University of Kentucky Top Questions

If I were to meet myself in high school I would tell myself to never let a day in college go unwasted. There have been so many days where I get in a routine and just follow the routine till the day is over. I would tell myself to not get into routines, and to do something productive everyday and that way I will truly make the most of my college experience. Also I would tell myself not to be afraid to try new things and to get out of my comfort zone. This is because I let myself get comfortorable first then I tried new things, but instead of wasting all that time I wish I had gotten out and tried something new right away.

I would tell myself to study harder in high school so that you are prepared for what college has to bring to you. Know your strengths and know you weaknesses and work to become stronger at everything you do when it comes to school work. I would tell myself that I should apply myself better so that when I am deciding on which college I want to attend, I would pick the right one first instead of transferring like I did. I would tell myself to make sure that I am ready for what a bigger school has to offer me when dealing with classes, sports, friends, and a social life.

Going back to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that college is not high school, and to start taking notes and taking classes seriously. I would tell myself that college is tough and the classes I'll have to take will involve hard work and studying more than what high school classes took. Also, I would tell myself to begin making talking to people inside my major the summer before my freshman year so that I will know people before college starts. Coming into college, I was the only student from my high school that chose University of Kentucky, which means I didn't really know anyone at my college. Lastly, I would tell myself to apply for more scholarships. As a senior, I didn't apply for any scholarships at UK because I didn't look for any general scholarships that they provided.

I would like to push myself to go to GSP as a high-schooler. I graduated high school with a 4.0 and had the chance to go to GSP, but didnt pursue it due to medical issues. I wish I would have pushed through them and gone anyways, because it would certainly have benefited me in my search for scholarships. Additionally, I would like to get myself to do more volunteer and really get out there to show more leadership as I have now that I am in college. I was afraid to take the dive back then, but have discovered that it's totally worth it to take a risk and get involved.

I would give my high school self two pieces of advice. First, apply for every scholarship you can. There is thousands of unclaimed scholarship money just sitting out there, so don't become complacent with just a few scholarships. Seize every opportunity. And second, don't stress too much. College is a huge time for personal growth and there's not always room for everything or everyone on the journey. Everything will turn out okay; just stay focused and enjoy the adventure.

If I could go back now, I would tell myself to give more thought into what I want to do the rest of my life. I began college unsure of what I wanted to do, and with financial contraints, was forced to decide on a major without giving much thought to the consequences. I am now striving to become a Nurse Practitioner through a Masters program. Not only is this difficult, but paying for grad school could have been somewhat avoided if I would have chosen Nursing as my undergraduate major. High school seniors are not told of the importance in choosing a major wisely for their undergraduate education. Some seniors, like myself, could be unaware of the necessity of graduate school upon graduating from college. If I would have know what I wanted to do as a career, I could have majored in Nursing, gotten a job as a nurse, then had my employer pay for my Masters. Instead, I am sitting on a pile of debt from my undergraduate education and in search of money to fund my graduate school - all so I can have my dream career. I wish "high school me" knew what I know now.

Prepare yourself. You’re about to have one of the best years of your life thus far. Stop caring what people think of how you dress or what you do with your free time. It doesn’t matter if you can’t let go of your ripped jeans or are interested in playing chess. There are all kinds of different people around here, and at the end of the day you are going to be able to find people who have the same skeletons in their closet that you do. Find people who make you feel more like yourself than you ever have before. You’ll need them later on down the road. Refuse to waste your time on people who try to mold you into something else or make you unhappy. Use this time to find out who you are. You are going to be shocked at all the things you realize about yourself when you gain this newfound independence. Good luck, champ.

Pay close attention to what I am about to tell you, because this information is going to effect the rest of your life. First, do your research on why the college you want to attend is the right one for you, because you do not want to be stuck somewhere you hate for an extended period of time. After you decide on a college that seems to match your personality and lifestyle, make sure that it is affordable. If you cannot pay tuition, no amount of frugality can save you from crippling debt. Now that we have established that cost is a big issue because tuition rates are on the rise, do not be lazy about scholarships. I know you, I am you, and i know that you are not going to fill out enough scholarship applications because guess what? I did not get any. So if you want to reach your goals and succeed, you cannot skip these important steps. Remember what Dad said about skipping steps, and the people who take short cuts? They fail, don't they? You have such a bright future and excellent aspirations. Don't waste your potential, get up and keep dreaming big!

