Milwaukee School of Engineering Top Questions

I would give myself advice on taking my grades and class work more seriously. Attending more advanced placement classes would be very wise being a senior in High School. Those classes would prepare you more for college courses and would prepare you for the workload that is given at the college level. Also I would encourage myself to read books more often to also prepare you for the amount of reading. Being a good reader will only benefit you and make your readings go quicker and allow you more time to work on other homework or better yet some time to your self for social events/activities.

If i could go back and talk to my senior self i would tell my self to make sure to take time for social activities and befriending others but more importantly i should play less and work more. MSOE is not like most schools, there is a tremendous amount of work to be done to succeed. You can do it, you just need to buckle down and do it. Have fun with your room, get cool christmas lights or some such and leave them up year round. Ask for help, don't be too proud to admit when you are wrong and always have fun and go that little bit extra. MSOE is tough, but not impossible. Yeah you are going into an engineering major but you can still be creative, explore the city! Oh, and make a fort our of your room, it will help you study. Trust me, i would know!

If I could go back to senior year I would tell myself to be more open. I was very shy freshman year and I did not make any really close friends until my third year in college. The whole world is available to a student in college. It is the responsibility of the student to make the most of it. Also if you are having a hard time finding yourself, give it time. Do not hang out with the wrong people or choose to do things that are against your morals just to have friends. Besides the social side of college, I would tell myself to take advantage of the services that the university offers. If you need help go and get it! There is no reason to struggle in class when there are numerous resources available to help students.

I would tell myself to go right to college, and to make sure that I pick a college that is out of state and very diverse.

Don't be so uptight. Get out there and meet friends right away. And yes, your mom and dad were right about a lot of things.

One of the biggest changes in the transition from high school to college is the level of independence in the student. Once coming to college i realized that my parents are no longer around, and i had to make my own decisions for my own well being. Much as i realized my parents were gone, i soon found that the teachers act in a similar manner. During high school teachers are constantly on students about which assignments are due, and on which days, however, in college, each student is handed a syllabus at the beginning of the semester, and is expected to follow that for the course's duration. If i could go back and discuss college with my high school self, i would talk about the difference in what faculty expects of the student in high school, and in college. Over coming this challenge was one of my biggest obstacles, but without learning it, i would be no where near where i am today. Talking to my high school self would allow me to have a jump start on the transition into college, and would further my success that much more.

Take a tour of the campus, better yet try to be a part of a shadow day if they offer it. Go to the school, talk to the students and take what they have to say seriously. They know the school inside and out and can probably tell you if you would like the school just by talking to you for a little while.

Find somewhere where you'll be happy--somehwere that offers all of the things you love to do. Students: be sure that the choice you make for school is yours and no one else's. Parents: be sure that the "right" school in your book is actually the school which your student wishes to attend. If the campus life isn't exactly what your students wants, the chances of a drop-out are far more likely. In the end, this ends up being more expensive for you. All in all, the most important thing is that the student is happy at their school.

I would definitely tell anyone who is trying to find the right college to choose the school they want to go to. Don't let anyone influence your decision; not your friends, family, or financial situation. You need to pick the best school for YOU. I can imagine it'd be pretty tough to wake up and go to class every morning at a school you hated. As for making the most of the college experience, I would just say do your best in every situation that comes your way. Whether it be with your classes, a sports team, or new people, if you put yourself out there and give it your all, good things will come to you. It's supposed to be the best years of your life!

Choose a college on the major you think you would enjoy to do the rest of your life, dont choose it just because it promises you a good salary after graduation. I would strongly encourage taking college visits, and ask some of the students that attend the school already about what they like and dislike about the college.