Iowa State University Top Questions

Katie, CONSERVE YOUR MONEY. I promise you, you will be much happier about having groceries then you are about having that new shirt. Throughout the course of high school I've had 4 jobs; my parents recently underwent job changes, which drastically decreased our income. We have 10 children in our family, and all of us are either in college or are going to college. My parents owe several thousand in college bills, and I hope to help them out as much as I can. At Iowa State I plan on getting a job, and luckily my good grades are providing me with a small scholarship. Hopefully my parents and I will be able to scrape together enough money to get me through medical school.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior one piece of advice I would give myself would be to wait until after the first few days of class to purchase text books. During freshman orientation it may seem advantageous to get all of your books reserved and orded. However, professors often do not require textbooks or they will state that the text book will not be used at all. Waiting after the first few days to buy text books can save students a lot of money and stress.

Be open to new things, even if they scare you. Try out a club your other friends aren't interested just because you like it. Go Greek and meet tons of people within the first week of school. Talk to strangers in your classes. Let go of your past, becasue honestly no one cares who you were in high school. It was high school for God's sake! Also, try out different majors or classes that interest you, even if they don't fit in with your major. Also, don't be afraid to choose a major that your parents disagree with either. Although they may be paying for college, it is you that will living with that career choice for the rest of your life, not them. They are your parents, and they do want the best for you, although you may not see eye-to-eye. Lastly, make the most of it because it goes by way too fast!

As cliche as it is, no one cares what you did in highschool. That said take what you have learned from it and take this chance to apply it to what you want to get out of college. This is the time to re-invent/discover who you are and what you want to be doing for the rest of your life so make the most of it and just try to have a positive attitude about what ever you are trying to do. Your attitude is your altitude; it determines how high you will fly.

The many expansions of thought that occurred upon beginning college could have been so much more great had I relaxed more in high school. Worries of college preparations seemed so daunting and insurmountable that I often forgot that I had one year left to do those preparations. I would remind myself that, just like any transitions in life, there's really no "right" way to prepare, nor is there any possible way to be totally ready. Look ahead with excitement and treat each experience as it truly is--more knowledge. We go to high school and college to gain academic achievements and we do so by accumulating knowledge, but it doesn't start or end in the classroom. Every encounter is a tool that helps us discover our paths or helps us along them. Don't forget that senior year is an experience in itself that is actively preparing you for college, even if you don't recognize it as such.

High School Senior Elliott, College is a fast pace, rapidly changing world that is completely different from what you are used to. It is the greatest ride you will have ever riden and it is by far worth every second of it! Find time to go to those club meetings that you weren't sure about. Say hi to that girl you think you talked to at the dorms before. Remember to call your parents more, they will always love to hear from you. You need to go to class everyday, even when you don't want to, it will always be worth it. You also need to try going to bed every night at a more consistent time, your morning classes will thank you. Also, try to always eat something for breakfast. There is no reason to not put your best foot forward everyday. I know a lot of these things sound silly or obvious, but trust me, I think I might know a thing or two about this all. Have fun with all that you do and just believe in yourself, no matter what. All my best, College Junior Elliott

Dear high school senior self, Drop the judgments. Let go of any expectations. You are about to enter a time of self-discovery. Exciting life experiences await you. Step out of that comfortable bubble and make every effort you possibly can to meet new people, take advantage of opportunities, and enjoy this time of liberation. Get involved but don't spread yourself too thin (and don't put your name on too many club email lists). Don't rule out Greek life; it's a community full of talented, passionate, and confident leaders who love to serve their community and inspire others. Realize you can go places alone (except avoid being by yourself late at night). So what if you have to grab a meal alone? Find your table. You want to watch that soccer game but no one will go with you? GO! But, don't forget why you're here: to learn. Open that textbook and enjoy expanding the horizons of your mind. You WANT to learn. Lastly, the best moments and people come from unexpected places. Choose wisely. It's your time now. Enjoy your adventure, Your college self

The advice I would give to myself would be to always keep your options open, and know that things don't always happen the way you want them to. As a senior, I knew exactly what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go and had the rest of my life planned out in my head. It's easy to forget reality and make unrealistic goals. I would tell my senior self to keep my dream, and do whatever it took to make it happen, but know at the same time that realistically, for whatever your personal situation is, it works better to make smaller goals, and complete those one at a time to work your way up to achieving your dreams. You can't automatically end up at your dream job, get rich, and live happily ever after. You have to go through a lot of struggles and tough decisions, and at times your dream seems so far away it may never happen. But accomplishing those little things and doing whatever you can every day gets you one step closer. Never give up on your dreams, and know that only you can make it happen.