To a younger, less experienced, but still good looking Andrew, Greetings, and congratulations on making it this far in life! Soon, you will be embarking on the next grand stage of life. Be not afraid! Although your current logic and precedent comes from only a few older friends, relatives, and the love of your life, I assure you your experience will be much smoother and painless. Enjoy the new independence, make new friends, make a few mistakes of course, but most importantly, do what you have always done. The faculty, and the difficult courses you have undertaken this far, have done well to prepare you for your first year of college. Like with any hardship, change, or other momentous occasion of life, you are your own greatest tool. Your ambition will burn you ahead where others falter, your intelligence and prudency will keep you safe from harm, and your ingenuity will see to it that every situation has as bright of an ending as possible and; at the very least, that you'll go down swingning attempting to change yourself, and the world for better. Here's to you kid. Good luck! -Andrew J. McLeod

Don't be afraid to question anything, and ask your questions out loud. Be vocal and head-strong. Take in everything you hear and process it before accepting it or rejecting it. Ask for help. Give help. Tell the world who you are and ask the world who she is. No one has every answer, and everyone has some wrong answers. Have an inclusive social circle of trustworthy people of all types and backgrounds. Allow everyone the benefit of the doubt, especially yourself, but if you have to run from a person, or a group, or an idea, don't hesitate. Run until you find what is right. Trust yourself, even with your faults. Trust that you will grow, and that life will be made right.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to take the time and actually consider what I want to do for a career and to put more effort into preparing myself for college. During my senior year of highschool I came down with a bad case of what our school called senioritis where basically school was no longer a priority and having fun was. I spent way more time than I should have hanging out with my friends and being preoccupied with girls rather than studying and doing homework. This was shown in my grades for my last semester which I belive could have been straight A's but instead were A's and B's. I also should have tried harder to help my family find ways to help pay for my college as I am now and have been since graduation. I really put alot of stress on my family but shrugging off that issue just thinking it would magically work itself out. So all in all I would tell myself to be more considerate and mindful of my future , as well as being more productive.

If I had the chance to go back to high school I would tell myself to take advantage of the resources that are out there for students. Resources such as scholarships opportunities. The advice I would give myself is to save as much money as you can because college is expensive especially when you’re paying an out of state rate. Despite paying for education it is my desire to get an education and regardless of obstacles and pressures from peers, I will earn a degree and become a positive addition to my community. Although, I have had challenges that are atypical for most students my age, I am afforded with great role models who encourage me regularly and provide moral support. My advice to myself is to stay accountable to my family and they help me to remain grounded in my core values. Currently, I am working two jobs to help support myself and defray tuition and book expenses. Working and attending school is not without its challenges but still I remain focused and determined to complete my degree. I would also tell myself to work hard and put the time in to achieve great results.

College is truly a once in a lifetime expereince. Have fun, stay out late and make unforgettable memories but remember it's purpose, it's power. College is the foundation in which your future is built. It is 4 years of your life that will decide the next 60. Since graduating with a business degree in 2010, I have quit my professional job, moved in with my parents, gone back to school for a complete career change and am starting pharmacy school this summer at 26 years old. After all the years and money spent, I left without the one thing that was priceless, a passion for the degree I earned. Find out what you like, what you dislike, what you are good at, what you are bad at so you can find a career path that truly fits you. Utulize every opportunity and resource to ensure that once the music stops, the lights turn out and college ends, you end up exactly where you want to be. Use this transition as a chance to explore all the world has to offer. Once you know where you want to be all, you have to do is get there.

John Wooden, Hall of Fame coach of UCLA once said "Discipline yourself, so others won't have to". I would give this quote to my high school self. As a college student, the sudden freedom of being on your own and making your own decisions was intoxicating. I took full advantage of my new found freedom and while my free time skyrocketed, my grades were not positively correlated. I was disciplined by my school for my poor grades (as well as my parents). If I would have been able to discipline myself to take appropriate action to study properly and maintain my GPA I wouldn't have had to endure the embarrassing process of climbing out of the pit of low grades and of even lower expectations. I have now graduated with my bachelors and am currently working on my masters degree. I learned the value of unwavering self discipline the hard way. I would hope my time traveling pep talk would help me avoid that lesson and make my undergraduate career that much easier; outside of the obvious counseling I would need from talking to myself from the future.

