The University of Texas at Austin Top Questions

Run. Run more. Run faster. Run efficiently. College is the time to interact and develop yourself into an adult, the person you are going to be for the rest of your life. Run. This includes being more social. No more of those shy standoffs. Run more. Get into shape! You're going to be so active, walking to the store, running to class, and who knows what else you decide to do. Run faster. Competition is more rigorous in college. You have to pick up your pace in academics if you want to stay in the race. Don't fall behind on work and pull those all-nighters like you did your last year in high school. Those won't work too well in the future. Run efficiently. You're going to be busy some days, and you're going to be idle other days. Make sure you use your time efficiently. Don't slack off just because you don't have anything to do. There are so many opportunities out there. Explore. Find yourself. Succeed.

I would tell myself to take more standardized tests to ensure I get the maximum score that I am capable of. I would also tell myself to apply for as many scholarships as possible, and to start applying for school earlier than I did. This would reduce stress and open me up to more choices in colleges.

Thus far, I have adored my experience with my classes except for the sizes of my classes. Due to the class size, I have had a harder time speaking up in class and making my impression on professors. For example in my freshman year Statistics class, a class of about 120 students, I was able to speak up more easily than any other of my classes which have had an average of about 350 students in each class. Due to being able to speak up in my Stats class, I was actually able to meet with my Statistics professor to request a Recommendation Letter, something that a student always wishes to get out of a class. On one hand, I have loved the big community and support that my university provides me with its large population of students. But on the other hand, the class size seemed to limit how I was able to express myself in class which affects the professors’ view of me. In my preference, if my university provided smaller class sizes different variety of class sizes then it could help to learn in their own way.

College is never going to be what you expect. No amount of words from anyone can prepare you for the individualized experience that you will have; yet there are a few words of advice that will get you far during your freshman year. Firstly, do not define yourself based upon numbers. Grades in college fluctuate like your heart rate during and after a workout-you may be making grades that are much higher than you could have ever dreamed, but then suddenly plummet down into 70's and 60's as the semesters go on. Don't worry; life goes on if you don't make A's and B's. Often, you will bond with your friends over your failures and work together to do better in the future. Brush off any failures, because you yourself are not one. Secondly, let yourself be the person you've always wanted to be. In college, life can be what you make it. Find strength in friends that are similar to you and who support your goals and dreams, because a strong support group can make a tremendous difference in your sanity. Stay sane and live life like a dream.

In order to make the transition easier I would tell myself to listen to my body and to stay organized. I feel like I had so many days freshman year when I would stay up too late and then be very inefficient the next day. Now I know how much sleep and exercise I need to be productive. I would also tell myself to fail early and to fail often. I would want to give myself the opportunity to try out new study methods before my classes become too rigorous. I would also remind myself that I am here to learn ad that it takes effort to learn. In high school I could get away with doing things the night before, but in college things are different. If I don’t learn something I’m the one who misses out. I’d tell myself to do some research and find out what I’m passionate about so I can begin to join clubs that interest me and work towards an officer position. Finally, I’d tell myself that staying ahead in my schoolwork means I can have more fun.

My main advice to myself is be realistic about who YOU are and what YOUR expectations of college are. Don't go to a school just because your family wants you to or because you think it's your only choice financially. If you go to a huge university, you're going to have a lot of trouble making friends and feeling like you belong. If you go to a school that's obsessed with sports, you're going to be disappointed that all of the people you meet want to go to football games when you would rather go to the theatre. You've always had this desire to go to college on the east coast. I know you think you can't, but you should really respect yourself and your dreams a little but more. There are scholarships available and you will be so much happier at a small, liberal arts school than you would be in Austin. You'll meet more people like you, you'll have a better chance of meeting professors you click with and creating academic connections for the future. You have options! Never let anymore make you believe otherwise.

High school is nothing like college. You're going to be challenged like never before, and experience things you've only dreamed of. Freedom is intoxicating. For the first time, you're away from your small town and parental supervision, and it's easy to lose sight of your responsibilities. Take charge of your studies and don't wait until the last minute. Help is everywhere for you; take advantage of it, and use it for your success. That said, Austin is an incredible city and you should go out and experience everything it has to offer. The music and the culture are second-to-none, and these are the best years of your life. Don't be afraid of adventure, this is the beginning of the rest of your life.

Take your time and be consistent. You need to do your research on programs at the university you plan to go to and find all scholarships that are available to you. Take advantage of these opportunities. Instead of focusing on senior year, focus on your transition into a university that will come sooner than you expect it to. Apply to any scholarships you can, school is more expensive than you anticipate it to be. Appreciate your teachers, faculty and staff for the person that they have shaped you into today. Thank them for helping you prepare for the transition into adulthood. Go to your parents and hug them for all of their support and be grateful that they were able to handle you all of these years. Be ready to be on your own, in a new place with strange faces. Be open minded and determine what your hopes and dreams are. Shoot for what will make you happy and what will benefit others. Go to the University of Texas at Austin and be the best you can be. Have faith. What starts here changes the world.

Hello my past self! You are probably really stressed about college applications and Advanced Placement tests coming up, but don't worry. I promise that you will be fine! This is your college self speaking and I would like to make a few things clear. College is completely different from high school. No matter how much you try to prepare for it, you will not understand until you get here. First of all, be yourself. College is where you find out who you truly are and what you want to do. No more hiding behind others or watching others go forward. You must take the lead. The transition will be hard, but I assure you that it will be worth it. Don't give up on what you believe and there will always be people to guide you. Some of your friends may go to different colleges, but those friendships will never end. Everyone going into college is just like you, so don't stress so much! You will do great things in the future. I know it. Best of luck and let yourself grow.

I have thought about this question numerous times. I have numerous pieces of advice to give. First, I would tell myself to apply to more scholarships. Right now, I have accumulated so much debt and if I would have applied to and received more scholarships, it would help to ease the burden. Second, I would also tell myself to apply and select Business as my major instead. While taking Business courses here, I realized that I enjoy those courses more. However, the Business school is near impossible to transfer into while you're here. It's easier coming in as a Business major and switching to another major if you do not enjoy it. Finally, I would also tell myself to take some community college courses before attending the University. By taking courses there, I would have gotten a feel for what college courses are like and would not struggle as much academically. Even though I took numerous AP courses, college courses were still very challenging. Being exposed to college courses would have helped immensly.