University of Phoenix-Online Campus Top Questions

The advice I would give myself would be to go straight to college after highschool and do not wait! By waiting you get lax and comfortable and your mindset changes after time. I am a 54-year-old woman and a sophmore in college. I made the mistake of waiting, and waiting, and waiting.....I love these online classes because they work with my family life and work schedule really well. In a nutshell, GO DIRECTLY TO COLLEGE - - DO NOT STOP - - DO NOT WAIT! COLLEGE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT not only for financial benefits but self-preservation as well.

I would have allowed myself some time off before I jumped right into school because I feel I would have been able to give myself more time to realize and job shadow the things I wanted to do as a career.

Knowing what I know now about college and the effects it has on families due to time consumption, I would tell my high school self to enroll in college immediately after high school. I would tell myself it is 100 times harder to raise children, take care of a household, work full time, and go to school full time later on. It is much easier to get it over with straight out of high school when your educational knowledge is still fresh in your mind, you don’t have your own household and bills to deal with, you don't have children to nurture and raise, or many other responsibilities adults do. I would tell myself having a job right after high school and thinking that is what you will do forever so you don’t need more education is not a good choice. I would say listen to your parents and teachers when they tell you to do it now. They can’t all be wrong!

If I could go back in time and speak with the then seventeen year old child I once was. I would do my best to convince her that an education is the absolute only way to fulfill her dreams. I would tell her how hard it is to juggle two children, a full time job and a full time course load, while keeping your GPA up to a 3.55. I would tell myself to take my time and enjoy being young will little responsiblities. I would stress to myself that even though I think I know what is right for me now, the truth is that is only imagined, and it wouldnt be long before the reality of life comes crashing down on her.

If I could go back to my high school self I would tell myself to research colleges better. I chose my first college to make my father happy, but in the end I hated the college, struggled endlessly with the classes, and had a horrible first semester. I had to drop out because of health issues and I wasn't prepared to get back into school immediately. Its been three years and I am just now getting back into school. I'm terrified because I know I'm going to be working harder than most to get my degree- but I am determined to get it to make my son proud. If I had chosen the right school to begin with, my life would have probably worked out more smoothly. However, I have learned from my past and know that even with the mistakes and choices I've made, my life will work out- it just would have been easier to be done with school by now and in my career making my family proud.

If I could go back in time to speak to myself as a high school senior, I would have a lot to say. I took a rigorous course of study in high school. When I graduated, I was extremely burned out. My first piece of advice to myself would be to take a year off, get some employment experience, and wind down before plunging into the new. Secondly, I'd tell myself to go straight to Community College before thinking about University. Community College offers the same quality of education that University does but at a much lower cost and in an environment that is transitionary between the strict structure of high school and the multitude of temptations at University. One of the biggest challenges I've had is learning to manage my time and ignore the distraction of community activities. Friends are important, but G.P.A. comes first. Lastly, I would tell my senior self to look into taking CLEP examinations. As a first generation college student, I'd not heard of them back then. I eventually did CLEP English Composition I and II, but I could have done much more if I'd known about CLEP sooner.

Goodness. If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would probably make myself change my outfit and wash my hair. As far as college advice goes, I would definitely tell myself to file for dependency for financial aid purposes. I was not eligible for the PELL Grant because my mom made too much money and it didn't matter that I am paying for college. Other than that, I would tell myself to take advantage of this opportunity. College is a wonderful learning experience filled with so many people who have been so many different places, and it is amazing to open your eyes and learn from them. I think the first year or so of school, I didn't realize how the other students were the people I was learning from most. I would tell myself not to worry what others think, to study hard, and try my best.

As a high school senior and prior to being a high school senior, I did not take my grades seriously, or my Grade Point Average (GPA). I now know that it is crucial to get through high school with a higher GPA and also make it through college with a higher GPA to make sure you have a better chance of getting that dream job that you have wanted your whole life. After returning to college again at the age of 19, I decided I was going to take it seriously. I now have a 3.5 GPA and I plan to raise it even more.

I would tell mysle fot never give up, and don't let yourself fall behind on school work.

If I was a high school senior I would tell myself that college is very important, and shouldn't be taken as a joke. Not going to college could keep me from learning new skills that will help me be successful. Going to college is a major benefit when it comes to getting a good job. People with higher degrees often have higher paying jobs.