Bluegrass Community and Technical College Top Questions

What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

houston

In highschool i never gave my one hundred percent and i still regret it up to this day. After i graduated, and started college I found out really fast I would need to change my ways. I would tell myself that you need to prepare myself much better because you will struggle like I do now. I woud tell my self I need to study harder and do all your homework, because nothing prepares your sekf better than doing practice assignments before test day. In highschool I was never that ambitious, so I let a lot of oppertunities slip away from me. There is so much opertunity in college and all you need to do is reach your hand out and grab it

Julia

Make sure to talk to your advisor as well as do your own research about the degree you are seeking. I have been mislead by advisors and that caused me to waste money. Put school first and take care of yourself. Hang out people who are going to be a good influence and help you succeed in life.

Adrianna

As a teenager I had problems at home. I would address the following three truths if I could go back in time. Reality Check Going to college is not about pleasing your family, it’s about you. Family defines who you are today but remember, you have a secret dream-chasing that dream means that you are willing to wash your hands of disappointment or even feelings of betrayal felt by your loved ones when you leave home. Whilst holding the “needs” of family above your own, you are nurturing the lack of purpose you feel and so desire to conquer. Time management Awareness of time is a discipline. Complete the simplest task first rather than becoming overwhelmed by a subject of higher demand. This means studying with a group after class and visiting a tutor instead of wasting the downtime. The “Big Picture” You are worthy of facing the challenges of a new life. Direct your focus on who you want to be rather than what you think others expect-of you- in doing so you will reach such a life that knowledge and wisdom are profit in exchange for hard work and thus-gain personal fulfillment.

nathanael

Study harder

Austin

If I was able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior there is so many things I would share. However I would try to focus on stressing the importance of saving for school, listening to your professors, and to take advantage of every class. Out of those three the latter would be the most important. Every class is not just a credit or course requirement to check off a list. Rather each class is an oportunity to learn something new and increase my knowledge which is the reason why I'm going to school. I would make sure I knew the importance of listening to what the professor says and to remeber to read the textbook so that I could absorb as much information as possible. Hopefully I would be wise enough to listen and would have prevented some of the freshman mistakes I made.

Tori

Save. Your. Money. That cute top that is on sale? Yeah, you don't need it. One night you will find yourself on an 8-hour study bender, and you will be hungry. Stop waking up so early to spend hours doing your hair and makeup and pondering over your wardrobe, because the most important thing you do today is not wow people by being a beauty guru. The most important thing you can do is wake up with goals on your mind, to work hard and commit 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} to every task, and and be kind to everyone you meet. You have, quite literally, no idea how far this will take you in the real world. But most of all, be kind, gracious, and patient with your sweet mother. Cancer is going to take her life right before you graduate high school, and you are going to miss the living daylights out of her. Be glad you spent prom night holding her hand in the hospital bed. You will swallow back tears, on college move-in day, when you see everyone and their mother excitedly accessorizing their college dorms. Life is short and sweet, savor every little bit of it.

Alicia

If i was to go back in the past to myself as a senior I would tell myself not to slack off, not to wait to apply for college , and to study for the ACT. Once you have stepped foot into college for the first time you truly feel like a grown up, and you know now that you can not slack off and be dependent on the teachers. I should of not slacked off my senior year. It would have changed my GPA and the amount of KEES money that I recieve. I would of also applied for college the first semester of senior year I should of not waited. It would ahve been easier if I already knew what my major was going to be but there is no reason to wait to apply for college. Everyone needs to make something of themselves. I would of retaken the act and studied for it this time. I recieved a 14 on the ACT and that is not me. I am a very smart student and have a 3.25 GPA. I needed a ACT score to match that.

louise

I am 55 years old and a recovering drug addict of 40 years, I have been clean now for 6 years and I would tell myself never do drugs or drink and take my education very seriously as this is what will make you the person that you will become mentally and also financially to take care of yourself and your family, without your education you will more than likely live a very unstable, poor life, you will struggle everyday to make ends meet, your children will most likely never want to do anything with their life either, you see the adults are their mentors and as the saying goes monkey see, monkey do. Every parent wants the best for thier children and without the proper adult supervision, support, wisdom, courage, friends, family, education, strength, and most of all your higher power God to help them grow into strong adults they more than likely won't have a chance to living a healthy, loving, happy, and normal life. Our children is our future. One day I will be able to help them fight this disease of addiction, if I can help just one its well worth it. Thanks Louise Hensley

