University of Arkansas at Little Rock Top Questions

What should every freshman at University of Arkansas at Little Rock know before they start?

Lindsey

The advice I would give myself is to stay focused and study hard from the very beginning. I did not take college seriously until after a few semesters. My grades the first couple of semesters has bit me in the butt. I have been working as hard as I can to bring up my GPA. So, my advice would be to work hard, remember the goal, and know that mistakes can forever change your future.

DENISE

Don't be afraid to reach as high as you can when choosing a major and future career goal. Everyone has an opportunity to achieve their goals. You may feel you have more challenges than the person sitting next to you, but I'm sure he feels the same way. You need to work at balancing those challenges with the future you are trying to work towards.

Ashley

Even though I consider myself a successful high school student, I would encourage myself to listen more to the teachers who kept telling me that the assignments and advice they were giving myself and my classmates, would help us in college. I now realize that what advice I do remember and did listen to has been extremely helpful. I just wished I had "heard" all that I was listening to at the time.

Kianna

If I could go back into time and talk to myself as a high school senior. Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, I would tell myself to take the decision more seriously and to not let anyone else decide for me. I originally wanted to attend Spelman in Georgia instead of the University of Central Arkansas. I believe that Spelman had more to offer me, and had I not followed my friends, I would have been more focused. Also, I think everyone needs to leave home sometime just to experience something different and to make a life of their own. I believe my remaining so close to home was a comfort blanket for me. That comfort blanket has held me back in some ways. Home is all I know, and once you step foot out into the real world or work industry, there is no more comfort blanket. It is you and the material you were equipped with in college. I wish I had this frame of thought when I first chose a school. In my heart, I believe I had the smarts. I just feared letting go of home.

Meagan

The best advice I could give myself would be to slow down, enjoy the experience, and ask a lot of questions. I rushed in to college ready to get it over with and it was a big mistake. I didn't try as hard as I should have and I didn't take it serious enough. I was to worried about finishing on time, or finishing with everyone else. I should have been more concerned about my grades and my future. It took me about two years to finally realize that college is an amazing privledge and that I am so very lucky I had the chance to go. I am currently applying for nursing school and UALR and it's times like these that I really wish I could have a chance to go back and start all over. Overall my grades were ok, but looking back on it I really wish I had taken my first two years more seriously. If I was to give any high school student advice today it would be to ask a lot of questions and enjoy your time in college, but slow down and really take it seriously.

Benjamin

I would tell myself to get a job. The physical transition to college was not a problem, but bills are getting tough. I'm applying for jobs left and right, but because I have no previous work experience, no business wants to hire me where I live. The best thing I could tell my past self is to get a job to accumulate work experience.

Deneatria

I would tell myself that there is a difference between high school and college. Many freshmen tends to drop out of school because of the big transition between high school and college. Stay focused and do not slack off because it can get hard if you do not pay attention or do not do your work. Always do your work and get all the necessary materials for your classes and you will be successfull in college.

Shuronda

To keep all of my math notes. To read as much as I can and wirte. Should have retaken the ACT. When I was out from having my son I should have went back physical to school rather than having a home bound teacher come theach the lesson.

Bianca

I would give high school seniors the advice of taking college tours and applying for scholarships ahead of time. Also, make sure that your tuition is taken care of , so you won't have to take out any loans.

Cindy

I have revisited my time as a High School Senior and reviewed what I would change many times. I would have not work so much at a minimum wage part time job but devoted more time to studying course work for college and even taking college courses for college credit. I would have been involved in as many High School clubs as possible not only to gain experience in the real world but to make friends in many areas who could be my support system. I would have assembled a network of study partners to help me through High School and join me in college. I would have put my personal life on hold until I graduated college !! , then I would not of had to struggle so hard and long to get back in college as I am today.

