University of California-Irvine Top Questions

Dear Jennifer, We have come a long way since high school. Through the challenges and successes personally and academically that made us the person we are now. It is difficult give advice to you since I wouldn't be the person I would be now. However, if I had to give you an inspirational talk or advice to motivate you, I would say don't let your fears keep you from taking the steps to make yourself happy. I have always been afraid of speaking up in classrooms since I had a speech disfluency when I spoke and was self-conscious that I would be made fun of. I realized that the fear we had was all in my head, it's not situation where you couldn't do anything about it, it's a situation where you have the choice to get over your fear to pursue self-appreciation and the feeling of accomplishment than having your fear eat you up. Fear is nothing but a obstacle that is keeping you from being the person you've imagined yourself that you wanted to be. It's better to have the "oh wells" rather than the "what ifs".

Dear High School Senior Lily, First of all pay attention in your SAT prep classes, try harder and get a better score! This will open up so many more opportunities such as more college acceptance letters. Secondly, research the college you are going to and do not pick a college due to location and proximity to the beach. Find a college that has a major that suits your passion. Thirdly, follow your passion. Do not go into the route of business and economics (although lucrative, you will be miserable); go into Health Sciences and get A’s so you can get a scholarship into the Baylor Doctorate in Physical Therapy program. Save your future self the trouble of going back to school while working a full time job trying to obtain the proper prerequisites to apply to graduate school. Fourthly, get your masters right away. Do not be tempted by graduation and getting a “real job” by ending a few classes short. Lastly, forget about popularity and trying to fit in. Be yourself, meet new people, be comfortable with you are, explore new hobbies, don’t be afraid of anything and have fun. Sincerely, 2015 Lily

Breathe in, breathe out. You'll be okay. It's fine to be undecided, college is meant for you to discover what you actually want to do. Enroll in classes that seem interesting (no, economics is not interesting, please save yourself from that one), and eventually you'll be able to sort through your likes and dislikes. That's the easy part. After that comes the hard part: so you've found that you love English, now what are you going to do with that degree? This is where college is much more helpful than high school--there are so many opportunities that will help you pin down future career ideas. Make use of the campus career center and academic advising--they know what they're talking about. And don't be afraid to apply for internships, even though you may not feel qualified, the experience you will gain will be invaluable to help form your future decisions. It's scary not knowing where you're going in life, but college is meant to guide you through it, and I promis you'll come out a bit more knowledgable and a bit more confident. Enjoy your time there--breathe!

Don't be afraid to be different. Be who you are and celebrate the uniqueness you bring to life. Everyone in high school is so caught up in fitting in and being like everyone else. Allow yourself to be unique in college. Try different things and open yourself up to what the world has to offer. There are so many experiences to be had and you don't want to reget later in life that you held yourself back from trying things because the people around you weren't comfortable with them. College will expose you to many different lifestyles and cultures and will be such a great time to experience a small slice of what is out there.

Overall, I would say to take advantage of all college has to offer, but if I could go back in time, I would tell my high school self not to rush into what you may think are your career plans and goals, but rather take time to learn and be true to yourself. In other words, do not just go with the rest of your peers and head to the best reputation college that accepted you. At 18 years old, you may think you know everything, but there is still much to learn about who they are and what they want; I am still learning about myself years after college. For instance, I should have taken the academic environment and rigors into consderation. That would have allowed me more time to socialize and perhaps make lifelong friends. It also would have allowed me to join clubs, activities, and organizations allowing me to really find my passion and purpose. I also realized I preferred smaller class sizes where I could actually interact with and learn from professors. Now that I know myself better, I can definitely choose the best school that will meet my needs and goals in the future.

