Loyola University Chicago Top Questions

This college experience has definitey taught me to be independent in a healthy way. Even though I am only a freshman and have completed one semester., I feel as if I have learned the most last semester than I have ever learned throughout my high school career. When I first started college, I was stubborn and wanted to prove to my family that I could be independent. I had too much pride in my abilities and plugged into every club I could. It was a great way to meet new people, but it put a great strain on my health and grades. I refused to ask for help, and strived to do everything on my own. After a rocky start at my college experience, I've realized that being independent and a successful college student doesn't call for someone to be alone. It calls for a person to strive for excellence to the best of their abilities, yet can ask for help when needed. I have been able to make "grown-up" decisions of who to stick close to and what my priorities were. I learned that my family was in fact my greatest support system.

From my college experience, thus far, I have learned a broad array of course matter that I previously have not been exposed to. From classes like the philosophy of ethics to the sociology of sex and gender, I have gained knowledge of moral and societal issues. Most importantly, I have learned about my spirituality and my inner person as a whole. From my freshmen seminar course, I was taught to reflect on daily experiences and activities, and the affect they have on me. I have become a more conscious person of injustice in our world, both in my own area, but also in third world countries, like Africa and South America. I have become motivated to do my part in society and help in any relief efforts I can, even in such small contribution as spending a Saturday in a soup kitchen or a hospital delivering flowers to patients. Since the time I have been at Loyola, I have gained a much greater sense of the world around me, but also of myself and how I can strengthen as both a moral and intellectual person.

Looking into colleges during my high school experience was a crucial time in my life. I remember mentally going over my choices over and over again. I feel like I made the right choice in the school I selected; however, I wish some of the preparation from transitioning from high school to college, I would have done a little differently. I wish that I had applied for more scholarships to help the financial aid process be easier. When I think about the debt I am putting in to put myself to college, sometimes it seems very overwhelming. Another thing I would of focused on my during my first semester was getting more involved with activities, as this semester I am and I find in doing so, I am enjoying myself a little bit more. Besides those two factors, I feel that I am doing a good job in my college experience to be a great one.

Be careful of underestimating the cost of college. Considering my own means I shouldn't have attended private college because I will be coming out with a lot of debt, and I basically paying for it all on my own. Seriously consider attending a school that has a good study abroad program and plan well and early. I hope to be able to study abroad still, but it can be tricky to select the right program. Expand your horizons. Never be afraid to try something new. And don't expect to remain friends with everyone you meet the first week freshman year. Just have fun and study hard. Enjoy life!

I would tell myself as a high school senior to talk with my family more. Coming out of high school I thought I was ready to take care of myself without anyone's help. I realize now that I was cruel for avoiding my family and their help, that I needed them and always will. Staying focused and doing well academically are certainly important, but these things do not show character. I have always been a good student and received good marks, but outside of that I was nothing of a person. I neither knew how to love nor how to let myself be loved by those who truly cared. As a result I was more alone than even I myself knew. Who would have guessed it? I was an ?A? student yet underneath it all was just my own self-centered being. Therefore I would tell myself not to take the love and support of my family for granted. Work hard and do your best academically, but remember, no matter where that takes you, you will always need your family.

It hasn't been very long since I've graduated high school; a little over one year to be exact. I was always the fast-paced, "can't wait til I'm outta here" girl in high school. Since freshman year, I had anticipated graduating an entire year early just so I can get a head start in beginning my dream of becoming a pediatrician. I ended up graduating a semester early because I didn't have enough credits. As I began my experience in Loyola University, I realized I didn't want to be a pediatrician. I don't know what changed my mind. It may be from the variety of classes I was taking. I developed an interest in history, ethics, biology; such a wide range of subjects. If I could go back to my senior year of high school, I would tell myself to take it easy and have fun. Stop worrying about the future for a second, and enjoy the time left that I have. I'd tell myself to stay that extra semester and rekindle bonds with friends and not to worry if my plans don't work out. High school only comes around once.

I would advise myself to get involved around campus during my first semester at school and make friends from a variety of different social groups. My freshmen year, I met and maintained a lot of my friendships through parties and going to bars, and I regret not learning to become a social person other than with alcohol right when I came to school. I would also advise myself to embrace the freshmen dorm experience, and to explore classes that seemed interesting to me rather than trying to complete my degree right away. I would have also advised myself to take later classes so I would be able to maintain a freshman social life (no one goes to bed before midnight) and not be too tired for class at the same time. I would also advise myself to get a weekend job so I would be able to have appropriate spending money without depleting my savings account.

College is amazing. The fears that every high school senior has going on this new adventure are so incredibly numerous, but they are also, for the most part, pointless. There is no doubt that in college everyone has a group to fit in with. Everyone has an activity they want to participate in. Everyone doubts their class decisions and eventually everyone figures out what they want to do. Of course, there are those few fears that you will find to be of concern, but what you must remember is that there are so many other people going through the same thing. So, don't stress too much. Asking questions and getting advice are key. Don't be afraid to approach an RA or advisor. College is a place where you can finally really be yourself. You can discover who you are and act on that. Join every club you think sounds interesting. Have fun, tons of fun. Meet new people and do new things. Just don't lose sight of the academics. Don't be afraid to make this transition. Go at it with an open mind and you'll find that it's an amazing experience.

If I were able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, there would be many things I would tell myself. First of all I would tell myself that you need to work on time management, as well as increase your study habits. I would have told myself to fill out many more scholarship applications, because the stress that goes along with struggling to pay for college tuition just to keep going here from semester to semester, is completely unneccessary. I would encourage myself to work on my social skills, as well as leadership. There is no reason that I should not be able to go up to someone and just talk to them, however I'm still shy and carried it over from high school. Most importantly of all, I would tell myself to value all family and friends at home, because you don't realize how much you miss them until you are actually away.

If I could go back in time, one way I would prepare myself is to load up on AP courses. Being a forensics major requires many specified courses and to have taken AP chem would have been a huge step in the door for what college is like. Having taken a few AP courses, I learned how valuable it is not only to try and get a few credit hours while in high school, but also use high school as the initial learning process for such introductory courses so that when college rolls around Chem 101 and 102 are simply review. One of the hardest things about college is learning the professors here do not grade as simple as in high school. I wish I has mentally prepared myself and learned initally the key tools to studying and note taking that are such valuable resources used everyday in class.