Shenandoah University Top Questions

The advice I would give my self is that I should have applied myself more. Before comming to college I should have taken more AP classes and got classes out of the way. I should have applied for more scholariships and tried harder to get more of my school paid for. I do not regret the decisions I have made before college and I am okay with the transition. But, if i could go back in time, I would just tell myself to make more decisions before college and making myself more prepared for the college years. Other advice I would give myslef is that I would have spoke and aquainted myself with many more people to make myself more known at my school now. I basically would have just told myself to get a better head start to be more prepared.

Out of my college experience, I have gotten so much from individual attention. Going to a smaller school and NOT being a number makes going to Shenandoah so worth the cost of going to college. I get better and better in my artistic abilities by the week as a result of such small classes. This has also facilitated the ability to bond very closely with my classmates, and the others in my program. My closest friends in the whole world are the fourteen people in my Musical Theatre class, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. And when we get out into the real world, the fact that we'll all be on the same level, in the same playing field, most likely in the same city makes it so much less nerve-wracking to graduate. The training I'm receiving behind my degree has absolutely been invaluable to me as a person.

I am returning to school to complete my bachelors degree after being gone from college for more then 15 years. I am a mother of three and I work two jobs. Going back to school gives me hope that after I complete my degree, I will find a higher paying job so I can provide a better life for my kids. And I know that as my children watch me attend college, I am setting the example for them of the value of a higer education. That alone will make all the hard work and the late nights worth the effort. But as for myself, I am doing well in school. I have A's in both of the classes I am taking, and that has done wonders for my self esteem. To know that I can tackle a difficult class like accounting despite everything else going on my life and do better then most of the kids fresh out of high school shows me that I have a lot to offer a future employer. I have wasted far too much time worrying about how to provide for my kids, but now I know nothing can stop me.

So far, I have only attended a very large public university, the University of Connecticut, and I have found that what I crave in my education is for my teacher to know my name and to be able to consider my student profile including a relationship I have with them. However, I know that it is going to be much different at Shenadoah, not only because a few people that I know have gone there, but because the sheer number of students at this university is a great deal smaller than at the University of Connecticut. I only wish that I could have known that going to a private university would make such a great difference. I would have skipped the "experience" that is Uconn and would have gone to this amazing school.

Attending college has been a life changing experience. I have grown up and matured so much in the last year because that is what college forces you to do. Also, I have learned how to manage my time and the consequences of not managing it correctly. I know that attending college is a good decision for everyone, even if you hate school it is a good idea to go. When I am done with school I know I will be able to get a great job and get a start on my career. Without a college education my job options would be a lot less than with an education.

By attending Shenandoah University, I've gained a sense of freedom and responsibility. I know that there are certain things I have to do to succeed. Also, that there are certain things that will be presented to me that can prevent me from succeeding. I've learned that college isn't what some people think it is, a time to party. It's really a place to grow into a responsible adult and learn to live on your own. I'm learning how to be the person I want to be and have the job I've alwasy dreamed of having. I want to be a music educator and Shenandoah University is the best place in the state to do so, especially since it is the only conservatory in the state of Virginia. I'm extremely grateful to be attending Shenandoah and I know that as long as I continue to work hard and push myself to succeed, I can accomplish so much here and continue to do so after I graduate.

Talking to myself as a high school senior, I would probably tell myself that I need to really work on having better study habbits. I got in such a groove in high school, knowing how the teachers gave tests and graded that it was one of the hardest things for me when I got to college. There are so many more distractions around college than there were at home and you really need to know how to focus and get your work done. The only other thing that I would tell myself is to enjoy the time I have at home, moving away was also really hard for me, but now I'm better about it. Its still hard to go home and then have to leave, but I just look forward to my career and go for it!

I really needed to know everything I know now about college and the transition from high school to college. The most important thing I would tell my high school senior self would be to work on as many scholarships as possible and to work very hard on the essays. The second thing I would advise is that being involved in extracuricular activties , if only for one year, is so vital to finding out what major you are looking towards. I would advise myself to get involved in my passion for acting with a whole heart and put my all into it. If I could go back in time I would tell myself to charish every second of highschool and to focus on school work and not all of the drama that comes with high school. But, scholarships are very important and not just for college but to help youself out in the future so you can work for a living and not work just to pay off loans. The last thing I would tell myself would be to really think about what I'm good and at and where I can go career wise with my talents.

I believe that I made a good transition. The only advice that I would give myself is to apply for more scholarships and grants. I was not aware of the financial challenges I would go through just to stay in school. I didn't realize all the sacrifices my mom had to make for me to get through only my freshmen year of college alone. I am now aware of all the different scholarships, such as for deceased parents, single parent students, minority, etc. Had I'd known about this stuff then, I would have been applied for as many scholarships as possile. The good thing is that I know now, and I will continue to look for as much help as possible.

If i could talk to myself as a High school Senior, i would tell myself to NOT pocrastinate. Deadlines are very important and if you dont make it, you might not get what you want during the whole getting-into-college process. Giving yourself lots of time before a deadline is crucial. For example, FAFSA application, Scholarship Deadlines, College Application Deadlines and many more. I know I was organized through this whole process but i know i could have done it a little better. Having a planner is good and having a section to keep all important phone numbers. Keeping organized is Key.