Mercer County Community College Top Questions

The advice I would give my high school self would be to save all the money you can and to work harder than you did. Everything matters when you leave high school: grades, money, people you know, people who know you. Do not take everything for granted and work as hard as you can.

If I were able to go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I'd say 2 simple words: Try harder. To be competely honest, I didn't try my hardest to get into college. Yes, I maintained A's and B's throughout my high school years, but when it came to applying for school, I gave myself limitations. I told myself "I don't have enough money for a 4 year school, so why bother?" I never tried. In reality, I think I was nervous about going away to school and I gave myself excuses. At this point, I attend Mercer County Community College, about 20 minutes from my house. I enjoy the classes but it seems as if it's just another high school. My dream is to go to FIT in New York, and become a graphic designer. If I had the oppurtunity, I'd tell myself to apply to FIT, apply for scholarships and get loans. And now, because of my stupidity, I'm struggling more with money in order to transfer to FIT next year. The best advice I could give is to try harder. Anything is possibly if you try.

The transition into a community college isn't as hard or different as the transfer into a four-year school. I was able to keep my job, stay at home, and stay close to everyone I cared about. The only thing I would say to myself is to continue to strive for high grades. The work load is larger and the classes are longer and harder, so it does surprise you at first. However, if you concentrate and make school work your number one priority you can succeed and better prepare yourself for the transition into a four-year school. Don't take anything lightly, you need to really pay attention and try to get to know your professors because it's always better to be able to contact them if you need help. Don't be afraid to ask for help either, it can possibly make your grade in class higher because they know you put effort into learning. The transition like I said isn't as hard into a two year school, but as long as you strive for excellence you will achive with hard work.

I would of told myself to buckle down and study hard so that I could of taken a few more college prep courses that would of helped me out to save money and time. I would of put more thought into what I wanted to do with my life after high school so that I would of stuck with one career option instead of switching my major. It is hard as a high school student to think that ahead but before you know it high school is over and you growing up and out there in the real world making a go of it as an adult but now at this stage of my life I do wish I had taken it more seriously.

Given the ability to travel back in time to myself as a high school student, the advise I would give is "never give up." Of all the lessons I have learned, this one has been the most important, and often times the most challenging. The experiences you have will help shape the person you become. Choose the paths that adhere to your integrity. Do not compromise your core believes because things seem hard or too challenging, as those are the paths that come with the greatest rewards. Do not be discouraged with your road makes unexpected turns. There are lessons to be learned in these directions, and your instincts will lead you to your own happiness, provided you listen to them.

Wow! This is the biggest question of the day. I would have to say that I would have studied harder to pass the SAT. Also, during the times that I wasn't doing anything I could have been reading up on different things like what is college life is all about, how much is everything going to cost, would it be better that stay on campus or off campus and the list goes on. Being more involved in multiple college prep programs so that I could have the direction I would need to succeed on the bumpy, but yet smooth road to completing college successfully. I would say to myself now, let bygones be bygones, don't limited yourself or be to afraid to ask a question, hold you head up high, reach for the stars and aways remember this; nothing baits a failure but a try.

I would have told myself to get my RN after graduating high school. I would have achieved that degree to move forward to get my Master's in Nursing. Although I have a BA from Monmouth University, I wish I knew that I wanted to be a nurse at 18 instead of 25 years old.

I would of taken more college prep courses so that I would be that much more ahead and with a greater understanding of how life would be out of high school. I would also have started saving for college so that I could of experienced the whole college life rather than going to the community college. Not that its a bad thing going to the community college but it would of been a great experience to be one my own seeing how the world works and being able to take care of myself.

I would have chose to move back to NYC and went to CUNY Baruch instead of going to Rutgers just because I got in. I would have tried harder in my classes to get a higher GPA and look at scholarships to go there. I really didn't have much of a mother or father, so I didn't understand how things are run, but I learned now from experience that there are other possibilities, and that the way I did things was because I didn't really have much guidance and the school I went to didn't have many people that helped guide others past the classroom. I kind of wish there was some sort of program for children of parents who are either not there or working more than parenting. Otherwise if I could go back in time, I would have joined those clubs I wanted to join and talked to the teacher and guidance counselors a bit more.