University of Nevada-Reno Top Questions

College is the future of tomorrow. If you are looking to have a great career and a good paying job college is the first thing after high school that should be completed before anything else. You need to take advantage of all the money out there to go to school and help to develop your education. If I knew what I know now about scholarships and grants I would have taken all my options to go to school with a minimum school bill. I made the mistake of not taking advantage of what is out there to help me go to college. I have worked full-time since I graduated high school thinking it would help me create a future, but the only thing it has done is help with some expenses not a solid future for me. An education will give you a solid future when you are able to decide what and who you want to be. I always knew what I wanted to do but held myself back. You aren’t going to get anywhere by holding yourself back or being partly into something. It is all about focus and determination.

If I were to go back and speak to my high school self, I would let myself know that there was no pressure to declare a major or figure out exactly what I would be doing for 4 years. I would tell myself to take more 101 courses and not worry so much about finishing a degree program. I would tell myself to take advantage of all the clubs and organizations on campus and make sure to be active in everything campus life has to offer. Lastly, I would tell myself to study abroad for a full year rather than just a semester. It adds so much to your life experience when you live in a different country and learn a different language for a full year. You actually have the opportunity to get used to everything and really enjoy it before you have to leave.

In high school, I took my academics very seriously. In fact, I graduated with top 10 status and a weighted GPA of 4.9. While I would not go back and tell myself to not try so hard, I do feel that high school is a time for young adults to enjoy being a kid before their college years. I cannot tell you how many times I declined offers to get ice cream and see movies because I wanted to study for next week's history exam. If I could go back and give myself some advice, I would tell myself to relax a little--that high school is a time of self-discovery and fun. I would encourage myself to continue getting As, but to also recognize the possibilities that life in high school has to offer. I would recommend joining clubs and extra-curriculars because those are just as important as good grades, and they are fun too. And really, the relationships and memories people have from high school may not translate onto a transcript, but they will last a lifetime, and that is really what life is about.

My senior year was my favorite year of high school. The first thing I would have told myself is stop wishing for summer. The school year is going to fly by and you will miss your teachers-well the good ones, and your friends. The biggest lesson I have learned from transitioning into college is independence. I didn't know what independence was until I got to college. In high school everyone has lunch at the same time and everyone's classes are the same amount of time, also school gets out at the same time-2:30. This all changes in college, 2:30 no longer means anything to me. The other advice I would give myself is not to expect that I will figure out my life in high school. My senior year I set myself for an internship with a doctor, became one of 3 student athletic trainers and took AP Government. I thought I would find what I wanted to do for the rest of my life in high school. I didn't. In high school I wanted to eventually wanted to go to medical school, now in college I want to go to law school.

I would tell myself to stop trying to control every aspect around me. Life will throw you curveballs and obstacles will be put in your way. You can't let little deviations from your "masterplan" ruin your outlook on life. You need to stay focused; don't let this newly found freedom, boys, or friends sway you from what you want. You know how to study, you are prepared, but you can't trust as easily. Less than advice about the academics of college, I would give myself advice about life. This is no longer going to be a little safe bubble where you know most of the people that you pass in the halls, or the safe haven where your teachers know you by name: this is real life. Real, unprotected, adult life. I would remind myself that this is a chance to reinvent myself; no predetermined stereotypes will follow me as I walk across campus. I will be nameless and I will be faceless unless I choose to change that. To put myself out there, to remember why I was there, and to never be ashamed to say no. That is what I would tell myself to remember.

Investigate! Learn now and don not be satisfied with seemingly adequate performance. Counsel with friends who have been to college and learn all you can about the college you are enrolling in. Take the ACT until you have a score that is representative of your cognitive abilities. Showcase your talents and be an example to the community. Challenge yourself always and never be happy with just getting by. There is not strong enough emphasis placed on college at the high school level. The brevity of the choice you make at eighteen years old is not properly portrayed to new freshman. Upon my graduation, I felt that all I had to do was simply attend college and life would hand me its coat-tails. My flawed logic caused me to select an approach to college life deprived of proactivity. Life hands you nothing. You must seize opportunities. As a highschool graduate you must push through the veil of false reality that is layed upon you. It seems as though there are two versions of higher education. The first being an education that is handed to you unchallenged and void of certainty. The second is the education you create for yourself.

To past self, You were focus and determined to graduate dspite the road blocks that came your way. I am proud of you for making it this far and not following in your peers footsteps of drugs, gangs, and laziness. You set an accomplishment to be proud of and I am very proud of you. I would like to say though, get on your work earlier for the subjects are your least favorite especially communicate with your teachers and arrange one on one time to sit down and ask for help when needed. I encouraged you and stand by you when you need an extra hand or advice. Senior year was the time to take it easy and relax, but you switch gears and kick butt this year getting yourself from point A to point B and like i said before I am proud you didnt give up and you can set anything you set your mind too.

I would instruct myself to take my senior year more seriously. Some would say that a high school seniors responsibilities are to simply have fun and enjoy their last year at home. I would say that it is important to research colleges, and research the vast opportunities for a higher education, as well as getting the financial help to do well in college. I would stress to myself how important preparation and independance are. Lastly, I would advise myself to take a few summer classes in advance so that I could become more adjusted and comfortable with University of Nevada, Reno.

