New Jersey Institute of Technology Top Questions

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

arlynn

If I had a chance to give advice to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself it is okay to be DIFFERENT from the rest. You may not fit in, be popular, but things can be DIFFERENT for you. Focus on your studies and bettering yourself, so that one day you can show the world how beautiful "DIFFERENT" can be. I would tell myself not to worry about making money and to pursue what makes me happy. Do not be concerned with making money, or choosing a career path that many people want to choose, choose what's right for yourself. Finally, I would advise myself to not lose myself in college. I would tell myself to remember my aspirations, focus only on how to achieve those aspirations and seek help when necessary. Remember who you are and stay true to who you are no matter if there are those that dislike you. Stay true to your convictions so that you may inspire many future leaders, future "YOU'S" to create a DIFFERENCE.

Sanil

I would tell myself to take high school very seriously, and not waste time. Work harder than everyone else, and graduation with the best GPA and high school resume possible, not only would this allow me to get accepted in the best institutions but also give me a better chance of recieving merit based scholarships.

Daniel

Every time you thought a course was stupid and the teacher was an idiot, you were the idiot. Every course in highschool that you didn't bother to do the homework in because it seemed pointless effected how much you'll have to spend on college down the road. By spending an extra 15 or 30 minutes a night studying you could have shaved almost whole semester off your college debt. However, even before you go off to become an engineer take community college courses first. Call and make sure your school will accept the credits, but it will be far cheaper than taking all of your core classes on campus. You could easily balance a job inbetween community college courses and save up money for paying down your unsubsidized loans so the interest doesn't pile up. The more you have to borrow for college the longer it will take before your life can get out of the slow lane and into the fast lane. Nobody will ever ask you if you're sure you want to borrow five thousand dollars at a time, it's your responsibility to pay this back one day so be smart about it.

Victor

You need to start working hard from day one to keep your grades up. Freshmen year is the easiest year to do well so don't mess up because it will take several semesters to recover from one bad semester. Also start preparing early for opprotunties to enhance your resume for grad school/ work. Don't look at the fact that your friends arent doing much other than classes. Take intiative and start projects, internships, research projects to help yourself suceed. You were to focused on your personal/socil life and let your academics slip. You need to find the right balance and in the long run it wont matter much if you focused on academics more than social life. True friends will always be there and support you while you overcome academic obstacles. Although it may seems that classwork is eating up all your time, you'll always find that you have time from friends. Just don't ignore , procastincate or let work buidl up before its too late.

Andrew

Get involved with community service programs and do well on your AP's and Math especially! I cant begin to explain how much easier sophomore year and all of college in general would have been if I had taken these courses more seriously. Even though I may not have known exactly what I wanted to do at the time and some things seemed like theyll never be needed in the future i should've just learned them anyway because they were important. Life is funny that way. Do research on your college, ask questions, visit it, do not be afraid to get out there. The course load at NJIT is huge and if I had gotten a 5 on the AP english exam, studied for SAT's and payed attention in Calculus I'd be breezing by right now. One other important thing is to not procrastinate so much with FAFSA and financial Aid in general. Most of the easy to find scholarships are for highschool seniors and if I had gotten into the honors program I'd be set right now financially. Also, resume builing is important so whatever makes you look like a oustanding/ outgoing citizen is perfect.

Michael

Freshman need to understand that while I'm sure you are tired about hearing that you need to learn to manage your time well for college, it is a complete truth. The workload can be overwhelming for people who aren't mentally prepared to sit down and do large sums of work for multiple classes on top of each other during the course of the week and even over the weekend.

Jakub

Dear past Me, Get ready for a lot more work than you're used to. You might hear that college is experimenting and parties every day. That is so far from the truth. You will have time for friends and family. However, you have to start learning how to manage your time. The professors at college aren't as leignant as high school teachers. They don't take late work and usually don't have time for excuses. The work schedule is also different. Instead of doing most of the work at school, you'll be doing a lot of work at home. Try not to waste any free time you have because it will come back to haunt you later on. Most importantly, don't procrastinate. The work at college is not something you can do on the train or overnight. The assignments will just start to pile on if you don't keep up. Lastly, try to be outgoing during the first couple of days of college. Make friends who you can count on later on because you might be working with or for them in the future. Sincerely, Present Me.

Christine

My experience as a fresh-faced college student would have been much easier had I known that I could have earned more credits taking AP courses. Tuition is becoming harder to afford and I could have saved a lot by working harder to score better on AP exams. I also would have given my former self a lecture on the pros of community college; I was extremely reluctant at first because of the reputation of my local college but it turned out to be a practical choice in terms of affordability. I also would have persuaded myself to continue community service in addition to my current part-time job so that it would reflect better on my transfer application. In addition, I would have worked harder on my pSATs so that I might have qualified for the National Merit Scholar status.

