University of California-Santa Barbara Top Questions

Take easy classes in the beginning of college until you have a feel of what college life is like. Make sure you ask for advice before picking your classes, you don't know how much of a difference it makes in your GPA. Don't give into peer pressure, some people are smarter than others, do what you feel comfortable with and when you are ready you will be able to take more advanced classes. Do not procrastinate, keep up with all of your homework.

If I were to go back and have a conversation with my high school senior self I would tell her to get her act together and apply for 4 year universities immediately as opposed to going to community college. College is a time to figure yourself out and while many people go back you only get one chance to be in your late teens/early twenties to truly have the '4 year college experience' even though pulling an 'all nighter' to study may not sound appealing now, you will look back and smile thinking about it one day. I would tell her she's going to have had a wonderful 2 years at UCSB, however I wish it would have been more and just because you're not positive you know what you want to do with your life yet, it WILL come to you in the next couple of years. The lessons you learn and the people you meet have an impact on you for the rest of your life. It was at UCSB I decided I wanted to become a special educator and it is at UCSB where I made some of my greatest memories and dearest friends.

This is an easy question for me. I am always telling my 2 teenage boys that I regret not pursuing a CAREER after high school. While I did attend college and earn my Bachelor's Degree immediately after high school, I graduated with a degree in business. Please do not misunderstand; it's not that I think there is anything wrong with a business degree, but it is extremely general. I had no direction after graduating college. I did not know what I wanted to do with my "business" degree. Assuming I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have told myself to attend law school, or medical school or anything that would have better prepared me for the world ahead of me. I am proud that I went to college and graduated with high honors; BUT because I did not pursue an actual "career", I am now going back to school as a 43 year old mother of 2. I am fulfilling my dream of being an RN. I am excited, but do wish I had done this right after high school!

Plan out your schedule ahead of time, look at all the requirements needed for your intended major. Research, Research, Research! Knowing what classes you need to take ahead of time is utterly important. Besides that everything really falls into place. Take advantage of the resources online and don't worry, everything is going to be just great!

I would tell myself not to be scared to go to a junior college. Going to a junior college really eased the transition.

I would tell myself to enjoy and cherish every moment you have with your family. Being a teenager and in high school you take for granted what your parents do for you. I would always tell myself, "I can't wait to move far away...i'm not going to miss my family." But as I soon came to realize it was a lie. The first couple weeks of college I was so homesick, and it was hard for me to focus in my classes because my heart and mind weren't in the right place. Also in college you have to do everything by youself, no one holding your hand. You have so much responsibilty and can't expect anyone to take on your problems. In high school your parents still do everything for you, and if you have a problem they fix it right away.

My family finds joy with academics and I am no exception. I found myself torn between two loves, history and biology and it was difficult to decide at the beginning. There were countless conversations concerning my future and my goals and I had few answers. I would tell myself, as a high school senior, to explore more of options I had at school. There was so much pressure in high school from the counselors about fulfilling the "A-G requirements" that now everything felt very forced. I would tell myself to enjoy the year more than I did. In high school, I was an officer of several clubs and stress about all the events was a daily part of my life. If I could, I would tell myself that the events all turned out great and a lot of the stress was uneeded. As a high school senior, the time felt like it lasted a long time but in reality it did not. I wish I knew that there is plenty of time to figure out what I want to do, enjoy the moment, and get excited about the school I would be going to next year.

College is a major priority all through out your life. It is very important and is almost a necessity to go through in this generation. If I had the opportunity to to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have told my self to buckle down and keep studying because it's not going to stop after highschool. I would also advise myself to join clubs and be very active in the college community. Even in highschool other seniors would tell incoming freshman to be focused on school work, join clubs and play sports. The same is carried through into college. It doesn't stop, you're going to be making friends everywhere you go. But the best advice that I would give to myself would be to always study! Don't stop until you know your material so when you test on it you know you're going to do well. I mean, nobody knows exactly whats going on in college when they first start, the whole environment, the feel is different. You have to adjust the best you can and show everyone who you really are!

Dear Clarissa, Trust your gut when you walk on campus for the first time. It feels right because it is right. You got accepted into this school because you are smart and because you will belong here. Do not fear the acedemics, or your fellow classmates- you will not be overwelmed. You will thrive with new ideas and be driven by the motivation of the students around you. You will thank yourself for the smalltown experience you had growing up. It makes you unique because of the perspective you have on the world and the values you place in community. Don't run away so fast from your small town, but instead take it in so you may eventually return and contribute. UCSB will become your home, the people you will meet here will impact you mentally and emotionally. Lasting friendships, and valuable lessons will help expand your desire to learn and the asist the world you live in. Remember, you don't have to meet everyone at once, experience everything at once...you have four amazing years to do everything. The transition is easy-work hard, expand your horizons, and please enjoy UCSB to the fullest. Love, Clarissa

