Notre Dame of Maryland University Top Questions

Don't Quit!

I would advise myself not to rush things. Yes, it is amazing that I'm out here on my own for the first time and this taste of freedom is intoxicating but don't rush yourself. Take your time experiencing things and don't feel pressured to conform. Everything will happen as it should and rushing things takes the shimmer and shine off of the experience. And most importantly, stay true to yourself and be happy, things are never as bad as they seem.

That a whole,possibly life changing experience is awaiting and with all the emotions welling up inside, empower yourself by knowing and accepting your weaknesses and prior struggles , to give this experience/ journey what ever it takes , though at times the demands and frustration may make you want to quit or give up , cry alittle, swear at it , even break to go get your favorite coffee with some friends, then use your strengths and self-confidence to propel you foward with openmindedness in succeeding as the journey unfolds with its twists and turns as decisions are made and sometimes questioned with whatever life challenges are put before you ; always remember to be true to yourself, seeking inner peace and discovering your passion(s) for what you want in your career and also in life, then go out into our ever changing world with your own unique style, grace, dedication and commtment leaving ayour legacy through sharing your gifts and passions and desire to be one that helps transform the world into an even better place.

College is not as easy as high school and the tools being provided to you at this moment in your life will help you exponentially in college so please pay more attention.

I would tell myself not to procrastinate on assignments because in the end it only causes more stress. I would also make sure to note that critically thinking from the beginning is necessary and should be used in all classes. Critically thinking enables assignments to be of better quality. Doing assignments as early as possible leads to more revision time. My last piece of advice I would give myself is go into every class with a positive attitude and know that success is achievable.

Knowing that the High School you attend does not prepare you much for college, go out and search for resources that challenge you enough so that you have the skills to tackle difficult assignments. Also, go to your guidance counselor and ask her for a guide on study tips. College is all about knowing how to study well and effectively. On the long nights, stay away junk food because freshmen 15 happens to anyone. Instead, stick to fruits, light crackers or nuts. It is quick brain food and keeps you awake longer than a cheese burger might. When it comes to college applications and scholarships, always apply early! You will loose out on the good opportunities that they offer at the start of the school year. Stay ahead with every deadline because it becomes overwhelming with school, extracurriculars, work and college applications. Overall mentally prepare yourself as early as possible so that when arriving on campus you're ready for the milestones ahead.

My family has always said that by going to college one finds out what they want to be when they grow up, the rest of your life is being it. I started college when I was twenty-one with hopes of being a psychologist and I am now turning forty-one and I have a full grasp of what I want to be doing in grad school and for the rest of my life. There are many reasons people go to college depending on who you are and for me it was to prove something . I am severely disabled and what other people can do in a minimal amount of time takes me one or two hours. Even though I started out as a freshman needing to prove something to everyone, during my junior year when I was up at 3 in the morning and I needed to find that raw determination to go on, I didn't know if I could. Now I am gambling that the same raw determination that allowed me to finish college, will allow me to get through graduate school. I think the most important thing that people can learn about in college is yourself.

So far in my college experience, I have really discovered who I am and who I want to be. Upon my arrival at this institution three years ago, I felt very lost and confused in life. I had no idea what I wanted to do professionally, I was completely unattached to friends from high school, and I felt rather worthless. Quickly this all turned around in my favor. I have now decided on a career in Non-Profti Management, and have discovered my love for philosophy. I have made friends who allow me to be the fun, silly, driven, passionate person that I am, and they love me for it. Finally, I am very active around campus and make a difference every day with the work that I do to improve campus life. I feel that this is where I belong, every day. And, although friends will come and go and I will eventually graduate, I will take with me everything I have learned here - academically and personally - with the confidence that I am who I am supposed to be. My college experience has given me an identity, and I am greatful for that.

My college experience has opened my mind to so many things that I have never seen before. It has opened my mind to how empowering it is to see a classroom full of women working on a chemistry lab experiment or studying biology, fields that were once dominated by men. College of Notre Dame of Maryland encourages all students to participate in community service, and it has opened my mind to the importance of helping others. I now realize that although I am only one person to the world, I have the potential and ability to make a difference in the lives of others. Finally, my school has taught me to be a leader. As a women's college, Notre Dame empasizes the importance of women obtaining leadership roles and transforming the world. This gives me the confidence to follow my own path towards what I feel passionate about. Choosing College of Notre Dame was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life, and I wouldn't choose to be getting my education anywhere else. I know it will allow me to make a graceful transition into womanhood while also helping me spread my wings.

Going to a small women's college I actually got a lot more out the experience than I thought. I was not only empowered and became more confident but was able to multi-task and be involved in my different areas. I was able to continue to play sports and still excell academically. I have many great memories leading as the captain of my soccer and tennis teams as well as other campus organizations. I came in as a shy freshman and left as a grown leader.

