Yavapai College Top Questions

If I could go back in time and give advice to my younger self, my message would be simple: Don't be afraid of change. My transition to college was a very difficult one, mostly because I left my high school and my entire support network behind at the age of 15. I had taken every single honors and AP course my school offerred, and still found myself bored and frustrated most of the time. I would tell my younger self that the decision to leave was the right one. I would not lie and say that it wasn't painful, but it was worth it. College opened up new opportunities for me, new social connections and newfound interests; I would want to remind myself that leaving high school does not mean the end of meaningful relationships. I still see my old classmates and friends, and it bothers me less and less that our paths, which started out the same, are now diverging. I would want to remind my younger self about the satisfaction of working hard and being challenged, and remind myself that I am strong, and I am worth it.

As a high school student I did just enough to get by or I did nothingat all. I also had emotional issues. I would tell myself to keep moving forward. Do not let your emotions distract you from what you need to do and what your dreams are. I would stress the importants of not waiting until the last minute to complete an assignment and always do you homework. I would also tell myself to look for academic help. I did not get the help I needed until the end of my senior year and I should have gotten it earlier on. I would tell myself not to back down even when people tell me "No" because I know what is best for me and I know when I really need help.

If I could go back to last year, I’d probably make myself get more involved with my school. I was not involved with much my school my last year of high school. Also I would tell myself not to sign up for all the same classes with my best friend, you will get sick of each other. Mostly though, I would tell myself that it’s not that scary, Mom and Dad are still going to be in Phoenix, waiting for you to come home now and again. Just because you no longer live under the same roof does not mean that they will stop being there for you when you need them most. You are only an hour and a half away from them. I know it’s scary but everything will be ok, you figure everything out when it comes to money for the first semester, due to working over the summer, but you use your weaknesses to your advantages. Everything works out for the best no matter how awful it looks.

I would give myself the advice to go to college before having a family. Having a family is wonderful but it would be less finanical worries if you would go to college soon after high school.

Austin, I know you want to enjoy your time with your friends here in high school, but you need to focus more on school and baseball. When you graduate everything changes. You need to work as many hours as you can with double the work on the field. Although you want to enjoy your final summer before going into college you also don't want to throw it away when you could be making money or becoming a better baseball player. Make sure you stay humble and never take anything for granted. Enjoy the little things passed on to you by your coaches, family and peers. Also cherish the time you get to spend with your family and firends, things may not always go the way you planned on it. I want you to know that everyone is here to help if you are there to put in the work. Stay humble and always give a hundred percent effort with everything you put your heart too.

The best advice I could give my high school self is to be responsible and not to rely on others to take care of me through my school work. Rather than expecting my teachers to notify me that I have not turned in an assignment, or that the due dates for certain assignments are coming up, I should be responsible for myself. I need to take good notes and take study sessions seriously before tests or quizzes rather than asking the teacher for help on most of the problems, because I did not take the time to review the material. I would tell myself to go above and beyond and do my best at all work that is given to me, so I can get more out of it, and recieve the best grade I am capable of. Additionally, I would practice at reading textbooks, instead of having the teacher go through it, I need to read ahead so I am able to ask questions or I can comment on the material the next day of class. Reading comprehension would also be helpful for my future self, so I become more familiar with what material we go over in class.

Instead of graduating high school I attained my GED when I was sixteen. Currently a middle aged, single mom of three teenage girls I know exactly what I would say if only I could make that leap back in time. It would be the same thing I say to my girls now. The advice I would give would be that "life is so very precious, as youth we think time is eternal for us but in reality our presence here on this earth is but a single breath in time. Take chances, experience all the joys life has to offer and most of all fill your mind with as much as you can possibly learn, either from gaining higher education, or following a life mentor. Soon enough you will be looking at more of your life behind you than you have yet to live. The older you are the harder it is to return to school. Too late, you will look back and wish you had embraced all the opportunities presented to you. Seek them now so that later in life you don't look back with any regrets".

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior. The best advice I could give myself is to not wait until the last minute to register. Get a head start. Make the best of it. You have nothing to lose. It's very stressful trying to get all of this done days before the dead line. It would have been a smarter choice to do this before, instead of after graduation.

Don't Procrastinate. Obviously, you're going to want to do everything that the college experience has in store for you, such as, partying, joining clubs, going to games, etc. but before you do anything, make sure your assignments are complete. This way you'll avoid alot of stressful nights where you dont get a chance to sleep because you decided to do everything last minute.

If I could go back in time and have a conversation with my high school self I would let her know that there is a plethora of careers out there to choose from. As children are growing up it seems that adults only tell them that one day they could be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, veterinarian, ect. No one talks about the millions of other careers that are out there can actually be fun and exciting, so most high school students choose mainstream majors and end up unhappy. I would definitely tell myself that I could be a marine biologist and train dolphins, or be a helicopter pilot, or a special effects makeup artist for movies. I was never the kind of person who wanted to do what everyone else was doing so I chose to be an art major. That area of study just didn't work out for me though and I think it would have been good to know that there were a lot of other options out there that no one thinks about. Who knows what kind of exciting things I could've ended up doing if I had known they were an option?

