Utica College Top Questions

What should every freshman at Utica College know before they start?

sharron

The advice I would give to my High School self is, appy for scholarships, save as much as possible, don't settle for anything. These tips are what I wish my High School self knew, I feel if I did my College experience would of been alot better. The 1st one scholarships are so important when it comes to college, because grants will only cover it so much, I would tell myself go out of your way to finds as many scholarships as you can in order to make sure you're not in debt for the rest of your life. Also to go along with that save every dollar nickel dime penny that you can because that adds up and you can put that into a savings account and put that money to good use for your future. Finally don't settle for just any colllege research, know what you're getting into, and love the school you're going to be spending the next 4 years at. In conclusion I wish someone gave me advice like this maybe my college experience would've been better.

Queana

Some very good advice that I would give to myself, is to manage my time properly. It is imperative to not add more pressure to myself because of lack of time for my studies. I would tell myself to take risks. It is ok to engage my instructors in constructive conversation concerning my grades as well as my progression. My highschool self should know that it is important to sleep. Everything doesn't have to be completed in one day. I want to make sure that my younger self understands that being a perfectionist, although it is noble, is very nerve-wrecking. There is absolutely nothing wrong with striving for greatness, but perfection within itself causes meltdowns, and is truly unnecessary. Priority is key. It is far better to have a well-rounded life. Obtaining an education is useless if it causes misery. Do what you love to do. I thouroughly enjoy my field now, however, it took some trial and error to get to this point. Most importantly, I would heavily influence my former self to never give up. Persistance is instrumental in accomplishing goals. Life happens to us all, but you must perservere, your success depends on it.

Cara

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self, I would tell myself to keep trying hard academically because it really does pay off in the end and literally, because it results in scholarships. I did well in high school and got a significant amount of financial aid for college, but if I had put a little more effort into my academics, maybe my grades and scholarships could have been even better. I would also tell myself to enjoy the things outside of school more such as sports, friends, and family. I would say this because I miss playing sports so much. It was such a large part of my life before I went to college and I never realized how much it meant to me until I was not playing anymore. I also do not see my friends and family as much as when I was in high school because I am not home as much. When I am home most of the time I am working and so are my friends and family. Overall, I would tell my high school self to just enjoy it more than I did.

Destinee

This conversation is a warning so please take heed and listen, it will save you from a world of trouble in these upcoming semesters . First off study at least 45 minutes longer, everyday. Be sure to surrond yourself with positive influences that are all going forward, spend less time with those friends who don't have the same ambitions as you. Find a study group to practice for the SAT and ACT, high scores are what colleges look at. Ask your counselor about grants or scholarships that are available. Don't be afraid to ask for help, nobody makes it alone. Explore your options, fill out more scholarship forms to increase your chances of getting extra financial aid. Take dual credit courses to they will cut some of the credits you have to get in college while you saving money and time . Keep your eyes on the prize remember graduation is the destination. Don't allow outside influences to distract you from where you need to go. Your success is non negotioable and failure is not an option. No matter how many times you get knocked down, get up and try .. try again . Real life is coming so be prepared.

evelyn

I would start by saying that a college education is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Obstacles and life events will come and go as your life goes on, but time will not come back, once you loose it, that time it's gone. Don't delay you school education, whatever it is you are going through, work around it to achieve your goal. The sooner you start your higher education the faster you will have a brighter future for your family and yourself. It will take much effort and dedication from you, but the end result will be satisfactory. If you are undecided of what you want to be in life don't stop there, read and educate yourself on all different careers until you find the one interests you. If you need help on anything, ask your parents or family members, they are there for you. Specially if the help you need is with support to achieve an education. Finally, imagine yourself having finished College, getting you degree in your hands making everyone proud. Imaging yourself working on the field of your studies and succeding, now don't stop until you get there.

