North Iowa Area Community College Top Questions

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

Molly

I would tell myself to make friends early, especially ones you can study with. After I made new friends and we began studying together, the nursing program became a little easier. It was still tough but we support each other and help each other learn the topics at hand. I think that has been what has been the most beneficial to me. I would also tell myself to apply for more scholarships. Receiving some scholarships really makes it easier on you when you don't have to worry about working to pay for school and you can't receive any if you don't apply.

Emily

"Hold on!!" "Slow down!!", "You have more time then you think!", "Life is to short to be worrying about things like college." , I would scream at myself. I believed that when I left high school, I would go strait to a four year college, no exeptions. When the time came, though, I turned into a complete mess. I didn't have anything I could work with, and I didn't know where I was going. That is when I decided to go to North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC for short). I don't regret it, but I wish that I would have calmed down in high school, I could of figured out what I was doing with college. Even so, NIACC was still a great college and I made the right decision to stick with a two year college first. If I told my high school self to calm down and breath, life might be different, and I could of started college with a clear mind, instead of the jumbled up mess that became my first year of college.

D

I would go back and tell myself to take as many classes as I can during the summer and winter breaks. I would tell myself to trust my own instincts and take the classes that interest me not just the classes for my major. I would say don't make sure I fall too fall either way towards studying all the time and neglecting people or spending all my time outside the classroom with friends . As an overall rule I would tell myself to always think of the future and find all the opportunities I can but make sure to live in the present and experience everything I can.

Athena

I would tell myself to be involved in a lot more activities. Being involved with more activities would have allowed me more scholarships. I realize now that with no help other than the little help my job gives me there is not much to help me financially. The government was not able to help me out financially, and my parents do not help me out either. I would also tell myself to try much harder when it comes to schoolwork. Having better grades and a higher GPA would have helped me out greatly regarding paying for college. Now, I have to take loans out for all of my schooling. I would tell myself to think ahead. The world is so much bigger than our little high school. Real life is a lot tougher and requires money for everything.

Allison

Assuming I could go back in time, the first thing I would tell myself is to not have such a big ego! Then I would probably slap myself across the face and tell me that I am NOT the smartest person in the world. I went to a four-year university and it kicked my caboose, which is why I am now attending a community college. "Allison, you need to learn how to study over the summer!" During high school, I found it possible to not study and still stay at the top of my class, not possible in college. Then I would say is that I need to figure out a way to have a balance between my social and school life. Too much of either is a bad thing! The last thing I would tell the past me is that I need to learn how to make friends better, having good people around you makes it a lot easier to go through college and have a wonderful experience. I unfortunately didn't find that out until it was too late. I had too much pride in high school, and that made college harder than it needed to be.

Ashley

The best advice I could give to myself is to take advantage of as many college programs as I can. I would tell myself to take as many different classes as I could, not only to just meet the minimum standands of my major,but to learn as much as I could. I would convince myself to take a wide variety of courses, so I could become knowledgeable in many different areas of study not just Psychology. I would persuade myself to get involved in extracurricular activities like clubs and sports to meet new people and become involved in college. I would inform myself that college not only offers an education but enhances our abilities to socialize with a wide variety of individuals, who are of many ethnicities and backgrounds. I would remind myself that not only the teachers educate me, but I can also learn a lot through the students I meet. Another piece of advice I'd give myself is to take advantage of scholarships. I would encourage myself to research on scholarships and submit as many as I could, because there are many caring people who are willing to help me make it through college.

Jamie

Going back in time would be great. If I could I would tell myself not to change a thing. My senior year I was able to grow and meet many new people and experience new things. I dont regret going to a community college because it has saved me money and I am able to be with my family. Life is supposed to be experienced and mistakes are supposed to be made. Yes I would have done things differently, but if I never experienced these things, I would not be the strong, independent person I am today. I take pride in my past and it has led to my present, where I am making plans for my future. One of those plans is of course attending college at ISU. That is why I am applying for this scholarship. I want to be able to have even more experiences. Receiving this scholarship would allow me to do that. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Jennifer

As a high school senior, I did not know what I wanted to do with my life, so I didn't go to college right away. It has been almost 8 years since I graduated and I now have a husband and a family that I'm to juggle with my college studies. Having a family makes it much harder to study and get school work done. If I could go back and talk to myself, I would say go to college now. If you are not sure what you want to do, then just take some general classes until you figure out what you might want to do. Now days, it's not a bad thing to have too much school! I wish I could have made myself understand that high school and college are very important and that we need an education if you want to be successful in life. I think the most wise piece of advice I can give is, God never gives us more than we can handle!

April

I would tell myself two things. First, I would tell myself to be more assertive, if I would have asserted myself more in my first few semesters, I think I would have done much better. I would also tell myself to check more into financial aid, much sooner. Since I did not qualify for some federal aid, I thought my next option was loans. Well I am much smarter about loans and different options available to me as far as aid goes, and I would not be in as much student loan debt if I knew then what I know now.

Conor

I would tell myself to take more college classes in high school because it will give me more opertunities in college.

Kyle

I would tell myself to persue a music education major. I wold tell myself that because when I first started collage I was undecied on what I wanted to study and become and because I was unsure of what i wanted to become I just to general education classes. I now know that i want to be a music teacher but because I started off taking general education classes I Will have to take an extrasmester of collage to make up for the music class that i missed out on.