University of Massachusetts-Amherst Top Questions

To give it a chance. Give yourself a full year to get used to the environment and to make new friends! In addition, I would suggest when researching schools take an indepth look at all the possible majors the University provides. There are so many different majors out there, some you will have never heard of before, but if you take a look at them before you start you'll already be ahead of the game by knowing your options and knowing what is out there to choose from.

I would tell myself that I did not need to know exactly what I wanted to do for my career yet, but that I should begin researching different majors that colleges offered to be knowledgable about them. I would also tell myself that college is very expensive and planning financially is crucial to having a successful time at college.

Don't be so quick to decide what you want. You may be lost in the hundreds of options available to you right now, but you're 18 years old. No 18 year old wakes up one day knowing the path they will take for the rest of their life. You're meant to be lost, to explore what's possible right now, and not to worry about the probability so much. You're meant to dream about what moves you, or go somewhere with enough optioins to figure out what that even is. Don't succumb to the pressure surrounding you; everyone will want to push you in one direction or another, and everyone believes that their advice is the most important and the most vaild, but they're usually wrong. My best advice? Tune it all out, don't sweat a reversible decision like going to college, and explore every possibility without prejudice. Remember that fortune favors not only the bold, but also the open-minded. Be open enough to find your passion or to let your passion find you, and you can't go wrong.

Hey Bob, so you're thinking about school choices. I know that Rensselaer sounds like the best choice (sorry for the spoiler; you get accepted). But trust me, UMass Amherst is the best decision you will ever make. You will meet a group of people that will consistently blow your mind with their creativity, uniqueness, and ambition, while still being cool and sane. This is exactly what you want. And if you're worried about being in the Honors College at UMass and worried that people are going to be weird, trust me, they will be weird. But weird is a weird word, it has such a negative connotation. Weird is exactly what you are looking for, my friend. As Apple's "Think Different" campaign stated, "Here's to the crazy ones." They are the people that will change you for the better, people that will inspire you to look at the other side of things. Do not go to that conceited, pretentious private school in upstate New York. You are nothing like that. Stay true to yourself, and know that you will meet some of the greatest people at UMass.

If I could go back in time and give myself advice as a high school senior, I would say to not be as narrow-minded in my college interests. When I applied to college, I was set on going to a school down south, and I thought that I wanted to be a doctor. After one semester taking pre-med classes in South Carolina, I knew that it wasn't for me. I ended up transferring to a school in Massachusetts, and finally settling on studying to be a high school history teacher. By broadening my horizons and trying a variety of different classes, I wound up on a path I wouldn't have otherwise considered! College is a time to try new things, and I would recommend to my 17-year-old self and other high school seniors to go into their first year with an open mind, good work ethic and willingness to try new things. You have nothing to lose, and you will learn a lot about yourself along the way.

Not everything can be achieved through quick wit and blind chance. Yes, the high school system you're accustomed to is easily toppled through knowing the right people or having the proper personality, but next year your work ethic will be the only deciding factor in your future. Will you make the same mistakes as me, and be content with your relative academic obscurity? Or will you heed the warning and take it upon yourself to mature as not only a student, but a man as well? It's certainly not easy. Mornings in Amherst you'll awaken to the frost, seeing your breath the moment you wake up with your phone alarm blaring across what seems like an infinite dark void. My mistake was placing the covers back over my head, chuckling silently thinking I was in control, and lounging about for the rest of the day. A challenge as paramount as college is not conquered by the meek, but by the bold. It is only hard work that accomplishes hard work. DO NOT be content. Always strive for better, always try to make a difference, make the extra move, becasue it will be worth it in the end.

I would tell myself that the first few semesters in college actually matter the most toward your GPA and should be taken the most serious. These semesters are also the easiest but often taken for granted so spend lots of time in the library! Spend less time worrying what those around you think...you don't meet your best friends until sophmore year anyway. Don't be afraid to stray away from the crowd, take risks and be different. NEVER give up and work hard in school -- it will pay off.

If I could go back to high school and speak to my pot-smoking, “The Who” jamming freshman self, I would not say a word. Although I was the furthest thing from an apple giving, front desk sitting student during high school, everything has turned out fine. I am very happy with where I am now and would not want to jeopardize that by killing my own buzz seven years ago. Although, I may sneak a note to myself saying: “Invest in 3D printing while it is a penny stocks It’ll be on the up and up. Good luck bro, have fun in Thailand!” (I have not smoked Marijuana since the conclusion of high school.)

It's important to relax and take things as they come. Don't torment yourself over making the right decision once the acceptance letters come; half of what makes a good college experience is your own attitude and openness to exploring new places and people. On that note, don't forget to look around you once you get to college. There are so many things I missed out on in my freshman year simply because I was so focused on classes and getting to know fellow freshman. While these are both important, it's easy to become isolated and dissatisfied if you don't stretch out and let yourself roam. Check out what's happening off-campus--discover where you are, what sort of town or city it is, and what it has to offer. Also delve into events and groups on your campus, and not just those that your new friends are going to; not only is this a great way to meet new and different people, but you can get so much more out of clubs and groups later on if you get involved early. Be curious and be confident, and you'll have a stellar first year.

I chose to attend my local 2-year community college following high school in order to save money whole continuing to pursue my higher education. At the time, I was frustrated and felt pressured by my parents to take this route. I thought that community college was for people who did not try in high school; it felt like my GPA and all of my studying was a waste. If I could go back, I would tell my high school self that community college was the right choice and to enjoy my time there. The classes kept me challenged, I met some amazing people, and had the most enthusiastic professors. In additon, I am now continuing my education at another fantastic school, but with probably half the loans of my fellow classmates. Overall, I would tell myself that community college would be one of the most pleasant surprises and that I should embrace it.