University of Phoenix-Online Campus Top Questions

What should every freshman at University of Phoenix-Online Campus know before they start?

Jamie

I would have been the biggest nerd and worked hard to bring my GPA up. I would have attended college before I had a family and adult responsibilites. I would have not worried about being a cool kid with lots of friends, but would have actually opened a book and studied. Currently I have a GPA of 3.89 in an MBA program, the difference is, I am older and wiser. I wish that I would have applied myself in school in all subjects, not just the one I liked. I would have not selected to go to travel agent school, to please my mother, I would have actually enrolled in a state college and completed my degrees prior to turning 30.

Yalanda

There is so much that I would tell myself, such as focus and make sure to do more than what is required to pass. I would also tell myself to pay attention to deadlines and do not procrastinate because when you start on assignments early you give yourself more time to produce your best work. Instead of taking regular classes I would have told myself to take all APA classes because it prepared you more for college than the regular classes did. While in high school I would have told myself to take some college course and prepare better for my ACT.

Daniel

Don't be afraid. It might have felt like you were alone in high school or that you couldn't find a superior to connect with to help you through your high school journey. This is a new world. The reality is every student here is striving for the same goal. A meaningful future. Your advisors and instructors encourage you to continue and surpass your challenges to see you succeed. Failure will only come if that is what you seek to achieve. It's a crazy roller coaster ride. It will have moments where you might think you will eventually hit the ground but the embracing of others will pick you right back up until the end. Sometimes you might have to take a sharp turn and change directions that might hurt but the goal will always be the same. Success. Don't be afraid to go on the ride. You're not going alone. You're not the only one who doesn't know how this will end. The ride is always worth it when you see it to the end. Just don't be afraid. Let go and ride.

Donna

If I could go back in time and talk to myself I would tell myself to follow my dreams. I was someone who never did homework and always "just got by" I would tell myself to focus and for this short time buckle down and study so that I could enjoy the rest of my life. I would push myself to create structure and stick to it. I would also try to stress that an education will help in all aspects of my life, personal and professional.

Jamel

I would tell my high school senior self that once you leave high school that real life begins. That you must stayed focused and keep your eye on the prize and not let anyone distract you from what you really want out of life. You are the only person who has the say so to determine what your future holds. When you get older all the partying, girls and fun will seem like best thing ever, but all of it is just one big distraction and can cost you if you don't stay focused. Don't let the words of others changeyou because once you let the outside world in then you will start to lose who you really ar and then come to the point where finding your original self will be hard. Your future self wishes that he has paid more attention in school and now is paying the price, but if I knew what I knew now back then, I wouldn't be int he place I am today looking for a way out.

Brittany

Sillly girl! Don't wait! Going to college was the best decision you made. Everything you thought was important, in high school, was not as important as furthering you education and creating a better life for yourself and your family. You are smart and have a bright future ahead of you, start your future now so you can enjoy the amazing feeling of beginging a new chapter in life!

mlanie

Time goes by very quickly, so when you think about the time you are spending in school, and feeling so impatient about how long it is taking to finish, don't quit. That time is going to pass by anway. Stick it out, finish. Quitting things becomes a habit very easily and as you get older and life becomes more complicated, the opportunities to return to school will grow smaller and smaller. Don't look at time as your enemy, finish school first so you can go out and set the world on fire. If you quit before you have the degree, your flame of success or career satisfaction may not have the chance to burn as brightly

Rachel

The best advice that I could give myself , was to make sure you know what you really want to do with your life, before you go for something. I began cosmetology school directly out of highschool, and although it was a tremendous learning experience, it was not a career that I was happy with. Another peice of advice that I would have to tell myself was that school and a career is much more important than partying. Unfortunately when I was younger , I was really only concerned with the party scene, and I would have to say that I slacked off. I finally went into realization, that I could not be living my life this way , and that is when I decided that I needed to go back to school, and do something with life, so I can make something out of myself.

John

First and foremost, forget about girls, popularity, partying, and getting in trouble. I would most definitely tell myself to stay focused on my grades. You can attain everything in life that you could ever wish for if you go to a great college and graduate from that college. Then you can worry about girsl later in life. Popularity really does not matter. You are better off if you become a book-worm and stay focused on school.

Anna

I would encourage myself to sit down and think about my future. I would ask myself, what am I good at? What would I enjoy doing? What would I want to do if I didn’t need to worry about money? What would I be proud to do in my life? Who would be proud of me? I would tell myself to plan out goals for my future. Plan how I will achieve those objectives in a step by step process. The thought process would include why I should begin college immediately or why I should wait to attend college. I would suggest listing the pros and cons and mapping out the outcome of each choice. I would make myself set expectations for my academic performance that would be realistic. I would suggest listing out my top priorities for my life. I would propose that I look at role models and the people who have influenced my life and to consider if I want to be like them when I am settled.

