University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

Getting to the point where I?m in college now hasn?t been easy. When I was in high school I really didn?t care about school at all, or have a plan for my future. And by the end of my senior year when I received all my college applications back, I didn?t get into any of the schools I applied to. This really was my wakeup call that sparked my motivation for my education. My transition from high school to college was rough. I had to developed better working habits and strong determination for my education, since I had none is high school. Which made my transition pretty rough, and I believe that transition is how I got to the point I?m today, A University of Maryland student. If I could go back in time and talk to the high school senior version of myself, I would just stay ?keep your head high?. The lessons I have learned over the past two years have been fundamental to everything that I have become. And without that wakeup call I had senior year, I don?t think I would have aspired to the student I have become today.

I would of told myself to learn time management, keep the grades up, take more college-level courses so that you can save money and time in the future. Also, being more involved with college visititations.

Dear High School Senior, Stop. Take a deep breath. And RELAX! Congratulations, you did it! You got through the last eighteen or so years of craziness, living with your parents, and silly high school drama. College is going to be one of the most amazing and challenging times of your life. My advice to you, is to enjoy every second of it. Work hard and play hard. Find that balance. Find something you are passionate about, do something to change the world, join some clubs, make some friends, and open your mind to all of the unique and exciting opportunities that you are going to be presented with in the next four years! You have learned so much already in high school, and no matter how nervous you may be, you are ready! Have faith in yourself and go out there and really do some soul searching and find out who you really are. Remember to always be true to yourself, as long as you are, you can't go wrong. I promise, be all you can be, and do all you can do, and you will be happy with where you end up! Good Luck! Sincerely, Your College Self

If I could go back in time, I would advise myself to have more of a realistic expectation for college. Many students go to college expecting to get a 4.0 because they did well in high school. However, this is not a realistic expectation because college courses are different from high school. Getting a 4.0 may be possible but it is much harder in college. The way things are done in college are different and assignments are graded harder. You have to work hard to get a 4.0 let alone a 3.0 so stressing yourself out does not help. Keeping an open mind when coming to college will be a key in becoming successful. There are statistics that show that students become depressed and get mental disorders from the pressures of college. Having an open mind and managing one's stress is important advice for an incoming freshman and I would

Looking bakc at myself in high school causes me to feel displeased. Many thing that was done can be re-do and change know what I know now. Studying a little bit harder would of raised my grade just high enough to get a better future. Choosing a college is equivalent to choosing your own future, if I received a better grade then I will be going to a better college. Further more, I should have started acting tours my future in high school, rather than waiting to start in college. In high school I taken time for granted; now that I'm in college, not a moment do I not wish for more time outside of classes. Even if all the circumstances discribed were ture then there would just be more desire for other things, this is life and in life we always wish we could have done better in the past.

Be firm with your ideas and principles. Get a calendar to keep better track of your time. Even though chemistry is initially easy, do not be fooled, it gets more difficult.

Knowing what I know now about college, there is a lot of advice I'd give to myself. First, I would tell myself to study more consistently instead of right before exams. I would also tell myself to stop procrastinating and become more efficient with time management. It is important to have time management to keep up with classes. I would tell myself to read more as well. A lot of what we learn come straight out of the textbook and reading it before classes makes it a lot easier to learn and understand what is being taught in class. Next, I'd tell myself to get used to being around strangers and getting to know them. This college is very big and it is certain that during the first couple weeks of class, you would have met several new people. It is important to interact with people during these first few weeks because they can become good friends in the future. Having friends makes it easier to study and you have someone to hang out with when you have free time. I could give myself a lot more advice if it were possible to travel back in time.

In high school, i was being guided by my parents decision. Athough, for instance it was my responsibility to complete my home work or other school assignment, my parent made sure i did them. Compared to college life, the decisions rest on me. I am responsible for my own actions. All decisions have to be done by me whether they are major or minor ones. I have to use my time wisely as in study wise in order to keep my grades up.

The first thing I would tell myself is congratulations because I chose the perfect University for me. Then I would give myself some advice that would have made my first semester go by a bit more smoothly. First, do not procrastinate any more. It worked in high school, but not at a college level. Also, along with doing your work in a timely manner, remember to study, study, study. Each week at least twenty-two hours should be set aside to study and review for classes. This would be in addition to time spent on homework. Second, do not pick early classes. It might seem like a good idea, and it is sometimes necessary, but if at all possible avoid them. When you are not fully awake you will not be able to retain all the information you are presented. Finally, take care of yourself. Living in a dorm you are constantly around new germs and getting sick can put you behind. Overall college life is everything I could have wanted, but the main lesson would be one of personal responsibility. Relax and enjoy moving forward in life.

Take the AP classes seriously. Cultivate the habit of good time management. There is never a situation where you over prepare for college.