Bishoy

One major advice I would give myself if able to speak to my high school teen being is that I need to know what it is I want to be before I'm handed off my high school diploma. The fact of the matter is that if you go into college undecided you will be wasting precious time in starting your life. But to give yourself the chance of knowing what it is you want to do before actually attending college means you can get a head start on being able to interact with the future image of who it is you want to be. See whether or not it is actually worth it, and off of that encounter base your decision on whether or not you want to continue with the specified major you had originally picked out for yourself. Two things you learn that you will never get back in life is time and money, and being in College is teaching you how to establish yourself using both in the best and most efficient way possible. After all its the begining of leaving everything behind and starting on your own.

Lee

Excelling in the math and sciences have assisted me in making my decision to apply to a school that is more technology-based than liberal-based. I would have become social quicker, joined in on more activities and volunteered my time to causes that inspired me, which would have make me a more diversified student. I would tell myself that it's never too late to become a part of something that makes you feel good about yourself. When you feel good about yourself, you attract others that feel the same way. Making friends in college is so different than making friends in high school. You can have a fresh start and make it work for you. College life is what you make of it, not what others remember about you because there is no background.

Erika

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to take it easy and slow. I rushed my classes at Waubonsee Community College becuaase I just wanted to get done and go to North Central. I was taking and still am taking six to eight classes a semester and working two jobs. In doing this I can't just focus on a few classes so I don't do that well in all of them. I also would have liked to tell myself that I can do it! No matter how tough it gets, I can get through anything. I wish I would have known how tough times were going to get but even though it was hard at times I made it. I would have also told myself that I can get into North Central and I did. Now I'm probably going to wish in another two years that I could tell myself all of this again but I hope that I learn from these experiences and know that I can do anything. So what I am going to tell myself now for going into a four year university is; enjoy it. Get involved!

Nissa

Don't say no to anything. Thinking back to when I was in high school, I wanted to do so many things that I said no to. I do regret not doing these things. I wanted to volunteer at the hospital but I did not. Now that I am older, I realize that volunteering would have not only helped me find my desired career, it would have made someone's day special. Also, I would tell myself to expect the unexpected. Seeing all of these other students getting scholarships made me want one, I never thought that the hardest teacher I have had would nominate me for the All-Academic Team. In addition, I would tell myself that transition is not hard unless you make it to be hard. I have seen many other students that I have graduated with give up because they thought it was too hard. I felt that making friends, talking to teachers, and volunteering for school programs have helped my transition be the best possible. Also, I would tell myself not to stress over the little things and not to procrastinate. This advice would have helped me take advantage of every opportunity I have had.

Alana

Looking back, there is plenty of advice I'd like to have had. As a third year college student, I'm proud of how far I have come, and excited for where I will go. Through high school I battled a lot of mental health issues that held me back, so I can relate to all the struggles teens go through. I was afraid to step out of my comfort zone, and I was afraid of failure. I now tell graduating seniors that I know to not be afraid and just go for it. You never know until you try. Keep your chin up and your head in the game. College is a great experience and your education will never let you down. Always remember: you CAN do it!

smruti

College life is a phase to learn, enjoy, feel the fun & joy of life and not just mere books and theoretical concepts. Its a phase which serves as a turning point for any individual. Taking a person to heights or the lower end lies on how an individual acts at that moment. Its very critical that a student makes the right decison and choices as and when needed. Its a phase where each and every moment is to cherised. Do not spoil the moment. Good luck !!!

Hayley

Knowing what I know now about college life, the best piece of advice I would give myself is to not procrastinate on homework. Keep track of the class syllabus to make sure you are on top of things or even getting assignments done in advance. Staying on top of your coursework can help in so many aspects; such as not being stressed about having your homework done on time and being more prepared for tests. This is one trait that I intend to take with me.

Liliette

The advice I would have given myself as a high school senior would be not to be scared to put myself out there and to truly get used to the idea of good time management and planning. I think this because college offers a whole other freedom to everyone and it's important that you don't carried away and adjust as easily and quickly as possbile.

