The University of Texas at Arlington Top Questions

First and foremost, get focused! Find out precisely what it is that you are good at, where your talents lie and what your passions are. Obtain advice from parents, roll models and high school guidance counselors. Indulge in introspection and listen to your heart. But be practical too and know that college life involves being an adult, albeit a young one. This is the rest of your life you are talking about! Don't be afraid to follow your dreams but be aware that a successful college career requires maturity, courage and concentration. Do what is best for yourself, knowing that your future depends on it. As far as transitions go, life is full of them and they don't necessarily have to be bad changes. You can always make your life full and complete by knowing that you are capable, smart and talented. You just have to make sure that you stay positive and that you don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it. You are the only one who can beat yourself down and you are the only one who can lift yourself up to your hightest potential. It can be done!

If I could go back and advice myself, I would of liked to have search for scholarships to help me pay for all my schooling because now as my third year of college I regret not getting scholarships, grants or anything to have help me to pay for college. I would of also tooken the time to look for a university that I could of lived at and experience the college life. Because I believe it's not the same going to college and living there because once you live there you become more aware of all the school activities, programs, and you get to network more with others. Therefore, my advice is to make sure you have an idea of what you want to do in life and what best works for you.

The biggest advice I could give myself in high school about college life would be to ignore all the temptations that living on your own present. It is easy to get lost in the moment of a party but the true fun and sense of fulfillment will occur when you recieve your first test grades back. It is okay to pass on the parties and spend your time studying, it will much more fun to work hard in college than to work harder after you graduate. Do not feel like a shut-out, or a nerd. You are doing what you need to get ahead in life and that is something to be proud of.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself in my senior year of high school I would tell myself to go straight to college and do not wait. Waiting and taking that break might seem like a good idea at the time, but it will take 12 years to get myself into college. By waiting those 12 years, college hasn't been as easy as it would have been had I gone straight in after high school because I have forgotten many of the things I learned. Once again I would say, "Don't wait..Do it now!!! You will wish you had!!!"

It is extremely important to have good study habits. Also, if you have financial aid, make sure you keep your grades up in order to keep it. If you are fairly intelligent or study hard, it is easy to make a 4.0, but you do have to be dilligent and do your work.

I would have to tell myself that study skills might not be needed in high school but it is good to know what type of learner I am so that it makes it easier to study in the future. I would say that although sometimes waking up early for the less crowded classes seems annoying, but it makes a big difference and allows more time later in the day to do fun stuff while everyone is in class. Being friendly pays off in the long run becuase you meet all kinds of people and they may be able to help you and/or you can help them. Although universities are much larger than high school, getting lost in the numbers is not a great idea, getting involved makes things a lot more fun and easier. Use the resources you have BEFORE it is too late in the semesters so you can do better in class.

Mary, you may have always been a very good student, but college is a different ballgame. On time does NOT cut it when it comes to higher education. Financial aid should be sought after BEFORE trying to be accepted in college. Asking upperclass students to recommend professors should be done BEFORE registering for classes. Buy books BEFORE the first day of classes or the book store may be sold out, and you have to wait a few weeks for the new stock to come in. Make use of your professor's office hours period, but especially BEFORE you start having problems. Start on assignments the moment they are given, you may think you have time, but work tends to group together during a semester. See academic advisors BEFORE registration opens for a new semester or you'll wait on appointments. But, and don't forget this Mary, the most important thing is to not overextend yourself. Don't take a max load, and if you have to drop or do badly in a course, don't feel horrible. No one is perfect. College is meant to be both a fun and learning experience. Don't let one consume the other.

Try harder. If someone had mentioned these two words to me during my senior year in high school, college life just might be a bit easier now. In high school my grades were exceptional, I had a positive attitude and I received tons of awards and honors but in retrospect, I did not try. Unlike most of my peers these things came easily to me, therefore there was really no need to try. However, now that I am living the future I could only dream about during my senior year in high school, I wish I had tried harder in planning my future. Three years ago, I would have told myself, ?Volunteer, get involved and mostly importantly apply for dozens of scholarships!? As I now deal with the burden of paying for college, those words of advice are just as important now as they would have been three years ago.

Be yourself and do not cave into any peer pressure at college - though it is a time to experience new things, make sure to experience them when you are ready and not just because everybody else is doing it. Also, to make tests less stressful on yourself, set aside some time each week to study what you've gone over in class so that by the time you have a test you'll already be fairly comfortable with the material.

Looking back at myself as a high school senior has made me realize that hindsight is really 20/20. If I could go back in time I would definetly advise myself in a few areas regarding college life. First I would tell myself that college is all about having the endurance to finish. So there is no need to be worried or scared just simply have the ambition to achieve your goals. I also would tell myself to take some higher level classes that would better prepare me for college. I also would take as many college credit courses in high school as I could to save money and to graduate sooner. Finally I would encourage myself to not get discouraged and to keep pressing toward the goal of earning a degree.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, the main advice I would have to offer is to be more confident in myself and in everything I do. I would advise myself not to be so shy and to open myself up to new experiences and new people. I would instruct myself to enjoy and maximize every moment because the four years will fly by. I would convey the importance and being whole heartedly involved in two or three organizations. But remind myself to remember the purpose of my college attendance?to get an education. Therefore my class performance is of utmost importance. I would tell myself to embrace every heartbreak and failure. As William J. H. Boetcker says, ?The difficulties and struggles of today are but the price we must pay for the accomplishments and victories of tomorrow.? But the most important piece of knowledge I could give would have been to remain true to myself and my values. Enduring such an environment shift is difficult. However, if you allow yourself to be lost and consumed in unhealthy behaviors, success will not be the ultimate result.

