Iowa State University Top Questions

Alright man look, I know you are pretty sure of yourself these days but let me tell you a lot of things are about to change. You need to think about the future. A lot of people will tell you life is short and you need to make the most of it. Don't believe them. Life is long and each decision you make now you are going to have to live with for the rest of your life. That might not seem like that big of a deal but picture yourself 40 living the same lifestyle you do now. It wouldn't be healthy. You need to change what you're doing and make an effort to succeed. You have a lot of potential and a lot of people around you who are willing to help you out. All you have to do is make it easy on yourself and take a little advice from people who know better. A little humility goes a long way in this world and you have a lot to learn.

Looking forward to the future is a good thing. I spent my high school dreaming of college, and now I dream of a career. This is what keeps us going, but learning how to live the life of a busy college student is teaching me to enjoy the present. Every senior gets at least a mild case of "senioritis," but the sooner you learn to enjoy the last few months, the better.

I would tell my self to save all the money I make my senior year and make sure to work hard and not to fight through the senioritis. I would tell myself to cheerish all the friends I have now and make apply for all the scholarships possible.

Focus on your academic work and save the fun and games for after you've completed all of your assignments. College is a different ball game. There won't be any teachers to hold your hand or be on your back to make sure you finish what you have to do so there's no time for slacking. College is a time to hit the books and prepare your self for a life long career. People you meet in collge will seem like the nicest people and act as if there all for you to do well, but all is not as it seems. Don't let anyone at the school stray you off your path of success. Keep your head straight and stay focused. I may make it sound ike college is pure work and no play but there's always time for play after your work and anything else that needs to be done is finished first. I know you're going to succed in colllege. Just remember to always stay focused and know what your about when your out there.

I would tell myself that its not as hard as it seems. There are entire departments to help you succeed and they want you to succeed because it reflects well on them. Colleges and Universities aren't there to intimidate you or make it feel like a better future is hard to attain, they are there to make you prepared for a better job, and to make sure you have fun and know 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} that what you're doing for a living is what you want to do with your life. It's easier to start college when you're 18 than when you're 21 or older.

Learn to love Knowledge. Don’t go to college expecting to walk through it as if it’s a breeze graduate and make stacks of money. First of all going into an engineering career expects it to be hard. The classes you will take and the knowledge you will gain from them will redefine who you are and your outlook at life. The people you meet will make a mark on you and you will make a mark on them. Learn to accept people for who they are and they will eventually accept you for who you are. The pursuit of knowledge, being hard, should become a passion in you because if it is not and you go to school for the money you can earn when you get out then you won’t enjoy school, you won’t do good in it and you might not even pass. Learn to love knowledge because if you love it then no matter how hard it gets, and it gets hard, you will pursue it with everything you got and through that hard work character is built and a good engineer is forged.

I would tell myself to be more involved with activities in the community that aren't athletic related and to connect with more of my teachers on a more personal level to have those networking abilities. I would tell myself to bond more with my close friends and really enjoy opportunities like school dances and all fo the "free time" that's available while you're in high school. I would also tell myself to stay strong and never change because who you are and what you're doing now rocks and to never second guess that.

Hey you, I hope you're working hard in school! Now that I have experience in college I want to help you out and give you some advice. 1. Complete all the scholarships that you can apply to! It's really nice to have money to buy books, help with your living arrangement, and to buy food. 2. Be open to new ideas! Take risks, well "legal risks," that will help broaden your perspectives on life and give you new experiences. 3. Join many clubs! I know a majority of your life-long friends will come from clubs. It's nice to share something you have in common with other people. 4. Be positive! I know it's hard to go to college when your're not sure what you want to do with your life, but stay positive, talk to other people about majors, and take a wide range of classes. I know you will find the right major for you. 6. STUDY! College was not ment to be easy, it is a place to further your knowledge and that involves working hard to recieve that A' or B'. Finally, 7. Have Fun!

Keep up the good work! Taking AP Biology will really help you. That pre- calculus class will come in handy. Keep your head up!

