Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Top Questions

Doug, Please review the options Penn State offers more closely because they will really surprise you. Did you know that Penn State offers a National Security major? Penn State also provides you the independence you have been looking for, so there is no need to apply to a school in Philadelphia. Nor should you apply to any small liberal arts college because when they speak of international relations, they mean you can learn a foreign language so that you can learn to help some third world country build a bridge. Hoever, Penn State offers a clear cut major that will prepare you for a career in counter-intelligence. Don't worry if you think that your relationship with your firends will become strained with your college choices. You will make plenty of friends in your dorm and in your classes. In addition, you can keep in contact with them in multiple ways so you will never be that far away from them. -Doug

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would have told myself to save my money! I now work 16 hours a week along wtih my schoolwork to save money for my study abroad trip this summer. I have worked since I was 16 and if I would have saved more money while I was in high school and had the time to work 30 hour weeks I wouldn't have to work so much now. I would also tell myself to enjoy my volleyball season more. Volleyball is one of my favorite things to do and I now don't have the time with homework, studying, and work to play competitively on a traveling team. I'd tell myself to apply for scholarships. I didn't really think about it as a senior and now I'm already $15,000 in debt for student loans!

I would tell myself to never give up and to never let someone tell you that you are not good enough. During my high school years, I had a lot of people tell me that I was not smart and that I was not going to do well in college. By the time I got to my senior year, I started to believe them; I heard it for so long that I did not think I had a choice. However, I did have a choice, and I made the wrong one. I wish I knew that no matter what, there is always someone (maybe a group of people, maybe one person) telling you that you are not good enough. The challenge is to prove them wrong and most importantly to show yourself that you are good enough. I would let myself know that even when everyone is rooting against you, you can still excel.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior, I would definitely tell myself to relax a little more. I stress a great deal my senior year trying to do my best academically, while overlooking something possibly important to find the time to fill out scholarship applications and participate in extra-curricular activities. I thought that college was going to be extremely hard to adjust to and that I was not going to be able to keep up, but I know see that it is possible. College is all about time-management. As long as I give myself enough time to do everything that I need or want to do in a day or week I am fine. Also, taking the time to rest is important because overexerting one's self is not beneficial and can possible deter one from there studies. The tools and resources are here for when students get in a jam, but for the most part the adaptation to college has been tremendously easy.

"Darlene, it's going to be very tough to make ends meet once you accept your admission to Penn State. Every semester you are going to have to figure out how to pay for next semester's tuition and you're always going to be broke and applying to every scholarship you can. What makes knowing all of this worth it is that this is the school where you belong. This is a place where you can literally feel the school spirit. This is the place where you will go to your first THON and fall in love with Penn State's fight to beat pediatric cancer. This is the place where you are going to figure out the path you want to take in life and you will not do it alone. This is the place where you are going to meet some of the greatest friends you'll ever have. This is the only place that makes the tuition cost really worth going here. Don't let your money situation discourage you because in the end all that matters is being somewhere you love to be. And trust me Darlene, Penn State is where you love to be."

If I could go back in time and talk with myself as a senior in high school, there are several things I would say. I would try too impress upon myself the importance of simply being truly organized. Using a planner, reading the syllabus, and finding time to attend office hours are so important to success! I had no idea how out of control I would be feeling when that first round of exams and papers came around. The second thing I would discuss would be the need to have some extra money going into school. While my school funds can be used for food, books, everything imaginable downtown, I cannot use my ID at Walmart to buy water and Captain Crunch! A kid has to have these things! As an out-of-state student there are also flight expenses which frankly I did not anticipate. Finally, I would say listen to your parents a little bit more. My mom is a Penn State graduate and I probably should have given what she told me just a little more credibility. Your parents want to see you be successful and when you misstep, and you will, your parents will be there.

I would simply tell myself to never doubt my abilities of achieving and succeeding. Sacrifices will be made financially, mentally, and etc but its worth the outcome. Keep ya head up and trust GOD first !!!

Work first then party later. I have many friends who dropped out of college because they went there for the wrong reasons.

I view college as what will turn out to be the best four years of my life. The friendships and experiences I endure in college will become the stories I tell as an adult. As a senior in high school, college scared me. It seemed so difficult, and I did not know what I wanted to do with my life. I was not ready, so I thought. Thinking about college overwhelmed me. I had to listen to tons of advice about this and that. But now that I have actually experienced the transition, I have my own advice. The advice I would give myself as a senior is really quite simple. First, do not listen to the advice from your elders. Their advice is simply everything they wish they had done when they went to college. Second, college will not overwhelm you, for your toughness and determination will get you through all the hardships it throws at you. After all, what is life without a few challenges. Lastly, enjoy! You will find that college days fly by, so cherish every moment. Yes, school is extremely important and sometimes challenging, but make sure you make friends and enjoy yourself as well.

One of the greatest aspects of college is its exposure to diversity. You have the unique opportunity to experience life outside the confines of your community and high school. College students are diverse in race, cultures, economic status, knowledge, personalities and values. Transitioning from high school to this new world and understanding it can be the most challenging part of college. My teachers educated me, my parents were supportive and my coaches taught me discipline and teamwork, but only being open minded and non-judgmental could have properly prepared me for the college environment. I believe most of life is spent developing skills to guide us through these differences. My advice would have been to be to be true to myself, and continue to be independent, driven and focused. I would recommend implementing good judgment in compromising situations and setting realistic goals for your future. As a college student, you are faced with making many social and academic related decisions. The choices you make will ultimately influence and dictate the path and journey you take. I would strongly suggest taking the high road, dream big and aim for success. The college experience can be life changing.