Brookdale Community College Top Questions

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

Matthew

As a high school student, I remember feeling rushed into make a decision as to what profession I'd be pursuing in college. The process happens so quickly that you're left with the feeling of uncertainty. Uncertain if you've made the right decision, which in high school, is billed as "the most important decision of your life." If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I'd tell myself to slow down and take a breath. It's important to not feel rushed as a high school senior because deciding your future, although an important decision, is a difficult one. I would tell myself to take more time out for experiences and projects that would help hone my skills as a future professional. Extracurriculars are not only important for acceptance into college, they're important to help you meet other people and gain insight into a field you may be interested in. Lastly, I'd tell myself not to take anything for granted. Growing up is the quickest part of life that doesn't wait for anyone. It's a train you don't want to miss.

Justin

If I could go back in time and tell my former high school self about college, I would have some things to say. “Honestly though, the transition was easy. You won’t be moving into a dorm, so that’s nothing to worry about. Classes are like high school but much more mature people, you don’t have to ask to go to the bathroom, and you are allowed to just walk out of class. You will actually feel more comfortable at college than you did in high school, and the best thing is you will be there for what you want to be, and will be happy about that.”

Emily

College isn't as easy as everyone says it will be. Make sure you do a quick run through of where your classes before the first day! This will greatly reduce your stress level. When you first walk into the classes some of the people seem mean/gruff but most of them are a lot nice than they first appear give them a chance. Take the time you need off of work to do your course work. (I promise they'll let you and understand). Take your classes seriously and study hard in every free minute you have! If at all possible rent books on-line it's SO much cheaper just be sure to return them on time. And most importantly have fun and soak up all you can from your classes! :) Best of luck

sara

Knowing what i do now, i would go back to tell myself to stop procrastinating all the time. This is because in the beginning i would put friends before school and would fall behind on my work because i would always tell myself that i still had time to get it done. I would then end up skipping out on class in order to finish papers at the last minute. I would also go back to tell myself to take on more classes in the beginning so that would have graduated on time instead of taking baby steps. I now know that i can handel much more than what i thought i could in the beginning and learned to balance work and school while still having time for friends and family.

Jennifer

If I could go back to my senior year and give myself advice I would say pay attention to scholarship stuff, start your FAFSA as soon as possible and learn to drive. I think not paying attention when the teacher came to talk about FAFSA and scholarships was the worst decision I made in high school. I figured I wouldn't need it because I was planning on going to a school that didn't use aid. Turns out that isn't what happened and because of this I had trouble filling out my FAFSA and had to wait a whole year to start college. Another big thing is I should've learned to drive and gotten my liscence while in high school. My life would be so much easier because I wouldn't need to depend on people or busses for rides everywhere. I could go anywhere I needed at anytime and accomplish so much more.

Eric

Finish school Eric! It's an ever changing, dog eat dog world out there. A GED, talent and a good line of bullshit only carries you so far before your education matters more than your talent. Trust me, I have lived the life you will live ! Going to college isn't as monsterous as it might seem. Because your family refuses to pay for your education shouldn't stop you - 26 years from now I... you will find out (despite your financial woes), you... I will be able to afford college and get that education you're believing is escaping you. College life isn't like going to a new high school, the students are friendlier, the staff is far more helpful than in high school. You'll be able to ask questions and get answers; the benefits and oppotunities you'll find there will blow your freakin mind! One more thing, don't break up with your girl now, you'll find her in 22 years and you'll cry over all the years you missed. Stay with her and convince her to go to college with you, she'll say yes like she does in your future.

Clifford

If i possess the ability to go back in time to talk to myself, i would give myself plethora of advice to avoid the mistakes that hindered my college performance. However, due to a 200 word constraint, i will share the main event that if i knew prior knowledge of, i would have been significantly in a better state that i am currently in. The event is when i got kicked out my parents' house. I will not drag and bore whoever read this with the entire details of my dysfunctional family, but i will discuss the aftermath that was caused by this event. After i was kicked out (primarily because i was 18 years old and my father would not have to pay child supprt), i had to move roughly 115 miles of where i was attending school. This situation made the ability to go to school relatively impossible. Due to this event, i received my first and to this date, my only C. Additionally, it cause to me miss the following semester which put me back a little. So, if i did possess the ability to go back in time, this is what i would have warned myself.

Julia

I remember when I was a senior I was nervous and terrified by the minute about college. After being a college student for two years now I wish someone would have told me to just relax! If I could go back and give some advice to myself I really would have loved to hear some of the things I learned on my own. The minute you step foot on campus ground you are on your own. There are no second chances, you miss a class then you need to get everything you missed because chances are the professor looks at you just as he looks at everyone else. There is no mommy around to do your laundry, cook, or school work. There is no one to make sure you wake you up for class. These are the responsibilities you adapt too and if there was one way to some up my advice it would be this: It?s a place where memories start, sleep deprives, food intake becomes a habit, and new friendships develop. College is your future, your success, so take it serious but have fun at the same time because it is one experience you will never forget.

