Oakland University Top Questions

I have gotten alot out of my college experience. What I mean by this is that there have been alot of ups and downs since I've been in college. I have learned how to manage my time. I have gotten better study habits from high school and I study and read alot more. Other things that I have learned is that when college is not a joke you have to apply yourself or else you will fall behind in chapters and classes and thats a bad thing. I have also learned how to form study groups.

There is no question as to whether or not my college experience was valuable. I have learned diligence, time scheduling, and multi-tasking; all of which are necessary qualities for any person to manage their busy lives. I have also gained an awareness of my environment I doubt I would otherwise possess. I have become aware of social phenomenons and cultural differences through my education that I think would be lacking in a life without college. I have spent my whole life living in Mesa, Arizona and there is so much more to be discovered in the world than what I could uncover in those city limits were I not a student at Mesa Community College. My gained awareness, I hope, will aid me as I move out of my parent's house to live alone for the first time in different city. Sure, Flagstaff is not a foreign country, but I think my learnings will still help me in assimilating to my new environment. Furthermore, college of course makes individuals appear more appealing to the social world, I think it also allows people to be more confident in seeking out great opportunities due to their educational springboard of advancement.

I have found some of the best friends I could even have, and have learned the quality of money when tuition is so hight.

College is a valuable experience because it opens up your mind to things you never thought or realized you enjoyed. If I had never attended college, I would have never discovered my deep love for music.

Out of my college experience as of now, I have realized that I am not good at everything. I have struggled through some classes, but still came out with a passing grade. I learned how to keep trying even when defeat seems imminent. I have not chosen the easiest major, and I know it will be difficult, but I want to be a Doctor of Physical Therapy, so I need to do my best to succeed. Without attending college, I would not only not acheive my dream job, but I would not have learned how much harder I need to work at the things that I am not perfect at. My entire life, I have worked to get everything I wanted, and school is no different, except that college is much harder than I could have ever had expected.

My college experience so far has opened the door to acadamia in a way I never before believed possible. Rather than the teachers becoming annoyed if you answer too many questions, or being ridiculed by your classmates for being younger than they are, yet in the same grade, they seek out and pride intellectualism. I've become better at time management, working and going to school full time, and have been able to make connections with my teachers that would be frowned upon in high school, talking after class about books, films, and politics in a way that no high school teacher would have ever dared do. All in all, college has renewed my love for study, and has opened my mind to the idea that I really can do whatever I set my mind to, all it takes is a little hard work.

Albert Einstein once said, "Information is not knowledge." In my college experience so far, the most important lessons I have learned have not been from a textbook or from an academic lecture, but from real-life experience. Being in a commuter school has taught me that I have the power to direct my life in whichever realm I choose to enter. Whether it be socially, academically, or professionally-- life really is what you make it. My college experience so far has taught me to appreciate what I have and work to change the things within my power that I wish to improve. College has taught me that my generation has the power to impact the world if we work towards a common goal and apply our talents to their full capacity. College has taught me that i never want to quit working and striving to be the best person I can be and help others to be the best they can be. For as Albert Einstein concludes, "The only source of knowledge is experience".

After high school I was not sure what I wanted to go into as a career. So I signed up at Green River Community College. I have been there for two years now. Throughout my years there I have learned that college is so much more different than high school, the professors actually treat you like an adult. I have felt that attending college has taught me so much more than the subjects I have taken with the classes. College has taught me how to be more independent and more focused. I feel it is valuable for me to continue onto a four-year college to experience more out of life and I plan on becoming active in the colleges leadership programs. I know college will help me with my future endeavors.

My time spent in college has proven to be invaluable to both my education and my personal development. Since the start of my collegic refinement, I have made great strides in my sense of personal identity and independent thinking. No longer living at home, I am now responsible for maintaining many aspects of my life, that in the past were taken care of for me, and as a result, have gained a new sense of independence and has inspired feelings of autonomy. In addition to furthering my general knowledge base (calculus, physics, biology), college has taught me new ways of looking at the world around me and has challenged many beliefs that I've held for years. Many qualities of my life have changed drastically for the better since entering the college arena. The college experience has been paramount, and indeed a necessary catalyst for beginning the next chapter of my life.

I've made so many new friends as a result of attending college as well as learning more deeply about my major.

From my college experience, I have been enriched with regards to the number of amazing professors and students I've had the pleasure of meeting, the opportunity to expand my knowledge base with intensive courses, and the freedom to choose whichever courses I see fit. This has allowed me to push myself by taking challenging courses, while still having a base of peers and professors that are willing to aid me with any problems I may encounter academically.

