Western Kentucky University Top Questions

If I could go back in time and give my high school self some advice, it would be not to give up on myself and stay in school because it will be well worth it. Like many teenagers, I could not wait to “grow up” and move out. Instead of finishing high school and earning my diploma, I dropped out and got a job. Luckily, I did have the wherewithal to get my GED, but I did not go to college and get a higher education which was a huge mistake. It has been fifteen years since I dropped out of high school. Going to college at thirty-three comes with so many additional challenges that you do not have when you are eighteen. First, I had not realized how much information I had forgotten. Second, I work full time and last, my husband and I have four children. As you can image, I do not get much rest. This is my second chance at the education that I should have gotten a long time ago, and in the end, I know that all of this hard work will be worth it.

the advice that i would tell myself is that Every person who begins a college career has a multitude of reasons for doing so. Some people do it because they are expected to get a college degree. Others do it hoping for a better life than they could have without a college degree. I am not entering college for either of these reasons. I am a high school graduate who believes I can do better than I did. Therefore, my reason for beginning college are some what different than the average person starting college for the first time. I have something to prove to myself. I want to prove that I can earn a college degree.

Dear Little High School Senior Me, I know you're earnestly awaiting your college years to begin, but there are a few things you should hear before you take this incredibly cool, incredibly scary leap into mini adulthood. The first thing I want you to take into account is that you need to prepare. Save your money. College has an endless list of expenses and they only pile up. Education should not be a debt sentence; plan wisely. Second, take time to appreciate your family. There have been so many times sitting in my little cubby-hole dorm room when I've wished that I would have let my parents know how much I love them. Don't take them for granted, because when your first week of your freshman year rolls around, you'll feel lonely and overwhelmed. But they'll always be there for you. The third thing I want you hear is this: work your hardest no matter where you end up. Whether you're at your Plan A school or Plan C school, never stop pursuing your dreams. It doesn't matter where you start. What does? Where you finish. That's up to you.

If I could go back in time and give my high school self one piece of advice, I would say to be sure to study. High school was relatively easy for me. I learned the material in class and did not have to devote much time to it after hours. College is a different story. When your teachers tell you that college is hard, they are not trying to scare you. Do not shake it off like my friends and I did. These teachers went to college and they know how truly difficult it is. I would want my high school self to walk into college prepared to give her studies the amount of time that they require and deserve. Doing so would have given me a much smoother transition into college as well as higher grades on my report cards.

I think the best advice I would give to myself as a high school senior would be to really search myself for what I want to do as a career. This will enable you to get a really concrete idea of what degree you should pursue. I wish I had chosen more carefully and had gone with a degree that had a specific career as its goal (accounting, teaching, etc) so that I could have gone directly from college into that career. I instead chose a degree in a subject that I loved but that does not have a natural-flowing job attached to it. This made finding a good career after college difficult. Choosing a specific career and getting a degree based on that from the beginning would have saved me time and money in the long run.

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school senior self, I would definately tell her to apply for more scholarships. I applied for many scholarships but I should have tried to apply for more of them. I would also tell her to join some groups in school and get better acquainted with more people, and to come out of your shyness.

Pressure is large part of college, maybe even more so than in high school. From peer pressure to stress from school work, it can be overwhelming at times but stay strong. Its worth the struggle. You will be tempted by people who you believe to be friends but your strong enough to resist the bad things, you know what they are. However keep in mind these may be the funnest years of your life, so have fun. Meet new friends, try new things but keep a steady head on your shoulders. The world may seem unfair at times but keep in mind that it's not meant too. The world doesn't owe you anything, it was here first. You have to earn what you wish to get. Grades, Green(money), and Girls won't flock to you. You have to go out and get it. So go big or go home, Live your life to the max. Good Luck!!

I would tell Dorothy " congratulations on you upcoming graduation." I would also let her know that achieving her high school diploma is going to be a big accomplishment. And that is just the beginning of her journey. I would let her know she can be anything she wants to be in life. Doctors, nurses, and lawyers are just a few career choices she has to choose from. I will encourage her to start narrowing down her school choices for college early, and to began applying for scholarships and student loans right away. College should be at the top of your priority list of things to accomplish in life. I would also tell her to not allow people or things to distract her from her goals. "Dorothy, I wish you many blessings and much success in your future."

You know how coaches often say you perform like you practice? Well, consider high school as practice and college as the performance. No one who puts forth Second String effort in practice will suddenly become the star player at the game, no matter how much they’d like to. I believe the same can be said for school. If you want to make straight A’s in college, study and make them now in high school. If you want to start an organization that makes a difference in college, start one now; because chances are you will not miraculously become the person you want to be over that one long summer break between Senior and Freshman year. In college, there are endless opportunities to learn, new things to experience, and unique people to meet; and there’s no harm in looking forward to all of this, but don’t let looking forward to the future fool you out of doing things now. So, to myself as a high school Senior, I would say don’t be the player who fumbles the ball, be everything you want now so that you’ll be the star player in college from the start.

