University of Utah Top Questions

Entering college, I was pretty sure that I wanted to attend medical school. Five years of unfortunate struggles and late nights questioning myself later, I have come back to this conclusion. Struggling through classes and life in the university setting has resulted in me being down on myself and my dreams for a long time, but I have recently come to realize that it was a blessing in disguise. While I hated having to take classes from professors who didn't seem to be there to teach what they know as opposed to just telling us what they knew, I have been able to change myself into a more complete student and a better person. I have improved my studying habits. I have found myself becoming less introverted and more likely to socialize. And while I have learned a lot about the subjects I have taken, I feel the college experience was much more important in turning me into a more confident person, someone who is more able to trust myself, no matter how bad things seem to get. I would not have gotten to this point without the college experience and the friends that come with it.

the university of utah has been and still is an incredible experience for me and everyone that i know. its involvement with the community, environment, and outdoor activity makes the lives of students fun, while teaching them valuable information and giving them much needed experience in the world. the academic education that i receive is very rewarding already, as i am proud to be a part of the engineering department, whose performance parallels that of MIT with just a fraction of the budget. i was born and raised in russia for most of my life and haven't come acroos very much diversity before coming to the university. this place has taught me to be tolerant and accepting of everyone, no matter what their heritage may be, and, more importantly, it taught me the much needed skills in group communication and group work. i see on a daily basis that group work is an emerging part of the workplace and those skills need to be mastered to succeed in my field of study. i've extensively researched over thirty different universities before attending here and this is easily the best place.

I love going to school. I get to meet new people and I am challenged everyday to do something new and better. I really enjoy the environment and the opportunities that I get by going to school. Opportunities that I know I wouldn't get if I wasn't attending school. Initially when I went back to school I thought that I wouldn't be able to do it, but because of the interest the teachers take in each individual student, I am able to succeed. It also brings confidence to myself that I can accomplish anything I want to take on in the future.

Just as a general college advice, get ahead. Get strong and confident in the math and sciences. You don't want to get to college, and see that you have to take this long list of pre-requisites to get into a class you really want to be in. Start discovering what interest you, what makes you happy early so you can start college off running. Good Luck.

If I were to go back and talk to my former self, I would stress the importance of making my own decision. It was hard for me to trust myself as a High School student. I depended on those around me to make my mind up for me. That is not the right way! College is about finding yourself and starting your life in the direction YOU want to take it. You can never be happy if you only let others choose your path. I know it's scary to think you might regret your choice and feel there's no one to blame but yourself. That's ok. Fear is a part of life. It's ok to be wrong. Being wrong is a valuable component of learning. I firmly believe that if you choose your own goals, work hard, and persevere you will have a truly life changing college experience.

If i could go back to high school I would take advantage of the knowledge that my teachers possessed. I would have asked more questions and taken the time to really learn what was being taught. I spent a lot of time being social, and I found it important to include everyone. I wouldn't change that, but if i could I would change that as being my only focus. I feel like I missed out on quite a bit of education by staying home instead of getting my lazy bum out of bed. My mother would encourage me to stay home on days that she could really use the extra help, and I wouldn't have taken advantage of that so much. I can honestly say that I loved my high school experience for many reasons, but having experienced the real world over the passed eight years, I regret cheating myself out of education, learning study habits, and getting ahead in college. It has taken me a long time to learn, but I love school so much, and wouldn't change my college experience and education for the world!

When I checked my grades after the first year of my university life, my GPA was a 1.8 and it felt like an icy rod shooting up my spine. As a high school senior, I had no idea what I wanted to be. I chose a major thinking it would make my parents proud. After a few years of working hard and struggling, I changed my major. I asked myself, ?What is the most interesting topic to me?? and I found it. Instead of going to school with the feeling of it clawing at my back, I now see it as a friend; a launch pad, helping me find what I really want in life. If I could go back in time, my advice to myself is to think greedy for once. No matter what you study, if you don?t like it, it?s not worth the time. Think about what YOU want. There are great people who share your interests no matter where you decide to go and you are NEVER alone. My GPA has risen from the dead to a 3.0 and still rising. There?s nothing more prestigious than loving what you do.

My worst attribute is the fact that I can be shy when I am in a new environment. Coming to college was more difficult for me because I had trouble meeting and talking to new people. The best advice I could give myself would be, " Come out of your shell! Everyone else is just as nervous as you are so don't worry too much. Get involved in every club or activity that you possibly can. It is a great way to meet new people and establish yourself at school. The best thing I did freshman year was rush and pledge a sorority; I truly cannot replace the experiences I have had and the friends I have made. Also, make sure your professors know who you are and that you are interested in school beyond college. I made the mistake of not doing this with every professor and deeply regret it. Make the most of your college years because you won't get them back. By this I do not mean to 'party it up.' Have fun but remain focused on school and you won't have any regrets!"

I would have told myself to put myself out there and go for something bigger. I wish I would have gone out of state but financially that wasn't an option. However I would have told myself to work harder to find financial aid.

A month ago I'd look back having regrets, wishing I'd been more prepared. I'd tell myself "get it together: apply for scholarships like everyone else, pick a University...and go!!!" I'd tell myself "You NEED to have a degree and a job in four years...You NEED your life planned out!!!" But now that I have gone through two years of community college, auditioning for many college ballet programs and being discouraged, wondering why isn't there that perfect college for me, is this what I want to do...I realize that I shouldn't have any regrets. After high school there's no longer anyone telling you what to do. Life after high school is a huge transition that one has to take. I believe that no matter how much advice one is given, what it comes down to is the choices that one makes. Some will be bad, some good...and that is okay because no matter what, those choices are learning experiences. I would tell myself not to be discouraged because all will come into play. It doesn't matter how long it takes as long as you are doing what you love!