University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Top Questions

My college experience has helped me grow into the mature adult I am today. It has given me a richer education and has taught me the importance of continuing education beyond your undergrad years. I have made some of the best friends I have and have learned the importance of keeping your social life active is as important as your educational life. UNH was a great choice for me because I was able to stay close to family and appreciate their role in my life. Being a student at UNH is the reason that I set my standards high and want the best for my career and future.

College has taught me so much more than my major required. The majority of learning that takes place on a college campus is not in any classroom, but in the dorms, dining halls, and surrounding social spots. Learning to handle freedom responsibly has been college's most valuable lesson for me. Mom and Dad aren't always going to be there to tell me to go to bed, put money in my checking account, or help me keep track of classwork that's due. Struggling with managing academics, social life, and club participation has been difficult, but a lesson well-worth learning. When I graduate I will truly be prepared to take on the world, not only because I interned in my field or scored well on the GRE's, but because I will have the experience and knowledge to manage my life successfully.

The realization I have made in the last semester is that paperwork is a lot harder than it looks. After a very tough semester dealing with new found allergies, I am now struggling through the process of transferring. However I have truly learned that a relationship with my professors leads to better understanding of not only the class material but beyond into subjects that relate closer to my own interests.

I wasn't the best high school student and I feel that it was because I was just unsure of what I wanted and where I wanted to go. I currently attend Austin Community College and although at first I thought I hated it but I soon realized it was better for me so that I could grow as an individual. I now know which university I want to transfer to and what degree I want. I will be transferring to Texas Tech University in the fall and studying Pre-Nursing then attend the nursing school then I plan on going to Mary Hardin-Baylor for Physician Assisant school. Without this extra year at community college I wouldn't have figured it out and rushed my self to a major I wouldn't care for.

I come from a traditional Italian background; Mom does the cooking /cleaning and Dad makes the money. As college approached I was clinging on to what I held dear. Ideally, I wanted to find “Mr.Right”, and start a family of my own. This whole going to college thing petrified me because I knew life would never be the same. My roommate Usaila was a sophomore from Pakistan. She was studying pre-med to be a surgeon. I told her she was crazy and I just wanted to get married. She laughed at me (because where she’s from that’s all women talk about) and said her dream is to become a brain surgeon. This made me think of what my dreams were. Where she is from, most women do not have the opportunity to pursue their goals. Here I am in America, land of opportunity, settling for ordinary. My goals shifted and junior year I completed an internship in Washington DC working for the Department of Defense. This rewarding experience gave me a jolt in the right direction. I still want to marry, but I also want a career where I can help others and diminish cultural barriers.

What I have gotten out of my college experience so far is the fact that it is nothing like Highschool. Highschool prepared me for college in some ways, but mostly if compared, they are night and day from each other. College is a major step up in the adult world, people are actually there to learn which results in a no drama filled environment. I feel good about college because noone is making me go I do not feel forced. What makes college valuable to me is the fact that I will be successful in my life not only with being able to provide for myself but providing for myself in a position that I love doing, rather than working a job I am working my career. I have goals in my life for myself and I know that if I keep heading in this direction, my goals will be achieved.

My college experience has taught me hard work can get you anwhere. I have had the privilege of being able to pursue my athletics. I wrestle for the 13 time National championship team North Idaho College. I am the varsity wrestler at the 174lb weight class. One thing I have learned being a student athlete is that I have to work just as hard in the classroom as I do in the wrestling room. I am a first generation college student and I have had to learn alot by experience. When I first entered the campus of North Idaho College it was an intimidating experience. I truly beleive wrestling has taught me the hard work and discipline it takes to overcome any challenge. College has been valuable to attend becuase it has made me a more mature adult. My college experiences both on the wrestling mat and in the classroom have molded me into the man I am and the man I will become for the rest of my life. I want to thank you for this scholarship opportunity. Sincerely, Jesse Nielsen

While I haven't been at college for long, I've already completed one year of higher education. During this time I learned how important it is to stay focused and prioritize. Somehow I managed to finish my first semester well, but it has certainly taught me to block out my time. As much as I don't like it, it's all about scheduling every part of your life, just to fit everything in. Time management is an essential part of having a successful college career and most certainly will help in the future. College is giving me a chance to test out the sort of life I will have after I graduate without actually being in the workforce. Completing long hours of work while also fitting in extra activities and the daily household chores, or at least those that you'd have in a dorm. While I am first and foremost earning my degree, I am also learning the essential life skill of time management. Without this skill, I'd be lost. There's no way I could fit everything in just by chance. Things have to be planned, and that's what college has taught me.

I grew up in a small city in central New Hampshire, where not much goes on. The highlight is "Bike Week": a week in the summer when thousands of motorcyclists come up to ride around, be noisy, and get drunk. Not that exciting. Going to the University of New Hampshire has already allowed me to see different perspectives that I wouldn't normally see at home. I've seen and lived with many kids from different countries. I've had to dive my way through understanding different accents and cultures, something that would never happen back at home. I was given the opportunity to go to New York City on a day trip, somewhere that I've never been to. UNH has already given me so many opportunities, not even just academically, to expand myself and my overall outlook. I can't wait for it to give me more, such as a whole semester of studying abroad in Spain, where I've longed to go for so long; and even possibly an alternative Spring break which I've always wanted to do, but never had the opportunity to. UNH has already, in one semester, opened many doors for my future.

I am currently a sophomore at the University of New Hampshire and I feel that I have gotten passion, drive, and purpose for my life out of my college experience thus far. I entered during Fall 2009 as an undeclared Liberal Arts freshmen. As a first generation college student coming from a traditional Chinese family, I was to follow the footsteps of my sister and my cousin, who were successful business majors. After participating in programs focused on academic success for multicultural students and for lower income, first generation students, I knew this is where my heart belonged. As a sophomore, I became mentors for both programs, and declared as a Family Studies major in the college of Health and Human Services. I developed such a passion and drive for working with first year students filled with such diverse backgrounds. It has been valuable to attend college because I figured out my purpose: to set a good example for future students and to help those who were once in my situation to become the best they can be by obtaining higher education.