Widener University Top Questions

As my first semester of college has recently concluded, I am now able to look back on the good, the bad, and the ugly of what has been one of the best experiences of my life. Looking back, I am satisfied with all of the choices I have made as they have led me to success and contributed to a solid foundation in preparing for my future career. Though I would not wish to change the outcome of any past events, I would urge myself to get even more involved in serving the community and recruiting others to do the same. Through my community service, I have learned what it is like to help someone in need and to feel the satisfaction that comes with doing what is right. I have learned just as much, if not more, from serving others than I ever would have expected and I am extremely thankful for the opportunities I have been presented with. Therefore, given the chance, I would advise that any high school senior would take the time to give of themselves to help others and to take advantage of this learning experience while the opportunity exists.

If I can go back in time to be a high school senior, I would be more independent. I was so use of my mom being right by my side through everything. Senior year was a make it or break it year. Of course, I had senioritis. It was a struggle and I kept telling myself that I can't do it by myself. It was a lot on my plate. I did over 15 college applications, my senior project, applying to scholarships, getting a job to help my mom with the bills, and to start saving my money for school. My mom didn't financially have it, so I pitched in to help her. That year was too much for me, I felt overwhelmed. As senior year started to end. I realized that when you fall down, you have to get back up, things in life are not always easy. When I finally got to college, my mother wasn't by my side. When she left me, I learnt that I have a responsibility to take care of, I have to start doing things on my own. Today, I get things done on my own.

Hi Dawn! I hope you're senior year isn't too stressful. I have some advice to give you for college... College will hold some of the best times of your life, but you will be able to decide the rest of it. Don't let finances sway which school you attend, at the end of it you'll have a pile of debt regardless. Your engineering degree should help pay that off in a couple of years. We both know you're really trusting, naive, and sheltered now, but things will change. Don't be scared. You'll learn so much, both academically and socially. You'll lose some morals, but you'll always be selfless in your desire to help other people. People are selfish, but your naive outlook will warrant others to protect you. Keep growing as a person; try countless new activities. You only live once, keep trudging. Don't research animal ingredents; veganism is very selfless of you, but it's alienating, physically and mentally tolling. Happy birthday! The PA powerball for 8/13/11: 9, 12, 35, 50, 58, 4. Pay for school, a pretty motorcycle, some land, and live life to the fullest!

I would say to myself, "It's going to take time and it's going to take patience. It takes time to adjust to college because college is a lifestyle, even only if temporary. Lifestyles are a part of your life timeline, meaning that they are your life for a certain portion of your life, which is different than simply being a part of your life. In other words, it is your entire life for a few years. It takes patience with yourself to give you ample time to adjust to the new lifestyle. If you are not patient with yourself, you will feel rushed, stressed, and worried that the adjustment is taking longer than it should. There is no set timeframe for which the transition should take place, everyone is different. Everyone goes through their own experience and, therefore, their own transition. Oh, and don't feel like you aren't allowed to cry just because you are no longer an adolescent. Adults cry too, for various reasons, just not the same reasons as younger people."

If I could consult my high school self regarding my future as a college student I would explain the drastic difference in time management. I would tell myself that I am going to have a great deal of free time compared to being in high school, and I absolutely need to learn how to manage that free time. Time management is the biggest transition I had to make when I began college. Also, involved with time management, I would tell myself that I need to dedicate more time to studying. In high school I got by doing the bare minimum and still recieved all A's. In college, a whole lot more work, studying, preparation, and dedication is needed in order to succeed. I would tell myself to stay focused on my school work, but also to enjoy my time spent in college by making new friends and experiencing new things.

I have a few words of advice to give to my high school self. The first would be to save, save, save! Do anything possible to save money, or help pay for your college tuition. Apply for student aid, grants, scholarships, anything and everything. Every single penny matters. I have made the mistake of not saving up any money for my college career, which has forced me to take out student loans, yuck! Another thing that would save money is community college. It is well worth it, and you end up with the same degree in the end anyway, so who cares! Secondly, follow your heart when it comes to picking a major. I know it sounds cheesy, but a job isn’t a job when you do something you truly love. Don’t major in something just because its “the smart thing to do”, either love it or leave it. But you also have to remember to pick a major that has good job opportunities as well! You wouldn’t want to be stuck without a job to pay off your student loan debt. And last but not least, have fun, but be responsible too!

