North Idaho College Top Questions

"Dear Past Nate, I'm here to set you straight. You may think that a 1890 is a good SAT score. No. You can do better. Retake that test, and while you're at it, take the ACT too. It will help you regarding scholarships. You need to stop procrastinating. Hurry up and get your Eagle Scout. The sooner you have it, the sooner it goes on your scholarships and resumes. Get your FAFSA done too. Don't wait until the deadline. Problems arise, and stops you from getting any financial aid besides loans. Get it done, so you can get money for college. Another thing. Dont take forever finding a job. College is expensive, and you need all the money you can get. Stop watching TV and apply for jobs. Your current laziness hurts my future. Lastly, after all that is done, enjoy the time you have in high school. You won't see many of those people again. Enjoy your time with them. Go to your prom. Ask out that girl. Have an open mind. These things will help you enjoy your life more, and a better attitude about the world. Good luck."

I would have definitely spent more time applying for scholarships and keeping my grades up. GPA is very important and has a major impact on where you can go to school. I would have told myself that all of this extra time and effort would pay itself off in the end.

When I was in High School, dual enrollment was not even heard of. The ability to graduate from High School with a two year college degree would be a dream come true! I would advise myself to go through that program so I could complete my college bachelor degree in two years after graduating high school! I was engaged at age 16, and married at age 18, so I didn't even go to college. My daughter recently graduated from North Idaho College and inspired me to go to school. Now I am starting my 5th semester after being out of school for 30+ years!

When I was a high school senior, I was riddled with guilt over my inability to partake in the senior year activities. I felt horrible for being a recluse, and worse, for losing my outgoing friends. My parents nagged me, claiming these four years were to be the best of my life--and I would cry, distraught with the idea of years worse than these. Drunken parties, popularity contests, and school spriti weeks. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't care about them. Everyone told me I would regret wasting my senior year, holed up in my bedroom with a Stephen King novel every Friday night. But looking back, I know they were wrong. Already, I know life outside of high school to be more positive and self-satisfying. College provides new challenges, but rather than an intense focus on social hierarchy, college pushes you academically. I have learned about Thoreau and Stowe and Achende, , talented writers far more interesting than binge-drinking. If I could tell the high school senior version of myself one thing, it would be to forget the masses. The shame of being unique and shy dissipates in college, and instead transforms into pride.

I would most likely get a partime job. I would work harder on my math and study more than i do. I would look for scholarships to sign up for. I would have told myself that college is fun ,but is hard. I would tell myself that it also costs a lot of money as well.

If I had this opportunity to talk to myself, I would warn myself of what the life of a homeless addict could bring. I wish I could convince a younger me to strive for greater things, because I now have a beautiful daughter and am making a positive step in my life, without drugs. I would tell this younger man, that there is a light beyond the darkness, a smile after the depression; that even though my life is not easy in the future, it is worth the struggles. Though I do wish I did not have to put myself through years of torture to finally see it. If I could turn back time to tell a brilliantly gifted young man that things would be okay and to just do homework, just study for once, to be humble and grateful, to not squander the jaded life for a few mischievious laughs. College is a wonderful experience and had I been there earlier, making this transition would not feel so difficult. Every day I wonder what I would say to a younger me. In short I just wish I could have the chance to tell me "Keep your head up".

I haven't experience college life yet but my older brother has so from what I've heard or seen from him, I'd say. Apply early to schools, try to know what you want to study and make sure you like the school. I'd also tell myself to try to balance my social life and studies a little better.

