Western Carolina University Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself during my senior year I would tell myself not to worry about leaving my friends and family behind because I am going to meet so many new people when I go to Western. Also, I don't have to worry about who my roommate will be because she turns out to be awesome! We get along great, do all kinds of things together, and she is the reason I have met so many new people so far. I love all of my classes they are so easy and the professors are so helpful and nice, they're nothing like how everyone describes them. There will always be something to do on campus so I won't ever be bored. Basically every worry I have I can forget because they are all pointless, I absolutely love college life.

Be prepared for a change in lifestyle; be ready for anything. A college students eating habits, sleeping habits, fitness behavior, responsibility levels, and financial awareness all change during the first year in college. Don?t stress about the changes, just go with them, a student will be healthier that way. Just keep everything in a healthy balance, so that nothing brings you down. Be sure to try to eat healthy, sleep the right amount, and stay calm. As long as you are ready for anything that could come your way then you will be serene and triumph over it. You can achieve an unproblematic and less stressful transition into college life. One other thing is to take time to talk about issues that are bothering you with family, friends, or a counselor, know that people are there to help you and don?t be afraid to talk to them about anything. There are many different people that you can talk to, so nothing is out of bounds whether it be roommate issues, alcohol, sex, or drug questions, somebody is there that can help. Be prepared for change and be willing to ask for advice: the best advice.

I would tell myself that there is more to college than parties and meeting girls. Go into college planning to properly manage your time and take your classes seriously because the difference between an A and a B can be just a little bit of laziness on your part. College will be fun and you don't have to worry about going out and finding it. Also, don't concentrate on work and making money. Only work as much as you have to in order to cover your expenses and leave the rest of your time available for studying, which you should do more of, exploring socail activities on campus, and making new friends from all over the world in order to make yourself an more eductaed, cultured, and overall well rounded individual. You'll thank yourself in the future.

If I were able to go back in time and talk to my self about transitioning to college, I would encourage myself to leave the high school mentality behind and get serious about college. College is an investment and should be taken seriously. Even though I was able to maintain a 3.6 gpa through highschool and my community college years, I could have pushed myself a lot more. Most of my friends saw college as a time in life to party. Even I had it in my mind that I was done with high school and it was time to party. I could have concentrated more on my school work and less on drinking time. These days, partying comes after my school work. This has helped my maintain a 3.95 gpa currentl at Western Carolina University. With all of this said, I can't actually go back in time to change anything. I don't think I would change anything if I could. Every fault in my life has taught me valuable lessons which have made me who I am today.

To the Current High School Senior: Before entering college, there are a few things you should know and be aware of. First of all, college is one of the best experiances you will ever have. Take it from me, college is wonderful. However, you have to remember that you will have to work on your studies. College is a wonderful place to experiance new things and meet new people, but the work you do in college will be the basis for the rest of your life. Choose your major wisely, and make sure you do what you want to do. Also, remember that even though this will be the best time of your life, you should take great things in small doses. Don't waste this wonderful opportunity by not working on your grades or partying too much. One other thing to remember is that once you enter college, you will be in the real world and you will have to be with people from all walks of life. You should be open to diversity. I hope you are looking forward to the next few years! -Kasi Freeman

Don't place so much importance on being accepted by peers. I know you. All you want to do is have fun. That's great, but it is also selfish. Look at the people around you. The people who care about you. Stay the hell away from drugs, no matter how good they make you feel. Quit thinking that you know everything, because you don't. You are just a kid. Seek advice and counsel from people you look up to. And then listen. I love you.

If I could go back to high school I would tell myself about how much fun college is going to be. I would also tell myself to apply for as many scholarships as possible, because college is more than just tuition and there are a lot of other expenses that some people can not afford after paying for everything else. I would also tell myself to continue to work hard, because now that I am in college and made it in the honors college after my first semester, you realize that success is so rewarding and after all of your hard work it finally pays off once you graduate and get the job of your dreams.

I would tell myself to really pursue answers regarding AP and transfer classes from the community college, so that every bit of it counted. I wasted a lot of time and am paying a surcharge for going over on the allowed hours. I would have familiarized myself with my intended major's curriculum and timeline, and scheduled more difficult classes freshman year. That would have opened up sophomore year for study abroad, which I wish i had done.