Take high shool more seriously is the advice I would've given to myself. I was the lazy kid that never wanted to do anything. I don't regret it because high school was fun, but that's not all I should've done. I should've worked harder for better grades, joined clubs, and do things for the community. It would've worked great on applying for scholarships now, but my choices are limited because of what I didn't do during high school. I don't want to be the kid that relys on their parents anymore. I want to work on doing everything independantly. If I knew my life was going to be like it is now, I would've worked harder for better chances.

I have two major pieces of advice I would give myself. The first is to apply for as many scholarships as possible. Look for them in places like your college as well as through scholarship websites. Apply for everything you can. It never hurts to try! Also, make sure to fill out your FAFSA on time. Many scholarships require this information by specific dates. The other piece of advice I would give is to get involved at college right away. Go to as many club meetings and activities as possible. It is a great way to meet people who are interested in the same things as you. There are organizations for everything from sports to the arts, and many even give you opportunities for volunteering in the community. Even though you might be nervous because you don’t know anyone, realize that all the freshmen are experiencing the same thing as you. These activities will give you a chance to make friends and have fun.

If I were given the opportunity to go back and talk to myself about college as a high school senior, the first thing I would say is regardless of how tough things get, do not give up on any classes. The curriculumn and classes are all set up in a way that they are meant to be passed the first time; if you drop out you will just look back and realize the time is going to pass anyway so you might as well spend it all wisely. The second important piece of advice I would give myself is, stay at home - do not move out until you graduate. It is much easier to focus on school when you only have one or two bills to pay.

If I could go back in time and give my self advice about college it would be to make sure you don't let your self get lost in your social life, to make sure to get organized and prioritize your education. I would also tell my alternate universe self that my mother was alway right and that I really needed to study more and get used to doing it correctly.

Don't ever be afraid to make a mistake and to ask for help. Making mistakes is what helps you learn. If you never make mistakes, you'll never learn from them and grow as a student, as a professional, and as a person. In addition, there are so many resources and people that want to help you, but you have to be willing to ask for it. If you don't take advantage of people willing to give you assistance, you'll miss out on opportunities. The possibilities are endless. Set your sights high and enjoy the ride.

Oh that's a great question, I think I would go back and tell myself to take more classes through my community college and get the credits transferred over so i had a least some credits to start out with.

Being a know-it-all senior who is ready to ditch the rest of high school and start attending college immediately is tough. I remember getting into Iowa State University earlier than my friends were hearing back from their schools. If I could tell myself one thing about college at the very beginning, it would include living in the moment. While I was so anxious to graduate high school, I didn't realize it would be the last time my friends and I saw each other on a daily basis. Going through sorority recruitment as the very first activity of my college career was scary. If I had recognized it as an opportunity to make friends right away I wouldn't have been so nervous. When I met new people through friends I made during the first year of college, I could have realized that meeting them then could lead to a resource or a friendship later on. College is flying by quicker than I had hoped, but the people I meet, the classes I attend and the opportunities I take in that very moment define my overall experince I am lucky to look back on at Iowa State University.

Finacial aid is an important aspect of higher education. There are many opportunites to complete scholarships in high school and as a high school senior you should work on one each week. Use your tools, the high school advisor is a good place to start and university websites often have lists of trusted scholarship websites. My first week on campus, I attended a finacial aid presentation. There, I heard the most useful advice on debt management. The speaker told us, "... get a job, it doesn't have to be a perfect fit. Everyone will have a crappy job at some point in life, just remind yourself that it's only temporary." I have found this advice the most useful in my student career. Being a student in the global market of today isn't the easiest thing to accomplish and bare alone. Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new. This is how you meet people and grow into a successful student. So, my three peices of advice. First, get a job with the understanding it's only tempory. Next, actively fill out scholarships. Finally above all, actively engauge in activities and clubs.

don't spend all your money

Do not consider yourself "too cool" to do anything when preparing for the universitiy experience. College allows so many unique opportunities that no high schooler is even aware of! Keep an open mind when involving yourself in extracurricular activities and keep your head in the game when it comes to finding the path of study that is right for you. You will come to find that there are so many options to sort through that times might get tough, however if you are at the right university you will find the right place for your and your interests. It will be the time of your life!

