Iowa State University Top Questions

First of all, do not worry about making friends. At the university level when individuals have matured, people begin to have a sense of more open-mindedness making friendships a lot easier. In college, you can make your voice heard since everyone is really supportive of your decision. The transition from high school to the college level seems arduous at first due to the responsibilities of financial aid, scholarships, moving on campus, etc. hovering over the student. But this stress is all gone when you have finally taken the first step to freedom in college. There are a plethora of supportive counselors to aid you even before you are considered a student.. So what makes you think that they won’t be helpful when you do become part of their university or in my case a “Ram”? Yes, the stress of the work overload can be stressful, but there are different forms of assistance situated all across campus to help you make this work load a lot of easier. So don't worry...this transition will help you gain a better perspective of everything making it a positive enriching experience that you will carry on throughout college life.

If I were to go back to my senior year of High school I would defiantly do things differently. Fitting in with the right crowd, having the latest fashion and saying the right thing's don’t really matter now that I am in College. So why did they matter so much in high school, having the most expensive in style shirt doesn’t help you pay for college and it doesn’t help you're wallet at all. I would also change the way that I studied and the way that I took in my class information. I would hear my teacher teaching the class of course but I never actually took in the information in the way I needed to or even asked for help when I truly needed it. Knowing what I know now I would tell myself not to care what people say, their thoughts about you don’t get you into college. Don’t spend Money on unnecessary items and instead save up for college. Lastly pay more attention in class and try to fully understand the information to the best of my ability and ask the teacher for help when I need it.

I would tell myself that at first it will be overwhelming. There are so many things to try and so many people to meet. Just be yourself, try new things, and just be open to new relationships.

To start saving up money earlier, college is very expensive and its a hard thing to get back into after your already out of highschool and just working away.

Considering I only attended high school for a very brief period of time before I dropped out due to my unexpected pregnancy at 15 years old, some may think I do not have much input on the essay topic. And to their surprise, I agree. I do not have the more typical advice one might give when faced with this question, but I feel I can still give the most important advice. GO TO SCHOOL. The grass is always greener on the side and that quote does not fail to include academics. High school can be a metaphorical platinum platform to a life of prestigious academics that only few people ever get to experience. To me Utopia is learning what a galaxy is, or how the plant kingdom works so delicately together to sustain life. A constant Utopia I may never have achieved without the relationship with education. I would prepare myself that while this is an exciting adventure filled with dreams and excitement, it is also filled with sadness that others are not given this same opportunity. My advice could be summarized to: Dream big, learn everything, and teach others.

I would tell myself to be more outgoing my freshman year

I would tell myself to go to Iowa State University and probably join more clubs. I'm very involved in two clubs but I wish I had gotten involved in one more. I'd also tell myself to start thinking about full time jobs, it's never too early

Go with the flow, have fun and study like youve never studied before.

I would definitely worry more and less about who I will be rooming with and which high school friends I will be seeing in college. By this, I mean that you shouldn't be afraid to room with your best friend. many people consider it to be taboo and a freshman mistake, but I'm rooming with my best friend of 14 years, and it's been the time of my life. With that being said, I still have made many new friends from around the country that live on my floor and who are involved in clubs I'm in. So don't worry about who your friends will/won't be next year as a senior in high school. If someone is truely your friend, you'll stay friends through the whole process, but if you aren't, don't be broken up about it. Everyone in college is in the same boat and wants to be friendly and make friends as well. College is a fantastic academic and social experience. Don't necessarily plan your collegiate life too early.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself about the college experience, I would definetly tell myself to know when and how to organize classes and homework, and to use my time wisely! I always told myself there was never enough time in a day, but once I got to college, that became even more of an issue! Between classes, homework, activities, and finding time to just relax, your whole day is practically gone! I would tell myself to study all the time, not just the week before a test or exam, and to ask for help from professors or teaching assistants when having trouble. The main thing I would tell myself is "You are paying A LOT for a education, so make it worth it. Teachers aren't here to fail you, they're here to HELP you, so take advantage everything while it lasts!"

