Northern Virginia Community College Top Questions

Dear me, please look deeply into your soul, and think about what you REALLY want to do. I know it gets cloudy in there, lots of emotions and no idea what they really mean or where they are coming from.I know it 's hard, BUT YOU HAVE TO FOCUS. Think only about what you want, and how far you are really willing to go to get it. This may mean putting work in, in a non-traditionally way. You may have to pave your own path, but you need to make decisions that you can be accountable for. You should definitely start at NVCC, but take it seriously. Pick classes you want to take, that you find interesting, and mix them in with classes that are required and you don't want to take. Make friends, because it's a commuter college, you'll have a diverse pool to pick from. Don't ever doubt yourself, because only you are in charge of your life, and only you can decide where you take it. Work, but do not get distracted from school. Join as many activities as you can, experience as much as you can. Ready...GO!

I would tell myself to pay attention and study more. Beyond that I have not found much useful information to pass on to my high school self.

Talk to academic advisors as much as you can to make sure you are staying on track to getting your degree. Ask as many questions as you want to in the classroom, you are paying them to teach you, if you aren't learning (and you are really trying) then you need to ask the appropriate questions to get you were you need to be. MOST IMPORTANTLY, follow your dreams! Do not let anything slow you down, otherwise you will regret not following the path you wanted to later on in life. Lastly, do not underestimate the challenge of community college you GPA will always follow you, work for it and really apply yourself.

Going back in time, I wish that I could tell my self one thing. Be more prepared. Be more prepared to buckle down and study hard so that you can succeed. College is not a walk in the park, it isn't highschool. This is college! Transitioning from high school is not easy. You have to worry about so much more than just school and sports. You have to learn how to do everything on your own without your parents. So, if I was to go back in time and tell my high school senior self something I would tell them this: learn how to set goals and make plans for success. Always evaluate yourself and move forward.

Knowing what I know now about making the transition from high school to college life, I would tell my high school self to enjoy having everything done for you; that would be the main difference between high school and college for me. There were constant reminders of when assignments were due, constant encouragement to do homework, etc. However, college is a compeltely different story. No one is there to remind you of when you need to turn things in, it's all on you to remember. The professors don't care if you come to class or not, it's your own responsibility to want to be there because it doesn't phase them either way. For example in high school, there were a plethora of inventives for students to come to school and keep absences at a minimum. But in college if you don't show up to class, you can easily fall behind and fail, it's just that simple. Your parents aren't forcing you to go, it's totally up to you whether or not you go, whether or not you pass your classes. You really get a taste of the real world.

High School Clair, Almost 8 years have gone by since you graduated, and a lot has happened since then. Let me begin by telling you that your post-graduation plan, or lack thereof, isn't going to work. I know that you think you're not cut out for college. I know that you feel a sense of responsibility for Mom and for Neil, but the truth is that they'll be fine. You don't need to leave home in order to go to school. Community college is a great idea for you. You'll be able to take care of Mom and be a buffer for Neil while taking classes and working your way toward becoming a teacher. There are a lot of jobs that you can get without a degree, and if you don't act on college you'll get those jobs, but you won't be happy. 8 years will go by, you'll lose Mom, Neil will go live with his father, and you'll realize that you have nobody to live your life for but yourself and you wasted a lot of time. Don't start late. Go to school. Always, Future You

Don't stress. Think about what you want. Think about what you need to do in order to get what you want. What do you want to achieve? It's not about what other people want for you or what they deem success to be. Create short term goals and prepare yourself each day for what is to come. Continue your education proving to others you have what it takes to be great and maintain a certain confidence. Do not allow circumstances or people to get in your way. You have the power to make the ultimate decision and you will have the strength to endure the consequences that will follow. It sounds simple but it will not be easy. Work with the resources you have and the skills and talents you have been blessed with. Grab every oppertunity that comes your way. The only fear you should have is the regret that comes from the lack of courage and hard work. Dream big and do big things. Just breathe. Find hope. You'll get there.

If I was given the opportunity to go back in time and give my self advice, I would emphasize the importance of school. Throughout my senior year I got decent grades, but I could have gotten straight A's with a little more effort. I would advise myself to rest more often and focus on the importance of being the best version of myself. For two of my classes, I would advise myself to get the help I needed. The best advice I could give myself would be to embrace who I am, the year ahead of me, and the opportunity to learn. This advice would help me to remember that school, although not always fun, is important and does effect the years to come.

I know you're worried about school, but you don't worry, you'll be just fine I'm going to give you some pointers. I know that you're scared, I mean you're 17 and didn't get into a 4-year school, but that's okay, financially NOVA's a brilliant decision. You don't have to be ashamed about going to NOVA, it's a good school that will provide you w/ a multitude of opportunities. Applying to NOVA is virtually painless so don't worry about getting in. One thing to keep in mind is to actually set up a meeting w/ your 1st year advisor to determine your major--you’ll change it but you'll like the new major better. The best advice I can give you is to work hard but know when to put the pen down and relax more. You're going to be a great student so take a breath and go out w/ your friends. Also, you can be yourself, no one cares that you're bisexual it's not a big deal. Live your life, work hard, make friends, and be yourself. You'll be fine.

Don't let the people tease you about going to community college first. It doesn't make you stupid, in fact, they're going to be telling you how they wish they had done so as well. You will save thousands, and that is a huge deal! Don't go to crazy with your new found freedom. You're not out of the woods yet! Learn how to budget your time and money EFFECTIVELY. It's not the most glamorous aspect of college life, but I promise you it will help you get through it with less pain. Pleasem just work hard, and focus on school. The most importatnt thing is that you learn and thrive.