University of Virginia-Main Campus Top Questions

If I could go back and give the high school version of myself some good advice, my words would simply be, "Relax." It sounds cliche`, but pick colleges based on your true feelings rather than by their reputations. In the end, whether or not you like your school will have a greater impact on your success than that school's national ranking. Also, chances are that you will end up somewhere. If you're not accepted to your favorite school, don't let it devestate you. There are reasons for everything and perhaps that one particular school wasn't the perfect fit for you. Lastly, your school and your GPA don't define you. Only you are capable of defining yourself. Don't let the stress of classes, applications, waiting for letters, or final exams dictate your memories from your senior year of high school. Focus on the things that really matter to you in your final year of high school as well as in applying to different colleges and you will undoubtedly end up in the right place.

The most important piece of advice I could tell myself would be to relax. During my first semester, I thought I had to make friends right away, figure out my major right away and basically figure out my life right away. But thinking that way just ended up stressing me out. When I took a step back, I could see that I didn't need to rush myself. I realized that I had been given an amazing opportunity to be able to study whatever I wanted, and I should take advantage of it. So, instead of focusing so much on the unknown future, I began focusing more on the present and on the things that interested me. In doing so, I was able to discover who I am. Once you know that, the future doesn't seem so scary.

1. Do not assume you will get along with your roommate even if you have similar interests. Living together is personal. 2. Be more open minded about required classes that don't sound enjoyable. When you start a class with a bad attitude, the class will be painful and miserable. 3. Get more sleep. The point of going to class is to learn the material and not teach yourself from the textbook because you were only half awake during class. If you understand what is happening in class, you will better understand your homework. 4. Call home more often. Your family misses you and you miss them - even if you are enjoying college. Also, breaks are more enjoyable when you are not disconnected from your family. One o'clock AM is not a good time to call home because non-college students are asleep. 5. Do what you love. If you don't like a class, stay away from the major. Pursue your dreams. Fill in the dots, "I've always wanted to learn/do/see..." because college is a great time to do it.

Now that I'm in my third year at UVA, I'm starting to see the impact of my first and second year. It's about that time for career-related internships, thinking about graduate school or law school, and what's kiling me is my GPA. Reflecting on what contributed to my low gpa, I would tell my high school self that the transition from high school to college is no joke! In high school you can get away with not completeing assignments, there are always opportunities for extra credit, and you don't think twice about the relationship between you and your teacher. My first year of college, I really had to get a grip on time management, self-discipline and the value of hard work.. You have to step out of your comfort zone, get to know professors who will be your greatest ally, and STUDY! Had I taken these things a little more seriously, perhaps it would have strengthened my grade point average. Learning to adapt in an extreme academic environment, there is cutting corners. Simply, you have to know when it is time to have fun and when its time to buckle down.

College is all about time management. The first time away from home, many are surprised at their new-found freedom. No one is there to tell them where to go to class, how to do homework, when to go to sleep, what to eat, etc. But just because you can do whatever you want doesn't mean everthing is good to do. Think ahead and stick to what you value. The most crucial advice is to find a balance between social and academic life. In a challenging environment where you are surrounded by same-minded and driven classmates, it is easy to slip behind if you're not putting in the time and effort. At the same time, it is just as important to develop a social life and to find a group of friends to confide your problems and having someone to turn to. You should still keep in contact with your friends from high school, but in a completely different setting, they would only be there to get together during holiday breaks. Therefore, make new friends who could potentially be life-long friends. College time will fly by fast! So enjoy and make the most of them!

It is very easy to get caught up in all the extracurriculars and socializing, but it is very important to go to class. In the engineering school at UVA, just going to class will raise your grades by a letter. Equally important is forming study groups, going to the professor with questions, and consulting the teaching assistant. When school is out I recommend taking summer classes for the more challenging subjects and january term classes for the more work-heavy classes, and also taking advantage of the internship programs laid out by the university or the companies that come to the job fair. Lastly, look at potential careers at your field and take classes that will prepare you - and talking to upper-classmen about classes and professors will pay off.

Don't sweat it. If I could give my high school senior self any advice it would be just that, don't sweat it. In high school I spent too much time worrying about GPAs, SATs and other acronyms while I missed out on enjoying time with my friends and family. I am a believer, now, that I ended up where I was supposed to end up. My further advice would be to not to fixate on a particular college and what is meant to be is meant to be. As for making the transition to college, my advice goes in accordance with "don't sweat it." Now that I am so far away from all my friends and family I would advise my one-year-younger self to appreciate the time with those at home. This makes life more enjoyable at home and also while away at college you can see how those thousands of miles away truly love you. My senior year I would tell myself that in order to fully enjoy college and make the transition having a stable foundation back in Massachusetts is necessary or you will be wandering between two quasi-homes.

