Wagner College Top Questions

“You have been though a lot and even though you are about to graduate high school, this is not the end, it is just another stepping stone to get where you want to get. Therefore, stay focus and continue to persevere. You will feel pressured into doing things that you never done before just to fit it and to have a social life, however, you need to keep in mind that you are going there with one purpose and that is to succeed, therefore, be willing to make sacrifices. The sacrifices you make will make you feel down in the time being, but they will definitely pay off in the end. Most importantly, keep God in your heart and make Him a priority because He will help you overcome anything that seems impossible because with Him everything is possible. Lastly, do not lessen your expectations. If you have goals in mind of things you want to do while being there, do not hesitate. Ask the faculty for help and do not stop until all your questions have been answered. Take advantage of all the resources that are provided to you and this will make your college experience an unforgettable one.”

"People will come in and out of your life but your true friends will always be there." This is the advice I would give myself because I am personally very trust worthy. I believed that when I first got to school the friends I made the first month there would be my life long friends, however that is not true. People will come in and out of your life but the most important thing is to know who you are. I have always thought college was exactly what one would see in movies but that is not necessarily true either. College is a good thing and a bad. It is good because you fianlly get the freedom you have always wanted. It is bad because you now are responsible for your life and your actions. It is a hard adjustment not having someone to fall back on and it takes some adjusting but it is possible. I have learned that you have to learn how to trust yourself to know that you will make the right choice. You need to learn how to start relying on yourself and not your parents.

Going back to my senior year in high school, advice that I would give myself about transitioning to college life would include being myself. I would tell myself to stay true to who I am and not worry about how I will be percieved by my new classmates. I would not worry nearly as much about fitting in because on a diverse campus, there will always be people that you can be comfortable with. I would also be much less anxious about new experiences. Between leaving home, meeting new people and living in a new state, there have been a lot of changes in the first few weeks of college. All of these experiences have been positive and I am growing and thriving in my new world. I am not afraid to call home and talk with my family. It is important to me to remain connected. I might have wanted to remember that when I was thinking about the changes I would be experienceing during my last year of high shcool.

The most traumatic memory in my life was watching my late grandfather die of prostate cancer. He died at home because he couldn't afford treatment at a real hospital. There was a male nurse who lived in the neighborhood took care of my grandfather gratuitously until his last breathe. It was the generosity and nurturing nature of this man which stuck me and it motivated me to give back. I used to do volunteering work for an organization called Hope For Kids many years ago. We would go to specific neighborhoods and speak to families about the important benefits of immunization. I was also able to organize blood drives for the Red Cross. I also had the privilege of working with Lenscrafters and we would make brand new corrective eyeglasses for families in need. These experiences allowed me to become aware of my desire to work with people one on one. If I was to go back to high school then I would make sure that I would guide myself towards preparing for a career in nursing.

As a high school senior, i wasnt really into getting into college at the moment , so i decide to continue to build up my work experience as a cashier in different area of the reservation, then i decide to be a teacher aide for the northern cheyenne headstart then i took a year off to take care of my horses and spent time with my family. I decide to go to college, i choose Chief Dull knife College to start my college career, I glad that i made this choice because i need a refresher in all my subjects, I have been on President and Dean list also had awards in my subjects. I'm pursing degree in Chemical and Enivronmental engineering. I'll be graduating in the spring of 2012 with my AS degree then i'll be traveling down to the Colorado School of Mines to attend a summer internship and also finish up my degree then i'll transfer to Yale University to finish up my gradute school to get my PH.D in Chemical engineering. The advice that i have gave to myself is never surrender or give up on my education goals in life.

I would advise myself to not second-guess who I am. Many of my freshman issues focused around me not being confident in who I am and what I believe in. I would tell myself not to be afraid of having different ideas than others, because eventually I will find people who agree with me and support me. Basically, believe that I am doing the right thing, that I have made the right decision, that I have made the right place. If I trusted in that, then the rest will take care of itself.

