University of San Francisco Top Questions

Attending a two-year community college was a great decision. Not only did it allow me to switch from a highschool mindset into a college one, but it also gave me an opportunity to think about what path I want to take as a career. It gave me the opportunity to focus, as well as gain valuable friends that I will take with me throughout life experiences. Attending college gave me the opportunity to grow as an individual, learn about others, and experience a vast amount of culture that I would not have experienced otherwise. Moreover, now that I am transferring to a four-year university, I will take this experiences with me and be able to make new memories and learn new lessons as I grow as an individual.

Out of my college experience while attending the University of San Francisco, I learned that having a solid studying habit is crucial. Also, the ability to have self control, knowing when to say no and knowing what your priorities is very important. During my first semester at USF I did not have good studying habits which did not help me recieve good grades on my midterms, but with perserverance and hardwork I learned to realize that it is possible to get passed those hard classes. It has been valuable attending the University of San Francisco because entering I had a passion to become a Veterinarian, however I decided to take a Physiology course with the help of the Dean Advisor who took the hold off for me, and with taking this course I realized that my calling was in the Nursing field and USF has an extremly good program, but also very competitive. With hard work and determination, as learned through my first semester at USF I know I will get accepted into the nursing program.

I am a first generation college student from a Latino background. My name is Eliana Aguayo born from immigrant workers. As a student enrolled at the University of San Francisco, I am proud to say that my college experience has been satisfied. I would like to continue with higher education, but I am unable to afford it. When I first began my studies as a Pre-Med student at USF I joined numerous clubs on campus and extracurricular activities. My first year at USF was full of excitement, friends, good grades and an overall satisfaction. I have valued my university because of what it has to offer: small classrooms, student resources, safety and recreational activities. Unfortunately, I have searched for value in USF because of the tuition price of $50,000.00 a year. Although, I have enjoyed searching for activities at USF I hesitate to do anything less of excellent because of the tuition price. In my search to find the value of a $50,000.00 a year university I have succeeded. Once I become an Alumni of USF I plan to give back to the students who have faced a similar experience to mine.

I have learned what it means to be independant. Coming from a household with five other siblings has taught me getting through life is tough. It wasnt easy for my mother to make ends meet all the time and when it came to college and paying for it she wasnt able to do anything financially but she made up for it with the amount of support she was willing to give me. She always said "if you want something done, you have to do it yourself" and that was what really stuck with me. If I wanted to go to college, and get through it I had to be willing to put in the effort and time that would help me not only get there, but stay there. It hasnt been easy to learn how to support myself, without the help of my family always a room away, but it has taught me to value not only my family, but myself as well. I know I will achieve my goals if I work hard enough to get there.

In high school, attending classes was mandatory, but the effort was not. I would advise anybody who wishes to go onto college to prepare for rigorous composition classes. This means taking an honors or Advanced Placement english class in the junior and/or senior year. I unfortunately did not challenge myself in taking such courses because of my fear of the workload. I now realize that I would have been more prepared for my college english class. It is essential to develop strong skills in written communication as early as possible. Fortunately, I am currently doing well in my class, but I still would like to have taken an AP course in english.

I would tell myself to be open to trying new things and meeting new people, yet to maintain my priorities. Keeping in touch with family and friends is very important, and staying in touch with my roots will give me support. Also, schoolwork and health are the highest priorities. I would strongly encourage myself to open myself to other people, to be cautious of who I socialize and interact with regularly, yet to allow for others who I find special to get close. IUsing my resources and keeping an open mind for the tools and help provided to me by the campus and surrounding area would increase my chances of success.

The first piece of advice I would give myself would actually come from the words of my grandmother. I would imagine her with her Panamanian accent saying, " Just try everything, you have to try". Not until going through the process of applying and completing a semester in college have I realized how much that really means. I would tell myself to no matter how much I didn't want to, apply to places I would never consider becuase those have potential to be the best fitting. I would also tell myself that the summer before college will probably be the best ever becuase it is the last time to truly be close to everyone you love and I would live it to its fullest and do all the local things I would miss. Finally, I would tell myself that it will probably be the hardest thing I will ever do, but not to be afraid becuase by taking it each day at a time I would be okay.

I know you're just dying to get out of the house and out into the world. And with good reason too, college is amazing. It's every bit as amazing as you thought it would be . You get to be on your own, responsible for your own behavior, without your parents telling you what to do. You aren't accountable to anyone. But guess what? You have the rest of your life to be all of those things. And once you leave home, you take an undeniable leap into adulthood. And that's the beginning of the end of your adolescent life. So savor it. I know the prosect of leaving high school is delightful to you, but you won't ever get that same youthful energy back. Relish in the close-knit classes, even though now your classmates make you roll your eyes. In short, don't be too much of a rush to get to college. It's great, but so is high school. Remember that. Cherish all of these memories because believe me, you'll miss them.

This is your last year! Make the best of it. Choose your friends wisely and stick with that group. Don't dwell on past mistakes, memories, regrets, because you can only move forward. When applying for college, please don't apply to anything but USF and SFSU, because you'll save more money, money you'll need in the future to buy books. Nursing is definitely your thing, so it's a terrific decision that will change your life! You're going to love the USF campus and transition quickly, so don't worry about anything. Live a carefree summer, but remember to buy your books earlier so you don't end up hunting for them last minute. Don't worry about your USF essay either; it's the perfect essay that the Admissions Board will love. You might want to study for the SAT harder if you want the scholarship though. I know you can do it if you study. Spend less time on facebook, because you'll live without facebook for a month. I know, because I've tried. Pray. Spend your time praying so God can guide you in your big and small decisions!

Be financially aware of the city/town where the educational institution that you want to attend is located. Vigourously look into the spirit and social climate of the college. Prepare yourself for the many different types of people you will most definately meet and embrace the diversity and different cultures that your fellow classmates will introduce you to. Embrace the opportunities to be yourself in a way that you might not of been able to in high school.