Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Top Questions

Tom Petty can say it better than I. ?You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time, but you'll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday with your friends when you have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does...?

I would prepare myself from being away from home for so long. I would also study a lot more than I did in high school. I would also visit more college campuses before making a final decision.

I should have had more confidence and follow my interest instead of following my friend's path of interest. When I was in high school, i always wanted to be a doctor and help out people. Since I didn't do well in my AP Biology course, I decided to not become a doctor because I know you must take a lot of science classes that are a lot more difficult than biology. Instead, I decided to take business classes in college with my friend because I thought business classes are not as hard as science classes. I really regret this because I took some business classes during my freshman year and had no interest. Even though i paid attention and studied hard. I didn't really learn anything because I have no interest in it. Ever since I switched my major, I am always curious and enjoy learning the materials. I know I think slower than average people and must work a lot harder to get a good grades and often ask for help, but I never complain because I have a goal now. I am more confident.

The most important advice I think I could give myself would be to do as many scholarships as possible! I knew it was important then, but I blew it off, telling myself I would do it later, though I never did. I realize now that it is so much harder to get a scholarship in college than it was in high school and it is my biggest regret that I did not take the initiative to do what had to be done. In high school, a high GPA is a piece of cake, but in college, it is a challenge to keep it above a 3.0. When filling out scholarships in college, the first question is always, 'What is your GPA?' I always feel disheartened by it because it is nowhere near what it was in high school. My courses are way more challenging than I thought, so the best possible advice I could give, not only to myself, but to aspiring college students everyone, is to complete as many scholarships as humanly possible!

Just because you can get good grades in high school without studying doesn't mean that will continue in college. Learn to study.

An important thing I wish I had known as a high school senior is that I did not need to rush into making a decision about college. Because I felt so pressured to make a decision as quickly as possible, I ended up choosing the wrong university for my first year of college. I wasted a whole year feeling miserable because I made the decision that I thought was expected of me, rather than thinking fully about choosing the school that would make me happiest. It is also important to keep in mind that it is never too late to start over. There is plenty of time is this life to figure out what it is that I want to do, and as long as I have the will power, I can do it. Finally, I wish I had known to get involved on campus earlier. Joining a club, volunteering with a group, or even working with others on an assignment are important social aspects of college. It may be uncomfortable for me to come out of my shell and meet people, but doing so will truly provide for me social skills that will be useful in my future career.

If I could warn my high school senior self about what she would need to be ready for college, the first thing I would tell her would be that she should save her money! College is expensive, and with just one small scholarship I've had to pay for everything on my own, some straight from my internship salary and the rest with student loans. I would tell her not to lose her drive and determination, because high school was easy but engineering school is very, very hard. I'd tell her to not eat too much because they're not kidding when they talk about the "freshman 15!" And finally, I'd tell her to relax, because Virginia Tech is amazing and she's going to have the time of her life!

College is all about a balance between your studies and your social life. Treat school as a job, start in the morning and work on school work or go to classes until about 4 or 5 then call it a day. College life is what you only what you make it, there are so many opportunities that you need to take advantage of like hiking, concerts, theater performances, football games, etc... There are so many activities tailored for many different groups of people allowing everyone to find their niche. Do a study abroad, my experience changed my perception of the United States and different cultures in so many ways I cannot explain. And lastly, don't take your time for granted. Classes and projects dominate your time but take a moment to step back and enjoy where you are. These are going to be some of the best years of your life, where you make lifelong friends and determine a path to embark on after graduation. The world is waiting but don't be too eager to join it yet, enjoy your time in college because before you know it you'll be marching across the stage graduated. Good luck!

Remember that the summer before you go off to college could very well be the last summer you get to have with those friends. Cherish it, and remember it for the rest of your life. As you go on to college, there are plenty of new people to meet and new things to try. Don't be afraid to step out on a limb and try something! You might like it! Take your time and try not to let the hustle and bustle of getting ready for college steal that last bit of childhood you have left. In college you will have plenty of fun, and freedom that most students didn't have while in high school. It can be overwhelming to be allowed to to whatever you want whenever you want, but take this new freedom with responsibility. Many students have let this freedom go to their head and ended up failing out of college because they didn't balance their schoolwork with their social life. It will take some getting used to, don't let it bother you too much! Take it one step at a time, and have a blast!

I would tell myself to enjoy myself as much as possible because college is a lot more demanding. I would also tell myself to spend as much time with my friends because I will not see most of them again.