Go out more. That's probably surprising, but I needed it. I spent literally every night on the computor answering algebra questions so I could get done early. (I hate math.) I needed to be out and be social more, but I'm kinda awkward and not as much of a social butterfly as some of my other friends, so I decided not to leave the house much. I didn't really get to the know the guys on the football team very well and I wish I would have. Just things like that... ALSO, don't date anyone in high school. Worst idea ever. High school relationships are a terrible idea simply due the lack of selection... you just don't find very many people you have things in common with, and what are you gonna do? Stay together when you guys both go off to college. Very rarely ever happens and so you just set yourself up for heartache. It WAS a learning experience, but it wasn't worth it. Unfortunately, i'll never get this paragraph. Maybe you guys can send it to some high schoolers, although it's not like they'd listen. *Shrug*

My biggest struggle with college, has been how to pay for it. If I could give my high school self advice, I would say three things: #1: Start researching and applying for scholarships at the beginning of your senior year. If you apply early you'll have more time to put thought into your essays, and you won't feel as much pressure as the deadlines approach. #2: Keep your grades up. I know senior year is supposed to be fun and exciting with graduation and prom, but don't let your grades suffer. #3: Volunteer more. There is nothing more gratifying than giving your time and talent to worthy causes. All of these pieces of advice have the potential to launch you into a successful future.

I would have told myself to start college right after high school. Since I waited a couple years, I won't be finished with my degree until I'm older. Which means I will start in my career later on. I wish I would have known just how important a college degree is to finding a good paying job in the area.

I feel that college has been a valuable experience for a couple reasons. First, being a student that commutes, I was forced to adapt to a very tight schedule. I work two jobs and attend school. In order to make everything fall into place, I have adapted to being very time conscious. If I were to waste an hour, my whole schedule would have been thrown off. Second, I feel that going to a community college has helped because I have developed a good work ethic. My work ethic has really increased since I have been in college. When I was in high school, I did exactly what my boss or teachers made me and that was it. In high school, the teachers and parents would force kids to do their work. Being in college has made me self-motivated because I have to force myself to do the homework. College really begins to show who works hard for what they want and who just does not care. Since I have been in college, I have started paying my own bills, I have been promoted to a manager position at work, and I have been able to organize my time.

In short my college experience has provided me with growth. Not only have I grown in scholarly knowledge, but in knowing what I am capable of completing when I set my mind and determination on a selected goal. This experience has also allowed me to go outside of my comfort zones and conquer activities that would cause fear and inaction in the past. An example of this is being able to speak up when no one else is and even to speak when I am unsure if what I am expressing is correct. I have also learned how to communicate better in the written format by particiapting in on-line classes. These types of classes have shown me how a community can be formed and grow even when the particiants are in different locations. I would not trade my colledge expereince for anything and think everyone can experience some form of growth from participating in higher education.

I HAVE REALIZED A BETTER FUTURE NOT ONLY FOR ME, BUT FOR MY CHILDREN. GROWING UP WASNT EASY FOR ME ,SO I DONT WONT MY KIDS TO ENDURE SUCH PAIN. I BELIEVE A GOOD FOUNDATION IS WHAT MAKES A PERSON WHOLE. MY KIDS WOULD WONT TO FOLLOW IN MY FOOT STEPS IF THEY SEE SUCCESS. I LEARNED MANY THING FROM COLLEGE LIKE MEETING DIFFRENT TYPES OF PEOPLE WHO ALL HAVE THE SAME GOALS ,AND ARE WILLING TO BE THERE ANY WAY THEY CAN TO HELP

I have gotten many insights from my college experience.. Being a young mother of a 2 year old has taught me the importance of college and all that it has to offer. I started off at a technical college and discovered there is so much out there to learn. I have learned how to interact with people of many different ages, how to take responsibility into my own hands, and how to succeed in my future. I believe it is very valuable to attend college. College is our ticket to success in the real world. I want to be a teacher so I have to go to college and get a degree to make sure I can give my students everything they need. Overall college has been a wonderful experience for me so far and has opened up many future opportunities.

By going to college I am bettering my life by giving myself a career and not just a job. I will also be one of the first and few people in my family to go to college, and that to me is a wonderful way to give back to my loved ones who gave so much to me.

