West Chester University of Pennsylvania Top Questions

My journey through Tidewater Community College began one year ago, and while I started out hoping to end up with a better job, higher salary or both. It turns out that the simple act of pursuing the credentials necessary to better myself and to eventually provide a better life for my wife and child has proven to be an incredibly enlightening and humbling experience. Moving on to complete my Bachelor's Degree at Old Dominion University and even earning that elusive MBA are all worthy educational goals that I know I will meet, given my determination and motivation. In addition, I am realizing that there is an equal worthiness in the education I am receiving outside of the classroom from friends and mentors. It turns out that I am not pursuing a college education simply for personal gain. I truly believe that I can lead by example and become both a provider and a role model for those around me. My journey will not only help me gain worldly knowledge, but it will also help me gain the skills necessary to serve and lead my family, my community and, in whatever manner possible, humanity.

Prior to college, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. Even for the first two years at a nearby community college, I was just taking random, interesting classes. It wasn't until I transferred to West Chester, that I fell in love with my department. All of my professors and advisors are extremely helpful and friendly. My department head even recognizes me by face and name! That's not because the Elementary Education department is so small, but because she's always been able to help me with any and every issue or question I've had for her. West Chester has not only been a valuable experience, but one that I will always be able to count on. It has taught me to depend on myself, but I can still turn to other students and professionals for discourse. My grades have improved, and overall I have excelled at West Chester. I wouldn't transfer to another school for the world.

When I was a child, my two worst fears were my parents' death and getting cancer. As I grew up, I realized that death was a natural ending to our life, but cancer still scared me. In 1989 I married my 2nd husband who became a great husband and father to my two daughters and they supported me when I went back to school in 1990. School was hard, but I rose to the challenge and in 1994 I completed my BS in Biology. My mother died just a few days before I was to graduate and two weeks later I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Imagine two of your worst fears coming to fruition within two weeks of each other. It has been 17 years since my original diagnosis and 13 years since I found out the cancer had spread to my t13 vertebra. I had doctor's telling me I would die, but I am still here and I credit my education. It taught me to use critical thinking and helped me to research my diagnosis, helping me to make smart, informed choices about my treatment. You could say that college saved my life.

By attending West Chester University, I have learned a lot about myself, and the person that I want to be after graduation. Finding yourself and becoming more intune with your life is a valuable life lesson that everyone should learn. By making new friends, becoming more active in clubs on campus and becoming more aware of my surroundings, I have learned that finding yourself takes time. No one knows who they are going into college, and still may not by the time that they graduate. I found myself last year while interning at a dialysis center located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. I was counseling a 21 year old woman, who was suffering from kidney failure. By doing this, I learned that I should not take anything in life for granted, and I should be the person that I want to be; not the person that everyone else wants me to be. Since then, I have been doing more for myself, and focusing on my own life rather than everyone elses. This has taught me many valuable lessons which I am grateful for. In time, I hope to learn more about myself and the world around me.

Some things that i have gotten out of my college experience since i've been attending college is that college actually makes you a better and stronger person because it showed me that i am actually capable of getting the grades and doing the things that i need to do get and earn my grades. College has also taught me how to be independent and be on my own while im away from home and my family. It is valuable that i attend college because i want to better myself as a person and make something of myself so that when i am older and am living out on my own i can have a good job and take care of myself and not have to depend on anyone.

Just because you got into West Chester University does not mean that you are finished working hard at school. Even when you get into college there will be examines, homework, projects, papers, and finals. Keep working hard! College is going to require you to live on your own and care for yourself so start learning the little things like how to do laundry, what is healthy to eat, and research more information out about West Chester that will help ease the transition from highschool. You will not have someone constantly monitoring you and telling you what to do. You have to be responsible and know that you cannot stay out all night, you need to work to keep you grades up, and time needs to be set aside to study you will not just memorize the information the first time that you hear it. But at the same time college is a chance to meet new people, join sports teams, join frats, work, and experience life on your own. When you are on your own you will truely be thankful for what your parents do for you and everything that they have given you in life!

Do not play. Collee is not a game. It is okay to have fun and enjoy yourself, but you must establish yourself academically first. Make sure you are on top of your work so you dont miss anything and have to catch up because that is the worst thing to have to do.

If I could go back and give myself advice about college, I would tell myself not to stress so much. There are many people who are willing to help; all you have to do is ask. I would also say to do what you love, do not go through school hating your classes, and make sure you put yourself in a good environment, make your college experience a good one.

If I was still a high school senior, there are a few bits of advice that I would give myself. First off, I would tell myself to choose the college that is going to be the absolute best for ME. Meaning, not the best college for my parents, my grandparents, or my counselor, but for myself as a na?ve student, ready to go off to college for the first time. With all my fellow class mates making their college decisions right and left, it was also very stressful to choose a college where I would be attending for the next four years of my undergraduate schooling. I wish I could have somehow put myself at ease through the intense process of choosing the right school. I would also advise that high school senior, meaning myself, to choose a major that is going to satisfy my true interests and my passion. Even though I didn?t know at the time what that passion would be for sure, I wish that I could have been given this advice before I entered into the very different world of college.

I believe the advise I would give myself would be to learn my study skills in advance, and to not constantly beat myself up if I am not satisfied with my grades, and that I just have to try harder next time. I say that would be the best advice because I feel like my transition from high school was a bit challenging because I did not know my study skills I really had a hard time with the work load, and to top it off I was always beating myself down when I did not do well, which caused some stress. But as I am progressing I realize that it gets better along the way if I just try a little harder. Another piece of advice I would give myself would be to make sure that I surround myself with positive people because I have found out that when you do surround yourself with great people they are the ones who will build you up along your college journey whenever you fall. To conclude, I believe that this advice will help anyone who is transitioning from high school to college.