Gateway Technical College Top Questions

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

Alex

I would say to work harder in highschool, so in college its an easier transition. You are more disciplined with sitting down and studying and turning your homework in on time. Also make all the application deadlines.

Amanda

Life has a way of testing our anchors and tempting us to drift. Nevertheless, if our anchors are correctly placed in the rock of our redeemer, they will hold no matter the force of the wind, the strength of the tide, or the height of the waves. There are many ups and downs in life. The things that we think are important in high school turn out to be trivial after the fact. Focus on yourself, your future, your education that is what is most important. Not who you associate with, or what brand of clothes and shoes you wear. Treat other people with respect even if they fail to do the same. In life all you have is your reputation and being honest, kind, hard-working and trustworthy are important qualities. Hard work is what helps you succeed. You may be faced with many adversities but as long as you work hard you can make it through anything!

Emilie

I would remind myself that starting college is a totally different experience than high school. It doesn't matter what colleges your friends are interested in; focus on your specific career path and make sure to research all your options before settling for just anything. I would drill into my head that I would have to make a commitment to my studies. The biggest difference between high school and college is that college is being paid for by the student. The loans that are taken out to cover tuition expenses will eventually come due after graduation. Why waste your money on your education if you aren't able to dedicate time and effort to the degree? At the end of the day, the economy is in a uncertain area. The job market is changing and isn't planning on stopping anytime soon. Make yourself worth it, with the end goal in mind that I would graduate and receive my degree that would open doors to me in every aspect of life. I will be one of the few in my family that followed through after high school to receive a degree and I intend to fight hard for my dream.

Samantha

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior. I would say to work a lot harder than I did my senior year. The transition into college is a lot harder than people think. Especially if you have a lacking sort of attitude. So buckle down and get moving. College waits for no one.

Danny

I would tell myself to really pay attention more to when the high school teachers tell you to spend a lot of time on homework. Nursing requires a lot of extra time to learn all of the information you need to be successful.

Kristine

I would tell my self not to procrastinate anymore. In highschool I used to be able to put projects off to the last miniute and be able to get them done on time. At gateway when you get a project a few weeks ahead of the due date you really need to start it as its assigned. Alot of the time you are hit with more than one project due at the same time. My life would have been so much easier if if I would have known this prior to entering college.

Erin

If I could go back, the only thing I would tell my self is to work harder for scholarships and work twice as hard senior year and the first year of college. But also to not forget to keep having fun and to enjoy it while I can because it won't last.

Raven

Knowing the things I know now about the college life, I would have told myself to make smarter decisions. By making smarter decisions I would have filled out more scholarships, not just the easy scholarships, the more challenging scholarships. I also would have visited colleges and took tours, instead of filling out applications to the schools that everyone was going to attend. As a senior I was being more of a follower and not thinking for myself. I should have taken time to think about what I really wanted to do as far as having a career. I knew what I wanted to do, but at the same time I wasnt sure. I would have told myself to be more serious, get organized, and set an example for my younger sister who was going to be a senior. Overall, I would have told myself to grow up.

Katelyn

Seeing myself now in college and trying to go back and take classes that i missed in high school really puts a burdon on me trying to get through college to get my degree. Advice that i would give myself back in high school would be to take all the necessary classes that are important in college, especially if you know your major. I should have taken more English classes and Chemistry classes in high school, because now I am going through these classes in college and I have to pay for all these classes that could have been free in high school. Don't just take easy classes because it's your senior year. Take classes that will benefit you for your future. Do well enough that when you do get to college you won't have to take them again, because your score in high school wasn't high enough. Take as much as you can, so in college you can be one step head of everyone and yourself. Be careful on what college you choose to go to, even if it's a community college. Be aware of the classes you will need to take.