University of Washington-Seattle Campus Top Questions

take ap courses

I would give myself the advice that I need to be aware of what classes i take and to register in my head how those classes will be useful in the future and make sure to try and not take classes with friends and take classes with no friend so i can make new friends and get to know more people and get more help from around campus from people who have actually experienced college life already. Tell the advice of how important choosing classes are.

College is not what you think is it (partying/having fun every night), instead it's staying up every night studying.

I would definitely tell myself not to wrestle because it ended up costing a lot of money for the out-of-state tournaments. I would tell myself to work as much as I could have done without sacrificing too much academic ability, and I would tell myself to save more of my money rather than spend it on food, video games, movies, and other worthless things. I would also tell myself to actually apply for scholarships rather than thinking that I would be able to get private loans or rely on my parents.

Dear Kristen, You know how you often procrastinate and don't study much for tests, but instead cram a lot at the last minute and still do well? Well, that's not going to help you too much here. Especially your upcoming Bio class - STUDY for it! I know you're smart, but that is no excuse not to apply yourself completely. I'm not saying you have to spend your entire life buried in your textbooks - just put more effort into them than you usually do and you should be fine. I know you're on the fence about joining a sorority, also - do it. It's one of the best decisions you've ever made, and you say this to people constantly. The friends you make here have changed your life for the better. It truly is something that will stick with you for your entire life. As a final note, I would really recommend that you find a place to volunteer regularly. Grad school applications will weigh this heavily, and you're a bit behind. Better get started! Really, though - college is going to be one of the best times of your life. Love it! Yours, Kristen

If I were able to advise myself of one thing, it would be to not be afraid of charting my own course, even if it seems difficult or inane. Although I started college with the goal of going to law school, I found that my strengths were in other areas, and that I accelled in writing and language more than in political science and philosophy. In college, I found that it was more important to pay attention to what I wanted, rather than what others wanted or expected, and that lead me to pursue courses and activities that helped build my character. Being the best doesn't necessarily mean finding the highest paying job or getting the best grades, it's about finding out where you fit in, and about challenging yourself to learn in new and different ways.

If I was able to go back in time, I would tell myself many things to help me succeed at this university. I would tell myself that the grading is different than high school and not to expect to be perfect. The campus is huge, and the competition for grades is ever more challenging than ever before. I would tell myself not to get caught up in Greek life because it can ruin your focus and prevent you from being academically successful and I would tell myself to let go a little bit and try and get to know people better. I would set up more study sessions and for sure set my alarm clock for an hour earlier. Classes take a long time to walk to. All of this advice would have been nice to know beforehand so I didn?t have to make the mistakes I did freshman year.

The best advice I would provide to parents and students, is make sure that the student chooses the place that they enjoy being at the most. That means traveling to the different colleges to get a feel for the campus atmosphere andstudent life. I know this helped me a lot when it came down to my last three school choices. I thought i would enjoy a smaller school but after visiting one, it wasn't what I expected and longed for that big college experience. To date, i have never regretted my decision, even when the smaller school was less expensive. You need to be comfortable at your college if you are ever going to succeed. I'm not saying to go find the best party school or the one with most fun stuff to do, but find and school that can meet your needs and push you to aspire for greater things. Also for the student, going to an out-of-state college was a liberating experience for me and I loved the feeling of being independant. I also became a lot more outgoing since I needed to meet all new people and join new groups. Good luck choosing!

Not much

My advice to parents is to let your child pick the right college for them, no pressure. The start to finding the right college for students is to visualize the college you see yourself attending. After you have painted a personal picture of a college, it is time to visit as many institutions as possible. Research and learn more about those that fit your image of college. Apply to those that appealed to you and passed the second round of judgement. From there, letters will arrive and your right school will be somewhere in the category of acceptance. To make the most of the college experience, the advice I have for parents is to let your child gain independence and grow into their own person. For students, a college experience holds many potentials and can be lived in a multitudes of fashions. Personally, in order to make the most of your experience, I would take advantage of any opportunity presented, and to not hold back. Be open to a variety of people because there are prospective friends all around you. Challenge yourself both inside and outside of the classroom in order to inspire growth in others and from within.