University of Arizona Top Questions

If i could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would give myself the honest reality of college. College is where you need to be focused, determined, and always know the answers. In college the truth is, you can depend on no one other than yourself. If you want to get a decent score on a test than you need to put in the study time and review you notes carefully. You need to kepp in mind that every little homework, quiz, test and project has a huge impact on your grade. You should never rely on the huge point projects to increase your grade because they will be a reality check. No professor is a like. Just because you get a decent grade on a writing assignment from one professor does not ensure you a decent grade on all your writing assignments. College almost requires you to go one day at a time, so never rush through homework and keep track of everything through a daily planner to ensure all your tasks are accounted for.

Do not expect praise for being smart, earn praise for working hard. It is better to have a strong worth ethic than to be a born genious. If you want something, work for it. Do not sit back and lie to yourself that talent and smarts is something you're born with, because talents and smarts are developed by focused- hard work and determination. You can compete with anyone if you put your mind and mostly your muscle to work. Remember, the brain is a muscle and must be constantly excercised to grow!

If I could go back and have a conversation with myself as a high school senior, I'd have plenty to say about making the transition to a full time university. First, I'd tell myself to relax. After already going through it, I can say that I made myself much more panicked about starting college than was necessary. College is supposed to be one of the best times in a person's life. That doesn't need to be marred with inordinate amounts of stress. I'd also like to tell my younger self that no matter how busy I am in college, I should make time to join a club or go out with friends. Next, I'd tell myself to get into a study schedule and good habits. College is easier when you're writing down your assignments and not forgetting them. A syllabus quiz isn't worth many points if you don't do it, but at the end of the semester, you will want every single easy point you can get. Finally, I'd tell myself to work hard, do my best, and accept the grades I earn. College is what you make of it.

Dear High School Senior Jordan, A year from now, you will be packing up your life and moving on to more exciting adventures. While you have already completed 12 years of schooling, you have one more to finish. Now is not the time to slack off, but rather work harder than you ever have before. You have yet to take your SAT, even though it’s already time to apply to schools. Do the practice books that your mom and dad bought you because you’ll need all the help you can get. Now that it’s so late in the year, you only have one chance to achieve a decent score. Additionally, apply to colleges weeks or months before the deadline. You don’t want to be making last minute decisions. Be sure to look at scholarship websites and apply to those, too. You can never get too much scholarship money. Finally, have fun. This is your last year of high school and it is your time to build up friendships before parting ways and going off to college. The year will be difficult but if you work hard, it will all pay off eventually. Sincerely, College Freshman Jordan

As a senior in high school, I was worried about what obstacles would occur in my life during college. Paranoid is a better word to describe how I felt. In school I was a bit of an outcast, as being a highly introverted individual can hinder one's ability to make a large amount of friends. I was also worried about my career goals in life, because I felt like the only one who wasn't sure what I wanted after high school. Being a big fish in a small pond didn't help matters much, either. But when I finally got to college and experienced the transition I had dreaded so fervently, I wanted to go back and tell myself that it really is not that bad, and stressing so much is unnecessary. In college, there are countless opportunities to grow, personally and professionally. I learned to see college not as a means to "get a better future job" (as many people see it, and that's fine), but rather as a place to develop my character and skills. I would probably tell my past self, "Don't worry so much. College will make you a better person."

I would tell myself, "Harmony, the drama, the tears, and fears, that you feel in high school will go away in college. Yes, there will be fear and regret and triumph after high school, but it will be different. It will be better because the choices you make and the things you feel will all be yours. You'll feel independant and free, you'll feel smart and brave. So try not to get caught up in the moments where you feel like the world will end. There's a life after high school and it is so lovely."

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would encourage myself to continue to work hard, study hard, and have fun. When I was in high school, I was focused on school but rarely did anything other than school related activites, and this has carried into my college life. I think that if I had established some ways to have fun outside of school related activites, I would have learned how to enjoy my college years more. I would also tell myself to not be intimidated by the professors in college. It took me over two semesters in college to ever attend office hours or approach a professor. After I did approach the professors, I noticed that I was more succcessful in my studies and ultimately saw an increase in the quality of my work and my grades. Office hours are a great way to get the one-on-one attention that a student may need for certain aspects of the class materials, especially in larger classes.

If I could go back to look myself in the eyes on the eve of my high school graduation, I would tell myself that I wasn’t stupid and college was not just for the elite. I know now that my disability is what made high school tough and never consider attending a university. I would tell myself, “Take the SAT and the ACT! You just might be surprised.” While it all seemed so terrifying back then, I would like to soothe my own fears about being “too dumb for college” and dispel the negative myths that only the cool kids get to go off to school. I would also tell myself that making the transition into college was going to be difficult and even scary…but apply to schools out of town and in other states. While there is a certain amount of ease in a “homegrown” education, I have always been a little jealous of my friends who lived in the dorms. Most of all, I would tell myself not to wait. While there is a world out there that needs to be seen…education needs to come first. Besides, there are always study abroad programs.

hello Akram, this is you from the future, DO NOT SNEER at community college. It turns out that some of those classes are exactly the same as the one's in a four year university but cheaper. you are going to end up taking them again when you get to Arizona. another thing is, that first job you get when you arrive on campus, you better keep it! because you are not going to be a freshman forever and once you loose it, you will have hundreds of other students to contend with for a simple job. Third thing is apply for as many scholarships as you can while your GPA is still high, trust me on this because every poor score you get is going to significantly lower your GPA, and it is easier to lower it than to raise it! so take note and avoid D's and C's as much as possibe because it only takes a couple of those to drop your hard earned GPA to below a 3.0. Finally make a plan, and stick to it, otherwise you may end up wasting a lot of time studying what you don't enjoy.

If I had the chance to travel back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I am not sure that I would take it. I am not saying this because I feel that I knew everything a year ago, rather, I simply feel that I transitioned from high school to university extremely well. Of course there were some mistakes that I made, but I ultimately learned vital lessons from this mistakes and grew as an individual. I, just like everyone else, am a human, and making mistakes is a large factor that makes us human. If I were to take the opportunity to talk to my younger self though, I would tell myself to enjoy life and to continue living the way in which I already was.