Tarleton State University Top Questions

Don't lose that drive. We have come so far and done so much and we shouldn't stop or let up. Keep pushing yourself but don't be afraid to take an elective. Don't be afraid to "take chances, make mistakes, and get messy" as Miss Frizzle said. Also, get out there! Don't wait for things to come to you. Say hi to people and smile! Get involved and volunteer. Believe it or not but we are much better at time management when we have more stuff to do. But be careful when balancing things. Keep in mind that we are at school to get an education. Also, completely skip Texas State. Forget A&M. Listen to our mother and look at Tarleton. It is honestly the greatest school ever. It's a slightly larger school than Plano even though the small town sucks. Have faith in yourself and when things get stressful, pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and go on. Life goes on and there is no reason to borrow worry from the future. As Hagrid once said, "What's comin' will come, an' we'll meet it when it does."

I would tell myself that life is hard in college. For the first time in your life, you are going to be on your own. With that new responsibility you have to know that you are going to make mistakes, and many of them. The thing to remeber though is that your not alone, and everyone around you is going through some stage of what you are. I would tell myself that you have to learn to shake it off. You can't let your life be ruled by your mistakes but rather by what you learn from those mistakes. No matter how much you get discouraged know that there is always gonna be a light at the end of the tunnel, and there are resources on campus and off that are there when those hard times fall on you. Learn to use those resources and branch out to make friends. The hardest part about going to college is realizing that you have to grow up. Through perseverance, hard work, and not getting discouraged, you will do just fine. Just remember there are going to be bumps in your long and winding journey. (Also take time to have some fun!)

Going to school is going to bridge the gap between being a school student and being an educated adult who can handle lifes daily trials. It will get the education you need to succeed well in life and prosper in whatever feild you endevor. It will teach you how to be an adult, well still keeping you protected to a certain extent. It will allow you to grow mentally as well as academically. It will teach you how to depend on yourself, how to depend on others, and how to succeed in the working word. It prepares you for the real world outside. It tells you what to expect and how to handle it. It will teach you what you need to know to get the job of your dreams and then help you find that job. Its all yours for the taking, all you have to have the desire to go and the desire to succeed. Imagine what you want out of life a few years down the road and then decide what interests you and just do it. The future is yours for the taking.

I would advise my high school self: Just because you do not receive a large sum of scholarships on your first attempt, does not mean you will not receive any more in the future. Never give up on scholarships, or anything at all. Your freshman year in college is a tempting time to blow off studying and hang out with your friends, but do not ever do this. Yes, friends are very vital to have during college, but your grades are of utmost importance. Your friends will also start to make some dangerous choices and will attempt to persuade you to do the same. You know right from wrong, so please make the right decisions. When you are in college, you will find a job that will require a lot of your time and energy. Please realize that working a full time job will drain you in many ways and will most likely bring your grades down. The important thing is to stay focused and never lose sight of your dream to be a successful and happy woman.

Knowing what I know about college life, and if I could go back in time to when I was a senior in high school, I would tell myself to get serious about my life. I think senior high school students do not give enough thought about life and how to prepare for it. It is so important to search yourself and take careful consideration about what you want to do in life. It would be a good idea to already have narrowed down a field of study that you want to pursue when you go to college. So many high school students are just so excited about "going to college" and stuck on which college they will be attending that they loose sight of why they are going to college in the first place. Volunteering in your community is an excellent way to experience first hand some occcupations that you might be interested in once you finish college. Learn how to budget your money and your time so that you don't feel overwhelmed. Working part time in your senior year helps you experience how it feels to work, go to college and study. Finally, never give up your dreams.

Don't waste time deciding, you get lost and distracted to easily at that age. Just go. There is a huge world out there that is just waiting to be discovered. You can aspire to greatness if you only try. Don't be scared, dream of the greatness you can attain for yourself in the future. The world is truly yours for the taking and the more you know, the more you grow. The experiences you gain and the life long friends will make your life rich in the future. I waited to go until I raised my children and although it was well worth it to see them grow I do occasionally dream of how things may have been if only I had not given up on school at that time. School is so important to the growth of you as a person, no matter what the age. Dream greatness, attain greatness and begin it by gaining all the knowledge you can.

I would tell myself to better prepare for the college experience. Though Tarleton State is relatively small, I am from the middle of nowhere. I lived twenty miles from the nearest gas station. I would tell myself to get out of town a little more to better prepare for the culture shock of living in a city.

The best advice I could give to myself as a high school student would be to slow down! I was in such a hurry to have all the freedoms and responsibilities that come with adult life, that I robbed myself of the opportunity to enjoy my college years, and be involved in campus life. As much as possible, a student should stay in school and listen to the advice of counselors, teachers, and parents. Being a grown-up is tough, especially if you mess up your opportunity for education. You have the rest of your life to pay bills and work all the time, so enjoy your youth while you can, get a good education, and be involved in college life as much as possible. The friendships you make and the lessons you learn, will last a lifetime! Enjoy it!

