Westmont College Top Questions

You don’t know what you don’t know. Be open to new experiences, and get out of your comfort zone. Learn to be self-disciplined and make decisions that will impact your future positively, don’t just do what feels good. Discipline yourself to do important things consistently each day so that you create good habits for yourself. Practice budgeting your money; learn the difference between wants and needs. Be willing to put your phone down, meet as many people as you can and learn to network. Invest time with people don’t just spend time with people. This includes getting to know your professors and administrators as well as your peers. If you are a name and a face to a professor instead of a number, tough grading decisions tend to fall in your favor and opportunities come your way. Be sure to celebrate your victories, count on making mistakes and learning from them. Instead of letting your disappointments get you down learn to let them inspire you. Never forget where you came from and call home once in a while.

Dear Alyssa, Breathe. Slow down. Do not worry about which college or major you will decide on. College is great because YOU decide it is. No one else. The details really don't matter and you are distracting yourself from the things that do matter. You will miss your mom and dad. You will miss free time. You will miss great food on a regular basis. So enjoy this while you can because you never get to be in high school again. Ever. I know right now you are thinking "Yay!!!!" But soon you will be in college, and then you will be graduated, and then you will be working, and then going to graduate school. It doesn't stop. Time never stops. But you can. You can pause right now and thank God for taking care of you. Thank your mom and dad for sacrificing. Thank your friends for forgiving. And thank yourself for never giving up. For being patient. For trusting that everything will work out. College won't fix what high school broke. That acceptance letter won't solve all your problems. Accept yourself and realize no one can take that from you. You are loved.

To my high school senior self, Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, and try to beat these fears immediately. As in the first few weeks. Most everyone is just as nervous as you are about all the upcoming adjustments - you really aren’t all that different from one another after all at the core. Even if you have very different stories, you can find common narratives if you take the time to listen to others, to be open to them. Look for connections rather than differences, give people the benefit of the doubt. You will end up learning more together than you ever could have on your own, and these life lessons last far beyond your four short years in college! And always remember, no matter how tough it seems to be in the moment, take a step back and remember how blessed you are to even be stepping foot on this campus - compared to most of the rest of the kids in the world your age. Never take that for granted, but use that gift to give back to others without such opportunities.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself, I had told to myself three important advices. First, the necessity of getting a profession. The requirement of earning a college degree has increased. This is a result of the competency among professionals at companies. Therefore, every student should to go to college and study a carreer with the purpose of being prepared for life. Second, the importance of saving money. The enthusiasm to study is not enough because money is the main requirement. One should save money for paying the tuition. Finally, do not throw books away. During the first year of college, one will take similar classes like in high school, so it is important to save books, such as math, physics, and chemestry to review notes. To sum up, I had gave myself three imporant advices: get a degree, save money, and do not throw books away.

Life is going to be moving very quickly, for you and your friends that are going off to their various colleges. You will be having many different experiences that you will not be sharing with your currently close friends and even your family. And that is okay! This new growing and learning stage of life will bring you a new set of people to spend time with and get to know and just do life with. Some of those friends of the past will remain despite the fact you will all be having these different experiences. Not everyone will stay the same, but those who are truly important to you will continue to be in your life in one way or another. You will be able to maintain that strong bond even when you do not see each other or talk for months. Those who truly care about you and visa versa will be able to catch up like no time has passed at all when you have time to connect. Do not worry; distance is not the end of friendships. It reinforces and refines the truly important relationships that will remain as time flies on.

My first piece of advice, and this is perhaps the most important thing to remember, is to be patient with and trust Mom and Dad. They have a wealth of valuable information; use it! Having been through this process before while you haven’t, trust their judgment and humble yourself to learn the lessons they already learned.When shopping for your dorm room, don't be overwhelmed. Most colleges provide a recommendation list, which has proven very accurate. Use that list as a sufficient starting place, and supplement it with your own fun ideas to personalize your new home. When it comes time for the big move-in, I will emphasize only one thing. Don't be nervous! You are about to start the best four years of your life. Although easier said than done, simply be yourself. You have been preparing for this time since you were in elementary school, so live it up! After all, you are only a college freshman once (hopefully).If you follow these simple pieces of advice, you will find the transition into your new college life easy, fun, and rewarding.

