University of Nevada-Reno Top Questions

Hello High school Eddy, how are you doing? Oh wait, dont answer that question I know how you are doing. Im sure you are excited to start college next year, well hear is some advice for you. First, make sure you pay extra close attention in American governement this year, you'll need to know a lot about it because you'll be changing your mind about politics after you take that class, since you'll be majoring in Political Science. Secondly, make sure that you apply for as many scholarships as possible, because college is really expensive and so is gas for that car you'll be getting after you graduate. Finally, pick up a book or two and start reading more often, because you will be reading over 30 books in the next 4 years so far. Thats all the advice I have for you, for right now the rest you will learn over time, when you start school. P.S. That girl you have the really big crush on in your choir class, do not ask her out, things will not end up well. Sincerely yours, Future Eddy

If I could go back in time to give myself advice to my high school senior self, I would persuade myself to try even harder to prepare myself for life at the university.The first thing in mind I would have told myself in the past was to do more extra-curricular activities. It makes it easier to apply to scholarships and colleges if I had joined a sport, club or done community service because it would convey favorable qualities and an outgoing personality, making me stand out from other applicants. I truly regret not getting a job as a teen. I would have advised myself to get a job as a senior so I could save up for any pre-college expenses, like application fees and for campus tours. As for tuition cost, I would have pushed my eighteen year-old self to organize and search all over cyberspace for scholarships I am eligible to apply as early as possible. This would have prevented any procrastination.If I had implemented the above, I would have been more prepared for the stresses of college entry.

Dear Andrew,

In 1988 there wasn't a lot of preplanning available for someone to go to school. Preparing for a higher education took time, a lot of phone calls, and trips to the campus to take care of business that is now available online, without an appointmnent, and for the most part 24 hours a day. Making that transition into college life in 1988 was quite shocking when it actually happened. All of a sudden a certain freedom existed that I wasn't all that ready for. I was ready for the education, but didn't realize the social aspect of college life would be so hard to navigate through. If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have taken more on campus tours, attended incoming Freshman functions, and talked to alumni about their transition to college life and what they did to successfully take that step. I feel if I had done that, I wouldn't be here at age 43 attempting to obtain my Master's Degree. At the same time, had I not taken this path, my educational aspirations in Social Work may not make sense.

In high school, I was the quintessential nerd. I spent my breaks and lunches in the library finishing homework. I read my textbooks for the fun of it. One could say that I was destined for a life of academia, of sipping coffee in a cafe while reading obscure poetry or feverishly writing down ideas for a new novel. I didn't need much guidance when it came to schooling back then. At some point during my adulthood, I lost awareness of my passion for thinking and literature. I thought I would be satisfied with my AA in Philosophy, and I settled down with a full time desk job, stuck behind a computer all day, crunching numbers and taking phone calls. I would tell my senior-year self to not forget about my dream. To not let that Ph.D. become some unattainable fantasy of my youth. To stay in school no matter what, even if it meant making less money in the meantime. Because in the end, money cannot replace the satisfaction of penning a story that will mean something to others, perhaps even help them in some small way. Remain dedicated to the art of learning.

If I could go back and give myself advice while still in highschool, it would be this: Do not heistate to seize any opportunities that present themself to you. Fear is a strong force, however the feeling of victory is more powerful than the feeling of fear. Act swiftly and intelligently to overcome any obsticle that stands in your way. Do whatever is in your power to find the path of success and never lose sight of your goals and dreams.

Dear Highschool Senior Self,In case a time machine is invented.The transition happened as a self-metamorphosis, shedding negative stigmas and poor grade burdens that held me back in highschool. College was where I could recreate myself and be who I truly was; there is no need to follow the "in-crowd", or worry about what they think. It's a time of immersion and expansion where I realized my potential and began my real journey. In college slacking off is the equivalent to giving up on yourself. The most powerful transition is choosing to go to class because you want to better yourself and not because you are forced by law. It is the feeling of freedom that allowed me to become excited about understanding the world more, and embracing who I am and who I want to become. So enjoy the transition into college and make new friends, but don't close the door on your old friends either. You will keep in touch with the ones that matter most, and the parts of you that are at your core. College is an opportunity for growth: personal and academic. Persevere despite adversity and embrace the moment!

Hey you. I know that you don’t feel like things are going to be alright, but I promise you they will. Mom doesn’t want you to go to UNR and you don’t know why, I still don’t know why, but don’t give up. Put your hand over your chest, you feel that? That is your heart, you withhold a purpose in this world. Don’t ever forget that, and don’t ever give up. Keep your head up, and keep up the good grades. That stuff is going to get you somewhere. Things are looking up in the future. You’ll get salutatorian and you’ll get accepted into college even though you have to apply late. Hey, since I’m giving you advice, don’t apply late, visit the university for your birthday, and apply then. That’s the deadline. Right now I don’t know if our dependency override for FAFSA is going to go through. If you get loans, you’re going to spend them on the good stuff. Books and tuition. There are magnificent people out there. It will be okay. Get good grades in college too, prove the doubtful wrong.

If I could go back in time and give myself advice as a high school senior I would tell myself to really pay attention in class and take thorough notes. I would also advise myself to make school a priority, as it should be, and not a social function. I would tell myself to actually read the textbooks and learn the material, not just show up to class and not pay attention. I feel like it would be important to tell myself to take time to talk and get to know the teachers as it will help me to understand what they are looking for from their students and also to help me succeed. Another importatnt tip I would give myself would be to not be afraid to ask the teacher for help or go in for extra help after class. Overall, my general advice would be to take it seriously and keep up with the workload.

Back in the high school days, I was a senior who was ecstatic to set off into the college world. Every day I told myself "one day closer until graduation" and that's when it hit me, "I'm not ready for college". After attending the University of Nevada, Reno for two years, I realized I should've taken more AP classes. With that said, I would've told myself to get my classes together and take on challenges. There were so many mistakes that should've been fixed from the start such as me putting play time over studying. Although my grades say otherwise, I considered myself as an overachiever by getting all my assignments done on time. In contrast to what I believed, I was not preparing myself for the future. I only thought about the present and that's where I am today. A student that is taking classes that could've been waived back in high school. "Why couldn't I just experience college for one year and head back to being a senior in high school"? Although my past was filled with regrets, I did learn how to prepare myself for after college.