When choosing a college to attend, one must consider his/her passions and pick a college accordingly. It is very important to want to do well in college in order to succeed. Having priorities in place is a must, but also is the ablity to have fun and relieve stress.

For parents, I would say to encourage your child no matter where they decide that they would like to go to school. Don't try to force them to go somewhere that they don't want to, if your child is not happy where they are, then they are much less likely to succeed. For students, don't ever pick a school just because a friend or a boyrfriend or girlfriend is going there. Think about which school will help you to accomplish the goals that you have for your life. You will have a social life at any college, but not every college can help you to accomplish what you want to in life. Also, if you work hard, and do your best, you will succeed, and at the same time, if you put yourself out there and make friends and keep a possitive attitude, you will thoroughly enjoy it as well. To make the most of your college experience, in my opinion, you have to get involved in activities outside of just your classes. Intramurals, greek life, honor club, or sports, these are just a few of the many ways to make the most of your college experience.

Every student is different. Each has different strengths, weaknesses, and priorities. It is important to find a school that makes the student feel comfortable in their surroundings. Academic quality is also important when looking for a school. Many schools have programs they specialize in, if you are interested in a specific degree, it might be best to rule out some schools before making final selections. Ask alumni and current students what their experience has been, they will be honest and tell more than a website. Take advantage of services offered on campus. Use the graduate assistants, computer labs, and study sessions with professors. There are also lots of activities on campus, use these opportunities to get involved with different groups of people. Most importantly a school should bring out the best in you, and should encourage your growth as a student and soon professional.

Visit, visit, visit! Not just when they are having events, but also when normal classes are going on, just sit in on a class. The best way to know what a University is really going to be like is to see it when they aren't trying to impress anyone's parents.

To the students I would advise them to find a school that is close to home because even though you want to be independent it is always good to have your family near by for support because you never know what might happen.

The best advice I would give is to pick your major as early as possible. In some majors they require extra concentrations and minors that are hard to pick up if you decide in your junior year what your major is going to be. Talk to schools about your intended major because some schools do not have what you might be looking for and others may be better for particular fields. Choose a school where the student will feel comfortable with the distance from home. A student will not do well if they are homesick. Always check the food availability of a campus as sometimes the offerings are not very good. If a student does not eat well they might get sick and a sick student does not study well.

Pick a college far away from home. Make sure that the student can be as independent as possible. College is about obtaining an education, but for the student, it is about figuring out who they are. Students will make mistakes, but pick a college where there is enough competition that continued mistakes are not acceptable. There is plenty of time in life to party and it is very important that a good student does not end up in a party school, though every student needs to be exposed to this behavior. Pick a school with smaller class sizes and where discussion is a main part of the curriculum. Think about what kind of degree the student will be looking for and what other degrees the student may need to obtain for their career choice. It is very important to realize that graduate school will also cost a fair amount of money and time. Make sure that the college the student attends as an undergrad is not the school you want to get your Ph D from. Finally, pick a diverse campus. One that encourages studying abroad. Every student should study abroad and that students obtain a world view.

Make sure your son or daughter stay on track. The school has a great deal to offer if they are not swallowed by their freinds peer pressure.

I would recommend to check out the majors that the university offers first. Than research the activities and group organizations that are offered. I think that it is really important to become involved with your campus and each campus offers something different.

Make sure your college fits. it should have a easy peaceful feeling not unlike your home

I think that students should pick the school that they will be happiest at. It will be difficult to be successful in a place where you are not comfortable or happy. Things such as what you will be studying and overall campus envirnment should be taken seriously as well. Schools that do not specialize in certain areas can still offer good programs but if you want to do something like engineering you should look at schools that have good programs. Students should take the oppertunity to visit several different colleges and get an overall feeling about the campus. Something else important is how far away the school is from home. If you are not comfortable not being able to drive home on the weekends then you are going to be miserable stuck on campus. Just remember that college is a once in a lifetime experience and you should do the research so you can make sure it is a good one.

The most important thing about finding a college is the atmosphere that the student will be the most comfortable with. A good education will follow