California State University-Sacramento Top Questions

College is a lot different than high school even though it may not seem so at first. You can't just wait to cram for a test the night before; if you do you won't learn end up learning anything and you won’t end up doing well in the course. In high school you could just skate by that way, now you will need to actually pick up and study the book A LOT! College is the real deal you need to do your best because if you fail a course that is your money that you wasted. Even though you have to focus a lot on your studies don’t let that take over your entire college experience. Give yourself time to relax and meet plenty of new people. Here you will form friendships that will last a lifetime. Do not shrug off cooking it will save you a lot of money and keep you healthier. Too many college students begin to rely on eating out and it is detrimental to their health and their wallets. Lastly cherish these years they will be the best of your life if you do not make the common mistakes.

I would advise myself to take the AP classes my senior year of high school that my professors offered me rather than taking the easy way out because it was my senior year. The credits I would have earned toward college would have made my life much easier, and the knowledge I would have gained from the more difficult classes would have helped me in my other classes. Also, I would have told myself to figure out a major earlier in my college career rather than taking random classes that ended up not mattering towards my degree. I was told not to worry about a major, and that it would come to me. As it happens, I changed my major multiple times before ending up with a double major in Philosophy and Biology. I am now in law school and I don't use either major. I should have just picked something and finished school quicker so I could save money and move on with my life.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself in high school, I think I would have to have a serious talk with myself about my education. I already knew what I wanted to be, but I didn’t do enough research about it before I started applying to colleges, and I feel this was a huge setback. I would tell myself to look for the school with the highest graduation rates in my major, and with a higher number of students going on to Med School. I would also warn the past version of myself that this is not going to be easy, and that for my first semester I should take some easier classes since I’m not ready for this change in teaching methods. I didn’t find out until it was too late, that the requirements, expectations, and testing are extremely different from what I was used to in High School. But what is most important, I would remind myself that this is just one step to obtaining my goal, and I should treat it as such, and rather than wasting time, I should learn about what it takes to get into Med School.

I would tell myself to get more teacher recommendations, and to save money so that I could apply for more colleges. Because money was tight, I could only apply to about 3-4 colleges, when I really wanted to apply for 8-10. Also, I would tell myself to make sure that I do good on the ELM and EPT. That way I could've passed both and never had to take remedial math or English.

The good news; you were right about going directly into a community college because of no financial support from your parents. The bad news; you've been going to the same community college for the last 10 years. You need to complete the courses at a faster rate instead of being stuck as a "lifer"/2-3 courses every quarter. Use the online courses; they will save you gas, time, and frustration with slow students/droll professors. Oh, and don't buy that brand new motorbike, even if it does get you to school on time; it gets stolen one year later and you become financially ruined and it takes you the next 7 years to dig your way out of the chain reaction of financial debt that it causes.

College will be some of the best years of your life. I know you want to graduate as early as possible because you think that will help you be more successful in the long run. Knowing what I know now, I would advise you not to rush. Instead, college is the perfect time to explore your options. Take your electives as a chance to discover what you want in a career. Meet as many people as you can. Some of these people will become life-long friends and others will provide a professional network for you in the future. Take advantage of internships and opportunities that are offered to you as a college student. Explore and find possibilities for yourself as well. People are willing to help. Also, find a good job before the economy crashes. It will be hard to find them after. Overall, just remember to stay focused, work hard and enjoy the good times.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school .I would have told myself to consider the distance from my house to the college. I would have also told myself to do my own research and not listen or follow my friend to the college they wanted to go to. I would have prepared for twice the work would have plan on the place I was going to be standing. I would have fill my fafsa early so I could get work study. I would have join organization in high school so I would have been experience to join the college organization. I would have train myself in time management. I would have train myself in money management. I would have used all my resource to better myself for the college life. I would have told myself to sign up for as many scholarships so did not have to pay for the dorm room. I would have save my money up to have reliable transportation to college and back home. I would have tried harder to find a job when I was in high school. Also put myself on a schedule.

Hello high school me, make sure to take more AP classes and do better than ''okay'' on the AP exams so you could save money on classes you will eventually have to take, appreciate that it's all at no cost to you. Become more active and join some or at least one school club, colleges love when you're involved in school activities because it shows how well-rounded as an individual you are. Try to do some good and get some community service hours in there as well, it will also make you stand out on an application. Also, if you feel like your SAT,ACT, PERT, etc. scores were not all that good, then take it again! I know it's not fun taking them, but it's all worth it when you get into your dream school. And try to develop great organization skills now, because they will definitely benefit you as soon as you get to college and become bombarded with due dates and deadlines. And lastly, try to have fun, yet remain responsible of your school work. The true fun begins after you're awarded with your high school diploma!

The first piece of advice I would give to my high school self would be to look for a school that fits your hobbies, and that is similar to the type of area that you currently live in. I went from a small town in northern California to a college in a major city right on the ocean in southern California. The drastic community and life style change was too much for me to handle and I ended up transfering schools. I would also say that it is important to look at the majors and activities that each school you are considering offers, not just how prestigious of a college it is. If you can connect to your school you will enjoy your college experience as a whole a lot more than if you are just there to 'get in and get out'. Make friends, create memories, have some fun, and earn your degree in the process.

I would tell my high school self to consider three things before graduation: focus on an academic path, attend a community college for GE, and save every penny possible. Focusing on an academic path reduces the extra units you end up with after changing majors once, twice or three times, which I did. You cannot major in everything, so figure out what you excel in and what you are interested in. Be sure those interests will result in a productive and stable career once you graduate college. I love playing music, but the likelihood of being a rock star are slim to none. Second, attending a community college is great for saving money on units that will transfer to my school of choice later on. GE is GE whether taken at a community college or four year institution. Lastly, save as much money as possible while in college. Don't buy that new video game, gadget for the dorm room, or expensive steak dinner. Create a budget, and stick to it. Personal debt on top of school debt is a bad combination at graduation. Hopefully my high school self would be smart enough to consider these areas of thought.