University of St Thomas-Saint Paul Top Questions

The summer after my senior year, I was stressing out about college. Trying to juggle my job and spending time with family and friends before moving away, I was more focused on that move-in date and missed out on a lot because I was not mentally present. I would tell myself to enjoy the summer before college, and not to stress out because “everything will turn out fine in the end; if it is not fine, it is not the end.” I wish I would have been less worried, and more excited. I also would tell myself to spend less money on the supposed “dorm room essentials.” I could have easily made do with what I had – there was no reason I needed new bedding when I already had some. Now, as a college student, I am very frugal and strict on my spending. I realize the full value of a dollar!

DO NOT procrastinate! Be prepared ahead of time so you wont be completely lost. Also, do not start college late because you dont know what you want to do! Just apply as an undecided student and take time to figure it out, plus all colleges have a ton of counselors to help you out with your decision. If you take time off, your just gonna get off track. College life in my opinion is much better than college. Theres a big diversity in everything from age and race to majors and classes. If your ready to learn and better yourself, than your ready for college. Its up to you if you wanna take the next step to the rest of your life. Trus me when i say you wont regret it.

When looking for a college make sure you look at many different colleges and find the perfect fit for you. It takes time but your time will be wasted if you don't enjoy where you are at. The most important thing I learned in high school is grades don't seem to matter until they start making you money. In other words, getting good grades and being involved in a diverse amount of activities will earn you money in scholarships when you graduate.

As a high school senior, I was already enrolled full-time at North Hennepin Community College for the Post-Secondary Education Opportunity program. If I was allowed to go back in time one and a half years ago, I would tell myself to actually study--that college isn't going to be an easy A like high school was. I learned this pretty quick; overall, I am pleased with the outcome of my senior year at NHCC, but I know I could have done better. I would also give myself the advice to make time for my friends; working part-time, having a boyfriend, and not attending the same high school as my friends anymore led to me drifting away from having my normal social life. In addition, I know that I could have organized my available free-time more efficiently: something I have learned from being in college for four semesters now. All in all, I am satisfied with how everything turned out.

In the world we live in today, simply having a high school diploma is not sufficient to maximize one’s contribution to society. Attending college is important to me because I will be the first child out of five children and the second person in my family to hold an undergraduate degree. This will bring a lot of pride and joy to my family, and ultimately, great joy to me. Additionally, an undergraduate degree is essential to the achievement of my career goal to become a medical doctor. My education at the University of St. Thomas has equipped me with the tools, skills, and knowledge I need to excel in medical school and beyond as a primary care physician. Along with focusing on academics, over the course of the past three years at the University of St. Thomas, I have had the opportunity to serve as a student leader and participate in many clubs and organizations, such as the Pre-Health Professions Club and the Undergraduate Student Government. I have gained exceptional leadership and team-building skills that have greatly prepared me to efficiently carry out my duties as a health professional with integrity, authority, dignity, respect, and compassion.

The most valuable thing that I've learned so far has been that this is an environment where I can totally be myself. In high school, we're constantly being scruitanized by our peers because I think at that age we look to each other for ideas about what it means to be successful. Now that I'm in college, I've learned that few of the metrics for greatness that we used in high school--things like good looks and popularity--apply in a meaningful way. Suddenly we need to do things like declare majors and choose jobs and because of this, we're all forced to look inward and come up with our own ideas about what it means to have a great life. I think the criteria we choose for that seldom match up with the peer pressures we felt when we were younger. Once it dawns on us that we can really be self-determining and we shrug off the weight of our old obligations, there's this rush of excitement and potential that we grant ourselves, and we really feel strong and free. To me, this is the quintessential college experience.

I remember my first time coming home since moving into my dorm room. Corn fields lined the highway, and my hometown of West Concord, Minnesota: population 836 was visible in the distance. I could not believe how much I had missed the local gas station, the familiar streets, and two block long Main Street. As a small town girl, part of me will always embrace seeing the friendly face of someone I know anyway I turned, and the summers spent as a lifeguard knowing almost every child and family that came swimming by name. To go from crumbling brick-fronted buildings to skyscrapers in St. Paul and a population of 836 to nearly 300,000 was a vast change. But, it was a change that has proved to be worthwhile. College has opened so many doors and presented new opportunities to me. I have met new people, ridden public transportation in the "big city," and gained independence in almost every way possible. I cannot begin to explain how valuable this is to me. I have new experiences I would not trade for anything, but I have recently come to the realization that there really is no place like home.

I have learned that there is much more to learn that can never be learned in a classroom. There is a feeling of independence that only college can give you. It makes you more aware of the world around you and it is invaluable to anybody that seeks to be a better citizen. It gives you a feeling of responsibility to your immediate surroundings.

I have gotten many things out of my college experience. One of the biggest things that I have gotten out of this experience is a greater sense of independence. I live away from home, so I have learned to deal with many problems as they arise without the help from mom and dad. Also, living an hour away from home and not having a car, I can't run away from my problems so I have learned to settle them. This has been very valuable to me because I will not always have others to rely on, so this independence will help me greatly. Additionally, I have found a deeper devotion to my faith. The struggles that I have experienced with homework, friends, and roommates have lead me to rely more on my faith to get me through these struggles. This has helped me to discover who I truly am. This has been valuable because my faith will help me as I go through the struggles of life. Overall, the sense of independence and deeper devotion to faith that I have gotten out of my education will both greatly help me in my future.

My college experience has been amazing. As a kid, my family struggled with an array of disadvantages ranging from domestic violence to extreme poverty, therefore, I had never envisioned my self going to college, let alone attending such a prestigious university like The University of St. Thomas. In the past ten years, I have attempted to earn my degree at five different schools and it has been a very long road of maturity and self-discovery. In the first three schools I only lasted a semester in each. It wasn't until I applied to go to a local community college where I decided I was ready for this. I attended this particular community college for three years, part time and earned a cumulative GPA of 3.94. I then transferred to the University of St. Thomas where I just finished my first semester with a 4.0 GPA, which earned me a spot on the Dean's List. Everyday I walk to class on their beautiful campus, I remind myself of how lucky I am to even have the opportunity to attend this school. Next May I will be the first person in my family to graduate from college.