Next time STAY IN STATE for college. It's cheaper even for a middle class student

I would tell myself to work harder and focus on what is really important. Don't goof off so much. Take your classes more seriously. But don't take them seriously for the sake of the grade. Take them seriously because you will only ever find what you are truly and deeply and happily passionate about by taking these subjects more seriously. If you take a break every once in a while and reflect on what it is you truly love to do, you will have a much easier, and a much shorter, time in college. Keep talking to your friends and work hard after high school to maintain those friendships. Above all, love your life more! This is a time in your life when you can experience new things and grow into who you really are as a human being! Live it, love it, and learn from it. You will never, ever regret working harder, forming and maintaing worthwhile friendships, and trying more earnestly to figure out where your niche is in this world. Love yourself, your life, and the people in it, and you will never go wrong.

Knowing what I know now I would tell my senior self, not to worry so much the first year. Everything will work out in the end. Study hard, and join lots of clubs. Many of the friends you meet in college will be your friends for life, I still talk to many of them, even though our paths all went different directions. Don't be afraid to ask questions, professor love when you ask questions. It may seem like a stupid question, but it is not, more likely others have the same question too. Asking questions show professors that you want to understand what you are learning. Biggest thing about transitioning to college don't worry and have fun.

Not fearing on what could happen and just fallow your dreams. Also knowing that there are people out there willing to help!

My first year at Iowa State University was incredible. I appreciated my decision to attend this school every day and was consistently happy with my classes, professors, friends, and various opportunities I was given. It was beyond what I even expected--and I had high expectations! However, these high expectations made me so excited for college that maybe I did not spend as much time enjoying the rest of my time in high school, but rather dreaming about the upcoming years instead. I wish I could have spent more time with my friends and living in the present rather than the future. I wish I could have grown more then, especially knowing who I would become and how easily I could grow. I wish I could have tried to be this person then. However, we all live with regrets and I just have to remember this for the future. When I am finishing up my college years, and really as I go through the rest of life, I should remember this advice every part of my journey: spend maximum time with friends, do not be afraid to grow in new ways, and always, always live in the moment.

The number one thing that all people who are about to take the step into college should know and remember is simply to do EVERYTHING you want to do. College is a place of opportunity and really the forum where people are suppose to explore, meet new people and try new things. Why? You’re 17-19 and you can. If you fail, I guarantee that you will make fiends along the way. Don't allow fear, or doubt, or other people to talk you out of propelling yourself toward the things you are passionate about. You must live your life in ways that will make you happy. If you can start taking risks and doing what you enjoy now it will forever be in your benefit. Let go of any and everything that can hold you back and simply do what you want. Professors are there to get you to where you want to be, administrators are your enablers use them. College is the perfect place to find someone who is passionate about something and create something magnificent together. Be who you are and step forward with your head high. Also, study abroad. It is a must.

I would tell the high school senior me that please work harder on your studies and build a good studying habits because it will be something that will come to bite you later on. Also focus more on studies and make plans to hangout with your friends after you complete your assignments and homework.

Knowing what I know now about college life and how to make the transition, the advice I would give my high school senior self would be to not shut yourself out from people who you think would not be your friends. Making friends at college can be difficult for some, but I had the opportunity to experience Formal Recruitment and am now an active member of Kappa Alpha Theta. Having friends just not be your best friends but be your sisters is the one thing I truly wanted from going to college. On the flip side, my freshman year I lived on an all-girl dormitory floor. Most of the girls on the floor lived in single rooms, except for me and a few other girls, who lived with a roommate. I wish that my roommate and I had more things in common, but you cannot change yourself to be like that other person. You have to be yourself. However, let yourself spend a little more time with your roommate to see if things will finally click between the two of you because you never know how much of an impact someone can have on your life. Make many friends.

Time management is crucial to success in the classroom. College has higher workloads but using a syllabus to help plan time usage helps make it manageable. Procrastination is detrimental to long-term recall and retention.

I would tell myself to have a more positive outlook on college. My first impressions of it in high school were that it's scary and its hard to make friends there. But in reality, I just had to be more open to the idea or meeting new people and getting involved in things that like, and through these things I could find people with my same interests and make wonderful friends. College is so much easier if you go into it with a simple mindset and let people in. This also helps with classes as well, because you become less stressted about people in your class and instead make study groups.

