Portland State University Top Questions

College has taught me how important the learning experience is, in order to move forward in life as an individual and as a society we have to learn from our mistakes and look at the whole picture. College allows you to learn about what inspires you from different prespectives so that maybe one day you can take that knowledge a step further in order to create a better life. You meet so many different people that it allows your mind to be more open so that you can be a better person. It is valuable to go through this exsperience because college helps you grow intellectually and as a person in general; it is a learning experience that you cannot not achieve anywhere else and allows our community's to grow.

The most valuable thing I have gained so far from my college experience is that everyone is different, and that everyone has got an oppinion on everything. Therefore I believe that what I have gained thus far is wisdom, I now have the patience to not just hear, but actually listen and appreciate the oppinions of others around me. Beyond the fact that college is place for people to gain knowledge, I think it has been valuable for me to attend college because I believe that this is the place where I've grown the most, and gained a good sense of self.

I've only been in college for a month, but I think the most valuable thing I've learned is how to manage my time on my own. There is so much more freedom, and I'm responsible for making sure all the things I need to do get done without anyone halping or reminding me. It's a little scary, but very liberating.

What I have been gotten out of my experience is how independent I have become. I used to depend on a lot of people like teachers or my parents but with this university that is not the case. It was a big leap and a tough transition but it is vital because in a few years I will be on my own. It helps you for the road ahead.

I haven't attended my college for very long....but what little I've seen and done around campus has definitely awakened my interest. The students and faculty all have a deep desire to learn, to create, to explore. There's no end to the available classes and activites at Portland State, and there is always something new and different to try. I love the easy-going spirit of the place, it keeps me relaxed in high-stress situations, and I love the helpful attitude of everyone who works or attends PSU. So far in my limited college experience I have discovered a love of learning, something I didn't have in years past, and has not only made my experience more entertaining, but has shown me the over-all value of learning. Portland State has inspired me to explore, to question, to persevere, and most importantly, to enjoy all life has to offer.

As a returning student (I didn't start till I was 38) I had no idea what school would do for me. I only knew it was a goal I wanted for myself. Having an education has changed the way I look at the world, interact with people, operate in my daily life, and has given me the opportunity to provide options for others to see their way out of the box of ignorance. I can not say enough about the benefits of having an education. I still continue friendships, and opportunitites developed during my years of education.

I have learned so much about my field of study it blows my mind, also through hard courses that demand a lot of work I have become a stronger person who isn't afraid of deadlines. I know I can do it and do it well. I thought I would be in school forever but through their programs I will be able to finish sooner then I thought with the tools I need to be very sucessful in life and a strong chance of being hired and desired by employers.

Out of my college experience I have gotten a higher degree of education and a greater respect for learning and of those pursuing their goals, not only through mental development but thorough personality and character development as well. It is an honor and a value to attend college because in doing so, dreams of the future are increasingly attainable. With education comes knowledge, ideas, enlightenment and hope which could very well change the way we exist.

My college experience as a whole has been very unique to the average college student. I have attended 3 Universities. The first of which was Dillard University in New Orleans, LA. My first year at Dillard was fantastic! I met all types of people from all walks of life and I knew that if that was just the beginning, the future was going to be amazing. Little did I know what the future held for me. August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit and I was forced to evacuate. Everything that I had worked so hard for in high school was taken away. I can't even explain the devastation. Several of my peers died in the hurricane, I lost everything, had no money, no place to go. You may be wondering why this is valuable to my college experience? I learned to not take college for granted. I learned to enjoy every step of the way, enjoy each experience and the friends you make because it can be taken away so easily. College is so valuable and it is important to live the college experience to its full potential.

With only a 10th grade education and a G.E.D. I knew there was not much for me to do out there. It was not until I started to work at a treatment center for juveniles that I decided what I really wanted to do with my life. Getting to know those kids and hear their stories made me want to do more with my life. I want to show them that you can do better for yourself even if you had a difficult childhood. I am now 24 and have enrolled in ITT Technical Institute. I am going to get an Associate?s Degree in Criminal Justice, then a Bachelor?s degree in Criminal Justice. My dream is to become a juvenile probation officer. The main question they ask you is ?Why do you deserve a scholarship??. For me that is a hard question to answer. There are many students who did well in high school that may ?deserve? a scholarship. I do not believe that because I decided to take a different route to graduation that it should be harder for me to get an education