University of Wisconsin Colleges Top Questions

If I had a chance to go back to my senior year and tell myself a few tips on life after high school and in college, I would probably start by letting myself know that waiting to start an academic career was bad decision. I would tell myself that moving out is, or was, the best thing you can do for your spirit but not your wallet. I would say to not listen to Mr. Johnson, when he told me I would never get into the school I wanted to, then flash that fancy acceptance letter. "Don't let fear hold us back, I know you can handle anything that's thrown your direction. I've been through it already." I would make sure I knew how to spend my time wisely; how to balance school, homework, work, clubs, sleep and still have some free time to enjoy life. Lastly, I would make myself promise that I will always try to stand out in a good light and to make a great impression every time.

Do not stress out. Keep working and do not slack off. Be sure to read the text books and study, study, study.

I would encourage high school seniors to take a look at the colleges close to them. In my case, I am attending the local two-year college and living at home. This has saved me tons of money and I got the opportunity to get used to college and the new routines while being close to my parents and family. To make the transition easier, I would have taken more advanced classes. If you go easy senior year there will be a large shock when you get to college. I would also make sure to take a college writing class. This was offered at my high school and I took advantage of it and am very glad I did. Also, get involved right away at school. This will help you form friends and people to help with studying and other things.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself, I would give myself a little bit of knowledge about college. I would tell myself that, yes, friends are important, but it isnt friends that carry you through your life. They are there to support you and help your through good and bad times, but you have to help yourself sometimes. You can't rely on other people to do things for you. You will be waiting forever. College brings stress, homework, fun, and craziness alive. Homework and tests are crucial to your grades and your future. This causes stress. As the stress builds you will want to quit and give up and walk away, but this is your chance to prove yourself. Not only prove yourself to yourself, but to everyone else that ever doubted your ablility to succeed. You can do it, and no matter how stressful life or college gets, the only way is up, and you can succeed. All it takes is a little determination and a little help from your friends and family.

Hey, Emilie?stop stressing! You aren?t missing out on anything by going to a two-year school before a big university, even though it seems like your friends will be having more fun at their schools. You?re making the right choice. By staying in Wausau, you?re saving so much money on tuition and living expenses?you?ll appreciate it soon enough. Also, don?t be afraid of your professors. They aren?t at all like the professors on Legally Blonde! They're actually very kind, patient, and really want to help you succeed?especially in your first semester. There are also academic advisors in student services who can help you plan your schedule to earn that communications major. Hint: you should take advantage of that right away! Most importantly, though, don?t be afraid to make new friends. UW-Marathon County is really clique-y at first, but once everyone stops worrying about being the new kid at school, it?s so easy to meet new people. Don?t forget to be yourself, and remember that you?re in college to prepare yourself for an awesome, rewarding, lifelong career. Don?t let anything distract you from that.

The only things I would have told myself in high-school would be o keep my grades a little better my senior year and actually try on my ACT exam when I took it. These things would have made financing school much easier with scholarships. I believe I made the right choice by taking a year off of school and working a full-time factory job while living with two friends in Washington state. I realized how hard it is to make a living and I decided that I would not stop in school until I recieved my PhD in Nuclear Physics. I don't know if I would have the same motivation if I didn' move out on my own and have that experience.

If I were able to give my high school self advice, I would tell myself to stay on the path I followed and keep working hard to acheive my dreams. I had no difficulty adjusting to college because I have always been a grounded and highly motivated student. I've known that I wanted to be a veterinarian for my entire life. I vividly remember "spaying and neutering" my stuffed animals as a toddler. As I've grown older, that dream has only grown stronger. The more experience I obtain with animals, the more working with them feels like my destiny. I just completed my first semester of college, earning remarkable grades along the way. I would definitely tell my younger self to keep working toward my goals even when it seems overwhelming because it really does pay off in the end.

I would advise my younger self that college is should always remain the top priority. I would state that setting goals ahead of time and putting aside time for studying is highly important. I would state that allowing time for a social life is necessary, but not to let that take over my priorities or studies. I would advise myself to look into getting a job during the summer before college to save money towards college expenses. You never realize how expensive and pricey college really is until you are scraping for money to buy some food because your textbooks were close to $1000. I would suggest that working the bare maximum of 20 hours a week . 20 hours or less is ideal since you do not want work to overshadow schoolwork and school-related responsibilities. I would inform myself that having fun and maintaining good grades can happen with the right amount of balance and to find that balance early on in my college career.

Talk to a counselor before signing up for classes. Make a plan of what classes you want to take, and stick with it. It will be much more efficient than finding out later that there are classes you are missing and need to fit in around the classes you actually want to take.

I really have no regrets about my high school year. I assumed that college was going to be really tough so those are the kinds of classes I took. I was doing some calculus and advanced chemistry when i graduated. I felt very prepared to take on the classes that i was going to do. I am doing just fine in college, and saved a lot of money in my first two years of college. This was a very smart decision to make. I have not had to take out a loan yet to attend college.