Silvia

I got out of my college I got confidence, knowledge and responsibility. In high school it was hard for me to communicate with other people and to get involved into a conversation. Once I got to college I started talking with other students from other countries which helped me interact with them and express myself more easily. In college I took a speech course which prepared me to speak in front of an audience and be more secure about myself. Now, I am working as a Technical Support which involves interacts with people globally. College gave me the knowledge I needed for my career. In the beginning I did not have the slides idea of what a computer was. Now, I help users troubleshoot technical problems with their computers. I know that the knowledge that I acquired in college is going to help me throughout my life. Be responsible is one of the major experience that I got in college. The responsibility to be on time on class helped be on time at my job. The responsibility to present my homework on time helped meet deadlines at my job. For these reasons college was very valuable for me to attend.

Stephanie

Out of my college experience I have learned that it is not something you can take lightly. At first I thought it was going to be like highschool, meaning that I didn't have to study very much to get good grades. But that was not the case. After nearly failing my first physics exam I decided I had to get serious. I studied really hard and awarded myself by spending some time with friends in the game room. The studying payed off because I aced the rest of my exams and ended up getting an A in the class. I was incredibly happy and had learned my lesson. Procrastination is no longer something I do and I know that my future depends on what I learn in class. I have learned that it is important to also balance studying and social time. I realized that the stress can have really bad effects so I had to find time to relax and I found that I enjoyed college a lot more than high school. By attending I feel that I am growing as a person and that soon I won't have to depend on others to support me.

Jennifer

To socialize with your classmates and learn how to work better in a group. This has been valuable to me out in the real world this apply this form of teamwork. This is very useful.

Heidi

I have grown a great deal since the day I started college. Working with Instructors that completely understand the material and with students that are earger to learn, has been a wonderful exprience. I feel that I have matured as a students and it will help me in following my career. Following deadlines, and keeping trake of grades has help prepare me for the work place. In school, the harder that I study, the better grade I recieve. In the work place, hopefully, the harder I work , the better my paycheck looks. It has been a great value to attend.

Justin

One of the major things that I have taken out of my first year of college is that you can still have fun as long as you keep your goals in mind. As much as someone may want to just have fun, and put off their work, it will always come back to get you. This does not mean that you can not have fun, but that you have to manage your time. I have learned a great deal on the mportance of organization, and time management, without these tools I would not have done nearly as well as I did my first year. Once I was able to manage my time and get organized I not only did better in my classes and i also had time to relax and be with my friends. These tools that I gained during my college experience made it so that I had a very successful and fun year.

George

I thought about this question long before I applied for this scholarship and one regret comes to mind. In high school I was the kid who did not apply himself, basically doing the bear minimum to pass. Thus, when it came time to applying to colleges I stood no chance in getting into a good college. Therefore, I went to a community college for three years and got my associates degree. Now I have transferred to a four year college, currently getting my bachelors, but much of my classes did not transfer over. So if I could talk to myself as a senior I think I would tell him to apply himself because I know he is capable of it and that he will be very grateful for it in the near future. In addition, I would tell him that college life is not as scary as everyone makes it out to be; in fact, it can be quite enjoyable. Everyone is in the same predicament (as scared as you) and if you just workup the nerve and start talking to people you will make the transition much easier for you and everyone around you.

Dana

Don't wait for things to just happen. Go out and take the initiative, chase your dreams. Not everything in life goes as planned, and you have to learn to prioritize the things that are most important. Think of the big picture when making decisions, and not the short term gain. Image isn't everything when you are planning for your future, save your money. You want to be a doctor, don?t be afraid of the required schooling, you can do it.

Sara

Time Management skills to keep up with the school work. Take AP courses in high school or take more advanced courses in high school. Socialize more with classmates and hang out more. Go to different places every weekend. Just chill.

Christopher

Well if I could go back i would tell myself to put in extra work to get more finacial aid and possibly more scholarships for schools as I find paying for school harder than i thought.Then I would tell myself to join more clubs and be more socially active in my first month and first year of college.That way i could meet more people for networking reason while also making more friends.Altogether I would tell myself to be more socially active to make my transition into college easier.

John

My advice would be simple: get into a routine to manage time well between "fun" and studying. Look ahead at the available majors and do some research to help decide which major is the best for me. Do not get lazy and fail to look ahead at the courses I will be taking for my major. When I have free time, read up on a few of those course topics in order to be somewhat familiar with what is to come.

Erica

Dorming is worth the money.

David

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to worry. College life is hard at times, and there is a lot of work involved, but you will get used to it very quickly. After about two weeks, it will feel normal to you to spend a day in college, and completing projects and papers on time will make you very happy. After all of the studying is done and you receive good grades, you will be very proud of yourself and realize how much hard work pays off.

