DigiPen Institute of Technology Top Questions

Easily, I would have told myself to have gotten more involved. To have thoroughly immersed myself in scholarship opportunities, the college search, and really work to prepare myself. I missed a lot of opportunities as a high school senior and I am paying for those mistakes now in my first year of college. I would have told myself that my future and my education should be the number one thing on my mind, no matter what, and to always put myself first, and not allow others to get in the way of that. The only one who should be in control of my future is me, and that I shouldn't doubt myself or let others discourage me. I especially would have warned myself not to allow myself to sit in abusive relationships that will only harm me and my future, even if they are family. I would have said, "You are important. Don't worry about being a disappointment to anyone but yourself. "

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior I'm afraid most advice would have gone unheard. Even so, the best advice I could have given myself is to not have a girlfriend when I decided to go to college. It makes things so much more difficult. I second guessed myself so many times while applying for school because my girlfriend was gonna be crushed when I left. Now that I'm in school it's very distracting when I'm trying to get school work done. I'm constantly getting text messages and expected to respond in a timely manner. Often times it would be more beneficial to me to stay up here on the weekends to finish homework and help with my group project, but I am torn between academics and trying to make my girlfriend happy. So in retrospect, things would be much easier if I could focus my attention solely on school and not have a significant other.

"Hey, Nelson. I knew we'd get into DigiPen. Now prepare to get wrecked with loads of homework. Study up on anatomy, pay attention in art history, and don't procrastinate. You got someone to look out for. Also, try your hardest in figure drawing and do your best. Go to all of the drawing sessions. Even if you are tired and sick of it, go through with it to the end. Good luck in your freshman year. It will change you." Maybe my GPA might be a little bit higher if I gave myself this advice back then.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to open up and not be scared. I went my whole first semester being scared to talk to new people. I learned that once I got to know people I enjoyed college a lot more. College students should open up and get to know their peers. The people they meet will become a very important part of their life, almost like their second family. I was worried that people would judge me, but they did not. That gave me confidence to talk to more people and enjoy this time more.

As a Digipen college student talking to a high school student, here is some advise: Time management. At Digipen there's a lot to do in a very short amount of time. The school emulates the game/film industry, meaning that most of your time will be devoted to your work. I’m talking ten to twelve hours a day on campus. The workload also extends outside of class, and it’s up to each individual student to manage his/her own time to get everything done. In your case, I advise to carry a planner wherever you go. I know you may not like the idea, but believe me, you're not a person who can keep everything in your head (it stresses you out). The planner will help you know what you are doing everyday, and complete them. It will inspire you to realistically set out time for work where you can put all your focus on a particular task. Plus, you will enjoy the feeling of checking off finished assignments. At Digipen you’re the manager, and keeping organized is the way to succeed. All you need to remember is to stay focused and get a planner.

College is not going to be easy but it is a wonderful foundation to build the rest of your life on.

Never give up on yourself and your belief that hard work will pay off. You can make a living doing something that you love, you do in fact have talent and when combined with your strong work ethic will take you into one of the hardest and most rewarding growing industries. You can do it!

As a highschool senior, I had no idea where to go or what to do with my life. My parents have always pushed me to become a doctor. I blindly followed, knowing I'd slave away at chemistry and biology just to do it. However, in my heart, I knew it was different. I loved impressing people; bringing my imagination to life. However, I never took art classes, because art was only a “distraction.” I knew this especially well since I would always bring my sketchbooks to class and draw in them, come home and look up tutorials online on digital coloring, and stay up late just to get those finishing touches done on that picture. It was silly to go into art when I was supposed to go to medical school. If I could go back in time and tell my old self about DigiPen and that there -is- more in "your" future than having to make money as a doctor, I would tell myself that I could go to an amazing school while following my passion, and have fun learning. I would tell myself that I could stop looking at simple tutorials online and actually take classes instead.

I believe it would go, a little something like this: I know that you're struggling through this high school thing, and I know it doesn't seem to be looking up at all. However you have to know that going to college, the sooner is better. Sure, it's scary! You're bright, and a quick learner - don't allow yourself to be so pressured that you forget just how much you can achieve. College staff work their hardest to make sure you have the answers you need, and that you know you're exactly where you need to be to gain everything you can from the experience. Don't be afraid to assert yourself, and succeed. I know you can, and there is plenty of people that support you as well.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself in Senior Year of high school I would tell him to not be afraid. Although college can be a scary transition it can also be one of the greatest experiences of his life. I would also tell him to do his best to immerse himself into the school by meeting a lot of the other students and the professors. By meeting a lot of people it can make the transition much easier and make the overall experience more fun. Another thing I would say is to save up a lot of money. They may not have any scholarships but working and saving up could help in the long run. Also I would say that it would be okay to take the year off from school mainly to save up money.