Start thinking about your career right away. Enjoy the learning process, but also consider your future and take it seriously!

I would have told myself to immerse and explore in a variety of fields of study and subjects so that I expose myself to many options and find what I am most passionate and interested in so that I have an idea of what I would want to major in. I would also have told myself to play hard but also to work hard as good work ethics are cultivated and it is very much needed in order to succeed in college. I would have told myself to be bold, independent and courageous in learning and go beyond the textbook, assignments and exams and conduct self directed learning opportunities by going into the community to seek chances to learn more about practice what I've learnt in school. Learning takes place beyond the four walls of the classroom and in college, it is very much up to yourself to determine how much you learn and how much you get out of it. Intiative and curiosity is very important and more often that not, you would gain from pursuing actively, even from failures. I would also have told myself to find an intrinsic motivation because it's what carries you far.

I would tell myself to do some extra cirricular activities. Any sort of activitiy, because despite my achedemic achievement, I did not recieve much help at all with paying for college. I didn't know that activities outside of class were so important. I would have told myself to volunteer and join choir.

I suggest not taking the decision lightly, not just the decision of the college you're attending but the classes you're planning on taking. You'll be disappointed in yourself if you waste your time and money taking classes and having to retake them so make sure you're focusing on your classwork as well as having fun. Transferring to a 4 year college after taking classes at a two year college is difficult and a hard adjustment; I suggest not transferring in the middle of the year but at the beggining when everyone is looking for friends. Seek out help for classes you know you'll have issues with, it doesn't mean you can't do it alone; but it helps a lot to have someone to ask questions when your professor or student teacher isn't available.

I will never forgot the life lessons I have learned and am continuing to learn in college. I do not regret going to college one bit, for it has broadened my outlook of life and my own education. Going back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior would give me the opportunity to give myself a few valuable pointers in making the transition from high school to college. Telling me what to expect in college would help my past self very much so. The advice I would give myself would consist of the ways to succeed to college. The most important thing I have learned since going to college is that you get what you earn, if you don’t want to succeed in college, you won’t. I would tell myself to be prepared to study hard and learn a lot, not only just about your own education but the world around you. College is a place to learn what you want to do with your life, so I would tell myself to never give up in your goal of succeeding in college. College can be hard, but most of all, it can be fun.

I would tell myself to branch out as much as possible upon arriving to campus. I would get more involved during my first freshman semester. I would advise myself to take a variety of classes to see what I would like to do rather than taking courses I thought I would like. I would tell myself it is okay to not know what my major is going to be.

My advice I would give myself as a high school senior is to work hard and tell myself not to fall behind. As a senior, it would be common for me to know that college is rough. It's important for me to stay on track get the best grades as possible.

I'd tell myself that college is all about choices. From choosing a major to choosing extracurricular activities to choosing where to live, life as an undergrad is full of things you’ll decide for yourself. On the one hand, this is awesome because you have the freedom to do anything; on the other hand, you’ll be completely overwhelmed at first by how many options you have. Should I pick up a minor in Philosophy? Should I join the swimming club? Should I eat a salad or six doughnuts for lunch? You’ll freak out as you ask yourself these and other questions. But don’t panic, I’d tell myself, because once you get used to all these choices, you’ll start appreciating the fact that you can choose. After you pick a major you’re passionate about, join a club you look forward to every week, and realize how much you love your friends, you’ll be happy you got the chance to create your own identity. Oh, and I’d tell myself not to start buying jumbo-sized bags of M&M’s to keep in my desk… because it’s really hard to stop now.

