College of Our Lady of the Elms Top Questions

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

Jessalyn

The advice I would give myself would be to take harder classes. When I was a senior I slacked off a little bit instead of challenging myself. When I started college, I was not used to the work load. I feel that If I took advanced placement or honor classes I would be more used to the amount of work that I have to do this year. College is a big transition and I was serious about it in high school but I think I could've done more to prepare myself.

Shasta

Growing up in the Berkshires has been a unique experience. The members of my family were all born and raised in the area, and they have always been stuck in the small town circle of life. Most did not finish high school, and learned laborer skills which only took them so far. It is great watching them succeed, but I wonder about what their real potential would be if they had moved away and continued their education. Around here a lot of people do not find it possible to expand their horizons and get away from this town. As a high school senior, I made the decision to finish school, but for some reason chose to attend the local community college. Looking back, I wish I had been given the advice to expand my options and look into the other opportunities I could have taken. Although I am happy in the choice I made, there is always a chance I could have been more successful getting away from everything I know and start over with a clean slate.

Kristen

Kristen, do not rush into anything. Take time to learn who you are during your college education. Get involved in campus life right away. Stay focused. Meet new people. Fall in love. Fall out of love. Fall in love. Fall out of love. Remember you are human. You are beautiful. You can be anything. Do not concern yourself with things you cannot control. Take risks. Ask questions. Create. Imagine. Inspire. Make something wonderful. You can be everything. Try your hardest everyday and be thankful for everyday and every experience you have. It is ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. Remember all your hardwork will pay off in the end.

Tavish

The advice I would give myself is not to be shy. To go out there and meet new people and get involved sooner. I would want to make my own choices and not follow the crowd, especially if there is a party and people are begging me to go and I don't want to. I want to be able to put my foot down and express how I feel, to have my friends respect me. Continue to get help when ever possible in my subjects instead of trying to do it myself. Realize that people are helpful when you just ask for it. That's the advice I would give myself.

Tamisha

I am only in my first week of college so there is not much I can say. So far I have gathered that my school is great, just not for me.

Brian

I have gotten a few things out of my college experience. The first thing is intellectual growth. The way I carry myself and my vocabulary has played a big part in the way people see me. Also my naturity level was impacted because of school. The more I learn the more I can appreciate things such as the arts and also sciences. School has also helped me in my relationships. School has helped me understand my limitations and to appreciate my surroundings. I am more open to suggestions and I step back and think before I make decissions to make sure I have all the information, because of school I take nothing for granted.

Sandra

I have learned that I am more capable of pushing myself to complete my education and better myself than anyone else has ever led me to believe. I know with the ability to attain a degree I can not only provide a better life for myself, but as well as for my family. I have found the learning experiences very eye opening, and am surprised at all of the knowledge that is out there just waiting for me.

Jessica

My college experience has been both valuable and enriching. Attending Elms College has helped me personally, professionally, and spiritually to further my goals. Since I am the first person in my family to attend college, I am honored to have this opportunity to attend a prestigious nursing program at Elms College. College is preparing me for a profession that will enable me to help others and give back to my community. I thoroughly enjoy every moment at college, learning new techniques for both the healthcare field and the enrichment of my spiritual life. Elms? nursing program is widely reputed to be extremely thorough and one of the best in the area. Attending this prestigious of a program has allowed me to be challenged as a student to thoroughly learn every skill I will need for my career. Spiritually college has furthered me as well, as Elms requires a religion course in any major. In attending my religion course I have improved my faith to become a better nurse. In conclusion, I believe college has helped me to enrich myself not only professionally but spiritually and personally as well. I believe these are the most valuable qualities in life.

Matt

Apply to more than four schools. Give yourself more options, maybe something will open to you. If you still end up at The Elms, pace yourself. Plan head for your whole college career, don't try to take everything at once.

Dariana

Becoming independent, and learn how to advocate for yourself is key. My mother was always there solving my problems, I appreciated her at the time, but in college I' ve struggles, when a situation comes up, and i don't know how to deal with it. I would also study harder and pay more attention in class, specially in my English class, there's a lots of essay writing. Also time managment has been one of my challenges. Being on the swim team has been hard for me trying to fit the practices, with the classwork. I have learn to manage in my almost three years, but looking back into my high school years, I could have defenitely benefit from a time management course. Another thing I would do different is taking more college prep courses, because it would have made the transition a lot smoother.

Deborah

I would go back and look for more scholarships. I wish I had known my freshman year about buying books online or renting them instead of wasting so much money at the campus bookstore. Also it would have been good if I had really looked into the details of my programs and the requirements for major especially since I am going to school out of state but plan to return home after I graduate. I would have liked to tell myself to work hard to keep in touch with my friends from high school without being afraid to branch out and find people outside of groups I'm used to at college.