First off, go to College when you are ready, not when everyone else tells you. This will let you figure out what you really want out of your educational goals. If you go to school with out a focus you can get lost might not get the most for your money. Getting a higher education is worth every penny, so get the most out of it. Then make sure you pick a school that fits you. You will be tempted to go where your friends are going or you like the night life there. These things you will have at any school, I promise. Pick a school that specializes in your area of study. It might be a smaller school, but it will really help you after school is over. Finally, enjoy your time in college. This might be the best time of your life.

For starters, your high school counselor doesn't know anything and you're better off just planning your degree by yourself. Secondly, your college counsellor doesn't know anything, so you're better off just planning your major by yourself. But keep up the good work! The fact that you'll have completed your associate degree in science by the time you graduate high school really helps you focus on your interests later on in your academic career, allowing you to bypass the unforgivable amount of core curriculum other students have to take. Oh, and back to your snake of an advisor, she's not telling you that you don't have to take that ridiculous introductory biology class because you're a biochemistry minor and that you've already taken a class which is a viable substitute. Oh, and start planning to run for the student Senate now. You're going to make a dashing Speaker and your Senatorship is going to bring respect to your name. But, lastly, don't spend your time dating that jerk from California. He's going to cheat on you and you'll get a D in genetics.

After less than one semester of college, I now know that it is tough finding a job. If I could go back to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to apply everywhere, and find a job before college. The worst feeling a young man can have is knowing that his parents still provide for him, knowing that he is draining their bank account. Sure I am going to college for less than $1000 out of pocket per year, but it leaves me with no spending money, it leaves me asking my parents for their credit card to go get gas in my car. I wish I found a job while in high school. I wish I had a source of income before college, so I could pay for all of my own expenses. That is what I would tell myself. I would say "get a job now, you don't want to be having to ask mom and dad for money every single week."

If I were to talk to my high school-senior self, I would tell her that she should really think about where she wants to be when she gets out of college. I spent a lot of time figureing out what I wanted to do with my life, and it really would have been nice to have something in mind and to just go with it. I would also tell her that if she planned on switching from the local community college to the state university, she should talk to the university councilors right off of the bat, because the councelors could help her make a plan and keep her on track to graduate. Finally, I would also tell her that looking for scholarships is more important that you would think, because financial aid doesn't last forever.

I would tell myself that i should look up and apply for scholarships in order to help pay for school.

Apply for as many scholarships as possible!

If I was able to go back in time to my high school self with the knowledge that I know now about college I would tell my self to try harder in school and apply for as many scholarships as possible. I did not take my sophmore year as serious as I should have; which led to a lower accumlative GPA than I wanted. I did not know then that a high accumlative GPA would help so much until I began looking at colleges and scholarships. I did not apply for as many scholarships my junior and senior year because I was oblivious to the price tag it costs to go to college. I know the mistakes I had made in high school and I am focused enough to do and be the best in college.

Enjoy the experience and work hard like I did.

My advice would be to take everything in. Don't try to do too much at one time, because being a college freshman is a one time thing. This is one of the most exciting times in your life. It is the first time where you are out on your own and your parents no longer know what you are doing and where you are. It is fun to meet new people so try to meet as many as you can. The dorms are a very different environment and are a must for at least one year. It is one experience you must have as a college freshman. Go to one of each kind of sporting event at least once so you can say you experience it. And most importantly, have fun!

Don't be afraid. I know you think there's nothing worth existing for and for a few years after highschool, there really isn't. But you can change that. Stop trying to make yourself into something you aren't. Stop trying to be an engineer, stop working jobs that are terrible and stop making yourself miserable by not persuing art. You know what? Who cares if it's not "profitable" or if your parents don't really get it? You are a lot more talented than you think. You're not /great/. Barely even good. But you're getting better everyday. You're trying. And you're happy when you create something. There's something so right about being covered in pastel dust or spending your late nights/early mornings slapping paint onto a canvas. You should be happy and art makes you happy, so you know what? Just do it. From the start, don't screw around for three years and make yourself sick with worry and nuerosis. Pick up that pencil and draw, goddamn it. And don't you dare put it down. You'll thank me later.

If I were to advise and younger and more naive me, I would definitely tell myself that the semester goes by extremely fast and tests mean everything in college. Tests are a big deal in high school, however, in college they are often the only aspect that makes up your grade and doing well on them is essential. I also would advise myself that these tests come upon you very quickly and that you cannot afford to "ease into" the semester and your classes; you must start studying and pound the material right away. I was alwasy a strait A student in high school and graduated with a 4.3 GPA so I clearly already had good study habits. Upon entering college I was dumb struck with the significance of tests in college and wish I would have been better prepared for the first few I took. If I had known this information I would have prevented myself from having to try to save my grade as the semester progressed.

In my past, I made judgment errors that caused me to not be serious enough about applying for scholarships. I was only concerned with activities in high school instead of concentrating on applying for scholarships. Because of this neglect, I had to enroll in a community college. I never had the pleasure of experiencing my first year in a university as a freshman. Therefore, I would propose to my past self to fully concentrate on getting into a university. I would tell him to never be afraid to apply for as much scholarships as he want and to turn to his family for help in a financial crisis. I would remind him that receiving scholarships will help start the building of solid foundation when he enrolls and begins college and that scholarships will allow him to gather the tools needed to be successful in becoming a piano player. I would also remind him of his past and all that he will go through in the future if he doesn't alter my future. Therefore, he should get into gear and do what he needs to do to pay for college and start his journey towards impacting others through his music.