University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

Do not think that you will make it to a 8 a.m. class because you had to be at school at 7:45 a.m. in high school. It is just not going to happen, especially if the class is on a Monday or Friday. Also, remember to stay as organized as possible. Always back up your work. Double back up if possible. Get the flexible meal plan because you might not make it to breakfast every day. Save your money and DO NOT sign up for any credit card offers. Remember that you are going to have to pay back those student loans and don't think the payments are going to manageable. These payments will kick your behind every day of the week. It is hard to find a job so have a back-up plan just in case you can't find one. Don't ever get drunk. Have a couple of drinks but keep your wits about you. Whatever you do, make sure you keep your grades up. It really does matter.

You only have a little time left in high school, and you will never get the chance to experience it again. Soak up the last little pieces. Go to some home games and cheer your teams on, go to the last school dances, be silly, take pictures, sign the yearbooks, do all the common place highschool things because this is your last chance. On the same token, do not get senioritis. I know it is tempting, but colleges can rescend your admission if you do not pass your senior classes! Hang in there! Do not lose the study habits you worked so hard to form; you will need them in college! Next, investigate college applications early! Write down every single due date. Turn in all the right forms to the right people. You do not want a paperwork error to ruin your chance at a dream school. Apply early and often for grants and scholarships! Every little bit counts! Most importantly, keep your mind open and look at tons of schools. You might find a gem that is perfect for you. Dare to dream big and do not compromise on an education, this decision affects the rest of your life.

As a high school senior I was very well rounded. My entire senior year was based on getting amazing grades, getting my advancaed diploma, getting as much financial aid as possible to pursue my college dreams, I had no family to rely on for financial support being an independent student. There are few things I would tell myself as a high school senior. I recently moved to Reno, NV to get my specialized training to become a Paralegal at Truckee Meadows Community College and in the process of moving I missed the scholarship deadline and was forced to get a student loan. . As a high school senior it would of been nice to know to be more organized with deadlines, to take my ACT to get a higher score, and most importantly to volunteer more. Working as a receiptonist at the county courthouse was an amazing opportunity that I should of started sooner, my last piece of advice would be to stay calm and be patient. I have finished all of my basic classes and now need to spend these last two years buckling down and achieving great grades with great help. Please consider me for this scholarship.

Coming from a high school where everybody knew everybody and you feel comfortable around most people, will definitely be in stark contrast to the way you will feel when you first step on campus at college. But my advice to you is to not be afraid of people. The best part of college is meeting new people so don't be afraid to be yourself around them and get to know them. It may be intimidating to be around people who are so sure of themselves and are friendly but that isn't a reason to feel weird about them. Try being friends with different types of people, get involved with different types of activities, and find something that you can commit yourself to 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}. College might seem overwhelming at first, but I guarantee that you will love your experience. Don't take a single day for granted and don't get stressed out or worry because looking back, you will be glad you took a risk and enjoyed your time!

Do your work even if your teacher doesn't check. Never put partying or your social life in higher priority than your studies. Have fun. Don't be afraid. Reach out and make friends. Get to know people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. Take advantage of tutoring and office hours; the best students are those who put in the extra effort to enhance their education. Find clubs and organizations that interest you and really get involved. Don't hesitate to ask questions in class or personally with your professor; they are there to help. If you study well with others, study groups are great. Time that you are spending sleeping could be spent doing work ahead of time so you can relax later. You are at school to learn, partying is just apart of the ride.

Given the chance to speak with my high school self, the present world (from my current self's perspective) would no longer be. I have so much to share and entrust to myself, the world could only be radical altered from its current history and course. But assuming I could only converse with myself about university life and the great college-hereafter, our dialogue, at the very least, would have the effect of radical compelling and moving me--and then who knows what could come of the world? That said, let it be known that, like everyone, I made decisions in college that I regret. And my younger self will probably still make them again--I am not giving any advice or warning about those moments. When I fall, I get up and learn from the mistake. More than anything, the advice I would give myself would be to try the things I didn't do. The decisions I didn't make. Try working during school. Apply for more internships, paid or not. Join more clubs. Put yourself out more. Do more. Plan ahead more. Fail more. Succeed more. You'll, or rather, I will, thank myself.

If I could give advice to my high school self it would be to never underestimate my own potential. Although my entire life I have been told not to push myself, to just take it easy, or that I can just marry a rich man I somehow made it somewhere. I could have gone farther if maybe one person had told me that I was brilliant and I should not waste my mind. Who would have ever thought I would make the top 8{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my graduating class? If I had known to push myself and work harder; if I had known I could do better I cannot even imagine how much more I could accomplish at my age. I never thought I would accomplish above a 4.0 GPA while standing as captain of the cheerleading team and working a full time job. I kept a full time job and was a full time student at my community college and maintained a 3.88 GPA. If I had known I could do all this with such ease, I would have pushed harder and never underestimated my potential.

If I could go back in time and speak to myself as a high school senior, I would of advised myself to develop stronger study habits, find ways to volunteer more, participate in more school related programs, to be outspoken and out-going.

The transition is not as difficult as you think. The thought of a new environment away from home is scarier than the reality. Don't feel pressured to find your major right away. Community college is a cheaper place to find yourself while you take care of prerequisite courses. When you find the school you love, make sure to check transfer.org to see what courses transfer. You don't want to waste money on classes that don't count! Another cheaper way to get prerequisites out of the way is to take dual credit classes in high school or load up on AP tests. Doing this can free you up to pursue classes that interest you. Maybe while you're taking some fun exploratory class you'll find the path that's right for you.

If you don't choose your roommate, learn to live with them. Having a bad roommate can near ruin your experience if you have the wrong attitude about it. If your roommate is really that bad, you can always talk to your RA and work to move out of your room. But what every freshman should know is that one day, you're going to end up in a job working with someone you can't stand, but that doesn't mean you can just quit or get them fired. As a college student you'll be exposed to every kind of person, and if that person you don't like happens to be your roommate, try to push yourself to be a little more accepting.