University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

In high school I was not sure about who I really was or what I wanted to do later in life. I had no concept of how I learned best. Looking back, these would have been priceless things to know about myself. I wish I could go back and take some time to get to know myself and my interests better. To accept and learn to love myself. If I could go back I would take time to explore my interests more thoroughly. I think that knowing my interests and learning style would have made a difference in the colleges I looked at, and ultimately, the college I ended up at. It's important in high school to have fun and learn about yourself. I wish I would have done that; taken more risks, tried new things, become comfortable with who I was. If I could go back, I would be more aware.

Do not procrastinate on paper or studying. Under no circumstances should sleep be more important than going to class. Don't judge chemistry by the introductory chemistry class, because you will become complacent. Don't even bother taking a math course at the university, you won't even be able to understand the professor. Become involved right away in clubs and don't hesitate in approaching professors and introducing yourself to them; they could give you research or internship opportunities in the future if they take a liking to you. Just because a class seems like a blowoff doesn't mean you shouldn't bother studying for it, it's always good to review material for exams. Don't take more than two big science classes at a time or you will suffer the consequences. Don't be afraid to run for leadership positions in clubs, even as a freshman. Clubs are always looking for freshman to take leadership roles because they want the club to continue after the upperclassmen in the club have graduated and gone on.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, the first thing I would mention is: Be excited (not scared) about going to college because they really are the best years of your life! College is a great opportunity to discover yourself and build on your character and individuality. As you experience college, you mature and begin to feel more confident about making your own decisions. You will have plenty of opportunities to meet new people with whom you can hopefully develop lifelong friendships. In college, it is important to be involved! Join a volunteer organization, social club, intramural sport, or just-for-fun club. There is so much to gain from being involved in college activities: meeting people, being able to include them on your resume, taking your mind off of schoolwork for a while, and having fun. Try not to consume yourself with only academic achievements because that is not what college is about. Be sure to apply for any financial aid, such as FAFSA, and scholarships, even if it is a small amount. Any amount is worth it because college is becoming more expensive. Finally, put yourself out there!

Definately take more AP classes, younger me. Don't be scared that you won't make friends, because you will. You may have been not very cool in high school, but in college you will find people who will like you and all your geeky, quirky, weird ways. The learning is harder. You used to be able to coast through high school, but don't try to do that in college. Definately start studying early and try to make friends in your classes and in your major, because you'll see the same people a lot. Those people in your concentration are really cool and really nice, don't be afraid of them! They're different from you, but they'll like you for being you! Don't be scared younger-version-of-me. College is fun. P.S. Don't live in the dorm called FAR... it's really far. Duh.

The transition into college personally wasn't very difficult, but I have observed that many students came into college with up to 50 credit hours from taking AP tests. Qlthough I did come in with some hours from taking AP tests, senior year I opted out of taking a couple of tests which would have eliminated a few more of my general education classes. And if I had recieved credit for these classes I could have saved alot of money on books and tuition and I could have already started classes focused on my major. Also, I would tell myself to apply for more scholarships and save up more money because in college you do not have nearly as much spendingm one as you did in high school. I would tell myself to learn to be frugal now, so it would be an easy transition once I went off to school.

Don't freak out. It is not as bad as you thought. You do make friends, just put yourself out there and get involved. The school is not that big, yea I know it looks big, but it grows on you. You really will love it and in four years when you graduate you won't want to leave. Please give it a chance and don't think you are giving in to Dad or anyone else, it is the right choice for you and you will love it. Oh and kick mom and dad out if they are staying to long, they don't mind. Oh and grab the lightbulbs so that you have them already instead of having to purchase and then forget the ones that we left in the car.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself in high school, there will be a few thing that i would mention. When you first come to college, it is very helpful to be friendly to new people because it helps you to be more socialized at this very diverse university. Also, it is helpful that you create an organized schedule for different tasks that you may need to complete for your classes before the deadline because your instructors will not inform you what needs to be done. Lastly, it is good to become involved in school, but you just have to make sure that it is something that you can benefit from and it does not interfere with your workload. Mostly if you go by these guidelines in college it will help you be more successful.

I would say pace yourself; pertaining to course load and social life. My freshman year I thought I needed to take all these fast-paced courses in order to be ahead of the curve. But, that first semester I really hurt myself with too difficult of a course load and ended up with a GPA that represented that. My best advice for the first two semesters of college would be to take a good portion of gen-eds and make them as diverse as possible! Thankfully that first semester I also took a Speech and Hearing Science course and I loved it! And I was good at it too. If you have a balanced course load, then your social life should balance it self out. Since I was so overwhelmed with school, I looked to relieve myself a little too much and got all wound up in the aspect of being the life of the party. Don't get me wrong, you shouldn't be a slacker in terms of what classes to take; still do something worth while. But, people say college years are the best of your life. So think logically and make them that way!

High school students have differing visions of college life and the freedom it brings. Some focus on admission to the most competitive program, while others are simply looking for a change in scenery. What some fail to prepare for, however, are the responsibilities of college life. This includes responsibility for grades, life without the family, and most importantly, personal behavior. I would advise high school seniors to continue working hard through senior year, so that they may maintain good work habits needed for academic success. Choosing a school based on friends or a significant other is common practice. Relationships change. Students? decisions should be based on their own needs. The right school not only has the best program, but a fitting community environment as well. To summarize: 1. Don?t slack 2. Be selfish 3. Learn to do laundry

First off, I would tell myself to relax. I have found that I put way too much pressure on myself to succeed. I judged my success on my grade point average instead of what I had learned. Secondly, I would tell myself to be proud of getting a B in an engineering course in one of the top engineering colleges in the nation. Thirdly, take advantage of the career center right away. They are there to help you prepare for the right career and introduce you to what is expected in the professional world. Lastly, I would tell myself to have fun! Don't spend your Friday nights doing homework. If you keep yourself completely focused on your studies, you're going to miss out on a lot of what college has to offer!