University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Top Questions

My experience during college changed my perception and preconceived notions of our very society. Raised in a community awash in poverty both in economically and academically, and with but a few sources of inspiration from which to draw motivation and hope, my chance at any sort of upward social mobility was at best, doubtful. Going to college let me experience opportunities I would have never received in an low income, inner city environment. From taking courses in Japanese, to fencing, to working with some of the most brilliant minds in the field of psychology. I was challenged to think in ways that broadened my field of vision, and gave me an edge in the ever increasingly competitive job market. To put in simply, my outlook on life is much brighter.

In 2007 I attended Central State university for criminal justice and everything was going well. I went to class faithfully and did my work. Things started going down hill after a couple of months because i was so far away from home and i didnt know how to handle it. My grandfather started getting real sick back home and i wasnt there to be supportive. I started partying and slacking on my work. It is very inportant for me to go back to college because without a degree its very hard to manage in life and i also want somthing for me and my family to be proud of. Going back to college will open alot of doors and opportunities for me. I will be able to support me and my family, i will be able to become something in life, do the things i wanna do and, get the things that i need in life to manage.

I have only been going to this school for a coupole of weeks, but I can already see that I have become more independent, and responsible.

I attended a small Lutheran high school in South Dakota where everyone came from similar backgrounds and races, had similar experiences, and believed similar things. Coming to the U of M has been incredible for me because I finally have exposure to something new - everyone has such different stories and perspectives and experiences and interacting with them has impacted me in a huge way. I've gained an enormous respect too for all my professors - they are so passionate about their own areas of study and research and they all have experience in what they are teaching. Class discussions are lively and unpredictable, there's always something going on around campus, and I've grown as an individual through all the new situations and challenges I've found myself in throughout my college experience so far. I'm confident that I'm getting an amazing education and that I'll be more than prepared for whatever I choose to do in life, and I would never go anywhere else.

I am an older student returning to college to complete a four-year degree in Political Science. I have developed my self-confidence and have discovered that I can be tremendously focused and dedicated. I have really enjoyed my collegiate experience and I have made a number of friends from different occupations, ages, and backgrounds. I have enjoyed helping younger working students understand their work place 401(k) plan, from my years working as a retirement plan administrator, and I have enjoyed tutoring older students in regards to computer technology, writing, and math. My courses have been valuable in expanding my knowledge base, my horizons, and my abilities to absorb and synthesize information. My professors have been wonderful and I have enjoyed being challenged and inspired by them. I hope to finish my degree work in Political Science and then pursue a Master's in Education so that I may teach at the government, history, or social studies at the high school level.

Out of my college experience the thing I have gotten out fo it that has proven to be most valuable is that it's ok to make a mistake, and that it's perfectly fine to ask for help. Sometime you can get intimidated at college because it seems that everyone is smarter than you, but often that's not true. Asking for help from classmates, professors and teaching assistants is very helpful! I would always recommend it. If you don't understand something, always ask. Chances are there are at least two other people with the exact same question. Many times people seem smarter because they aren't afraid to say what they think - even fi the answer is wrong. That's how they learn...from their mistakes.

My college experience has made me a responsible, hard working, and mature adult. I have paid for my own tuition since I was a freshman, which has taught me the value of a dollar and how to maintain a budget. This helped me become responsible not only with my finances but also taught me how to bring a healthy balance to my life through harmonizing class assignments, work, family and friends. Learning to bring balance to my life has also made me a hard working individual. Being hard working helped me during my undergraduate classes while I became more independent by scheduling my classes and completing ungraded assignments and readings in order to further my knowledge. This has helped me succeed in my post undergraduate job, with a promotional offer due to my hard work ethic after only six months, as well as helped me accomplish my Physical Therapy Doctorate degree dreams. Completing a graduate application is very time consuming and takes an independent, driven individual to fill it out to ones best ability. Without a doubt I would not be the same person I am today if it was not for my experiences at The University of Minnesota.

There have been so many things i've gotten out of my college experience, and I'm only half-way through. It's the best experience of my life thanks to my friends and classmates, my professors, and my family. My family has pushed me forward and made sure I didn't hold back while attending college as it would be the best time of my life, and they were right. Be it the school football games, the snowball fights in the winter, playing frisbee down by the mississippi river, or simply walking through campus on a summer day and seeing one of the most beautiful and active cities in Minnesota. I've never regretted my choice to attend the University of Minnesota, and I can almost guarantee I never will. I'm certain that this highly regarded University will prepare me more than enough for my future career and goals.

I have learned a lot of different things from different people. Life is about getting out of the comfort box that you're born with, it's about getting to know people that normally you won't talk to. If you stay in that box, and forever do the same things day after day, week after week, year after year, you'll never change anything about yourself let alone the world. Without going to college, I won't have known this. Attending college allow people to get to discover who them truly are. It helps them grow into the people that they will be for the rest of their lives.

The college experience has really allowed me to grow as a person. In high school, I was a very shy, soft-spoken person. I've always known who I was and what I wanted, but wasn't always able to express that. Going to college and taking classes that I was really excited and passionate about, as well as meeting new people that challenge me and inspire me has helped me to become more outwardly confident and comfortable with who I am. Going from a semi-small suburb to a big city campus gave me the push I needed to become more independent and self-reliant, and allowed me to discover how strong I can be. I feel if I had chosen a different school, one that wasn't as challenging or intimidating, then I wouldn't have had that push and drive to become my own person. College is a great time in a persons' life where they not only learn new things, but they meet life long friends, can develop their own person, and start the path to the rest of their life.