I would have told myself to take time off and work to save money, because I cannot keep my grades up working as many jobs as I do just to stay in school. Then I would have told myself to pick a college with a stronger Political Science program so that I could better prepare myself for my future through my field of study.

Talking to myself then, I would have suggested a different major and pushed myself to play college football where ever I could.

Make sure not to join too many clubs your first semester here, by overbooking yourself you will spread yourself thin and not make as tight-knit groups of friends and you will also sacrifice some of your academics to the extra work. When you come up here, it is very important to get an agenda and make a schedule so that you don't forget about your commitments, both social and academic. By being organized you will ensure that you are managing your time in a smart and efficient way.

If i was able to go back and speak to my high school self. The first thing I would tell him is to make sure you do great on your school work and make sure you study and take school serious. The very next thing I would talk to him about his taking his SAT serious and make sure to take it multiple times if you don't receive a score you like. Make sure you narrow down the schools you would like to attend before your second semester.

I would tell myself that the irrational fears of getting lost and having bad relationships with professors are just slowing me down in my transition process and that if I continue to dwell on them, I won't have a good time at orientation or during my first week there. I would tell myself that orientation would elimate those fears and would have me going to different places on campus so that I would know where the engineering buildings are and where the dining halls are. I'd tell myself that I'd make friends and would already have a close relationsip with my roommate before even moving into the dorm room! There's nothing to worry about, because in a year, I'll be a pro at this whole college thing and freshman will be asking me for advice just like I did when I was a freshman. College is a first step, and I have already taken so many first steps like a first job or driving for the first time, and I turned out to be just fine...college shouldn't be any different.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would defiantly tell myself to not believe in fear because its not really, to not be afraid and to try new things. Trying new things is what’s going to spark your interest in what you like. I would also tell myself to start becoming a regular reader and start self-developing. College does not do a good job at teaching you how to make money, you have to learn that yourself. In order to do that you have to put yourself head of everyone and gain some skills that others don’t have. A great way to gain some of those skills is to read. Some advice I would give myself is to talk to more people, and to try as many new things as early as possible. Especially talking more during the first week of school when people don’t really know each other. You could meet a friend as easy as saying “hello my name is Rafal”. Having a bigger social circle would allow you have more opportunities for yourself.

I would simply tell myself to schedule things out. When I first came to college, I felt like there was going to be no time to do anything fun. I had heard all these rumors about studying 3-4 hours outside of class for every hour you were in class. I felt like I was going to have to spend all my time studying or else I would fail. This put a lot of stress on me and made college unenjoyable. After some experimentation, I came to the realization that I could set aside time to study and time to do the things I wanted to do. My second semester of college followed a schedule. I took four more credits that semester, but my GPA still jumped up. I went out and played sports with my friends and was more involved while still maintaining a higher GPA. The biggest piece of advice I could give myself would to be have fun but have fun in moderation. Make time to study and take care of school related things, but don't forget to make time to have fun and explore everything college has to offer.

Preparing yourself for college is pointless, the ride you'll be on for the next four years will be a great but unpredictable one. Don't develop tunnel vision and forget to look at the big picture. There are a plethora of options for you while in college so don't limit yourself to what you think you know. Go with the flow and have a fun educational and social experience.

Relax. Senior year is stressful enough with finals, scholarship deadlines and graduation. You have all summer to get things in line for your new adventure at the college of your choice. Just make sure your transcripts are sent and you are registered! Also don't shoot done the idea of a two year community college. A lot of the time you can leave there with the tedious, required for every major, classes out of the way with little to no debt. Also it is a great stepping stone for those that don't like the thought of moving to the 'Big City' and University life. Once you’re at college join a club or two, go out on the town, get to know the people on your floor and do a midnight dodge ball tournament! Just make sure you make it to all of your morning classes. Professors have a set number of classes you can miss before you fail it all together! Also get a campus job for a little extra roommate-date night cash. Remember you are only at college so long before you enter the 'real world'!

I would tell myself to not be so stressed about friendships and making friends. Friends come and go, and anyone who was truly your friend in the first place will stick with you. Also, the relationship with high school friends will change and that's not something to worry about. Classes will be harder, you won't get As in every class, but celebrate the work you put in and remember that it will all work out in the end. Develop relationships with professors as soon as you can. It will help in so many ways and most of them will bend over backwards to help you with anything you need. Most importantly, remember college is only 4 years, classes only last 16 weeks, even when you want to give up, push through and you'll get through just fine.