After experiencing college life at Widener Univeristy there is advice I wish I knew as a high school senior. I would tell myself to not worry about what other people think. Everyone is at college for the same reason. I would also tell myself to not bring my fan home when it begins to get colder out! It is still very hot in the dorms, even in December and January with the windows open. I would also tell myself to bring an umbrella. Walking to class in the rain is not fun. An umbrella would be very useful for those rainy days. I would also tell myself to never leave my room door open/cracked. Even when I am too lazy to bring my keys with me when I go to the bathroom really quick, I should still close my door. You never know who could be walking by your door. People steal. Lastly I would advise myself to get involved more. I would tell myself to join the dance team. They are the most popular club on campus and I really enjoy dancing. Those are many reasons of advice I would give myself.

I have been to four different colleges and universities. My road to attaining a degree has been long, i will be 26 this year and i started college when i was 18. My advice to my highschool self would be to apply to Widener and only Widener. This is where i am supposed to be. If i went to this school first i could've saved alot of money and heart ache.

It's okay that you are afraid; you're not alone. You are going to find great friends, just give it some time. Don't be afraid to speak your mind when you are at school. The most important thing I want you to do is be yourself. If you aren't getting along with your roommate, you can move out. Don't put yourself in an unhappy environment just because you are afraid to speak up. You matter just as much as she thinks she does. Speak up. Move out. You'll be happier. Also, scholarships. You will want to apply to a lot of them. No one explained finances to you, and that's okay, but you'll learn soon enough that paying for a college education is going to be hard work. Scholarships will ease that burden. Don't be afraid of rejection from them either. Keep applying. That's key. Everytime you see Mom and Dad, hug them. Tell them you love them. They're going to become friends to you soon, as well as parents. Trust me, you'll appreciate it. Just breathe. This isn't as scary as you think it will be.

If I knew then what I know now about college life and making the transition, I would have done a lot of things different. For one, I would have taken my studies more seriously and not want to be like the college kids that are shown in the movies, or on television shows. Another thing I would change would be listening to my parents and take their advice about college to heart. If I did those two things, I believe that I would have had a better college experience than I did, but now I know what I must do. Yes, I wish I could take some of my actions back, but I would not take away the lessons I have learned from them.

I would've told myself to pick a school based on myself and what school offered me the most money, because unfortunately, that really does matter. I ended up transferring here halfway through my freshman year from the University of Pittsburgh, and I will be in so much debt when I graduate because I'm not eligible for quite a bit of scholarship money from Widener. During high school, I was accepted to Arcadia University and they offered me a $21,000 academic scholarship. However, I didn't understand at the time how much the financial end of things mattered.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to work hard and stay focused. I dont think I was prepared as I should of been in high school for college when it came to the importance of your GPA and applying for scholarships and applying to different schools. I would have told myself to start acting like an adult and taking my education seriously because once you get to college no one holds your hand anymore or tells you to turn in your homework, your just expected to do it. I would have also told myself to be prepared for change, and struggle, and the ups and downs of independence because college are the learning years of what the real world holds. High school was just a test run, college is the real deal! College makes you or breaks you and if it wasnt for my dedication and knowledge of knowing how important school was, I probably would have already quit at the college life.

If I could go back and speak with my high school self I would spend most of that time reassuring myself that college will be the best experience of my life. While in high school I was completely against the very idea of attending a university. I was tired of school and wanted to get away from it for the rest of my life. My future self would dispell that belief and describe how wonderful an opportunity college is. I would paint pictures of what I experienced in my first year of college alone: the friends I made; the wonderful teachers; the activities on campus. I would convince my past self that it is the right decision. I would also stress being more serious about finishing up high school with good grades. I would encourage myself to work harder at the weak subjects like math and science. Having good grades in these areas would benefit in the long run when it comes to the requirements for a major. Above all, I would encourage my past self to put more energy into scholarships, because they are so important. They determine whether you go to school with loans or not.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would explain to myself just how important college really is. I thought I could wait, that I could start a family and think about school later. I thought it would be easy to pay for everything with the job I had at Sonic. It was not that easy. Sonic does not support a family. I would tell myself that a good education is necessary if I want to support my family well. I would say not to wait, to enroll right after high school, take advantage of being responsible of myself only. Things would be so much easier and nicer if I had a favorable carreer. If I had gone to college right after high school I would be done by now! Eight long years have gone by. So, basically I would tell myself, "Go now! Wait on a family. Start off adult life being responsible."