Samantha

I am only one year out of high school, and I would give anything to be able to go back and do my entire senior year over again. Honestly, college was not my main priority during my last year of high school. I was more concerned with prom, prom weekend, graduation, what I was going to wear to all these events, and how I was going to afford it all. I would love to have had the opportunity to tell myself that college was what I should have been concerned about. I only applied to NJIT, and because I got accepted very early, and didn't even bother to apply to other places. I didn't apply for scholarships. Now, because of my laziness my family and I are struggling to pay the bills. I currently commute to school but it's starting to take its toll on me, and I'm dieing for an opportunity to get some money in scholarships so I can stay at school and hopefully improve my academic performance while enjoying a true college experience. If only I had worried about these things more while I was trying on my hundreth prom dress.

Liliana

I am a very stressful person. I stress out about the littlest things and at times it becomes one of my weaknesses. I don't realize that goals are reached with time, motivation, and with our hearts. If I could go back to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to take a deep breath because everything happens for a reason. One needs to realize that with time, as well as patience, you can achieve the very best. Sometimes taking too many steps at a time becomes the reason for our fall, but if we take a step at a time, we get farther in life. One needs to stay focused. Follow your heart and attend the school of your dreams. When you're at the school of your dreams embrace everything it has to offer. Receive the best education it has to offer and be the best person you can be.

Indrit

Dear Indrit Lamcaj, As you are finishing your senior year of high school, I would like to enlighten you about the transition to college life and the necessary steps to take in order to achieve success in college. I am sure that your senior year of high school has been a blast so far and you can wait for it to end. But before you know it September will come around and your first college semester will begin. I suggest you continue to work hard during your last year of high school and finish strong in order to set the proper tone for your first year of college. Also attempt to join an academic summer program that your college of choice may offer. Such programs will provide you with extensive amount of preliminary college level work, which will benefit you in the future. In addition, during your stay in college I recommend you prioritize your school responsibilities accordingly. The amount of workload in college will increase as expected, but if you stay ready you don't have to get ready. Meaning, you are going to have to manage your time, study hard, and focus on the tast at hand.

Peramanayagam

If i go back in time as a high school senior, i would do my best at school to have a competing GPA with other applicants in the college i desire, i would study hard and get a good score on SAT, and i would take the time to understand what it is that i really want to do, and chose a suitable college, and degree. I would engage myself in community service, and do some extra curricular activities because these are the things that really affect you in getting an admission, or a scholarship at a University or a college. I would learn more about the time management skills, which is really necessary as a new student in a college, because it is very easy to get distracted, and no one really shows you which direction is the right direction, you have to find that out on your own.

Roshni

I would not have much to say to myself because nothing I could have said to myself three years ago would have prevented me from making the mistakes that I did. And honestly, I wanted to make those mistakes because the only reason I know what I know now is because of what I learned throughout my college years by making these countless mistakes. I will say, though, that as a high school senior I wondered what people would be like at college. And now I can go back and give myself advice of coming into college with a very open mind. The area where I grew up, a lot of the cultures and families were brought up the same way; however after moving to an urban setting in Newark, I saw people from different backgrounds or even the same background but raised completely differently than I was. It was scary at first until I became friends with a whole lot of the people that were raised nothing like me. I would advise myself not to be afraid or timid with people that are so different and that the college we go to is something we all have in common.

Maisah

As a senior in High School, I always thought that I was really prepared for college because I went to a really great high school and i always stayed focus. But as I got to college, I realized that there were things that I was not prepared for. If I could go back in time and talk to myself, I would teach myself how to manage time. So far time management seems to be one of the most important things when it comes to organization in the college life. Another thing I would tell myself, is to get used to studying more often then i was used to. I would only study that week of the test and now that I am in college, I realize that studying the week of the test was not a healthy studying habit. I would atleast studying for a week and a half for over two hours each day. Plan to know all of the material like the back of my hand.

Stefan

If I could go back and talk to myself as a senior, the first thing I would say is to reconsider NJIT. The only real reason I decided on going there was the price and the fact that it is so close to home. However, those reasons do not make up for the lousy education and college experience that NJIT provides. I would tell myself to look farther out from New Jersey to find a school I would actually like. As for tips on college life, I would just tell myself to try hard to find the right kinds of friends. No matter how bad a school is, your friends can make a huge difference. Another tip would be to not try and overload myself with work and extracurricular activities because all that does is cause stress which can make everything less enjoyable. To be honest, there is not many huge factors that I would tell myself to watch out for. It's many little things that usually add up to either a good or bad college experience. Overall, my main advice would be to choose a school I like over what is cheaper or closer to home.

