Capital University Top Questions

If I could go back in time and give my high school senior self advice about college life I would tell myself a couple things. First, I would tell myself that I need to learn how to study. I knew college would be different but I didn't understand how much time I would have to dedicate to studying. Another thing I would tell myself is to be open to new people. I went though all my years at school basically knowing the same people and getting comfortable with them. In college, it's not like that. I didn't know anyone and at first it was really scary. I feel like if i would have been open more at first it would have made my transition a lot easier. Those are the two most important things I would tell myself if I had the chance.

The most important thing I could have told myself as a high school senior would be to be myself. People will like you for who you are, you don't have to act the way you think they want you to act. Being your own person is vital to making the right kind of friends. Pretending to be someone that you aren't won't serve you any good. Acting a certain way that isn't really you can get you sucked into a lifestyle that you never intended for yourself. Learning to say no and realizing your limits is so important. College gives you a lot of freedom which is nice, but don't forget that the reason you're here in the first place is to get an education. Nothing should come before that.

The one thing that I would tell myself is to find what you really want to do because this was the biggest reason that I did not go to a four year college right out of high school. I had no idea what I wanted to do and I was not concerned about it so I didn't go out of my way to try and find out what I wanted to do but thought it would come to me. The other piece of advice I would give myself is to get involved with campus clubs early because I did not find out about them until I had a couple of semesters left and some of these activites I could not get involved in because I had to have at least two years left. Not only that but so I could obtain a leadership position within these clubs and then I could put this on my resume.

Stay true to yourself and do what you want to do. Chosing a school and your future is YOUR business, not anyone elses. That is probably the most important thing. The second most important thing is to not get stressed out about it. Just take time to do some research and think about what you consider most important in your secondary education and go with that. Go on visits to the colleges that fit most of the criteria and decide from there. If you end up not being happy there, leave. No one is forcing you to stay somewhere that you hate because it's not worth getting depressed over. As far as adjusting to school goes, try as many activities and organizations as possible. When you find something that you really enjoy and are passionate about, you will start to feel like you fit in instantly. You need to find a place where you belong on campus or you will feel lost with no direction. But do not stop at one organization. Increase your experiences and friend circle by pursuing anything you have always wanted to try. College success is easy, you just have to know the right tricks.

The advice I would give myself is learn to manage your time, attend every class, and pay attention. I would tell myself this because it's very important to finish all work on time. Many students come to college and think it's all fun and games, well it's not. In order to make it through college stress free, you must manage your time. An easy way of doing that is to carry a planner and write out everything that must be done as well as checking your planner on a daily basis. Staying ahead is the perfect way of not falling behind. Some professors reward those students who come to every single class and if you're not doing so well, this reward could benefit your final grade. Professors are more willing to help those students who pay attention and really apply their best effort. A professor may give you extra credit just because you're trying really hard. Managing time, attending class, and paying attention will lead you to succeeding in college.

You need to work hard in high school. I know high school seemed hard at the time, but it is nothing compared to how college is. There is always work to do, and the sooner you prepare yourself for the work and how to become a good student, the greater your success chances are. Make sure you go to EVERY class. The more class you miss, the lower your grade will be; not necessarily because of attendance points but because what you miss in lecture/lab you will not be able to understand on your own. Start working now for money for school, college is expensive! Between the tuition, books, resident life, and meal plans, there is a lot of money that goes into college. Look for scholarships! Save up money! And be excited to go to college to enhance your learning and prepare you for the real world, it's going to be a blast :)

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to stay focus, watch the company I keep and prepare ahead. As a high school senior it is really easy to get off focus with all of the senior activties and other outlets. When partcipating in these activities it is easy to neglect school work or slack off. By doing this your grades suffer affecting the amount of scholarships; less scholarships create more stress and headache your freshman year in college which takes away from your ability to focus and be succesful. Furthermore, I would warn myself about who I hang around. The company you keep determines a lot of what you do and shapes who you become; habits, thoughts, and views. This follows you to college because if you keep positive friends in high school you will keep positive friends in college thus helping you stay focused. Preparation is key. I would tell myself to stay organized and prepare ahead; do not wait until the last minute to do things. These things will help you become a more productive and well versed student in the college arena.

learn how to study and write more essays

The advice I would had given myself was to stay on top of my grades. Other than that my attendance was great I had perfect attendance all 4 years. I got along with all my teachers. I was not a trouble maker in class. Back to the grades situation...I had an average B- in highschool. The crazy thing is I would study and still get B's and C's on test. I just didn't get it. Now that I'm in college that changed a whole lot. My first semester was pretty easy I got a 3.084 which I'm happy with. This semester I'm goign to try and make the Dean's List which you have to have a 3.4 so I almost made it. Also getting good grades meant to me scholarships! I could of used those being at a high price college. So I know now to stay on top of my grades to get scholarships to help pay for school. I really want to stay in school so I can persue my dreams!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, knowing what I know now about college I would say study harder. I would have created better study tips and methods to help me through college. Knowing how to prioritize properly is a key thing when you are in college. Everyone wants to party and have fun, but you also have to know when it is the right and wrong time. I do pretty good with prioritizing, I just wish that I would have developed a better habit of studying and making sure everything gets done. Maybe I could have learned a little more about essays also, but having trouble studying gets me the most.