University of Massachusetts-Lowell Top Questions

Do not stress. Stressing makes things worse, especially when you have papers, homework, work, and a social life to balance. Time management is your best friend. If needed, feel free to sit down and just plan your week ahead. What assignments you have to get done, if you have any meetings, when you plan to see friends, what your work schedule is, or even random notes you want to add like a show you watch. Time management has helped me in so many ways to accomplish the goals I have. I also have to give time management much credit for my 3.9 gpa that I am very proud of. Hard work does not come easy. Take advantage of flashcards/notecards when applicable and buy A LOT of them. Studying 5 - 7 at a time will be the best habit you will ever adapt to in your school career. Also, have fun and do not be afraid to meet new people. You never know who is out there and how much of an impact they will have on your life.

keep learning and try the best you can to figuages out what you really can do. Some time it really take alot of time to find what you really want to become. So chose your role model and ask them what you can do to become one of them in the future.

I would tell myself to look at colleges earlier, and take harder classes to be prepared for the intense workload. I would also encourage myself to enter more math classes.

Commuting sucks. You're going to have to drive on I-95 back and forth, stuck in traffic, constant construction, and putting up with angry drivers--yes, even if you follow the rules of the road. Also, you're going to get into one incident of road rage; don't lose your cool. Just suck it up, get out of the way, don't make eye contact, and don't make any gestures, okay? Make sure not to skimp on your studies in the first year. This isn't high school anymore, pal. I know that senior year and senior slide was a fun thing to do, but now you're no longer forgiven for doing stuff like that. In fact, do not skimp on ANY of your classes throughout college. Focus on your studies, very carefully. Seriously, man, you're going to bomb your grades if you do stuff like that. On the bright side, you won't have to put up the bullies anymore, so there's that! Most of them ended up in prison, or are dead. But most importantly, enjoy this while it lasts, because once it's gone, it's over, and adulthood sucks.

I started college thinking I could take on the world. A noble enough goal, right? Club pamphlets filled my dorm room while my schedule was filled with try-outs and meet-and-greets. I was running from club to club, seeing what there was to offer. And I did get a taste of all the things I had ever thought about trying, and then some. My one fatal flaw was trying to keep up with all of it. ACLU, soccer, basketball, news-letter, and a host of other clubs, the names of which, now I can’t even remember. While it was great to see everything and get a feel for the college atmosphere, I didn’t take advantage of one of the coolest aspects of college. The ability to choose. For the first time, I had no curfew or mandatory classes. Heck, there wasn’t even the requirement to show up. I responded to this newfound freedom by saying “yes” to everything. But it was really an opportunity to pursue what was most important to me. So do yourself a favor and check out everything, but commit only to the things that matter.

The advise that I would give myself is that it is okay to not know exactly what I want to study. However, as a high school senior you have to make sure that you really think about where to go to school and not just decide on a whim or because you want to "get away". It is a serious decision and it can change your life. It needs to really be thought about and everything needs to be considered. College is very expensive and if I could go back, I would make sure I took my family's advice and gone straight to a community college first and then transfered to a four year school instead of doing to opposite. A decision like this will change your life for better or worse; it is your decision as to which you would rather.

I’ve recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree, and there are so many things I wish I’d tried. If I could advise my high school self of anything, it would be to try everything. As a commuter, I went to class and went home. I had no college experience. One of my biggest hang-ups was coming out of my shell! Be yourself, a cliché, but true. I was too anxious about joining this or that club, or attending events, and I lost out on networking and making lifelong friendships. In college, you can really find people who share your interests and passions. My high school friendships fizzled, and I never made college friends. I don’t feel like I have things in common with the people I do still hang around with. You don’t realize how much you are going to grow in those years. I struggled to find a career after college because I avoided those chances to network and get advice from professors. They are a great resource! I’d write that on my former self’s hand so I’d never hesitate to approach a professor.

During my first semester I wished all the time that I could go back and give myself advice. The most important advice I would give myself is to develop good study habits and become an expert at time management. The most difficult transition is being responsible for yourself. In high school teachers chase you down and make sure you do your work. In college, you're paying for your own education. The teachers are there to teach and it's your responsibility to go to class and turn everything in on time because they will fail you without so much as blinking. I would tell myself to be aware of all deadlines and to manage my time well.

Stay in school, even if you change your major! You will eventually figure it out. And if you don't right away, stick with it. Take classes anyway, especially if you receive a scholarship for them. Take general classes in order to keep credits high and transferrable to a program you eventually know you'll complete. Get it done before you are 25! Going back to school at 33 for a career change is not the most ideal situation. Get A career figured out by the time you're 25.....if you decide to change your mind later on in life and are able to afford going back to school and the time is right, then go for it. Do your research to pick a career. What interests you? Are you looking to make a lot of money, or do something you love, or both? This is one of the most important questions you should answer, then look at the choices you have.

The first thing I would tell myself is apply for as many scholarships as you can. You cannot rely on financial aid to pay for your school. you need to work hard and save as much money as you can. Don't be afraid to take on a full-time job during the summer, there will still be plenty of time to have fun. The second thing I would tell myself is don't settle for a school just because it is the least expensive. There are other ways to pay for college. Shoot for your dream school and don't be afraid to try something new. Be willing to stay at school and dorm, don't be hesitant, and don't shy away from out of state schools because you'll end up falling in love with one and regretting your decision to settle for a school that wasn't part of your dream.