I attended three different high schools starting my freshman year, before I found the one that would be home for the final two years of my high school days. A lot of students experience only one school for all four years, not that this is a bad thing, but I experienced a unique opportunity to figure out what type of school I enjoyed. I ended up going from a public high school my freshman year, to a charter school, to a private homeschool my junior and senior year. My graduating class had gone from 500 to 12 within that four year span, and I loved it. The smaller community was something I thrived in. I was friends with everyone in my class and all of us were really close, like a family. I don't regret anything about my transitions from school to school, but I do regret not spending more time on scholarships and studying for the SAT exam. Westmont College is expensive and I know I should have had more forthought when applying to such an expensive school. Luckily, I was able to complete my freshman year and now I'm focused on applying for those scholarships!

Relax. It's not as scary as it may seem. Get your college essay out of the way, have trustworthy and knowledgeable people take a look at it, take a deep breath, and send it. Show them who you really are; that's all you can do. Afterwards, make the most of the rest of your high school career. Spend as much time as possible with your best friends. Start thinking of things you will need to bring during the summer before you leave. Make a list and add to it as you think of things. Talk to people who have been there and who know what you are going through. Visit the college and meet some people that will be there when you make the transition. Keep an open mind towards the new people you will meet and the new experiences you will have. Be prepared, but don't have too many assumptions or expectations. The transition is different for everyone. Be excited!

To my high school self, college is a time in life to learn and explore. Make the most of your last year of high school. Try not to worry so much about grades, leaving home, or making new friends. All of that will take care of itself. Keep in touch with your high school friends, they will ground you to your home and your past. Make it a point to stay in touch with your parents and your sisters. Every freshman is away from home for the first time, everyone is missing their family and is as scarred and excited as you are. Make the most of the commonalities you have with these people; you all chose the same school so you have more in common than you might think. Don't be too shy to go to the dorm planned parties, don't be to cool for that either. It's a great way to make friends. Set aside time for school work each day, but don't let all of the homework keep you from having fun. College is a great time to learn about who you are away from you family, give yourself time to be you.

Get your homework done before midnight. Don't ever be "that guy." (Yes, you know the one I'm talking about. Save yourself from embarrassment.) Oh yeah, when writing papers, don't even think about looking at someone else's paper; no good can come of this, even if you have no intent of plagiarizing.

Really just follow your heart. This is a tough decision and don't let the pressures of schools, family or anyone make your decision for you. Ultimately you need to choose a school that you are going to be happy at and you are going to succeed at. Choose the school that you will be comfortable at because when you get down to it, you are going to be spending four or more years at this campus. Yes, you can transfer but that means starting over and taking a risk again. Sometimes the most unlikely choice is the best choice. Take my journey for example, Westmont was never on my radar and I absolutely love the campus and the school! I made a great choice because I choose what was suitable to ME. Good luck!!

All of my 13 years of formal education occurred in a small, private Christian school at which I had the opportunity to develop relationships with my teachers, but failed to take advantage of the opportunity. For college I attend another small, private Christian school, in it I have gained new experiences, traveled across country and continued my pursuit of higher education 3,000 miles away from home, dealing with the struggles of a demanding college. Having gone through this I would go back in time to advise myself of the following truths. Do not take your teachers for granted; understand what great mentors teachers can be. Actively develop relationship with them, they are not there to watch you fail; they are there because they care about you and your goals. They want to educate you, aid you, encourage you and advise you in the pursuit of your dreams. Teachers are real people, just like you; the only difference is that they have experienced, in part, the trails you are about to face and can offer you wisdom that will make you successful. Seek their advice, they truly can offer perspective and wisdom that you cannot yet know nor have experienced.

