University of California-Davis Top Questions

Do not try to handle it on your own!!! Get help from counselors and get going on the right track right away. Make sure to pick your major BEFORE attending.

Make sure to challenge yourself academically in high school so that the transition to college courses is much easier. Also, go to college with an open mind and put yourself in new situations so that you are constantly growing as an individual and meeting people you would never have expected could be the best friends in your life. Don't be afraid to move far from home; sometimes it is the push you need to really succeed! Don't worry when things get scary; the hard times always pass and then they leave you stronger and better as a person. Finally, don't put off studying until the last minute... it almost always fails you. Good luck!

I would tell myself to really pay attention to those classes, like calculus, where the information still has not gone away for me and sometimes I look back and kick myself for not being as focused as I could have been. I would have told myself that just because it was senior year, that was no reason to start slacking off in order to spend more time with friends. I would share the truthful fact that college is much harder than high school is and that I should really buckle down once classes started. I would probably tell myself to save more money too because college is beyond expensive and really not affordable. This is a stress that the majority of college students face. I wish I could have had someone giving me these important advices in order to help better prepare myself for college. Despite having no such advice, I have done well for myself and I love giving advice to high school students whenever I get the chance because every student deserves such advice.

No matter how hard the classes may be or the hours you spend studying for those science course; always strive for your dream. Time mangement is a fundemental key in completeing tasks and assignments, nevertheless, time mangement is bonded with study habits. Studying hard alejandro won't get you far, but studying smart and effectively will completely make your school life and social life simple and fun. Endless amount of tutors and help will be offered, so do not be afraid to raise your hand or attend a group tutoring workshop. Why you must attend these academic helping workshops or groups? Alejandro, these individuals are putting their time and effort to help others reach their goals. Indeed, you will have spare time to hang out with friends, meet new people and so on, but one thing mindset to always have in mind is that failure is not an option.

Well, knowing what I know now as far as the classes I have taken and the people I have come to live with now versus the people I call friends I have a few things to say. Academically, I would say that you need to start working on your study habits now because college is nowhere near as easy as you think it is going to be. Socially, I would say do not expect everyone to be your friend because it just is not going to happen and unless you know you are wrong or incorrect on the matter, do not compromise who you are in order to impress others or to get them to accept you. Keep being socially friendly but do not be sensitive if someone does not like you because it will happen.

I would advise myself to not go to community college. Community college is a lot less expensive, but the price is higher in that you don't get as many opportunities to bond with the classmates you will have when you transfer. Seeing pictures of other people experiencing their freshman year at a four year university, I see them making many more friends and lasting bonds than people who go to community college and then transfer. I thought that this wouldn't matter to me, but having experienced being a transfer student I know this is not true. Especially being a sophomore transfer, I am somewhere in the middle of freshman and junior transfers. Looking back, I would advise myself to find a way to pay for the full four years.

Looking back, I would definitely tell myself to not be so scared. I think that growing up in a first generation, hispanic home my mother held a tight leash on me and that made me fearful of the world. Now that that leash has loosened up I realized that there is absolutely nothing to be afriad of. I would tell myself to be brave, go on adventures, take chances and meet new people. Even if something seems scary, people always adust to their new surrounding and find things that they love about whatever situation they are placed into. I would tell myself, to keep the friends I have, but never miss out on an opportunity to make a new one. I would tell myself that even if things don't work out right away, to keep trying and not to stop until I get what I want and have worked for. Most importantly, to be grateful.

College isn't as formidable as it seems right now; it is actually a lot of fun and you will meet some really splended people along the way. You already know what you want to do and even though it might be intimidating to think about it seriously, go for it! Don't be afraid of failing, just get back up and try again. Have a little faith in yourself and with a little hard work and dedication you can even get an A in Physics. :) I know you have no idea where you want to transfer to but that is ok; you end up where you are supposed to be. Just remember: Don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't be afraid to make new friends. Don't be afraid to be yourself. But most of all, have fun and I will see you in the mirror in the otherside.

If I could go back in time as a High School Senior and advice myself only one thing, it'd be to be ready to step out of my comfort zone. My first couple of years at UC Davis were not the best because I was too afraid to step out of my comfort zone. I was nervous to make conversation with people, join clubs and organizations, and even talk to professors. I became incredibly lonely, depressed and homesick, because I was not taking advantage of the privelege I had to be a student at UC Davis. Once I stepped out of my comfort zone, my whole college experience changed for the better, and now I wish I could spend extra years here to make up for the time I wasted being shy. Stepping out of my comfort zone was the best thing I couldve done, and I wish I would've done it sooner. I am now involved on campus organizations, I help lead workshops and conferences, and I have become friends with the most amazing people I have ever met. None of this would've been possible if I had never stepped out of my comfort zone.

Plan before you do. First, make sure you have a specific major or at least an interest of a career, if not research. What drives you? The purpose of universities is for you to know the concept, expand your knowledge, of your intended major well enough that you can teach someone analyze rather than memorize. Find the university that offers the best programs to help you succeed. Second you should visit copious universities. What is going to be the student to teacher ratio? Are you comfortable with a 40 to 1 or a 100 to 1? Can you be away from home or do you want to travel across the country? You can never go wrong with researching. Third, deadlines come faster than you think so be aware and be organized. And finally expenses, how much is this school? How are you going to manage? Apply for scholarships and start early. Tuition is one of the many reason why students have to drop out and go to a much less expensive college don’t let that happen write that 500 word essay it’ll make a huge difference in the long run.