Unfortunatley, I had to drop out of highschool against my own choosing. So if I could go back to the time when I would have been a high school senior, I would tell myself to save as much money as I can for college! College is extremly fun (and of course educational.) but very expensive. I have to work full time to support myself as well as the costs of books and tuition. With doing that I miss out on a lot of things that I would love to do on campus, that also could open new doors when I graduate. On the more humorous side of things, I would also let my highschool self know that you need to pick your roommate carefully, make sure your roommate has short hair so you don't step in it everytime you shower!

As a high school senior, I was extrememly nervous that I would pick the wrong college and go somewhere that I truly hated. As I searched for colleges and went on tours, none of the colleges really felt right until I went to Western Kentucky University. The campus was beautiful and it's distance from home was great. It just felt right. I then visited other schools such as University of Kentucky, but none felt as good of a fit as WKU. Later in the year I struggled with whether or not Western would have the right kinds of majors and minors I was looking for and second guessed my choice. Choosing WKU has so far been the best decision I have made and I can't see myself anywhere else. If I could go back, I would tell myself to just go with what feels right and don't stress out so much!

I would tell myself not to be so worried about what people though.

Investigated my educational goals before I graduated an set up online courses while in the military to have a career an not just a job.

Definitely apply yourself to your high school studies. It is very important to have a high GPA in order to take full advantage of every opportunity offered at any college.

College is everything people say about it and so much more! I have loved every minute of my college experience. When you first arrive, go out of your way to make friends especially ones that may bring a little diversity to your life! But be careful to also surround yourself with people who will encourage you in your personal views. I went to college, and made lots of friend who believed things I didn't and things I did believe. I love that I have made so many friends with different backgrounds, cultures orientations, and beliefs, but as a Christian, I wanted to also make sure to surround myself with people who would help me through my time in college. I found great friends who I had tons of fun with, but they never once asked me to drink, party, do drugs, etc. Outside of that, work hard. Some classes are really easy and some are super hard. But push through it, and never be afraid to use acedemic resources. And, make sure that you major in something you love, not just something that your parents want or something that will make you lots of money. I love my major!

I would advise myself to research scholarships more and find out how to apply for them. I have had a really hard time finding scholarships and it's frustrating because I have a really good GPA.

Dear Highschool Brandi, You are almost done kid! College is only a couple months away. But listen up, because I have some good pointers for you! I have put them into an organized list, because I know how we both love lists. Tip Number One: GET INVOLVED! You will be bored out of your mind if you just sit in your dorm all day, every day. Join clubs, play intramurals, go greek! Do anything you can to better your college experience! Tip Number Two: MANAGE YOUR TIME WISELY! In high school, I know it was easy to slide by without doing your homework one night or without studying for a test. However, college is a whole different ball game! You have to learn how to manage your time and set your priorities. After you figure this out, college is a breeze. Tip Number Three: TAKE A BREATH! Sometimes, you are going to feel like you want to just quit. College can be tough, especially after getting involved and taking difficult classes. YOU CAN DO IT! Whenever you feel overwhelmed, just take a minute, sit back, relax, and breathe. You going to turn out just fine kid. Love, College Brandi

If someone had told me while in high school to see my obstacles as a test and use them as a learning experience, I think my outlook on applying to colleges would have been far less trying. After applying to three choice colleges, hoping to be admitted to all three I was only accepted to one, the back-up college. After feeling sorry for myself for too long I went to my parents for advice, I was tired of feeling so put down. They told me to reapply, what would it hurt? I agreed with them but I was afraid of the results. A few months after I applied again, I kept telling myself not to think about it. The beginning of July I was starting to get excited about the University I had been accepted to. On July 24 my life took a different route, I was admitted to BYU-Hawaii my first choice. Bringing this back to high school, I wish that I would have known you don't always get what you want. Sometimes you have to try again, while other times you have to be grateful and accept the outcome of what has been given.

My friends and I often discuss how our lives would be different if we would've known in high school what we know now. I would've worked harder to improve my GPA so I could've gotten some scholarships. Honestly, that is the only thing I would change. WKU isn't too big or too small; it's just the right size. It is a party school but I took part in that lifestyle in high school so it wasn't appealing to me anymore once I got to Western. The people I met my first month at WKU will be lifetime friends. My fraternity is very service and academically focused but we still have fun. I recently just finished a cross country bike ride with some of my brothers. We raised $65,000 for the Alzheimer's Association. I would've never had that opportunity if I wasn't who I was in high school. I'm extremely happy with my choices coming into Western Kentucky University.

I would give the advice to study more effeciently, learn how to study. Learn how to manage time more, and also dont schedule 8am classes,it is very hard to wake uup for them! I would tell myself to dont get overwhelmed with all the "fun" school is the most important thing, and keep your GPA as high as possible. I would also tell myself to get out the stage where im use to my mom being around telling me what to do, and grow up and be independent because in college you're on your own. I would make sure to emphasize the point to STAY FOCUSED!