I entered Oakland University as a junior in college not knowing what I wanted to pursue as a career. As far as the upper level courses are concerned, there is a lot of very knowldgable and caring professors that offer a great amount of help to their students. I have run into a particularly amazing, approachable professor who I immediatly was drawn to. He helped me not only as a genetics professor but has allowed me to work in his lab as an undergraduate student developing my liking for scientific research. After graduation I have continued my education and lab work under the same professor, which I am incredible excited about. Oakland offers not only a small and comfortable campus, but the student body is relativly small and you grow to recognize many of the students in your classes as your education proceeds, making for a nice transition throughout the college process. The professors recognize you here, which makes for a nice personable experience. This has made my transition from being an undergraduate to a grad student pleasant and less scary, allowing me to focus learning everything I can.

Go to college with an open, unaltered mind, one which is willing to uphold its values and at the same time leave room for growth and development. If you don't do this, you will certainly miss out on many experiences and people with whom to share your life. Do what you are afraid to do. Be who you are afraid to be. Take the time to discover who you are, there is no need to rush. College is not necessarily a four year endeavor to be over in the snap of a finger. Find your balance with work, school and your social life, that's what it's all about. And most importantly find the balance within yourself, this is where it all begins. Once you have that you are strength undefeatable. Sure there are the times you may doubt yourself, but you push through and strive forth. Most importantly enjoy it. Be able to say I feel good about where I have been, where I am now, and where I am going. I saw my path, but I didn't know where it was going. Not knowing where I was going is what inspired me to travel it.

There is one thing every high school senior should know. High school is not important. When you get to college, no one cares about your class rank, whether you were a starter or bench warmer or with what clique you ate lunch. College is a fresh start.You will not come across many opportunities in your life for a clean slate and chance to reinvent yourself. Take advantage of this. In college, no one knows your past and you?ll never find a group of peers more willing to help you embrace your future. Surround yourself with the people who bring out the best in you. High school is tough. It?s your first introduction to real stress and life-changing decisions. During you senior year, the world revolves around high school. But the world outside is bigger, much bigger, than high school. College is where you life begins. So get involved, be confident (or at least act it), don?t party too much, take a public speaking class your first year and befriend a foreign exchange student. But most importantly, don?t go to college thinking you will find yourself. College is about creating who you are.

I would, first, tell myself to really enjoy my last year in high school. As a senior, I don't think I appreciated how great my life really was. I was blessed to go to a school where my teachers and friends really cared about me as a person. Often, that type of connection to teachers and friends is lost in big college settings. Next, I would tell myself to apply myself just a little bit more. In high school, most classes came fairly easy to me, and I never worried about my grades. I never challenged myself or pushed myself any harder than was required. Now that I'm in college, I'm being challenged more than I ever have been before. Having a stronger background in certain subjects would help out a great deal now. Overall, I would say to have fun and don't get too upset when that high school crush hurts your feelings. He's not as great as we thought.

The most important decision that you will make in the near future is whether to attend college, in order to be successful in the years to come you must have a college degree. I wish I could take that path but, I had a few setbacks and had to have a job right away to support my family. I am currently enrolled in a community college and enjoying every minute. I still work 40-50 hours a week and took on 9 credits this semester, somehow I manage to do homework and spend time with my four children. I wish I had the option to attend school full time but I still have responsibilties at home. It's a challenge but , in the end I know I will succeed. It all comes down to how much hard work you put into it . You must be strong and keep moving forward.

If I could go back to my senior year in high school, I would tell myself to not worry about teh cost of school and to go where I wanted to go. Because for the cost of school, there are student loans. Also to do some volunteer time at local places to see what kind of a career I would be interested in. I would have visited a lot my college campus's to see what other ones are like before deciding on one. Also I would have saved my money for better things to help with the cost of college instead of spending it will nely.

It has been three years since you have graduated from high school and there still so much more schooling to be done. Because you went away to Western Michigan University without a clear-cut plan, you took classes that meant nothing to the major your pursuing now at Oakland University. You?re waiting to get into the Nursing Program; if accepted you must wait another 2-3 years before you even start the 3-year program. If only you would have been more concerned with your future as a senior you would be two years closer to your nursing career. So, my advice to you is: explore all your future career opportunities now; don?t underestimate yourself and your ability & enter college with a plan you are nothing but excited for.

With knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition from a high school senior to a college freshman, I would tell myself not to be afraid to voice my own opinion. So many times in high school I was the girl that sat in the corner, trying to hide behind the raised hands in front of me. Even though I knew the answer to a question, or wanted to bring up another topic, I found myself just reserved to a page. I would not express myself and my intensions until I struck that page. Ink dripped from my fingertips and glided onto the page with ease and enjoyment, and I found myself cherishing the works I had written and created, rather than wanting to share it with others. But since in college, I have created a new identity for myself. I am not the quiet girl in the corner scribbling away on a blank page. I participate, question, reason, and explain. If I could go back in time, I would encourage myself to share what I had created on a page through spoken words rather than written words.