Take the time you need in order to make the right decision. Weigh the pros and cons, and listen to Mom. Think hard about what you want to major in, and don't get stuck on one specific planned path. Remember that it isn't a sign of weakness to ask for help - it will be really important in the future. Hard work is important, but it isn't everything. Try to have fun, and make friends.

Always keep an open mind and always say yes. You will make a lot of new friends and while some of the new experiences will be daunting, always step up to the plate. You've always taken care of yourself and you should continue to do so, there will probably be some peer pressure but I know you will be able to make the right decisions. Stay determined and work hard in your classes, but always be open to new opportunities. I know you'll have a great time at The Iowa State University!

Do not take the advice of my high school advisor, be sure to research in depth the major you really want instead of just settling for the time being. Also don't listen to all those people who say that you are insane for not looking at any college campuses before chosing or showing up for the first day of classes there. And finally just relax, everything works out fine, though try and study a bit harder for Calculus II exams and quizzes.

I would tell myself about being involved on campus and making friends as these are very important to succeed because you always have someone there for you through the bad times and the good times! It also allowes you to have a buddy system for emergencies or jsut someone to relax with between classes!

Make sure you are always ready for something new. Always be positive and show others your positive attitude. Stay focused and always get your homework done on time, even before time. Get involved in everything because the more I am involved the more I will learn. Hang out with all different cultures and learn from there. They can teach me a lot more about the other countries. Stay focused and don't get involved in bad activities. Always help others if they need it. This is the time to focus on yourself and no one else. Getting homework done ahead of time always helps. Go to games on campus and get involved with the sports in school. Stay in shape and you will feel better about yourself. Eat healthy and encourage it on your friends. Have friends and treat them good, always be there for them and show them that you care. If your there for your friends they will be there for you. You will learn who you truly are. Teachers will love you or hate you. You have to learn to ignore what others think and only think about yourself. You are the only thing that matters!

Within my major, students must all do their homework in the same place during what would otherwise be their "free time." I would tell myself to make friends in my major sooner, rather than later instead of making friends outside and then rarely getting to see them. The more you're around these people, as friends, the less you are inclined to latch onto old high school friends and feel homesick.

The first thing I would recommend is looking harder for scholarships. When you're in high school you don't realize how much money people are trying to give you for college. When you see how much you're being charged for tuition you really start to wish you would have listened to your school councelor. Another piece of advice I would give myself is to start eating healthier and get in a good excercise routine before you leave for college. It's much harder trying to establish healthy habits like these when the homework starts to pile up and you're living in a dorm room the size of a closet. Lastly, when I first started classes I was constantly worried that people would know I'm a freshman or that I looked out of place and people were noticing. Lighten up. After a few months you realize that no one is even paying attention to the other people walking around campus because they've got more important things to worry about.

I would tell myself to establish really good study habits as a senior in highschool. I would tell myself that I need to understand the importance of good time management in order to be ablet o do all of the things that I want to. I would tell myself that it is okay to take a break from studying and go outside. I would advise not overwheming myself with too many credits or activities in order to get into the swing of things. I know that I took too much on too early and overwhelmed myself. I had to take a step back and reevaluate what I was involved in. I have big goals and I know now exactly what it takes to reach them. Don't underestimate working and thinking ahead because you don't want to run out of time. Also, get involved in campus activities you wouldn't normally get involved in, you might find out things about yourself you never knew.

In High School I would always do things at the last minute and I never fared badly for it. As a result I never really learned good time management or studying habits. Unfortunately this followed me into college and I learned the hard way that sloppy last minute work and overnight cramming does not cut it in college. So, I would tell my high school self that time management is no joke. In college you don’t have someone constantly goading you to turn in homework or reminding you that something is due. You need to be self-sufficient and just do it. You also need to be self-efficient and in order to be self-efficient you need to stay focused. Make a schedule for everything you need to do from studying, to working, to hanging out with friends, and stick to that schedule. In college there are a lot of distractions that will try to steal your focus, there will be parties, there will be friends, there will be significant others, there will be work, family, you name it, but you need to stay focused. Getting through your college studies is the most important thing, not the distractions.