If I could go back in time and offer any advice to myself, it would be to take more time selecting a school, and not be pressured into making any decision that doesn’t feel right, because that nagging doubt will follow you. Take the time to investigate schools thoroughly, ask yourself about the kind of person you are, and how that fits with the reputation of the schools you are interested in. Do some research into what your major is good for, and decide if you could actually see yourself in those careers. Undecided? Think about jobs you’d love to have and find the major that leads there. Think about your hobbies/interests, how they would help you in a working world, and see if they lead you towards a major and school. If you pick something that doesn’t fit, you CAN start over, but you probably won’t want to. It may seem like a massive pressure to make such a decision so young, but you can do anything with the proper research and knowledge, so don’t shy away just because it seems like work. Life is work, being prepared is your greatest ally.

Practice good study habits and prioritizing now, before you graduate high school. It will make the transition much easier. Be prepared that you may need to take a step back from extracurricular activities in order to focus on school. If you are unsure of your career goal, or just aren't ready to take academics seriously, don't be afraid to take a break from school for a year. Take this as an opportunity to volunteer in areas that you are interested in - you may discover that you hate something you thought you would love....or the opposite! Plan to live at home as long as you can, during your education. It may seem like more fun to move out, but it is costly and a lot of responsibilities come with it. Furthermore, adjusting to the academic responsibilities of post-secondary education is no small thing; add living independently for the first time, and it could be a little too overwhelming! Finally, don't let anyone tell you that you cannot acheive your dreams. It may take a lot more for you to get there, but if you persevere you can accomplish more than anyone - even yourself - imagined possible!

Go to an accredited art college directly after graduating from high school; or take a year to backpack across Europe prier to attending school. Once in college, take it very seriously and get your degree as soon as possible so that you may attain employment from a respectable company within the gaming industry.

I graduated high school planning to attend Nebraska Wesleyan University for music education. I was told I was going to be given scholarships and grants for a tuition of $4000 a year. But when it came time to pay the bill, they wanted $13000 a year. I couldn't afford it. I attended Metropolitan Community College for a semester and tried to go to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. I had everything set up to go in the spring of 2011 but then I was told the school of vocal music was full so I would only be genereal studies. I decided to stay at Metro for another semester and go to the University of Nebraska at Omaha in the fall of 2011. My college experience has not gone the way I've wanted it to. But I've moved on through every obstacle. I made the Dean's list at Metro for the fall quarter and will soon be on the Dean's list for the spring quarter. I'm a great student and I can't wait to start my college career off the right way so I can study to one day become a teacher myself.

Knowing what I know now, I would go back and tell myself to be ready to stop being shy. For me, an important part of going to school was learning to be outgoing. After almost three years at college, I have become a much more outgoing person, and I never expected that. It was difficult at first because I was reluctant to be outgoing, and if I had had someone to push me into it, I think it would have been a lot better for me.

The advice that I would give to myself would be, "Brian, I know you are unsure what you are want to do with your life. Don't give up or let it give you down. Give 100 percent and good things will happen to you. Take pride in everything you do. If you are unsure about what major you want then go to a community college. All the skills you are learning now will be used in the future so don't let senior slide get to you. All the hard work will pay off and will make you a well rounded person in the future."

What I have obtained from my college experience is the skills that I perceive to be necessary for a successful future. I have learned maturity, responsibility, and self-confidence. My college experience has helped me mature as a student because I have had to learn how to effectively manage my time while balancing school, work, and family obligations. College has also helped me become more responsible and self-accountable because I’ve had to initiate my own studying and learning. Finally, college has helped my confidence; I now have an assurance that I can overcome whatever challenges I am faced with, both small and great. For these reasons and more, my college experience has been extremely valuable to me and my future.

So far the college experience has been the best one I've had in my life. During public schooling I was never very social and didn't make a lot of friends are hang out with many people. But being at Digipen, because it is so specialized, so many people share my same interests. It has been so easy to make friends, to hang out with others, to do social activites we all enjoy such as online gaming and partying. I also enjoy all of the work we recieve, usually in high school I was doodling during non-art classes (we had very few actual art classes and I didn't take them because I was so focused on the core classes) but now these doodles have become my homework, and I enjoy it. I love Digipen, I couldn't have made a better choice in what college I wanted to go to. It reflects the career I hope to one day have, a career I want to enjoy just as much.