If I could go back in time to talk to myself during senior year, I would give myself an earful. I would stress to no end how important it is to start strong in every single class. Getting behind is too easy and not worth it in the end. Taking time to study all the material is something that will truely pay off later. Also, try to study in small groups of people that are in your same classes, that way you aren't trying to take it all on by yourself. And, ask for help! There are many opportunities for students to get in contact with their professors or Teaching Assistants, so do it. Not only is it important to stay on top of your classes, but you still need to have a social life, otherwise you will feel mentally and physically drained. Make time to do things with friends and workout in order to give your brain a break. Overall, enjoy the limited time you have on campus and making friends, but stay focused on your schooling as well.

You have always seen things as black and white, with very little room for grey. College will teach you about the grey. There is not always a right or wrong answer. Challenge yourself to learn about others views, even if you don't agree. From these conversations you will make strong, true friendships. Finally, don't worry about the future. Prepare for the future, but know you can't stop it from coming.

I would tell myself not to fret, college isn't as scary as it seems. Just go in, be yourself, and be the best person you can be.

What I would tell high school senior Mauricio is that college is like a bank, and you get from college what you put in plus a little interest. I would tell him to get involved, make lots of friends, and find people with similar interests. There are going to be times where it is going to be easier to become part of the scenery instead of getting involved, but working together with people that are similar experiences and interests is a rewarding life experience. Involvement is the easiest way to make friends, and that is an integral part of the college life experience. The more friends that one makes that more likely you will befriend someone who is on a similar academic journey, then there might be a time where you might be struggling and your friends can offer a helping hand.

As a high school student I was carefree. I had the earth's time in my hands, I could grow up whenever I wanted and do whatever I wanted when I needed to do it! Being a child of parent's who didn't get the chance to go to college, receiving a college degree was not even an option. If I could go back to high school and talk to myself I would say two things, start your financial savings immediately, and although keep having fun and being a kid, don't forget the responsibilities of becoming an adult with grades and family.

If I could go back and give my oldself some advice, I would tell myself to go and apply for as many scholarships as possible. It's better to get the most you can get so you aren't struggling to come up with the money at the end of the semester that financial aid didn't cover. I would also tell myself to become a better studet than I am now. Always studying harder and testing myself in new ways to become a better student as well as a better person. Coming here has opened up so many opportunities for me that I would like to prepare myself for. Tell myself to get organized more to prepare for all the amazing things ISU has to offer.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would give myself a few pieces of advise. The first piece of advise I would give myself is to enjoy being taken care of. In high school, teachers make sure you are getting your homework done and your mom still makes you supper every night. When you get to college, you are completely on your own. It is scary and exciting at the same time but you need to learn how to fully take care of yourself. This brings me to my next piece of advise. This next piece of advise to myself would be to learn how to study properly. In college, you really do have to study for exams in order to get a good grade. In high school, I did not study as much as I should have and my grades showed this. If I would have learned how to study properly, I would have known better once I got to college. If I could go back in time and give myself some advise, I would not change anything because life is a learning experience.

I would tell myself that college is not what I thought it would be. I thought that college was an all-frat house lifestyle that was crazy all the time. When I came to college I found out that college is not like that. For some it is, but not all. I would also tell myself that there is a lot of free time as a college student, so keep busy with organizations or clubs. And I would tell myself that the first months are hard at college. It sometimes feel that you don't know anyone and have no friends, but as time goes on, you will meet people and become friends with some. College can feel like a big jump, but don't worry yourself out. It's really fun, and I wouldn't have guessed the people and friends that I would have met. It is a different world, but it is very great!

College is a place where a person’s life begins. They may find their significant other; they find lifetime friends, receiving their degree leads into their career, which can lead to where they live. Every decision a person makes in college reflects their future, and each decision a person makes leads them into their lives. To me college is simple, you just live life. I would tell myself three things if I could go back to my high school self. The first thing I would tell myself would be to get stronger in my faith because being surrounded by others that don’t believe the same things as me is hard and it only gets harder as I grow. So stand firm in what I believe in and accept others for who they are. The second thing is that don’t get scared when I make a mistake because it will happened, just believe it will all work out in the end. The most important thing I would tell myself is when I get into college I am stepping out into the world, and in a world where you can be anybody, be myself.