Coming from a family with seven children, I am the first to have the opportunity to attend college. Since there are so many people in my family, my parents have to work extra hard to send me to such a prestigeous school. My father is currently stationed in Afghanistan in order to support my family. The sacrifices my family makes for me for a shot at becoming successful drives me to become everything I have the potentional to be. Knowing how hard my family works for me helps me to take something from every day as a lesson in order to help me become successful. I know my hard work and determination will pay off one day so I am able to not only support myself, but also to give back to the very people who allowed me to get to that point. My college education is such a crucial part of my present life and my future because this education will help me to become the person I strive to be.

My college experience has been a boost to my self esteem. After taking a twenty year break from college, it feels great to be back in the classroom and doing well. Not only that, I have made some terrific friends I know that I will have for life. Even if I never got a job after I graduated, I would feel great about the fact that I finally finished. I have learned a lot about a variety of subjects, and I feel that I have gained a greater understanding of the world in which we live. The College of Notre Dame is allowing me to realize my dream of becoming a teacher and I am very grateful for the opportunity. While its too soon to say whether I have acheived my goal of becoming a teacher, the college experience has been invaluable to my personal growth and I feel confident that my education will carry me far!

I love the people, and the friendships that I have formed. Although, I have only been a student of CND for a year, I have made some amazing friendships and cannot wait for next year.

I have not been in school for 30 years. I was a bookkeeper on the old style journals, everything is now electronic. I have not worked for 20 years and feel I am now ready to re-enter the work force. I I have found that returning to school has been an experience. I am learning electronic written communication, electronic accounting. These are much needed skills to rejoin the work force. If I had not decided to return to school I would never have learned the skills I need to find work. I never would have been able to have found employment. What little time I have spent in college has made me aware of how out of touch with the working world I have been. College will give me an oppertinity to

Think globally and participate locally! I am a Special Education major, so I like to study education and learning trends from all different cultures and apply them to my students. My goal is to utilize my education to customize their learning plan so that they experience the best opportunity for academic and personal success for a lifetime. In return, I will learn just as much from them as they are learning from me!

I am in the process of changing majors. I was attending Iowa Western Community College when I was shot in the legs. I dropped out of school and track because of my injuries. I have heard nothing but good things about South East Community College and since its closer to home I will be attending there this year. College has not been that great of an experience but I am going to go back and try again!

I have gotten so much out of my first year college experience. Just the other day I was telling my best friend I feel like I have been force to grow up. It has thought me to be open minded, to respect other opinions, made me multicultural, and most of all it had thought me time management. I have learned to be open minded in a sense of I had more freedom so I was very open minded when it comes to trying different things that I would normally do. I have had eaten foods with my Asian friends that if I have ever were to be in a place by myself or even when I was in high school I would not dear to try. Working with kids who had different background and different opinions thought me to respect others opinions. I have also worked at the International office which allowed me to meet kids from around the world which built me multicultural background stronger. I was also learning to manage time. I learned to do what is important as my school work first then had time for the rest at the same time.

If I could go back in time, I would definitely tell myself to save all the money that I could save from summer jobs, birthdays and such. Not only is tuition expensive but once you pay for college there are still many other expenses. Books alone can cost $700 a semester. My room and board at the College of Notre Dame is $9000.00 a year. You definitely need a car and gas money because you'll need to go off campus for somethings like museums, materials for a project or to see a movie. I don't think high school students think about all the added expenses associated with college, I know I didn't. I thought I could just take out loans and pay for college. What I failed to realize is eventually loans need to be paid back and loans only pay for certain things.

If I could go back to being a senior in high school I would have done more research about where I want to receive my education. I do not regret any decisions I have made, but I wish I was more focused and dedicated to my education as a freshman in college. I would advice my former self to SAVE MONEY for college. When I was in high school I never knew I would have to pay my way through college, but life has its' own twists and turns. I may not like paying school bills but it makes me more responsible. I did not do alot of research about colleges, but I believe the best lesson one can learn is from experience itself!

First and most importantly, i would tell myself to buckle down and work hard my last year. Eventhough , its your last year of school, doesn't mean colleges won't look at your grades. Second, i would apply for each and every scholarship. The extra money could not only help pay for college, but it can help give you a little extra money to buy books, supplies and other things you will need. Scholarships also can help give you the same amount of money or more that a part time job would. Instead of working long hours to help pay for school, your scholarships can help with that and give you more time on your hands to focus on your school work. Third, i would choose my school wisely. The college you pick will be the college you will have to deal with for the next four years. Eventhough you can transfer, that process is a lot to deal with. Also, try to not go to school with your freinds. You wll make more friends and always can see your old friends on breaks.

I came out of high school being involved in everything. I was in the youth group, I was president of my county student government , and worked at a doctors office, ect. My life was very busy. If I could go back to prepare myself better from college I would have worked harder on school instead of extra activities that I did. College isn't easy and acedemicly I would have tryed to prepare more. For example knowing how I should study best. I would have also tryed harder to get more scholorships. College is not cheap and you never know what is going to happen finatialy in the future with your family. The last things that I would have told myself is that when you start college, socially you start all over again along with everyone else. If I had wrapped my head around that idea before college I don't think I would have worried so much about fitting in and making friends. It's important just to relax and be yourself.