If allowed the chance to go back in time and talk to myself as a college senior, I would tell myself not to be so stressed out. My school has allowed me the opportunity to pursue a successful career in nursing. The instructors are always available to answer questions regarding the class and homework. You will make friends in your field of study that will have a great impact on your experience at UT Arlington. Try not to worry about finances. Opportunities will present themselves and work in your favor. You will maintain a GPA higher than 3.0, which will help you in the long run. You're an amazing student and don't need to worry so much about what your future holds.

Now that I am a college senior I definitely know college was nothing to be nervous about in high school. The biggest advice I have is get involved in volunteer and school activities to better understand what your career interests are. That might have avoided my two major changes. I started college wanting to do one field of study then changed my mind, all because I just wasn't familiar with career details. So getting as much career details as possible is key to minimizing college classes confusion. I strongly advice getting involved with different experiences even though you think it won't make a difference. Also remember the times you just wanted to hang out and not study, well grades matter. More importantly study habits go a long way, all the way through college. My study habits now are great but I should have studied more in high school than I did. Lastly, don't be nervous about the new college life change! Sure college is new, different and means more independence but it is fun! The activities and new friends in your new college life will help overcome the nervousness. Remember to stay focused on your goals!

If I could go back in time to when I was in highschool I think I would of greater prepared myself for college and the cost of college and textbooks and what not. I would of taken high school more seriously taken AP classes and tried harder, because it would have saved me much more time. If I was a senior in high school the best thing I would have remembered from my college experience is make friends with people who do well in school that way you won't have a problem getting to the top.

I would tell my high school self, enjoy life! Honestly, you won't have to start worrying much until you get into college! Save the stress for when you actually get into college. Yes, you may have wanted to get into this one particular college but honestly, it doesn't matter where you end up, it matters what you do when you get in. So sit back after you've sent those applications in and relax a little enjoy the little bit of youth you have left. Once you get into college, it'll just be another step in your life so don't stress. Oh, and don't slack on the scholarships and financial aid things also. You will most definitely be needing those in the future.

If I could go back in time, I would advise myself to reach out of my comfort zone and not take myself so seriously all the time. In college, it is up to you to reach out to others in order to make friends. This is almost, if not impossible, to do if you are unwilling or scared to take a chance and reach out to someone you do not know simply because of the fear of rejection. I would also advise myself to get involved in school activities whether it is sports, a sorority/fraternity or a club. Being in any of these activities helps you be more connected to the school; it also helps you feel like you belong. Finally, I would advise myself to fully apply myself to everything I engage in and to be a well rounded student. While it is important to do well in school it is also important to have a social life as well.

There should be no shame in attending a community college after graduating high school! Do you and your parents a favor and take your core classes at the local community college. You?ll save a lot of money, and you will be able to transfer them to the 4-year university of your choice later on. Also, don?t think the only means of success as an artist is to attend an overpriced art school. You?ll come to find that it?s the simple things in life that inspire you as an artist (IE: family, friends), so don?t take them for granted! Go with your first instinct, because nine times out of ten it?s the right decision for you. Follow your heart, work your legs out more to avoid knee surgery, and let your dog outside no matter how many times he begs or he WILL leave you a surprise in your bed.

Dont get easily distracted by others. Even though they are your friends your studies are more important. They might be able to handle all the distraction but your focus should be one. Think about not disapointing your parenths. do as much as you can fun will come in time and there will be hard deccisions. but think about it. Dont easily become a procastinator. It will hurt your grades. If friends seem to not leave when you are studying you must leave and study by yourself and concentrated. Make sure you review through your early high school notes they will be the base for some material in college. Good luck and remember to follow this principles. Your mission becomes first. Do not accept defeat. Never quit. and specially if you see someone struggling dont leave them behing because that might be you in sometime.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would have so much advice to give. First thing would be to become more involved in high school and college. I moved around a lot because my father was in the military and I was shy when it came to becoming involved. Just do not let those insecurities get in the way of doing what you want. Volunteering and participating will open up so many doors and really help in the process of applying for college and scholarships. Those experiences will be the best thing you can do for yourself. The next thing I would tell myself is to relax and breathe. School is going to be hard and it is going to get stressful but as long as you try things will work out. Enjoy this time because you will never get it back. Focus on grades but do not get sick over them. Try for every scholarship you can so you do not have to worry about paying for school. More than anything I would tell myself that I am still learning and when I know all the answers I will come back.

If I was allowed to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would slap myself in the face for being as shy as I was. Since I've made the transition to college, I've met many different people from all parts of the world. One of my new friends just moved from Bangladesh to the United States in august '09. There was simply no excuse for me being shy or timid in high school, being in college has caused me to open up and meet new people, if I never overcame my shyness I wouldn't have any friends. Another thing I would mention to myself is the importance of not wasting money on pizza or Mcdonalds. If I would have saved more in High School I would be in a much better financial position than I am now. I've truly learned a lot from being in college, I really am a much different person than I was when I graduated High School