Hood College Top Questions

I would have told myself to do better in high school. Also I would have done better in community college before I transfered. I love college now as an "older" student. It took me a long time to get through school but it is the right time for me now. I just wish I would have done better because it was a lot easier then and I took that for granted. College is a gift that many people do not have the opportunity to go to or the patience to be in. I am grateful that I am in college now and doing as well as I am. It is hard to look into the future when you are younger but I should have told myself to really find out what I want to do and where I saw myself.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would emphisize the impportance of keeping up my grades so that I maintained a higher GPA, also I would tell myself to keep all ongoing art projects from my different art classes I took in high school so that when I was appling for colleges I would have a better portfolio and a progress chart to show how my skills have increased over the years. Going back I would also tell myself to start appling for as many scholarships and outside aid that I can get as well as start saving up as much as I can during high school so that I would have more money to pay for my college, because my parents are not in a financial place to support me and now I am in a place where I have no idea how I am going to afford this education.

I would have to tell myself not to change a thing. I would say continue to push hard and have that motivation that you have always had because that is what is going to get you here. I would however, tell myself to search for new study methods ahead of time because when I got here I would see that some of the old methods are just that...old methods. I would also say to reach out a little more and have fun. I have well disciplined myself but a little fun can't be too bad.

Looking back on my senior year, perhaps my biggest regret is not focusing on school or participating in more senior activities. Back then my goals were completely different and the idea of attending my dream college was almost completely out of question. I spent time doing other things that were not school related. If given the chance I would like to go back and motivate myself into doing more scholarly activities. I would have enjoyed participating in study groups or working on senior projects, attending home coming games or senior breakfast. Instead I spent time working on cars. Which don't get me wrong, I still love doing, but if given the chance I would have chosen a different road. One that would prepare me for college life. Making sure to take the SAT on time, and enroll in classes that would help my college career. I often times see people that graduated with me, they chose other paths that led them to success sooner, though I am proud of what I’ve done so far, I wish it would have came sooner.

I would probably try to calm myself down. I was very nervous about the college experience. I am the first person in my family to go to college. So no one had advice for me. I would tell myself that I am strong and that everything will work out perfect.

There are many things that I wish I could go back in time and tell myself as a high school senior. The first thing I would tell myself is to do as many extracurricular and volunteer activities as possible because colleges and scholarship foundations love students with a purpose. The second thing I would tell myself is that no scholarship is too small to apply for. Fill out every scholarship form until you can't find any more to apply to. Next, I would tell myself to take some of the required pre-requisites for my degree while still in high school (e.g. Writing 101 and Math 151). This would have allowed me to complete my associate's degree much more quickly and it would have better prepared me for the transition from high school to college. Lastly, and most importantly, I would tell myself to save as much money as I could to help finance my education. College is expensive so any savings would have made paying for college so much easier.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior knowing all the things I know about college life I would tell myself to apply for more scholarships because college is not cheap. With the part of making the transition I would tell myself to make sure I manage my time wisely and dont procrastinate on any work. Knowing what I know now I would give the senior me the advice to know what my career choice or major will be so he will be able to focus on what he wants to become and not switch majors like most college students do. Being that college life and college itself is very expensive I would tell my younger self that he would need to make sure that he has money for any unexpected situation that might come up becasue you always run into a problem with financial aid.

If I could go back in time and tell myself that everything takes time. It takes time getting used to the rigor of college life and learning to make friends. I would also tell myself that joining clubs and activities is an important part of succeeding in college. I would also tell myself that it is important to study so that I can achieve good grades. It also helps relieve stress when I am prepared for tests and exams. I would also tell myself that change is good, even if it doesn't seem like it at first.

There are certainly a few things I wish I could tell my “high school self” about college. I would tell myself to save my money before going to college. When I was in high school, I did not understand the concept of paying for tuition, books, gas, etc, so I would definitely forewarn myself about the stress of college debt. Although I have always been good with time management, I would tell myself to be more disciplined before college. It is always so hard to be responsible and do homework before hanging out with friends, and that was a hard lesson to learn when entering college. The last thing I would mention is to work on confidence. I did not know many people when I entered college, so learning to be more outgoing was a hard transition. If I would have known these things before entering college, I think it would have been an easier experience.

Dear 12th-grade Kelsey, Greetings from afar! This is college-sophomore Kelsey. The prospect of transitioning into college life terrifies you - I know, because I was once you! Hear me out... Secret #1: As a fact of life, transitions are hard (this is true in every aspect of existance...remember how tough adolescence was?) - but that doesn't mean they are filled with impending doom! No! Transitions are excellent opportunities for developing character traits like perserverence through discord, patience with the process of adjustment, and faith in your self-efficacy. Secret #2: Though transitions are hard, college isn't. So many students get overwhelmed by the idea of homework and papers and exams and research that they psych themselves out! Yes, you're going to have to do all of those things... but class participation, diligent study and a propensity for asking questions will make it do-able - even enjoyable! Secret #3: Don't worry about the future. You've got the tenacity and capability to acheive any goal, so go with the flow a little! Let life show you all it has to offer: the good, the bad, and of course those gray areas. Carpe diem, beautiful girl!