University of Utah Top Questions

I would have looked more into colleges junior and senior year instead of waiting until the last minute. I would also have told myself to apply to other schools outside of my comfort zone because by going out of state I was able to grow up and find myself without being around all my friends from high school. I would also have looked more into scholarships and finincal aid before the last minute and not having as much as I expected. I would also tell myself to be open minded about looking at and choosing a school and all of the oppertunites during orrientation and when you get there.

The best advice I could ever give to you, my former self, would be to write everything down! Now, I'm not talking just notes in class, but usernames, passwords, scholarships, websites, and important dates. All of these things are crucial to being able to get the financial aid for the future years to come. If you remember all the due dates for your fafsa or cal grant and keep up on checking your email, then you might be in better shape than you are today. You'll save yourself the stress and disappointment from your expectant family members who just expect you to do everything on your own. As long as you do these things and keep up your hard work and determination in each of your classes, I'm sure you'll be able to go exactly where you want to in a shorter amount of time than of me, your future self. Good luck to you.

Hey Sakia i just wanted to give you some tips and advice about making the transition from high school to college. Of course your high school diploma is a major part of the transition. You need to know that now its time to get serious. There is not going to be anyone there to make you go to your classes, thats going to be your decision. You may feel lost at first but you will get through it. make sure that all of your tuition and books are paid for. Its also very important to have your priorities inorder, know the new tv show is not more important then missing class. Its your job to study on your own. Do your best to pass all classes. I know you can do it. Your a very smart girl, Good Luck!

When you first enter into college, begin with no expectations. Every individual college experience is entirely unique. Just let whatever happens happen. The best part of being independent is when you are able to go with the flow, even when there are rapids. My first semester I expected making friends quickly simply because I was living in the dorms, as it happened for me I didn’t end up making friends until I moved out of the dorms. That was a total reality check. The best times you will ever have is in the moment that you least expect it, and more often than not they happen when you make random life choices because you are willing to try something new!

Get started now, work hard, and don't procrastinate! There will be tons of time to enjoy the world, do what you need to now to make sure that you can.

As a high school senior, I was disinterested in school and unsure about what I wanted to do with my life. Although I was not excited about college, I applied because I didn’t know what else to do. After my first semester, the school placed me on academic warning for receiving a 1.7 GPA. I hardly ever went to class, and this was a fair representation of the lack of effort I had put in. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself that it’s okay to be unsure about the future, but feelings of fear, anxiety, and confusion are no excuse to check out of school. Too many times outside factors similar to these prevent students from reaching their full academic potential. As a prospective teacher, I hope to instill the perseverance and self esteem in my students that I lacked my senior year of high school. I have come to conclude that education is an invaluable asset in today’s society. It empowers individuals to think, to question, and to pursue goals. I wish I had understood this my senior year of highschool, but am happy to now share it with others.

Angelyn:You’re 18 years old and have your whole life ahead of you. Your family will always be there, so don't be afraid to apply to schools away from home and actually go to one of them. Yes, you will miss them and they will miss you but it will be better for you in the long run. Learn how to be a little bit selfish for a change. Do what you want instead of what others prefer you to do. Don’t fall in love so fast. Focus on your grades and yes, going to class and doing homework is more important than making that party. There will always be another party, event, or concert to attend. Prepare yourself to, Angelyn; college is nothing like high school. Makeup work doesn’t exist nor does excuses, but studying is something you need to learn how to embrace…fast. Last minute studying won’t get you anything but a failing grade. If your high school adviser is not helpful ask the principal what to do about money for college. Loans are ok if that’s the only way to make college happen. With all that said… Good luck!

i would tell my highschool self to apply to as many schoalrships as possible, and to do it early because its a pain to find scholarships s o late in the year.

Take more college courses while in high school so you the cost is much less and you start after high school with an associate's degree. Take more community college general credits that will be accepted by a major univeristy so you pay less for general classes you don't really want to take. Then go to a major university to finish your majoy and get your degree but paying less. You'll save money and get a degree from a respected university. Start in high school to save money and time later.

I would tell myself to apply for scholarships as soon as possible because it is a pain to put it off and then later relizing you've missed all the deadlines, and it is very frustrating and depressing to think of a way how to pay for college when you don't have a scholarship.

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I would tell myself to apply for scholarships and not just rely on financial aid loans and grants. That way you won’t have had to work a full time job while attending school full time so you can concentrate more on your grades. I would also tell myself to have more fun my senior year. It’s my last year of absolute freedom without financial responsibilities. And I would have stayed my senior year summer to enjoy it to the fullest being with friends and family. I have the rest of my life to be independent and live on my own. I would also tell myself to keep in touch more with my high school friends. That way you have a touch more of home since my family moves around a lot. I would also say to myself to get in a healthy eating habit and exercise regime. It is easier to maintain than with an extended routine than when in college eating whatever you want like junk food. Junk food is just good in moderation you don’t need to go overboard. And last but not least continue to be yourself and have fun discovering the world.