I would tell my high school senior self to stop worrying about picking the right major. Throughout my first year at UC Davis, I realized that my chosen majors and minors have evolved over time as I talked with more professors, TAs, and academic advisers about my studies, careers paths as a scholar, and other classes related to the majors that I'm interested in. Also, I learned that I tend to excel in classes that involve heavy use of all my strengths, personal values, and passions. During Spring quarter 2014, I got a 4.0 GPA, because I chose classes that energized and excited me everyday; I would stay up studying until 2am for these classes, because I wanted to learn as much as possible from my readings and lectures and to improve the quality and content of my projects with my best effort. Therefore, I would tell my past self to not choose courses or majors that I am not instrinstically interested in. I noticed that my grades worsened in classes that I took for bragging rights too . Also, I would constantly remind my past self that I do have choices when it comes to my education.

Everyone says that each year gets harder. That 11th grade English is way more difficult. Then it is 12th grade. There is never an end to the difficulty of education but there is reason why so many choose to forget about the hard things. Who really wants to think of the future, where you are handed tons of responsibilites? No one. It is a time of maturity that no one wants to belong to. It is better to be a child, playing tag with your friends than thinking about doing taxes with your co-workers. But growing up is a part of life that everyone has to go through. I would tell my high school senior self that I am better than Senioritis, better than all the excuses that will cause me great trouble in the future. Procrastination does not work in college, slacking does not help financially, and self-hate will not make me any happier. So many mistakes yet so many lessons. I have learned that my success will not depend on others but on my determination. Only I can control my future and there is no reason why I should sacrifice my happiness.

Before anything else, take the time now to really think about what you want to do with your life. The time you spend in college is extremely valuable and you have the opportunity to learn about whatever you want to; don't waste that time. Don't hesitate to talk with older students and advisors. They will be a HUGE help in your education as well as future career decisions. Form a good relationship with your academic advisor now and it will make life a whole lot easier during the school year. Before it bites you in the butt, realize that college is not the same as high school. For me, I was able to ace tests without ever opening the textbook. I just paid attention in class and skated by on that. This DOES NOT work in college. Get in the habit now of thouroughly reading your textbook, taking good notes and reviewing them, and going through study material. It takes a lot of self-study effort to do well in college.

Now that the final stresses of senior year have finally come to an end, I think it is safe to say that I am a wiser, more mature human earthling. Now, possessing all this knowledge and maturity, I think the most important advice that I could give would to be to let everything fall into its place. A constant worrier, I would spend hours upon hours pacing back and forth in my room, stressed over how to approach my college essays and applications, stressed about what the people reading my applications were thinking, and stressed about making the right choice for me. But now, I have come to realize that all that stress was pointless. Sure, I may not have gotten into every single high caliber school to which I applied. I may not have chosen the school that I originally set my sights on. But I ended up choosing the school that was right for me, the school to which all of the crazy cards of my life finally settled upon. And I could not be happier as my present self.

I would say, be prepared. Study more and stress less and above all do things. Go out and make friends, do extra curricular activities, find a job and it will prevent homesickness

Relax. Getting rejected from the college you wanted is not the end of the world, and I promise that the next four years are going to be the best years of your life. Don't get me wrong, they're going to be difficult too. Brace yourself for long, stressful nights in the library and early morning coffees just to keep you up throughout the day. Also be prepared to gain a considerable amount of weight and I can tell you that cafeteria food is the precise reason why your jeans aren't fitting anymore. Keep an open mind. Love people, love cultures, love small talk. Remember this is a fresh start for you, and the way you treat people is the way they will treat you. Most importantly however, do not lose sight of what is important. Many tribulations and temptations will come your way, but keep your eyes on the prize, keep your balance and your priorities, and keep your head straight. " You. Can. Do. This. Champions keep going when there's nothing left in their tank. You will not quit til you win". Tell yourself this every day. And I promise, You CAN do this.

If I could go back in time and give advice to my high school senior self, I would tell myself to being making money. As a freshman, I've realized how expensive college truly is and how my family can barely afford it. I would tell myself that I already have the grades and the scores that colleges need, I just need the money that the universities want. Therefore, I would need to apply to many more scholarships. I would have to apply to any scholarship that I was eligible for even if there is a very slim chance I would win. Overall, I would tell myself that scholarships is how I will be able to survive university without drowing in student loans.

Hey, try harder in school. There is a entire world out there to explore. Do not look down upon the students whom get involved in the school activities, but rather look up to them for taking the initiative to be more involved. Get good grades not because you have to, but because you want to learn as much as you want. There is so much knowledge to be gained in the classroom. Cool stuff awaits!

If I had a chance to talk to my high school self, I would tell myself several things. I would say learn how to study because your really need studying skills to succeed in college. I would also tell myself good job in picking the animal science major because college has really solidified my aspiration of becoming a veterinarian. I would also tell myself to talk to my track coaches to try to help me get recruited in collegiate track and field because I really miss the sport. The last thing I would tell myslef is to save up money because that is important in buying books, buying scantrons, etc.

My advice to myself and advice I am giving to myself now is to not stress out, to work hard and have fun. I need to focus on not being sad, I need to keep busy and do well. I want to have more fun, stay busy and really focus on where I am and not on where I want to be is home. If i focus on the here and now maybe I will be more comfortable where I am and not feel so bad and homesick.