University of California-Santa Barbara Top Questions

Sandra, dont fall behin in school by getting caught up in the party scene. learn that fridays can be dedicated to studying. also, learn that people dont have to like you, its their choice, leave your hood mentality at home. learn how to make time for yourself, take a breather once in a while and learn how to use the Washing machines, dont mix white clothes with jeans. When it comes to missing home, find a close friend to speak with and love your roomates! roomates are supposed to be a motivation not a hasstle. when it comes to financing your education, apply to work the first quarter, makes it much easier to keep a job. stay in touch with people back home, just because you leave home doesnt mean you have to forget those that stayed behind. learn to balance your life, exercize, take a sex ed course! go to counseling when you are habing a rough time. keep an open mind, help those that need help. smile often.

If I could go back and give myself advice as a high school senior it would be to relax and enjoy everything happening in the moment. The transtion to college will be fun and exciting and even though you will miss your friends, you will make many new ones in the first few months you are here. While college is fun, and there are so many new things to do, you are a student-athlete which means you wont have as much time as anyone else, but that is okay because your team will become your family and help you with whatever you are going through. Stay on top of your work and dont procrastinate. College is harder than high school. Go to your professors office hours, they are here to help you! But on top of everything, stay true to yourself. They say you are supposed to find yourself in college. I think you build on who you already are. The desination means nothing without the journey.

Be confident in who you are and love and appreciate your abilities. The transition into college really challenges your foundation, so it is important to remind yourself that you are a capable and worthy person and student. Get involved and have an open heart and mind. In order to really learn, you must do much more than just read textbooks. Make as many friends as you can, and realize that you only have the chance to live each day once. There are so many resources on evey college campus that are truly there to help you succeed - take advantage of them! Your professors will be accessible and care about your educational needs. As an incoming student, don't be afraid to challenge what you believe and search for more complete truths. Don't compromise who you are just because you think that is what people want you to do. If you learn to love and respect yourself, others will too. Have faith in yourself, and realize that even though there will be many challenges, you were chosen to be here for a reason, and you truly deserve it.

Make some close friends, get involved, and do things with them. Teamwork with good friends is really a treasure when there are so many things to do and so many people around.

I would tell myself that college consists of a lot of reading. I would encourage myself to expose my vocabulary by reading more. I will also tell myself that college teaches you to become independent, and that once you are out of home there is no turning back, with that being said I would tell myself to appreciate my mother and other family member?s way more. I will also tell myself that some relationships are bound to change due to distance and that it?s ok to grow apart from people that you grew up with, that it is all in the process of becoming an adult.

Finding the right college and deciding where to spend the next four years of your life that be the most stressful thing a high school senior and their parents can go through together. I think one of the most important things to do is just spend time on the campus that you are considering attending. Walking around and getting a feel for what the people are like and what the atmosphere is is invaluable. You can only read so much about a college but actually going there in person and talking with students about their daily life there is the only way to go. As for making the most of your college experience, it's extremely important for you to branch out and just try to meet as many people as possible. No matter if you were the quiet one or most popular kid in high school, in college nobody will know you as that stereotype and you have the chance to redefine yourself. Participate in as many activites as possible: dorm socials, intramurals. . . everything. You'll meet peple you never imagined existed who could just be your new best friend.

It sounds cliche, but in the end, your college experience is your own, and is almost entirely a product of your intentions when applying to your school of choice. If you seek the teaming, techno-thumping nightlife, then you will have no trouble in finding it; if you intend to graduate with honors in an engineering field, you will doubtless discover innumerable opportunities to perpetuate your goal, and helpful and excited professors happy to assist budding new professionals. Thus, in the end, the school you end up choosing is secondary to your own agenda. I selected my school for its academic distinction. However, aware of a 'party school' reputation, I feared that I would never find other serious individuals willing to put up with my chronic bookishness and befriend me. My experience, however, has been that focused, driven students attract ambitious friends: We're all fighting the same battle, and although the competition is stiff, the friends I make fighting it are that much stronger. All this rather militaristic vocabulary might be intimidating, but remember: No matter where you go, if you have a mind to make the most of it, the world, (as Shakespeare would say,) is your oyster.

To find the right college for you, think about what you like to do and what you want to become after college. Pick a college that has a lot of the activities that you like to do. Pick a college that has the right academics to get you the career you want after college. Pick a college that has the right number of students for you on campus and in the classroom. Pick a college that has the right location for you, whether thats right next to the beach, in the city or in the snowy mountains. Pick a college that you know you will enjoy being at and want to attend everyday. To make the most of your college experience, participate in extra curricular activities as long as concentrating on your academics. But most of all, be open to trying new things.

You need to really research the college according to the student's interests, academically, socially and in extra-curriculars. If you can afford it, plan a trip to the top 3 or 5 potential schools after you get acceptance letters. If you visit a college and don't really like it, don't force yourself to go because you won't be happy for the next four years.

Often times we get caught up in names; Which school is the most prestigious or which is known best. But after four years I have come to the realization that it is not about the name of the school, but how you fit into that school. Feeling comfortable is very important to your success. Make sure that you do not base your decision on which school to attend based simply on the name but rather on factors such as: student body diversity, student resources, academic programs, housing availability, and other factors that are often overlooked.