Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Top Questions

After high school I didn’t really think I would continue on to college, it was only after getting my first real job in a law firm that I realized how important it was to have a degree. Ever though I had the most seniority at my firm, I was turned down to grow further in my position due to not having any college. I was really upset by that. I soon after began my AA degree and paralegal certificate. Since completing that program I have moved onto my BA. I am determined to get to the top and college is the road that will get me there. Since completing my AA I have truely grown as a person as well. I thought I already knew it all, but I now see I still have so much to learn. I want to continue to learn and grow after my BA. I have my eyes set on a JD and MBA from Seattle U and I know I will get there.

My first year and a half of college has been amazing. The school spirit at Virginia Tech is incredible, and the students i am surrounded with make me want to become a better person. The students who go to my school are all very smart and forward thinking. Being in this enviroment makes me want to give my expiriene my all, and get everything out of my time here that I can. I have a lot of goals for this semester, to get the most out of all my college has to offer, and a scholorship would be incredibly helpful in achieving those goals.

College has definitely made me a a more intelligent person, but more importantly than that it has made me a better person. I have been exposed to so many different kinds of people and different cultures that I am now a more well rounded person. I never thought that living in the dorm rooms and having a roommate would make me a better friend, but it definately has. I am more courteous to others because I know how it feels to be treated poorly just because someone else had a bad day. In a sea of people who are so unlike me I managed to find those few friends that understand me and that I can trust when the going gets tough. College has also prepared me for my future and my career goals. I hope to be attending professional school upon graduation and the intense undergraduate program has prepared me at least in part for what I may experience as I continue to further my education.

When I first came to Virginia Tech, I was not sure what to expect. Because I was a first generation student, my parents did not have much insight to give on what college was going to be like. This lack of knowledge allowed me to face challenges and decide what I should do on my own. A significant challenge I faced during my freshman year was transferring into my major, Interior Design. I had been told from the start that getting into this program would be difficult. After applying, the school would decide if they will interview you. Upon completion of the interview, the school finally decides if you are accepted to the program. The interview took place a week after applying. Luckily, the interview went very well and I felt optimistic about getting into the program. Several days later, I received an email with the good news. I had been accepted into the School of Architecture and Design. My determination to achieve my goals, even after a few setbacks, is why it has been valuable to attend Virginia Tech. It has taught me to face and overcome challenges.

I did not know it in highschool, but college has given me chances to grow beyond my expectations. In highschool, I relied heavily on my parents for my practically everything. In college however, you are thrown into this world without your parents to guide your every step. Sure, they are just a phonecall away, but they cannot manage your time, balance your habits, be there to control your spending. Suddenly it is all up to you. This is huge power you have just been given, and the way you grow depends on how you use that power. You can set aside time for studying, go to the gym regularly, maintain healthy eating habits, and budget your money; or you can turn into a wild animal led only by passions and impulses. Now not every has left you in the dust, college is a great environment to grow because you are surrounded by friends who are experiencing the same thing. Every decision you make affects your future, and college gives you a great opportunity to take advantage of the new power you have been given and use it to shape who you will become.

Confidence in myself that never existed. Growing up with learning dysabilities I feared I wasn't smart enough for college. My first semester, I had an amazing English instructor. She opened my eyes to see potential. Since then, I excel in every class. My education can make a difference in others lives as well as my own. I helped students struggling with coarses, pass. College has shown me that I am meant to help others. I'm a Psychology major in addition to, human services and English. I hope that one day I am able to inspire children who have my learning problems, to not give up. The last two years I couldn't work due to major surgery; I felt that I lost everything I was. I lost my home and claimed bankruptcy. I battled with depression and self doubt. Attending college helped me realize that I am more than the material things in life. College saved me. I love school for the first time in my life. I'm excited for every class and all the information. I found myself. Education, self worth; that is what I will take with me and never lose.

My college experience has given me a new family and a chance to be the first one to go further in life. Most people go to college to pursue their educational dreams, have a little fun here and there, and graduate. I got something even more, I got a Hokie family. At Virginia Tech, I belong to a Hokie nation where I stand proud and tall knowing that my professors, fellow classmates, and friends support me on every level of my future. Coming from a broken down family, the Hokie family gave me moral, support, and a new beginning to live my life to the fullest and pursue my dreams. My college experience has been beyond what I ever thought. I can fully say, I have a family now and with this support, I can go anywhere with my life. This value only came from being what I am, a HOKIE...always and forever.

I have grown up preparing for college by striving for good grades, volunteering, and being involved in the activities at my high school. Now that I am in college I don't have to do those things, but I want to. My true identity has arised. I don't have my mom making decisions for me anymore. I am the one deciding which classes I want to take. I am the one deciding the activites I want to participate in. I am the one deciding who I want to be. Virginia Tech has turned me into a more independent individual capable of reasoning, who wants to become more involved in the community. Virginia Tech helps me realize that college is an important aspect to life because it shapes us students into the professionals that we dreamed of growing into. The things I learn inside and outside of the class such as orginization and world issues can be applied to real life situations. These are the things that will stay with me for my whole life as well as useable in my workplace.

I am from Virginia Beach, which means Virginia Tech is a nice long 5 hour drive away. After high school, I really wanted to be off on my own and be free to do things my own way without having my parents looking over my shoulder all the time. College, this college, has really given me that opportunity. College has really taught me how to handle myself and now I have the chance to be my own person. College has introduced me to new challenges and it is up to me how to deal with them. Not only am I finding my own way in life, I have made some great friends along the way. Once you are out of the childish drama of high school, you can really find great people to surround yourself with. College is a whole new playing field and full of much more mature people. Virginia Tech has been the best thing for me and I love being to say I am a part of its community.

While it has been a challenge, my experience in college has been like none other, an experience of a lifetime! It has been an exciting 7 years for me as I never thought I could get this far and get into a great University. The college experience I've had for the past years has given me a wider view of what it is that I want to pursue, knowledge of topics that I would not have picked up if I were not in school. It has opened up my mind to explore and learn new things and to focus to do my best for the end results. My college degree and the knowledge i have gained while attending is worth so much because I know that the combination of both is the key that will open so many doors for me after I have graduated.