University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

There are several things I would have done differently back in high school now that I have knowledge of how college life is. First off, I would have listened to my guidance counselor when she was drilling me about college freshman year. Not only would I have listened to her but I would have actually liked to have gone to a 4 year college straight out of high school. Now that I am in the process of trying to transfer to a 4 year college from a 2 year community college, I am finding out that a lot of scholarships I am trying to apply for only are for high school seniors. I wish I would have known this as well in high school because now I feel like I am never going to be able to find enough money to put myself through the rest of the time I need to be in school. I also feel like I will be drowned with student loans for the rest of my life but I hope my continuous search for money will soon pay off from filling out so many scholarship applications!

If I could talk to my high school self I would tell myself to take advantage of AP classes or dual credit classes that way I would be able to get certain college credits out of the way quicker and for a cheaper price rather than having to spend more time and money on them in college. I would make sure to tell myself to study harder and spend that extra time on things to make sure I actaully know how to do them. There are certain classes I have taken in college such as an algebra class and half of the material we covered I remembered learing about in high school, but in high school I only had a temporary memory of how to solve the problems and here it was again in college and I had to learn it all over again. The final thing I would tell myself would be to not put things off. No matter what it might be, it should get done when it is fresh on your mind, that way you don't have to worry about making time for it in the future or stressing over it.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself that the transition to college life may be a bit tough at first. You come to a University where you may not know anybody and are not used to being alone. In fact, you may even get a little homesick, but I would tell myself not to give up. Everything gets better after a few days, don't let college life overwhelm you. Just rememeber of the great opportunity you have that others don't. By working hard and staying true to where you want to be, you will make it. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to.

During high school, you have spent the majority of your time preparing for what comes next. This includes studying and preparing for the ACT, being a part of organizations for resume builders, and always thinking about college. My advice is that while these things are important, stop stressing over them. It will all work out in the end, and when you look back at your high school career, these things won't matter. What you will remember are the friday night football games, homecoming dances, or just those night you spent hanging out with friends. Don't sacrifice these opportunities for things that matter in a few years. While being involved in activities can be great, instead of being a member of everything, be a great member for a few things. Run for a leadership position or plan an important event for your school. I am definitely not saying that you should stop caring about homework and grades, but try to find a balance between work and fun. When I say have fun, don't have dangerous fun. Be safe and don't make any rash decisions that you will regret later. Just be smart. Work hard. Have fun.

Don't be afraid to face math or science classes in college. They're tough, but you'll have much better resources to help you out and it's worth exploring the many career options that open to you in these fields -- computers, engineering, medicine and much more. Take on college full-speed, don't go at it timidly. Challenge yourself and explore the areas you feel weak in, because you may find that you have hidden strengths. And take some time to explore your creativity and the culture available at college -- plays, operas, concerts and other activities. This is a chance to explore new things both within yourself and in the world around you. Make the best of it, and don't be afraid of a little struggle and difficulty. It'll make it all the more satisfying when you succeed.

Research everything. Good resources: Facebook - Dorms, organizations, like minded students ratemyprofessor.com - find the best professor. nothing is better than a good professor. advisor - meet with them, but be sure to do your homework too. They tend to overlook some things.

If I had the opportunity to talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to learn about time management. I would let myself know that the way I am able to balance my studies with my social life will not be as easy in college. In high school, you get use to a routine and believe that if you were able to do it in high school then you can do it in college too, and I would let myself know that that statement is untrue. I would reiterate the fact that if you do not priortize and learn better study habits college will be too overwhelming. The transition from high school to college is a big one and although it may not seem like it, the work, the people, and opportunites are an experience in themselves. Being able to manage your time so that you do not become overwhelmed is a challenge, but if you go into college with the correct mindset about time management it will be the driving force that will make a difference when it comes to transitioning into college life.

I would say work harder and plan your courses out wisely. Make a list of every class that needs to be taken and plan your semesters out in advance. The worst thing you can do is stick yourself with 4 hard classes in one semester and just hope for the best. You need to have fun in college, yes grades are important but you can only do your best. Don't beat yourself up about failures, they just open other doors for something else. Make sure you do what you want to do, not just follow something else's path, this is your life you have to live so it should be your decision.

Make the most out of college and take advantage on what it has to offer. Go to the different sporting events and activities held, make friends with everybody on your residence hall floor, and most importantly, use the tutoring service and office hours of your professors and teacher assistants to your ability. Have fun, go to all the parties, but also keep in mind your priorities for being in school. Join organizations and clubs, and participate in community service projects on campus. Overall, be willing to step out of your shell to try new things and meet new people because it can be a life-changing experience. Keep an open mind and be willing to take risks sometimes because you'll never know the outcome if you're not willing to take it. Build connection among others, and go to every event pertaining to your college or major for your benefit. Make the most of college while attending because you can't go back to redo it once it's over.

Ivy: If you keep putting off scholarship applications you won't ever fill them out. (High School Ivy) Ivy2: I really want to take a nap right now. I'm just not going to worry about it. Ivy: You're NOT GOING TO WORRY ABOUT IT?! Ivy, this is PAYING FOR COLLEGE! Do you have any money? Ivy2: I'll just get loans like Mom did. Ivy: Well guess what: loans don't work the same way as they did when Mom went to college. You can't just take out student loans if you don't have a cosigner anymore. What about ROTC? That is a great way to save some money, and I think we both know you could use disciplinary help. You could come out debt free and become a better person in the process! If you don't take care of it, you'll have to leave your second semester after you've experienced college. You'll have to work full time to pay back the bills. Suck it up, and fill out a couple scholarships. If this conversation had happened, I would not have had to learn the lesson the hard way.