University of California-San Diego Top Questions

The most important thing to do first is visit the campus where you would like to attend and talk to the counselors and students there. If you can’t envision yourself there then you should consider another school. Secondly, apply for FAFSA and research scholarships. Make it a point to apply for scholarships as if it were your part time job. When you get into your desired school make sure you take it slow at first and utilize your resources. Get to know you professors and make appointments with them so that they get to know you. Involve yourself in extracurricular activities so that you can meet other students and get the feel of the college culture. Lastly, enjoy your time in college because it will go by faster than you think.

Take an easy. It's not expected to have a 4.0 in college. It's not expected you'll ace every midterm and final. Breathe. Enjoy the little things that come with college. If you find yourself hiding in your dorm room, force yourself to sit and study in the lounge. Don't falter in your decisions or beliefs. Don't waste your time crying every night over the boy who couldn't do a long-distance relationship. Put yourself out there and join those clubs that scare you. College is when you discover who you really are so don't waste these valuable four years being scared. You'll make the mistake of holding back your freshman year, so make sure you really get out there and explore. You'll constantly battle yourself debating if you're smart enough for graduate school, and you are. Remember that your dreams got you into UCSD and will take you farther than you can fathom in your life. Get rejected? Try again, because life truly takes you on a rollercoaster of challenges. Most importantly: stay strong.

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to worry because life gets better. My senior year was difficult for personal reasons—every night I went to sleep feeling used. Applying for colleges made me think about how colleges would determine my self-worth based off numbers and job titles I held. It was a dark cycle. I didn’t end up getting into my dream college with my only option, UCSD, which isn’t commonly recognized for business at all. I came here, 500 miles away from home, seemingly alone. What I didn’t know is that I would join two amazing groups that have redefined family—Delta Sigma Pi, a co-ed professional business fraternity, and The Beat, my talented a cappella group. I would tell my little self to believe because you’re smart, capable, and ambitious and people will perceive that if you realize it. I would have to give one more piece of advice: even though you want to be independent, it’s okay to tell your blood family you love them every so often. You’ll miss them.

I would tell my self to do. Go to UCSD becuase it will give you a great education, and your classmates will help keep you focused. There will be some distractions, but the pace of the quater system will remind you that mistakes will be punished quickly. Also I would tell myself I should have been more confident when applying to colleges and should have applied to equally hard or harder schools. Lastly I would tell my self, I should apply to more scholarships, and continue to work my butt off at track.

Be prepared to feel unhappy sometimes. I know you think the first year of college will be some transformative experience wherein you'll meet like-minded people and feel creatively and intellectually satisfied, but most of it is white noise. You'll be surrounded by people who dismiss your interests, and a lot of your classes will feel stifling and meek. Not everyone has a good college experience, and that's okay. Allow yourself to feel these things. Do not try to find happiness in interests you don't share and do not try to escape yourself by acting like another person. At the same time, don't dwell on whatever you think makes you "different" or "unique," because you'll just end up lonely with no sense of self. Try not to take yourself seriously and allow yourself to become a part of things. Pursue what you love honestly and without pretense, with clarity and light.

First and foremost, academically, I would advise myself to relax a little and to study consistently throughout the year, even if it's only for an hour a day, rather than wait until the last minute and cram. I would also tell myself not to just accept when I got answers wrong on tests and homework, but rather to look at them and try to understand why I got them wrong and see where and what I misunderstood. I would tell myself to talk to teachers more and not be afraid to ask questions because learning to interact with adults is a very valuable asset when you reach college and the workplace. One of the biggest pieces of advice I would give to myself is to get involved in extracurriculars, whether it be in school or volunteering outside of school, because this is one of the best ways to explore interests while making friends. This is also very important because it is a good reminder that school isn't everything because life in college, and especially after college, is much more than spending time in a classroom and cramming so you can get a good GPA.

Knowing everything I know now, I would tell myself to definitely look for a job junior year because college life is expensive. I mean, sure there are scholarships and grants but I wouldn't want to rely solely on them because I don't know if I would even win one! To make life easier freshmen year, I would tell myself to take more AP classes. AP credit is what got me out of G.E.s and yet I probably have the lowest number of standing credits amongst everyone going to UCSD. Never give up on academics. Don't say, "Oh, it's only a B. I would have to miss only seven on the final to keep my A and I don't feel like doing it." Wrong. Try to get that A because it can make all the difference. Always get letter of recommendations. I regret it so much because most scholarships require letter of recommendations and I didn't think any teacher would write one for me. And one last thing: don't be afraid to speak out. Let your voice be heard because your opinion matters.