Aerionte

If I can go back in time and talk to myself about comming to utica college, with the knowledge I now have about it, I would honestly reconsider comming to this college. Reasons I would reconsider is 1st off, because of how expensive it is to attend and how hard it is for me to pay off my tution. Secondly, becasue before comming to utica college I was undecided on what I wanted my major to be and once I made the decsion as I came to utica I found other schools that had better programs for my major. Overall im glad that I came to Utica college with the knowledge I had about utica when I first came, because comming here wasn't what I really wanted, but comming here made me learn a lot about myself and what I really want for my future.

Jessica

I would of told myself to not procrastinate and take the SATs. Apply for the College of Charleston, Charleston Southern and for the University of South Carolina. That Trident is a great school but I regret not going to the college I wanted to. I would tell myself to study as hard as I could to make A's in everything and to participate more in extracurricular activities such as cheerleading, drama club, flag line, to stay in Chorus and to attend that meeting to participate in the Interact Club. This helped organizations and charities. I would of also told myself that having a boyfriend is great but I needed to focus on myself and get myself to where I need to be for my future. To not hold back and to give my all instead of just going with the flow of things. That starting college is a scary process but to take as many courses as needed but not to overload myself with too much. To participate in more activities that dealt with the school and community. To also get a tutor for Algebra since it’s my weakest subject.

Annisa

I would tell my self to relax. Being a highschool student i was very stressed and nervous about becoming a college student, but my first year was a blast. The teachers we helpful and the students were very friendly and social.

Elaina

I would tell myself that there are no exuces for not studing the maxium number of hours that are needed in order to do well, no matter what the subject matter is at the time. Not all things that we have to study in college are going to be our most favorite, like for me it was math. I had to learn the hard way, that even if its not my favorite subject i have to give my 100 percent in order to get to the other stuff that does interest me, in my case its biology. So my advice is that take the interesting and not so interesting and treat them just as important.

Jamie

The advice I would give myself is to never give up on school and your studies. Don't listen to the other kids that don't believe you can graduate like them. Go to the library to do some research on public colleges. Never take yourself for granted. Just believe in yourself and have your friends support you in you're education. Be yourself and your dreams about finishing college and getting your diploma from high school will come true. Don't be afraid to make a big transition from high school to college. If you don't know where a certain building is ask a student that goes there to help you. Other advice that I would give myself is to try to have fun with the transition form high school to college because not alot of students can afford the college like some people. Apply for financial aid for college early and not when it's too late to qualify for a Pell Grant or a Subsidized Loan. This is the advice I would give myself knowing what I know about college life and making the transition. Please pick me for the winner so I could win. Thanks!

calvin

When you're preparing for college, you just have to always be aware of your surroundings because which everything that's going on during high school is the same exact that's occuring during college. The amount of work load is that much, but it is a pain when finals week gets closer because some many projects is due in the same time frame.

Elizabeth

From my college experience thus far, I have learned a great deal about myself as well as the world we live in. Going to college has broadened my horizons and allowed me to meet new people and take chances I never thought I'd be able to. I have met people from all around the world who have different backgrounds and experiences to share. The things I have learned from them are something I would never take back. I have learned how to look at life from different perspectives, and how to be an opportunist. After my first year of school I have found myself to be far more optimistic about life and my future than ever before. My communication skills have advanced greatly and I have been presented with opportunities to go new places in this country as well as globally to learn more about how other people live. Between the things I learned in the classroom and from the people I have met, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I reccommend college to everyone I meet because time is of the essence, and your life is not something to waste.

Alissa

I'm the first of my family to attend college. My father never went to college, but he's still very succesful. My parents are seperated, and my mother doesn't have a job. It's hard for my to pay for school. With all of this under my belt, I still mantain good grades. During my first semester of college as a freshman, I achieved a 3.7 GPA as the top freshman of my department. I love school and I love learning. I would hate to not be able to return due to financial instability. I need to prove to my family that I'm worth it, that spending all this money is worth it. So far during my college experience, I've seen people who care so much and don't let anything get in their way of success, I've seen people who don't care at all, and I've seen people who are a mix between the two. I've yet to find out who exactly is better off in life, but I feel that if I win this money, I will be able to continue my schooling and discover just that.