The biggest piece of advice I would give my high school self is: SAVE MONEY! Getting an education comes at a price, and you are paying for it with your own money. Don't spend all that graduation money you were given. Another piece of advice I would give my past self is: Be outgoing! Your best friends are going to the same school as you, but you can make other friends too. Also, join clubs you wouldn't have in high school; do what YOU want to do, not what you think others expect you to do! My last piece of advice is: Get a good night of sleep. Really. You have all morning/afternoon/evening to be social. Give yourself a good 9 hours at night and you will be more productive and happier when you are awake.

Dear High School Senior self, Success in college takes perseverance, focus, and good study skills. However, there is so much more to college than academics. If your grades are under control, don't continue to stress over them. Use that time and energy to develop the relationships that will last the rest of your life. Sincerely, Your older, wiser self

Going back to talk to myself as a senior in college I would have advised myself to focus on my classes more as well as taking finals in high school to better prepare myself for college, rather than opt out of all the tests I could. I believe my high school teachers now when they informed us that taking the finals then would help us prepare a little better for what college will bring. I also would have told myself to focus on my class work more and not procrastinate. I did my best in high school but I could have applied myself more if I had used all the time avaliable instead of waiting and doing average work.

If I could go back in time I would yell at myself to study study study! You can honestly never do enough of it. High school is a great place to make mistakes and learn from them. Take advantage of being able to let your study skills improve so you can be prepared for the college struggles. I would also tell myself to apply for as many scholorships as possible. Dont be lazy, get some financial help! A little bit can go a long ways, I promise. And finally, let others help you. I am a very stubborn person. I like to think that I can do everything on my own without the help from others. Well i am wrong. Your loved ones only want whats best for you. So take their advice. Take some time to sit down and listen to what they have to say. It wont hurt you any.

They make a live action Avatar: TLA, DO NOT WATCH IT! Since that is out of the way, down to college business. Live in an on-campus apartment with a kitchen, organic chemistry will kill you, and a car is a waste of space. College has so many options you just have to take the time to think about what you want and go for it. It's going to seem overwhelming at first, but it gets better. Being positive is the easiest way to make things easy for you, it’s impossible to study when you hate life. You’re going to change your mind about so many beliefs, experience so many things, you just have to be able to enjoy the ride and let yourself flow with it.

Most high schools don't teach you how to study, just that you should. So if I could go back and give my past self advice I would say learn how to study. A lot of the time in college you are learning the material more in depth on your own, so I would also let my past self know that I should get used to reading and trying to understand concepts more on my own in addition to class lectures.

Assuming I could time travel I would tell myself not to be a scared about the transition to college. Even though it has been a siginifcant life adjustment it's somewhat easier than you might think. If you focus on your classes and your long term goals the adjustment is easier. This is all part of the growing process. You learn from everything that happens to you. Part of what is important would also be to know life is not all about knowing the answer, but continuing to look for answers when you are uncertain. In order to have success you will have some failures. Being successful means being able to pick yourself up after a struggle and try again.

Do not slack on your freshmen year of college! Study your hardest to start with a high GPA, because it is SO hard to get that GPA up once it is down.

Knowing what I know now, if I were to go back in time I would tell myself to think thru my degree choice. I do not regret my first choice one bit, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Horse Production and Management was a great experience, and that experience has helped shape who I am today. The advice I would give myself is to have a fall back career choice, and guide myself towards Radiology Technology. Even then I was always fascinated by therapy, and I believe my eighteen year old self would take this advice to heart. I would tell myself that going to the community college my first year, and then transferring to a college where I had to live in a college apartment was a good choice. That I wasn't ready to be away from home yet. At the same time I would make sure I had a better understanding of student loans, and about the college debt I was going to cause myself to graduate with in hopes that I would make smarter choices in that area. I would further recommend that I be more open to the college experience, and get out there and start experiencing!

