Cedarville University Top Questions

I have gotten a lot out of my college experience. I have learned how to study well and apply what I learn to my life. I have also learned time mangament. School has changed who I am for the better. I love everyone here and the atmosphere.

To my advantage I have learned so many new things in college. Throughout my high school career i had been chalenging myself with the hardest classes and doing out of school things to prepare for college, I mean no wonder I got most involved from my graduating class. All of those experiences helped me tremendously but when i got to college i found myself facing new challenges such as managing and balancing many aspects of my life. Work, friends, girl friend, family, community service, school events, and so many more things were on my plate but it is a challenge that i have learned to deal with. At least I am happy that it was just one issue and not more than one if I had not prepared during my high school years. College is a whole new world but i am prepared for the change and make the best out of it.

I have learned more about what I want to do with my future and have gained friends along the way

I absolutely love being asked about my college Why? Because not only were my four years incredibly exciting and fulfilling, but because they gave me an understanding of myself and my world that launched me with confidenceinto the post-college "real world." Sunny-day philosophy classes on the lawn, three hour dinner conversations in the cafeteria, and a study-abroad semester were the contexts for wrestling with some of life's biggest questions: what is the best way to live? what about God? how should I make a difference with my life? The answers I gained to were profoundly shaped by inquisitive and caring friends and by professors willing to be engaged in and out of the classroom. Through them, my time at college prepared me not only for a career but to approach life with deep purpose. As I apply to graduate school to teach history at the collegiate level, I know not only where I am going but why I am going there. Yes, I gained professional skills at college, but I also learned compassion, creativity, and critical thinking. It is those skills and a deep sense of purpose that made my college so very, very valuable.

So far my experience at Cedarville has given me many friends that I can trust, a chance for fellowship with people from all over the world (but mostly Ohio and Michigan), a better understanding of the Christian worldview in different areas of study, and a chance to grow in all the areas of life. When I first came to Cedarville I never could have imagined that there would be so many people who would open up and love me even when I was scared of opening up to them. I always found help when I needed it, even from people who were complete strangers! When I did not have anywhere sit during lunch two girls offered me a spot at their table and included me into their conversation. The people in my brother and sister unit really became like family, and we had dinner with each other every Friday night. I cannot even fully express in words how much God has used the environment of Cedarville to change my life! If I had to go back and choose where to go to college all over again, I would pick Cedarville University again!

I honestly feel very lucky because of how my college experience has been so far. For the last two years of my life, I have not only achieved an associate degree in Networking, but also received my high school degree. No, I did not fail and have to retake or anything like that. I've been attending DeVry University Advantage Academy, in Chicago. In doing so, I have received my associates approximately two years before most of my friends. Attending college during High School was one of the wisest decisions I have ever made. One of the top reasons I’m happy to have my associates degree two weeks after I graduated from high school is knowing that I’ll be able to earn my living faster than everyone else by several years. The second reason is the feeling of accomplishment. It’s not often that you hear that a recent high school graduate has the potential of having a salary of over 50,000. In fact, I could make more than my parents with my experience now, and they have been working for quite some time, and in good jobs. I’m pleased with my college experience.

College has been such a great experience for me so far. As soon as I got to college I jumped right in and ran for Class Vice President. I won and was able to learn a lot about planning various events and being a part of an organization that serves others. Meeting new people and learning new information which will one day help me to succeed in my field of study means that the experience is not only fun, but crutial. I love it so much that someday I would like to become a professor learning and teaching as a career.

In the year that I finished at Cedarville, I found that God is awesomely big. Despite some of the pettiness that happens between students, it is really easy to see God is a new and bigger way. The proffessors are the most down to earth staff I have ever met, and they care so deeply about us as students in a way that is personal and unmached. The work is hard, but it is such a good education that it is so easy to forget about how some students act and to really find that you can be great at something if you put your best work into it. So as our faith grows as students, so do our minds as we become able to do things that we never thought possible. It's amazing and wonderful, and that is what makes me feel most at home.

In March 2009, I returned to school to earn a Master?s in Psychology more than a decade after earning a Bachelor?s degree in Accounting, Finance, and Computer Information Systems. Since I graduated from college in 1997, I have been working as a computer consultant. I was initially intimidated by my current classmates because so many of them have education and work background in the field of Psychology. I have now completed four classes and have earned A?s in all of them. I have gained confidence that my work ethic can compensate for any perceived handicap in my background in relation to Psychology. I am an advocate of continuous learning, and the challenge of upgrading that learning to a formal level has proven to be exhilarating. I have gained knowledge that I have used for personal development and to share with others. I have had the opportunity to develop skills in critical thinking and writing. My ultimate goal is to switch careers, which will yield higher job satisfaction and more positive impact on other people?s lives, so the most valuable aspect of this journey is yet to come.

The major advice that I would give myself as a high school senior is to be open more with people and know that you will learn many things about life from people! When in high school, you tend to think you know more than you actually do and from hearing life experiences from friends here, I have seen just how little I know. I also would advise to myself to be weary of people who don't understand what being a good friend actually is and will discourage, not encourage you. This happened to me once this semester and I was not prepared for it and didn't know how to respond to a friend who told me I hadn't been a true friend.