Now that I'm in college, when I talk to my younger friends who are still in high school I often tell them things I wish I had known as a senior. I tell them to apply for scholarships once they have college applications out of the way. There are so many helpful websites these days that have you fill out profiles so they can give you recommended scholarships that fit your description. I tell them to get a part-time job once they've been accepted to a college. Teachers often lighten the workload for second-semester seniors, which allows for a lot of downtime. They can save up spending money for school, which comes in handy when the dining hall gets old. Also, they may be able to work a shift or two whenever they're home, and some extended breaks offer too much free time that could easily be spent earning a paycheck. Also, I tell them to try and meet as many different people as they can at school, students and faculty. People evolve in college, and surrounding oneself with different lifestyles can help one find where they belong.

As difficult as college may seem and although you might think you will not have any time to do anything other than study, go to class, and MAYBE get to socialize, do not fret and never limit yourself simply because you think you are not capable. As I look back on my first semester, I see that I truly did have the time to invest in the extra-curricular activities I wanted to do and could have invested more of my time into my studies while still enjoying my social life. Procrastination only causes stress, weight gain from late night snacking, and zits from a growing lack of hygiene; all of which nobody wants, especially you. As pressing as it may seem to watch the latest episode of "House" or "Grey's Anatomy," reading your chemistry book or volunteering your time at an actual hospital is exponentially more important; I promise. Also, no matter what you decide to do, make sure you love it. Never join something simply because "all your friends are doing it," and throw yourself out there; make new friends in those other clubs. Most importantly, never doubt yourself and give everything your all.

I would tell myself to be more open minded about people. Since coming to college, I have learned that people have there own situations and backgrounds and that it is not fair to over judge people for their flaws. Also I would tell myself to remember that college is more than getting a degree for a good job; it is a chance to explore different subjects, live on your own, meet new people and many more. College is more of education for life. On the academic side, I would tell myself to learn to study and focus more, because while there is more free time in college, it requires more diligence and self learning.

The transition to college, I would tell my high school self, is unusual but do-able. Of course, college presents many temptations that do not exist in the 9-12 environment. Especially in a suite-style dorm like mine now, there are conversations, TV shows, and video games that you feel like you NEED to be a part of, though you have work to do. So, I would tell myself that it's NOT as easy as you think to get work done in the common room; find a nice, quiet place to knock out a bunch of work and avoid the multitasking that turns a 30-minute assignment into three hours. The library, specifically, makes it feel more like homework is your job, not just something in the way of TV, so you can focus better. Having said that, I would like to tell myself not to stress out about the workload that college courses carry. Yes, there is a bunch of work. But you have plenty of time to do it, plus nobody on your back about getting it done. College is overall very liberating compared to high school, and as a result, much more enjoyable.

If I had the opportunity go back and time to share what I?ve learned after my first semester of college, I?d advise myself to put more thought into where I applied. When applying to college, I spent a lot of time considering the reputation and ranking of the school overall, as opposed to examining the individual departments within the university. I wish someone had advised me to spend more time looking at the departments and classes relevant to the majors I was considering. That would?ve given me a more specific glimpse of the academic life at each school. I?d also advise myself to visit more colleges my senior year to personally witness the different dynamics of college life. After all, academics are only one dimension of the college experience. My time at college is also defined by the times I spend in out in the town, in the libraries, around the campus, and with the types of students that go there. Although I am content with my college choice, I would?ve applied to different colleges if I had this advice. My friends that didn?t enjoy their first semester could?ve used it as well.

I thought that I knew everything there was to know about everything, so I figured college was going to be easy. If I could give myself any advice my senior year it would definitely have to be to take more initiative in high school so that when I get to college I wouldn't get shell shocked. In high school, whenever there was deadline or any assignment due the teacher would give a nice reminder either verbally or written on the board. In college, at the beginning of the semester you are given a syllabus with due dates and very important information on it and that is it.There is no one "holding your hand" or "checking to make sure that you are doing the work on time." It was definitely a growing experience and it taught me to be more organized as well as taking the initiative when it comes to doing anything in life. If anything, my college experience so far has taught me that "If I reach for the stars, I will never fall short from the moon!!"

The overall mood throughout senior year among us upcoming graduates was all the same: we were sick of high school, sick of living at home, and way too excited to begin college as new people. ?College? implied so many wonderful things, which left no room for the negatives that we would all inevitably encounter as freshmen. Move-in day and the first week of college were new, exciting and overall very happy. The negatives didn?t arise until the novelty of college wore off, and the negatives arrived all too quickly. I don?t mean to say that college itself has been a negative experience, but it has taught me many valuable lessons.The most overlooked factor about college is the homework. During my first semester of college, I spent no less that two to three hours on homework daily- something that I never did in high school. This realization was nothing short of being thrown into a freezing pool of water, so the best advice I could have given myself or anyone else shortly before starting college is to mentally prepare for the intense amount of homework, but also for a wonderful life learning experience.