If I were to give advice to my past self, I would tell myself to have done more work and looked for scholarships beyond than what my high school was showing to students. I would say that because college is more expensive than I had thought, and that the scholarships I had done aren't even enough to cover me for a whole academic year. In addition to that, I would also tell myself to do scholarships in the summer. Non-scholarship wise, I would tell myself to brace for the sickness that comes with the transition of moving away from home and the sudden difficulties in academics. All the AP classes taken during high school only count as elective units, so I had to relearn everything that I had learned in a year in an AP class in one quarter during college. But most importantly, take extra care of my health. Because I was sick nearly the whole quarter, I could not go out too much because I was forbidded by the doctor to exercise, and I had to make and pay for several doctor visits because of me falling ill. So, work harder and bring medicine to school!

If I was allowed to go back in time in order to give some advice to my high school senior self, I would first emphasize the advice that everyone always states, "DO NOT PROCRASINATE!" Then I would advise myself to keep my notes or study guides so that I would have the chance to be able to review the basics of the subjects that are discussed and taught in college. I would also advise myself to communicate with the teachers and advisors about colleges and scholarships. Then I would tell myself to properly research the colleges and ask friends that are already in college about the classes offered on campus. Lastly, there would be a moment where I would lecture myself about the importance of saving money because money important.

My cousin is a current high school senior and I will pass along my words of wisdom when she graduates next June. It’s been 9 years since I’ve graduated high school and I've learned a tremendous amount. Looking back, I would tell myself (and any high schooler) these things: 1) Confidence in yourself is crucial. Before you are able to convince anyone else of your abilities, you must first believe in yourself. Self criticism and negativity will put you at a disadvantage, so change your mindset from “I can’t” to “I am.” 2) Academics and grades are important, but it’s not everything. Be well-rounded: find internships, improve your social skills, and network with as many people as possible. Continue to challenge and strengthen yourself intellectually, physically, mentally, and emotionally - it’s all about balance. 3) Failure is part of the journey. If you aren’t failing, then you aren’t trying. Do not get discouraged when things don’t go according to plan because there are multiple routes to success. In whatever you do, be kind to yourself. Look back at your accomplishments and failures to see how far you’ve come. Stay humble.

First, I would tell myself to be more active in school in terms of extracurricual activities. It looks good to colleges and you get to make new friends in the process. To study more and study better. "Just getting by" is an easy way to go but it's not the best way. Forming good study habits will help in the long run. APPLY to as MANY scholarships as possible. One of my greatest regrets is not taking advantage of the time and opportunites I had to get free money because college is expensive and loans are stressful. Most importantly, I'd tell myself to spend as much time with my dad as possible. I spent a lot of time with my mom and never enough wtih my dad and by the time it was time for me to move out, it hit me hard just how much I was going to miss him.

Julie, do not be scared about the future or what it has to bring. You are capable of great things in life and all you have to do is believe in yourself even if that is something cliche to do. Be okay with who you are and love yourself. Don't stress too much about school because it's just high school. You end up doing great in the end so don't worry. In relationships, don't be so willing to believe the worst in people. There is good in everyone and all you have to do is find it. So, do not be scared to put yourself out there and stop shutting down on those who are willing to make you a part of their life. Those who accept your flaws and mistakes are the ones worth keeping around. Do not focus on trying to make other people happy and try to find happiness on your own terms. Finally, there are times when you believed that you deserve the worst. Stop carrying around that type of mentality. You have made your mistakes and it is essential that you forgive yourself. You'll be okay.

I spent four years in community college after graduating high school, because I left clueless about what career I wanted to pursue and wanted to gain a sense of direction before attending a university. I spent two years at community college completing general education requirements before I discovered my passion for biology, and then another two doing biology prerequirements for transfer. If I could give myself high school self a piece of advice, it would be to not feel underwhelmed with my choice to attend community college. At the time, most of my classmates were sending off applications to impressive schools, and I only sent out the one. Even though I spent a long time at community college, I've never regretted it. I was given so many opportunities during my time there that have made me into a better student and a better member of the community. I had the chance to tutor biology on campus for two years, I got to work in the gardens on campus, I got to explore all kinds of majors, and I don't think I would have gotten to do that if I had went to a four year college right away.