If I spoke to my younger self, I would first exchange pleasantries and ask him how he was feeling and tell him he doesn't look too tough. I would sit him down and reflect upon the last few years of high school. I would tell him funny stories and people I’ve met. I wouldn’t tell him everything as to not spoil his future years. But, I would not hesitate to give sound financial advice as well academic. I would tell him to save money for school and possibly a pretty girl he might meet. I would give an insight to the rigors of college life and give him an idea of the level of difficulty with anecdotes from past AP classes. I would tell him that being down would not always mean you will be. That he would he need to pick himself up when situations look most bleak. I would want him to feel humility, excitement, and promise. I would assure him that he would become the man he expected to be. He would become what his parents were proud of and what he felt he had the power, wit, ingenuity to do.

I would have to say the biggest piece of advice would be apply for more scholarships. As a senior in high school I felt like surviving the end of the school year and hanging out with people was more important, but as most other freshmen and now sophomores in my position I would do anything to go back and just apply for everything. I'd also say branch out to others more in the beginning of the year. It's easy to be scared the first semester of college but everyone is in the same boat. Just go for it.

As a senior in high school i was very naive and had no real direction because i was the first person in my family to attend a university directly out of high school. If I could go back and give myself advice I would advise myself to look at more schools. As a senior my mind was made up that I would stay close to home. I wish i would have looked into out of state schools and farther away from my confort zone. I would advise myself to have more confidence. There were some schools that i didnt apply to simply because I thought i would not get in. I would also advise my younger self to apply for twice as many scholarships.

Don't be afraid to be yourself and put yourself out there. College is a competitive place where those who do not take the intiative will be left behind and wondering where the time went. Unlike high school where many things were done for you, college is a place where responsibility lies solely on you. Start preparing now for the college lifestlye by doing the simple household chores such as laundry and dishes. This way, you will already be used to it when college comes around, and instead of worrying about how to do the new household chores, you can focus your time and effort on your schoolwork and making connections. In high school, a great deal of emphasis was placed on schoolwork and getting "good" grades. Although this is still an important component in college, retaining the information covered in class and forming connections with faculty, students, and business is more important in college than getting an "A" so to speak. Enjoy your last part of high school and be ready for college, because no time is wasted. These next four years may dictate what you do for the rest of your life, so leave it all out there.

I would tell myself that get involved even if you have no friends in the club. You will meet new friends and the friends you meet the first year of college you won't necessarily remain friends with as you go on. Try new things and get out there. This is the start of your adult life. Make the most of it!

If I could go back to high school version of myself, I would constantly remind myself to stick by the lessons and rules passed down by my father; courtesy, perseverance, and integrity are lessons to live by in everyday actions. Maturing into who I am today, I would tell my high school self to not only strive for academic achievement but also assert myself into new situations with new people, accept me for who I am and embrace my culture. My college experience has been tremendous eye opening. I would tell myself that life is unpredictable and that I should trust my own instincts and follow my ambitions. College has taught me the importance of self-management and preparation in every aspect: physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. I have learned the consequences of my decisions in high school years and its influence on my performance as a college student. Nevertheless, sometimes you have to take the extra step and take a risk. Knowing what I know now, I would tell myself, “Take the initiative in sculpting your future, work hard but now and then it’s good to pause in the pursuit of happiness and just be happy”.

Take some time away from school, a year or so and work. This way you can get a better idea of who you truly are and where you would like your life to go. Life experiences help not only to learn who you are, but also to know what not to do from watching other peoples' mistake. Learning from one's mistakes, yours as well as others, is the BEST learning experience one can achieve, and it is not from reading a book or taking a test. Living life is learning.