Aprilo

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school I would make sure to inform myself to take schooling more serious. That when i did go to college for my softball scholarship to make sure to pay attention and not take advantage of the oppertunities i was given, and to take my career path to a higher level and not to settle when it comes to what i can occomplish. I would tell myself that "yes" I will go far in life and i will be happy in the end but i do end up going back to school later in life and if i would have just follow my heart at the age of 18 and not followed what my friends I would have a better career and would be able to provide for my children and family better in the future.

Ashton

I would tell myself that college starts now. Many people aren't told much about college in their younger years. Back then I did not know the dedication it would take. Our high school years are not near as challenging as college. Because of this, we wait, and we tend to play around more. I would give myself the knowledge of sites such as fastweb, because our high school teachers did not inform us. I believe that the main reason people drop out of college is not beccause it is too challenging, but because of financial issues. Knowing about private scholarships and such would put me ahead. Most of all, I would congratulate myself because of my attitude. I knew then, and I know now that I would go to college and succeed. So I would say to myself, "Keep doing what you are doing. Someday you'll look back and realize your progress."

Heather

If I had the chance to go back in time I would tell myself many things. I did start college while being a senior in high school. However, I thought I knew what I wanted to do and did not care to listen to others opinions. I was told so many times that I should go into the medical field. However, I went to school to be a teacher. This decision turned into multiple changed majors, lose of scholarship and finally a hiatus from college. I am now going back to school for a degree in nursing. If I only had the chance to tell myself to listen to others I might have avoided a lot of hard times. I would tell myself to get more advising during my senior year of high school and freshman year of college. I would tell myself to live at home longer. Most importantly I would tell myself that the amount of loans required to do college without scholarships will exceed my own comfort zone.

Ashleigh

I would start off the conversation by telling myself to adopt new study habits. Preparing for college assignments is not as easy as preparing for high school assignments. I would also tell myself to get more involved in extracurricular activities while still in high school so it would be easier to get involved in college. When your activities have been limited for so long, it can be overwhelming when you try to do this in college. You are away from home, surrounded by hundreds to a couple thousand new people. Joining a group at this point may be pushing the comfort level just a bit. I would end by telling myself to just relax and don't try to be someone or something I am not. College is not about impressing your peers, it's about discovery of who you really are as a person. College is when you find out who your true friends are.

Sydney

I would say that, "College is an experience that is nessassary to aquire the goals we have for ourselves. There is a new dance department at the University of Arkansas Little Rock, take advantage of that and get what you can out of your teachers. Every program is only as good as their teachers. If you feel a connection to them then you need to use that and learn. College may not be the 'fun' choice, but college is to learn, and learning is fun." I would have convinced myself by saying that. My only goal from college is to learn.

Kim

One thing I would do is tell that teenager to make sure she gets her secondary education and obtain her degree. Don't stop there, keep going until you make it to the top, because the sky is the limit. Education is so important, and raising a family, working full-time, and going to school part-time is a tremendous amount of stress, nevertheless you can do it, but it is just that much difficult versus doing it right after highschool since the information is still fresh in your mind. You will not be able to have a decent job without having at least a Bachelor's Degree. Most jobs now, want you to have that, and your salary is based on that fact, along with any experience you might have. If you have a dream, dream big, and don't let anything or anybody deter you from getting what belongs to you. If you have an opportunity, take it because it may not be there tomorrow.

Marisha

Thus far I have made good decisions in my college career but I would tell myself to take more risks and don't be afraid of new things. Just do it!!!

Daentte

My advice would be to go to college right after high school, not to wait until I was 42 to go to college.

Jordan

The first piece of advice I would give is to be really focused on my education. It is easy to forget when you are sitting in a class and not doing so good that the outcome of that class could change your future forever. If I would have really known that advice was true, then there would have been more times when I would have forced myself out of bed to make it to class instead of just putting it off. The third and final advice I would give is to become more active in the community and in the church. Our society now is struggling and there are too many people that need our help, commnity service allows us to give back to those people and it is important to get involved because you never know when you might be in a situation that you will need someone's help. It is also important to be a part of a church family because they are always there to help pick you up when you have fallen.

Daquishia

Be prepared to work hard and study. No time to play around. Education is very important.