High School Senior Mariah,You may be feeling elated since high school is over. Yes, there were challenges and obstacles, but you made it through. Why? You did it because you love what you were doing. You did it because you have faith. You did it because you are diligent. College is a GIANT transition. Do not forget the word ADAPT. Adapting to your new environment is pivotal to your success. Be punctual! Join organizations and internships to gain valuable experiences.Stay on top of your coursework. Missing class or assignments could add up and be detrimental to your grade. Talk to your peers. Visit your professors during office hours because they are your greatest resource. Make sure they get to know your name. Who knows, you may get an internship or starting building your network with their help. Step out of your comfort zone because it will be worth it. Do not be afraid to ask for help.Do not be afraid to fail. And if you do fail, you will learn from that experience. Make sure to keep your loved ones updated and give them a call. They too are adapting to this new journey with you.

Surprisingly, the best is yet to come. Life isn't over, it's just begun. You're anxious and feel out of place because you fail to realize that there is no secret formula to success, that there is no single piece of criteria that will guarantee it.The truth is...you have countless opportunities in front of you. Stop worrying, this transition to college life will transform you into an improved version of yourself. At least I can guarantee you this. This fresh start will be exactly what you have hoped for since the bittersweet remains of High School. Pursuing goals and completing tasks have always been your life's primary drive, but that will soon change. Let me give you a head start in your future discoveries. Entrust in the future for you cannot control it, overcome this past desire and your anxiety will diminish. Everything will be alright. Everything will be fine, brilliant. The transition, college life, all your worries are over exaggerated. Stop underestimating yourself and know your true value. Sure, you may miss a deadline or two here and there, but never stop believing in yourself. Now, get back to work!

As you transition into college, there is one thing I can tell you: self-doubt will be the end of your dreams. We will make mistakes and lay in the shadow of those who have achieved perfection on their first try. Many of these individuals worked tirelessly in a competitive high school to get an edge in college where they already learned the value of hard work; now it will be your turn to work as hard. Worse yet, there are many individuals who will cheat to get the grade. You must continue to work even when you feel like your efforts are being undermined because your education is only in part determined by grades. Work hard for the sake of learning even when the grade you receive is not indicative of the work you put in. Taking tests is a skill which can be improved, but if you fail to grow intellectually, you will lose out on far more than good grades. Always keep in mind that your success will not be based on how many times you fail but how well you can respond to and grow from adversity.

The moment you set foot on campus, you will be engulfed by diverse opportunities. Within that first week freshman year, there will be hundreds of fliers handed to you promoting organizations ranging from the Gardening Club to the top business fraternity on campus. College is a capsule in time where you have four years to discover what you want to pursue. It is the perfect time to develop your “brand.” Do you want to be that person who is somehow at every party or do you want to be the stud who is president of multiple organizations on campus? (Note: I hope you choose the latter; you can’t get a degree in ‘Partying’.) Know that it is never too early to start figuring out your life. Don’t be afraid of figuring out the things you dislike before you finally figure out what you do like. Get involved with organizations with goals that speak to your values and passion. This will also help you meet people with like minded interests in larger, worldly issues. The social events and parties will always be there, so lose the, “fear of missing out” and start creating your brand from day one.

I would tell myself to enjoy my family and friends before I moved away for college and to have more fun, instead of sitting at home all day. I would say to be more adventurous and to not be afraid of trying new things. I would also tell myself to take more spoons and forks because you never know when you're going to need them.

Senior year in high school is a time to look back at what one has gone through to get to where they are now. Having been there, I would advice myself to seriously cherish all the moments left with my friends going to dances and malls and sleepovers and beaches. Allow yourself to enjoy the freedom of not having to worry about grades as much anymore and take advantage of the memories you'll make with your friends. Once college begins, you will make new friends and at times, it will be hard to keep in touch with your old best friends. Learn from your friends and be a blessing in their lives as well. Don't be too stressed about finishing senior year with straight A's but relax and take the semester as it comes. Remember that you've already finished the hard part. Now it's time for you to enjoy the next couple months for yourself and look back at what kind of a person you are. Discover your identity.

