University of Maryland-Baltimore County Top Questions

After completing high school alot of students feel like they can slack off if even just a little bit, from thier studies. You've worked hard for four years, made it through SAT's and got accepted into a university so you feel like the pressure's off.. .But now is the time to really grind it out. Staying focused without your parent's constant push is tough, but if you allow yourself to slack by taking time off, carrying only a few credits, submitting to distractions, all the hard work you put in these past four years will have begins to stagnate on the back burner. The sooner and more successfully you finish college the sooner you can enjoy the fruits of all your efforts. You've tilled and fertilized the land, planted the seed, cultivated it into a strong beautiful tree...now is when your fruit will grow. Not devoting adequate study time, skipping classes, or partying is like shielding your leaves from the sun. Full steam ahead!

In my opinion, I was pretty prepared when I was in the process of making the transition from high school to college. The only advice I would give myself is to stay focused on my goals and try to finish school as soon as possible, fun will come later.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior there are so many things I warn myself of. One of the most important things I would tell myself would be to never give up or get discouraged no matter how hard things get. My very first semester at college I would have given anything to have been fair warned of the difference between the high school and college. And if I had known what I know now about the college I am attending I would have never gone there in the first place.

Knowing what I know now, I would tell myself to do my absolute best in my classes all of the time. Even though I did well in school, I did not do my best. In college, I need to remember to do my best because these grades and what I learn in class will carry me for the rest of my life. I could have been in the habit of doing my best if I had started in high school.

If I were able to go back in time and talk to myself in High School, I would tell myself to complete college before High School Graduation. I started College, as a Junior in High School. I finished my Freshman year of College as a Senior in High School, but would have liked to complete more. In this world, everything is so competitive, so try to get the upper-hand on education. Collge is also more affordable when you are still in High School, not many students participate in this Parallel enrollment because they do not know about it. This program is a great opportunity to get ahead in your education, I wish I had spent more time in it. With the same goal of getting ahead in education, I would tell myself (at a younger age) to have become more involved with College Life, and Communtiy organizations. Not only does community service feel great and help others, but many Colleges use it as a merit system for scholarships.

I would tell myself to make sure that I am managing my time wisely in everything I do and to not procrastinate or wait till the last minute to study or start assignments. Over the years, I have learned how important time management is and how learning to use your time effectively not only makes things easier for you but it can improve your chances of performing better in the class. I would also tell myself to try and make as many friends in my classes as possible because it is a great way to meet new people, and working with others who are also ambitious as yourself can do nothing but help you.

I feel that the media and popular American culture, more often than not, over-exaggerate the transition from high school to college, in terms of moving out and living on your own. High school students are often shown rooming with mental unstable roommates and having horrible experiences in their new homes, and had I the chance to go back in time to talk to my high school self, I would definitely tell myself that there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Moving out of my home has been the most liberating experience of my life thus far. The independence that moving into a dorm gives a person, not just physically but psychologically, is astoundingly freeing. Once you move out of home, a new sense of responsibility and maturity come over you, as you realize that there?s no one here to baby you anymore: this reaction is almost like pure instinct. Moving out of home is the first step to becoming a part of the real world, but thankfully it?s not like being tossed out into the street: it?s the perfect stepping stone to adulthood.

For you who have yet to attend a University, the word "college" may hold only a vague meaning as a next place to go... a final stop on the road that is your academic career. You don?t give much thought to how much more involved you will be in your own life, because you've never had to think so intensely about it. You?re used to decisions being narrowly planned and approved with a guardian's signature. But in college there are no road signs telling you what to do, or where to go. All the choices are suddenly yours, and you find yourself having to answer the questions that really matter. Making a mistake can cost many months and thousands of dollars to fix, and every mistake will be entirely your fault. So my advice to you, is to focus on getting it right the first time. Understand that nothing you?ve done up to this point has held as much importance, or demanded as much introspection. It's not a simple matter of staying within the lines. You have to know where you want to go, and keep your eyes forward, always looking toward your destination.

If I was able to go back in time and talk to myself about what to look for in college, I would suggest only one thing. My main advice would've been to take school work more seriously. Throughout my highschool years, I was always satisfied with my academics at an adequate level and never did more than what was required or what my full potential was. I was continuously distracted and unmotivated and during my senior year, my second semester was basically my vacation from all academic work. I only did the bare necessity for my assignments and did not realize how these horrible habits would affect me later on. Not only am I struggling to find ways to manage time, but I'm also forced to endeavor new study techniques that require more time and patience which I was not too familiar with back in high school. College is no joke and if I had put the time and effort into realizing that the habits that I do during the present time would affect me in the future back then, I might've been able to reach further into my goal than where I stand now.

If I was able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would advise myself to apply for as many scholarships as humanly possible. I spent the spring semester of my senior year taking classes at the local community college, doing just what I needed to do to get by with decent grades. After being accepted to colleges throughout the fall, I did not see any need to complete all of my school assignments - let alone, apply for scholarships. In the summer before college, I realized that it was necessary for me to take out a student loan to pay for school. My first semester of college has not been difficult, at least in an academic sense. However, financially, I cannot spend money while at school because I am saving to be able to attend the university next year. If I could go back in time, I would do everything in my power to ease myself from the burden of student loan debt.