Katherine

This question recently arose when I was discussing the application process with a mother of a friend of mine. Her daughter is going to college next year, and her older child did the same thing as me - didn't apply for scholarships. I was accepted to many universities, I believe six overall, however could not afford to attend any of them due to lack of financial aid, as well as the fact that I could have, but did not apply for scholarships. I would have advised myself to take the time out of my day and apply for maybe one scholarship a week, just to up my odds of receiving some amount of financial help. Also, I would have studied much harder. Had I gotten better grades, I would have gotten much more scholarship money from universities. Although I'm very happy where I am now, I feel I could have done better for myself if I had just put a little bit of extra work in. What seemed like a lot then, really is nothing compared to the amount of work that I do now!

Morgan

If I were able to go back in time and give myself advice about college I would tell my self to go to community college. After high school I wanted to get out and be on my own, so I went away to a state college and lived on campus. Living on my own I was not able to balance my time, get my work done or be on any normal schedule. After my first year away from home I decided to come back home and try community college out. Brookdale has been able to truly prepare me for my future and pointed me in the right direction.

brittaney

Make sure you do your homework. Pay attention to your teachers no matter how boring and actually read the material given to you or you risk failing

Delia

Knowing what I know now about college life it is not easy unless you're going to community college or your parents set a college fund for you even before high school. My main interest was dealing with numbers also dealing with the clinical field. When i worked at Mount Sinai Hospital I dealt with codes & billing. I'm trying to succeed in the Medical Billing & Coding field. Codes change every year rules also changed you have to be on top of what is going on in the medical websites to catch & explore free Webinars in order to understand jargon practice quizzes keep your mind sharp or you will lose track then you have to start from scratch going to very expensive 3-day-Boot-Camps once you leave you lost all valuable tips & how to then when the exam comes you forgot everything. You spent $19,000 not including hotel expenses, etc of course you kick yourself. It is not easy college life

Sarah

John Dewey the American philospher once said, "Education is not a preparation for life, education is life itself." This quote delivers the important message of life that every senior should pay attention to. As a senior and on the honor roll list and perfect attendance list for years of high school, the vision of school was a simple process of course taking and passing. However as a twenty five year old mother of two children, I would have told myself college and the education gained there is what sets each individual apart. Life experience is one thing that but college education is everything. Without education, knowledge is lost. I would have told myself as this aspiring senior and an upcoming college student to take college more seriously and finish my education in a fast and a steady pace. Instead of taking breaks to 'enjoy' life, I should've enjoyed life while finishing my education. Understanding the value of education, inspires my passion to finish my degree in psychology and counseling youth who need a sound supporting voice to help them in life.

Chun

To Chun M. Yuen, (tong2000200020005842658426tt1069) This is a letter from the future written by yourself, and the code I wrote next to yours - my name should prove it. This is your senior year in high school, and I remember myself wasting time in video gaming and unproductive web surf during that precious last year. Be warn! Your indolence shall pay unless you act now. Your family will no longer be able to support your college education, and soon you will be worn out by full time college workload while keeping a full time job. I had experienced it, and I regretted for my laziness ever since. If you wish to avoid walking on my path, my advice is to work hard on gaining every opportunity to express yourself, participate in more community services, earn as much money as you can now without hurting your grades, and begin to search for scholarships and free grant. Now, you should start by uninstalling Diablo II and other video games from your computer, and then follow my advice. You won?t regret it, trust yourself. Chun - 01192010

Ginette

I would tell myself to only go to University of Pittsburgh for one semester. I shouldn't have tried to keep going back when my health still wasn't where it should have been. I wasted so much money and time trying to go there after the first fall term, and I didn't get anything out of it. But I wouldn't say to skip Pittsburghs all together. The full semester that I was there was a good learning experience. It helped boost my knowledge of Japanese much higher than if I went straight to Brookdale. Plus, it gave me a taste of dorm life. After going to Pittsburgh for the first semester, I would tell myself to go to Brookdale for the next two years, and then transfer to either Rutgers or William Paterson to get my Bachelor's degree. That way I would still have a good start with Japanese, but I wouldn't be owing as much money.

