Saint Mary’s College Top Questions

I would tell myself to focus on academics a lot more than I did during my freshman year. I would also say to be more outgoing and make a lot of friends and go out with them to parties to meet people, especially boys, because it limits me now. I would say to move rooms because I had a horrible roommate freshman year and it made me miserable, I was considering transferring for a little bit. I would tell myself to stick with my school and not hate it so much because of certain circumstances, but just get through the first year and it will all get a lot better, because it did. I would also say be more forceful in choosing classes because I have fallen behind in major classes because I was not able to take them freshman and sophomore year. I would also have told myself to not apply to as many colleges as I did because I applied to a lot of reach schools and spent a lot of money on application fees that ended up being easy rejections for the schools in which I applied.

My days as a senior high school student were very tough. My mother passed away from an illness while i was going on my second month of my senior year. If i could talk to myself i would tell myself that I need to trust the people around me and believe i could make it past this bump in the road. I would encourage myself to do my best in high school and to keep my spirit up! With many scholorships i could go to a really good school, despite my lack of money, and loss of my supportive parent. I would remind myself of how great of family and friends i had that would support me through my struggle and help me to make my dream come true of going to college! With the thought of my wonderful mother being proud of me, i made it through my senior year and now i am almost through my freshman year at St Marys! One other thing I would say is college life is great but its not easy; you must stay focussed on your grades and prepare for the finicial part!!

It may take time to find the right friends, but don't let that stop you from looking! Make faith and strong friendships a priority in addition to your school work, but don't let your social life be a distraction to your education. Time managment skills are important skills to acquire, though it may be a difficult process of trial and error at times. DON'T COMPROMISE OR LOWER YOUR STANDARDS! Be smart--don't do things you know you will regret. Give praise and thanksgiving to Jesus Christ in the bad times and the good times, because everything is a gift and an opportunity.

If i could go back and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would tell myself to choose the college best for me. Not the college that is closest to my friends or the college all my friends are going to. Think about what is best for myself and where I can be the most successful upon graduation. I would tell myself to pick the college that will make me the best person I can be. Choose the college that you I can see myself calling home. Choose the college that you cannot wait to go back to after being away. Make your college decision based you you and your future that you have ahead of you. College is the time of your life and where you grow as an individual, pick the college that will have a positive impact in your life and in your future. Be proud of your future home.

I would tell myself to go to college with an open mind. Not to judge people or walk into a class thinking "this is going to be too hard". I would tell myself not to be afraid to ask questions. Half the people around me are new as well and there are about 10 other people who have the same question. I would also tell myself that talking to the professors would be the best thing to do. Making a relationship with the professor is the best thing to do. The professors are here to help the studends, not to scare them. I would tell myself that studying comes first. As tempting as going out would be fininshing your studies is the most important part.

Advice for high school seniors planning to attend college: 1. Be grateful everyday for all the things your Mom does that you never even knew existed - you will be doing them for yourself next year. 2. Take only necessary belongings and only a reasonable amount of clothing. No matter how large the grandest dorm room is , it is still a small dorm room. 3. Learn how to study and manage your time, that is unless you want to return home second semester. 4. Don't let high school teachers scare you; college professors are nice people. 5. Practice getting along with you siblings, unless blessed, roommates are only worse. 6. Live and love each day; you don't have to completely grow up until you graduate.

If I could go back and speak with my high school self I would have advised myself to be more social. Academics are important and living by the light of faith, but people are very important aspects of your life. Don't worry what they think, you are an amazing young woman who has accomplished a lot at a young age. Be secure in yourself and be the out-going, funny, intellegent girl that you are. In college it is easy to be focused on academics and conforming yourself to the ideals of those around you, but that is what makes college so great, you can be you and be a part of everything else that is going on. Be yourself an orignal is better than a copy.

I would confidently tell myself to keep my mind completely open to diverse opportunities and options as I consider colleges and majors. One must make no assumptions and one must be prepared to work harder than they did in high school. This is the beginning of a new chapter in your life that will lead to a lifetime of possibilities. The road will be filled with challenges and set backs, but you will emerge as a competent citizen of the world. As you enter the college scene be prepared to socialize and make life-long friends. Meeting new people is a key part to your personal and academic success. Most importantly, the purpose of college is to mold a type of person that is able to take control of their destiny and reach their personal dreams. Although the journey may be difficult, the pursuit is worth the effort as Rudy Ruettiger (ND) echos that one must never give up because "Having Dreams is what makes life tolerable."

When considering colleges for your childrens future, be sure to consider your childrens wants and needs before your own. Many parents tend to push a child toward a college that they themselves have an emotional attachment to, even if that school may not be a right fit for their child. When deciding on a school, allow both the future student and parent to make a list of qualities they want in a college. When finished, combine the list and use it as a reference guide while visiting campuses, checking off what each campus offers compared to the other. This will make the decision much easier because instead of focusing on if your child/you are qualified enough for the school, your focus will be turned more toward if the school is qualified enough for your child/you. Once you have made the decision of which college to attend, go to the college's website and begin researching club/volunteer options. Joining a club or volunteering right away at a new school will open up a doorway to the social realm of college giving you the opportunity to make new friends and thrive in your new environment!

Parents and students, research the schools on your list to find the one that's right for you. It is important to visit the school together as a parent/child team, and I think students really get a feel for each school's unique campus life by staying for a day or night at the college. In this way they can come to see if the college is compatible to the prospective student. As a second semester sophomore I am beginning to see how fast the time flies, and how short the college experience really is. Before I know it I will be thrust into the real world of careers, bills, and responsibilities, and now is my time to both relish my fun, carefree youth and prepare myself for the tasks that lay ahead. I was able to find a school that fits my social needs and integral educational needs, so that once I do graduate from college, I will be ready for the next bend in the road.