University of Saint Mary Top Questions

Young Dustin, Do not worry about your GPA, it does not matter. Community college is the way to go especially if you transfere to a University afterwards. Pay attention in class but don't worry about getting that super high GPA so you can go to college. You can still go to college just through a community college first. Also, think about a skill set, a college degree in a field that does not develope a skill is pretty much useless. Try for a B.S. it is your best option. True, a B.S. is a much harder degree to earn but it is worth it in the long run. If the B.S. is to much to handel don't be afraid to take a semester or two off and work, you'll develope a better since of what you want to do then. I know school is hard but it will get easier with age, you will be able to handel complex issues just give it time. Everything will be okay. -Future Dustin

The advice I would give myself is don't wait. Start working on your degree right after high school ends. It is alot harder to take classes while working fulltime and raising a family.

So many times looking back we think, "man, if I only had it to do over again!" What person hasn't made mistakes, right? If I could talk to myself as a highschool senior, my advice would be twofold - to look and to listen. I would encourage myself to look at what those who have gone before me had accomplished - and how they have accomplished it. There's no reason to reinvent the wheel! Other people have shown us what we need to do in order to be successful, and if we simply follow in their footsteps and avoid their mistakes, then we won't have to learn things the hard way. The second thing that I would tell myself is to listen. I know it's hard to accept advice, especially when you're young and think that you have everything figured out already, but, believe it or not, those who have already been through this process of choosing a school and a career path just might have some of the answers that you're looking for. So, bite your tongue; humble your mind; open your eyes; listen and take advantage of the wisdom that others have to offer.

I would tell myself as a high school senior to not slack off as much. I would emphasize the fact that school only gets harder and it takes more of an independent effort to make sure all of my homework and papers are done and turned in on time. I would try and learn better study habits so i could've been better prepared for the tasks ahead of me. Instead of getting lazy towards the end of high school i would have told myself to stay sharp and still focus because it would of just helped me in the long run. As far as choosing a school and applying for colleges I should have started earlier and really taken the time out to really research and think about what school was best for me.

Hey Kat. I know this may be a little weird for you to talk to me but I want to tell you something. Back in high school, when I was in your shoes, I did not think it was important to look for scholarships. I thought I was going to have help with school from mom and dad. Then right before I graduated they told me they could not help me with school. I struggled finding any type of scholarship I could find. I was lucky enough to have found Saint Mary, but I want you to start looking for scholarships. I want you start looking as soon as you start your senior year. The more you apply the less loans you're going to have. I want you to do well in school. You're a smart girl. I want you to be prepared for college. The more prepared the less you're going to have to work through college. Being a full time student plus having a full time job is hard. I just want you to enjoy college. Not have to work all the way through it like I have too. You'll do great, I promise.

If I could go back in time I would have told my self to study a lot harder for the ACT test so I could have gone straight to the College I wanted instead of going to a community college. I would tell myself that I need to make sure I take time every night to study hard for classes because college classes are a lot harder then high school classes. The last thing I would tell my self is to take the time and search for tons of scholarships and to apply for all of them because college does cost a lot especially if you are paying for it yourself and not getting any help.

The most important advice i would give to myself as a highschool senior would be to get out of that shell you created. Being social is a huge part of college life, especially when living in dorms. Allowing yourself to be social allows for a connection to your community and can also help you connect with other people that may be in the same field of education as you. Knowing upperclassmen can help you through your first year of school. They have been through their freshman experiences and can help you succeed with yours. Overall just be more social and allow other people into your life.

I would have told myself to really learn up about how college works. I would have focused on my high school opportunity for credits that could have benefitted me in college. I knew nothing about these things when going into college. Although I remember this point being stressed to me in high school, I would have taken a different approach in explaining to high school seniors the importance of time management. When in college your days are much different than in high school and you have to learn to focus your energy into specific time and places. It's super important to understand the differences between high school and college life. Finally, I would told myself to explore different things and take a wide variety of classes so that I could be confident in what I wanted to do later in life!

The transition from high school to college is a major jump, and for myself and many other people around me no matter how much people try to tell you how difficult it is you will never know until you are put into the situation. Moving onto college is something you have to figure out yourself once you get there, you have to find yourself all over again. Most students go to school from grade school to high school with the same people, and it's a big change to face when going into college. Although it may be tough it possible even for the shyest person, from my own experience I can vouge for this. With this students may make the decisions to go to schools with their friends, and I do not recommend this. There are points in out lives when things need to be changed and one of those periods in time are called "college." It's also a time to find out about ourselves from a professional aspect, and how we are going to grow forth for the rest of our lives. It will not be an easy decision, but what decisions are?

If I could go back to High School, the advice I would give myself would be, pay attention in class and get the most out of it because now you are paying for classes and as easy as blowing it off or not paying attention is, youre the one paying for your education now. Also, I would take more college classes because it is a lot cheaper, easier, and it gets you ahead. Finally, I would start searching for colleges a lot sooner and know that the one I decided was really the one because I am okay with my college now but I believe I'd happier somewhere else. I have transferred and the whole process is long, cost money, and could potentially put you behind and it is just not necessary. I am way more grown up than I was so hopefully I would be more mature of my decisions, in all honesty, I am the one in debt down nobody else.