Nikki

For most of my high school career, I had managed to create a future and person that was not at all ?me?. Come August, I was packed up and ready to attend a college that was not at all right for me to study a subject that was just as wrong. I lasted only one month. It took a lot of self reflection over the year that I decided to take off to figure out what direction I would like my life to go into, and I do not regret one second of that year. However, it would be nice to be able to tell my seventeen year old self that I should honestly follow my heart. If I had, I might have avoided those nights during that year off where I felt completely confused and scared about my future. That being said, I?m not sure I would be where I am, and feel the way I do now, if had I not made that mistake. Therefore, I would tell my younger self to carry on as I was, because I believe those mistakes are what send us to the places that we were meant to be all along.

Christina

Christina, stay focused on your grades. Boys are not that important right now and you need to make a good life for yourself before finding a good guy to share it with. Look at Mom and Dad, how they have really struggled to get where they are today. If you do not focus on your grades, you are going to turn out exactly the same way, living paycheck to paycheck. You want a better life for yourself, for your kids. Please just stop and think about the life you want in ten years, not the life that you want right now. Sure, high school is a lot of fun, but it can be fun and still get you the future you want. You have to realize that college is so important to everything. Sincerely, Your Future

Heather

I would tell myself to go to the best art school in Philadelphia or New York City and live on campus with the help of scholarships and financial aid. I would explain how financial aid works and what to do to get scholarships. I tell myself not to take any time off from school and not to worry about being a starving artist because if you do what you love you are very successful.

Mary

Never stop learning. I don't mean just going to school, but staying interested in what's going on in the world. Question what people are saying and decide for yourself what is really going on. If you do this you will naturally want to continue your formal education . The more you know, the more you realize how much you don't know. Many of the problems we face each day would be solved if we were better at critical thinking. Continuing education helps us prepare for life's problems as well as getting better employment. Often students find that they are not really interested in what they thought they wanted to do. That is not a valid reason to "drop out". Once you get away from the academic scene, it often makes it harder to return. Look for advise about alternatives to your original goal, and start a new path to a better end. Give yourself another chance...or two. And, finally, remember that showing up is half the battle. Don't give in to the temptation to skip a class or an assignment. It might seem unimportant , but it's a habit that's hard to break.

Katie

For me its pretty basic: Don't be scared to put yourself out there!!

lisa

Giving advice to ones self isn't easy. On the other hand, after my experiences in college, it is. Lisa, please do not stress out about working and going to school at the same time. You are a strong woman and can handle any challenges that come you way. If you take the time to study, you will be fine. Please do not stress that you do not know anyone. You will meet so many lovely people in college that you will know for years. Even though high school is boring and tedious, college will have so many fun nights when you stay up to study. Enjoy your life, as you know, you only get one chance to live.

Jeanie

The advice I would give myself as a high school senior is don't become complacent meaning set a goal and stick to it. I started at Brookdale Community College as a stepping stone and thinking I'd be gone after 1 semester as soon as I found a 4 year college. Then I began to take advantage of living at home and working and saving money and almost not wanting to experience the college life. I'm disappointed that I've been at BCC for 2 years and am now graduating this semester but still don't know what college I'd like to attend. I feel if I had set a deadline or a goal for myself early on, I'd be at the school of my dreams pursuing the degree for the career of my dreams.

John

The advice I would give my former self would be to take almost the exact path I am taking right now with the exception of changing majors. I would tell myself from the past about how important a very general and broad type of major such as liberal arts is compared to something too specific. I have learned about the importance if networking with honorable and knowledgeable individuals that will absolutely help me in my years after college, something I would also relay to myself in the past. I am happy and proud of all of the challenges I have faced and accomplishments I have made, especially the ones having to do with my rise to president of Brookdale's honor society. Leading a group of nine board members and 100 members has been the biggest tests of patience and logic of my life, but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

Alyssa

I would tell myself to learn how to study better and keep up with my work. College requires constant studying to stay on task and limited procrastination. Stay focuses, keep yourself on task, go to every class unless theres a circumstance where you absolutely cannot attend, and keep up with your work. Every paper, class, lecture, and lab counts. Minimal studying, effort, and time given will show in your grades. Also, only take on as much as you can handle. Four classes is considered full time and that will take up most of your time. If you want to stack classes, think seriously about it and make sure you can handle four first. You can always take that extra class in the summer. Keep in touch with your professors and use the resources college provides. The staff is there when you need them, but only go there if you cant figure something out yourself. Try to be independent if you can help it and solve problems yourself if its possible.

Caitlin

I would tell myself that college is a major adjustment and that taking it slowly by first beginning at a community college is a smart idea. It enables you to learn what college-level work is like without the demands of adjusting to a dorm situation and being away from home. College-level work takes time and learning how to study properly is one thing you will learn well during your first year of college. Always remember that college is full of learning experiences and what you learn during your first year will serve to benefit you for the remainder of your college career.