Dear Chris, You have some awesome goals and very doable aspirations. Keep up the positive attitude and stay determined! Don't sweat the small stuff like an A- on a test instead of an A. Enjoy your high school experience as much as possible. It's not all about grades and where you get into college, your social life and memories matter too. A word of advice: be more confident in yourself. You are much more capable and talented than you give yourself credit for. Ask the cute girl in your second period class on a date...she might just say, "yes." Get out there and make more memories...you won't regret it. Apply to a few more college than you are planning on. Give yourself options and don't be let down if you are rejected. Colleges don't just look at your GPA...don't panic. Taking Kelsie to the Prom is one of the best decisions of your life. You'll marry her in a couple years and she'll be your biggest fan! P.S. The 90's, bleach-tipped, spiky hair and red parachute pants didn't help with your image buddy! Sincerely, Chris

If I could go back in time and talk to myself in high school I was say, "take your time." This may sound contradictory to the American philosophy, but knowing what I know now, I believe in taking my time. I believe that 18 is way too young to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life, and way too young to understand the momentousness of higher education. If only I had understood that making two decisions (where to attend college and what to major in) was not just a fun thing all my friends were doing, but was two decions that would affect every other decision I made for the next decade. When I was 18, I majored in art and I enjoyed every minute of painting and sculpting, but did I plan a future with art? No. Now, I am 28 years old and have realized who I really am. I am back in school training to become an Occupational Therapy Assistant. I don't regret my initial decision; I think my art background will actually be beneficial with OT, but I do wish that somebody had told me, "take your time."

I am a Junior academically and am a transfer student to the University of Utah. I would have told myself to go immediately up to the University of Utah and not transfer. I would have told myself to immediately get involved in the campus life and not wait until the last years of my college experience to get involved. I would have told myself to get a dorm and live on campus. I am still living at home and feel like that has limited my experiences as far as college life goes. It is nice to save the money and not worry about paying for rent, but the social opportunities and friends I could have made up on campus was not worth the money saved.

I would tell myself not to freak out. Some major changes are about to happen, but they are GOOD. You can still keep in touch with your high school friends, and although college classes are sometimes tough, the rewards for working hard and keeping up on the classwork are great. There is so much knowledge to be attained and so many great people out there just waiting for you to meet them. So many great things lie ahead of you! Be excited! Living on your own is a great learning experience, and living on campus is a unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You may have some issues with roommates but learning to deal with problems like an adult is all a part of the college experience. Don't be afraid to ask questions and talk to people, and don't freak out when things don't turn out the way you planned. Everything that happens brings you one step closer to your goals. Grab life by the horns!!

I would give the advice that I gave to our eleven children, which is: Follow your passion for learning/discovering. Be disciplined, honorable, diligent in all you choose to do. Stay true to yourself, family, and friends! Be a leader for the things that you believe are true, desirable, and worthy of your efforts. I would give them a copy of "IF" by Rudyard Kipling and paraphrase President Theodore Roosevelt's speech: "In the battle of life it is not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out where the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of the deed could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is in the arena. Whose face is marred by blood and sweat. Who knows the great efforts, the deep feelings. Who strives valiantly, and falls short again and again. Because there is no effort without failure. Who, in the end, if he succeeds, knows the triumph of high achievement. And, if he fails? At least, fails while daring greatly. So that his place will never be among those cold and timid souls, who never knew either victory nor defeat." Be strong, be true, bold, and endure!

One major peice of advice would be to save money. Right out of high school we have very little financial responsibility, and many take it for granted. If I could go back, I would convince myself to take even $50 from every paycheck and put it into some kind of high interest savings account. The money that you save each year could go to tuition for the next year. I would also sit myself down and give the advice to better my study habbits. High school is not nearly as challenging as college, and there are no benificial classes designed to teach you how to study for classes that will challenge you. Those are the two major things I would do; implement a budget and create a study plan. I feel that those things are the biggest challenges to any college student. It just also happens to be that they are also the best road to success for every college student. Being able to manage those aspects of life may not be a surefire path to success, but a student with a few thousand dollars in the bank and a good study plan, is miles ahead of the average student.

I attended highschool over 10 yrs ago, and I did poorly. I would tell myself that actually applying myself to my studies is more important than hanging out with my friends. Also that I should of taken school seriously so that I would of gone to college straight out of highschool instead of waiting 10 yrs, I could of already been finished with my degree. I would tell my earlier self that school is important and that in order to achieve anything in your life you have to have a college degree which takes commitment and hard work. Also that it feels good to get good grades, showing that hard work does pay off. Also that college is a great experiance and that it may seem scary, everyone is there to help and all you have to do is ask, someone will point you in the right direction.

If I could go back, I would tell myself to become more involved on the campus with acitvities and different groups. I would tell myself to put more time and effort into looking for outside scholarship money so my monetary situation would have been a little bit easier. Although I love the school I attend, I would have attended a different school in order to experience a more fruitful college life. I would have chosen to live in the dorms to participate in more of the "college life", and experienced living in a different city than the city I was born.