Florida Atlantic University Top Questions

If I could travel back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior-knowing what I know about college life-I would sit myself down and say, ? No more playing in the sun, it is time to get down to business. Through your freshmen and junior year in high school you have been focusing on the wrong things: when is the next party, is that boy really in to me, can not wait for senior skip day! You allowed yourself to get behind, and you put unnecessary things before your education. Although, as the dedicated and determined person you are, you did not give up! I am very proud in you achievements, but do keep in mind that in college you most be more focused than in high school. The professors have high expectations and you must live up to them. As long as you apply yourself, attend class and do the required assignments college will be a breeze. Most students complain and whine about how difficult college is, but in reality it all depends on how driven you are. Forget about the parties, clubs and outings, those things come second and your education comes first!"

Study, study, study! Never before in my life have I thought, "So tonight I'll study until 2:00am, wake up at 7:00am, and keeping working until class time." Of course, college is harder than high school and I can assure you it is worse at an honors college, but in high school, my brains were enough. I could pass a test by just listening to a lecture and by common sense. It worked, I came out with a 4.1 weighted GPA and was accepted to a number of schools. However, I never developed good study habits and that is what killed me. I can only describe the transition as trying to jump out of a speeding car on your feet and running. It can happen, but you stumble. So my advice is to get into good study habits. Read material daily, find practice problems even if you were not assigned them, and get some sleep. I have heard it put like this once: There three things you can do in college. Study and get good grades, have a good social life, and sleep. Pick two. Welcome to college. Learn to study effectively and you'll do great.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would warn myself that instant gratification and material things are not the most important thing in life. I would emphasize the importance of a college education and a goal oriented career. I would not be so selfish and think further ahead into the future than taking one day at a time. I would emphasize the value of an education. I would make responsible decisions about what will be important when I am 45; what type of financial security is necessary; and what kind of opportunities I wanted to provide for my family. I would make sure that I was in a secure, financial position with alternatives in place for unforeseen issues. I would not choose a career in real estate appraisal because then I would not have to explain to my nine year old son why Mommy has missed every one of his basketball games because she is working two jobs while trying to finish her degree so that she can go to law school and have a career in which she can provide him with every opportunity that he deserves.

Things will never be this easy again. College can be fun, but it can also be very difficult. Always ask questions, learn from others, keep an open-mind, and don't worry if you aren't sure what you want to do with your life. Some of the smartest people in the world are still trying to figure that out. Take advantage of every positive experience you can in college. The memories are going to last forever.

If I had to go back and talk to myself, I would tell myself to first and foremost stay in school. I never finished High school, I earned my GED instead and although I am currently in college and have a good job. I would tell myself to finish and earn a scholarship and really look into what I am interested in and stick to it. I would tell myself to study hard and prepare myself for what is ahead and that it's a lot easier to go to school full time on a scholarship then trying to work full time and still complete a degree. I would also tell myself that college is a tool that will serve me for life and not to take time off, and instead go straight to college, so that it won't be so hard to remember what you know you learned already. College has been a very rewarding experience but if I could go back in time I would change everything I could about the path I chose to get to where I am now.

I would tell myself to replace the regular classes with AP classes so I can have a combination of both AP and honors. I would also tell myself to take those college classes that were available to gain some credits. I would tell myself to continue what to do what im doing because my senior year was one of my best years academicaly.

Dont waste time and put off taking your SATs and doing the college application process. Do everything as soon as possible. And really think about what career and major you want to pursue so you dont waste time and money once your in college. Dont be afraid to stay close to home or go far away. Choose your school based on the qualities of the school, not where your friends are going, money issues, distance from home, etc. Doing all this early planning makes it so much easier at college. Live on campus. When you get to college, GET INVOLVED!! Join clubs, sports, anything. Dont be afraid to go out and try something new and meet new people, you will make a lot of great friends this way. It also helps develop connections for later jobs, etc. Go to class and study! Dont fail out and think its ok, its not. Party and have fun, but be safe and smart about it. Try to have a balanced lifestyle of school, fun, friends, work, excercise, etc. Have confidence in who you are and be proud of it, dont let others influence you to do something you are not comfortable with.

I would advise myself not to do so much as to overwhelm myself and allow my academic performance to suffer. That specifically means not working during college and instead applying more actively for scholarships and accepting loans to pay for school. With the number of AP and IB credits I received that transfered from high school, I should have easily been able to graduate college at least a year and a half ago. However, being that I was a new mother when I started college, I felt a lot of pressure to provide for myself and for my son - which, to me, meant working; and I couldn't rely on my parents for support because they simply weren't financially able to help. Ultimately, I struggled with balancing how to be a full-time mother, student, and employee; and my grades and school work ethic suffered as a result.

To a young child, 4 years may seem to be an eternity. Now, as a freshmen in college, looking back at my 4 years of high school I realized I could have made my high school experiance more enjoyable. I believe the best advice I could have given myself would have been to participate in more school related activities. Being involved with student government and school sports would have enabled me to make the most of the opportunities being presented. I also believe that as a freshmen and sophmore, most students, including myself, are not focused on their grades and future but rather the newest clothing trend or hottest rap star. Knowing that even my freshmen and sophmore year would impact the rest of my life may have motivated me to look beyond my material focus and turn towards my education.

If I was to go back and return to myself as a senior, I would advise myself to prepare myself for alot of reading. The most important thing in college is reading the materials to help you understand what is being said in a lecture hall by a professor, even if it is boring or if none of the questions on the test has to do with the book. I would try and get used to and prepare myself for a lecture type classroom because you have to be able to take effective notes by just listening to the professor, not what is written in front of you on the powerpoint. Another thing is to GO TO CLASS! Going to class is important because it helps you understand the material better if your rereading something from the book and you heard it more than once. Another thing is to see your porfessor during their office hours if you have any questions, or at least e-mail them so your not lost in the dark. It would be better if high school english teachers would grade at least one paper that is like a college paper in a writing class.