Hood College Top Questions

I have learned to excel in all areas of my life that I otherwise have not been able to or been given the opportunity to. College has been my outlet in many aspects. I have learned how to do things on my own; register for my classes, make payment plans, stay organized, seek advice and guidance. It has helped me gain knowledge and continuously maintain knowledge. College has helped me to stay focused on what is important and easied my woes as a single mother. What I have gotten out of my college experience is how to be an assest to society (mother, daughter, co-worker, and friend) and it has been valuable for me to attend so I cannot only reach for my goals but I can now also obtain them.

Since I have been in college I have learned that, although the work is not extremely difficult, it is not as easy as high school. I feel that I will appreciate getting a degree a little more than getting a diploma because I will actually have to work hard to acheive it. I feel that it has been valuable for me to attend Troy University because the class the school is not a giant nor is it a community college. THe teachers actually take the time to learn all of the students' names and they try to help you in any way possible if they feel that you may not grasp the information.

Out of my college experience, I have experienced a number of things that have changed me. I decided to go to a school where I knew absolutely no one and I am a very shy person in new situations. Going to college has taught me to come out of my shell and let people get to know me. I now have friends from not only other states but from other countries. I attended a high school that was not diverse by any means socioeconomincally or racially. At Hood, I have learned about different cultures and different lifestyle experiences that my peers have gone through. I was never one to be very into politics or what the government was doing but my classes have taught me that I need to know what's going on in the capital because it affects me. I now pay more attention to legislation and political elections. I know what's happening in our country and can make an informed decision on my opinons.

I have always been an overachiever when it came to my education. Throughout high school I was in honors and advanced placement courses. After high school I began school at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. Due to a death in the family, I moved home and started school at our local community college FCC – losing half of my credits in the transfer between states. At Frederick Community College, I became a member of the honors society. I graduated from FCC with my AA. I am currently taking five classes at Hood College. Since my move home, I have been paying for college independently and will continue to until I am finished. I plan on double majoring in Psychology and Law and Society. I express to you my journey of my education because even though I have had many setbacks with college, I am determined to finish school. My plan is to finish college and get my BA degrees at Hood. It has taken me five years to get to where I am today with college, but I am proud to say I am going to college for me and that is the best way. I have learned how to be determinated.

Because of my college experience, I now have a clear direction for my life. The professors at Woodland Community College guided me in the completion of my prerequisites for nursing school by clearly explaining scientific processes and lab procedures. I am prepared to handle the classes in nursing school because I learned how to go to my teachers for help; I learned how to study for science tests. I learned how to read a textbook. I know I am capable of doing well in school and in the real world because I took the initiative to apply myself to all of my academic tasks, and I learned how to seek advice from fellow students and my instructors when I really needed assistance wading through difficult material or tasks. I have learned that no one can take away knowledge. No one can take away the skills I have learned. It has been valuable to attend school to further my education in pursuit of a better career, a better life, for myself.

Although I have only attended college for a semester, it has been an experience that has put everything I have ever learned to the test. The independence that I have received can be compared to when a baby bird leaves its nest for the first time. At first, the excitement of being on my own, in a new school, with new people, and a different rhythm, turned into fear and I questioned myself if I could actually do it. But, after letting going, making some mistakes, but also learning from them, I learned how to be on my own. Of course, being on my own didn’t necessarily mean I didn’t ask for help, on the contrary. It was, and still is necessary to ask those who are wiser and that have more experience, to help and guide me in the right direction. I have also managed to find a job on campus that helps me pay my bills and, by being so close to home, allows me to save up some money for my future.

I left Arizona State University at 19 after my second semester. Restless with school after thirteen years of attendance, I wanted to experience life free of academic responsibilities. So I lived in different parts of the country and worked. For a long time I regretted my decision to leave but have come to realize that it had to happen. Living on my own forced me to grow up. After a few years something in me began to change, I felt stagnant and needed to be challenged intellectually. School beckoned and I returned. Attending Northern Virginia Community College has prepared me for the next step in my education. While getting re-acclimated to academic life, I have learned to work hard and witnessed it pay off. Earning a GPA of 3.8 has helped me get into many great universities. Now 27 and ready to transfer to University of Wisconsin - Madison, I am excited about my academic career and proud of the achievements I have made so far. Honestly, I have never been happier. Before I returned to school my life had little direction. Now I have set myself on a course toward growth and opportunity.

The college experience I got at Penn State university was not very helpful or productive. Class's that are hundreds of people and no 1 on 1 attention with the students. More then half the professors speak very bad english and are hard to understand. So I worked for a few years and now I am enrolled in South Hills School of Business and Technology because it provides small class size's and very strict structure with very little " fluff class's". Several of my friends have attended and graduated South Hills and it was a great experience for them because of the hands on training along with South Hills job placement rate for graduates. I am looking forward to attending South Hills in 2011 and due to lack of financial aid I am in search of scholarships and grants to help pay for tuition,books and housing.

It was always a goal of mine to go to college. Hood college has not only given my the "homey" feel but makes me, a commuter, feel apart of the college community. Being in college has helped me to mature with my education and with my responcibility (home, class, ect.).

I believe that I gain more personally growth the more that I attend to my college education. College allows me to interact with others in a way that I did not have the chance to in middle or high school. Hood believes in an honor code and that code is followed. In addition, the aid from our professors is invaluable. They really care for their students. Hood may not have been my first choice school, but it is my right choice.