Excelsior College Top Questions

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

Jeremy

No matter what do not give up, find something you love, and go all in. Put every ounce of your energy into achieving the goals you set once you've discovered your passion. Nothing will ever be handed to you expect to work hard.

Jacquelynn

Don't be afriad to take risks. Big risks, like applying for your dream college or your dream job, and small everyday risks, like trying a new class or hobby and pushing yourself to be your best. Don't be so hard on yourself - as long as you are trying new things and doing what you love every day, you ARE growing! Enjoy every moment of your day, even the bad ones, and recognize the people who are there for you and there to help you meet your goals. Express your needs, talk about your goals, get excited about who you are and who you want to be!! Focus on what you CAN control, not on what you can't. There will always be circumstances that are not expected, but if you stay who you say you are through all of them, you will feel victorious at the end.

Tracy

College will be the best time of your life but you need to take it seriously. You need to be able to manage your time so that you can get the things done that you need to do but also allow for fun!

Jean

I am currently 42 years old and I am currently taking courses to get my Associate Degree in Nursing. If I could go back in time and speak to myself as a high school senior I would encourage myself to take college seriously and I would encouarged myself to work hard and get my college education sooner. Had I known the importance of a college education when I was a high school senior I would have graduated from college a long time ago and be settled into a career. I would stress to myself the importance of a college education and what it would mean to my future. I would also tell myself that it would be harder to transition into college as an older adult. The transition into college life would be easier as a high school graduate. As an older adult in college I feel as though I have wasted many educational years and I wish I could go back in time and tell myself all of these important things.

Emily

To myself as a high school senior: You are so young, and you have absolutely no idea what you're about to get yourself into. Do not go to college simply because it is where your family and friends want you to go. Do not take out student loans like they're free money (they're not, and you have to pay those back someday). Do not waste time in school when you are unsure of what to do with your life; instead, take time off, find your place in the world, and then go back and pick a major you love. Sometimes what is normal or typical is not right for everyone, so do not be afraid to branch off from the beaten path and make your own. The transition to college can be scary, but it should not terrify you, and it should never make you feel like you don't belong - if something doesn't feel right, that's because it's not. Take your time in life, younger me, and you'll start to figure things out. You will never have all the answers, but you're getting through life just fine.

Connor

If I could give advice to my pre college self, I would advise myself to re-take Intro. to Functions during your senior year and put more effort into the class. You're about to take College Applied Mathematics your second year of college and you haven't had a math class since junior year of high school, it's going to be tough. To take an AP class at high school to give yourself a better idea of how the college level of education would be like and to save money. I would tell my self to save more money through high school for college; college is as expensive as it's acclaimed to be. High school comes to an end before you know it and you will have to face the financial challenges that come with the education. Less free roaming at the mall with friends and driving around wasting gas just because you could. I would tell my self to start applying for scholarships now instead of waiting until your sophmore year of college. College is important and has it's challenges, so get ready.

jolene

I would tell myself to take the time to apply to scholarships, take the SATs, apply to the universities in washington state, and live in the dorms for at least a semester. I would let myself know that I would have the support and a higher chance of graduation on time with the support and like-minded peers if they were around me. I would also have great memmories of my college years if I immerse myself into college life.

anastasia

College is a proving ground, the speed and pace will surprise you, and as you move forward it will become more and more demanding, so start working on your confidence now. It will also be a lot of fun, so stay focused. Different professors will have different ideas of success, so learn to politic and how to listen very carefully from the get go, most will tell you exactly what they want, and your job is to give them what they need from you while getting what you need for yourself. You have everything you need even though at times you don't feel very well equipped, so don't let that feeling stop you from doing anything that you can imagine yourself doing. The future is real, and you're right at the crest of moving towards it in high gear. There is a lot of talk around you about what the word means and the best way to move into the "next stage", etc,.., and it seems vague and a little stressful without necessarily offering you any insight on the best direction to take, so I'll tell you - go forward.

Tionna

Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. –Socrates I would ‘gift’ this quote to myself as a high school student taking that next step to college. I would tell myself that thinking positive is like a camp fire, the more wood you add to the fire the longer it burns. I would tell myself that positive thinking alone will not change my life rather it will keep the ‘motivational fire’ burning and keep me taking action toward the things I want in life. I would tell myself to set realistic goals. If I find some things like assignments difficult, then do not just give up. Instead seek help and set a deadline for the projects. Anyone can retain knowledge but it takes determination and a deep desire to stay motivated. I would tell myself that I only have one life to live and that I need to stay positive and add figurative wood and straw, i.e. goals, to my ‘fire of success’ to keep it burning.

Aubrey

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior and give myself advice about what to do to be successful in college, I would have so much to say. One of the things I would stress is not to let anything hold you back from your goals. My freshman year of college, I had the aspiration of being one of the top Cross Country and Track runners on the team, I was very far from that goal. The stress of struggling to complete those goals, and people telling me I couldn't do it drove my self esteem down into the ground and made me ready to quit. I realized later that in order to improve, I had to get all those little thoughts of doubt out of my head and start listening to the positive voice inside my head. If I would have gained this knowledge earlier, I would have been able to complete my goals. Another important lesson I learn that I would tell myself is to be your own person, don't feel like you have to follow crowds just to be cool. Be youself and follow what's right.