Assuming I could go back in time to my senior year of high school I would tell myself some much needed advice about how to make the right choices. The very first thing I would address to myself is to take my senior year seriously and not use it as a carefree pass. I would study harder and take more challenging class that would benfit me in my college life. I would also focus on being more indepent this would prepare me for the choices I would need to make while attending college. I would talk to my counselor to make sure that I was on the right path for my college career so that I wouldn't waste any time when I start my freshman year. My final advice would be more mature don't waste a minute higher education is the key to success in life.

Freshman year can sometimes seem like hell. Alone, distant from all that you have known, you will have to come to face with the scariest thing in existence: yourself. Feelings of inadequacy begin to creep around your every thought. You begin to realize that you have no idea who you are, what you are, or what you want to become. It takes a few months before you realize that this inferno through which you passed was actually a form of purgation; you will probably come to find that you learned more about yourself during those hours of heartache than during all your days of carefree collegiate adventures. That does not mean that this process will hurt any less; on the contrary, each moment of doubt is valuable precisely because it thrills you to your very core. Yet freshman year is also paradise; you will meet people who will make you marvel at the strength and the grace they possess, and someday you will come to realize that you have become one of those people. Remember, then, to look beyond the difficulties that you will encounter, for someday you will find that they are what made your freshman year life-changing.

I have learned so much from my college! I absolutely love it! I have learned so much history and context behind my religion, Christianity, that has further built a foundation for my beliefs. I have learned about Art throughout the world. I studied Art in India, China, Japan, Korea, South Ameria, Oceania and the context of the pieces in those cultures. I have also learned about many other opinions and beliefs. Just in my first few months of college I have learned so much about the world, my self, God, and so much more!

College has been a real intense, learning experience. I've met a lot of interesting people. I've learned that knowledge is a key tool in the progression of ones life and career. I've learned that going to college is a lot different, than high school, whereas you are responsible for what you get out of the lessons that are provided to you. You have to study harder, and you have no one to blame for any of your missteps. You must be dilligent in your quest to learn and retain the information, that is provided by the teachers. I've learned that you are in control of your destiny. I've also learned that , with this college education, I will have a better selection of jobs to choose from, and it will help me fullfill my goal of giving back to my community and to the ones, that have helped me along these trying times.

The college experience so far, has taught me more than I could have ever imagined. I have learned the power of higher thinking is remarkable, and without it our society would suffer tremendously. I have learned that I have a voice to speak out against the wrong in the world, and to promote my opinions. It has been valuable to attend for countless reasons, it has taught me responsibilty, how to own up to my actions, and of course the daily learning provided by my wonderful professor and instructors. Elizabethtown Community College has taught me a lot in this past year, and I'm eager to see what else I have to learn in the next few years!

I have gained life-long friends and memories that i will never forget. Westmont College is not a typical college, it is a place where you can meet a diverse group of friendly people while you gain knowledge. I have the opportunity to have small class sizes and ask my professors for help whenever it is needed. Freshmen year I learned a lot, but i also experienced kayaking, movie nights, dorm activities, pillow fights, cooking classes, and everything you can imagine from a college experience. Westmont is a wonderful place for genuine people who want to make a difference in our world.

I have gotten strength of character, independance, and a better voice out of my college experience. I am by myself at college and have no one to lean on but myself. I have learned to depend on myself and all I have learned for the past 19 years to get me through. I have grown in perserverance to get all my work done no matter how hard it is and to never give up. I have learned to be more responsible and make sure that I am neat and orderly - my mom is no longer in my life to clean up for me. I have gained independance and can determine for myself what is right and wrong and when to go to bed. I am in control now and need to know that I can handle everything for myself and know that I can take care of myself. I am studying voice and have greatly improved my voice through my college and its professors. It has taken a lot of hard work and time to perfect my voice but everything I have done is well worth it. Overall I have benifited a lot from my college experience.

I had a great time in High School. I grew up in a small town, and I loved it. I was comfortable with my group of friends, and everything was easy for me. Coming to college has opened my eyes to the real world. I no longer live in a small town where everyone knows my name; I have been forced to spread my wings and make new friends on my own. I no longer have my family to go to after a bad day, and I have learned to be responsible for myself. Without college, I would not have gained the independence that I believe everyone should gain as they get older.