Utah State University Top Questions

College life is little confusing. It's a lot of what you expected but there are some things that you won't forsee. One of the biggest pieces of advice I can give you is to do everything you can to earn scholarships. Take the ACT many times and study hard for it. It is more important to your future education than you think. Your GPA is great but keep pushing until the end. Get on the ball fast. Deadlines come faster than you may think. A lot is going to change so just be ready for it. There is a lot to do to get ready for college but it's not all stressful. You're going to college! Have fun! This will be one of the funnest phases of your life. It is also one of the most important. With friends around you and an amazing school you will have a ball. Overall I would say focus on your ACT score so you can apply for as many scholarship opportunities as possible. Always be aware of deadlines and have a blast! College is something to look forward to.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to make sure to get enough sleep and, most importantly, to keep believing in myself. I would tell my seventeen-year-old self that people would call me crazy for moving out and taking sixteen credit hours while working 25 hours a week, devoting two nights a week to church service, and having a serious boyfriend, but that it was very much possible to balance all of these things. It wouldn't be easy by any means, but I would tell her that she shouldn't listen to those who said it was impossible, because it was very much possible. If I could, I would tell my younger self to make sure I was in bed by midnight every night so I could more fully enjoy the social life that I had, do better academically, and be a happier person when I went to work each night. Overall though, I would tell my younger self to enjoy the moment and to have fun while it lasted because the chance to be eighteen and in college comes only once to everyone.

Looking back on my senior year of high school, I would have told myself to calm down. I was so stressed about making it into college and wondering about how I would survive. Since moving out and actually attending college I have realized that all that stress only makes everything harder. If I had not been so upset about passing classes and not wanting to grow up I would have had more time to enjoy myself and to complete my assignments earlier so I would not have had to stress out about it. College is so different from high school in so many ways but when you are calm about it the transition becomes much easier.

If I could go back in time to the point when I was a high school senior, I would tell myself to start looking for scholarships and other opportunities! I realized that too late. I would tell myself to quit looking ahead at what your apartments going to look like and if you'll make enough friends, if you'll have enough money. I would tell myself to just slow down and enjoy being in high school, quit worrying about the future! I'd say things like, "join a club!" And, "take advantage of your small classes." What I would mostly stress, however, is to find a good quality friend. In the end, those are what truly matter. Not the popular kids to make you appear cooler, not the jocks to make you look more athletic. But someone who will truly stay by your side no matter what. Having as awesome friend would have been nice as I made the transition into college. I would remind myself to just slow down and enjoy the beauty that life has to offer, because growing up isn't as fun as it always seemed.

Dear High School Crystal, Please get more sleep, stop worrying about friends, study harder, you're about to get married, six months out of High School, to your best friend of 9 years. He will land a great job, as a police office, three years after your married, you will have two handsome boys. Then your husband will be convicted, of molesting a young boy, and scented to prison. You will be forced to raise the boys alone, with no child support ,your dreams for going to college will have to wait until they are older. You will start college when you are 35 and your boys will be 16 and 12. After your first semester of collage, you will be told that you have a brain tumor, on your pituitary gland. You will be working nights, going to school all day and still raising your boys. Please Study harder so that when you enter collage you will have more opportunities for grants and scholar ships to lighten the load of your normal bills and all the medical bills that will add up. DON’T GIVE UP! AND PROVE TO YOUR BOYS, ANYHTING IS POSSIBLE WITH AN EDUCATION.

i would tell myself not to stress myself out about college. its not the end of the world. It is an extreme change from the usual routine. You dont have the safety net of high school and living with parents. It is a lot of responsibility but you will make it through. Its not the end of the world. You do survive through it and it all works out. So stressing about all this little things is pointless. They are not important and they wont affect you when you go to college. All these things will work out. there are always ways to make college happen. Whether its tgrough financial aid or even scholorships like this one that give to the opprotunity to pay for books and tuition. The stress of money is a heavy load but there are ways to accomplish what you want. Things dont have to be easy just doable. So whatever you want to do you can do it. You just have to make an effort and work hard at it.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that there are a ton of scholarships toward your college education that you can only get as a senior in high school. Look those up and apply because you will want all the money you can get to help you get your college education. College can be very expensive to get through just to get to a job you want to be successful at so take scholarships seriously now. Even if you think that a lot of people are applying and you don't really have a chance of being awarded money, still apply because there is no damage done in trying. There can be damage done, though, if you run out of money because you did not apply for scholarships.