I have got many things from my college experince, I have made new friends with not only students but teachers too. I also got to get a tast of the real world NIC is a great way to get your foot in the door and lead to a bigger brighter new chapter. NIC has been a great part of my life and I cant wait to start up school again.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to try and focus more during the first semester of college. I found that the first semester was a little overwhelming and it would have been much easier to focus had I not been working. I could have instead done work study at the college which would have cut out lots of time spent driving the 60 mile round trip it took for me to drive from the college in Coeur D'alene, Idaho to downtown Spokane, Washington. Also, because I didn't go to high school in the same state as the college, I would suggest I be a bit more social and try to make more friends during that first semester because I think it would have helped me to adjust to the new environment a little quicker. The more connections you have, the easier it is to settle in and find activities and groups that fit your educational goals and interests.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior the advise i would give myself would be, STAY FOCUSED on what's important! Think long and hard about your future, because life can, and in your(our) case, will be a struggle. Life shouldn't be, and doesn't have to be that way though. If you make the right choices, finish school and go straight into college before you make the bad choices I made, it will be so much better. Besides, you'll have 3 beautiful daughters that will need you, and setting a good example to them will make a huge impact on there future!

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to lighten up about people and to work harder for my education. I would tell myself to go and do things out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.

I wouln't wait to get it done i would tell myself to just go and get everything done so your in college and no worry. and that i wouldn't have wasted my time on the first school i went to which was an aviation mechanics course when i knew i didn't like mechanics in the fisrt place at all. but just get into school and get it done with so you don't have to worry about not getting in or not having the money.

If I were to go back to high school I would have taken chemistry and did a little bit more studying. If one is planing on going to college right out of high school you need to be sure that you can do it. Take your time and really study and do good. It is easier if you just do good the first time so you dont have to do classes over. I would have maybe waited to go to college right out of high school because juggling work and school was too much for me. If I could have been financially stable at the time I could have done better.

dont be shy your leaving high school and your going to be training yourself now so you will have skills for the rest of your life, get out there and meet new people, be confident and introduce yourself. the classmates around you are just as shy as you are but you will never get to know any of them if you never speak up. these people can help you on your journy through college, maybe studying or pointing you around campus or just being there when you need a friend.

If I knew I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, there are three things i would do differently. One thing that I would want to tell myself is to study more. Although I did well with my study habits in high school, college, however is different. In college, the tests and quizzes mean more to your grade for the most part, as well as everydya assignments and if there isn't a good habit to learn and study then you won't do as well. Another thing I would tell myself is to pay more attention to detail. Being a college student, there is a lot mor einformation that is being stored in your brain. Lastly, I would tell myself to have fun. Why? Well in college there is a lot more focus that is needed for studies, I would tell myself to have a good time while I could and live it up!

I would tell myself to try harder to apply for scholarships and go to the school that I really want to go to. Don't just go to the school that offers the best education compared to cost. Get out and live life as a college student. Study more, to ge those AP credits and get the better scholarships.

I think I would of studied a lot harder my senior year. I would tell myself to go college right out high school. Going back now is harder than I thought. You don't remember as much as you did in high school. It's been rough 10 years. Living from pay check to pay check. I would of done the nursing so much sooner. I rather of done college then than now. It's not easy being a single mom going to school and working,but it has make me stronger woman though. I would say just do the 4 years in college get a good job and have great life with your little family.

college is awesome! Your more motivated and excited to go to school because its your independent choice; Howerver, in order to succeed you HAVE to be active in your classes, organized and push yourself more than you ever do in high school. Create planned calendars that lay out your class schedule. You can't procrastinate or skim over assigned chapters... create chapter maps and visual aids when you study. If you get in the habit of being organized and take full advantage of all the tools available you are going to do great!

If time travel were possible, I would have told myself as a senior to head straight into college! I regret not having started my career training right out of high school (I waited 4 years out of timidity). It has been so easy to get into college life; I love being in the process of bettering my life, and wish I had started sooner! The teachers are all wonderful, and there are so many interesting students to meet as well. It is so nice to be heading in the direction I'd like my life to go: college has finally changed that for me, and I look forward to this jumpstart in my career!