Joshua

I have gotten a better understanding of who I am from my college experience. I am getting an amazing education and learning things that will help me help others in the future. It has been valuable for me to attend because I have learned to be independent and get to know myself without the dictation of peers. I know what I want to do with my future and this college is here to help me atain that future in any way. College has helped me find my way back to god, back to happiness, and has given me the drive to succeed in life and overcome obstacles. I'm the first person in my family to be in college for more than a year and it feels great.

Jessica

Since I have been in college, I have learned many communication skills that aren't taught in high school. I have made everlasting friends, and experienced team work. With the comminication skills I have learned, I will be able to obtain a job much easier, and get along well with my co-workers. Team work is something that students often don't grasp in high school, however in college I have found myself constantly working in teams. Which is a very good ability to have when entering the work force. This year in college, I have had a wonderful time and really experienced how fun and hared working it can be at the same time. However I also learned that if one can mix work and fun, it is much easier to get it all done and enjoy it too. It has been valuable for me to attend college because wuith the education I obtained from high school i would not have gotten very far.

Alexis

I am a 25 year old single female who when graduated from high school didn't know what she wanted to do. I knew that if I didn't attend a community college directly out of high school then maybe I wouldn't have gone at all. Through high school I was an average student, nothing exciting. I went to Columbia-Greene Community college for 2years, then applied for the COTA/L program at Maria College in Albany. I realized what I could really do with my life, and wanted to make the most and the best out of my life. After going to Maria College, I graduated with honors and began working in my profession. 2 years later I went back to Maria College to promote my job, and answer questions for students who are getting ready to work in the field. Now I'm back working on my bachelors then my masters in Occupational Therapy. Going to college has been the best thing for me and my future. I'm planning on getting married, and having kids, something I thought I would never be finacially sound to do.

Kareem

When I was in high school I never thought of my future school-wise. I only wanted to do my dream job. I figured I'd just go to colleges my friends went to, which I did. Now that I'm a little older and a little more mature I realize that the college I go to may help me reach my dream goal. College has taught me that your life and where you want to go with it should not be taken lightly, there are many opportunities out there but it's only up to you to see the and take on the challenges that lie ahead.

alicia

I've developed a great respect for time management and organization. If college teaches you nothing else, it forces you to learn these two skills, otherwise you'll never make it. I've been exposed to so many different people, views, and cultures. The ability to think critically and make informed decisions. It also gives you a greater sense of responsibility when you have no one to watch over and make sure you're doing what you're supposed to, versus making bad choices.

Elizabeth

I have achieved a since of self-esteem that I did not have before I entered collage. I knew before I went back to collage that there was a personal need for myself to return to collage, not only to train for a new career, but also to keep myself mentaly sharp. I know at the momment that my training is not complete and there for I will not be able to enter into my chosen career as a CMA, yet I know that the field I am going into is a perfect fit for my personality, it is also one of the fastest growing fields in America. I can not wait to be able to help people and repay society for all the oppertunities that have been allowed for myself.

Burnell

The biggest idea that I have gotten out of college is that my actions and my success is not limited to myself, I as a pat of society have a hand in where society is going next. I began as a mediocre student close to failing out to a campus leader because someone had the heart to tell me that people are looking at me for permission to be better even when I do not know their name or face, by me struggling and proving myself victorious I dare people to be something more. More than any string of words I can put together, it's the way that I carry myself through struggle and tribulation that proves that life is not always going to be easy but that does not mean the fight can not be won; failure is not the sin, continuous actions leading to failure is however. Be better than yourself, push yourself and in the end you will be proud of yourself - that is what I have gotten out of my college experience.