Wheaton College-Wheaton Top Questions

(After studying for my first two years of college at Manhattan School of Music, I had to withdraw due to financial struggles. After taking a year off, I was transferred to Wheaton College. ) "Natalie, your life is going to take some unexpected turns. Keep pursuing excellence, but hold on to your plans loosely. You will learn invaluable lessons about life and God and yourself as you go through trials. It's worth it--these experiences will be extremely formative and valuable. Keep practicing hard and use your time wisely. Remember to savor each place and relationship--tomorrow is not guaranteed. You only have the present. Don't let discouragement entangle you. Instead, be patient and at peace--there are good things in store. Pray and be thankful for your blessings even during dark times. Hold on to the truths you already have believed. Instead of thinking of the future as something ahead, think of it as something behind you that you enter by steps of faith when you can't see what's next. With your past in front of you, you will slowly begin to see how the threads are interweaving in the complex, beautiful tapestry of your life."

Out of my entire college experience so far, I would say that out of my first year, I have gotten more life experience than anything. I have learned more about what kind of people there are in the world, what I need to do in order to succeed in life, and to never, no matter how hard the struggle is, give up. My first year of college wasn't that of the typical freshman. I had a roommate I couldn't stand, was training with the football team six day out of the week, having to deal with the same drama I tried to escape from in high school, and trying to adjust to a new world I was thrust into. I learned how to become more self-reliant and more focused in my studies. I would say that even though I went through a lot of strife and hardship in college, i wouldn't take it all back. I look at it all as a learning experience, because if I hadn't gone through that year of hell, I wouldn't be the happier person I am today. -Samuel Dwain Fuller

My current journey is expressly invaluable; during my college years, I have experienced dissatisfaction, satisfaction and abundance. Sometimes, one “gets out” precisely that which she “puts in”—hours of study for a passing grade. Other times, one receives the unexpected—new knowledge or extended grace. Unmet expectations are also inevitable—failed relationships. I invest time, money, skills, desire, studies and respect, and I receive, discover and uncover endlessly. Questions accompany new perspectives. Joy thrives amidst struggle. Friendships offer challenge and support. Growing in expertise and my desire to continue learning and teaching necessitates an ever-increasing humility. My experience has afforded me opportunities for service, study, travel, engagement, and involvement. I also gain life skills and critical thinking; learning how to learn prepares me for unforeseen challenges. Moreover, the Wheaton journey has value in its uniqueness as a faith-based college experience striving for academic excellence in a small, intentional community comprised of global members. More than simply future connections or momentary fun, relationships are priceless investments into others’ futures. Finally, attending Wheaton College has value as it is my own formative experience, beginning to answer, “Where have you come from and where are you going on your journey?”

My college experience has been invaluable in teaching me about what it means to be part of the global community. I grew up in the Philippines and went to highschool at an international missionary school so I could say that my global experience is wider than most, however, I would still say that college, more than anything else in my life, has incredibly impacted my worldview. In my highschool everyone had relatively similar experiences and views. At Wheaton College, I have met people who have been pulled from all sorts of places and many diverse walks of life. Nearly all of them come in pursuit of a higher education and the benefits of a college experience but each hails from a different setting and has something distinct to offer to the comunity. They all have their own unique ideas and understand life each in their own way. In my interactions with these people I begin to see the world through their eyes, and sometimes, my perspective is changed forever. If the world is to find peace and prosperity each person should try to see through the eyes of the unfamiliar and those who they disagree with.

I just started my first year at community college and feel I have already taken away so much. School has undoubtedly honed my writing skills and sharpened my time management skills. It has also given me an extreme confidence boost, as I completed my first semester back with a 4.0 GPA. It is wonderful to have immediate goals and to have the assistance of my Professors in achieving these goals. Attending school has allowed me to completely change my lifestyle. I was working at a bar that encouraged me to drink with patrons and I slowly started to feel like I was drinking my life away with no real goals. It was depressing, so I signed up for classes and have truly found my passion. I intend on doubling majoring in Food and Nutrition and Psychology. I would like to teach individuals healthy eating and lifestyle habits. I’ve always been passionate about food and health; I was just never really sure what to do with it. With the help of school counselors I have mapped it out. I feel that, armed with my degrees, I will be afforded opportunities to truly do what I love for a lifetime!

