Biola University Top Questions

If I could go back in time and tell my high school self something it would be pretty simple. Make better grades. I was always the girl who just sqeaked by in everything that I did as far as academics in high school. I knew I wanted to go to college but never really gave the finances a second look. Now I am a first year college student who has a 4.0 GPA but is still denied grants and scholarships due to my low GPA in high school. I am currently getting no state or federal aid excluding student loans. If I could go back in time I would tell myself that making good grades in highschool is unbelieveably important. If I could do that maybe I would not be in the stressful financial situation I am currently in.

I know you may be anxious and nervous as a pre-freshmen in college, but to be honest, there is no need to worry. Biola provides a very friendly and welcoming environment for everyone. You will also find your life-long friends here. Also, if you are worried about being pressurized by your race and looks, don't worry because Biola is very multi-ethnical and has almost no emphasis in racism. Overall, Biola is friendly so do not worry about anything but be yourself.

If I was able to talk to myself as a senior I would let myself know how hard it is to make new friends. I would encorage myself to be outgoing and work hard to make friends at the begining of college. Taking a risk in the begining pays off and it gets harder the longer college goes on. There are a lot of great people at college they just need to be found. College is a big transition and having a good group of friends makes the transition easier. Being prepared for the transition into college can help one suceed through college especially with the right group of friends.

Make sure that you pay attention to all aspects of the enrollment process and take pleanty of notes. This is going to include testing, financial aid, admissions, orientation and other steps that may be required. Please pay specific attention to the financial aid portion, there may be consequences to dropping classes and you may not have enough credits to continue with aid. Paying for college is not cheap! Getting you degree is so important that you really want to make sure that you are fully prepaired no matter what you decide to major in. You can make changes to your degree but that may also mean that you need to take other classes and there again may change things for you financial aid. Put money away for those unexpected expences that you are going to end up having. These may include books, lab fees, and other things that you are not thinking of when ou enroll in classes. Don't be affriad to ask questions if you have them. They are all going to be important.

I would tell myself that it is extremely important to focus on grades and doing everything possible in order to gain financial aid. While it may seem that friends are more important, and worthy of your time, paying for school should be your top priority. Be proactive in making time to apply for scholarships, and budget your time and money wisely. Don't put off applications until the last minute, because you could very possibly be letting significant aid slip through your fingers. Be wise and smart in your decisions, and know that your education is more important than going to a party or grabbing a smoothie with your friends. Make every second count when it comes to your future because your future would be a terrible thing to waste. Most importantly: don't be afraid to grow up, it may seem scary and overwhelming at times, but you are capable of making good decisions for yourself. You have nothing to fear; get excited because this is your life, and you have so many opportunities headed your way!

Keep working hard, but not so hard that you dont have any time for your self. Remember to check deadlines and try not to push things off. Most importantly believe in your self, you are the only one who can truly get you were you want to be.

Don't get caught up in who you will marry or date. It doesn't matter that everyone else has someone. You will find someone at the right time. Just stay focused on your school and learning all you can. This is going to be the time of your life. Have fun, but be careful. Be responsible and don't let your parents down. But most of all, if anything- Believe in yourself. You can do it. You Tate, you are good enough. You will fit in. Don't underestimate yourself. Keep your head up and stay positive. Be confident in the woman you are. Remember why you're here. Be yourself, because you can be no one else. Be confident in your abilities and have faith.

Education is the most important thing that you can do to contribute to our country. From politics to financial; education is the base. Without education we tend to become followers and allow our lives to just happen however with education we are better able to serve one anothers needs. We become leaders and therefore contributing strongly to our futures. The world is all about education whether it is in the classroom or living in the world, education is all around us. It is up to each individual to take the opportunities that education provides to live and strive off of. Children are taught by observing others studying each and every day. They are well aware of how important it is to follow in my footsteps. I was lucky to find passion in my learning and you can have that too. Just try it.

If I were to go back in time and talk to the young bright-eyed, naïve, and lover of comfort Dana I would have told her a plethora of things. I would have told her to take risk with scholarships and put herself out there. I would encourage her to get more involved with club leadership on campus and not back away to only being a member. I would tell her to take each class that she takes seriously in the sense of not just looking at a class as a task but an opportunity to submerge herself into an unknown topic and interact with knowledge. Since she would be surrounded by all of this knowledge I would want her to take the next step and actually study what is in front of her to the best of her abilities. I would get her to understand that the way that she learns is special so that she does not just do what other people do because it looks right. And on that note I would encourage her to be who she is and run away from stifling the waters of creativity that flow within her.

It was a good idea to do junior college before your University. When you make the transfer however, try to get involved in more activities and spending more time with people. Finding friends right away will help you a lot during your first semester and even later on in the years to come.