University of California-Davis Top Questions

Being a senior in high school, most students do not know what to expect once they begin college. It can be a scary experience at the beginning since everything is unknown. If i could go back and talk to myself during my senior year of high school I would tell myself so stop slacking off and procrastinating. This can kill you in college. In college, nobody cares if you go to class or not; it is all upon yourself to be independent and make your own choices. You are treated like an adult and should act as such. In order to pass classes and get good grades, you have to study really hard and do all of your work. Find a quiet place to study on a regular basis. Make study groups and DEFINITELY get to know your professors. If you think it will be like high school, you will not do very good. So study hard, do your work, get plenty of sleep, and make connections.

I would, most importantly, tell myself to take advantage of the close interaction available with my teachers in high school, as such a priviledge is difficult to earn here in college. I would advise frequent meetings with my academic counselor to ask as many questions about financial aid and the loan and grant process as possible. I would encourage myself to apply to far more scholarships because when you live on your own, you find that life is a lot more expensive than you had imagined. I'd also encourage myself to look for a job in fall quarter, when the college experience is first beginning and the stress hasn't begun to really pile on yet, that way I could get used to balancing a work and school schedule. I would tell myself to appreciate all of my mother's hard work and cooking now, because once I flew from the nest, I would really miss it. And I would remind myself to just breathe, to have faith and trust in God's plan for me, and to not get too hung up on today's problems, because I would have a brighter, more amazing future coming my way.

As much as one can support themselves in life, there is one experience that needs to be completed for life to feel fulfilled. A college degree is that experience. I have found that an AA degree is not as much as a benefit as a Bachelors Degree these days. College is not that much different from High School. Even some of the classes are the same. But I do not see how High School prepares you for what you want to do for the rest of your life. I would advise myself as a High School Senior to go to Community College and take some classes of interest to see what may be of interest long term. I have worked in many fields and it is College classes that seem to help in deciding about a long term career. As in High School, hard work brings many benefits and good grades equal long term knowledge and success that feels good, as well as, looks good to others.

Having short and long-term goals and an organized to-do list is essential for getting the most out of college academically. Planning ahead and getting prepared for the long road of college will not only improve performance, but will also make for a smoother transition from high school life. Setting up schedules and other logistical components in high school was the work of the counselors, but in college, this is done all by the student (with optional academic advising). You are ultimately the one who must take care of business. Another piece of the puzzle is social life. Knowing a large group of people and being involved with extra curricular activities can not only make for a fun time, but can also help out with school. Whether it be for old study material, study groups, or just someone to talk to when stress becomes a factor, most of the students you come in contact with are there for the same reason: to get an education. As a high school senior, I had no clue what to expect, but if I could do it all again, I would better prepare myself and be more active with extra-curriculars.

Over the years as the excitement builds up for college, one tends to picture what the ideal college experience will be like; however, be very open-minded. Make sure to do your research of all majors and opportunities at the school of choice, because you never know what you could end up enjoying and sticking to!

I would tell myself to work as hard as I possibly can, even though in the end it may not be all that I thought it would. It was the experience that mattered, the experience that helped make me who I am today. Meeting the people that I did, learning everything they taught me there in that little holistic school, and the knowledge I've been able to pass on to my family and friends who really needed it was worth all of the hardships I went through. The thought that this knowledge could someday save their lives is more than enough to make it all worth it to me.

I would tell myself to try as many new things as possible when you get to college. Join clubs and take classes that sound interesting even if they are not in your major. You may discover something you really enjoy. In general, just be open to new experiences. I would also tell myself to ask questions if you don't understand something. The professor will be happy to answer your questions because you are probably not the only person who doesn't understand. I wish I had known these things the first time I went to college.

The most important advise for both success and happiness for students choosing a college is looking for something for which you have a passion. This does not imply the classic "follow your dream's advice," for this dream is not always that which you wish you could do more than anything else. It only means that one must look deep inside and deside what they find important. If that thing that is more important than anything else is art, become an art major, but if you love art, but want money too, become a buisiness major with an art minor. Choosing a school and a focus of study requires that you are willing to work hard for success in that field and at that school. Without passion behind your work, you will not success at the college level. Thus, pick something you both love and desire, two very seperate terms. Love is about happiness and beauty while desire has a pragmatic edge; it includes the things you want out of life, the parts of life you wish to avoid, and those things that must occur for you to be content. So follow your gut, but also yoru needs.

?First, figure out what you love. The rest is easy." ? Hana Alberts Countless times teachers repeated to you to do what you love, and to turn it into a career. This may sound prospective at the best of times, but then reality hits your face with a cold, hard brick, and you turn what you love into an act of labor. Your passion for learning suddenly turns into a cloud of bleak streaks, where bar graphs comparing your grade point average, extracurricular activities, and SAT scores to your fellow friends and classmates become the axis of this world and keeps it spinning in an efficiently well-mannered way. The question of how much you learned does not apply, but rather, how you did compared to the other top, elite students in your year, keeps all the lights of your bleak world at check, and GPA well-polished and clean. Among all the things I have learned in college, the best advice to give would be to remember that you study because you are interested and curious, not because you want a shiny letter grade, A, on a piece of paper, or a sharp 4.0 to emblazon on your application.

I believe there is a big difference between high school and college, so preparation is key. If I were to have the chance to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would give myself some advice. For one, I would tell myself to acquire optimum time management. I find that having a good balance between a social life and a study life helps the students. This is because the students can enjoy their life outside of the classroom by finding activities to join while still being able to handle the amount of coursework. Calendars are also extremely helpful for those that need to keep track of assignments, exams, and other events. Another point I would make is priorities. I have noticed many students find themselves so caught up in social lives that it interferres with their grades. Students can still enjoy a social life, but they need to decide what is more important if there is a conflict between an event and an assignment. Personally, I find the coursework demanding, so I make time for when I need to study for a class. I would tell myself that fun is good, but good grades pay off.