CUNY Hunter College Top Questions

If I could go back and talk to myself in high school there is so much I would want to say I don't know where I would start first. I had no idea in high school how different college was gonna be and how important it was to prepare myself for the dreams I wanted to achieve. Now being the mother of a one-year old son, I would tell myself to go ahead and do exactly what I needed to do and to not slack off any at all. I would also tell myself to also be ready because in life we never know what is going to happen and which road we may travel.

If you do decide to go to school hop to it, kid. And keep inmind this isn't high school. This is a whole different ball game. No one is going to hold you by the hand and make sure that you are staying on top of your work. This is when you learn a hands on approach to being independent. Keeping track of your work, organizing your schedule and the dreadful task of studying all become a crucial part of your success. i know you like to cram and that may have worked out for you during your early years but that may not cut it this time around. Try to take some time everyday to review your work and don't be afraid to ask questions. Get involved with a study group. if you need to meet with a student advisor who will help you with any transitions you're having difficulty with. This is an opportunity for you to create your own schedule and take classes you actually enjoy. Register on time so you have more options and above all else, make the most of your experience. Enjoy what you're doing. Good luck, kiddo.

Class President, Co-Captain of the Swim Team, National Honor Society VP, lead in the Musical, New York City bound? Looks as if you've got it all together. As a more mature (I use mature loosely) and experienced "you" I feel it is my duty to inform you (regretfully) that despite what you believe, you know absolutely nothing about what is to come. College (unarguably the most frightening word in a high school student's limited vocabulary) will inevitably be the greatest 4 plus years of your young life - run towards it full force no matter how much the thought of leaving home panics you. It often goes that things are much more scary in thought than in reality. Study hard, make friends, and really think about what it is you want to do in the future because the whole transferring process is beyond stressful - gray hair inducing. The last and perhaps most important nugget of knowledge I can provide you with is "Be who you are, not who people want you to be or who you think people want you to be"- Harlen Cohen. The true you is pretty darn great. Now go take the city by storm.

I would say to my kid self the following “ Jay you are on your way to college, I know you want to go out of state and get away from you old man, but unless you get a full ride to go out of state, you should not go out of state because it’s EXPENSIVE. Stay in state and with your grades you won’t have to worry about owing too much money to the government. You will be going to one of the top CUNY’s and you will have a chance to go out of state for Law school with more money in your favor to afford it. Even though transitioning into the college life is not easy, but considering everything you been through, I know you can handle it because you want to be successful and you won’t let any obstacle get in your way no matter how hard it is to cross. Stay focused and be the best you can be, try harder every time, stay positive and truthful to your values and ideals”.

I would tell myself to follow my passion. Sometimes things sound better, or look better on paper than they are in real life. Just because an ivy league sounds expensive, or a year at a conservatory sounds like a waste of money, it may not be the case. Only you can decide what is valuable and not in your life. Take control of your decisions and decide for yourself. It's much easier to be wrong and change your mind when you're young than it is to live life wondering what could have been, and regretting not giving everything a try. If you love something or really want something, try it. There's always a way to figure out the aspects that seem stressful, like money. Have fun in these early years on your own, but know that there is a lot of hard work involved. Also, don't be so hard on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, to grow we must learn and to learn we must experiment and experiments aren't always successful. Be proud of who you are and go whole-heartedly into whatever you'd like and you'll be absolutely fine.

Not to worry, the transition is not that much of a difference than high school and to learn about the classes and register early so i would have the classes that i would want.

Hey Nick. Yes that amazed look on your face is appropriate. I'm you from the future. There's a lot I have say so please stop screaming "Holy Shit" and listen. I come from the amazing year of 2011. What's that? No there's no flying cars, it's only been three years. Can we please focus? I know you're stressed out right now about what you want to do with your life. High school is almost over and you feel lost. Good news, besides the secrets of time travel (more on that later), I bring some advice on college. First thing's first, don't go away for the "college experience". You can certainly have a good time without it costing $30,000 a year, and your social life won't suffer. Something I must stress is your studying. Playing xbox everyday after school, is no way to get an education. Put the work in idiot, it's going to pay off in the long run. Join some clubs and be outgoing. Also, it may seem like a good idea at the time but do NOT grow that moustache. Life's hard enough.

If I could go back to the begining of my senior year in high school I would talk to myself about planning for my college and career sooner. I thought that had it all figured out, but I was so wrong. I would tell myself to put more time and thought into my dual credit classes. I would have taken my English Comp in high school, instead of Government, so that I could dedicate more time to my Chemistry and Anatomy classes this semester. The government class is not a required prerequisit for the nursing program at my college. The English class is on the other hand required, so I feel as though I have wasted some time and money. I could have simply gotten the Engilsh class finishe my senior year and had way mor time this semester to dedicate to my Lab Sciences. Our family is not wealthy. We have 4 children that are all either in college or about to be in college, so things are tight for my parents. I would definately go back and plan better so that this year would be less stressful for me as well as my hardworking parents.

Going back, I wish I had asked more questions to people who had expereince with college. I would have been able to find answers and a career path a lot sooner. I also would have applied for more scholarships and lived in dorms or at home so that I could focus full time on studying, save money, and avoid taking out loans. Had my high school or first college required more diverse classes, I would have been able to find areas of interest without it being such a guessing game, so that I could have moved at a faster pace toward a job that I want, as opposed to working just to pay bills, with little engagement in my work. I also would have studied multiple languages from an earlier point and taken advantage of study abroad opportunities.

Hey buddy, listen up. I know you're worried about leaving for school. You're going to be on your own now. Our friends are going to different schools. Even the ones that are staying home are hours away. But at the end of the semester, they're still going to be our brothers. Trust me, you'll make new friends, despite the fact that we haven't made new friends since the seventh grade. Hard as it is, trust those guys you meet on move-in day. They'll help show you around the big city. Watch out for those girls though. You'll know what I'm talking about later. But talk to that Olivia Ferrari. She likes us. I know you're dead set on that communications major. You're not the least bit worried about academics. Take Media 385 your first semester. Don't ask why, just trust me. That'll help you decide what major you really want to go for. I'm not going to just tell you what to declare before you take a few classes. We're stubborn, so I know you won't listen to me yet anyway.