University of Phoenix-Online Campus Top Questions

Go to college right after high school. Do not wait until you are married with a child.

I did not attend college exactly following high school. I became a member of the army, worked on several jobs and so on. However, I became ill (about) three years ago. I was diagnosed with toxoplasmosis, and I have recently had a stroke. Although I knew that I could not work (due to this disability), I did not let my condition affect my educational goals. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would definitely tell myself to attend college exactly following high school.

Stay on track and don't waste time with things that will be hurtful to your education in the future. My job in the future depends on what I do now. Get that degree and make getting it your number one priority.

I would advise myself to focus on my education for the next four or more years and let that become my primary focus in life. It is difficult enough in life to find a nice job that you enjoy while having a two year degree let alone not having any sort of degree. So, I would inform myself of the difficulty of the real world and provide myself with the knowledge that the best way to make a living and provide for your family is to receive an education and use that education to obtain a good job.

My advice to a high school senior would be to plan ahead. Too many high schools let students slip through the cracks when it comes time to think about college. Senior year is not the time to slack off. Senior year is the time where students should be perfecting the knowledge they gained from high school. It is important to practice writing skills and math skills because having these skills perfected makes the transition to college a little easier and presents students with an opportunity to be able to earn better grades.

Do not stress over college work. The material is not very difficult if you manage your time correctly. The students that have trouble in college are the ones that have poor work ethic and poor time management skills. Construct efficient course schedules, and do not procrastinate on assignments and good grades will not be hard to recieve. Another thing that helps in college is talking to professors. Many professors do not care about the students. This may be due to large class sizes, lack of time, or other reasons. However, talking to professors during their office hours can help you find out how you are doing in the class and what you need to do more of. Also, many professors have said that if a grade is borderline, they may bump up an B+ to an A-, for example, if they know the student, or if they see that the student cares about their grade. So basically the three things that make college hard are poor time management, not communicating with professors and laziness, which are the things that separates the A students from the C students, or so I have seen in my year and a half at college.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would tell myself to take my high school grades more seriously. I would always do just enough to get by, when in reality if I tried my hardest, I could’ve easily graduated with high honors. I would also explain that moving out after graduation is a much bigger struggle than I imagined, I have to work three jobs in order to make ends meet. Furthermore, I would tell myself to be more serious about looking at colleges and what appeals to me. When I was in high school I didn’t tour a single college, rather just stuck with the ones close to home. I feel like I missed out on an opportunity to see new places and meet new people. The last thing I would tell myself is to not take drama so seriously in high school. The day you are handed your diploma will be the last day you’ll ever have to see many of those people. Stay strong until then and pursue your dreams of becoming a nurse and helping others.

As a young adult, freshly out of high school, it is difficult to imagine what life will be like ten, fifteen, or even twenty years down the road. I know that parties and your social life seem to take precedence over completing your school work, and I understand that you can never get these days back. Just know that once you are a mother, raising children of your own, you won't be able to get those days back, either. Memories made with your children are far more impactful on a personal and generational level. Consider this as you choose to set school aside to hang out with your friends. Will it be worth it when one day you have to set your kids aside to make up for the schooling you didn't give your all the first time around?

As a 30 year old college student, the first thing I would tell myself is not to wait. Waiting only leads to low-paying, unrewarding jobs. I would say take the time now for school and become an adult with a fulfilling career that provides a good lifestyle rather than living paycheck to paycheck. I would tell myself to choose a career based on what I like and also on its future potential. I would make sure that I know that college is hard work and very expensive. I would say focus on the work and study hard. College is the equivalent to delayed gratification: Although it may seem like a long time it will be worth it in the end. College provides growth as a person, new and useful skills, and the opportunity to meet other educated individuals. So buckle down and plan for the future because the present is but a fleeting moment in which we can create the future benefits of our actions now.

Go to college, obtain a degree when you are young. It will be difficul to attend college when you have started a family and are working full time. Use your time wisely in school by studying, joining clubs and donating your time to communities and worthwhile causes. Get your financial documents in order and obtain help from a parent or school counselor. Make sure you understand how financial aid works and research all college options. Take advantage of study sessions for the SAT's and ACT's. make sure you take each exam at least twice so that you improve upon your scores. Work a part-time job so that you can pay for the tests and submissions to colleges. Use the Common Application and apply for as many scholarships as you can through family, friends and organizations/businesses that you frequent. Pursue more than a degree, pursue a purpose.