comment on the gorgeous day outside the window. Turn to the young woman on the right and welcome here as she takes a seat. They'll be your first best friends in college...why wait until a year late to meet them? Go to the Activities Fair and fo to the meetings. Try everything once---tacos in a bag are delicious by the way. Take a new language. Have fun. Stress. It will do you good. Coasting never got anyone anywhere, you're no different. Do good. Do well. Do Something. Most of all, do something with this chance from day one. Peace! You in 2010.

Hold on. No matter how tough things become within your your life or your world, to hold on. If your whole life falls apart, keep working, ask for help, utilize resources available at the school, talk to your instructors and advisors, your school counselors, let go of shame, humble yourself, ask for alternatives, get involved in the social life of the school, keep your head up, and keep going. If all those fail, then just hold on. Wait it out, because things will and do get better. You will never again be 20 or 19 or 22. Life experience is great, but college will always enrich that. No matter what happens, stay in school. No matter how hard things are, stay in school; it'll be harder to go back later. Don't take a break. Don't think you're better than school. Don't get disallusioned. Hold on. Hold on to the privilege and honor of being in a place where people get paid to help you suceed. Hold on to the privilege and honor of being able to attend a place of higher learning. Hold on to your life. Hold on to your future. Hold on.

Kimberly, high school was fun but it's just the start of your life. College will be where you make friends for life, have the time of your life, and study your life away. Be prepared to work hard. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Get to know your professors. Learn how to manage your money better. Never pass up free food or events. And most of all... just have fun.

If I could go back in time my senior year, I would feel just as prepared for college as I am right now. My last two years of high school I took part in the PSEO program and took college classes at Normandale Community College. I knew that I was giving up part of the high school experience by doing this, but I was ready for college at that time. High school got old and the people there were immature, I wanted to spread my wings and do something different, and I'm glad I did. Normandale was a chance for me to get a head start at the college life, take classes, and prepare myself for college through experience. Also, college is expensive and by doing this, I cut down a year of my college expenses. I completed my freshman year of college before I graduated from high school and for me this was my preparation for college. The advice I would give myself is that "what you're giving up in high school will be well worth it in college." I wouldn't do anything different because I am proud of the choices I've made so far.

Looking back to high school as a college freshman, there are a few pieces of advice that I would have given myself about making the transition into college. The most important piece of advice that I would have given myself would have been to make sure that I prioritize my time. In college there are a lot of new activies, friends, schedules, and classes and finding the time to include all of them in a day can be very challenging. The second piece of advice that I would have given myself would be to join more college activities and clubs. Meeting new people and making connections is very importnat not only in college but in life. Simply knowing who people are can make someone who is new to a community feel welcomed and comfortable. The last piece of advice that I would have given myself would have been to utilize my resources on campus. There are a lot of people on campus that are willing to help out students with a variety of topics and issues. There are also great resources on campus that can help students with essays and study tools, They are very important to college success.