University of San Francisco Top Questions

Really think about the location in which college you want to attend. Think if you want to be in a college town, a city, close to a beach, or cold weather. Also, think about the size of college you want to attend. I thought I want to attend a large school but after attending a small school I realized I could never handle a large school. Also, really evaluate how much money you are willing to spend on tuition. Make sure you can pay for the school before you fall in love with it, or just know you will have to take out loans or apply for scholarships.

If i could go back in time and give myself some advice it would have to be to take time for myself and not to over think everything. I should work fewer hours and study a little more often, living on campus instead of an hour off campus would have helped a great deal. To not overload myself with trying to get ahead and just enjoy being a senior.

The one thing that I would want to tell myself is just breathe, going to college is not the end of the world. All of those years stressing about grades and classes is not worth is. College life is a change, but it is not the shock that anyone might expect. Make sure that you put time and careful consideration into what colleges you are looking at. There are thousands out there for you to choose from so you have to be aware of what you are looking for specifically, not what anyone else is looking for you to do. College is your decision, and you get to decide in the end where you want to be. So just relax and take a breath, in the end you will be where you were ment to be, and glad you chose the campus you did.

In April of my senior year in high school my mother suffered a stroke that left her disabled and unemployed. I immediately stepped up as the adult figure; not only my younger brother, but for my mother as well. At the time of my mother's stroke I worked for Champs Sports as a part-time sales associate. I lived my life pay check to pay check paying for my car payments and phone bill. I never really invested in saving my money because I always had my mom to pay for things and I knew that since she was receiving disability checks I was still going to be taken care of when I went to college--I was wrong. If there is anything I learned from my first semester in college it's that I have to learn to support myself; mom can no longer do that for me. So if I could give myself any advice as a senior in high school it would be to put away money in my savings for a rainy day. If I had done that I probably wouldn't have to have the two jobs I have now just to get by.

As a college freshman I know that there are many lessons for me to learn in the next four years. I was a high school senior no less than a year ago, but the thoughts that I had back then about college are still fresh in my mind. I remember being nervous and not knowing what to expect. What I have learned from my first semester here at USF is that change happens for the better. I would tell myself that you've gone through transitions before, and this particular one is no different. Swallow in everything that happens to you and just go at your own pace but keep in mind that fear has no measure to your self-worth.

The advice that I would give is that I should view college as a new chapter in a good book. In order to find out how the story ends. I must be able to turn chapters no matter how sweet or bitter they are, much like in my life. High school, although it came with unforgettable moments and lessons, it is nothing more than a part of a story that is needed to lead up the climax and finale of my life. I should not desperately cling to my high school ways and habits and expect them to lead me to my ending, but I should rather look back on them and use them to let me know how the next chapter is going to get better. In other words, what I am trying say is that I should use my years in high school as a tool to show me how I should improve my academic life. I should take every experience, negative or positive, and learn from them to make my future brighter and to adjust to my college career.

As college begins, you think you have to immediately find clubs and other school activities to join in order to provide proof that you are a well-rounded person. You might believe that participating in these school activities and undergoing sorority and/or fraternity trials will help you blend in with people who "know" what they're doing. That's not how beginning college life is about. I'm not saying to refrain from participating in school activities. Participate in them and see which one you're most comfortable with. The one that makes you feel like they're your second family is the one you want to stick with. As you begin to discover who you can trust and rely on as family, it'll become easier to transition into your of college life. However, don't expect to immediately find your comfortable zone. It takes time and much effort but if you're willing to do it, you will be able to find it. Also, it is important to remember to be who you are and not what others want you to be. Follow your ambitions with determination, resolve, passion, and clear eyes.

An advice I would give high school seniors is give everything you?re complete one hundred percent. College only gets harder. High school was the stepping stone to get into college. When you take the easy way out in high school, such as copy a friend?s homework, cheat on a test, or sleep through a class, you?re only hurting yourself. Also, learn how to manage your time right now. Even though in college you could get pick your own schedule, you have to learn how to manage your time. Between classes, you should study and do homework. In college, when you don?t give your one hundred percent, professors can easily tell. The last advice is to take any opportunity that comes your way. Don?t let the ?what ifs? hold you down. If you have an opportunity that is once in a life time, seize it. College is a learning experience with its ups and downs. It will be the best four years of your life and will mold you to be a better person.

Talking to the Senior me, I would have reminded her that all people change when they go to college. It is important to cherish the time one has a senior because college brings many more different opportunities. When friends go separate ways, they will meet different obstacles and events that shape their being. Recognizing this change and that it is completely normal is one of the hardest things I have faced in my transition to college. I made many new friends in college and remain close to my high school friends, but we have all changed in different ways. If I could go back to senior year, I would have cherished my time with my friends more and accepted each other for who we really are. It is important to remember that even if somebody does change their attitudes and/or beliefs in college, at one time, their friendship meant the world to you.

Univeristy offers the gift of knowledge, take the time to explore your interests and stick with it no matter how distracting life outside of school gets.