If i could go back to give advice to my past high school self, it would be to start filling out as many scholarship applications as I can before even thinking about spending a single cent on college. I would tell myself to go to all the scholarship sponsoring websites possible to subscribe and to be able to receive a lot of notifications for scholarships every time they should appear. Another thing that I would advice to my past self is to decide right from the start what do I want to study so I don't have to face complications when it comes to finding the right college. My final advice for my past self is to be prepared for the worst; that with each semester, school will become more difficult than last semester. Another thing that I would say is to try to get as much practice as possible for the classes that I would take, at least for the first semester. Because that way I wouldn't have trouble with the advenced material that they give in each class. My final advice is to know who you hang out with, so you can distinguish friends from punks.

I would tell myself to not stress out as much as I did about leaving for college. Yes, the transition was a little scary but I feel at home at ISU and I wish I could have had more fun my senior year instead of stressing about school. I also wished I could have applied for more scholarships to help pay for my education.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to prioritze more. Clearly school is important and studying needs to be a top priority, but so does family. It is hard to remember as a senior in high school that one day soon you will be out on your own and won't be able to come home to your family and have dinner together. Spend time with your family and enjoy being a kid while you still can. Teenagers are always in such a hurry to grow up and get away from their parents that they seem to forget how much they actually need them. In general, just remember to slow down and stop trying to rush through life. Family is important, make sure they know that.

The advice I would give myself is not to be scared of the academics. The classes are definately college level, but I am completely capable of completing them and there is so much help you can recieve from professors, tutors, or even classmates. As for the transition, I would tell myself not to worry about making friends because it is easy when in the dorm. I would tell myself that I will meet my life long friends my first year of college. Also, I would make sure to tell myself to get involved as much as possible from the beginning and work harder than you think you can. Worrying stops you from going out and exploring. Have the courage to try to new things because you will find out they are your new favorite activities. Don't be afraid to go to professors and ask for help, they are on your side. Over my first year of college, I learned a lot about myself and continue to grow through Iowa State University and the experience I get from my jobs. Iowa State gave me courage and confidence and I would not change a thing.

Lauren, school has always been easy for you and you know that. When you get to college, you aren't going to be able to get an A in chemistry just by skimming through the chapter the night before. Read the chapters ahead of time (this goes for all of your classes) so that when you attend lectures you know what questions to pose and can see how the information in the chapter is applied to problems in lectures and recitations. Never skip an extra credit opportunity. Believe in yourself.

High school, for most, turns out to be the best four years of their lives. I, for one, could disagree with this statement. Going through high school I did everything I was supposed to. I got good grades, was on the student council, drum major in the marching band, captain of the swim team, and held a steady job for almost three years. If I were to run into myself during time travel, I might urge myself to take a few more risks and spontaneous. Instead of sitting around with my friends in a basement on a Friday night, maybe drive to the city for a midnight run for our favorite hamburgers. Instead of being dedicated to just one sport, try different sports all throughout the year. Maybe I could have found my groove in a different instrument, rather than just playing the flute. Don’t get me wrong; I had a good time in high school. But what if I changed things up every once in a while, what if I took more chances. Maybe high school could be great.

I would tell myself to schedule a harder year and to make myself work harder to make the transition easier for myself.

College is a huge change, not only because of the work load but also because of the independence. I had no clue how strange it would be to be living on my own and having to make a schedule including laundry, cleaning, etc. Also, the amount of studying needed to pass a college course surprised me. I have always been one that everything came easily to in high school, so i did not need to put in a lot of effort. In order to smoothly transition into my college life there were of number of minute details that I had to focus on that could have been focused on in high school. First, I had to learn time management. In high school, I should have spent more time reviewing notes from class before a test was anounced rather than cramming the night before. Also, I wish I would have realized how much easier it was at home when my parents were there to help. In college I have to do everything for myself. I should have offered to help more at home just so I could begin to work out a schedule for completing the little neccesities.

Believe in yourself and do everything with confidence. You will be able to handle everything thrown at you if you believe in yourself. At the same time, if you are struggling with something, don't be afraid to ask for help. There are always people willing to help and many options on campus that offer assitance. One major key to being successful in college is to not constantly worry about every little thing and let all the small things stress you out, because that will be exhausting and will run you down in the long run. Constantly worrying is no way to live life. While school and getting involved are both very important, you have to make some time for fun to allow yourself to relax a little bit. This can be playing sports with friends or simplying playing some video games, it doesn't matter. One last thing, don't worry about making friends, just be yourself and they will come naturally. Just don't be afraid to talk with people you don't know, because that is literally everyone on campus. Overall, go into college with an open mind and positive attiduce and things will be great.

