University of Portland Top Questions

I would advise my high school self to apply to colleges that stand out and spark my interest. Visiting colleges before the application process allows you to prioritize your application and plenty of time to assess your options, depending on where you are accepted. Remember to bring your list if colleges with you on the day you take the SAT!! During campus visits, it's helpful to visualize yourself as a student living on that campus. The best way is to sit in on a class, talk to a professor and get to know some people! Definitely consider an overnight visit with a current host student. Find specific traits about each college that make it unique and that match your personality. In order to make comparisons, I would encourage taking pictures and jotting down a few notes. Some decisions factors to consider include college size, location/climate, residence halls, cost, majors offered, study abroad programs and the social scene. Don't be intimidated by the college transition and the weight of the decision. The choice is not permanent and you can always transfer if it's not the right fit. Stay true to yourself and follow your heart and intuition!

Although I feel like my senior year went really well, I know there are some things I would do differently knowing what I know now. If I were to go back and give myself advice, I would tell myself to not stress out so much! During senior year I was so worried about spending time with all my friends before we all parted ways, that I forgot about more important things, like family. I would tell myself to spend more time with my family, because I really do miss them being away at school. I would also tell myself to really take in the information that I am learning, rather than just earning points to get good grades. Often in high school I thought earning points was the most important thing, but that is definitely not the case in college. I would tell myself to prepare a but more for college and commit all the material to long term memory so that I can use that knowledge more in college. And lastly, I would tell myself to enjoy every moment, because you will truly never know what you'll miss until it's gone.

I would tell myself to study my physics more in high school. That was a class that I didn't suffer with too much during high school, but in college it was the class that was the hardest for me. I would also tell myself to study for my IB exams sooner than I did. The studying I did was fine to pass my exams, but I would have really liked to be able to have gotten a little better scores. I would also tell myself not to expect that you would become friends with your roommate and that you have to be open to be friends with people who are really truely different that the friends that you have prior to going to college, because college is really different, and you have to make the desicion how you want to go into it, whether you are going to be open to being friends with everyone or if you are going to be more specific and wind up losing out on some really great friends.

Be confident. Don?t worry if you choose a different college than your friends, you will be surprised at your ability to be independent and meet new people. Don?t stress if your significant other goes to a different college. Technology is a great tool and if you both want it to work, it will. Besides, it makes for one less distraction and it?ll be less awkward if you two break up. Don?t give yourself an ulcer over finances. If the school accepts you with a generous aid package and you do well, then they will continue to provide for you. Apply for as many scholarships as you can. Ask for the free money and you shall receive. If you don?t ask, then you won?t. Remember college is a balance of social and study time. Although the learning in college is usually associated with being in a classroom, much of your learning will happen out in the community. Your friends will become an invaluable support system. They will help you endure challenges and they have a place you can crash when your roommate?s antics drive you nuts. Study hard, play hard, and enjoy the experience.

Justin, stay true to who you are but accept the fact that you will be exposed to a great deal of change. College is something that will transform you, making you ready for the real world. A large, fraternity filled university may seem appealing now but realize that the success in the classroom is going to be the difference. If you love living with your family now, maybe selecting a school close by home will be the best fit. It is not a matter of what college can offer you, it is a matter of what you can make of college. You will be successful, it will take a great deal of work, but at the end of the day, your happiness is most important. Don't try to be someone who you aren't by simply attending a specific school. You are the only one who can determine your happiness and being who you are is the most rewarding. Financially, there is always help that is waiting for a student like you to ask for it. You can become anyone you want, even if you don't know now what that is. Make a change!

Be prepared! Freshmen year will be the most laid back year in college. There is always the phrase, "freshmen year is a transitional year, you can be more relaxed about it." But that is not to encourage you to take academics lightly, it is to say that you should definitely try your hardest to maintain grades so that it'll be a buffer for your future years at the university. With that said, it is also important to enjoy the experience of being a university-bound student! Good luck and I hope you the best!

I would tell myself to enjoy every moment. The beginning of college is a time of transition that will never be repeated, and should therefore be cherished. The people you meet may or not become lasting friends, but don't worry about making friends, because they will come withtime. In the first few weeks of school, you will begin to see the person you want to become. As everyone is making this transition, they are discovering who they want to be. That is why this is such an important time in one's life. Those who you meet will help you on this path of self-discovery. Not only will the people you meet be transformational in your life, but the classes you take will guide you in discovering what you want to do with your life after college. This is why people go to college, to get a job, but going to college is more than the means to an end. Going to college is a landmark of independence in one's life that should be cherished and remembered.

I would tell myself to make sure I've done all my research before deciding on a school. I would tell myself to look at every part of the University, not just the academics and dorms. Take time to see what the students do in their free time and whether I want to participate in those activities. Look at schools with sororities/fraternities and those without to see which enviroment I like better. I would also take time to learn about the alumni involvement and how much they contribute to the current students.

I would tell myself to relax and enjoy the last year of high school. Basque in the love and comfort of my parents home, food and company. Enjoy not working AND going to school AND doing my own shopping, laundry AND cleaning. I would tell myself to read more classics and study vocabulary. That I should not date highschool boys and just wait until college to date. "Self" I would say, " Don't be so hard on yourself, you are great just the way you are." Also when back in time I would mention the freshman fifteen might actually be more like twenty so get some exercise and get down to an ideal weight NOW. Mostly I would like to tell my high school senior self that I made it and I am doing great in college, and give myself a pat on the back!

If I could go back into time to when I was a high school senior, I would tell myself to follow my instincts, try my best, and know that in the end it will all work out. I would tell myself that even though it may seem like a long journey it is well worth it in the end. Through education anything is possible.