University of St Thomas-Saint Paul Top Questions

I would advise against taking a break from school especially if you are going to seek employment until you go back to school. My reason being that outside influences and the ability to make some sort of money especially if you are from a low income household may make earning a degree at that particular stage in your life meaningless. However, since no job is a guarantee and this present economy can attest to that, it is better in the long run to have a degree when you find yourself looking for employment again than to not have it. I would tell myself that earning a degree takes finances and time management; therefore, start searching out and applying for scholarships during your junior year of high school to eliminate as much burden as possible on both yourself and family. Lastly, ask for help! If you are not sure, there is always someone willing and capable of helping you decide on a career path e.g. guidance counselors, principals and/or church clergy.

Just get yourself out there and try to know as many people as you can. Stay stong to your beliefs and don't let others around you change that. Get school work done earlier in the week so the weekends you can relax and have fun doing other activites around campus.

I would tell myself not to worry. I didn't get accepted at the school I wanted to go to, so I chose St. Thomas only because it was my "back up" school. I was so sad and disappointed at the time, but I now realize that I was supposed to be at St. Thomas all along. I worried for so long about coming here, and about having to settle for my second choice. But being here has opened up a world of opportunities for me. I would also tell myself planning. I had planned so long where I wanted to go to school, what I wanted to major in, and where I would want to work. But it wasn't until I stopped trying so hard that everything fell into place on it's own. Careful preparation is important, but if you make too many plans you might overlook many amazing opportunities.

To decorate my room more. Be in more clubs and organizations. Get a job off campus and not waste my time applying on campus. Be more outgoing with the people on my floor and less attached to high school friends.

First of all, keep working hard, I promise it pays off. And those scholarships you think are a pain to apply for, APPLY ANYWAY. Seriously, you're going to need them. Besides all that, don't worry so much about where you're going to end up. When you go visit St. Thomas, you'll have no doubt in mind that it's where you want to be. I know you're really excited to get out of the house, but try to stay humble for awhile. Appreciate that you get to see Mom every day and Dad is making you dinner every night. You'll miss Keith too. He's just your little twerp brother right now, but you're going to wish you could see him starting high school. Turns out he does pretty well even without you there, and you're going to be more proud of him than you ever have before when you see what he accomplishes. Here's the most important thing, listen up. Make every effort to break out of that shell, and experience as much as you can. St. Thomas has SO much to offer you, you just have to find it.

Enjoy high school because once you graduate, time goes by way too quickly. Don't be afraid to do things and meet people and make mistakes. College is not going to be perfect so don't have that expectation. You don't have to be friends with everyone. Being friends with just a few people is ok as long as they are true friends. Major in something that you like, not something that will make you a lot of money. Learn because it will make you a well-rounded person and not just to get through classes. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, but learn from them.

The advice I would give myself is to research careers that you would like to do so you know exactly what major would best suit you. I would also tell myself to make sure to be organized and very school oriented when coming to college as the curiculum is much harder than at high school. Also to stay open minded as you end up learning alot about the world and humanity.

I would tell myself to take the most advanced classes possible and work as hard as I could at everything I did. I would've also gotten as involved in everything as much as I could and relaxed with my friends more.

Save your money. Sacrifice some of the going out to eat nights and just save your money. College is so incredibly expensive. Even books are expensive, and it is really inconvenient to have to take out a loan to buy books. Not to mention, every amount you take out you have to eventually pay back. Also, apply for scholarships. Yes, they are extremely time consuming and seem to not always pay off, but literally every little bit helps. Finally, I would say, talk to your financial aid officer early. I was stressed about the entire college process because nobody in my family has really gone through that before, but the financial aid officers are there to help you learn about how this whole financing your education thing works.

Pick your college for your own reasons and know that nothing is written in stone so relax. The less you procrastinate the easier it will be and the less time it will take in the long run. Teachers are on your side, really. And they like to get to know their students and help you if you are willing to take the first step and ask for it. Get involved right from the begining. Live on campus atleast your first two years. Say Hi to people, it's a good icebreaker. An education is not about memorizing terms for the test it is about understanding the concepts at hand, if you understand it and can explain it then it will stick with you longer and be more helpful later in life.