Leanese

College in a nutshell: You will meet so many new people. Some of them will stick around and be your great friends all throughout college, others will drift after a few weeks. The school is going to welcome you with open arms. The first week is all new and exciting. When classes begin you have to get your priorities straight. If you do these this, you'll be able to enjoy your free time. If you manage your time well, extracurricular activites and campus eventswill be a leisure that you will be able to take part in. Remember, that in college you might have to make sacrifices depending on your values. For this reason and many more, it is very important to stay true to who YOU are. You will grow, you will change, you will develop stronger character and you will discover more than you ever thought. It's an experience to live, an experience to look back on with joy, an experience in the "now." You wont realize it, but those funny inside jokes, and the late night study groups that often turn into movie nights, are comparable to those "oh oh summer nights" in the musical Grease.

Cindy

Don't be discouraged if you or your family doesn't have a lot of money for school. There are plently of scholarships and the right school will FIND a way for you to attend if you really want to go to their school.

Michele

Some advice about finding the right college would be find the college you think will work for you. Make sure it has the field you want to enter and also make sure it offers the classes you are interested in taking. Go on a tour to see if you like the size of the campus, the classrooms, dorming halls, and over all size. Also keep in mind does the college offer any sports or activities you are intersested in. Most of all do what feels right, if you whole heartly know that the college is for you go for it, if you have doubs keep looking. To make the most out of your college experience I would have to say dorm! I have never lived on campus and wished I had. You make more friends and you are involved in more activities. I feel this is better because you can get the full college experience.

Kim

Students choose your school wisely. Visit the schools before you apply. I visited a few colleges I liked on paper but when I visited I found out the school was not for me. Go as far away from home as you feel comfortable. At first, it will be scary and hard to adjust but once you get the hang of it you will never want to live at home again. If you play a sport try out for the team. Being a student athlete is the most rewarding part of my college career. Most of my friends are other athletes. The team becomes your other family, its makes it easier to be away from home. You go to college to get an education that will get you a job in the future but do not forget these are the best years. After college, you are in the really world so have fun, be safe and good luck. For parents let, your kids go. Let them go to the school they choose. I wanted to go to a school across the country and my parents talked me out of it. Sometimes I wonder what if I went there. Don?t worry.

Kate

I would suggest taking tours of the school and making sure that it isn't too big or too small for the college student.

Maria

My advice for the parents and students are that they should go and visit the college, try to interact with other students to see what experience they have. Find information about financial aid because that is really important. Finally talk to the principal about the security of the school because if you are a student you want to feel like you live at home.

katie

Don't worry so much about the college experience, it will just happen. If you're looking for a large school or a small school, that is usually an important factor in deciding where to attend college. Another important factor is location and what you have access to around the campus. (the town) If you don't know what you want to major in, go to a school where there are a lot of options. To make the most of the college experience, get involved and don't be afraid to share your mind, and speak up. When you do start pick professors not just classes, it makes the expereince so much better when you have great professors. Find a college that fits your personal likes and style. Get to know a school a little before you jump in.

Logan

I would suggest visiting every school that you are interested in. I visited a few schools that I thought I would love, but as soon as I stepped on campus I knew right away it wasn't the school for me. Be sure to explore all aspects of every prospective school such as sports, academics, dorm life, extra-curricular activities, academic support, class size, intensity of major, internship opportunities, and availability of teachers outside of the classroom. I learned that you can NEVER ask too many questions. If you have to, visit a school a second time. I absolutely recommend overnights. Sleeping at a prospective school will give your child (children) the best perspective on how they could fit in that certiain school environment. Be open-minded to everything, and remember, it is your child's decision and their education, not yours.

Emysha

To make sure you get a tour of college if the school offers overnight to experience college life do and to look into cost because you could probably find a school that has the same thing and it might be less expensive and also try to stay in your state it 's less costly on you and your parents and look seriously at student loan and avoid getting credit cards and try and find a lot of scholarships so that you won't have to take out a loan. An stay dedicated to your school work.

Caytlin

I would advise anybody that is going to go to college to go to college fairs and look at many different schools and what they offer. When you find the right school everything will fall into place easily and you will feel a great satisfaction when you apply. You should also go visit the school and look at the housing. You should also try to get an interview to ask questions about the classes or school in general. Learn as much as you can about financial aid and how it can help you get what you need for your educaiton. The college experience is amazing and you need to be open to all type of people and new habits you may encounter with, for example, a new roommate. If you let your school serve you as much as you serve it you will not regret anything about the schol you pick.

Ashley

My advice to parents or students is to find the school that is right for you. That you need to go where you are going to enjoy learning and interacting with others. The school you go to is not just about learning its also about growing there and being proud to say that you attend a particular school. The College experience is a great thing and should not be taken for granted. It is a place to leanr, make friends, have fun, and grow into a responsible and mature human being. The College you shoose shoudl be somwhere where you can do all of these things.