Stop caring about what other people think. Stop comparing yourself to others. Just because you see their many achievements and you see you have none does not mean they are better than you as a person. If you envy them so much then stop being lazy and learn to be like them. Stop slacking off and procrastinating. Complete everything way before the deadline and don't be afraid to ask questions or talk to other students, chances are they are as clueless or as scared as you. Don't be afraid; take chances.

Having come from a mostly Hispanic and low income community, I was not ready for the amount of diversity in the student population I encountered at UC Irvine. The experience of being around people from different cultural, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds was really new to me. Although I always have been, I would advise myself to be open-minded. The best way to learn is to accept all new ideas. I would also advise myself to accept the sacrifices I will have to make, such as financially. I believe I must do what has to be done, whether it may be loans or picking up a job, because all sacrifices will be worth it in the end. Most importantly, my advice would be that everything happens for a reason. I will have to make decisions that might seem permanently binding but, after consulting with advisors, the answers to those big decisions will lie inside of me. I would remind myself that I know what is best for my own future. If I could go back and give myself some advice, I would tell high school senior Alexandra to not be nervous about what is to come in college.

Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, I would have encouraged myself to take more challenging courses, especially AP courses, during my senior year and I would have told myself to apply for scholarships much sooner. In addition, I would have told myself to set aside certain materials that are necessary in my dorm instead of just giving them away, to apply to more UC schools, and to cherish all the activities and events throughout senior school year because high school will end before I know it.

Do not get so cocky about your high school accomplishments. Most of them do not matter once you step foot on campus. This gives you an opportunity to start over and make a name for yourself again. Do not get lazy, so join a few clubs and organizations to have fun and give you something to look forward to during the week. You may also think that since you did so well in high school, college classes will be a breeze. It won't, not because the work is any harder (some of it is, though) it's mostly because the grading is tougher, so you have to step up the work anyway. Do not underestimate the professor's ability to make you life a living hell, but also do not underestimate your own ability to overcome that.

If i could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself a number of things. First, I would tell myself to avoid all distractions of any kind, because they will affect your academic performance and self-value. Second, I would tell myself to work harder and do the best I can do and to not compare myself to others because my abilities and talents are far different from the rest. Thirdly I would tell myself to believe in myself and to not doubt myself because everything is possible regardless of the obstacles because hard work and suffering always pays off. Fourthly I would tell myself to join a sport, join clubs and volunteer at a hospital because later you will regret it later when you are filling out college applications and scholarship applications when you have nothing. Finally, I would tell myself to always sit in the front of the class the very first seat if possible or close, ask all the questions that I have and anything that I am not sure about and study until you understand everything that you must know and also do not procrastinate at all.

I would tell myself to just let it happen, but get a job and save my moeny wisely.

Stop using the internet so much. Do all of your assignments for your classes. Study for AP tests sooner.

I was never someone who let anyone down, never someone who gave up on people, sports, academics, etc. But when high school came around, I really did start to give up on all those things. It became difficult for me to fit in, be myself, and not get judged for it. I played 3 sports and took as many AP classes as I possibly could. Let's just say I LOVED to overachieve. I was also really competitive, and sometimes, that affected my friendships/relationships with others. Now that I am in college, I see that a lot of those things hurt me, and a lot of those things helped me. Going into college I wasn't thinking that the people weren't going to change much, and that things weren't going to get any easier for me. So if I were to go back in time, I would tell myself to keep at the hard work. The people you went to high school with will probably not even talk to you when you go to college, and the people who matter most are the ones sitting on the couch watching movies with you right now.

I would tell myself to start researching ways to improve my studies and experiences in college. For example, if I want a job, I should have started looking for opportunities in the campus that were being offered for the fall quarter. Also, I would tell my high school senior self that I should continue researching the different majors and job opportunities in the schools that I am looking to get into. It is always better to know more about the outcomes and information of the educations you will be recieving before actually going through the education. And finally, when I have already chosen what college I will be heading to, I would look for the various major and minor options that are being offered at said college. I regret not knowing about the classes that I have to take before going to college, as well as the different minors that are offered.