Clark College Top Questions

If I could go back I would tell myself to not drop out of highschool yet. That I was almost done, and it would be alot cheaper to get my Washington State Diploma on-time, instead of dropping out and attempting to get it through community college a few years down the road. But now I am at a different place in my life, and I am ready and excited to learn new things, stepping up the ladder in life towards my ultimate education goals.

I would tell myself to really focus on scholarships. I never thought about filling out any applications because I didn't really care, but it would have been nice to save money. I am going to Kent State in the Fall this year, and I have to work a lot to help save up for going to a university. I could afford to pay for Clark College, but a university, especially one that is out-of-state, is costly, and hopefully FAFSA and scholarships can help me. I would also tell my senior self to take classes and seminars to learn about college and scholarships, because I have to teach myself now.

If I was to go back to my high school senior self; I would probably tell myself to get into college right after school and probably go away for college. I wish I was able to experience college a different way, like acutally living on campas, seeing/meeting new people. I would tell myself to ask around or research more about careers because going into college I never knew what excatly what i wanted to do.

Take your time and think about what is is exactly that you want to go into before you start to attend ccollege, also make sure that you know how much money you want to spend and if you want to go into debt during school or pay it all of as you go.

First off, listen to the counselor when he tells you what specific program you should be studying. And whatever you do, avoid checking out any books for that program ahead of time because it will only freak you out. Study hard, do your homework, don’t miss a class and when given special assignments, such as research papers, be as creative as possible. Originality is a good trait to have and to keep. It will help you be a more productive person in the long run. Have fun, but make sure you leave enough time for homework. Keep a calendar for due dates because you are assigned a lot more to do than you are used to. Find a productive way to take notes for lectures, because as many professors will warn, most tests are based on their lectures. Don’t rely solely on memory, especially if you are taking a full load; even going part-time can be complicated sometimes. Good luck!

Transitioning is often very difficult. It’s scary dealing with so many unknowns and “what if’s.” Not only that, but you must become accustomed to new people, surroundings, and norms. Looking back now, I see that change is a common, good, healthy part of life, and especially a student’s life. The advice I would give to students transitioning into college would be this: everything will be okay. It’s really that simple—in the midst of college applications, the SAT, graduation requirements, and a million other things, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and wonder, “is it worth it?” But, remember that after the hard work, there is often a great reward and that as long as you are striving to grow, learn, and serve, the rest will fall into place. Even as we feel like we are flailing, we are really swimming ahead, making new memories and small progress towards so many adventures—adventures in the form of new friends, places, lessons learned, relationships, and teachers. Regardless of what life throws at you, keep your eyes on the education you have worked so hard for and remember to never stop following your dreams. The rest is history.

I think it is really important to know where your wanting your life to go before starting college. If I could tell my high school self one thing about college, I would say to wait and find what you really want to do. In high school I did not know what I wanted to do with my life but I felt like the next step had to be college. I thought about being a teacher, but inside I knew I was just picking a career to get it done. After high school I ended up getting a job and my own house. I honestly believe this was the best thing I could have even done. In high school students are told that college is needed and going to be their next step in life. This can make students feel lost and very stressed if they do not have a life long plan at the young ago of 17. In short I would tell myself that while college is importent, poeple should never feel like they need to rush into it. I would say waiting is okay and that college is amazing when you have a goal you are working towards.

I would tell my high school self that grades are important but not as important as learning the concepts at hand. Getting the full understanding of the material and nurturing the spirit of intellectual curiosity is what makes for a rich and full experience, not a letter in a grade book. From a tactical prospective, I would tell my senior self how critical it is to develop strong time management and organizational skills to combat the ever present, teenage staple of procrastination. While I always seemed to pull it out, turn in the paper, get a good grade on the test I crammed for, I have learned that waiting until the last minute might appear to work in the short term, but it?s only cheating myself and causing undue stress. I would tell myself to be prepared as I transition from the comfort of my parent?s household out into the real world because there is so much to learn about being an independent and responsible adult. Finally, have fun, live your life fully, and appreciate your parents in the last year of high school.

Your education is in your hands. Take hold of it right now. Do not wait for college to begin, or someone to come along and show you the way. If you want to get a degree in agriculture, start learning about it now. Go to your library and ask about local opportunities. Check books out on the subject. Track down local experts. Experiment and grow something. Do anything and everything you can to take learning into your own hands. You will get out of it exactly as much as you put in. This is the crux of college education. It can be an amazing and powerful experience if you are prepared to take charge, take responsibility, and take action. If you are not prepared and self-motivated by the time you arrive, you will soon be overwhelmed. This advice may seem obvious, trite, and passing. I guarantee you, however, that it will be vital to your success, not only in college, but presumably throughout the rest of your life as well. Also, don?t forget to enjoy the ride, you?ll do great.

I remember the night of graduation, my greatest and only fear at the time was to not trip on stage. It seems ridiculous to me when I think back and not tripping was my only worry. However, at that time I felt that I was prepared for what College had to offer. Time and time again, everyone warned me of time management and the increased work load. But, I was not aware that those would not be the only things to change. If I could go back and talk to myself before that night of graduation, I would not tell myself of the expected changes but rather the unexpected. Like the unexpected change in relationships. Maintaining relationships with childhood friends and family was a struggle. College kept me busy even on the weekends; and I had spent most of them studying rather than going out. I also, spent a lot of time working to pay for college. The expenditures of college were really unexpected. But, the greatest unexpected change I realized was, how fast college goes by. Before I knew it I had completed my first term. From college I truly learned the value of time.