North Carolina State University at Raleigh Top Questions

If I had one do-over in life I would have started college course’s freshmen year of high school. I had the opportunity to do an ace plus program but I was scared of the unknown and nervous I wouldn’t be able to keep up in college level classes. I was afraid I would not only be able to keep up with college work but I would be unable to do my high school work as well and would be putting my diploma at risk or jeopardy. Now being in college I regret not taking advantage of the opportunity to do both at the same time. I would be so much further in my academic life if I would have had the head start of dual enrollment. After taking a college course I see now that they are not as hard as I made them to be in my head in high school and are actually exciting. It just seems now that I am out of high school life has caught up to me with bills, having to work, and time restrictions are problems I didn’t have to deal with in high school.

"It may seem easy now but it gets harder." This is one of the most heard things for a high school senior getting ready to take on college. I took those words with a grain of salt. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would definitely try to understand why things get harder. One thing that will be a hard transition is all students is study habits. Learn to study! You may read that material once and be able to ace that test of basic recall but test are not that easy in college. You must read to understand that information and be able to apply it. Not only should you be able to apply it to coordinating situations but you should be able to take that lesson and apply it to problem solving techniques in your day to day life. College is fun and there are a lot of activities that can distract you but you have to focus on the goals and dreams you have set for yourself. Keep your eye on the prize and try your best!

The advice I would give myself is to search and apply for as many scholarships as I could to avoid having to take out loans because I have a fairly decent amount to pay back now. I would also advise to look for books online at sites like amazon or ebay to save money instead of just buying from the campus bookstore. I would also advise to take advantage of all the extra curricular activities or workshops on campus. It helps build community and friendships. It is something I wish I would have done more of. This also helps get the most use of the money you are paying to go to the college. Learning more about how to cook your own meals and shopping smart is another piece of advice I would offer. If you do take out loans that you do so with prudence and make sure to pay on the interest especially on the unsubsized loans since there are no grace periods for these loans and the interest accrues no matter what. This way when you have to start making payments you at least have saved yourself money and can start paying on your principal right away.

I never knew how expensive college really is until I had started my first semester as a freshman. With the tuition amount, the housing amount, money for my books, and things I had to buy for projects or assingments my first year of college has been trying to get money to further my education in school. I worked for a semester at my college in a program called Work Study to help me pay for things that I needed for my classes. I wasn't getting much so my mom tried her hardest to pay for my books and tuition so that I could stay in school and keep my grades up because my teachers had a rule that if you didn't have books your grades would drop. I am now in a position where I am trying to transfer to a University but I will not be able to until I pay off the rest of my money at the current school that I am attending. So if i could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior again I would tell myself to save money for college.

I WISH I COULD TAKE FULL TIME CLASSES BEFORE IN COLLAGE SO BY NOW I WAS DONE

I would tell myself to take advantage of every opportunity that would have me well off and prepared for college, instead of focusing so much on playing sports so much. Also i would advise myself to apply to as many scholarships as i could because even though i recieved an athletic scholarship those other funds could have helped with other expenses.

I would tell myself that I should have applied for more scholarships as college is very expensive and without them college for me is not possible. I also would tell myself that there are a lot of distractions at college and that I need to make sure that I focus on my studies as college is hard and I need to make sure I am prepared for all of the studying it requires. There are a lot of activities going on but my study time should always come first. It is a very hard transition to move away from home and be on your own so prepare for that as well. I would not have known to tell myself that my father was going to pass away but knowing that now I need all of the financial and emotional help as possible! Thanks for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship!

If I were able to speak to my high school self, I would tell myself to make sure I learn all of the basics from my core classes (such as mathematics, chemistry, etc.) and I would have also pushed myself to take more challenging courses in order to be more prepared for college level courses.

Go to State. It is big, and you will need to adapt accordingly. This isn't community college; you will need to actually study. A lot. Start early and do not fall behind. Step out of your comfort zone. Talk to people. Initiate conversations. Take chances. Be awesome.

If I had the chance to give the high school version of myself some adivce, I'd say to just slow down. Now that I'm in college, I've realized that I rushed through my high school career to get here. I can remember sitting in my classes thinking "I can't wait 'till college," but now that I'm here, I wish I could go back and appreciate the easier high school level courses, enjoy the free food I could get from my parent's kitchen, and the freedom of not having to be responsible for yourself because your parents were there to keep you in line. I've realized that I wished my life away in high school. If I could give my past self a piece of advice, it would be to appreciate each moment for what it's worth. Each day is precious and not something to be taken for granted because tomorrow isn't always promised.