Wells College Top Questions

Knowing what I know now about college life, I would advise myself to learn better study habits. I basically skated by in high school without ever really "studying" for anything. I mean, yeah I would read over my notes once in a while, but I wouldn't sit down and ask myself questions about why something works. I would basically memorize everything, and never analyze what I am taking in. However, I am starting to analyze more of my work critically, and it is really helping me out with my classwork and homework. If I had developed better study skills, I would definitely be far better off now in college. Once in a while I can get by without studying, but I know very soon I will be in classes where I can't do that, so my study skills are improving; but if I had started off with good study skills when I entered college, my life would definitely be far easier.

If I could go back and tell my high school self about college I would talk about the power of having friends. I don’t just mean people that I can hang out with, but people that I can go to when I am having a problem with homework, or need to study. I know I would argue it’s not necessary when I feel I know the material, but even then having somebody to study with is invaluable because they have an opportunity to catch small mistakes that I may have made. Or if neither one of us understands the material then we are more likely able to work it out by working together because two minds are always greater than one. As a final third point, if for any reason it is necessary to miss class, then I am able to go back to that friend and be able to discuss the topic for that day. That’s really the most important thing I could tell myself. Study hard, understand the material, but must importantly have friends who can help me when I get stuck.

If i had to go back and give myself advice, I would advice that I become more open to other people. I should go out and make friends and to get comfortable talking and being around others. I would also tell myself to become more outgoing, to join clubs and to play more sports. If i had been given this advice, i feel that I would be more comfortable now in this college environment.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself during my final year of high school before college I would inform myself that there really is nothing to worry about. That things will go smoothly but it is also nice to have college credits before your actually in college so to study more instead of going out and playing video games so much. That it's also better to stay away from all the drama and to not worry about it because you don't keep all your friends from highschool into college. To have a fun time and not worry about things to much but to study and try your best at the tests that willl mean the most when you go into college.

Hey Sammy, I know you're worried about your test scores and having the money for school. You want the big city schools but just remember that you thrive on personal relationships with your professors/teachers. Remember you could walk into Mrs. Lord's class any time and strike up a conversation with her? Small schools can do that for you so remember bigger isn't necessarily better. Your test scores will be fine. They aren't as high as Jesi's scores but life isn't about test scores and GPAs. Colleges do care about the person you are and, trust me, your college essay was funny and creative! You'll get accepted and you'll have a lot of choices to make. You're worried about losing old friends and never making any new friends, but you aren't as socially challenged as you think. You'll keep in touch with the friends who really mean something to you at home, especially the ones who you can't imagine living without. Make college your own and seize all opportunities! Join clubs, make friends, and have fun! It is not the end of your world at home I promise!

If I could go back to high school and give myself one piece of advice it would be, "take more challenging courses." Throughout high school, I took advanced classes but I didn't really take any college level classes even though I could have. Coming to college, the workload was extremely overwhelming. I expected college work to be a little more difficult but not as much as it really is. I think that if I had been more prepared and challenged myself more in high school, I would have been less overwhelmed. Another important aspect I would tell myself is to become more involved in the community. Since coming to college, I have joined clubs and organizations. I also spend a lot of time volunteering. These are all things I did not do in high school. I am so happy to have all these new experiences and I wish I had discovered all these interests in high school because I think it would have been very rewarding to start sooner.

In my high school years, I would have taken the time to research my interests more, and found out excatly what career I wanted. This would have made the early years of my college experience much more enjoyable. I would also make myself move into the dorms. I choose to live with my parents and in the end I wish I had lived on campus. I became very separated from the rest of my school, missing most of the activities going on at the college. Having that close bond with other students in college is one of my biggest regrets. Other than those few things, I feel like I prepared myself well for the transition to college. In high school I kept my grades up, and knew how to manage my time well between social activities and school. Time management is one thing that I believe set me up for the success I have now. I am very fortunate that I knew how to manage my time wisely. Looking at other students at the college, I feel feel they would have taken a course on time management if offered.

I would advise myself to make more campus visits to the schools I'm considering. Not only make a campus visit, but sit in on classes that are of interest to you, in order to get a better feel of the academics at the school. I would advise myself to also complete an overnight at all of the colleges I was considering, to get a more full emersion into the social aspect of the campus and what students are like, in order to see how I would fit in. I would advise this now after experiencing the transition because I realized visiting a campus for a couple hours and getting a tour doesn't give you the whole picture. Sitting in on classes and completing an overnight won’t give you the entire picture, you can't get that until you're actually attending, however it will help you get a better feel for the campus and how you would enjoy spending your next couple years there. I think finding the right fit for you academically and socially is important, as you want to succeed in your school work, but you also want to be happy and social.

If I could go back in time with the knowledge I now have about college life, the biggest piece of advice I would give myself would be to explore. As a freshman I was relatively shy; even though my college had many great orientation activities, I didn't always put myself out there as well as I could have. Exploring new activities, foods, ideas, and classes opens so many doors. Even if you end up not liking something, trying new things can lead to new friendships and expands your perspective. I strongly believe that your experiences impact how your think and interact with other people; the more experiences you have the better you'll be able to think critically, analyze new information, make connections between different spheres of your life, and network with other individuals. Finally, I would advise my high school self not to try to fit into anyone else's mold. Each of us is unique and brings a whole new perspective to everything we do; these varied perspectives are what help us to evolve as individuals, as a culture, and as a society.

I would tell myself to apply for as many scholarships as humanly possible, just like I am now. If I would have started early, I wouldn't be in the predicament I am now. Also, get off your butt and get a job..oh, you can't drive?...WALK. YOU HAVE LEGS! Also, college isn't as scary as you make it out to be. I always thought it was this huge daunting thing, and it was going to be ridiculously hard, and people were going to be way too busy to ever make friends with anyone...which is weird, because I also thought that college was a constant party...which also scared me, because parties aren't really my thing...and parties can't happen unless people have time..and friends. Honestly, I'd have to tell myself to calm down about the social things, and worry more about the financial aspect.