University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Top Questions

This is a concept that crosses my mind on nearly a daily basis. High school to college was truly a massive shift in my life, and I wish I could have told myself to never allow any form of discouragment, no matter how big or small. College courses packed a much bigger punch than any of my high school classes, including the numerous college-credit courses I completed my junior and senior year. Mathematics have always been a struggle to me and I was heavily beaten down by my first college-level math course, eventually ending it with a D. But in response to this I recieved department consent to retake the class and aspire for an A! On top of that, I would have also recommended to research new and different studying tactics rather than waiting until the middle of the semester, because remarkably enough my parent's and teacher's advice really did eventually pay off! If only I had listened to them right away then maybe I would have scored higher in math... But this has left me with a more open-mind to new advice and success strategies!

If I could go back and advise myself senior year knowing what I know as a freshman now I would mention a heads-up in two fronts: first to review as much content as you learned in high school to be appropriately placed in courses through examination and second, that it is never too early to apply for financial assistance. I took calculus my senior year but did not do so well. I expected to get placed in basic calculus as I had already passed pre-calculus, though to my surprise I got pre-calculus and no matter how much I tried to explain my situation to the math chair (being one point off from being allowed to take calculus), he did not care. It made me realize that, while college staff would work best to meet my needs, in the end I was just another number. However, while maximizing on knowledge helps, college does not happen if there is no money. Getting tuition and fees paid is not enough, as there are inherent costs (e.g. food, transportation) that folks fail to mention. Had I applied for non-academic scholarships and grants, I would truly have a "free ride."

I know you are just turning 18 and you think you are finally an adult. But I am here to tell you that your life is only beginning. Turning 18 and going to college is like being born again in a new life. The changes and growth you will experience every year will be just as drastic as a baby leaving the womb and and watching his body and limbs expand out into the world. Everything you learned back in high school will no longer apply. You will learn how to crawl, walk, and stand all over again. It may sound disappointing, but I am not here to give you some magic words that will allow you to transform from a baby to an adult instantaneously. In fact, I am here to tell you to embrace that new infancy and grow up as a child would, because it’s okay to be young. It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to be “immature”. Those college freshmen who claim they are “mature” at 18 and 19 are only kidding themselves. Once you accept your newborn status, it becomes so much easier to allow yourself time and space to grow.

Work harder at learning how to study. Learn as much as you can so you are prepared for the things you will learn in college. Don't stress about the transition to college. It is just a different setting. Be ready to take full responsibilty for your academic career. Be patient and take care of your health. Being healthy will go a long way toward being able to study well. Absorb as much as you can and truly learn, don't just memorize.

I was one of those students in high school whom really enjoyed the experience. I liked my classes, my teachers, the people, and I felt pride in the school itself. I was third in my class and had the opportunity to be a leader in my class, as well as, in many different clubs. I felt good about myself and thought I had set myself up really well for my future college career. I applied for a lot of scholarships, and was honored with receiving a few of them. I worked myself really hard to achieve the things I achieved in high school, but I was extremely hard on myself. When I did not achieve what I hoped for I thought really negatively about myself. My advice to myself now would be to learn from your failures and relax. Things are not always going to go the way you wanted and most of the time how those things go is not in your control. You can not beat yourself up for things you did not achieve. Someone is always going to be better and it is your responsibilty to try to be better than them next time.

My high school years start in Haiti, and end in the United States. In both countries, I was utterly insecure about myself and my abilities, mailnly trying to fit in. In Haiti, I was the one who stays quiet in class, and even with her friends. I was a average student because I did not believe I could do better. In 2010, I experience the earthquake that hit Haiti and my parents found a way to make me come to the United State. I had an idea of what high school was like in the US based on what I had seen on TV, but it was not as crazy in real life. I also tried to fit in in that school but my confidence got better because I was in an appreciative environment. In contrast, my experience in college surprised me; I took initiatives that I would not have in High School. I ran for Student Government Association and won, I became an Orientation Mentor speaking in front of many people. So if i could jump into a time machine I would comfort myself and say “Be proud of yourself, and disregard what people think 'cause YOU matter!”

If I could rewind to the first few days of school, I think I would have told myself to be more outgoing when it came to joining organizations and clubs. My reasoning for this is showing commitment on job applications is key to aquiring a job that relates to communication oriented skills.

If I could go back in time and give myself advice on my freshman year of college, I would say to never give up. High school is so different than college is. I met so many new people, and had classes larger than my graduating class, and was living by myself, so it was a big adjustment. I would just tell myself that no matter how hard it is to just not give up. It doesn't sound that important but its true. When things get tough you just can't give in, you need to push through all the long nights of studying for finals, asking questions even if you don't want to be the only one to raise your hand, and not being nervous to speak up and talk in class. Another piece of advice i would tell myself is to go make new friends, and try new things. I would want to get more involved in activities and go to sporting events or other social events to try new things and meet new people.

To my high school self: Don't worry about making the transition to college, and don't let your uncertainty about what you want to do with your life hold you back from accepting every opportunity that comes your way. Take full advantage of your last year in high school, and don't look back as you move on from high school and start the next chapter of your life. Decisions you make will become more important for your future, but you have the ability to make those decisions. Trust yourself. Get excited for your college years, it is your last stop before you join the real world, but if you follow your heart and do what you love, the real world will be as rewarding and fun as college is going to be. Remember: You have the control, and life is as fulfilling as you make it.

I would tell myself to work as hard as I possibly could. It may sound cliche, but I have had more than one class where the difference in a letter grade came down to one or two points. Every little bit of preparation for a test or effort put into an assignment will add up over the course of the semester and I wish I had remembered that for my classes. Another piece of advice I would give myself is to communicate with my professors. They are there to clarify material that I don't understand and I should make sure that is what they do. Professors also remember students that try getting to know their teachers which can only help. The last thing I would tell myself is to not stress too much. Worrying about school doesn't accomplish anything. It just creates anxiety that gets in the way of getting work done.