As a high school student I never really put an emphasis on the importance of my academic work. Like most high schoolers, I could usually slide by without studying or doing all of my homework. If I could go back in time I would tell my senior self that I need to try harder and focus on studying. I never really developed any study skills in high school and at the beginning of my college career I struggled quite a bit. I was in luck when I found out that my school offered a course that taught you new studying strategies. I jumped at that opportunity and excelled in my course work. Also, I would tell my senior self to really look at scholarships that are offered and try my best in the application proccess. You really don't realize the importance of money and how precious it is until you get into college and having known there were so many opportunities for scholarships that could have lightened the load would have been a major help. Developing better academic habits and realizing the importance of money and scholarships would be the two things I would tell my senior self.

The first thing you need to know is that sleep is definetley NOT overrated ! You will really regret being tired late in the semester because your sleep schedule is off because you think sleep is for old people. You can definetley survive on little to no sleep at all but sleep is one the most important things that is often overlooked or ignored as most people feel they can live off of naps, these people are crazy do not listen to them because it's not the same as a good nights rest. Secondly you need to let mom deal with the money the first year. Don't spend all of your extra scholarship, FAFSA, or loan money at the mall. Its nice to be fresh but its not worth being in debt. I would say if you get one thousand or more dollars back save at least half if not all for the next semester. Lastly you need, need neeed to sign up for classes on time. If you wait too long you will be forced to wait until the next semester to take a class and you don't have time to waste!

1) Assume more responsability, because in college you will be fully responsible for yourself. Now there is no one to wake you up and force you to go to school but being responsible and not procrastinating is vital to succeed in college. 2)The transition from high school to college is not easy but making friends makes it all more enjoyable. 3)Learn about football, you won't want to miss any games. 4)Even though you're a minority latino student there will be many Puerto Ricans in the university, so don't be nervous about being the only one.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, the advice I would give myself would be to keep pushing forward and to never give up. I would keep reminding myself to keep going for my dreams no matter how exhausted I became with school. I realized the reward of accomplishing my goals and dreams is so much greater than complaining about how complicated or big the obstacles were. For me, college life isn't as complicated as I thought it would be. In fact, my transition to the college was quite easy because I have God first in my life, great support from my grandmother, and wonderful academic advisors to guide me along in my college experience. Also, I'd tell myself to not be nervous because college is a step closer to my dreams. It's all about prioritizing and staying motivated to attain the degrees I desire in order to fulfill my dream career along with other wonderful possible oppurtunities. I know as long as I keep the faith, I can accomplish anything. The sky is the limit!!!!!!!

Relax. The point of going to college is to learn. Nobody expects you to know everything on the first day, and nobody expects you to do everything perfectly. I know it seems complicated now, but think about when you saw all the orientation information about high school. Remeber how complicated it looked? Remember how everything worked out? College is like that. It seems really complicated on paper, but the school isn't trying to make things hard; they want you to succeeded and they want to help you resolve your problems; it's their job to do that. So relax. Concentrate on your studies, pay attention to what is going on around you, and let people help you with your problems. You'll do fine.

Dear Me, One of the most important things you will learn is that it is okay if people don't like you. You don't have to do things that you aren't comfortable with and you don't need a reason to say no. If people don't respect your choices, they really aren't people that you want to have in your life. Another important thing that you need to know now is that you need to have your own dishes. It causes more problems than it's worth to have to use other people's anything, so just have your own. Also, be nice to everyone. There will be roommates and classmates that you don't like, but often those people will turn out to be your most valued friends, so smile and do nice things for people when you can. Lastly, don't procrastinate. Complete your responsibilities first and then go and enjoy life. You will safe yourself a lot of stress this way. Good luck in the future, Me. I hope you learn from my mistakes but even if you don't, just keep moving forward. Warm regards, Sara Jimenez

1. Have a basis knowledge of common household duties. Laundry, dishes, cleaning up. You never know how dirty a room can get when someone (aka Mom) isn't there to clean up constantly. 2. Know and have a healthy diet. College dining halls are filled with unhealthy options. Although, there ARE healthy options if you have trained your brain to spot them and resist the "oh so yummy" bad foods! 3. Have time management skills. Having this will help balance good grades and a happy social life! 4. Get involved. Easy way to create friendships and connections with people who have similar interests.

