Baylor University Top Questions

I would advise myself to go to school events and become involved on campus. It helps make the transition a bit easier and helps ward off homesickness. However, don't get over-involved because then it can take a toll on your studies. It's all about time management.

As a high school senior life and the world around me was very simple and not as complex as the world I soon discovered actually was. The path to a successful college life can have several forks along the road, not all wrong directions to take are wrong, but definitely different from one another. After receiving real work experience after high school as a convenient store manager working fifty-five hours a week while attempting a junior college part time status I definitely have a lot to tell myself assuming I could go back in time and speak with myself as a senior. During high school I spread myself too thin by participating in more than five extracurricular activities. I think the stress about being a high school senior is deciding what future career goals and life goals a senior wants to accomplish. These goals seem so far ahead and often change with changes in life experiences and changes in the world, like technology advances. Instead of asking myself to set goals and go straight towards them I would advise myself to choose the path I want to start towards and do the best in every activity I participate in.

I would advise myself to apply for more scholarships because I personally have taken the weight of paying for my college tuition. I would also advise myself to learn how to stop procrastinating, because procrastination is everybody's weakness in college. It is incredible how much work and studying can be done without procrastination. It may be a joke during high school when people procrastinate, but there is so much work to do in college that procrastination is a problem. I would also tell myself to appreciate the sleep that I get during high school because I will soon be sleep deprived for 4 years straight. Sleep will soon be a gift and I would advise myself to develope a proper sleep schedule because sleeping in class is not an option. I will not be struggling to pay for Baylor University just to be sleeping in class. I would also tell myself that the undergraduate school I go to does not matter, it will not greatly affect my admissions to medical school. Medical schools are looking at MCAT scores and GPA.

I could not talk to myself as a high school senior because I never became one. I dropped out of high school my junior year, though I was still working on freshman and sophomore credits. I then got my GED and went to community college, then transferred to Baylor University. I had been unable to attend school and complete work because I struggled with depression and anorexia. If I could talk to myself as a high school freshman, however, I would tell myself to accept the help that was offered to me, because the people around me cared about me and wanted to help me, but I couldn't see that. I would tell myself that I that I am an intelligent, creative, caring, worthwhile person, and that I am capable of achieving great things, because back then I did not care about school because I thought I would never amount to anything. I would tell myself to stay in school, because although I do now go to a good school, if I had stayed in school and reached my full potential I could have gone to a school I truly wanted to attend years ago.

Now that I'm in my second semester at one of the largest, most prominent universities in Texas and the nation, I would tell my young, naive senior self to slow down and embrace college life to the fullest. Through the process of transitioning from life at home, with familiar faces, tastes, sights, and sounds I've now learned to enjoy the moment. Being a college student is such a unique, gratifying experience, and I most definitely would have to tell my past self to work hard and enjoy the stresses and joys of being in a place that fosters and cultivates profound learning. Life is more than reading, writing, and studying, but also reveling in new relationships, new experiences, and extraordinary knowledge. This sort of process is one of a kind, and I would make sure to tell myself to slow down and appreciate it all while still managing academic success and balancing fun at football games, dances, and in the classroom. In this huge transition I've also realized the importance of my faith and my family. Such support is critical in success anywhere, and I would advice myself to stay true and grateful.

First of all I would apply to as many scholarships as possible. Going to a private university can be very expensive and having to take out thousands of dollars in loans may be easy now, but once school is over they need to be repaid. Secondly I would come here right after high school. I was a transfer student and stayed in my hometown and attended the local university there. I was too worried about keeping a social life that I didn't pay much attention to my classes. After a year there my GPA was very low. I then decided to leave and transfer to a community college in order to raise my GPA and then be able to attend Baylor. Had I gone straight to Baylor from college i might have been more oriented towards my studies.

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self I would make sure to tell my self to not sweat the small stuff. When it comes to waiting to hear back from colleges its better to focus on school and not stress about getting in. When arriving at college make sure to stay involved and make the best out of Welcome Week. You make friends for life within your Welcome Week group along with your roomates.

If I could go back to my senior year I would tell myself to take all my finals even though I was able to exempt. When I had to go through my first round of finals in college I was shocked when I did not know how to study for multiple tests all within a week. I would tell myself to take my finals to provide myself the chance to better prepare myself for college.

Hannah, realize that academics, while incredibly important, are not everything. Your identity and value do not come from your GPA or scoring this highest in class. Your identity is in Christ, and he loves you more than you could ever imagine. Build relationships, love people, serve others, and live life. Don't be afraid to try something you've never done before. The scary things are usually the most worthwhile. Study hard, yes, but play hard, too. Get involved quickly, but don't overcommit. If you turn to God in all of the struggles, he will surround you with the most wonderful, uplifting friends you could ever imagine. You are beautiful. You are intelligent. Keep this in mind: twenty years from now, what would you rather have done? What will you remember? Live your life. The world will wonder why.

I would tell myself to relax about the academics. Although college is a step up from high school, as long as you stay on top of your homework and go to your classes you will do fine in the classes. Do not stress about life or keep a running countdown until the next break. Enjoy college. Take advantage of all that the institution has to offer you. Most importantly, get involved! That's the best and easiest way to meet different people and people outside of your major. The transition to college life really isn't that diffiult; you just need to find a routine that you enjoy and can live with in order to be productive while still having fun. Talk to the people you still by in class. Lastly, try to get at least 8 hours of sleep during the day, or take a nap.