Montgomery County Community College-West Campus Top Questions

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

caleb

I would advise my younger self to stay focused and to look at the end goal. I would say that there are many things that can be distracting but that in the end graduating with a degree is much more important. I would tell myself that there are many organizations willing to assist in helping pay for expensive college tuition and to not be discouraged when applying for colleges. I would tell my younger self that being an adult is no piece of cake and that having a well paying job is worth every late night studying.

Kendra

It would be a dream to go back and talk to my younger self. I’ve grown a lot in the last year and there are so many things I could say. If only I had the car form Back to the Future or the TARDIS from Doctor Who; I would take my journals full of advice and experiences back to my younger self. I would try and make it so that I could avoid certain situations and make the best out of my last years of high school. I would tell myself that guys are not the world. I would say that I need to focus on my dreams and not allow a guy to control what I think and ruin my social life. I would also remind myself that I have a unique high school experience and that I need to make the best of it. I would tell myself to get involved, make friends, and spend as much time as I need simply having fun. Eventually, the real work has to begin. I would also give myself my journals. That way my past self could get immediate advice from me.

christopher

If I could go back in time to the year 2000, I would definitely tell myself to develop better study habits and be more assertive. I would also tell myself not to waste fifteen thousand dollars on computer school that would ultimately be useless. I would tell myself to cut to the chase and begin my career in human services and start to help troubled youths, because that is what I am destined to do. On the other hand, I would tell myself to not change a thing because all the poor choices and wasted career attempts made me who I am today.

Elizabeth

If I knew what I know now, I would go back to my first day as a high school senior. I would tell myself to not worry about the price of college. I would tell myself, "Don't just go to a community college because you have no money". I would tell myself to be assertive, and determined. I would say, "Do your best and apply to West Chester University, the school of your dreams". "There is no difference in the transition from a high school senior to a community college freshman. You only get that college freshman feeling once. And I felt like I was just going back to 13th grade. Strive and dream, you can achieve anything." Now that I know what I know now, I'd go back and re-do is all over again. I wouldn't let money hold me back from my dream.

caitlin

This is not the first time I've thought about this. My senior year of high school consisted of me doing a whole lot of nothing. I would give anything to go back to even my junior year and talk to myself. I would tell myself to stop slacking off and get really good grades. I have a 4.0 GPA my first year at college, and I always knew I was capable of getting good grades..it was just my attitude. I would make sure I changed my high school career around by getting all A's and B's, guarunteeing a scholarship to a bigger college.

Adele

Go to community college first, and figure out exactly what you want to do and where you want to go before going out and making any rash decisions. Consider all of your options and don't let anyone tell you that you can't go somewhere you want to go or do something that you want to do. Work extremely hard and don't let anything stand in the way of your goals. If money becomes an issue, there are always options out there such as scholarships or financial aid. Don't ever give up until you've achieved your goals.

Kenneth

Going back to my senior year and giving myself a message about the future and college life, I would stress two things. The first being to apply myself a lot more in my studies, and two being that I take as many college prerequisite classes as I could. Knowing now that it would of saved me quite a bit of money on tuition. But to be honest, I would rather go back to my freshman year of high school. Being a high school drop out and then going on to recieve my GED.

Maryum

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior I would give myself the two most important tips I learned in college. The first is having your priorities in the right place when from the start. Everyday a student must be focused and willing to learn a large amount of new imformation from each class. In my first semester my priorities were not in the right place, and I was more focused on meeting new people in this new environment than being completely focused on my classwork. Making new friends is important and nerve racking in college, but if a student becomes too focused on this it will distract their ability to learn. I learned that over time meeting new people will eventually come naturally through everyday experiences. The second is that organization is crucial for the success of a college student, because a student will have a large amount of information given to him or her each day this student must also be able to extract the information and use it for future purposes. Even though I wish I had this advice in the beginning of my college transition I wouldn't trade my experience for anything.

Seth

Seth, college is fun and it is like an extension of high school. Don't be afraid of the work load or the professors. I know that reading is a challenge for you, but you can excel in college. The professors are there for you, they care about you. Your professors want you to succeed and they will be there to help you when you are struggling. Don't waste time trying to figure out what you want to do with your life. Jump into the college life and your life will unfold how it is supposed to. Have confidence in yourself. You can be a very successful college student and enjoy every minute of it!