In the two semesters I have been here, I have made the most amazing friends! Wheaton has fantastic community and is full of interesting, outgoing, smart and funny people. It has been so valuable to me to have classes with professors who really love what they research and what they teach, and who are active about getting students to love it too. The Wheaton Conservatory of Music is a part of the college, and we get world-class concerts from amazing students and professional artists all the time, which is really unique from other schools. I love that in one week I can go hear a symphony played by my peers, go to a sculpture exhibit in our art building, get invited to a hockey game and discover a poet at a reading in the library that I love but had never heard of! The diversity of activities, academic and non-academic, and the friends I have made participating in everything make it so worthwhile to attend. I know that studying at Wheaton will prepare me for whatever grad school I want to attend or job I will apply to in life.

I picked Wheaton College because of the outstanding music program, and the strong Christian influence. Wheaton has been the perfect fit for me. My musical talents have grown in ways here at Wheaton that I never expected would happen. Not only have my musical and academic abilities grown leaps and bounds, but also my spiritual life. Wheaton is a place where I have been welcomed by fellow students, administration, and teachers alike. One of the main differences I hear from friends at other colleges is that their teachers don’t care about them on an individual base. My experience so far at Wheaton has been that every teacher wants you to succeed, and they do what they can to help you accomplish success. If I had to make the choice again of where I would attend college, I would without a doubt choose Wheaton College again.

My college experience has given me career opportunites that would be unattainable if I hadn't procured a university degree. It has allowed me to advance in the medical profession and pursue other avenues of interest. Consequently, this has instilled a drive within me to continue to evolve and expand on my knowledge and education by seeking to obtain a doctorate of pharmacy. Without my previous college experience I would not have come to the crossroads that I'm currently at. Instead, I would be working a job that I was unsatified with to make enough money to pay bills and other financial afflictions that plague us in everyday life. So, education has become a very important aspect in my life as a result of the education I acquired early in life. It has enabled me to look further and to continue to push myself and persevere until I achieve my dreams and aspirations. The drive has always been there. However, financial obtacles have made it difficult. That is why a scholarship would be a great asset to me . It would be something I would appreciate tremendously as it would allow me to continue my ambitious pursuit of knowledge.

Attending college during my formative intellectual years shaped and transformed me into the person I am today. The dreams that I had in high school changed during college; having professors and mentors that deeply cared about my wellbeing as a person helped me to choose a career path that was incredibly fulfilling. I taught high school English for four years after graduating, and now I am about to pursue my master's degree in TESOL. Being enabled to pass on knowledge was an incredible experience. I discovered that I love to teach, and specifically I love to teach those who otherwise would not have learning opportunities. Without having the foundation of a college education, I also believe that my roles as wife and mother would be much more challenging. My confidence and decision making skills were honed during my time at college. By training my mind to engage in study, I am also better able to train my children to engage in the world around them. College was one of the singular most important experiences in my entire life, and it could not be replicated in a different scenario.

Independence is a big word for college freshman. For some, it means going out and partying every night. For others, it just means being able to eat that extra bowl of ice cream (ladies and gentlemen: the freshmen 15 explained). But for me, independence was not something that I really craved. It was actually something that I was afraid of. Crazy, right? But in my new found independence, I've also found a confidence that I wasn't award I had before. I can go up to a professor and ask them a question that might have embarassed me before. I can wear that dress with tights around campus without wondering whether it's really in style. This independence, confidence, whatever you want to call it, it's really helped my self-image and day-to-day life. It wasn't something that was wild, or gross, or something to be afraid of. I love it.