Stop worrying about what others think. If you live your life with an emphasis on how things will ?look on paper?, you will make hollow decisions! Even though, everyone else in your high school attends the universities in Florida, it doesn?t mean that they shouldn?t be considered. People from each state attend their respective universities because it is more economical. Don?t try to prove that you are better than them by attending an out-of-state university. Secondly, apply for more scholarships; don?t worry so much about the name of the school, as the form you?ll pay for it. The financial situation is dire three years from now. So attend the school that gives you the most money. As long as you have good grades, you will be accepted to great colleges, so don't stress the small things. There is one last thing you need to do. It doesn?t matter what university you attend. What matters is what you do when you are there. When you finally find your calling remember to be the best at it. As long as you are passionate, energetic, and doing something that you love, you will succeed!

If I could go back in time to give myself advice, I would tell myself to remember that people like me for who I am. My high-school-senior-self was very worried that it would be hard for him to make friends. I was going to the University of Virginia from Chicago, and I was not going to know a soul on campus. I worried that the person that I had been in high school would be unable to make friends at college. Also, I feared that I might not find other students who had a passion for the things that I did; music, theatre, and business. When I arrived at UVA, however, I found that I had nothing to fear. I made friends quickly with the guys in my dorm, many of whom had the same fears that I had. I found that people at UVA liked the same person that people in Chicago had liked. Finally, I was able to find clubs and activities right away that catered to my interests. It certainly was a relief! So if I could go back in time I would tell myself ot relax; you'll find good people everywhere.

As a high school senior I felt blocked in: limited by academic stereotypes, clicques, and class choices. I had heard stories of reinventing yourself in college, giving yourself a fresh slate. As nervous as I was about that, I would tell myself that it really is possible. I would say don't stress about the popular kids, at college you'll find your niche and a great group of friends. You will find that the valedictorian can fit in and that her intellect in the classroom does not hinder her social life at all. Don't be afraid to be yourself: that illusive over-used phrase that I have found to be true. I gave myself a fresh start my first year at college - and have since found friendships and happiness I could only have dreamed of in high school. I can accel in my studies without worrying about becoming a nerd because everyone here takes school seriously. And yet I also party with my friends, and nearly always have a lunch date with someone. College is really as good as you've heard, don't give up.

If I could go back in time as a college senior, I would initially make the college application more of a priority. I would focus less on the academic aspects of colleges and more on the social aspects. All colleges can give an individual a good education, its the other aspects that make the experience worthwhile. I would tell myself that the location of the University is very important in choosing where to attend. In reference to the transition between high school and college, the best advice I could give myself would be to spend more time studying for exams. In high school, tests and quizzes were expected weekly and were fairly simple. In college each exam is vital to one's GPA. This fact was stressed, but the point never got across. Finally, I would tell myself to join a club or organization and experience something new. Every university offers clubs with excitings focuses. I wish I had pushed myself to become involved in one and expand my interests.

Monica, You're about to go to college and I just want to tell you a few things. First off dont act like you know everything 'cause guess what you don't. Enjoy first year however second semester you will need to stay on top of everything. That semester is when your whole world will be changed...but for the better. When you enter college I can tell you, you will have no problems making friends and keeping them...that is except for one. But either way your life, and relationship with Josh will be stronger than ever. Dont be afriad to try new things and just be yourself people will love you for you. Between all the activies just make sure you have ample time to study spainsh and actually do it. Your time-management skills will always be on point, so dont worry about not having enough time, just worry about not wanting to do you work and having senioritist. Work on not being so introverited and try to make more of a sence at events. Oh and last thing make sure to save a lot of money for the oncoming years, I forsee an ecomonic crisis ahead.

Dear former senior self, You are about to embark on the exciting journey from high school to college. As your future self I will offer some advice to help make the transition smoother. There are certain areas that provide a challenge for you: advocacy, communication and managing workload. As a person with a physical disability, it is vitally important to perfect your advocacy and communication skills in order to make the most of the university experience. The main difference between educational opportunities in high school as opposed to college is that high schools care about your success and are required to provide adequate resources. In college, one must ask for the resources that will lead to your success, they are not automatically given to you. You must be your own advocate. There are certain steps you can take to prepare for this difference. One step is to take charge of your educational needs in high school by directly communicating with teachers while improving your communication skills. This skill will come in handy when it comes time to confront professors during office hours. Finally, the idiom, don?t bite off more than you can chew is great advice when entering college.