Montclair State University Top Questions

I wish I could go back in time and talk to myself when I was a senior in high school. In high school I didn't think about the future. I would tell myself to take AP classes seriously. I took three AP classes in high school, I did well in the courses but I did not do well on the AP exams. I would tell myself to study for the AP exams because if I had gotten a good grade, I wouldn't have had to take those courses in college. I learned that college tries to trap you in and some how prevent you from graduating by adding more courses to gaduate or by making it difficult to get into courses. By passing the AP exams I would allow myself room to take other courses I need to graduate. I would also tell myself to study more for the SATs. I would tell myself that the SATs will place you in basic courses if your scores are low. I had to take a basic reading course before I started college and if I had done well on my SATs I would not have needed that class.

I would tell myself to take school more seriously and to get involved with more clubs/activities or even volunteering so that I could have realized sooner which profession I desired to pursue. I would also tell myself how far I have come since I graduated high school along with the mistakes I have made and how I have fixed them. I would let myself know that even thought hings didn't turn out as I had always planned, I have accomplished much and am extremely proud of myself.

When teachers tell you your homework is to read make sure you read. College is a lot different from high school, studying is very important but you also need to go out and make new friends. Be smart and don't get in trouble.

I would tell myself not to get upset if you do not go directly to a four year school. Even though a two year school is very different from a four year school, it will help you become more responsible about school work. You will learn independence and it will be much cheaper. Believe me, this will be the best time of your college finances. Spending the extra two years at home is not so horrible, so do not be so down about it. Once you transfer to a four year school, do not feel too overwhelmed. Though you will slightly feel lonely and out of place, give it some time. You will eventually meet people and make friends by just being friendly. Though college is the best time of your life, do not forget that you are there to get an education. Do all your work and do not wait until the last minute because it will begin to take a toll on you. Last but certainly not least, do not stress yourself out. It only leads to negative things and you should appreciate the opportunity you have of completing your degree. Good luck!

I would tell myself that no matter what to go to college as soon as I get out of high school. It is harder to go to college after 21 years and having 2 children to raise on your own. I tell all my daughter's friends now to not do what I did and to get to college as soon as possible, it's even offered in high school now. I would tell myself to not be afraid to use the tutoring services because they are there to help. I would also suggest that if it is possible to not work so I would be able to keep my GPA up, since programs look at the GPA. College has been a rewarding experience. When I first started school I was very nervous since I had been out of school for so long, but I am excited now about my classes and I can't wait to graduate. I want to make my children proud of me and to show them that no matter what life brings to you that you can succeed. Thank you.

I am one of those people that firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. There is such a thing as destiny and fate. I look back at my high school senior self, and I am proud of who I was, but I wish I knew half the things I know now back then. Firstly, I would let myself know, that adding stress to your schedule is OK. I would tell myself to go ahead and add on those AP classes. I would also tell myself to ignore the person who tells you that money should never be a factor. I know now that money is key, and without it even the most innovative dreams can be hindered. That is something that I have learned, and only could have learned from my own experiences. The last bit of information I wish I could have informed myself about, would be to completely ignore your friends college plans. Accommodating your goals for someone else will only hold you back. If you stay true to yourself and believe in what you do, it is a perfect storm for success.

The advice I would tell myself if I was to be a high school senior again would be to not be afraid of new beginnings and always be aware of who you surround yourself with. New beginnings is a great thing not be afraid of leaving friends behind and starting a new page in your life. Everyone is scared of starting college many questions come into mind such as will I make any friends? will I pass my classes? how will my professors be? These questions become part of every college freshmen. However, the truth is there is nothing to be afraid of everyone is new not just you. You will make friends just be aware of who you decide to have as friends in college, they can either bring out the positive in you or take you down the wrong path. In college your in control of your life. This would be the advice I would tell any high school senior if given the opportunity to do so.

If i were to go back in time and advice myself on matters pertaining to college, i would most definitely tell myself to start planning and gathering information about colleges earlier then i did. Also, i would start off by saying that college can be fun, enjoyable and hard at the same time. I could never begin to grasp how it was that that i became to enjoy learning and understanding how things work. To think that i would put in hours and hours of work on something only to be critiqued on it for a total of 5 minutes. During those five minutes all that came to my head was " wow i made that. I know how to do that now. i wonder what else i can do if i apply myself?". I didn't care what anyone else thought of it, all that mattered to me is that i accomplished what i set out to do. I was proud of myself. I would make sure to tell myself, knowledge is power and learn while i had the chance. To keep an open mind on the knowledge the world and everyone in it had to offer.

If I could go back in time when I was a senior in high school I would tell myself to really think about what I want to do with life and research and visit all the colleges or universities that will provide the right resources for me to succeed in getting the career of my dreams on the road, instead of half fasting my decision on a school based on distance rather then career. If I would of done that for myself in my senior year of high school, I would of avoided transferring schools my spring semester of my freshmen year and avoided the hardships of making new friends and adjusting to a new school. I also wouldn't be at a school that doesn't has the sources ,classes, or support I want to major in and struggle on deciding on another career path because of it.

If I could go back to the time when I was a High School senior, I would surely tell myself how hard I should be working. The amount of time and opportunity that is wasted by so many high school students is a shame. It so hard for a teenager to be anything more than short sighted, and realize that they need to apply themselves, and seek out every opportunity they can while they are still un accountable for themselves. Most teenagers don’t have to work or pay rent, so they need to be studying hard in school, and putting all of their effort toward getting into a good college. I now have to learn the hard way that having a full time job and trying to pay for, as well as attend all the schooling I need to become what I want to be, is a very difficult thing to do. If I’d only known that high school is the time to prepare for the rest of your life, I would have taken that opportunity and made the most out of it.