There are many things I would tell myself as a high school senior, but I would first congratulate myself for what I accomplished. I would tell myself that I need to work harder, attempt to do harder classes and think long range about how it is going to benefit myself in the future. I'd say that college is a whole new world, full of endless possibilities but, it's also much harder and time management is the biggest factor in college life. Don't stress about every assignment, each one is a building block and you learn something new with every class you take. Take classes that interest you outside your major, try something you'd never do in high school. Making the transistion is going to be one of the hardest processes educationally you'll ever have, but you'll have to learn to balance school, sports, and extra activities. It's going to be rough, but it's what you have worked for in these past four years of your education so don't give up even when you think high school is hard. You can accomplish anything in your sights.

Get involved in a lot of activities right away!! It is a great way to make friends and establish contacts for the future.

I didn’t know it at the time but going to community college is the best choice I ever made because it saved me a lot of money. Another piece of advice is to take time in college, but to keep in mind that time is money. The longer I am in school, the longer I am building debt and not making money in the workforce (because I would be in an internship). The second bit of advice would be to find a degree that I excel in and is practical. For instance, if I want to be a film director, I can get a degree in Business and minor in Film Production. If I don’t excel in Business, I should consider it a warning that my ceiling in that field may be limited. I emphasize practicality because I can have a good paying job that will support my other passion. Lastly, I would tell myself to physically visit the campuses that I wish to attend and get a feel for the campus life. Find a college that takes pride in itself and one that will help me become a valuable asset in the profession of my choice.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself be happy and find some personal conviction. College life is uncertain and unstructured, and knowing oneself is crucial to moving forward. I would tell my high school self to throw myself head on at college academics. I would push that surly and oblivious high school self into thinking for herself and actively searching for career options. I would tell myself to go through Sorority Rush and join one during freshman year so that I could get my curiosity out of the way and done with. I would tell myself to fight for my Psychology major and pursue research opportunities to excel in a field I had a passion for since age 16— instead of meekly obeying my father’s directive to be a pre-medical student in pursuit of a dream that was not my own. I would reassure my high school self that high achievement and success can be gained through a variety of ways. Lastly, I would tell myself to find a good exercise routine because life is much better when your body is healthy!

Dear Impatient,I bet you're bored at home. The house is messy. Your brothers are in the next room playing videogames, being noisy. Your sister is on the phone with that bad-news boy from school. Of everything on TV, Dad chose to watch golf.You’re doing a quick count of the days until you leave for college, wishing that you could make them go faster. You don’t know it now, but you will miss this. College will make you realize that your brothers' obnoxious laughter sounds like music, you secretly love when your sister bothers you for help with boys, and you would watch golf for hours if it meant you could hang out with Dad again. When you get ready to leave, pack more than just clothes. Pack up your memories. Store them in a safe place in your mind and don’t leave anything out. Save them for nights like these, when you’re sitting in your dorm writing a letter to yourself, looking out the window at the ocean view you always wanted, and wishing you could change it back to the view of your crazy family in a messy house.Sincerely, Wiser

Dear Makaela, UCSD will not be what you expect, but you will look back and not regret attending. Friends aren't as easy to make, it will take you a long time. You will be lost in the sea of people for what will seem like forever, just keep trying. You will eventually find your niche. Get involved in the things that are closest to your heart, and try not to work too much. You will be happiest working on campus. Live with other UCSD students to strengthen your bond with the community. Live as close to campus as possible. Commuting is not easy. The academics will be challenging, but nothing you can't handle. Study, go to class, ask questions. You will be ok. Don't be discouraged that dating other UCSD students is difficult. Everyone there, including yourself has the top priority of getting a good education, not finding a significant other. Study abroad as much as you can, you WILL love it! Keep in touch with the few friends you make, they will be great resources later. Don't count on getting a stellar job right away, your life will make unexpected but mostly positive turns. Enjoy!

Senior Hannah, I know that this is an exciting time in your life, as well as scary. Moving away from your amazing family, and leaving your friends behind is difficult, but you are finally reaping all the benefits of your hard work in high school. Enjoy it! A transition is never easy, but it is even harder when you don't put yourself out there. Try new things. Friendships will come, test scores will fluctuate, and trials will pass, but you are going to change and make your own rules. Take the photo album. Bring your favorite blanket. Growing up does not mean leaving home. You have so much love and support, so do with it what you're meant to! This adventure will transform you and your life for the better. Also, it will always be okay to call your mom to say I love you. Good luck