College feels like camp, except with better beds, bathrooms, and showers, in addition to a dining hall and a gym next door. Try to remember people's names, especially your neighbors in your dorm house. I recommend using study areas outside of the dorm hall. Also, examine your math textbook before class and try to figure out what will be going on in the next class, and be prepared to find out the rest in class. Go above and beyond when it comes to foreign languages like Spanish, expecially because you are advancing beyond the basics which you have little confidence in, and Span 301 doesn't require the mountains of busy work found with your strict High School English and Spanish teachers. Make sure you go out of your way to get a hispanic friend so you have someone to review your Spanish essays, make sure you do stuff for them too. I know you will do a good job at staying away from late night parties, and getting a good amount of sleep every night.

Rebecca, You may not be able to get help from your parents but there are so many resources that can help you go to college. Please talk to your counselor and know that you are worth it! You are not stupid and, in fact, are very smart. Your counselors will provide you with a career path if you just show interest. Your instructors recognize this even if you don't. You are a gifted female engineer type so you are not like your older sister who had all the breaks and parental support that you did not have. You should pursue your dream of interior design or whatever field you gravitate to naturally. You have not had the support you should have and no one sat you down and mapped out your abilities, skills and talents for you, however, it does not mean you should not feel like you are a nobody. I know you are thinking about the military but try to look harder at other options as well. Visit schools, make an effort and make your dreams come true. Remember, if you think success you will be a success. The mind is a powerful thing. Sincerely, Yourself

Don't count out any school because it doesn't "sound" good. Don't count out entire states. Consider every option. Meet the people at the school. Don't get too involved in the process. Do not let all of your friends' decisions start to affect your decision. You are a unique person. Even though you get along well with your friends, it doesn't mean that you necessarily belong at the same school as them. Talk to your parents. They are going to be really important in your decision so keep them informed and let them help you.

Hello Class of 2013, I am here to repersent your local community college student. I was new to the State of South Carolina when I graduated from high school and moving to a new state can be a huge transition, espically when going into college. I didn't know one single person my age when I moved to Charleston and was hoping that would all change when I signed up for classes. I wish I could come up with how I met a whole bunch of people, but that is not what a community college is for. There are no dorm rooms or sport activities, or social activites. Everyone is there to get in and out whether it be for their gen. ed classes to move on to a four year or to get a fast degree. If I were to give advice to a student that was in my situation I would say go to a four year college and have the college life expiericnce, go hang out with your roomate at the big game! Don't move into a new city and not know anything about the college your going to attend. DO YOUR RESEARCH! Good Luck!

Keep up the work ethic you have established, it will definitely pay off for you in college. All of the long nights staying up studying for AP tests and U of M Calculus are all worth it! Taking those classes will make college seem so much easier! Also you may not realize this but you are excellent at time management because you already have a job, have higher level classes, and have volunteering experiences as well. Enjoy your last few months of school and know that you have set yourself up for incredible success in college!

If I was somewhow able to tavel back in time and deemed the greatest use of this pheonomenon to talk to myself, I would tell my high school self to prepare myself for a complete surprise as to what I thought college was. That college isn't a series of hoops you have to jump through,and that in fact treating it as such would restrict what you could gain from the experience. I would say to get used to thinking outside of the box and challanging an idea, and to not just accepting it without a second thought ( which was essentialy what my high school education instilled in me). Get used to being uncomfortable and challenging yourself but also to be prepared to enjoy the work as it gives you a greater sense of accomplishment knowing that its existance is not to simply keep you busy but to better yourself. Most importantly I would confirm my skeptic high school self that all the hard work you put in pays off. That if I put in the hours, show the effort and do well, it will pay off and people will take notice as they have with me now.