If I could offer advice to my high school senior self, I would tell her how much confidence matters. Not asking questions or raising your hand was quite normal in high school; this is not true for college. Being an engaged student means being inquisitive and prepared to answer questions that the professor poses. Even though you have low levels of confidence, be prepared for them to be manually raised by your instructors. Having confidence even when you think you may be wrong is important as well. A professor would rather have a student answer their question and be wrong than have a classroom of 200 be completely silent. This new confidence that will build in you can also be applied to meeting new people. While most of your friends from high school will either attend your college or be within driving distance, get ready to meet strangers. Have the confidence to approach someone you don’t know and introduce yourself. In addition, use this confidence to approach your professor after class to ask more detailed questions. Lastly, be confident in yourself. College life is nothing like you’re expecting, so simply be confident and expect the unexpected.

I would tell myself that everything worked out perfectly so don't worry about finding the right school or picking the right major. Everything you stressed about wasn't worth it becuase in the end everything fit perfectly together. The classes aren't as hard as you expected and school is very managable. High School is almost over and College is so much better so push through and you'll see the light at the end of the tunnel very soon. You will be in such a good place when you move to Kentucky, and there's nothing you would change, so don't try so hard to make everything perfect right now. Everything happens for a reason and its all perfect in the end. You'll meet the best friends and have a great time at the perfect school for you. Take in all in and enjoy the ride.

When I was a senior, I ended up choosing a BOY over the college I wanted......my advice to myself? DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN. I originally started out wanting to get a degree in chemistry and then continuing on to pharmacy school. Unfortunately a boy came in the way of that. I now see that I can not put my dreams on hold for anyone. This is the time of our lives to be selfish; we have to go after what we want and give it our undivided attention. No exceptions! I lost track of this for a bit and hate that I did. I would have told myself to be open to the many opportunities and life experiences that come with college. I definitely would say to look into a study abroad program as well. I would tell myself to concentrate fully on school, to not worry about the miniscule things along the way, and to enjoy every step because now I see how quickly these years really go by.

Knowing what I know now about college life, I would tell myself to not stress about making the transition because once you actually get there, the classes are stressful enough. I really missed out on the excitement of getting accepted and moving out of the house because I let myself get anxious and stressed over every little detail. I would tell myself to not only sit back and enjoy my social life, but also let myself love learning. I've spent so much time stressing over the difficulty of the information that my grades actually got worse the more I stressed. If you're overwhelmed, take a deep breath, and keep pushing through the anxiety. I'm finally learning to do so and I am much, much happier. Now I can actually enjoy what I'm learning and become genuinely interested in the topics. Hakuna Matata, meaning no worries, is the best way to live and I really wish I would have known that as a senior in high school. This phrase is best explained by the song in The Lion King: "It means no worries for the rest of your days. It's our problem-free philosophy, Hakuna Matata!"

I would tell my high school self to buy a good pair of rainboots. I bet you weren't quite expecting such a shallow answer, but let me explain. High school me would take this as a literal suggestion, which it is; however, it's also much more than that. Lexington, Kentucky, as I have learned, is infamously known to have unpredictable weather. One minute it rains and the next minute students are outside soaking up the sun. Metaphorically, this relates to my college experience so far. I thought that college would be all sunshine and fun without the constant control of my parents, but it's turned into so much more. Each day comes with a forecast for hardwork and challenging classes. Sometimes you get lost in the puddles of assignments and extra-curricular activities vuying for your attention, but the next day you realize that the sun has come out and you are bettering yourself by gaining knowledge and creating relationships that will last for the rest of your life. College has its rainy days, but those do not overshadow the sunny ones to come. So put on your rainboots high school me, and go face the storm!

I would check the background of what college I applied. The current college is not equally good with general college. I should know the other colleges before applied.