SCHOLARSHIP!!! Be more serious about scholarships.

Take your time when you enter college. You have all the time in the world to better yourself, and patience is key. If you rush, you will only cause yourself stress and anxiety. Take your time and your future can be amazing.

I would have given myself the advice to prepare myself financially before I made a decesion on where I wanted to go. Although, I really wanted to go to Iowa State University I think it would have been more econmical for me to go to a different school because of the scholarship offers which exceeded Iowa States.

If I were to go back in time to myself as a high school senior, the first thing I would say is "relax." There is so much pressure and stress on the months leading up to college that I found it difficult to fully enjoy the time I had left in highschool. It is easy to think of all the "what ifs" leading up to August. What if I don't make friends? What if it is too hard? What if I get homesick? I would reassure senior me that all of these worries were merely that, worries. College's are designed to be tough. There is no way around that, but if you are willing to put in the work necessary, grades wont even be a problem. Friends also come easy in college. Being stuck together with hundreds of other freshman such as yourself forces everyone to get to know eachother, and chances are, they will become some of the best friends you ever have. Lastly is the homesick worry. I would tell my younger self that college becomes so much like your home that in a year, he would be longing every day to go back.

I would tell myself to make sure that you figure out all of your financial aid situations before you go into college so you don't hve to stress out about it throughout the school year.

The advice that I would give myself is to have confidence, 'don't wait for invitations, go out and get them'. Knowing this I feel as though I wouldn't have been so shy and reserved during the first months of college. Not waiting for invitations would have made it easier to make friends, find activities to do/go to, and feel like I just needed to fit in. The other advice I would give is don't feel as though you have to hangout and be friends with your roommate. While getting along with your roommate is always a plus, you don't have to spend all your time together, have the same friends, or like them same things.

If I could give my past self some advice I would say get involved, explore as many scholarship opportunities that you can, and stay organized. Getting involved and jumping right into your campus's environment is very important for many reasons: an opportunity to meet new people, to further your education through real world experience, and to help beef up your resume. Exlporing scholarships is also very important for you as you want a somewhat stable financial situation when going into college, the more assisstance you get with your dues the less you will have to pay off later. Finally staying organized is key, in college no one holds your hand in class, it is up to you to stay on top of your classes and other obligations.

Go to class and pay attention. Some classes give out credit just for attendance and some questions on tests are based on something taught in class. Make sure to pay your tuition fees on time and keep track of your academic progress. Keep applying for scolarships! Make sure to eat healthy, and to take care of your body. Be responsible with school work and time management

As you go into the college lifestyle, make sure to make a schedule. Doing so will absolutely make your life easier as the year progresses. Along with making the schedule, make sure to stick with it at all times. It will help out the most through college. Also, do not hesitate to get a tutor if you need it. They are extremely helpful and when it comes time for exams, they are one of your best resources to use to make sure you understand everything that you need to know.

To be weary of who you share personal information to. Get to know lots of different types of people and don't let anyone determine how you feel about yourself. Branch out and try new things. Boaden your horizons and do things that may seem a little scary or intimidating to you. However, don't lose who you truly are and always remember that school comes first. Don't wait until the last minute to do things and always organize your schedule.

I would make sure I knew what I wanted to do, but of course no one knows exactly before they actually get there, and prioritize my time accordingly. Throughout my many, many days in the engineering program, I put my social networking and 'fun' before lower levels of classwork. As a parent one might look at that and say, "Oh my, poor Johnny is going to flunk out." But I knew otherwise. I quickly learned that the average engineer was awkward, hard to communicate with, either studied or played video games, showered once a week, and slept in class while still managing a 4.0. So basically, I wasn't the average engineer. I had developed the mind of an engineer, but the social skills of a businessman. At this point, I would again look back to my high school self and say, "Volunteer to give your presentation first. Set the bar high and watch everyone else try and present at the same caliber." With the networking and engineering coursework, I later realized that engineering alone wasn't for me. So, I received a minor in Sales Engineering further advancing my network, which soon turned into 500+ connections on LinkedIn.

