California State University-Monterey Bay Top Questions

I have gained so much out of my college experience, including leadership, and it means so much to me. I have decided to get involved in various clubs, I've completed community service hours, library hours, I applied to be an Orientation Leader for my school, and got the job year of 2010. I work on campus for one of our support porgrams called the Educational Opportunity Program which otherwise known as (EOP) for short. What this program does is serve as a Support Program for First time freshmen who are;low income and first generation. We offer peer mentor support, free trips, workshops, financial help, and unbreakable relationships. I have been working as an Admission Speacialist for this specific support program since my freshman year, as I was an EOP student as well. CSU-Monterey Bay is valuable to attend because when you're here staff, faculty, and peers treat you as if you are a part of the CSUMB family, freshman or transfer student. There are 50+ active clubs that you can be involved with and Monterey bay wants to ensure that you graduate with nothing less than a B.A/B.S degree of your field.

Attending college has been an invaluable experience. I cannot even begin to measure the amount I have grown nor the number of different ways in which I have grown. My college experience has not only helped me to learn more about myself and the world around me but it has also taught me how to learn. I find myself to be a more open, positive, and motivated person. College has brought me friends and experiences I wouldn't trade for the world. The exprience of attending CSU Monterey Bay stays with me even though it is now years later. It has created in me an ambition and a direction for my life. My experience has prepared me for my future educational goals, which are now to attain a teaching credential in special education at CSU Sacramento. Had I had not attended college and completed my bachelor's degree I would not be half the person I am today nor half the person I am still striving to be in the future.

Monica, there will be many things you will have to learn once you are in college, but one key factor you must learn as of now is time management. There will be many essays to write, many formulas to figure out, and countless literature pieces to dissect, but time management is the key to succeed. In order to keep sane, you will have to learn how to manage a full schedule consisting of school, work, homework, and family time. Keeping an agenda in hand and sticking by it will relieve you of procrastination and have you meet deadlines. This will decrease your stress level because it will prevent forgetting important due dates of assignments and give you more free time to spend with family. Family time will be very much needed to refuel your energy source and gain the extra family support to keep you pushing harder. Time management will help you keep the necessary hours of sleep instead of trying to stay up doing the 10-page paper that was assigned to you a month ago, but that you failed to start until the week before. It will benefit your sanity and your body will love you for it!

Well, first off, I would tell myself to be more focused on getting into a University rather than settling for a JC. Because even if I was not accepted at those colleges, atleast I made the effort. I would also tell myself to speak to councilors on a monthly basis, to make sure I am on track and not missing anything I am needed to do. I would also advise to apply for financial aid ASAP, because struggling with tuition is not the way to go. Its possible, by why put yourself through it. Another point I would suggest is to get into the school spirit and join in on club and student activites. Because being the student who goes to class and leave home, not seeing the school til your next class is no fun. Doing that in JC got me nowhere, but coming to CSUMB was a new start for me because it was a new place to start off fresh. And finally, enjoy it and take advantage, because there are others out there who cant or dont have this chance to better their future, and you were lucky enough to get that chance.

I would strongly reccomment applying to quite a few colleges so that you will have more choices. Either before or after being accepted to colleges, visit the campuses and make sure that it looks and feels like somewhere you would like to live. See if the college you are applying to have a good program for the major you would like to persue.

If I could go back in time and give my senior-self advice about the transition into college, there are a few things I would warn myself about. First of all, I would tell myself to get into the habit of doing scholarships, because the more I do, the more likely I would be to win one and recieve some help in the financial area. I would also tell myself that even though college life might get hard sometimes with work, classes, etc, that I shouldn't give up, and that I need to continue to work hard so I don't get behind. Lastly, I would tell myself that I need to think seriously about what I want to do in life and, as soon as possible, go talk to an advisor to make my graduation plan. The sooner the better so that I can make a plan to graduate on time. Other than that, I would tell myself not too worry, that college shouldn't be too bad as long as I stay focused.

Knowing what I know now, I would tell my high school self to not change a thing. As long as I could remember my teachers have told me horror stories of college. They told me stories about their all-nighters, high level of caffeine, fifty page papers, and of course the THESIS. My senior year I remember pulling all-nighters working on projects and on papers determined to make them perfect. I was taking honors and advanced placement classes to prepare myself for college. While I would get good grades on my assignments I would never get the grades that I wanted for myself. Determined to get high marks on my papers I continued to work hard and eventually it paid off. At the end of year my grades were close to perfect scores and my teachers were impressed. Yet, when I got to CSUMB my high school seemed harder then college. I would whip through papers and get high marks/ compliments from the professors. Looking back I do not think in reality high school was easier I think that I pushed myself to new heights that made my transition from high school to college much easier.

As a high school senior I was applying to what in my opinion were the best schools in California. While everyone around me seemed to know which college they would choose, I was not so sure which one was for me. In the summer of 2007, I had chosen to go to a community college instead of a four year school. I completely hated the idea, and loathed the school without even giving it a chance. My first day of school I woke up an thought, "wow all my friends went off to college and I'm stuck here". Unable to find the reason for my negative attitude , I had a feeling that I had made the wrong choice. I walked into that community college feeling like I was just a little freshman, high school all over again. "Am I smart enough to be here?" I thought to myself as walked to my first college class Monday morning. My last day of community college, two years of schooling coming to an end, and I loved every minute, every final, every 6 am bus ride, every not so boring class I took. "Esther trust yourself...you won't regret a thing."

If i could go back to highschool and give myself some words of advice, they would be to stop trying to impress others and start trying to impress yourself. Since i have moved away to Monterey Bay and started my college experience I have faced so many situations and obstacles which have taught me this exact lesson. I have faced poverty, homelessness, and deceit from all sides and yet I continued with my schooling and have excelled in my classes. I have learned that its not being the "popular" social butterfly which gains one their success (although it does help), but making myself happy and proving to myself how successful I can be, even in the most difficult of situations, is the most fulfilling feeling one can have. I would also tell myself "Dont sweat the small stuff, because it is all small stuff!" Through all my success in school in the face of adversity I have realized that accepting things for what they are and still trying to do ones best is the easiest and most fulfilling way to live, it develops wisdom, determination, and other skills which will be useful to my future.

I found it interesting to reflect on the question of what advice I would give myself about going to college if I were to go back in time. The funny thing is, I wouldn't do anything differently. I knew what I wanted in a school and I researched schools that fit the criteria I set. After recieving acceptance letters from 3 colleges I made my final decision to go to California State University at Monterey Bay. I made my decision all by myself based on my needs and wants. I would say to anyone, "just go for it and enjoy the experience". I would encourage someone to go away from home (as I did) and embrace the idea of new friends and experiences. By far, I have enjoyed the freedom of college more than anything. I love making my own decisions and this all started with me choosing the college I wanted... not someone else choosing it for me. One final thing I might say, if I could go "way back in time", would be to save money now. The earlier one starts saving for college the less stress you and your family will feel when fees are due.