Jennifer

To my 17 year old self, Today you are a 36 year old college student, completing an Associates, and graduating with honors. You will be transferring to a 4 year University focusing on pre-med and have a desire to be an Oncologist. You are a mother of two, step-mother of three, and recently married to a husband you've always dreamed of. You've spent much of your adult life as a divorced single parent, struggling, and working multiple jobs to makr sure your chidlren have every possibility available to them so that they may succeed and have happy lives. Today you're a 17 year old senior, excited about graduation and thinking that college isn't a possibility for you financially or successfully. However, there are many financial options and you can more than succeeed. You are a very smart girl with a big heart. Go to college and and pursue your dreams. Be successful and help all of those who will need you. This is the plan for your life. Always remember: nothing great was ever achieved with out excitement, desire, determination, focus, and a few life lessons along the way. You can do this!

Jeanna

I have learned that in life you must work hard at what you want. I have also learned that I must be very focused and have the will to want better for not only myself but my family. Going back to school has given me the ability to be prepared for what may come my way and proved for my family in a much more effecient way. I am also going to be able to do what I love which is to help others when they need it.

Anjelica

If I could go back in time I would tell myself not to be afraid that I can do it and I am not worthless. Neither of my parents went to college and I sometimes worried that I couldn?t either but my self esteem kept me from wanting to pursue my dreams. It took many hardships after I graduated high school for me to find the answers I needed. I would tell my young self that life is something not to be afraid of and I need to believe in myself. That you will go on to get your masters degree and become the psychologist you know you can be. That I?ll be able to help others in a way I never thought I could help myself. But mostly, not to be afraid of College, it is there to help you in life and so far it has helped me discover myself in a way I never thought I could. I learned to believe in myself and I would tell my high school self that I should start believing now.

nisha

Wow.... there's so much I would tell myself, it's going to be difficult to keep this to two hundred words! In this situation, I think first and foremost, I would stress the importance of education. Like many seniors anticipating "the real world", I made the foolish decision to not immediately go to college. As life would have it, I found myself pregnant one year later, and subsequently decided against going to college because I didn't think I could juggle school and parenting. I would never wish my son away, but my life would be dramatically different had I entered college directly out of high school. I'm now back in college (obviously) and seeking to gain entrance into the dental hygiene program. If I had already earned a bachelor's degree, however, I'd be seeking entrance into dental school. I have far too many responsibilities now to consider the eight years of schooling it would require to graduate from dental school.....and by not going to college and seeking a degree when I was young and free enough to do so, I unknowingly cheated myself out of a very bright future.

Julia

If you plan on attending a big public university, consider starting small. Community colleges are a good transition from high school to a big university. You can take all the lower level general ed classes there without taking them with 200-300 other people. It's easier to get personal attention with your professors and get to know your classmates. Then, when you're ready to transfer, you'll just have your uppergraduate major-specific courses to take. Two years at a community college will also save you a lot of money!! No matter which school you choose, get involved! Work hard and study, but have some fun and make some friends outside of class, too, by joining clubs or sports, going to games, and attending events hosted by the student activities board!

Victoria

If I could go back, I would go back to my freshman year of high school. I would have tried harder with academics and would have taken every opportunity with AP classes. My junior year I took AP classes and they were the one thing that actually got me prepared for the world outside of high school. They gave me a reality check of how classes were going to be in college, at least similar too. I give the advice for every person entering high school is to take academics seriously, because they do matter. Senior year is supposed to be the easiest year, but yet you have to get all of your college stuff together so I advise every person to challenge themselves to the best of their ability. Take advantage of the AP courses your high school has to offer and the clubs and organizations because they all matter on a college application. Having these things will qualify you for scholarships and will mentally prepare you for what the future has in store.

Megan

If I were able to go back, I would have actually became a high school senior. I left high school after my junior year and started working full time. Growing up I had always said I was going to graduate and go straight to college, but sometimes life takes us in different directions. I cannot say that I regret my life choices, but in some ways I do wish that i would have continued my education sooner. I achieved my GED in 2007, shortly after is when I enrolled at Bluegrass and I haven't stopped since. Therefore the only advice I could give myself would be that no matter what life brings and wherever it takes you, remember to always follow my heart and that it is never to late to fulfill those dreams.