If you do not like to be away from home for long periods of time, picking a school that is close to it is very important. College should be a time you enjoy, not a time you dread. Being able to go home will make the experience enjoyable for you. Also, if you know you will have to go back to school for another degree, the price of your undergraduate career should be taken into consideration. You don't want to be in debt once you're out of school.

The advice I would give to myself is to delvelop a planner. College in most cases is not that difficult if manage your time well. There are many things you can do in college such as clubs, parties etcs. Without time management I would have been caught up wtih all these activities and would get any of my work and studies done.

Going back in time would allow me to teach myself a few useful things. First, I would encourage me to actively participate in extracurricular activities. I would tell me to be part of clubs and organizations in order to be more involved. I know now that much of the aid available for students going to college are merit based, so I believe this would increase my chances of being awarded scholarships and grants. I would also focus more time in researching these grants and scholarships. As a high school student, I did not have a clear idea of how expensive a college degree could be, so I found myself having to take multiple breaks in order to save money to pay my tuition. Scholarships and grants could have significantly helped me finance my education. Another advice I would give myself would be to carefully consider all the cost and benefits before choosing a school. I would tell myself to take a holistic look at the school, including tuition price, admission process, school size and financial aid process. Taking these matters into consideration helps to make an informed decision.

If I were able to go back and talk to myself, I would tell myself a couple different things. The first thing that I would tell myself is that Ishould never let anything seperate me from my morals. I am a wonderful Christian girl who deserves to do the very best for herself. The second thing that I would tell myself is to never let people or circumstances stand in the way of me getting my education. The third thing I would tell myself is that I am good at what I do, but there is always going to be someone who can do better; challenge yourself to become the best, and when you think you are the best, do better. The last thing I would tell myself is that other people in this world have been through hardships like myself. Make sure that you are a beacon of God's love, and show that person that person that they can overcome the hardships put into their lives also. If I could go back and tell myself these things I would not regret a thing in my time here at college.

Much has changed in the last few years. I would tell my past self to follow my dreams, my passions. To not get caught up in worrying about how much money my specific career choice would profit. To do what I love to do, because I love doing it. I would also tell myself to avoid distractions, to take my work seriously and to put everything I have into my education. To find friends who share my interests, goals, and dreams. To fill my mind with knowledge that I can appreciate and use to benefit myself and others. I would encourage myself to wisely utilize my newly acquired freedoms to accomplish all of these things. Much has changed within me in the last few years, for the better.

I would advise myself to have more fun, especially during my first year since that was the easiest. I would also advise myself to find a good study spot other than my room because in my room it is easy to get sucked into watching TV, etc on my computer. Additionally I would have looked more into the kitchen facilities at a school. This is important because I have a food intolerance, however I didn't know that coming into college so at the time it wouldn't have mattered and if I never had the food intolerance it probably wouldn't have mattered as well. I would have not held so long onto bad friendships. I would advise myself to stand up for myself and not let people walk over me. In college it's easy to want to be liked and to fit into a group right away and so it's easy to get sucked into a bad friend group.

Most people would reply to this question in boring essay form and give a monotonous speech on keeping a hard work ethic, to do your homework, and be friendly to meet new people. Don't get me wrong, these things are crucial to success in a new college environment. However, it is the little things-the littlest pieces of advice that all come together to make the most of your college expierience. It is how to learn life's little lessons that all high school seniors should be prepared for. As a high school senior, I would want to know to stock up on easy mac and ramen noodles and to always take the shuttle thirty minutes early to not be late for class. To always leave your door open in hopes of meeting a new companion. To keep energy drinks on hand to keep up with hours of late night studying. To say hello to at least three new people every day. To treasure each and every moment. To manage my time and stay focused rather than party. To budget my money wisely! Most importantly, to work hard and play harder. The little advice always matters most after all.

Patrick, you need to learn how to manage your time. You also need to figure out what you are good at, and where you want to work now so you dont waste any time in college. Keep studying hard and the world is yours!

The main piece of advice that I would give myself as a high school senior would be to start preparing early for a future career. I was so caught up in the excitement of senior year and finally graduating that I did not give nearly enough attention to what I really wanted for my future career and where I wanted to attend college. If I had taken this advice as a high school senior, I would be much farther in my college journey and that much closer to achieving my desired career. Because this advice was not given to me, I have undergone many setbacks college because I couldn’t decide on the right career for me and what school would be best in helping to reach my aspired career. Although I have been delayed a few times, I am still working hard and am fully dedicated to my future goals.

I would tell myself to do more research into colleges that offer architecture and those that have NCAA Division II athletics, to be sure that my final choice was well-decided. I would tell myself to put more effort toward applying for scholarships, because money does not come easily. Because I wanted to run for my college, I would meet in person with the running coaches and arrange to attend a practice with the team and spend a night on campus before I make my decision. As a high school senior, I did well academically, so I would not have to remind myself to keep up my grades. However, I would tell myself to read more over the summer before college to better maintain the vocabulary and comprehension skills that I had acquired over my schooling. Also for the summer following senior year, I would encourage myself to meet more of my classmates and not stick so much to my usual group, and overall to stay in better contact with my classmates, so that I might still have better relationships with them now in college. Although going back in time would be helpful, I am content with my senior year.