My experience at DigiPen began with a message from our President, made all the more somber by his heavy Lebenese accent, "Look to your left, now to your right. Those people, will not be there four years from now. " He continued on to say, "You will need to prove yourself here, we will not hand you a diploima, just as no company will hand you a job when you leave here. " Since then it's been two years and he was right, those who lacked passion and discipline have been lost to DigiPen's course load, late nights and, stress. I'm still here because DigiPen tested me, and I along with my classmates, we passed. Every day we're pushed to our limits, and we get through it by relying on each other and our collective knowledge. Through this teamwork, I've learned more outside of the classroom, and exceed my own expectations. Without attending DigiPen, I would be unprepared for the cooperative nature of the Games Industry. DigiPen has become an invaluable part of my identity, and I will depend on the relationships I've built here though out my career and the rest of my life.

I have gotten a school that pushes me to my extreme limits as an individual and a community of students and teachers who are just as passionate about their work as I am. At this school, I can directly learn about and be involved in my field and leave the school ready to hit the ground running and pursue my career and life goals.

Technology always marches on- it never stays still and one must keep learning to stay current. I am a returning student, getting my second BFA. When I first went to college in the early 1990s, I was taught technique in traditional media, and was told that artist did best when they had shows in galleries. That was the only life skill training that I received. Needless to say, it didn't take me very far, because shortly after I left college the digital art explosion hit. 3D animation, modeling and digital painting are now the new skill sets that are needed to make it in the video game or movie industry, and I had none of it; it was like learning to sell horses only to find out everyone wanted a car. Now I return to college to learn new skill sets at a school that I deeply respect. The professors used to work at Disney and Dreamworks, and pass on real life skills in their classes; it's simply amazing. I've truly blessed at this opportunity. Thank you for this consideration, Quentin.

I have learned more about life and how to live it. I have gained the knowledge of the industry and what i need to succeed in it. Most of all i have learned how to make my mark in the world and stick to my guns.

I would go back and tell my self that waiting to go to college is harder than anyone thinks. You need to stop worrying about friends and parties and concentrate more on studying. Look in to a lot of different colleges ant think about what you want to do. Online classes are nice but going to an on site campus gives you a more hands on opportunity. Getting started is the easy part, making yourself continue in your studies is the hard part. Once you are out of high school and into college life, you are responsible for yourself. You will not know the answers to every question and to learn more then you ever thought you would. Ask questions even if you think you know the answer you should still ask. Don?t be scared to speak up in class you will not look like a know it all but will let the professor know that your are paying attention and willing to learn. Put your mind to your work and you will do great. High school is only a stepping-stone in your life and college will determine the life you have.

If it was possible to go back it time and talk to myself as a senior I would have a few suggestions for myself. College isn't easy, it certainly is not a place to constantly party. Back in High School I already had this idea of college, I was prepared to give up a good majority of my social life in order to successfully achieve at the curriculum. I would support my past self of this ideal, but most importantly I would reassure myself that in the end, it is definitely all worth it. Unlike high school, my college shares knowledge that I haven't ever dreamed of learning. The information if so fascinating and inspiring to me that I would not give it up for anything. On a parting note I would remind myself that where I'm going has been my dream for over a decade and that I must always remember that and not give up however hard a course or an assignment might seem.

Don't worry about your family's financial situiation yet, just start school immediately. It will only get harder to pay for school in the future, and you have plenty of time to get the education you want right now. Also, find a weekend job BEFORE school starts.

First, in your senior year, spend as much time as you can with your friends. Despite your arguments, you will lose touch with most of them; therefore, this will be your last chance to talk to many of them. Also, do not go into college expecting to immediately jump into life-long friendships. It will not happen right away. While some of the relationships may become life-long, the closeness that you are expecting will take time to form. Invest time in relationships whenever possible, and don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. You need to remember all of the freshmen are just like you, everyone is starting over and making new friends. When you find a few you can trust and enjoy being around, open up more to them, and don't think differently of them if they don't right away. Again I remind you, give it time. It may feel lonely at times, but you are not alone. At those times, reach out to those around you, as those times will probably grant the best friendships and memories.

If I could have a conversation with my past self, it would mainly be about finances. As a Senior in high school I was very unsure of what path to take, and I was unaware of the importance of saving money for my future. Way to many weekends were spent with friends instead of working. By the time I had graduated I had my priorities straight, but now that I have started college I realize how much of a difference that extra money could have made. I have been trying my hardest since then, but it is very likely that I will not be able to finish college with the money my parents and I have come up with, alone. Sadly, such a conversation probably wont take place in reality, but if it could I would explain to my past-self the importance of making and saving money early.

I would tell myself that no matter the circumstance that it's ok. living away from home is very tough, especially by yourself. I would ask myself to please prepare yourself for the on coming loneliness, but also that it wouldn't last forever. I'd also ask myself to please start working on time management. because time management is the only thing that can get you from point a to b without stress or anixeity.