The transition from high school to college is a lot greater than most students like to think. As a high school senior getting accepted into Iowa State University, I was thinking more about the social life I would have as an Iowa State student, when I should have been thinking more about my academic life. The first piece of advise I would give to myself would have been to spend more time applying for scholarships. The more financial help you can get from scholarships, the less stressed you will be later in your college carreer. The next piece of advice I would give myself would be to get involved on campus more as a freshman. Networking is a huge part of being successful and the more you get involved, the larger network you will have. Lastly, the earlier you start studying and being a good student, the easier your life will be. The whole "spend 2 hours outside of class for every hour in class" rule is the most important rule to remember. I wish I would have followed this rule more as a freshman as I did when I was a sophomore. Your main job is being a student.

Don't live in Helser your first year. Live in Richardson court. Switch to mechanical engineering right away. Join a club earlier.

Don't take yourself too seriously. You will be a very different person than you are now in two years. There is no reason to try and be an adult before you are one. Be excited about learning. Be kind to others, and be kind to yourself. Remember to smile, you have so many things to be grateful for. Practice self-discipline, puncuality, and stay focused no matter what life throws at you. Form good habits now, not later. Carry on these traits into college life, and it will be a recipe for success.

For starters, I would tell myself to join the military straight out of high school, instead of leaving halfway through my freshman year. The next thing would be to focus more on getting all of my general education classes done sooner, instead of still taking them my junior year. The last thing would be to enjoy every minute of it.

Your freshman year you will feel anxious about making friends. It's easier said than done, but do not be nervous. Try hard in school, but don't forget that your social life is good for your sanity. Remember why you are here. Take time to think about how lucky you are to attend Iowa State University, and make the most of it. You have no reason to succumb to peer pressure, so just be yourself and be friendly to those around you.

If I could go back and transition back into life at Iowa State, I would remind myself that I am worth so much more than the first guy I meet. Not all guys are what they say they are. It's so important to value who I am and what I believe before getting attention from guys. Other than that there is nothing that I would change. Each step of the way has been a great experience, though it may have been hard, the lessons that I learned and the people that I met have changed my life. I wouldn't change that for the world.

I would tell myself not to be afraid. College life is much more difficult than high school because you are on your own but the funny part is that college teaches you how to be your own person. Everyone in high school is metaphorically holding your hand because there is always someone to hold you accountable. Once you are out on your own, it's all you. You have to hold a full-time job to pay the bills and tuition for school which means balancing the responsibility of class work, hours on the job, and taking care of yourself. In all of that, I got scared and for my entire associate's degree I spent the majority of my time at work or with my nose in a book. I would tell my past self to relax because everything will work out according to God's plan and that even when times seem rough or those long hours at work just won't end, I don't have to worry because I can do all things through Christ and I will succeed in the end and capture that dream I've so longed for.

Stop. Think. Breath. Take a moment to step back for a minute, and take in the vastness of the world today. Fully connected by technology to those around us; information sprinting in every direction; amusement around every corner, yet, you may still feel lost. Distracted. Off-course. There will be pushes, there will be pulls. But your time is precious, so I’d advise you to use it wisely. The free time you’ll gain in college will be the most beneficial resource for your future, if you stay focued. And after those four short years, you will be amazed at how much you’ve grown. The world you once knew will become a land of opportunity. So, practice your talents every day, because those are things that will help you go places in your life. Takes small steps each day towards those big wins. You already know what you want out of life, so don’t hesitate to reach out grab it. Last of all, remember that you can do it. The opportunity is yours. Now go make some music!

Looking back in time after completly one year of college, I would have given myself the advice to have fun while still working hard. I found the transitition different from high school to college because I was not mentally prepared for the increased amount of work and the higher level of difficulty. I would also say to have fun with the people you live with and get involved in several organizations on campus because you will meet the most incredible people and they can be huge tools towards your achievements throughout the years.

Get study habbits down now because it only gets harder from now on.

As I walked across the stage at graduation almost a year ago, I knew my life would be completely different once I walked out of the doors after the ceremony. It was entirely possible that I would never see some of my classmates ever again. It was also very evident to me that I would never have the simple work load of a high school kid again just as my friendships from high school would never be able to stay unaltered after we all left for our respective colleges. All of this change frightened me, I was terrified of what was to come. If I could go back to that very day I would tell myself several things. It may seem as if you won't meet people as awesome as your current friends but you are about to go to a school with 30,000 other people who also want to make friends: it won't be a problem. School is not hard if you actually do your work. Most of all, take a deep breath and enjoy yourself. This is the time of your life, live it.