Miami University-Hamilton Top Questions

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

James

Seize the day! We need to enjoy our life in the high school, but I think the most important duty for students is to study. Good grades usually don't mean anything ,but it could give you a standard way to measure yourself.

Joseph

The most important part about transistioning from High School life to college life is managing your time. Most people would think that this means you don't have free time in college, but it turns out it is quite the opposite. You have an overabundance of free time while at university and this can be difficult for many students. You will spend a very small portion of your week in structured class enviroment the rest is up to you. My advice is to make sure you spend time wisely, the obvious things would be studying reading, and doing homework. There are not so obvious things that are not always told to you while in high school. Things like taking advantage of your professors office hours. The proffesors are often looking for something to do during office hours so you might as well use this time to pick their brain. This will not only improve the chances of earning a higher grade in their class, but it will also help you build relationships with people with connections, for internships and other reccomendations. Whatever you do in college there is always time for everything, spend time wisely and you wont be overwhelmed.

Ashley

I would tell my high school self that she needs to take her grades seriously and finish strong; it's not OK to slack off just becuase it's almost over. I would try and explain to her that college is rough and that what she sees on television shows isn't reality, she needs to be prepared to work hard and stay up late in order to keep her GPA at an acceptable level. I would also warn her that while life experience is a good thing, sometimes it needs to take a back seat to academia and she needs to be prepared to make sacrifices in order to succeed in school; boyfriends and a social life are important, but not as important as ensuring acceptance into academic programs that are hard to get into. Lastly, I would help her to understand how important extra curricular activities are in both high school and college. They are a great way to meet people who are interested in the same activities, educational experiences and networks that will help her succeed. It is through these programs and organizations that she will make friends that will last a life time.

Patricia

The advice i would give myself is that get better grades in school dont get any D's, pay more attention in english class and math class and enjoy your senior year.

Monica

Monica, you are about to enter into college. Though you are not scared, you must continue to strive for excellence. The professors do not care if you show up to class once a week or everyday. They are paid, regardless. Take advantage of this opportunity to continue to be the best that you can be. You are intelliegent, and approachable-transitions will be a breeze. Remember that your friends may want you to not study and to hang out, but they are not the ones to take your test, to write your papers, or to sit in your place for exams. Be the example you want your future children to be. Keep your head up.

Kelsey

Listen, college is a lot more serious than you really thought it'd be. Really look into colleges that have smaller class sizes and that are not so big, you unknowingly do much better at a smaller school. Opportunities are everywhere, so take advantage of them. Scholarships are so accessible and can be easy to obtain, so apply to as many as you can. Also, make sure to study study study for the SATs. Although you cannot afford an SAT tutor, the SAT workbooks sure do help on their own. Make sure you really commit to school work and your IB tests at the end of the year, and take some core college classes at UCC, because having credits as an entering freshman definitely comes in handy and saves a lot of money. But most of all, have fun and enjoy senior year! Realize that you and your friends are going seperate ways so make the most out of the time you have left with them. All in all, work hard, do your research and enjoy senior year!

Cameron

If I could go back I would tell myself to listen to what my counselors, teachers, and parents were telling me. I assumed that since I went to a private school I'd be going to a university or private college somewhere. Nonetheless I assumed wrong. I'm not currently enrolled at Montgomery College (community) in Maryland. Although I did get accepted into multiple colleges that are noteable (ie. Pitt, Morehouse College) I never took into account that I would need to find some way to pay for these colleges. I assumed I'd take out some student loans and I'd call it a day. I filled out a couple scholarships here and there, but nothing serious. This time around I know that I need to fill out scholarship after sholarship, no matter how time consuming it is. This is because any little bit helps. Education, sadly, isn't free once you get past high school, and its up to you to come up with the funds to afford it. If you want to have an easy transition to the college of YOUR choice, you need to search for scholarships and actually DO THEM!!!!!! (obviously)

Kesha

If I could go back in time I would have told my senior self to push myself more and to never give up. I would have listened to the people that were giving me the advise that I need. I think if I would have listened more and payed attention to all the people who looked up to me I would have stayed on task and not get so caught up in a fantasy world.

Cherie

First thing I would tell my little naive high school senior self is to open your eyes and look at all of your surroundings and not just straight ahead. Things are much diffenent in college then in high school, the real world awaits you, and sometimes it just isn't fair. Yes its okay to make mistakes, but learn from them so you can be a better person. Also stop being so afarid of what others think of you, don't live your life for them, do what makes you happy and nothing else matters. Whats most important is instead of sitting around saying your going to do this and that, make an effort and do it yourself. It's time to be an adult becuase when you get into college and into the real world you have to rely on you and no one else . So go to college, get some courage, get some backbone, get your education, be successful, and do what makes you smile.

Rose Ann

I would say to start college right out of high school and not wait.

Ashley

I would tell myself to just relax and enjoy your life because things can get pretty stressful but you have to stay strong and keep going in order to make your life better.

Elizabeth

I would love to be given the change to go back and talk to myself this time last year. There are so many words of wisdom I would offer myself. It has become almost a fact to some students that if they can just get to their senior year then they are done. I wish I could tell myself not to quit early, not to stop short. I believe I could have been more ready for the first semester of my college year if I was not so eager to get out of high school as fast as I could. I would tell myself to research everything before scheduling my classes, while I thoroughly have enjoyed my college experience thus far I believe if I were able to go back in time and talk to myself I could have made it even better.

