Dominican College of Blauvelt Top Questions

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

Jerrica

I would tell myself organization and self control is key to a successful college career. There are to many opprotunities and too much freedom to mess up. Study efficiently because your college career is a vital point for future goals .

Amy

Out of my college experience, I have gotten a better understanding about my self, and know that what I have done and went to school for is what i want to continue doing. Attending a college was not at all as bad as I thought it would be. I made new friends, learned new strategic planning, and was able to find a great job working around the type of people I love working with. Because of the great experience I have had before, I plan on using this money if I win to go back to school, and further what I had started.

Jennifer

I've gotten the experience of meeting and socializing with new people, as well to learn about different lifestyles that I wasn't use too. With this, I've been able to step out of my comfort zone and get involved with many different events and clubs on campus.

Diana

Although I only go to a small college with a repute standing lower than most other schools, I have learned values that I would have never learned if I had not decided to continue my education after high school. For one, college is very flexible. Students make their own schedules and decide the importance of attending class. This has definitely caused a great deal of responsibility to grow in me and has caused me to take education very seriously. Education after high school is not just something that has to be done; it is something strived for and wanted. Secondly, college is expensive. Ever since I started paying for my own schooling, I can truly feel the struggle of earning money and paying for tuition. This has also shaped the grown adult in me as I work full time, making money solely for my needs instead of my wants. The third most valuable lesson I have learned is simply about me. College has shown me who exactly I want to become. College gave me visions about my future life and where I want to stand. College gave me options. It gave me the opportunity to make my dreams my reality.

Stephanie

I have gotten many things out of my college experience. Personally, I have grown as an individual, as college has provided me with ample opprtunities to extend myself intellectally and emotionally . Dorming my first year on campus expanded my social skills. In a program such as athletic training I was challenged constantly with time managment responsibilities and became a better priortizer. Meeting fellow classmates and professors has allowed me to interact and learn from people with various backgrounds. My volunteer work in clinics and educational institutions has expanded my personal impact on the community around me. Extracurricular activities allowed me to share my passions with those around me.

Daniel

I would tell myself to set as many goals as possible and stop at nothing to realise them. Don't be intimidated or deterred by what others think, or what you think they think, about you and your dreams. The people that support you in your endeavours are fellow visionaries; they understand your struggles because they have somewhere they're trying to get as well. Those that criticise you are merely hitch hikers on the road to success.

Michelle

The first advice I would give myself is to maintain a healthy sleeping pattern. Sleep Deprivation makes one tired and depressed and will have an influence on ones daily ability to learn and function. The next advice I would give myself is to pick a school that is instate because out of state schools are very expensive and right now I have outstanding loans and my goal is to go to law school and that is another great expense. It would of been more financially responsible for me to pick an instate school so I would not have to take much loans out and worry about how I will pay for my graduate studies. Also I would advise myself to be open and more understanding of people, because people are different and grow up in different environments so I should not expect to be treated the same as I am treated at home in my community because I will be in a new enviroment were I am a new face to others as well as I am a new face to them. Overall I will tell myself to be positive, take a look outside the box.

Joseph

Just go with the flow and take things as they come. There is a lot of problems that will come your way, just take them with a grain of salt. There is no reason to stress and worry over every little thing, in the end everything works out just fine.

Patricia

Be ready for the amount of work i will have to do. i need to learn how to be organized and keep a planer to be able to remember due dates. College is very different than High school in so many ways. it s easy to fail if you dont stay focus. Also learn how to be involve in school. being involve in College make life so much easier. there are a lot of things that you learn from being involve on campus that you would neve learn in a classroom. keep a open mind because you might meet a lot of people form different bacground. And also try to participate in a service project abroad or study abroad. Try to do you financial paper on time and know how much money you will get. Try to rent your books or buy used books, that will help you save money. you dont have to go drinking every night like everyone else. College is the real worldd, be ready for it. ENJOY your time in college.

Elizabeth

If I could go back in time and talk to the high school senior version of myself, the advice I would give myself is never give up. College is different but it is a great experience. In high school teachers are constantly on top of you but in college you are an adult. College is very rewarding and you will meet long life friends but it is not all fun and games. Keep up with all your work and do your best because in the long run you will be very happy with the outcome.

Tara

College is an unforgettable expereince. A prospective student knows what he or she likes immediately as far as academics, social life, and extracurricular activities are concerned. After viewing a few colleges, I knew that I wanted to go to a small private school where I could study literature on a bench while the leaves changed. I romanticized those things. When it came to paying for it, I just took the loans out and didn't think twice. Big Mistake. There are so many grants and scholarships available to students that to not take advantage of such resouces is foolish. Research everything meticulously, even if you'd rather be hanging out with your friends. Jobs will not magically appear at your feet when you graduate. Work hard, research everything, and then research your research. Stay focused on what you, as an individual, want for your life, and never forget about the price tag.

chericka

i got a good college experience out of it and learning alot everyday

Sweeny

My advice to parents and students about finding the right school would be to make sure you visit the school many times, make sure they really are goin to give you the finacial aid they promise and most of all make sure that the students will be able to do well in the school.

Marc

The college's location is one of the most important factors. This will affect the number of choices you have. Is the college close enough to home? student might still want the family close enough for weekend visits. The size of the college may be a factor. A small-town student who graduated from high school with 100 seniors may suffer from culture shock in a large university When considering size, look at the instructor-student ratio. How accessible are the instructors? Do they take an active interest in their students? Also, class sizes vary greatly. Academically, it's important that the college has a strong offering in your child's chosen major. Find out the academic requirements for that major and what learning opportunities are available. What job-placement services does the college provide? The nonacademic and social life, are there social and extracurricular activities that appeal to your student's interests? Find out the availability of athletic, social, academic, and recreational clubs.consider cost.,College is expensive, but almost all colleges have scholarship awards, loans, work-study, and other types of aid to help ease the financial burden. Let the child choose a school where he feels comfortable.

Keriann

Find something for yourself not what your friends are doing.

yashani

When starting my search for the right college for me, i wrote down the pros and cons for each school that i was attending on applying to . Personally if you feel you can make it away from home, i would suggest going somewhere that is not close to home. Having the experience of living on a college campus is one that you will want to have. I would also suggest keeping in mind your financial situation. It is smarter to do what is realistic, rather than put yourself in debt to go to a school because of the name.

Christopher

Find a place that you feel most comfortable at. Visiting a college is a must. You have to go there at least a couple times and try to find out as much as you can about it before making your decision. Make sure it has the academic programs that you are interested in. Make sure it's the right size and location. You should take into consideration proximity to home as well as the surrounding area. You really have to research the college and try to hear what friends and other people have to say about it because every college you visit will try to make it look like the greatest place you can go. Tour guides and college websites are not always something to take into consideration because they are not always as they seem. Once you get there you should just try to have as much fun as possible while keeping up the hard work in the classroom. You should go out and party on the weekends if thats what you like or get out and find some other entertaining things to do. Experience as much as you can because when it's over it's over.