Harrisen

What I would say to myself as a high school senior would have to be balance your time. I would say to myself that you need to balance your fun time and your study time. Also I would have to say don't stress yourself out because expect that there is going to be a lot of homework and exams. Take a break to calm your mind by going out for a walk or have a small snack. Also I would have to say to myself that don't have too much fun because thatis not the true purpose of being in college. The true purpose of being a college student is to get an education and get a career. And finally I would say to myself as high school senoir that you need to thank your family because they helped you the whole way to give you a higher education.

Jeremiah

To work as hard as you can in college and stick with it. I could of been done by now but I had Army training and got deployed to Afghanistan.

Jane

If I could go back in time and give myself advice as a high school senior I would say many things. One of which is to live your life to the fullest, but make it mean something. Study hard and enjoy your family. College will give you the education necesary to graduate classes. However, succeding in life is up to you. If you want to have a good career, a house and a family you must work very hard to obtain your goals.

Paul

I joined the US Navy after high school. I believe that high school seniors should live a little an be responsible for themselves before they go to school. A year or more in the work force make the individual student appreciate college more and perhaps focus more seriously on their education.

Marvin

I have learned so many things from my college experience. I learned that to survive in college you must have a strong will to learn and lots of concentration. You have to learn to not fall asleep even if the stuff bores you. You have to learn to take in things not just by doing them but by seeing and hearing them. This experience has helped me further my goals in becoming the first of my family to get a college degree. From this I know I can maintain myself and in the future a family. College is hard but well worth the time and money spent.

Zula

By attending Excelsior College, I have received knowledge of not just biology, but of all life forms and scientific investigations, from introductory biology, to biodiversity, to genetics and microbiology. In July of 2008, I was also diagnosed with schizophrenia. My sister and grandmother became my sole providers. I was not able to work, drive a car or attend school due to the heavy doses of medications. But I continued to earn credits through Dantes credit by exams. I could not find a job because I live in a small town in eastern North Carolina and I no longer had a car. So I decided to go back to online school, and get a degree in biology, which is perfect for me because I love science, have a lot of biology courses, I don’t have transportation to go to traditional classes and it cost a lot less to attend many online colleges. Excelsior College was perfect for me because I could attend class any time, day or night, and I don’t need a car to get to class. I am dedicated to finishing my undergraduate degree; I am currently in my senior year and have a 3.8 GPA.

Lisa

My college experience has taught me how to be disciplined but yet flexible. As a single mother of three children I have to be flexible with my time between school, work and taking care of them. I have to be disciplined to accomplish my work. I have no deadlines for finishing any of my courses, so if I'm not disciplined my courses will never get completed. It has been a great experience for me returning to school after tens years. It has been an huge transition now that I am older and have other responsibilities. It is valuable for me to attend college so I can obtain a degree in nursing. I am currently a fire fighter/paramedic and want to expand my capabilities of helping people. I love helping others ! College is valuable because returning to school has made me make time to read books again. Thus making me think and reason more. It has increased my knowledge base and given me essential skills to prepare me for my future endeavors. Without this experience I would be unable to achieve my goals of becoming a prehospital registered nurse.

Amanda

"Stop, take a few steps back and a deep breathe. Look into this mirror...this isn't you. Happiness doesn't come from that bottle in your hand or that light at your lips. I miss that smile of yours. Where did it go? I saw it on the court this past fall, when you were with your team...why did you let things change? You are trying to hide the hard stuff, I can see that. But you know, it's not as hard as you think. You have this built up image that 'this year is the end, so go out with a bang!' Little hint...it's not. This is just the beginning. These people are just as scared and anxious as you. So set that bottle down, pick up your bag and get in there...You'll regret it if you don't. I have faith in you, so do your family and friends. We've always seen the potential. The only one who refuses to see it is you. " P.S. Practice starts Tuesday at noon...I hope to see you there

Joyce

Take your time if needed, but never lose sight of the dreams and goals that you have. Nothing comes easy in life, but the pride and sense of accomplishment that you feel when you are finished will negate all of the worries that you hold today. You should never close your mind to change, because you never stop growing and learning. Be prepared to embrace the change and learn from it, knowing that as we grow, so do our hopes and dreams.

Lawanis

I would tell myself to party less and study more...

erick

Pursuing a bachelor's degree is necessary in life today. In today's world having a degree simply put's you in the arena of life. Once you've obtained a degree you are now eligble to enter the arena of life. A college degree doesn't make you successful, but allows you now to compete with the other players in the arena. A college degree doesn't guarantee you will win the arena game of life, but your now equal to the other players. Without a degree you aren't allowed to enter the arena, because you don't have the "ticket"- the college degree. Most companies today require that you have at least a bachelor's degree and many companies now require a master's degree. Don't severly limit your potential of success by not pursuing college. Prove to yourself that you can succeed at the game of life by getting your degree!

joey

Goto college immediately, then immediately get into law school after you get your bachelor's degree.