Jennifer

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, I would tell myself not to stop. I have been attending college on and off for about 10 years and have not completed my degree. My excuses were always, I needed to work more and receive a paycheck but in the long run, had I completed my degree I would have obtained a job that paid more than the dead end jobs that I've been working over the past 10 years. I see jobs now that I know I would be great at but I'm not qualified to apply because I do not have a degree. Also, my children are now older and the statistics show that if one parent graduates from college then it's likely that their offspring will attend college as well. My advice would be to myself to continue until I complete my degree no matter what.

Marcy

If I knew back in high school what I know now, I would have put off having a family and gone to college right out of high school. I have waited 25 years to go to college. So yes, I have a beautiful family with kids in college but I could be working a career with my Master's and supporting the family more financially. The disadvantage of waiting is that alot of curriculum has changed in that time so I am having to learn things all over again. Going to college right after high school is an advantage because things are still fresh in your mind. You also build the foundation to your life by getting a degree and then a good paying job. In today's economy it would have been easier raising 7 kids and I would have been able to give them more of what they wanted and needed. Why wait to go to college just to work a minimum wage job when you can go and be on the road to a great career with better pay and benefits. These may not sound important now in high school but later in life they are essential.

Amanda

Dear Amanda, you have come to the point in your life where you are looking at colleges and scholarships. You will need to think very carfefully about this decsion, as there are many exceptional colleges to chose from. Television portrays college as all fun and games, but that is not the case. College is rough and can get you stressed out. You need to buckle down and make sure you study for everything! Go to bed early and wake up ready to learn. Amanda, always have a postive attitude on new challenges. Challenges are what make your brain stronger and healthier. Stay active in the classroom and do NOT forget to turn in assignments, as this could cause bad grades and failure. You are not a failure, Amanda! Stay positive and achieve your dream of Social Work!! Sincerly, Your future self

Brenda

The advice I would give myself in my senior year is to apply for scholarships on time and to attend a physical campus. Also to tell myself that I am smart enough to attend a University and that I am capable of learning and getting good grades. Lastly, I would also tell myself that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.

Carl

I would tell myself to study harder. Life is hard and requires hard work to achieve goals. Nothing will just be handed to you. Push yourself and the rewards are endless. You will fail, you will fall. The key is to get back up and try again. Get back up and fight for what you need. This applies to all aspects of life, even college. You may think you did really well on an exam and receive a different result than expected. Don't let it consume you. Study harder and do better next time. College is like an extension of high school with more concentration on a focused set of skills. Enjoy it, create memories, and learn life lessons. You will only go as far as you push yourself so push hard. Above all, enjoy your life because you only have one. Being too serious will only serve you wrong.

AUGUSTINE

just be yourself do too much

Abigail

First and foremost, the advice I would give to my high school self would be to tear up the drop papers and go back to class. I would tell myself that although dropping out of high school seems like the best choice now, it will make continuing your education more difficult in the future. I would advise myself to seek out positive role models who can see my potential to succeed regardless of circumstance. People who will encourage a victor’s mentality opposed to a victims. I would tell myself that there is no barrier that cannot be overcome when you believe in yourself. Furthermore, knowing what I know now I would tell my high school self that transitioning from high school to college life is not as scary as it seems; there will be people to help you along the way. I would tell myself that it does not matter when others think you should go to college, or where; that is a decision you should be comfortable with making yourself. Perhaps most importantly, think for yourself and practice critical thinking as if it were your religion; you will use it more in college than you ever have before.

Nancy

I would listen to my teachers when they were advising me to pick an career while I was in my junior year because this will help me progress threw college. Make decisions that will future you in life because life have its times of twist and turns that will throw you off track. When this happen you need something to fall back on and when you get an idea of what direction you want to go while you in your junior year then that would be the one that you can fall back on when you get off track. High school courses give you the options to explore many avenues -math is require in many area include business, archirtech and teachers. Science- is another area that can go into many different fields so this is why high school is the best time to have a couple of careers pick out so you can study in those areas.

Cynthia

Hey Girl, No you are not losing your mind, this is future you here to tell you to "Wake up". You think you need a break from school and all the rules and restrictions. But trust and believe that is not realistic. Do not wait until half your life is over to get serious about your life and education. Start now!! Make a plan. You do not necessarily have to decide what you want to do with your life right now, but stay in school, get an education while you are deciding. The longer you wait the harder it gets. Life gets in the way and before it you will have a demanding husband and three children and you become invisible. Be smart, get a degree and stand up and be seen.

Hannah

I would tell my high school self to take some time off after graduating high school and travel first. I also would tell my younger self to stay focused, and open to more possibilities in careers than my younger self was dreaming about doing. Another important piece of advice my younger self could have used is to have self-confidence and know that the journey and goals are worth the road travelled.