University of Minnesota-Duluth Top Questions

I would tell myself to never give up. Just try your hardest. Thats all you can do.

Learn better study habits and make sure school comes before fun because school is very expensive.

Think hard about your major and make sure it's what you really want to do and what your interested in

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would beg myself to consider many different things. First, I would tell myself to quit slacking in my senior classes. Second, I would tell myself to stay on the wait-list for all those great Universities that I was wait-listed for (instead of getting indignant and not returning the wait-list request letter), I probably could have gone to some great colleges had I sucked up my pride. Also, I would have told myself to apply for alot more scholarships than I did, I was busy enjoying my senior year, with the result that i didn't do as many things as I should have to financially prepare myself. Lastly, I would have told myself to study hard, pass my classes with A's and not party so hard that first freshman semester, it makes a huge difference in what classes you can select and your future.

As a high school senior, my biggest goal regarding college was to go somewhere respectable that was also a distance from home. For this reason, I didn't attend the U of M in the Twin Cities, but instead came up to Duluth, a town that I figured was close enough to my family where I could visit them whenever I felt the need, but far enough away to become my own person. I would tell high-school-me to remain in the cities because the opportunites offered at the U of M are much greater than those at UMD. Although my family may have been more involved in my new life than I wanted, I would have been exposed to a great variety of people and activities that I know nothing about because I'm in Duluth, where real culture is sparse. I also would have told myself to get involved in more on-campus activities, because I feel I lost a lot of the college experience by staying in my dorm and going home too many weekends. I would have said to not be afraid of trying new things and meeting new people.

First line of business get to know the teaching assistant who conducts your Friday morning 8am biology lab. He will become a great friend and true assest when you barely can comprehend what is being discussed in the 300 student biology lector. Which leads to you question the degree in Biology you where so set on pursuing when choosing this University. Second line of business become great friends with the women in career services she opens your eyes to other opportunities. Also she understands that not everyone is cut out to be a Biologist and maybe your future career goals can be found in another field. Leading you to pursue a major you felt challenged by and has led to future professional endeavors. The biggest piece of advice I would give my high school self is to open your eyes to possibilities and take on new challenges. With out taking that first step and finding out what opportunities are out there high school self would have missed a lot of great experiences. One last very important piece of advice...stay away from the credit card sign-ups for free t-shirts. No college student needs that many over sized shirts.

I would have told myself not to worry so much. I was so scared that , coming from a small town, I was going to have a hard time making friends and coming out of my comfort zone. I picked a great college that really helped me feel like I fit in and I cant imagine being anywhere else. I wish I had not focused so much on everything being perfect and instead kept my thoughts on the now. Life is too short to worry about what is going to be going on years from now. If you make a bad decision, you work it out. If things are hard, you get help. You are never going to be alone and in the end it may not be like you originally planned it, but it will have been an experience regardless. You just have to make the best of it.

I would go back and tell myself to enjoy college because there's not many more chances you'll get to meet new people and have a good time. I would tell myself to focus hard on school, for it's the main reason you are in college. I would tell myself also to join as many clubs as I can. This will allow myself to meet more people and have plenty to do while at college. The last thing I would tell myself is to go to college with an open mind. You meet so many great people that it's hard to pick a "group." Follow your dreams and make the best of it!

Take a tour, ask questions, ask current students and alumni about their experiences, attend a lecture, and explore the surrounding area as well as the campus.

It is going to take time. You may go through three different schools before you find what you are looking for. Some campuses have a very diverse and exciting environment and others do not, you just have to know what you are looking for. Students when you get to college, do not be shy. Open up and meet new people, join in intermural sports or clubs. In the long run the people you meet will end up being your best friends. Also do not be afraid to take that trip with people you do not know very well. It weill be one of the best things you can experience. Parents do not make the desicion for your child, help guide them in their direction. You may think it is not right for them but they are old enough to know what they want. They will succeed and have fun while doing it.

Finding the right college for you is almost as difficult as finding the right typeface for a specific project for a graphic designer. There are so many choices, ones you feel connected to from previous experiences or projects and the ones that are brand new, and you've never seen before. When you find the right college college, you WILL know it's the right one. Like seeing the final images and text together when the project is finished. It will fit. It may take longer than you would expect, but it's worth looking though the whole database. Like any great graphic designer, you have a vision, why settle for less than what you expect or what you want?

The best advice that I could give to parents and students about finding the right college is to really do your research and visit a variety of colleges to see what one feels right for you. One thing that would have helped me a lot is if I would have took into account what I intended my major to be and what my career plans were going to be after college. If I could go back I would do more research to find out what college is the best for my major and what type of internships and activities or clubs they have to offer. Another thing I wish I would have done is to not let my high school friends influence me as much as they did in my college decision. One of the best parts of college is meeting new and different people. I found this was difficult to do when I went to a school with a bunch of my high school friends because I was less motivated to go out and make new friends.

Don't limit yourself. Explore all possiblities, even if you don't think you can afford them.

I would suggest to students to make sure they really research the schools they're thinking of attending. It's easy to find a few things that really stand out in a school and stick to those, but it's important to look into all your options. To make the most out of your college experience, make friends and a lot of them. A good support system is vital when going through the stress of college!

My advice is that when picking your college, consider all options, look at every factor in your decision, and if possible, take a look at the campus (either in person or through research online). Then, once you're there, make new friends, and take time to study and play... In other words, good luck and ENJOY!

visit all the campuses that you consider so you can get a feel for them and make the best choice.

Take tours and find one that fits with what you are looking for. Do not worry about taking out loans, do what you need to do in order to go to college. Have fun searching for the school to attend. Apply for scholarships well in advance. Fill our your applications early.

Make sure that you do enough research into all schools that are available that have a focus on what you are interested in and that it will be the right school for you. Don't just go to school near home because it's in your comfort zone. A lot of college students find it necessary to get out of their comfort zone in order to succeed in what they want to do in life. Don't be disouraged if one of your dream schools is out of reach financially; there are ALWAYS scholarships, grants, and loans to help you out. To make the most out of your college experience, find a school that has a diverse liberal education system. These classes can help you to make good friends that you might not have met in classes for your major. Join clubs or try activities that are interesting to you, and you can make lifelong friends that enjoy what you do. Whatever you end up doing, DON'T second guess yourself. If it comes down to it, just follow your heart and everything will turn out fine. Don't stress! Have fun!

Visit the colleges you are seriously considering. Try to stay a whole weekend if you can, so you can get a good feel of the community and the school.

The best advice that I can think of is to get away from home, get out on your own to a place that has an open environment because being on your own is an excellent experience. Make sure to go somewhere that is pretty good in the field you are interested in, and if you can get opinions of current students use them. Don't think about the cost of college, just go to the college that you think will help you the most.