One regret I have from my years in high school was not understadning how the college process worked. If I could go back, the very first thing I would say is that there are no such things as "too early" and "too many applications". I would say to start as early and rigorously as possible and to apply to as many colleges and scholarships as I could find. The more you apply the more opportties you open yourself up to and waiting until the last minute will hurt more than help. I would also tell myself that picking a major right away isn't as important as picking a school where you will be happy and recieve a good education in any field. Many students change their majors, but switching schools, even from a community college, is hard and expensive so making an educated decision on your school is very valuable. Lastly, have confidence in your ability to succeed, because even a good school won't be your jump start until you give it your best and believe that you will accomplish your goals. College isn't just another building, it's the next chapter in YOUR life.

The advice I would give myself if I already knew about the college life and I was a high school senior I would definitly improve on being more social and interacting with different activites other than softball. College offers activities that allow the students and staff to interact with games, food and concerts. I would definitly learn to go out of my comfort zone to meet and help the people in the college society instead of doing homework in my room or just hanging out with my teammates.

Apply to every scholarship whether you meet the criteria or not. Start early and don't give up; college is important. You may not have time to do this when you're older, so soak it in now. There is a difference between private schools and public schools. More expensive doesn?t necessarily mean better. Try every other option before exploring student loans. Avoid debt at any cost! Get your paperwork in early. Community college is not a waste of time and is a smart move in your college career. Remember to pursue what makes you happy. Study hard. It's easy to fall into not going to class when you start missing them. Get involved in college activities and leadership roles. Organization and preparedness are key. Living on campus keeps you connected. Yes, there are community colleges with dorms. Get a mini fridge.; your mom will tell you to not to, but she?ll come around. Remember that change is inevitable and not necessarily a bad thing. Also remember to stay true to who you are, because, if you lose who you are, your future won?t look good no matter what advice you receive.

I would tell myself to work hard at everything, and make sure that i understood that i am on my own and i am responsible for what choices i make and the results i get. I would tell myself to choose good, reliable friends and never give up on anything or give in to anyone. I would tell myself to stick with it through the end even when it seems to hard because the reward will be more than a degree when i am through; it will be a gate to a life that has been earned. That's what i would tell myself.

If I could advise myself, or any other high school student for that matter, I would emphasize the importance of enjoying your time in school. While school seems like a chore to many, it is one of the most interesting things many people will have the opportunity to enjoy. High school especially seemed so bothersome, but looking back it was a time of simplicity and should have been enjoyed to the fullest. At no other point in your life does one have so little responsibility. If you can go to school and do some homework the school part is done, the rest should be fun. I would say too that aside from enjoying your personal time, it is important to enjoy your classes. Some of the things you learn in school can seem boring but once you realize that everything you learn will be built upon later, it becomes more important. College is a lot of the same idea but it is more self-driven and takes a little bit more juggling to succeed. If one learns to appreciate the knowledge that is available to them, the possibilities of what one can do with that knowledge are endless.

If I could go back to my senior year in highschool I would tell senior me to apply myself. This would include to study harder and achieve straight A's, focuss more on my art projects, get more involved in school activities, to respect my teachers who were just tring to show me the way to a better future and apply for scholarships. All of this work would better my chances of getting through college free. For instance; Good grades would prepare me for scholarship essays, by focussing on my art projects Icould enter contests and win money for school, by getting involed in school activities that would show scholarship committees integrity and commitment which would give me a higher chance of being awarded a scholarship and by respecting my teachers that would give me a better understanding of my potential and plenty of letters of recommendation to colleges and scholarship committees. If I did all this my senior year I could have my associates degree and be on my way toward a bachelors. Thats what I would explain to the lost senior me.

If I were still in highschool, and I could give myself advice, there would be so many things that I would warn myself of. First of all, I would remind myself that you cannot get anywhere in life unless you find a good career. You will not be very successful if you just have a "job". I graduated highschool two years early, when I was 16, and so when I enrolled in college I was a little over whelmed. It is hard for a 16 year old to feel like she belongs in college. So basically I was caught up in boys and that is definately one piece of advice I would give myself, "forget the boys!". Niether my father nor my mother ever went to college. My father died when I was 12 which was very hard for me. I know he would have loved to see me go to school and succeed. That is my main goal in life. I want to be an orthodontist so bad. I just want to prove to myself and my family that if you put your mind to it you can do anything you want. Thank you so much! -Courtney Guinn

The advice that I would give myself would be to understand and know that it is going to be a different experince and a journey that will have twists and turn. But no matter what turns life after high school will give you you have to stick it through. Also that you might change your mind about what you want to do but to always go with your heart not let anyone else tell you what you should do with your life.

I would tell myself to start school when I was younger because the older and farther you get away from high school the harder it is to get back in to the swing of going to school again. I would also tell myself not to blow so much money on clothes and save it for college instead.

If i could go back in time to my senior year of high school, i would tell myself to still enjoy it but to also really get my act together as far as preparing for college. I would have really thought about it more instead of relying on the commuity college so much. I wouldve applied to universities tht way it would have opened my choices and my eyes to the opportunities i couldve had. I would have applied for scholarships to also make school finances easier instead of trying to work and completely support myself without any extra help. Another big thing i wouldve got started on was taking more classes that were considered college credits. It wouldve made my work load easier the first few years and i couldve got started on my nursing degree that much sooner. I would tell myself not to worry so much about the small stuff and enjoy things while you can. Your only a student for so long until you start your career.