University of Virginia-Main Campus Top Questions

When in your Junior and Senior years of High School, admission to the college of your dreams may seem like your life's only goal. It is certainly important to try your best at school, study hard for the SAT, put thought into application essays, and care about where you go. What is more important, however, is that you realize that college is what you make of it. Maybe you will get into your first choice and be ecstatic, but maybe you won't. Regardless of where you go, you will have the opportunity to make that school the college of your dreams. What sets truly successful people apart from the rest is not how many times they haven't failed but rather, how many times they did "fail" and, nevertheless, got back up and tried again. College is a wonderful experience, and it is important to consider the type of school which would be best for you. But, the name on the acceptance letter cannot determine what your college experience will be like. You know who can? Only you.

This year I will graduate from Seattle Central Community College and move on to obtain my Bachlor’s Degree in Fashion Design, but I will receive more than an Associate Degree this summer. Often I sometimes felt frustrated because the classes I needed to get my AA weren’t related to my future career. But I persevered and tried to learn something in every class. Not working on design classes and instead pushing myself to do my best has made me stronger. Today I am a more patient and mature person, who appreciates an opportunity to learn. Also, I have earned the respect of my family. I could have quit when I first lost my student loans. Instead I choose to adjust my plan. I moved in with family , enrolled at Seattle Central, researched different colleges to transfer to and built a portfolio. My family is proud of me and respect my determination. To have the respect of the most important people in my life gives me motivation. In the beginning I had no idea that life had so much in store for me, but I am proud of how I stepped up to the challenge.

So far, in my college experience, I have learned that I can acheive much more than I imagined I could. Going to a lecture or college class for the first time can be very overwhelming. I was apprehensive and questioning my own abilities and whether I should be at such a high higher educational instition. However, once you've settled into your niche, you realize that your professors and peers are human as well and that all of us have the ideas and capacity to do exceedingly well and to change today's society.

The University of Virginia (UVA) taught me the importance of diversity and how it contributes to a stronger society. Attending a private high school with little diversity didn’t really prepare me for what I would experience during my four years at UVA. Most of my high school classmates came from a similar background and had similar values. As I met those at UVA from different backgrounds and cultures and became aware of their values and goals, I realized the importance of these differences and learned to respect and honor them. During a time of tragedy at UVA, when fellow student Yeardley Love was murdered, I learned that the greatest strength of diversity is having a common bond. During this time, the common bond of the UVA community was respect for life. Students and faculty came together to grieve, despite race, gender, socioeconomic status, political beliefs, or sexual orientation. We supported each other, wept together, prayed together, and moved on together past the devastation. I will carry these lessons I learned about diversity during my years at UVA as I pursue the career of a physician assistant. Diversity makes a strong society, but a common bond makes it stronger.

I've learned many things in college, for example, the importance of getting involved, college is where you find your best friends for life, and how to be an independent person. However, my most valuable lesson is something that we've all heard for years, yet we still fall victim to it: procrastination is deficient, or as Victor Kiam once said, "Procrastination is opportunity's assassin." I would never be able to count the number of times I've procrastinated. I successfully graduated from high school by utilizing it, and got into one of the best universities in the world (in my biased opinion). Once getting to college, I realized that procrastination is a false friend. I quickly became a believer in planning out a study schedule. I soon realized that, working and preparing on something for a long period of time is what life's about: we spend around 17 years in schooling in order to get a job that we love, or work at searching for our "special someone" for years before marrying, because we want to get it right the first time. Everything takes time-just like it takes time to realize the value of this lesson.

College has broadened by eyes to the diversity of our world, as well as the fact the one should be open to other people's decisions in life even though you may not agree with them. Being surrounded by vast amounts of people of all different ethnicities, shapes, backgrounds, personalities, and so on has allowed me to change my one sided mind frame. For this reason college is extremely valuable to attend. This way when you are faced with problems in which you may not feel comfortable dealing with your newly acquired open-mind frame, thanks to college, can allow you to get past any insecurities you may have. One other valuable aspect of college is obviously the knowledge you acquire. Learning actually is far more enjoyable in college due to the freedom you are given and diverse teaching styles each professor follows. All in all college alows for diversity on many different levels...broadening every students ways and thinking patterns

I've gained a broader perspective overall of the world around me. Because of the liberal arts foundation of UVa academics, I've had the opportunity to take religious studies, anthropology, and history classes that focus on non-western cultures. I find this to be the most rewarding thing about college-- exposure to the international perspectives that I just didn't get in my small town high school. I've met people that I respect and discovered interests that I never would have considered before. Most of all, I have the freedom to explore and decide what things in life I want to strive for. I hope to study abroad and keep my curiousity for the world around me alive as I venture farther from my comfort zone than I ever have before. While I haven't loved UVa every moment, it's helped me grow into a more wise and adventurous adult with a future full of possibilities.

Going to the University has allowed me to experience life in a more real world setting than when I was in high school. It is up to me to stay safe and decide with whom I want to associate, when I return home, what I eat, etc... Also, because the population of the place I attend school at is much larger than high school, college has been a challege for me to break out of my comfort zone and try to trust new people and make new friends. Finally, one of the most important reality checks I have learned through starting college is the struggle to have enough money to pay for my future.

After attending over a year of college, I have started to learn more and more about myself. Going into college, I had doubts about what I wanted to do in the future. I had several possibilities and potential careers I wanted to pursue but not one main goal. The social encounters, the academic classes, and the idea of just "growing up" has helped me discovery myself. Despite going to a college with a large student body, I have been able to cultivate my own self identity, and it has helped me become more comfortable and confident with myself. College helped to bring out my self expression and my individuality to new heights. I have abandoned the awkward stages of middle and high school and have matured into an ambitious individual who is ready to work himself to death in order to make his dreams a reality.

UVa has the distinct ability to provide a safe space for almost any personality type, while at the same time forcing you, albeit uncomfortably at times, to be frighteningly independent. While on the cusp of adulthood, one is thrust into this schoolwide first-year camraderie and complete independence simultaneously, forcing one to discern that proper personal balance. Although this may seem to be standard for any new freshman entering into a college lifestyle, it is quite different at the University of Virginia. Here, due to the rigorous academic background of each and every student prior to entry, teenagers transform swiftly into mature decision-making and fully-competent adults in a matter of days, sliding into rhythm with the upperclassmen and blending so well, it is almost unsettling to those who find themselves somewhat behind the curve. The result, a decision to be made: Move forward or be left behind; a decision, to which some choose the latter option, transfering in defeat after an initial difficult semester, but for most, the call is answered in triumph. Out emerges a successful, self-sufficient, and extremely confident individual, hopefully like myself, fully equipped for the competive dynamics that exist the work force today.