If I could go back in time and give my high school senior self some advice I'd say, "Be more social.? In my freshman year of college I felt very lonely because all my friends were attending different colleges in other states. I always stayed cooped up in my dorm room, scared to start fresh with the whole "make new friends" thing. I had known my high school friends for so many years and just like that I was all alone. However, if I could go back in time, I'd tell myself not to be afraid to meet new people and to put myself in situations where I could socialize with my peers. I'd suggest joining different clubs and being more active in the college community. Your freshman year is a great time for you to explore and/or find things that interest you (especially since the workload is usually less stressful). I regret not taking advantage of that opportunity back then. It would have made the transition a lot better.

Seeing as though I am very happy with my decisions throughout my three years of college, I would just encourage my high school self to go with my gut. My family was so important in my decision to begin at our two year community college and then be a commuter student at my four year school. With such a supportive family it would be hard to remove myself from that enviornment as well as the significant decrease in overall price for a commuter.

The only advice that I would give myself would be to try a little more challenging classes in high school and I would've started at a four year college right off the bat. I started at a community college, which was a great start, but now, I'm just ready to be out of school and actually teaching. I learned a lot from my community college classes and am learning even more in my classes now at College of Notre Dame of Maryland, but I am so ready to jsut teach!! I can't wait!

One of the hardest choices in life is that of your college, where you will spend 2-4 years of your life studying and perfecting the career you want to persue. The worst thing you can do is to just settle with whatever is cheapest or easiest. College is expensive, I know, believe me, but putting the money into something that will affect you for the rest of your life is much more important than saving up for that new car. I went with my current college because it was cheap, easy, and the only thing that accepted me (but I only applied to three.) I am miserable. Don't do the same as me, and really look into various schools of your interest. Talk to the students that have gone there, find out what it's like, and don't just settle with something because you feel you have no choice. You always have a choice!

My advice to parents and students about finding the right college is do your research, everyone is different and so are colleges. I would advice not to make a decision based on money, a private college may actually be less expensive to attend than a public college. I would definitely advise to visit the college and maybe even stay on campus for a few nights. Once you begin attending your perfect college, get involved with clubs and organizations, sports or all the wonderful opportunities available to you. College is not just about classwork, it's about finding yourself.

Live you r college experience as if it's your last moments alive-have fun, make mistakes, learn, live, andd love. And when times get difficult and the future seems bleek, parents, encourage and assist your child. Make sure the college you attend suites your personality and contributes to your mental, physical, and most importantly, spiritual growth.

Take your time, and don't freak out about not finding the right school by the Priority deadlines. Unless you know exactly what school you want to go to, it doesn't work that way. Once you do find a school, give it a full year, and if it isn't totallyy your cup of tea, transfer. However, if there is the slightest glimmer of hope that you would miss something at your school if you left, stay, and cultivate that interest. That's the only way you'll realize what opportunities you could get there as opposed to another school.

My best advice for parents and/or students about finding the perfect college is to always visit the school. I was completely confused about where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do until I stepped onto the campus of College of Notre Dame of Maryland. I was immediately called by the century-old brick buildings, the friendly faces, and the electricity in the atmosphere. I could see myself being nurtured, encouraged, enriched, and happy there. I never questioned that immediate insticnt. To make the most of these precious college years, I've learned that it is necessary to get involved in anything and everything. By experiencing many different aspects of campus life, such as honors programs, book clubs, community service groups, or student government, you become exposed to amazingly diverse people and ideas. You gain new thoughts, opinions, experiences, and interests; before you know it, you've grown into an open-minded, thoughtful, and responsible member of this world. The right college is not about decent classes and an awesome dorm room. It is a place that should make you feel excited about life. Let your instinct guide you there and life will never be the same.

The advice that I would give parents and/or students about finding the right college is that it isn't necessarily going to be the most well known school or the school that is the largest and co-ed. It is about finding people who you can engage in an intellectual conversation with while still being able to go out and have a good time with the same people. To make the most of the college experience, joining any kind of club or organization or sports team is the best way to make the most of the experience. Especially by joining a sports team, the student will get a lot more exposure into what college life is like, and make the best friends that they will ever make in college. One other way to make the most of the experience is to live on campus and enjoy the company of the diverse individuals around you. Getting involved is one of the most important reasons to choose a college and to make the most of the college experience.

I would tell parents and students to find a school that is much like themself. Somewhere that they are not going to feel like they have to change or hide who they really are. The ultimate decision should be the students, not the parents. Go somewhere that will challege you to be the best that you can be.

Take positive advice from the people around you,but in the end it's truly up to you.Sometimes you never really know until you visit the school,or take part in an over night stay.That's what I did,and I love it here !

To students i would say dont look for a school thats far from home just because you want to get away from your parents. Do look for a school that makes you feel a part of ther community before you even decide to enroll. Make sure to visit campus' many times and do this early enough so you can make the right decision. Sometimes the place you least expect to feel comfortable in will be the one for you because you felt at home when you went for a visit and a tour. Stay in communication with tour guides, professors and current students at the schools you look at because that can help you make a decision as to where you belong. Parents should help their children as much as possible by supporting them in any decision that they make but also by guiding them through it if they have already been throgh that experience.