University of Portland Top Questions

First off I would have told myself to take the ACT a few more times to try to get a better grade. Then I would have taken some different classes, and worked a little harder. I would tell myself to apply for more scholarships because even though you may have gotten a sports scholarship, you could use any other money for books or room and board. I would have told myself to take advantage of college visits. I would have looked into classes that I would need to take for college. I'd tell myself to buckle down and be a better student instead of just an average student.

Appreciate your time in high school and your friends you have there. You might think nothing will change once you all go to different schools, but chance are it will. Never again will you have the oppurtunity to make those connections to your friends and their families. Appreciate your own family and what they have done for you, you will miss them. Try your best, but don't stress out,by the time you are in college nothing in high school will matter anymore. However, don't let what you do in high school limit your future oppurtunities, you'll regret it. Be ready for changes but don't expect to become a whole new person in college. Try your best to keep in touch with all the people you love. And make sure you choose your college based on whats best for you, not on where your friends or boyfriend or girlfriend are going, or where you siblings or parents went.

Start looking into colleges that are of interest to you right away. Don't let majors or student population be the deciding factors in your choice. Choose colleges that allows for experimentation and exploration because ultimately you don't know what you want to do for the rest of your life. Also apply for as many scholarships as you can. The school's physical database helps but also look on the internet too. Before making your final decision, talk to everyone you can who are or have completed college for insight into the college experience. When you actually do make your college decision, consider all your options slowly and wisely. Maintain enthusiam by staying academically and socially alert. Explore immensely with your newfound freedom. Be studious in your courses, and if you have the time, delve deeper into them to make new discoveries and/or to strengthen your knowledge of your classes.

Read about college as much as you can. Have an open mind and get involved

get out there and make more friends! Also don't be afraid to go to the office, the sooner you get office hours the better! And focus! School is hard but you can do it if you just work harder.

The two things that I have learned to be most valuable in college, is first to focus on your studies. This is ultimately the reason why you are at college in the first place. Creating good study habits, and having commitment and dedication to your learning will benefit you in the long run. College provides plenty of distractions, and opportunities to detract you from your learning. You need to keep in mind that you are there to learn and to better yourself as an individual, putting the effort in that is needed will only bring success. Second is to get involved. College offers so many opportunities to do great things, from student government, to student clubs, and sports. Don't sit back and be idol, jump in and get involved. It will lead you to meet new and wonderful people as well as provide you with a much needed study break. Many of the friends you make outside of the classroom, are the ones that you will become closest with in your time there. Involvment is also a great way to create those lasting memories and stories that you will reminisce about for years to come.

I felt unbelievable pressure to find the "perfect" fit. A similar concept applies to the search for colleges as for soul mates: there are millions of colleges around the world just as there are billions of people. To say there is only one person out there for each individual is arguably too simple a statement. With similar perspective, there isn’t a single school that’s right for me. Certain characteristics narrowed my list of schools, from region to academic programs, but I wish I’d known I could carve out my niche and find happiness at many schools! Just as I wanted to find my dream school, I wanted to create my dream group of friends. To those who say the shallow dramas of high school never end, I havn't experienced such in college! Friendships are developed at a deeper level, and students actually have the power to create the life they want. I choose the people I want to be in my life and the activities I want to compose my days. Once these decisions are untangled, the transition I spent months attempting to envision, praying it wouldn’t be too overwhelming or difficult, culminates with ease.

If I could go back in time to my senior year, I would warn myself of the prices of textbooks and that I should put away more money in the bank. This past semester I was fortunate and only had to spend a few hundred dollars on textbooks, however this coming semester I was shocked to find that my books would cost me over $700, and that almost half of this cost was due to being forced to purchase several new (rather than used) textbooks due to online pins that were included in them. Because of this, when my Christmas break was to be a relaxing and rewarding time with my family after grueling over finals, I've spent it struggling to find money for books any means necessary (i.e. selling possessions, finding work, donating plasma, etc.). I found this to be incredibly insulting that professors could be so inconsiderate as to overlook that students already pay thousands yearly in tuition then expect them to pay hundreds of dollars for books that will only be good for one semester and won't even be sellable in the bookstore because the pin the book was purchased for was already used.

When I look back, I was a prisoner of studying, sentenced forever to study to get good grades. I was chained to my desk by invisible shackles as I would study for up to twelve hours a day and get little sleep. As time went on, I saw less and less of my once great friends, and the time I did spend with them seemed like I was a different person who was exhausted, agitated, and depressed. However, I have yet to describe the worst part. The worst part is that I chose to be a prisoner. I could have stopped studying, but I chose to become this lifeless person that I do not recognize. I bet you’re wondering who this pathetic person is, well sorry to break the news, but it is the future you in college. To avoid the mistakes I have made I give you this advice; don’t let college control your life or you will have a dull life and no one to share it with. Instead, learn from your mistakes and don’t run away from them like I have until now, and most importantly, just enjoy college.

College is a time to meet new people. And no matter how scary that seems you should remember that you’re not the only one who doesn’t know a soul. Everyone is anonymous, and that is great, because now you can be whoever you want to be. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. In order to get to know people, try joining clubs and participating in school activities. It’s a great way to get your name out there and maybe even find something you didn’t know you liked.Following your first few weeks in college it will seem like you have a lot of free time. Professors rarely assign busy work, but don’t let that fool you. STUDY! No matter how well you did high school, realize that this work is going to be held to a higher standard. Mostly importantly, remember to have fun. There are no rules now, but don’t go off the deep end with your newfound freedoms. College is a wonderful experience, and just so long as you go into it with the right attitude and a certain level of maturity, you’ll be fine.