To be brave enough to go and talk with the teachers and not to be intimidated by things that they might say. It seems that if the student does not show a direct intrest in learnig, then the teachers do not act with a real intrest in helping the student learn. Most of the time it's a two way street. There has to be communication on an individual level to succed. This will also bring a mutual respect for each other and a sense of satisfaction in oneself for putting forth the effert.

Don't procrastinate? Don't slack off? I wouldn't change anything. I'm a natural procrastinator but the experience I've gained through my trial and error, my mistakes, has given me knowledge I otherwise wouldn't have gained. How seriously do people take others advice? Even if it happens to be your own advice you are giving to yourself? Personally, I learn best by jumping through the hoops; I learn best through the experience. Action speaks louder to me than words. Where I am now and what I've undergone, I wouldn't change that. I'm taking this far lesser chance on a far greater me. By living life, through action, I've grown and learned. I wouldn't change that, nor would I advise change. Even if I had talked to myself as a high school senior, I would not have listened. This may seem narrow-minded and foolish, but I know me. I know who I am, my reactions and responses. I'm my own worst enemy in this regard, but talking to myself would not have helped or changed anything. I live my life doing, as I probably always will. Hasn't failed me.

I would tell my self that everything works out the way it does for a certain reason. I would also tell my self that everything will be worth it in the end and to keep my head up. I would try to talk myself into talking to more school administrators so I know that what I am doing is the right thing for the field that I want to go into. I would also prep myself for how much more difficult college is from high school. I knew it was going to be tough when I started college but I had no idea really how hard and how much time it was really going to take. I would also tell myself to enjoy my senior year and then buckle down when I went to college, because you can never get that time back and it is a stepping stone to making you who you are.

Knowing that college is not all about just partying and having fun, I would definitely advice myself that college is different than what movies make them out to be. Also, I would tell myself to spend more time working on math before I went to college. Math has always been my hardest subject, and I don't think I spent enough time on math before going to college. More importantly, I would encourage myself to read more music theory before heading off to college. Going to college as a music major, this would have been one of the most helpful and necessary advice I would give myself if I could go back in time, knowing what I know now.

I?m fairly happy with how I handled my transition to college. Taking courses at the community college since my sophomore year helped a lot, and gave me a good idea of what kind of academic work I should expect in college. The most difficult part of the transition for me, being homeschooled, is adapting socially. I?m not used to being in a class with twenty other people, or having to deal with teacher?s idiosyncracies. One piece of advice I wish I'd heard is ?Expand your horizons.? I was focused on music, and all my activities were orchestras and chamber groups. I now know that I don?t want to study music, and wish I had looked into other areas, especially ones that interested me. I still have the power to change that, though. I?m getting involved in other things and branching out into areas that previously were of no interest to me. The most important thing to me is following my heart, but I don?t want to do that blindly. I try to have a basic plan, which I can expand on and change as I discover who I really am.

I would say to spend as much discovery time at a two-year school as possible, figuring out a final major path, then transferring to a four-year school. This will save money, as two-year schools are much less expensive than universities. I would also say to explore career opportunities in your chosen field thoroughly, especially internships in a field such as Graphic Design or Journalism, which has been hit hard in the recession. One of the biggest things I would say: Apply for as many scholarships as possible. During my senior year, I meant to apply for some but didn't because I was too busy or I didn't want to spend the effort.

Senior High School Marissa, You are so smart and I do not want you to be afraid. I know you can go to college and make the grades. Do not wait another minute to start your paperwork. Get in there and work hard, make it happen. You are going to make so many friends and you are going to make so many memories. You are truely brilliant and the amazing knowledge you will soak up is going to be so useful. Have fun and work hard!! College Marissa

if i could go back to tome and talk to myself as a high school senior. i would have to look for scholarships and opertunities to help pay for my tuition. i would have also start when i was younger to help me decide what i would want to be when i get older in the future.