Hey you, You really need to relax a bit. You seem to be sweating all the details, but really, this place will take care of you. This campus and all these colorful people, are the closest thing you will ever have to home. ISU is really good about helping with the financial things, so really, you have nothing to fret you pretty little head about anymore, you college family will take care of you. I know that you think you are just going to be a bookworm and study your butt of an coast through now that you can afford school, but stop and smell the roses. You may not believe it, but the people here aren't as different from you as you think. And you are going to make some friends, both in and out of the classroom, that will mean the world to you. This is your time to shine, you are going to learn lots, work hard, and smile every day. I promise =) Best, An older You

I would tell myself to look very seriously at choosing a college and to make sure that I am making the right choice. I would tell myself not to be scared about the future and to be excited about taking the next step in my life.

If I were to go back and talk to my high school self, I would tell myself to party hard and study harder. College is only a small part of your life, so be sure you enjoy it. Make as many friends as possible and take part in as many clubs and extra-curricular activities as you can. You many not keep in touch with all of those friends, but they will give you some of the best memories. Remember that your purpose of going to college is to get an education and you are paying a lot of money for that education. Don't waste it! Study hard and take advantage of your professors. Your professors enjoy helping students and they can give you some great insights. Learn their office hours and visit often. Make all of your experiences count!

Hello David, circumstances are different now in the future. We have developed nanotechnology, extended longetivity and even mastered time travel. I am you in the future. I've come here to give you advice. You've now graduated and still quite insecure of what to persue. You've always had an interest in science and technology and dreamt of outer boundries journeys. Let me tell you, there are professions that require those initiatives. Aerospace Engineering is the core for outer-space exploration. The big quest is to find life forms in another planets, trust me there are many like the earth; The hard part is getting there. We share the same questions and we are both aching in finding a thuth about our universe. My advice is this: keep focus, stay motivated, look up to people like Dr. Michio Kaku, don't listen when someone tells you; you can't achive something, resist peer pressure, surround yourself of possitive and humble people, protect your loved ones and family and apply to as many scholarship opportunities as you can. Keep these words in the pocket of your concious. The future depends on you David.

Your future is your education - your education starts with your university. Your university is not entirely concrete. Its campus is grass, it is flowers, it is art and sculpture. Its buildings are brick, they are metal, they are rock. The clubs, sports and special events change change with the seasons as autumn turns leaves and the rain that falls from the clouds turns to snow, but through it all the sun smiles down on the students. The scenery, the facilities, the social nature - these things vary greatly, but are nothing compared to the student body. Your peers will have different cultures, different interests and different goals. Your future is your university. And your university is as varied and changing as the people passing through its bricks and events and seasons, the future of whom it is a manifestation and the lives of whom it will shape - differently for each person and uniquely for each person. Your future is varied. Its building blocks will be changed, its seasons weathered, its people incomparable - its experience priceless. Take opportunities as they come. Don't fear change. Try new places, new paths, new people. Your future is not entirely concrete. Embrace its variety.

I would tell myself, college is serious and leave all the fun for after your done with college. Also, make sure you know what you want to do before you get yourself into a major. If your unsure, it's okay, just think about what you really want to do and where do you see yourself in a few years. You don't want to stress yourself out because your unsure, it's the last thing you want to do. When you finally decide what you want to do, try not to slack any bit in college. College is different cause your on your own and you have no one to tell you what to do. It's no where near highschool, so once you screw up, you screw up.There will be stressful times but it's part of life when your starting college. You'll eventually get on track no matter what happens. Just as long as you remain positive, become your own self-motivator!

College is a lot different from high school so you need to find that ambition to work hard again a lot faster than I did the first time. Also while you think engineering is what you want to do because it is expected of you; you need to realize that college is for you and it is teaching you skills for what you are going to do the rest of your life. Pick a major that interests you and that you will be in love with for the next 50 years...aka anthropology! Take more classes with Jana and don't pull as many all nighters. Join MARCHING BAND right away and not two years down the road as it is the best decision you will ever make. And just enjoy yourself. College years are some of the best and most important years of your life and you shouldn't waste them by studying too much or socializing too much, find the combination of the two that work best for you and stick with it.