Arizona State University-Tempe Top Questions

Advice I would give myself if I could go back in time to high school would be to take more Rio Salado credits. Knowing college now, there were many opportunities as a high school senior to take classes for Rio Salado that would have saved me and my family a lot of money. Also, I would tell myself to relax and enjoy my time in high school. As a senior, college was a very stressful thing in my life and I was nervous to get started but now being in college, it is not that bad. The classes are harder but the people I meet every day are awesome and help me every day with moving on with life. I was nervous if the speech and hearing major was for me and I have realized that it is for me and that I will love my job. I have met some amazing people with the major that I want and it sounds perfect for me and what I want to do for the rest of my life.

I would tell myself that you should go to the best school that you get accepted to. It doesn't matter how expensive it is, if it is a kind of school that people will see on your resume and recognize then it is worth it! You will be in debt the rest of your young life anyway; if you want a house, car, or start up a business with a loan. You can work your way out of this debt quicker though by being a more qualified possible employee to a firm. That being said, make the most out of your college experience! Live away from your parents and get your own place either on or off campus. This makes you so much more matture realizing that you now have to take care of everything on your own. That is probably the best thing about college no matter where you go, living on your own. Also, go somewhere that has an excellent social life. Some nights you will have to stay in to study to make sure you do well on a test, but all those other nights you want to make sure you have something fun to do.

Leanne, College life is completely different from high school life. Time management becomes a lot more difficult, so learn effective time management skills prior to enrolling so that this won't be an issue for you. As parking is very expensive and public transporation is not always reliable, it is best to live on campus or as close to campus as possible. You can meet lifelong friends in college, so be sure to be outgoing and friendly with everyone you meet in your classes. Homework is no joke and reading the textbooks, even when other students say you don't have to, will give you the best chance at a good grade and will give you the optimal learning experience when paired with attending the lectures. Don't ever miss class, as you are paying to be there and get the most out of your major. Don't stress so much about not knowing what you want to do. Enjoy the experience and try out a variety of things. Get involved with extracurricular activities as much as you can, as this is a good way to network. The resources on campus are there for you. Take advantage of it all.

College is a time to buckle down and get serious about your future. For any senior, it was almost inevitable to become lazy and slack off because you are almost through. What I would tell myself as a senior would be to get motivated because you are only getting started; College is where it counts. You must learn to have multiple personalities for the appropriate situations in order to be efficient in your studies while still maintaining a healthy social life. With your friends you are fun and laid back, at home you are loving and compassionate, and in the classroom you are focused and driven. All your hard work will pay off the day you finally realize you found that one thing you are passionate about and wouldn’t mind doing for the rest of your life, but the choice is yours. Don’t let the opportunities to be great pass you by.

I would encourage myself to go and live the college experience. I was so ready to get out of the house and be out on my own that I didn't think about furthering my education. I would say "Go and enjoy campus life,meet people and have fun while getting a degree". After working for most of my adult life in dead end jobs I finally took the chance and went back to school, and I LOVE IT!

The college professors don't look over your shoulder to make sure you get your assignments in, better known as micromanaging. If you do it, you do it; If you don't, you don't, they don't care. Be proactive an don't procrastinate, even though you write essays better when you do them 2-3 days before the due date. Surviving college and passing all your classes, with a grade no lower than a B, isn't easy because of outside influences. So find a person or persons that will help keep you focused and motivated. Last but not last your future is tooo important to be messed up over trivial things. It's like mom always said " Work hard to play hard, because you can't be all play or all work".

If you have the chance to go away to school, take it. You can always go back but once you're so far, you may not get the chance to leave. Step out of your comfort zone; even if people don't believe you can do it, believe in yourself because that's what matters in the long run. Everything happens for a reason. Your friends and family will still love and support you no matter where you are or what you're doing as long as it makes you happy. This could be the best thing that will ever happen to me..and so far, it has been.

My advice would have been to re-take the AIMS test and apply for scholarships which I could have easily attained. I am now in need of financial aid, which I could have avoided. Besides that, I would just be myself more and not care about the little things; that however, is part of growing up so my advice would be to keep going forward to accomplish your goals.

Making the transition from high school to college can be difficult to some students. If there's two things I would say to my high school self it would be that class attendance is imperative to good grades, and teachers appreciate when students communicate and let them know when they need help. My first semester took a little getting used to. When I was on my own and having to rely on myself to go to class, I found it hard to say no to hanging out with friends or wanting to sleep in. Thankfully my teachers appreciated my honesty and were helpful when I needed that extra push. Self motivation is a crucial skill to have during college. Without it, doing well in school can be extremely challenging. If I ever find myself falling behind or not quite understanding, talking to my teachers can make all the difference.

Dear Self, College can be a lot of fun but it's also a lot of hard work. In the end, the reward is well worth the effort. If you can't afford to go to school full-time or have other circumstances holding you back, then just go as much as you can. If you don't know exactly what you want to be yet, that's OK. Your first two years should be focused on completing the basics. And in the meantime, take a few electives that interest you. Soon you will find what drives you. Look for passion in your professors and peers. Allow their passion to inspire you. As long as you hold onto that passion and do what makes you happy, you can't go wrong. One last thing...just remember that you only get out of it what you put into it. Meet as many different people as you can and learn from them. Open your mind to other opinions and ideas that differ from your own. Don't ever limit yourself. Some of this may not make sense now but it will soon enough. The world is your oyster. Take care, Megan