University of Maryland-University College Top Questions

If i could go back in time and tell my self anything, I would tell my self to be situationaly aware of everything you do. In my life in the military that phrase is so commonly used that it almost loses its important message. I would tell my self that everything you do has an effect on your life. I would tell my self that nothing worth having comes easy. I would also tell myself to buckle down and focus on my studies and dont give into immediate gradification. There is a time for partying and hanging out with your friends and stuff of that nature but it is so important for your future that you pay attention to your college work. I would also tell my self to not be afraid to be alone in your views, stand up for what you believe in no matter what people may say about you. Being a leader means you stand out in front of everyone, not following the herd.

I did not go to college right out of high school so the first thing I would tell myself is to seriously consider attending college straight out of high school. I would tell myself to take time when weighing my options and find a school that does not have a reputation for being a "party school". Colleges that offer high academic expectations as well as extra curricular activities is the way to go. You end up with a better education and your hard work is worth the dedication. Having social time is also important to a degree so a school that offers clubs, sports, and other events would be a good choice. When choosing a school it is also important to find one that offers many disciplines to choose from. A wide range of academic disciplines can give you a good idea of what you are looking for based on your interests. I was lucky enough to find UMUC which offers all of these things plus the added convenience of online learning. IAs I look into graduate school for my future I will follow my own advice to choose the best school for me.

If I could go back in time to my senior year in high school, I would change my mindset to prepare to go to college right after high school. Not having that mindset made it difficult for me to mentally prepare for going to college. Even when I did enroll, I was distracted by a job that I regret taking (as I look back) and left school....for the first time. I was later distracted by my responsibilities as a husband and father after re-enrolling at a four-year institution, so I thought I'd have to wait until my children had graduated from college before I continued my education. But here I am! I have 2 sons in college (1 senior; 1 junior) and I'll be a sophomore due to the number of credits that did not transfere. But I take full responsiblilty for that. If I had the right mindset, I could have graduated with my Master's degree by 1992.

As a high school senior, I thought college life would be the time to move away from my parents, become independent, and pay for school however I could. Now, I look back on my time in the first 2 years of college and see that it was not the time to become independent. It is much better to ask your family and advisors for guidance. However, since I felt so "independent", I applied for private loans to cover my school expenses and rent; I spent the money I worked 3 nights per week for on outings with friends; and I neglected some classes that I thought didn't matter. Now I would tell myself that college is the only key to obtaining a good job and alot of those good jobs request to see your transcripts to be sure that you were in good academic standing. So, focusing on studies and incorporating a little bit of fun is good and it's healthy. Living "independently" on student loans and spending frivolously for 4 years is not healthy nor worth the amount that will be paid back. College can easily be taken for granted so do it right the first time.

The advice I would give myself as a highschool senior would be apply for more scholarships , visit the prospective colleges, speak and interact with students enrolled at the college and don't settle . I was very active in highschool but I did not take advantage of any grants or scholarships that may been afforded to me if had applied for them and had been more assertive. As a result I am now in debt with over $30,000 in student loans, and have no means at this time to repay the loan. I didnt attend any of the school forums at the highschool which would have provided me with information on making better choices on the colleges to attend , nor did I take advantage of visiting any prospective colleges , as as a result I attended a college that I felt at the time was the best decision for me , but once I attended the college I became frustrated with the environment and the administration.

My college life has had many twists and turns. I did not start in college right after high school. I had to pay for college myself. My parents made good money and I could not qualify for grants. My parents did not want me to take out a school loan. So I worked fulltime at various jobs to make money for school. When I did have money to go to school I could only go half time. I would go half time for a year or two and then I would stop, because the work load with school and a full time job was a lot to keep up. When I reached my 30s, I decided I would jump and take out a school loan so I could take classes and work less. And I survived. This year I am going to attend school fulltime with the help of a school loan I recieved. I am so excited about finishing my education and having a better job. I would tell my high school senior self to go for it. School is very important and fun. Apply for every scholorship, take out all the loans you want and achieve your dreams.

Knowing what I know now, I would tell myself to begin applying for colleges immediately. I waited too long and missed out on a great deal because I was too afraid to apply to some of dream colleges. Now, however I?m trying again and I?m attempting to get my life back on track. However, if I was able to travel back in time, I would tell myself not to wait and to apply to all those colleges I dreamt about ? no matter how much of a long shot it seemed like. Being afraid of being turned down has held me back and kept me from doing a great many things, but maybe if I could break that cycle early? things might go a bit better for me.

Don't become a parent at a young age

I would have to say, the best advice I could have received would have been to first find an advisor that I trust, that I feel is competent and that I feel truly cares about my education. I would then have told myself to focus on what I feel is important to me, what I care about and make that my major straight away. At that time online classes were not as common, but I would have asked myself what I feel is the best way for me to learn, on my own or by in-class instruction? These few guidelines would have helped me for sure, how much it would have helped exactly will never be known. I do feel that if someone out there learns in a similar way that I do and feels unsure about what they should pursue as their major then these questions and advice would have made a difference to me and can make a difference in their educational future.

I would tell myself to study harder that a college education is extremely important, and that it's alot easier to go to college straight out of high school rather than waiting 20 years later like I have. If you want to have a good career college is extremely important! Study, Study, Study