College isn't at all what you would expect Chelsey. To get your full experience you have to get involved. The resourses and technology that will be accessable to you will be very benefical so USE it. Studying hard and being dedicated to getting a better education is what will get you throuh college. You HAVE to want to be there, just always remember this will be paying off in your future. Oh and college is alot of fun too, get involved in the athletics they will help you stay focused and dedicated because you don't want to let your team down, being uneligible for the championship game wouldn't be a crowd pleaser that's for sure. College school work is a lot more challenging and time consuming so make sure you set a side a few hours a day to get your homework done and just power through it. Well chelsey I know you'll do great just keep focused, go to class and enjoy your experience.

If I could go back and talk with myself as a high school senior, my transition to college could have been a lot less stressful. I would definitely tell my younger self to choose a small school to make the transition the easiest. During my decision process, I had it down to two schools; one very large, and one very small. I am a terrible decision maker to begin with! I drove myself and my family insane with numerous pro and con lists. If I had a chance to talk with myself today, I would have known that a small school makes everything easier; from class sizes and interaction with professors to move- in day and instant friends, having a small sized school made the transition so simple. It was almost like summer camp; making friends that you will have forever, and gaining great mentors out of your counselors, or in this case, professors. The small size of the school has allowed me to learn so much more and experience things I never would have had the chance to. Sharing this information with myself last year could have helped me make my decision easier without annoying my friends and family.

First of all, I would advise myself to know who I am before heading off to college. Much of the drama and life decisions could be handled a lot better if I was more sure of myself going into them. Also, I would caution myself to not be judgmental, but to also not be afraid to get ot know people. There is such a diversity here that I am not used to, and it would have been nice to be warned about that before plunging into this new life. I would also tell myself to just have fun, let go sometimes and not worry or over-plan. College is the time to make mistakes and figure out what I actually want to do with my life, so it's completely alright to not be perfect.

My college experience was my first real introduction to independence. Having been raised in a caring, protective, middle class, suburban household- attending college took me out of my comfort zone for the first time. As much as I value the degree I earned from Wagner and the knowledge I obtained from all of the classes attended, I find that the social education of the college experience is most valuable. It's funny to think back now, but at first the idea that I was completely responsible for my choices- without having a parental figure monitering or influencing my daily decisions was extrememly novel to me. I quickly learned the importance of time management amongst classes, athletics, and my social life. The subtlety of meeting new people, navigating the challenges of living with roommates, and maintaining relationships with different genres of peer groups sounds like a given, but really, these are skills that I developed in college. College, for me, helped develop my self confidence- I think the college experience, in general, is most valuable because it acts as this crazy transitional cushion between childhood and adulthood.

If I were to talk to myself with the knowledge that I have now, I would tell myself to actually pay attention in high school and that it really does matter, and to reach out to every available resource that I have and utilize it. I never did A work in high school but I don't belive that I pushed myself either because I didn't think that it mattered, but if I were to get into a routine and build better study habits and was able to better prepare myself, I think that would have helped me in the long run, instead of having to teach myself study methods now as a junior in college. I think I would also tell a senior to take advantage of the time they have in high school because they tell us that we should put in 3 hours to every classroom hour of studying which is a lot, and in order to succeed you really need to do that or something close to that and in high school that typically is not the case. So take advantage of the time you have to hang out with friends and family.

Knowing what I know now about college life and the transition, I would tell myself to not be afraid of any exciting opportunities presented to me and to still have fun! Four years of college in New York City have almost come and gone so quickly, and I feel that I have not utilized my convenient location near the city. I was able to study abroad through my school and see most of Europe, but I have not done many things around my campus. I have always put academics first and needed to work jobs throughout school, which has been stressful at times. This is why I would remind myself to simply time manage, and not forget to take part in fun campus activities. While not forgetting to have a great time at college, I would also tell my high school senior self to be yourself! This is the best way to make new friends and to not fear being judged by others. During the orientation week and the first month of college life, be open to meeting anyone and everyone because you never know who you will meet and possibly be friends with for the rest of your life.

If I could time travel, I would tell myself as a high school senior to not stress about college life. I would also tell myself to introduce myself to everyone that I meet on campus during orientation. I should not be afraid or timid to meet new people. In fact, Freshmen Orientation is the best time to make new friends. I would remind myself to study hard but not too much. I should make sure to have time to have some fun with my new friends during the weekends. I would advise myself not to be afraid of my professors and to go to them for help during their office hours in order to get to know them better. I would tell myself to join clubs that I am interested in and to take advantage of every academic, leadership, and volunteer opportunity that is offered to me. Finally, I would remind myself to check and read my e-mail everyday and to keep in touch with my family and high school friends.

