Flathead Valley Community College Top Questions

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

Joanna

If I could go back to my high school senior self, I would tell myself to be better at filling out scholarship applications. College isn't cheap and trying to pay most of it out of your own pocket isn't the easiest thing. It is really hard to work full time and go to school full time. Even though applications take a lot of time to fill out, it is totally worth it in the end. I would also tell myself to keep pushing forward. Perserverance and determination are what are needed to fulfill the dreams you have. The future may seem like a ways away, but it is only around the corner. Dreams may seem far-fetched, but they are totally worthwhile, so keep up the hard work, fill out as many applications as possible, and don't give up.

Travis

As a senior in high school, I was in a hurry to escape high school and go to college. Movies exaggerate college and portray "the college kid party life" as something that it truthfully is not. What I learned and would warn my senior self about college are as follows: there are two possible extremes you can find your own balance between in college. One extreme many take is the party scene. These people are source material for movies. The truth about this extreme is that, like high school, wasting time making the present the greatest time of your life foresakes the future. I tried the party scene for a short while and realized almost everyone surrounding me had no idea what they wanted out of their future and were ruining their chances at having a prosperous one. The truth is that those who work for the extreme that is less attractive have a brighter future and become far more successful in the long run. This seems like common sense but the truth of life is that nothing of real worth comes easy. If you want happiness, as opposed to simply pleasure, you have to be ready to work.

Jennifer

If I could go back in time I would stress placing trust in God and letting Him lead the way. Know the power of positive thinking. Set high goals for yourself. Let the things that seem like stumbling blocks in the road of life become a stepping stone to the next adventure. Become aware of all the assistance that the school offers from financial matters to the right study habbits that work best for you. Participate and ask questions when you do not understand a topic. Let other people get to know you, it makes life a fuller experience.

Kimberly

There is so much advice I would want to give myself. I would advice myself to study harder and get that A in English. That your social life won't matter in College, but your grades will. I would also start looking for colleges sooner - as a freshman in High School. Understanding the requirments for the college I want to go to would have made it so much easier to understand and focus on the requirments to attain that goal. I also believe that real carreer counceling would have made a difference. Someone to give the good, the bad and the ugly of a carreer would have helped me make wiser choices.

Michael

Michael, I don't have all the answers that you are looking for. As you are aware, you now and future you are very intelligent and very driven. The normal college life, with the party experience and all, won't be what you see in the future. You are going to be through your drug and alcohol phase real soon, even before high school's end. You have bigger and better things coming. You are going to go to a community college in the beginning and become and EMT...but I can assure you now, you aren't going to stop there. Your education has just begun. You are going to find a way to the local university, and you my friend will be Paramedic Kanak by the end of 2010. 2010 will be your year to shine, and achieve the dream. I suggest you find a way to pay that $5000 in tuition, and find those books you need, and I would tell you now...start studying. You have a long road ahead of you, but I promise you...it will all pay off when you can be calle: Firefighter/Paramedic Kanak. I know you can do it.

Elizabeth

High School is essential to out future. Take advantage of every opportunity in which you get to make the best of yourself. Its more about you and your future not the social and what your friends are doing. Use every chance in which you get to participate in extra curicular activities, they benifit you in college life, especially with the more scholarships in which are available to those who did participate in extra activities. Spend less time worrying about fitting in and being the "cool kid" none of that matters, focus on your studies and remember to always be the best that you can be in all that you do.

ashton

If i could go back in time to when i was in highschool I would talk to myself about haw at first it seems really easy and life is good but later on during the semester thing get tough and if your in a lazy groove it will be very hard to pull out of that and achieve the grades you are capable of. It is important that you go in expecting it to be a challenge and never forget that you are there for a reason, you want to accel in life and iff you get lazy in college you will set your self up for failure. be active in your classes and keep you head up even when you think things cant get any worse.

Breanne

I would tell myself that I should go to New York for college. The first college I went to wasn't for me, and it may have been tough, but it would have been great to start out in New York. I was afraid since I hadn't lived anywhere but Kalispell, but it really would have been a great experience. I'm going there next year, however, it would have been nice to have been there all for years. I would tell myself not to be afraid and that I could do well whether I was at home or across the country.

Sabrina

apply for as many scholarships as possible. even if you don't think you're adequate for it. school is a lot of money and the more you try to get for yourself the less stressed you'll be later on in life with paying for loans or trying to come up with a couple hundred so you can finish the semester.

Cristie

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself a couple things. The first thing I would say is to save money. To be wise about how I spend money so I would be able to continue on after graduating from a two year college. The second thing I would tell myself is to have fun. Enjoy college life and take classes that are fun. Try new things you have not done before. Take classes that you would have never thought about before.