I come from an agricultural and hard-working family background. As a high school student, I learned English as a second language. Therefore, I thought that I would never be able to attend a university and pay for my education. However, if I had the opportunity to go back in time, I would encourage myself to continue my hard work. I would tell myself that there is financial, academic and emotional assistant for students in colleges. There are transitional programs at the beginning of every school year that assist new students feel more comfortable with the new environment. Academic and emotional counseling is also available to students that have difficult time adapting into the atmosphere. Help for academic work is always free and available to help students improve their writing, reading, and research skills. Financial issues might seem the most difficult challenge, especially for low-income students, but financial aid is available to help students reach their dreams of higher education; there is also a wide variety of scholarships available that can help pay for college. Higher education might seem a distant and impossible dream for some students, but with determination and motivation anyone can achieve and discover their potential.

If I were able to go back and talk to my high school self I would tell myself to relax and stay calm. All of the worries that incoming freshman have are very minute things that turn out to be far less of a problem when you get there. Also, make sure to talk to a lot of people and make lots of friends when you first get there. Never say no to an outing or adventure and only hang out with people that you think are fun to hang around with, don't waste your time with people that you don't enjoy being with. Most importantly, just relax and have a good time, because you perform and work the best when you are not stressed out.

I would tell myself to get a better study habit. High school prepares you for college in some ways but in others you are completely thrown for a loop. I would also tell myself to stop worrying so much about what people think and stand up for myself so I'm not dealing with any major drama and I'm only worrying about what is most important and that's school. Also, I would tell myself to think before I act. Don't act impulsively because your on your own and you have to take care of yourself before you can begin to think about others.

Choose the school you can find yourself most comfortable in. Even though academics are important, your social life is too. You should be able to work hard and have fun at the same time.

I would give myself an advise that I should definitely go to UCSB. People in UCSB are very friendly and laid back. I can never forget the days we had barbeque party at the beach with my friends. Both academic and social life suits my life. Most people have stereotypes that all the students in UCSB are party monsters, but UCSB is not only active in party, but also academically strong. Even on fridays there are a lot of people studying in 24 hour study room. We are also famous for our dining commons. I think food here is very healthy and delicious. I would give an advise that you'll never regret going to UCSB. Can you imagine living right by the beach?

In high school I got very good grades, but I wish I had challenged myself more. I didn't take any advanced placement classes and in not doing so, I feel that I didn't get as much out of high school academically as I could have. If I could go back in time I would urge my high school self to challenge herself more and not just do the bare minimum in order to see good grades, but to actually work hard in more difficult classes in order to feel more satisfaction when looking at report cards. I would assure my high school self that she is smart enough and that in reaching for higher education goals, those grades would have been far more worth it.

Keep up with your studies; it might be amazing to finally be free from your parents, but do not let it get out of hand, you will go to college for a reason, and do not stray away from that. Really think about what you want to do with your life, what will make you happy? what are you willing to do to achieve that happiness? is it worth it? Remember you live life once and you must live it to its fullest but you must also live it inteligently. You have the determination and the strength to never give up - whenever you feel down, find help, there will be plenty of it around you. Live it up - live it smart, and you will have that happiness.

Dear Saralyn Crossen, high school senior: In preparation for your next educational journey as a college student, I am going to give you a little advise on making the transition from high school to college. Right now you are surrounded by people you have known for years, or your entire life, you live at home and in the home town you have grown up in. You are very comfortable in your surroundings which makes you obtaining you current education feel safe and doable. Transitioning to college where everything is new, your teachers, the expectations, the environment, your living environment, you will feel overwhelmed, intimidated and thus at times have a hard time absorbing your education. Sit back, relax, take deep breaths, familiarize yourself with your new life, don't rush; if you feel overwhelmed, reach out to others, teachers, administrators, counselors, they are all there to provide you support, reach out to your peers, have faith and enjoy the richness and newness. Find a sacred place to study, take your time to read and to learn the new materials you are studying. Enjoy the journey, the end will arrive before you know it. ~Saralyn Crossen, 34 years old.

I would simply say that college is your door to a better future and that a High school diploma cannot pay the bills.

I would advise myself to get more involved in campus activites and clubs as well as dedicate more time to my studies and less time towards work. I would advise myself go to office hours every week regardless of if I had questions or not about the material in order to get to know the faculty better. Asking for help when you need it is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength, I would ask for help more often whether it was asking my parents for money, other students for help with assignments or professors or TAs for help with papers.

I would of tried hard in high school. I thought I pushed myself to do the best but I wish I could of done better. I wanted to go to college so bad I rushed through high school and I didn't enjoy or do my best. I wish I could go back and do my senior year over.