I wish as a senior in high school I could have known exactly what I was getting in to because then, just maybe, I wouldn't have worried as much. If I could go back and tell myself a few things, the first major thing would be to relax. College isn't as scary s thehigh school guidance counselors like to make it seem. I wouls also let myself know that everyone is in the same boat as you, and that I am not the only one errified of making brand new friends. I would let me high school self know also, that college is a lot more expensive than thought. I would advice myself that instead of going on that really "important" shopping trip with my friends over the summer, I should really be conserving money and looking up cheaper prices of college books. But probably the most important thing I would tell myself is to get ready for a adventure. I wish I would have known that college is meant to be a place to learn who you are, because then I would have started as soon as I got here. So heres' to an adventure.

I'd tell myself to be prepared for the unexpected. College life is about spontaneity, living life in the moment and getting the most out of everything you do. I'd tell myself that you will always have a support group, between your peers and professors, everyone is always willing to lend a helping hand. However, the most important thing I would tell myself is that college is nothing like high school - the workload is about a hundred times more than it was in high school, even with AP and Honors classes. There are many papers to write, exercises to do, books to read, and scholarships to apply for. The key to getting through this is self-motivation and time management, as if you can motivate yourself to read books, write papers, and apply for scholarships with enough time to reserve for relaxation, you will be able to accomplish anything you set your mind to, something that will go with you for the rest of your life.

If given the opportunity to talk to the high school senior I was, my main message to myself would be not to sell yourself short. As I look back on my life, I can often recall instances when I could have tried something but did not. This was because I doubted my abilities and did not truly believe in myself. I often thought that I was not smart enough or good enough, and in turn missed out on many opportunities. As I begin to rely more on my own abilities as an adult, I realize that I have held myself back from many things in life. For this reason, I would tell my former self to strive for every opportunity that presents itself because they may never come again and to never doubt his own abilities for he is capable of greatness.

Make sure when you visit the college you look at the bathrooms and the showers! Try out the food! Check out the upper classmen dorms! Ask some students for their opinion!!!!

If I could go back and advise myself as a high school senior, I would remind myself to pick a school that reflects the woman I hope to become. Picking a college will be one of the most important decissions you make in life and cannot be taken lightly. Be mindful to choose a place where you can grow, a place you will be openly accepted and find other men an women with whom you will share ideas. You never want a day to come when you will dread going back to school. Keep an open mind, and inspect all of your choices. Throw your fear to the wind, for these are the best days of your life.

I would tell myself as a senior that when you get to college; attend as much stuff in orientation as possible. Go out on your dorm floor and be social. Introduce yourself to people; there is nothing to lose. College is the time you make some of your life long friends, and this is when you need good friends the most. I would also tell myself to study hard. You are in college to get an education first, and have fun later. There will always be time for fun later in life, but there won't always be time to get a good college education. Don't get caught up in the college drama either. Everything is temporary and will blow over eventually. And the last thing I would tell myself, as a senior is to just be strong. Stand up for yourself and what you believe in. If most people don't like it there will always be someone else out there who agrees with you, and he/she will be your friend no matter what happens. Also, I would advise myself to improve my organizational skills by a lot.

Finding the right college can be such a daunting task. However, it really is the most enjoyable time. You have all these schools that accept you and you ultimately get to decide which one is perfect for you. My advice is to go with your gut and go with where you feel you will be most at home. Do not let anyone else make your decision for you. It is your education and your life. DO what is right for you and what is in your heart. College really is what you make it. GET INVOLVED. There will always be clubs/organizations on any campus. JOIN THEM. Find something you're passionate about and become a part of it. If there's nothing you feel that's for you, then CREATE YOUR OWN CLUB. These are the best four years of your life. Make them count. Laugh often. Live it up. Be a role-model for your school. Be compassionate and put yourself out on a limb. It will be rewarding and worth it.