Massachusetts College of Art and Design Top Questions

Calm down and relax, you are doing everything you can at this point. Mass Art is perfect you will love it. The independence is just what you have been yearning for, but do not forget you are paying for school. Mom wont be able to help out that much. Which is why you must apply for FAFSA as soon as possible. Tell Mom the deadline is March not May, and you can insert guesses in the spots until you get the solid information. Another thing, apply for scholarships, most people get intimidated like you and people get lazy, but you must not pass up the opportunity to get help with paying for school. You should get a job working weekends in school because money gets tight in college. But as long as you take care of finances, you should be good. Your relationship will probably end with you girlfriend, this is tough but it turns out a lot of people break up entering college if their significant other is not as motivated. Try to stay positive and look for ways to let out aggression in positive ways. Remember staying busy is your best decision. Well, see you in a year.

As a high school senior, I was not the student who always knew where I wanted to go to college, or the student who took all the AP classes, or the jock with the scholarship waiting for me. I worked hard, had a decent GPA and felt frustrated and lost when it came to college. I started at a community college and transferred to the Massachusetts College of art. Assessing my college progress, I can say that each year of college I changed immensely. I?ve been in school quite a long time. At first I matured into a young adult who had to learn to take care of herself, pay apartment bills, nurse myself when I was sick, prioritize my schedule and get things done. I matured into thinking about my future, thinking about how to achieve my dreams and challenging myself to expand my horizons. If I was to talk to myself as a senior I would remind myself that everyone has their own path and it may not be the traditional 4 year way. College is a time where you will be tested and you will persevere and come out a human being with real human experience.

Dear high school me,When you get to orientation don?t forget that everyone is going through the same thing. Be outgoing and meet as many new artistic friends as possible, these are the people you?ll be friends with for the rest of your life. Join study groups and clubs it?s a good way to meet new people with similar interests and it?s also a great way to make sure you have time and help with your homework. You will need to work hard and never give up. Don?t get to stress or upset because your going to be a professional illustrator and Mass. College of Art is the place you have always dreamed of. Here you are accepted for who you are and you learn so many things. Do this so you can have good grades and always save money because in high school you may think you need those new red heels or the upgraded phone. Work hard to get a good education and then a career doing what you love. Your future self, Christin Farmosa

When I was a senior in high school I was very concerned about graduating from college with a degree that would give me a job right away. With that in mind I applied to seven nursing school, all of which I was accepted to. I thought of nursing as a stable job that I would allow me to support myself when I graduate from college. Through the whole application process I was second guessing myself. I have one passion in life that I have never let go of, this is my art. Im glad I second guessed myself because I would have never applied to Mass Art and there for never gone. Knowing what I know now I would tell myself to follow my passion. The transition to college and the worry of what you will become is difficult for everyone. But now that I am emersed in my field of Design I realized that stability is available in places you never knew they were. I would tell myself that going to art school will be a diffferent kind of path but it will lead to true happiness and stablity in both physical and mental capabilities for me.

John, remember to smile ^______^ It's going to be a rough transition mostly because of our financial situation, but don't be too stressed about it. You need to let down your guard a little, and enjoy your FIRST YEAR as a COLLEGE STUDENT. Continue to be persistent, but remember to think positive. No one's going to hurt you, trust me, I'm you, well, the future you, and I've met them all, and they're really harmless. Forget the painful past. This is it. Yes, You're going to be away from home and mom, but you need this. Be confident, be friendly, and smile, John, it'll do me some good. Don't drown yourself in work . I know what your excuse will be. Yes, we are paying for an education, and yes, we do need to work 20 hours a week to be eligible for food stamps; however, don't view everything else as an obstacle. Your classmates are competition in the end, but they are kind people. Don't be so cynical. Sophie loves you, so don't ignore her. Make time for her, because you need all the love you can get.

All the hard work you complete in high school will prepare you for the work load you are given in college. The harder you work now, the easier the transition will be. When deciding on a college and a major, you DON'T have to stick with what you know now. Instad, you really ought to find out what you would like to do as a career, even if it is rather new to you. Do you want financial comfort to come from performing your passion or do you want financial stability to come from somewhere else so your passion can be performed? If you need, take a (productive) year off to resolve to this question, as well as your own questions and thoughts. Use clear, honest judgement and don't panic; college isn't going anywhere. Be brave. Think intelligently. And always remember to care for your mind, body, and soul because home can seem very far away at times. Honor your friends at college, be open to new ideas and welcome to another big adventure!

Never be afraid to take risks, do a bad piece of artwork ,or engage in new relationships. Every experience that you have, both positive and negative, eventually shape who you are and where you will be going. And never forget your sense of humor.

If I could convince my high school self to really listen and that it was really me that standing there, well that would be a start because I was stubborn back then and I thought I knew it all and you couldn't get me to listen to anyone. My advice for my high school self would go like this: "Stay the course and go to college as soon as you graduate high school and finish the degree no matter what because it gets more and more difficult in time. Just look at me now I'm still trying to finish College twenty years later. Latch on to one adult that you trust because they have valuable experience to offer even if they don't understand you completely. If you can't find anyone to trust then trust me now as I appear before you! If you really believe I'm you and you know this in your heart then believe me when I say the only time to take action in your life is now! It's always right now! Believe in your art and your ability! College is the right choice and we'll both agree later on!

Assuming i could go back in time and talk to myself as high school senior knowing what I know now about the college life, I'll advice myself to decide and do more research on what my major is going to be when I get into Massart. Because right now I'm in Animation, and next year I'll add Industrial Design which means I'll be in school for five years instead of four. Now I love my school and definately don't mind staying but the problem is the money to stay which I don't have. Another advice I'll give myself is to be more proactive. Right when I get into the college, I would make as much friends as i can with the seniors, let them know my major and seek their advice on how to go about it. The years are going by very fast. In a blink of an eye, I'm already finished with my second year. So if I could've done that it would've helped me a lot and I wouldn't be in a rush now.

Take time off before you go to college, travel for a year or two, work some seasonal jobs as you go, don't go to college until your serious about working. Look for and apply to a lot of scholarships/grants no matter how small the award is or how competitive they are, every little bit helps and working full-time while you're in school is a huge drag, not too mention will wear you down really quickly. Try everything, the chances of having such freedom again to pursue whatever you want is going to get smaller the older and more settled you get. Have conversations with professors, facilities people, old people in the park. People are amazing and everyone has stories to tell, whether you laugh, cry, feel wiser, dumber, happier or sadder after the fact, you get way more from interacting with people than never talking to them.