Tera

My college experience at Miami University-Hamilton has really given me the experience of college courses without the sometimes harshness of a residential college campus. It has slowly eased me into the "college lifestyle" and has prepared me to move on to a main campus at a college I really love. Getting a college education has always been important to me, as I have seen family members that have not received one, suffer financially. I want to be able to support myself and potentially a family in the future by doing work that I really love and enjoy.

Jessica

I have gotten an experience unlike any other. College is nothing like high school; there are students who are paying their whole way. They work their butts off all year to pay for themselves. Many of them are older generation students returning to school, and I see the dedication they put into their work. They constantly tell me how happy they are for me that I got the opportunity to go to college straight from high school. The college experience has taught me to not waste time and it has taught me that, as long as you have enough heart, you can be absolutely anything you want to be.

jessika

I would tell myself to take more time selecting a major. I would tell myself to look for a career with qualities that I enjoy rather than being primarily concerned with the amount of money that I make. I would tell myself that going into to a university and finishing the first time around is a lot easier than trying to go back after a few years. But most importantly I would tell myself to patient. Finishing a degree takes time. The rewards of a college education aren?t immediately visible but, with time, the benefits of an education become obvious. Over the years I have met a lot of people who wish they could go back to school because they finally realized that. I always tell them it is never too late. An education is important, far less expensive than ignorance, with intangible rewards far more valuable than the monetary ones.

Rachael

If I could go back in time to when I was a high school senior I would tell myself to get out of the habit of procastination. It is easy to do so in high school and still get good grades, this is almost impossible in college. I would have also told myself to apply for more scholarships. College can get expensive and it's hard to find time to work to pay for all the expenses, scholarship money would help a great deal. I would have also worked on my study habits. Being an honor student it was easy for me to get good grades whether I studied or not. In college, I have learned that I have to study a lot more often than what I was intending to do. Since I never studied in high school it is hard for me to start this good habit this late in my educational career.

Kimberli

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 go with my instinct and choose Nursing instead of Business! I would also have told myself to stay at home and go to school full-time instead of moving out on my own, working full-time and going to school part-time. Now ten years later, being a single parent trying to attend school full-time it is extremely hard mentally, emotionally, physically and financially! There are things that I would change if I could but also many that I wouldn't. I believe that God has a plan for me; I just needed a little help getting on the right path. I'm sure I'm on the right path now but could use some help getting over those speed bumps also known as tuition and costs of living. Also, knowing now how hard it is, I would give myself the same advice that I currently give my son: working harder on academics now makes life easier later!

Tiffany

If it were possible to go back in time and give myself a little bit of advice during my senior year, I would let myself know that I shouldn't stress out so much. College isn't that much different than high school. I would have told myself to fill out and apply for FAFSA/financial aid sooner than I did, as well. If I would have done so, I may have gotten more financial relief. I wish I would have known that I'd still see plenty of my friends from high school in college. I was always so worried that I'd never see anyone from high school ever again and that memories I had with so many people would just be washed away. If only I would have realized that true friends are forever no matter where they are or what they're doing with their life. I think if I could have just known I could relax and not worry so much, my senior year of high school could have been so much better.

Ashley

If I were to travel back in time and talk to my high school senior self the advice I would give is: The decisions I made were not neccessarily poor ones, but were just decisions that lacked in long-term goal commitments. Things such as studying seemed meaningless and irritating but I now know that those details are immensely significate in the nurturing and advancement of my being. I realize that it's exceedingly difficult to know which path is the right one to take; like walking on small stepping stones in the dark of the night but giving up should never be an option. The first step is always the scariest but once you take it never look back. And with each step a faint glimmer of light will shine through and become brighter as it guides you in the direction towards success. Whether you choose to follow it is up to you. Take the time to achieve your goals because there is nothing in this world more valuable than your future. Everyone has one, it's just a matter of what you aspire to make of it.

Angela

If I could go back and tell myself to study harder, take the ACT's and SAT's in hopes that I would someday go to college, I would. I am a first generation college student and my parents had no encouragement or advice to go to college. I would have tried to research colleges, scholarships, and financial aid options as early as freshman year, if I could. I would have started planning out my future and even tried to take college courses during my junior or senior year of high school, because Miami, my school has a program for students interested in doing that. I would have applied to every scholarship or grant program I could have, until I was able to get enough financial aid I could to not have to take out student loans. I would have researched transportation, housing, meal plans, how to purchase my books online second hand, and started applying to internships, co-ops, and work-study programs as soon as I was ready to start school. I would have also pushed myself to hold a higher GPA in highschool and to try to get into higher level courses, instead of electives.

Catherine

If I could travel back to a single point in my high school senior year, I would go back to September 2008, my first week of senior year. Based on my experiences during this first year in college, I would emphasize the importance of focusing on SAT preparation and review courses. Unfortunately I did not take a formal SAT review course, nor did I spend much time practicing on my own for the exam. I took the SAT in the spring of my senior year and did not do well; I was no-where near achieving my potential due to lack of preparation and complacency. Within the past 6 months of my transition to college it dawned on me that if I lived up to my potential on SAT performance I would have been in a strong position to enter the competitive formal education program at my college. Since I did not achieve the score required for direct entry to the program, I have to take another test very similar to the SAT at the end of my freshman year - thus delaying entry into a program that I consider critical to my long term goal of becoming an educator.