Tasha

In high school, I was an over achieving work-a-holic. I had three part time jobs and graduated with a 3.33 gpa. I had one goal in my sights and that was veterinary school. I have never wanted to do anything else. I pushed myself and moved off to college. When I reached college, something changed. I quit. It wasn't that I didn't care or my career objective changed, but something stopped pushing me. I stopped going to class and rarely did homework. After barely scraping by with a 2.0 my freshman year, I was even less motivated than before. After 4 years of floundering in school, I left before I was asked to leave. I had never failed at ANYTHING before. I even think that failure was my biggest fear. If I could go back now and talk to my high school self, I would tell that girl to accept the failure that lies ahead. I wouldn't change one thing about my past. That huge failure gave me the life lesson I needed to go back to school and to succed now. Those mistakes turned that girl into the woman I am today.

Lindsey

Dear Lindsey, While I?m sure you are enjoying your senior year, and hopefully making the most of it, I want to offer a friendly reminder that is simply this: as much as you may want to believe it true, you unfortunately are not on the top of the world. Trust me when I say, the petty satisfactions of high school will mean nothing in the ?real world.? While prom may seem like a huge deal to you now, do not forget that you have AP exams soon, and they matter more than you think they do. I know your teachers say it, repeat it, and pound into your brain the fact that your today affects your tomorrow, but I urge you to listen. How you apply yourself does, in fact, affect your future. They may seem like silly points here and there, but the higher you score on your ACT can drastically change your financial standing in college. That higher grade on your AP tests will opt you out of taking the same classes later. I urge you to understand that while high school does only happen once, college comes quickly thereafter, with a cost; a very expensive cost.

Emily

If I could go back in time and visit myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to get too caught up in the "college scene" there is a lot of new experiences to be had and I should do so cautiously. The next thing I would tell myself is to not work so hard at my job and to realize that there are times for work and times for fun, it would be easier to live at home and try to go to school and be able to get more involved in school activities on campusrather than work forty hours a week and just squeak by in school, it would be a lot easier to work hard in school and get A's the first time around and not have to spend the money to retake classes.

Donald

I never saw myself going to a community college. I had this set plan that I was going to be rich. I had no clue how, but I was going to have the highest salary available and live a worry-free life somewhere in a huge house. Then I went to high school and found out that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I was even close to dropping out, altogether! I had finally found a niche with nutrition and I never looked back. But with my options severely crippled by a lower GPA than expected, I had to settle for a community college for a few years. If I were to speak to myself during high school, I would strongly encourage this very idea: seeking aid from any and every source available. Beg people for money. Fill out every scholarship application in sight. Because free money is a beautiful, though rare, treasure. You must grasp it while you can. I can't think of a single gift better than a scholarship. Nothing is more discouraging than the bill for tuition (except having to pay even more for a student loan.)

Ana

If I could travel back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would tell myself to to whatever I had to do to go to college. I'm 34 years old now, struggling to pay for one class at a time. I'm dying to take more, but I just can't afford to. At the rate I'm going, it will be years before I'm able to get my Bachelor's. Even worse, the quality of education I'm receiving leaves much to be desired. You honestly get what you pay for with community colleges, but my choices are limited. Still, I can't help but feel a small measure of pride with each "A" that I receive and each class that I complete. My courses have been far from difficult, but I feel good knowing that I have managed to balance work, school, and a marriage all the while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

Leah

None. I have always been a dedicated student, and took college prep in high school to fully prepare myself for the transition. I scored well on the ACT, needed no remedial courses upon entering college, and during my first semester of college, earned a 4.0. I had no surprises upon entering college, other than, college, for me, has been easier than high school.

Catherine

I would definately tell myself to make my future decisions for myself and for myself only. I tend to try to make everyone else happy rather focusing on what I want. I would have chosen the school that I wanted to go to first rather then spending a year at a school that was chosen for me. Mostly I would tell myself to take in the experience. Try new things. So what if you change your major a couple of times! You do not want to chose a career that you are not going to be satisfied with. Keep up the good work and everything will fall into place.