Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley Top Questions

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

Jordan

Work as hard as you possibly can. Make good grades and apply for as many scholarships and financial aid as possible. Senior year is not the year to slack off, finish strong and opportunities for scholarships will be plentiful.

Eric

If I could go back to the past and talk to myself as a senior I would tell myself so much so that I could have been better prepared for college. There was so much I didn't know about when I was a senior. One piece of advice is apply to every single scholarship out there! College is really expensive and I don't think I realized it as a senior. As a senior I still applied for schoarships but not as many as I would have liked. Another piece of advice I would have given myself as a senior is to start choosing a major/career for the future. Coming into college I was clueless as to what I wanted to study. I had interest in many things but had a hard time choosing my major. I think if I would have thought about it in highschool I would have been ready for college with a plan. Not having a plan on what to study in college is a waste of time and money. These two pieces of advice would have helped me so much as a senior and would have created a better present.

La'Kendra

If I could go back and give Kendra advice as a high school student, I'd tell Kendra to stay focused on school and not worry so much about boys. I'd tell her that the sky really is the limit and if you apply yourself the obstacles you come across in college will be so much easier to overcome. If i could talk to her I'd let her know that Beauty without brains is ugly, and no man wants a girl that is focused more on her looks then she is getting an education. Push yourself even when you feel like the odds are stacked against you, because when high schools finished there is no going back trying to correct things that should've been done right the first time. Study more, and when you feel you've studied enough... study some more! I'd let her know that being in college is a privelege that many want but only few receive and achieve. Nothing is impossible with God on your side. Let the work you do reflect the person you are. I'd tell Kendra you never get a second chance to make a good first impression!

Muni

GPA is the most important part, and should be a priorities to keep it between 3.0 4.0. It will help alots when applying for scholarship money, and better University.

Paris

If I could go back in time and offer advice to myself as a higher school senior; I would offer myself words of wisdom and encouragement. I would tell myself that nothing is impossible. I would remind myself of all the struggles my parents went through to make a good future possible for me. The blood, sweat, and tears they faced so that my siblings and I could be successful. I have an opportunity that they would kill to have had, but instead they made it possible for me. And it is for these reasons that right now is not the time to mess up and wonna play. Not is the time to show that you are indeed an shinning star and that you can make it in life. Yes senior is a time for fun and enjoy your last year with your friends but you must realize that anything you do now reflects your future whether it be good or bad; a pass or a fail. And my last words to myself that as long as you stay true to yourself and strong in your faith you can succeed at anything.

Natalie

Natalie, do not give up on your future goals. When times become difficult, don?t quite but reduce your credits to part-time. Contact UMKC (4yr college) and Penn Valley (2yr college) and become a dual student. Stay in contact with both advisors. You must seek scholarships and grants. Do not allow a full-time job to interfere with your education. In the future, if you choose job over education, you will be passed up on promotions if you do not possess a BA or BS Degree.

Christina

The advice that I would give myself would be to participate in the A+ program, which earns student's money towards community college. I would also tell myself to be more prepared for the future, and have a set goal in mind about what course of study you would like to take. As a current student, I have struggled trying to figure out my course of study, and as a result, have taken unnecessary classes for my, now, declared major. As a senior in high school, it is your highly important job to decide your future, and determine your potential in the career field. I would also tell myself to be more financially prepared, and to stay cautious of student loans. While loans are unavoidable, do not over-use them as it can haunt you in the future. My advice would be to stay calm, focus on a career you'd like and are willing to study, and to take responsibility for your actions both financially and academically.

Gabrielle

The first piece of advice I would give to a high-school aged version of myself is to build my study skills. While community college is not considered to be the kind of institution that gives you intense amounts of homework, I've come to find that my biggest obstacle is myself. It is a daily struggle to find a way, a place, and the time to do homework and study. That being said, I am continually working on my studying and time management skills. I would have, in my opinion, been better better equipped to deal with this if my high school had actually been a real college preparatory school (instead of just being called one). I would also tell myself that there are lot more resources available to struggling students (discounts, scholarships, grants) that my high school made seniors aware of. The last piece of advice I would give myself is to find the best in teachers and the facilities available to you, and that community college really is what you make it to be.