If I would go back in high school and warn myself about what I needed to learn before coming to college, I would tell myself to apprechiate my parents more. You don't realize how much work your mom does in doing the laundry, keeping the house clean, and cooking dinner everyday until you don't have it anymore. You don't realize how much your dad does in going to work everyday, in paying for your sport activities, and nagging you about getting you homework in until you don't have that anymore. You don't realize how much both of them in making sure that you are safe, happy, and supported until you don't have it anymore. Tell them thank you more. Tell them you love them more. Show them you love them more. Give back to them.

High school isn't everything! I know that right now sports, popularity, and dance dresses seem like life itself. You have a great reality check coming because there is so much more to life than those high school things! Enjoy high school while you are there, but know that it isn't the end. There are much bigger and better things coming your way. Prepare yourself for college as much as you can. Learn how to make friends, get a job and save up money, learn good household habits, and take your studies seriously. The struggles that come with high school life will soon fade and you will wonder why you worried about those things. A broader perspective will come with your life changing into the college experience. Don't worry and stress so much...just learn to have fun!

Don’t let them fool you. Senior year will not be the best year of your life, because the best year of your life can only be decided on the last year of your life. The transition you are about to face will be exciting, new, and full of adventure. Life after high school is still life, so you have to remember to take a moment to breathe in the new air around you, because new is good. Your life in college is going to bring you many unexpected things, many unexpected friends, and many unexpected choices. These are the times you can’t rely on your lunchtime posse to decide if you should take an internship from John Hopkins or study abroad in Italy. These are the decisions that can change your entire life. So these, these years after high school will be the best years of your life. Take a leap of faith, and definitely take a class you would never see yourself taking. So, don’t let them fool you, life after high school, is still life, and trust me, it’s amazing.

I would encourage myself to enjoy the journey of everything I go through. Whether it be tests, hours studying, church groups, friends, breakups, etc., I will never be able to experience this again. There are a lot of responsibilities and challenges that come with college but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be enjoyed. There is beauty in the final weeks, the freezing temperature weeks, and the work weeks. In anything in life, you'll find what you are looking for. So choose to have a positive outlook and recognize the good things in your experience at college. I would also encourage myself to make a habit of working really hard at school and work during the week so that I can go out and have fun throughout the weekend. This way, I will have a good balance and make a lot of new friends, because life is always better when you fill it with friends you love!

If I went back in time a year and a half ago when I was a senior, I would look at my overwhelmed, confused self and say "hey, it's okay that you got rejected from the university that you wanted to go to the most. Having to go to a community college is not something that you should be disappointed and embarrassed about because to be honest you will get the same opportunites, and if you keep keeping school as your number one priority then you'll be able to apply to that university again and transfer. Also, don't stress out too much about not knowing what to major in; I'm sure you don't want gray hair just yet. Trust me, when you get to college and experience the 'college life,' you're going to discover yourself and after that you will know for sure what you want to do with your life. Just remember to stay positive and don't overwhelm yourself, and most importantly do not procrastinate whatsoever!"

The number one thing I’d have to say to myself is just relax, life has a way of working out and college is no different. Then I’d tell myself to just go to work, college is fun and exciting but it’s mainly work. As long as you work and study hard, and put in real effort good grades will follow. I’d also tell myself not to worry about meeting new people. Everyone at college is around new people and faces and doesn’t know people. Just do for other people what you wish other people would do for you and everything will work out.

I would like to go back and tell myself, you do not know everything. I would tell myself to listen to the advice offered by the adults around you and heed it, they quite amazingly do know what they're talking about and have been there before. The world is bigger than you and if you apply yourself and stick to it, you can accomplish much. Life is not easy, the roads you pave for yourself now determine the texture of your pavement. For a bumpy road with pot holes, and lots of traffic keep going on the path of believing you know everything, and any old job will get you by and that an education is not important; but for a smooth road, get your education, establish yourself in a career before making life altering decisions. Do not be afraid to ask questions when you don't understand, or don't know what to do or how to do something...ask. Counselors are there to help you, utilize them...trust me, this will save you a lot of hard, life-learned lessons. Trust yourself and do not let anyone dictate your will and what you can and cannot do.

