University of California-Los Angeles Top Questions

I would tell myself to keep going and keep asking for help. When I was in high school I did not always get the help I needed and it really discouraged me, and after I left I did not want to go back to school again. But I was wrong and should have gone back sooner I should have just had more faith in myself that I could keep going. I wish I could have known that years ago and would give anything to tell my high school self that.

You may be enjoying your last year here at Skyline, but have you thought about what your going to do after you graduate? You think that your getting the help, you need to go to college, but the fact is that your not. They have not told you about the prerequisites that are needed to attend most universities. Your GPA may be okay for you, but its not going to help you in any way once you graduate. Despite what people around you have told you, college isn't much different from high school, with the exception that you will now be in charge of the classes you take and any paperwork that is needed to stay enrolled. My personal advice to you is that after you graduate, apply to college, specifically, the City College Of San Francisco and choose CNIT as your major. Don't think about it too much because the prices that are currently set in place are going to rise in the next few years.

Everyone is just as confused as you are. That’s what I would say to myself if time warp were possible. In high school, I had this foreboding concept ingrained in my head that everyone else knew how to navigate the college process and I was slowly falling behind. However, now that I have fully transitioned into college life, I’ve realized that it would be impossible for any senior in high school to understand what was to come. The only way to be prepared for the future would be to experience it. I’m not saying I should have accepted confusion, but rather that I should have stopped fighting it. Stress can cause a lot of problems and the last thing a person needs to feel alone in it.Additionally, I would tell myself that wherever I end up, I would be happy. The college experience is not a defined event. It is composed of what you make of it. So, I would tell myself that wherever I ended up getting in, as long as I focused on the positive aspects, happiness would be inevitable.

Hello, you. Yes, I know you think college is utterly, devastatingly important as the next big event coming up on the horizon. College is a big investment, but it does not encompass everything; you should treat this event as a means to achieve your future dreams and not as the ultimate goal. And, it is perfectly fine to feel confused and scared in making the transition from a sheltered child to an independant. Even so, you should not wallow away in your self-pity and succumb to your stressful fears. Success is achieved by facing your fears and overcoming your obstacles. If you are worried about the obnoxious price tag that is in your face reminding you about college expenses, apply for scholarships! Assure your parents and help out the financial situation by getting a job or applying for paid internships. If you are stressing over your father's chronic disease and declining health, spend more time with him. IF you are frustrated by the constant bickering in your household over inconsequential things, mediate the situation! Nothing will happen if you just passively stand on the sidelines and let things run their course. Your fate is in your hands.

In every campus tour and piece of college advertising, the emphasis is on the school's strengths and a smoke screen is thrown over its weaknesses. Therefore, be sure to talk to current students (preferably more than one from each school) to gain a more complete picture of that school. Do not be dazzled by high rankings, famous professors, or good sports statistics. The things that will make or break your college experience are class size, campus location, and the type of student that attends that school. Trust that you are intelligent and be confident in your ability to embark on a career path without the help of an extensive alumni network. Your worth is not in the college that you attend. On the contrary, the school obtains its worth from your attendance. It may seem important to attend a school with a famous, impressive name, but the question you should be asking instead of "What will others think?" is "Will I be happy here?".

Open your eyes - it's just the beginning Of a glorious time that you'll be winning. You're free to be YOU (more than ever before) So expand your sight beyond the shores; Horizons aren't limits, merely just there, The question is: Where will you go? Where? Spend time alone, spend time with friends, Share a story and learning never ends. New words are scary, new worlds alarming, But what may seem frightful is quite charming. And it is true - first steps are hard, But even inches make a yard. When inch by foot, and foot by mile You discover what's worthwhile, College is paradise, not a trial; A heaven filled with countless smiles.

Don’t be afraid to fail. Life as a college student does not get easier, and many of your friends won’t talk about the hardships that come with your studies. College requires you to step outside of your comfort zone, even if you don’t want to. However, if you allow yourself to fear the future and the possibility of failure you will never experience success. I’ll admit I have struggled with this a lot so far. Especially with the pressure of having to achieve high grades and succeed in Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, which, by the way, is something I know that you can handle. For the first quarter of my college career I was ambitious, a little too ambitious. I enrolled in eighteen units, including a six unit general education cluster on top of my commitment to ROTC. During my cluster I struggled to maintain C’s on simple classwork and was close to giving up and utterly feared failing. Nonetheless, I put that fear aside and stuck with it and persevered. I got an A- in the class and A’s in the other classes. So don’t be afraid, anything is possible.

The first piece of advice I would give myself is to definitely take AP Physics and Bio. That will stick with you for your entire college career. College wants to see if you push yourself out of your comfort zone, not if you just took another biology class. I would also tell myself that Spanish 4 would not have been the best option considering you have to start from basic level of Spanish in college. Another thing I would tell myself is that although extra-curricular activities are important, don’t stress as much. Have fun senior year, try hard, but it is your last year living at home, so make the most out of it. One more thing, sorority girls are not the girls you see on the movies such as Mean Girls, or on Syndey White. UCLA has a fantastic recruiting process and just trust the system; you will find the perfect house. Also, getting used to school will not be all that fun. Trust yourself, don’t try to force yourselves to make friends on your floor if it is not working, you will find friends. College will be one of the best experiences you ever have.

Try not to get to caught up with everyone else and focus on studying only.

Dear Brittany, As a high school senior, I know you are focused on work and academic life at school, but I believe it is essential to start creating a future by focusing on how the actions you are taking now will affect you down the road. Stop living in the past and present, and take steps to writing your future. In order to excell in your performance, make sure your actions line up with what you want to achieve. Instead of changing yourself, just rewrite your future; this will provide you with a framework filled with power to grow as an individual and influence others to follow in your footsteps. Also, I know you struggle with finding out who you are as an individual. I want you to know that you are looking in the light, rather than in the dark. Go outside of your securities and explore the unknown. In order to do this, let go of things holding you back.. kind of like emptying out your stuffed closet into your room. This will allow you to be more be organized in writing your future and creating yourself, rather than finding yourself. Best wishes, Brittany Soto