The University of Texas at Austin Top Questions

If I could give any advice to my high school self, it would be to do all things to the glory of God. When you're down in the weeds of school work and social life, television watching and volunteering, it becomes easy to lose that central focus of your life. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul says, ?Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God.?, and forgetting that becomes very easy when you are almost continually wrapped up in your own affairs. The high school me was almost always wrapped up in his own affairs, and finding out that those didn't matter so much as God's plan for me has really torn me a new one over the last couple of years. It having taken me these two years to realize the inherent truth in that verse, I wish I could go back and beat it into my 18-year-old head before having to be taught it in much more trying ways! Live and learn as they say, but given the chance to tell my self something, I would be sure to put that verse into it.

I would tell myself to apply to more schools than just two. I was so sure that I would go to a certain college and when I did not get accepted I had to apply to the University of Texas. I would also say to fill out more scholarships because I realize now how much going to college really is. The tuition for UT goes up almost every year and it can not be locked, so it is very important to fill out as many scholarships as possible. I would also tell myself to follow my instincts, especially when picking schools because you want your college years to be the most memorable part of your life.

The first advice I would give myself is not to treat college like I did high school. That was a major mistake and I am still paying for it. I would also say get more involved in school earlier and get a job because somehow it really does keep you more focused.

My advice would to be to find the place where the future student is most comfortable. Comfort socially and academically is the core foundation on a good education. If you build an education on a wobbly or unsure fondation the resulting structure is likely to tumble. Also, when it comes to your future, money is not, and should not be, an object.

The best advice I have for students taking the giant step from high school to college is, do not rely on what you think you know. What I mean is, you think you may know that you are supposed to go to a certain school, or you are supposed to major in a certain subject. You may have grown up and gone through your entire life thinking that you are supposed to be an Accounting major at Texas A & M University, because that is what your parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles all were. But do not think that is the only option for you. You have to visit and look into other schools and academic fields. To continue my example, you may visit Texas A & M and find that you hate the city around it, or you might decide halfway through your freshmen year that you're not an acounting major, you're a theatre major! People grow and change. Accept that change and be ready to adjust your education to accomidate it. You want to be happy, and your happiness might not be where you always thought it would.

To parents, I would say let your kid make the best decision for himself/herself. To students, try to make friends with everyone you meet. Later you can sort through all them and figure out who you real friends are. Also, don't get carried away with drinking. It's kind of silly to waste time not remembering things.

Start early and be in contact with financial aid departments as much as possible.

Before you choose a college, visit the campus during the school year to find out what it's like when classes are in session; otherwise you wouldn't know what to expect until you're already enrolled.

I feel as if I am not the most informed person to decide what to say or do in order for a new college student to make the most of the college experience. My experience to start with wasn't that great. I started at a community college which I hated. Then I quit school for a year and continued at a new, much smaller community college. I think that attending this much smaller community college was a really important step for me in my path to where I am today, and for all students who don't have any clue what they want to do with their life or what they want to major in, go to community college and take as many classes (both general eucation and electives) as you can in order to experience new things and be prepared for University. As for getting to university, look at as many schools as you can, see what best fits your educational and personal needs. Also, most especially talk to academic advisors and teachers. If anything, the advice I recieved from my teachers was the most valuable. The most important thing is that you are happy with your decision.

I would first start with deciding if you would prefer to go to a big school or a small school. Then, find out what schools specialize in an area you are considering studying. From there look at tuition prices and locations of the schools. Definitely visit these schools to get a feel for what life will be like living on their campus. Parents, leave it up to your child, don't pressure them into picking somthing because YOU like it, let them make this big decisions on their own. They'll be living on their own and need to get used to making their own decisions. Students, get involved in anything and everything you can from the beginning. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and introduce yourself to everyone you meet. Banish your expectations of what things will be like, because if you do, they will probably be ten times better! College is the best time of your life. You can experience all the benefits of being an adult without all of its worries. Get involved and take advantage of everything the college has to offer you.