Be open minded, don't rule out a college because of one dislike, you'd be surprised how one school could surprise you.

First off, it doesn't really matter where you go to school, you can learn anywhere. There are positive and negative things about every campus, these things being determined by the student or potential student. The best advice is to come up with a list of criteria that you can apply to potential college choices. These can range anywhere from location, tuition costs, or availability of recreational facilities, whatever is important to you. Make a list of these criteria and their answers for each respective college choice. You can use this list as a guide to help you make a final decision. To make the most of your college experience, just get involved on campus, with anything! Most schools have ample opportunities for involvement ranging from sports (competitive or intramural), performance groups, fraternaties, sororities, clubs, and professional organizations. In addition, many schools offer social functions such as movie screenings, special events for holidays or other occassions, and much more. Being involved is a great way to meet others who have similar interests as you. These people can become friends for life.

To the students, really consider the reasons you want to go to college, your goals, what experience you want to have, and the things you'd like to be involved in. Also, consider the town you will be living in, can you live with it? Parents, allow your child to choose the college they think will work the best with their personality, and goals in life. I've had many friends that chose the wrong schools, for the wrong reasons, and it costs them dearly. Also really consider your degree of choice, are there an adequate amount of opportunities in the field? Once you have chosen the right school for you, never be afraid to talk to people. Join groups, rush a sorority/ fraternity. Really listen to your professors, and last but not least have fun. You learn so much in college, not only in classes, but outside of them as well. Don't let opportunities pass you by, everyone in college is eager to help you, be friends with you, and learn with you. Laugh hard, study hard, and don't forget your parents, after all they're the reason you're here! :)

Some information that I would give to parents and/or students would be to definately go on a tour of the campus. That is what gave me the most information that I needed to help me decide where I wanted to go. Also. Parents need to go to orientation with their student to help get all the information that they would need. When chosing housing, it would be best to look at the dorm during the campus tour that way when the student is signing up online they know for sure which one they want to stay in. For the student, staying with someone that you know in the dorm room is probably not the best thing to do. Room with someone that you dont know, that way you dont get tired of your best friend and you get to meet all new friends through the new room mate. Take advantage of anything that might interest you, if you don't like it at least you tried it and maybe made more new friends.

My advice to parents and students when looking for the right college is to do your research. Look at everything that the campus has to offer and call the school and talk to real students in order to make your descion. I would also go and visit the campus and walk around and ask a bunch of question so that you really get a deep fill of what the campus is about. I would also when you chose the college and you get there i would join groups that are really about YOU and it really helps you make friends that you will have for the rest of your life. To the most of the college experience get involed and don't stay stuck in the dorm all day get out and have fun and join groups to really help you experience the college life.

Pick a school that excels in the student's choice of study. You should also make sure that the environment will be one that the student can live in, and be able to excel socially as well as acedemically.

Focus most on being comfortable in your environment, not on sports or extra curricular activities

I would suggest selecting a school with small classes. It is easier to learn and communicate ideas or thoughts to professors and students. Selecting a smaller school allows oneself to get aquainted with the same group of people. Enjoy your college years it is the last chance before the real world sets in. Make good grades, you dont want to regret not studying for a grade you may need later down the road. Find a major the you will love. School is hard enough on its own, especially is you dont love what you are doing.

Talk to current students and hear what they have to say about the school because let's face it, nobody's going to know their school better than them. The answers they give you, take them and consider the good things, don't harp on the bad experiences that people have had because you have the opportunity to shape and mold your college career however you see fit based on the opportunities presented to you. Also...GET AS INVOLVED AS YOU CAN! Get involved in anything and everything up until it starts to affect your schoolwork. You'll benefit greatly!

The less that one has to worry about throughout college, the better off you'll be. Money is a big factor in obtaining a higher education. Ensure that you have financial obligations and budgets in line when it comes time to start each semester. The less time you spend worrying about the next tuition installment, the next fraternity payment, the supplemental book you didn't get for that class because you didn't necessarily need it, or whether or not you'll have enough party money, the more time you'll have to find yourself. College environments tend to foster a culture of self-awareness--personally, socially, and intellectually. Once you find yourself, you become the only thing holding you back...unless you didn't take care of your money situation in the beginning.

To find the right college be sure to visit the campus. Talk with students and alumni about their experience at the campus. Once you have found what you believe is the right campus find an organization to join. One that shares the same beliefs and/or interests. That is where friends are sure to be found.

To Parent's: Don't force your child to go to a college they don't want to go to , or into a degree they don't want to persue. And make sure they know the value of whose ( whether it's your's or the government's that they have to eventually pay back) money they are spending. To students: Don't waste your life. Make sure you're persuing what you want for your future. Go to class, if you get into trouble make sure it was worth it.