If I had a time machine, traveling back to my senior year in highschool would be a must. Knowing what I know now about college life and making the tranistion I would scream to my self "WORK HARDER, PAY ATTENTION, DO ALL OF YOUR HOMEWORK". I do not regret nothing in life but i do wish i was more focused in high school rather then being focused on being the class clown. Going back I expect to find a younger me who was not so quite but more louder then others. More worried about after school hangouts then after school studying groups. Education really is an important thing, something that is not to be ignored by.

Apply for scholarships! Don't wait until the last minute to get everything in order. Make sure you have a place to live, and enough money to live on. Financial aid mostly goes towards tuition and books, not living expenses. If you can stay at home, DO. Be realistic about how many classes you take on - make sure you have the time to keep up with homework. Every step you take right now will affect your future - success is not for the faint of heart. Put hard work and effort into your education!

I would smack myself silly first, then sit myself down and explain. I would say, "Caitlin, don't you worry about the commute, it will still be worth it to go to your state school. Don't you dare go to Widener!" I would let myself know that taking that summer class is going to be a terrible idea, no matter how great of a grade I am going to get, and that I can not afford this school in any way. I would let myself know that friendships aren't really friendships, and the only reason anyone even talks to the other person is to garuntee that they have a person in class they know, but they wont want to know you outside of school. I would also let myself know not to trust what people say, to go and speak to people directly yourself, and not let your academic advisors inform you on financial aid information. Long story short, I would make myself change my school choice so as to avoid the mess now. But mostly, I would tell myself that no matter what, your mother and grandfather are still proud, so proud. Good job.

It's very difficult as a high school senior to know what you want to do with the rest of your life, especially when you have very little real world experience. Take your time, be patient, and go easy on yourself when everyone else is on the fast track to success and you're still not sure of which direction to go. It seems like the decisions you make today will affect the rest of your life, and they will, but perhaps not in the way that you think. Don't let the fear of making a mistake prevent you from taking a chance. Worry more about growing as a person and developing your own character than what anyone else might think of you. Push yourself past your comfort zone, and take your best shot at the curveballs life will throw at you. Be on time for class. Always do the extra credit, even when you don't need it. Send a thank you note to the professor who really makes a subject come to life for you. Find a mentor to help you develop your goals. Maintain a healthy balance; work hard but make time for joyful things.

I would tell myself that the most important skill is time management and study skills. At times, it is very difficult to manage all the things that need to get done in a limited time frame. Also, how to study the material is an important skill. It's also important to make friends in your classes so that you have someone to study with or ask questions, because the teachers are not always there for you for many different reasons. Time management is what I have struggled with the most because I much rather hang out with my friends than do my homework, but I know my homework is a lot more important. Time management is the most important skill for college.

So far my college experience as been an emotional roller coaster. I wouldnt change it for anything in the world. Being in college i have learned responsibility, how to communicate with others, time-management, and have grown as a man. I have learned responsibility through the act of taking on loans and debt at 19 years old and keeping a 3.0 GPA my first semester with only 2 textbooks and 5 classes. I have learned to communicate with the very nice ladies in Wideners Financial Aid and Admissions office and now we are all on a first name basis. I also have had to communicate with my professors explaning and asking them to bare with me while I turn over every rock looking for money to buy their assigned text books. My time management habits have changed for the better since being a full-time student, having a work-study job on campus and playing football here at Widener. Being here at Widener University has allowed me to venture out of my comfort zone and have my light shine as a young man in the real world. That is why attending college for me as been so valuable.