University of Missouri-Columbia Top Questions

Life is a journey, don't take it for granted! Enjoy every minute of it, but don't waste time thinking about the future...make the future happen. Don't be so quick to leave mom and dad you have no idea the wealth of knowledge they posess, and believe me they want to help you..they live for it. Be outgoing, take every opportunity you can get and use it to your advantage, you may never get it again. As cliche as it sounds, the truth is, school is so much easier when your young. The best advice I can give you Nicole is to finish school, and give it all you've got!

If I could go back and tell my high school self anything it would be to start looking for scholarships earlier. Also I would have taken classes that counted for dual enrolment, which is both high school and college credit. By doing this my financial situation would not look as bleak as it does. Also I would have done more research about other schools that have my field as an undergraduate program. I would have also told myself to come up to the school and speak with a financial advisor to see if there was more money available that I could possibly apply for. Most of the things I would have told myself have to do with the financial aspect of school, because this school is not cheap. And i really want to earn a degree from here.

Seek out scholarships. They're out there, but not easily available. Do better with your grades, because most scholarships are based on merit. Don't expect it to be a breeze like High School was. Just because you could easily ace classes without opening a book there does not mean that college will be the same way. You will have to study. You will have to work hard. But it will all be worth it because you will find out who you are and what your passions in life are. Chase after those things... not money alone.

If I could go back and give myself advice, I'd tell myself that scholarships are actually very important and not something to slack on. I would explain that good grades in high school are also very important to receiving more scholarships. I'd point out that I can't make friends in college by hiding behind my computer, and getting involved with activities on campus is actually pretty fun. I was a very stubborn person in high school and I didn't let my parents' push for good grades and scholarships get to me, but I regret it now. The only person that could get to me was me, so if I could go back and tell myself about the importance of trying for money-saving programs and getting involved, things would definitely be different now.

If I could go back and give advice to myself as a high school senior, I would say loosen up and have more fun. I was homeschooled since Junior High, and I really pushed myself myself in my senior year in high school. I wish I could have relaxed more. I had good grades, and I took the hard classes, so there was no reason to stress, but I did. Working hard and always doing my best has always been number one to me, but my senior year I stressed it was not enough. Worrying and over stressing myself did not accomplish anything, and I realize now that I should have enjoyed my last year of high school more. I am in my second semester in college now and I am still working hard and always doing my best, but I have learned to not stress over it and I do even better.

Take education serious. Get a mentor to follow you in college to be sure you succeed. It is never too late to finish college. It has teaken me 16 years to get it together . But I made it.

I would tell myself to work on studying even when i don't need to. Knowing how to study and when is the most important key to college success. Teachers will NOT tell you.

I feel like as a senior I was pretty well prepared for college, but I would have also told myself to be less nervous. I was very nervous because I was moving 400 miles away to a completely different state and culture (I'm originally from Chicago), and I was incredibly nervous about finding new friends. I have great friends back home, and I was nervous no one would like me in Missouri. I ended up making a group of friends within the first two weeks, and they remain my closest friends at school to this day. I would also tell myself to bring less stuff to college, because my dorm was incredibly full last year (and still is!). I would also tell myself that getting residency isn't horrible. While I didn't have a normal fun summer, I was able to work, have my own apartment for a few months, take classes, and gain Missouri residency, which lowered my tuition greatly. I was so depressed about having to spend my summer away from home, but I ended up going home more than I thought, and it wasn't nearly as terrible as I thought either.

Take as many dual credit classes as you can. It can take away a lot of stress off of graduating. It is also better for the money. When they say it is cheaper, they aren't kidding. I wish I would've taken the dual credit classes serious. I would also try to find my method of studying. Even though my classes were easy my senior year, I could have taken that time to try different things so I could prepare myself for what was to happen in college. I also wish I would have taken an advantage of the scholarship oppurtunities because it is more expensive then I thought it would be. My college experience would have been a lot easier my freshman year if I would have took my senior year seriously.

There are a couple of things I would advise myself to do before I actually went to college. To start off, I would give the advice to create good study habits early. If study habits are poorly developed, though it might slide in high school, it will not be sufficient in the strive to be successful at a University level. I would advise myself or even other high school seniors to work hard and create techniques for good studying. Another piece of advice I would give is to get involved. Whether it is with Greek life, work, major related groups or even church, all are great ways to connect with others, grow in leadership skills as well as preparation for a promising future.