Shannon

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to stay focused, to always believe I can accomplish anything I put my mind to, and be ready for a lot of work. College is very different from High School on an academic level, and I don't think I realized how much more effort it would require. I was always a good student and tried very hard in high school, so I always assumed college would be similar. Then I got to college and realized how much more time you have to devote to your studies in order to succeed. Some classes can get you discouraged, but I truely believe as long as you believe in yourself there is nothing you can't accomplish.

mili

work hard, p;ay harder

Betsabeth

The application to enter a university may be tedious but is very important and you have to pay attention to every detail, take your time to fill it out because there are some programs that help student through out their careers but you have to apply for them since the beginning and you could miss it if you do your application at the last minute! Look for an institution that is good academically and have a lot of options for extracurricular activities, is very important to get involved on and off campus not only for your personal experience but to develop your leadership skills that are so searched by employers. The competition is tough and you have to be apart from the rest. Indentify partnerships that brings you good things on campus, and who can help you to stay focused academically. Is better to spend the time that last your career with someone who knows what he is doing as well as you because you can help each other. But is also important to relief stress and have fun sometimes because there is time for everything, and try to get involved in clubs where you can meet people and socialize.

Jason

I would have told myself to take things less seriously, and not to rush to get out of school because while high school and college seemed stressful, they are nothing compared to life afterward.

Michael

I would tell myself that I should spend a day at each campus with someone from my highschool who went there. If I could have seen what the social life was like and how academics basically rule a students life, I think I would would have been better prepared for what to expect from this university and might have made a different decision.

Jency

I wouldn't give myself any advice. When I was a senior in high school, I didn't slack off. I had my AP classes that kept me busy until graduation. Because I worked hard, I did not find a difficult transition when i started my first semester in college. I also applies to all of my colleges on time and I was organized with all of my information. I think as a high school senior, I did everything right.

Irvin

Priorities are the most important thing to keep inline for college. Time management is a must at this school, and pairing yourself with the smartest people is one of the most valuable things that can be done in college. Don't spread yourself too thin, really discover yourself and your limits.

Darren

The advice that I would give myself if I was able to go back in timw would be stay focused and study hard. Always ask for help if you are having problem with any course that you take in college. Also research your major and decide if this is what you really want to do for a career.

shalu

Do not rush into college; make sure you have picked a major you'd like to stick with and can see yourself working with in the future. If not, go in undecided and take general courses, no harm done!

Khalil

Study hard

Emanuel

Dream big, Manny. I know you've probably heard this before, but there is only one life for you to live; if there's a concert you want to go to or a party to which all of your friends are going, make sure you be there, too. Don't always take life so seriously - loosen up! Worrying about it is only going to make you less of the person that you've been looking to become this entire time. Oh, and there's a choir over at Rutgers down the block that you can join, depsite the fact that you don't go there. Sing, I say! You're afraid of the change? Don't sweat it, Manny, seriously. You're going to make a ton of great new friends, most of which will accept you for that happy, always-singing goofball that you are. You're going to fit in just fine, I promise. Plus, the food is pretty amazing, so what more can you possibly want? Becoming an engineer, singing in the choir, AND instant access to awesome food? What is there to be afraid of? Don't worry, Manny; you'll be fine. Sincerely, Yourself

Sophia

Remember that everyone you meet is also transitioning from high school to college. Do not be afraid to meet new people and make new friends. Over your four years at college you will meet many people who will shape your life as you grow as a person. Get to know your professors for they are both inspirational and knowledgeable and can help you build your future down an amazing path. Always do your best in your classes because some of your best research and projects will evolve from these classes and can be used as works to impress people in the future. Never forget to leave time for yourself to pursue your own interests and always remember to enjoy your moment in college.

Kelli

Fortunately, I have never fallen into the typical college temptations of drinking and partying. So, the only advice I would give myself is to continue working hard and set time out to relax and enjoy the extracurricular activities provided on campus throughout the year. From the very moment you step onto the college campus, make sure you learn how to manage your time effectively and efficiently, so as not to get overwelmed with the course load.

Shannon

I would do virtually everything the same. I was very focused and motivated in highschool, and I carried that over to college. However, I would go back and give myself a heads up as to how much more time classes require in college as compared to highschool. I thought I studied a lot in highschool, but college is a completely different world that is much more demanding. I would go back and give myself a pep talk, and would try to have better time management skills.

Takumi

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would most likely tell myself to completely rethink and reevaluate my life choices and almost "start from scratch," investing more time into my future rather than current affairs. Though I do not think that I have made any drastic mistakes by any means, I believe that I could have done much better to more carefully and thoroughly map out my future.