The best advice i could give myself as in high school was not shared. You are a senior now and you have a life ahead of you. Your education is the key to your success. It is important that you maintain your grades and attendance because it makes a difference on your performance. If you dont wana help yourself nobody else will. There are many grants and courses offered to right now as a senior. Now is the chance to take advantage in takeing the extra step to pursue your education. The guidance of a helping hand is upon offers and you are the only one who can turn it way. If you are unsure of what you wana to study for its okay. In college you will begin to have more sources to many opportunities that can aquire to your abilites of enjoying what you like. Its not easy but its encouragement within yourself to know you are not waisting your time in pusueing you education. Dont feel you have no way out and nobody cares at home. You are the one who is able in challenging yourself with the knowledge you know to a greater and better life.

To my past self I would have started in the beginning of middle school and I would have told myself to take better advantage of participating in honor classes as well as advancing further than I did in the field of mathematics. It is beneficial to a starting engineer major to be proficient in advanced mathematics and would have sped of the process of graduation by at least two or three semesters. I also would have told my past self, beginning perhaps as a sophomore or junior, to make applying for scholarships a priority. I had the grades and test scores to qualify for many more opportunities than I chose to take advantage of and as a result I qualify for very few grants given my father's economic status. I am also a full time engineering student trying to to keep my grades up high enough in order to qualify for a graduate law program after I finish my engineering major in order to pursue a career in patent law and as such I have very little time to work. So again I would repeat the most important thing I would do over is applying for more scholarships.

Do not be afraid of failure. If you mess up, you can only improve. Be more involved with activities. Get to know your teachers, counselors, and advisors better; they can be great resources. Do not procrastinate anything and learn time management. Embrace your individuality and accept that you can not be the best at everything. Do not compare yourself with others. Tell your parents that you love them and appreciate everything they do for you. Make sure that you are always kind to others; you never know what other people are going through. Practice expressing your feelings and coming up with solutions to any problems you may have. Get out of your comfort zone and try new things. Be confident. You are a wonderful person and you can do anything if you set your mind to it.

It took me 11 years to come back to school, and it hasn't been an easy process. The transition would have been much easier straight out of highschool. Now I am required to split my time between my my wife and four wonderful kids, work and school. I can only assume that there would be much less on my plate if I had gone directly to college instead of waiting. That would be my advise, "don't wait." Just do it, it doesn't get any easier, and you will come up with a lot more excuses over time on why you can't. I still don't know if I would be here if I wouldn't have been laidoff do to the down turn in the economy.

If I could go back I would tell my high school self to take more college classes in high school. Taking more college classes would have helped push me further ahead in college! Also, don't be afraid to have roommates. They aren't always as bad as you think they could be! I would tell myself that I shouldn't go home every weekend because I missed out on a lot of college experience! I would say, remember to do your homework and go to class every day! I missed important things that would have helped me during finals! Get tutoring for the classes you’re struggling in. There are a lot of free places that offer tutoring and it can never hurt to get help. Don't stress out too much, everyone makes mistakes their first semester in college and you shouldn't beat yourself up over the little things. I would also tell myself, get a job over the holidays! You could have saved so much money!

Having been graduated from college for just a brief time and in my position as a high school guidance counselor, I have been able to reflect quite a bit on my own college experience. One main point I encourage, and wish I had done more of, is taking more college courses in high school. I would encourage every high school student who can to take at least one or two dual enrollment class while in high school. Tests are an inevitable part of a student’s life. Take them seriously! Reflecting back, I realized I breezed through all my tests and wasn’t as prepared as I could have been. My freshman year of college was very busy. I felt like I had to maintain my active involvement, and then some, because I was in college. Being involved in groups, clubs, and organizations is amazing, but don’t overdo it. Higher education is a wonderful opportunity and if we are stretched too thin we start to lose focus of our main goal, a college education. Above anything else, make sure you study and learn what you love. Whatever your dream is never let anyone tell you can’t achieve it.