St. Mary’s University Top Questions

Knowing what I know about college life and the transition, I would give my high school senior self the advice to be proactive in all I did. I would have applied to colleges immediately so that the stress and pressure would have been dealt with and resolved quicker. I would also have continued to work hard in my studies from the first day of school so that my grades and grade point average could have been the best I could achieve. I would have also found better habits with studying, finance, and communication. Perfecting these would have made my transition smoother and more manageable. I have found that there is a lot more reading in college that I was not use to in high school. Similarly, being self-sufficient has made me be extremely conscious of what I am doing and spending my money on. I wish I would have started better habits sooner. Lastly, I would have practiced better communication with everyone. It is viable that I have a relationship with my professors, friends, and roommate. Communicating impeccably would have given me a jump-start to what I would come across in college.

If I have the change to go back I will teach my self about efective tools to plan my career life. I noticed how thousands of students are strugling in order to pay for their classes without knowing that there are thousands of companies and organization that help the students to succes in campus. In addition another important advice that I will consider is the fact of what kind of institution I'm looking for, because there are my college in our country. However, each college has their specialization in a specific topic. Attending to the right college might be they key fact to sucess in life after college. Also I will motivate myself each year to improve my grades and do my homework in the most efficient way to increase my possibility of winning scholarships which will help me a lot to afford college tuition and help my parents with the college expense. Finally I will do the best that I can to succes and enjoy my high school experiences and I will try to get the most accurate information to get in to my major.

The advice I would give myself would be to take more advantage of exploring and researching scholarships before entering college. I had no idea how many scholarships were available to high school seniors that can be renewed throughout your college career. I would also suggest that I make more time for engaging in on campus activities rather than focusing on work. Interacting with your fellow classmates is part of the learning process and can lead to great networking opportunities. It is important to note that college is similar to high school in that your instructors treat you as an adult and somewhat of an employee. Treat your school work as it is your job and keep that in mind when you prioritize. The most important advice I would give would be to pick the classes that interest you the most and will contribute to your career! Don't just go for the ones that fit best in your schedule or the ones your friends are taking or just because you heard a professor were easy. Receiving a college education is a privilege not a right and should be treated as such.

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self, there are two things I would advise: to apply for more scholarships, and to end the relationship I was in. Applying for more scholarships would have been a lot of work, but I would rather have done that then than rely heavily on loans to fund my undergraduate education. Although I was awarded a significant amount of financial aid through the school, including scholarships, grants and work-study, I still needed assistance for tuition and other fees. If I had had a better understanding of these financial circumstances as a high school student, I would have devoted more time and energy to looking for and applying to scholarships. Thus, the advice I would give my high school self would be to seek help in finding scholarships. Although this would have been a struggle, because even to this day I have trouble asking for help, it would have been worth it. I would have also advised myself to end the relationship I was in earlier. Looking back now, had I ended the relationship earlier, I would have saved myself a great deal of emotional stress.

College should not intimidate you. It is a special opportunity to expand your horizons and discover new things about yourself. Jumping into a whole new world, it may seem difficult to adjust, but the more you push yourself to become involved, the more friends you will make and the more enjoyable it will become. It is also important to remember that in college, you are considered an adult and bear the responsibility of more than making good grades. As a full time college student, it is your job to manage your time and money. College is a learning experience, and a necessary stepping stone to maturity. The stress and struggle now will pay off in the long run, making you a responsible and dependable adult.

The first thing I would say to myself would be, push yourself and do not let things get you off track with your classes because at the time high school courses seem like "whatever" but it gets harder and when you are not prepared you will start to slack off just the way you did in high school. Always be on time with turning in work also arriving on time to class, little things such as being late sort of creates a chain reaction because you start to think "I am only a little late to class" but it turns out you missed the most important part of that class, also "This paper is only a day late" and you recieve a B when you could have easily earned an A if you had been on time. Lastly, in high school there are many opportunities to do well and maintain a high GPA, and earn great scholarships for college so, try your best to stay on track and stay focused because high school is where it all starts for you.

I wished I know how hard college would be. I would tell myself that I dont need to do everything at once. God will only give you what you can handle. The most important thing i would tell myself is that YOU need to study a lot more and to ask for help when you need it. Dont wait until mid semester to get help. Also just relax a little while.

I have had the opportunity to reach our in the community and help people in ways I never thought was possible. I am learning the responsibily of caring for yourself. College has been a great experience so far. I look forward to my next years in college and everything I am sure to learn and all the opportunities God will place before me.

St. Mary's small classes have helped me do better than what I thought I would do. The professors are willing to always listen and help in whatever is needed. The campus itself is a beautiful place filled with green trees everywhere. Being eight hours away, St. Mary's makes it so much easier for me to adjust and not be as homesick.

My college experience has been one that has developed me mentally, physically and emotionally. Mentally, I have seen myself grow from a child into an adult. I learned to take responsibility for my actions and that ultimately my life is what I decide to make it and I'm working as hard as possible to make it right for myself. Emotionally I have learned to love and to appreciate and to experience the moments I will never get back. I have recognized that my childhood is fleeting and while I feel I am growing into a strong and independent person, I have learned to take in my life one day at a time and be grateful. Physically, I have learned that the health of my body is essential to my success in the world and have begun to ensure my success by leading a healthy life style. My college experience has changed me in ways I would never have imagined. I wouldn't say that it has defined me, but rather that it has helped me to define myself.