The biggest thing you have to remeber about college is that your grades are mostly dependent on how you perform on the exams, not on how you do on your homework, why because your college professors do not check homework, up thats right you do not have to do homework. But, if you do not do homework, there is a good chance you will not do well on the exams. The biggest thing to remeber when you start college is to stay on top of things, do not let yourself fall behind, the minute you fall behind is the first minute that you are working twice as hard as you would of had to to pass the class. So remeber high school senior, stay on top of school and you will succeed in LIFE.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to stay focused and to never lose motivation. I would emphasize that staying on track is important and that just because you get accepted to a school doesnt mean you're going to be permitted to stay. I would tell myself that studying is very important and to never think you can slide by just by reviewing because you can do that in high school. Keep your grades up because unlike highschool you're paying for these classes and they are NOT cheap. Have a good time, get a little wild but at the end of the day remember what you're there for.

If I could go back to being a senior in high school, I would've pushed myself harder to make my ap tests count for college credit and I would have obtained the best grades possible for scholarships. My grades were not bad but I would've chosen to stay up another hour and prepare for a test rather than sleep or watch television. I ,also, would have pushed myself harder to go after scholarships that had less money. I went after many big scholarships as if the little ones didn't matter. I learned that alot of them go unclaimed because no one claims them, which would make it easier to go after after the smaller amount. I worked as a volunteer for Henry Ford but, soon, found myself working two jobs. I just wish I could have stuck with it. I, also, saved my $600 enrollment fee and paid for a trip to visit the college I wanted to attend but I did not go and I wish I had've because, now being at home, I am missing the college experience.

Speaking as a student of a commuter university, the transition from high school to college was still difficult, although probably not as difficult as it would be for a student that chooses to go away to school. The challenges that I personally faced with the trasition from high school to college, was the academics and competition. Your livelihood depends on every homework assignment, lab, and exam you will ever take in college. A student always needs to be on top of daily tasks to stay ahead of the competition. Unknowingly, college competition for me began in high school classes, in which the final grades would help determine my placement in nursing school. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to begin focusing now. Depending on programs, competition begins in high school and it?s very important to be on top of the ball. Also starting now with a habit of focusing and being academically-oriented is important to gain success.

If i were able to back in time, I would do some things differently. First, I would always try to make it to class on time because sleeping is isn't always a good idea. Second, I would do more independent reading and get assignments done on time. In college, they dont accpet any late work at all and also don't accept excuses. Reading and extra studying needs to be done outside of class in order for the student to be better prepared to learn and make sense of what is going on in the class. I would also be more open to people and communicate easier, because in college, there really isn't alot of bullying going on. Many students start conversations with each other about thier classes and become really good friends. I also recommend talking to your teacher outside of class to maintain a better relationship with him/her throughout the year.

The first thing I would suggest is to take your first semester seriously, by keeping up with the workload. Its not hard to learn if you take part in outside work, and keep up. Its when you get behind and can't catch up that you have problems understanding the material. The second, and most important thing would be that you aren't just spending money to get a piece of paper with your name on it. College is a life changing experience, and you might as well jump in head first. Make friends, get involved and have fun. One day it'll be time to really grow up, get a job, and take responsibility to pay bills and go to a full time job that has an impact on something. It might seem trivial now, but when you look back at your college years its going to be where you really become yourself, and figure out who you are and what matters most, so don't just go to class and get through those 4 years begrudgingly. Really live, and enjoy the experience that you're about to embark on. You never know what'll happen unless you try.

I would tell myself to go after exactly what you want, don't let money stand in the way. I feel like I would be so much happier if I would have just gone away where I wanted too. I had the grades just not the money. So just to go after what you want, in the end you will know. It may not work out, but atleast you tried it!

I would love to be able to tell myself that I made the right choice. There's no point in worrying about it so much, and although you're going to be leaving many of your old friends behind, you will make new ones and they'll be keepers. I would like to have told myself that my grades were just FINE and to not worry about the "insanely" difficult homework. I would tell myself that I did in fact settle on a major, and although it's going to be hard work, it'll be worth it.

I would tell myself not to worry about the little things. Small concerns in high school don't translate to the real world. I would tell myself that I need to live in the moment and appreciate it, rather than worrying about trivial things that in the long run do not matter. I would remind myself to strive for my goals; big goals that I really want to accomplish. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of you as long as you know you're doing the right thing. If you want something enough and take the right steps in achieving them, you will. I would tell myself that I hold my destiny in my own hands. It comes with hard work, diligence, and the belief that I can do anything.

Advice that I would give to myself as a high school senior about college life is to never procrastinate. If you do your work on time and always keep up with the teacher, you are sure to succeed. If you procrastinate then you fall behind and struggle to get good grades. If you want a successful future then you must assure that you do everything possible and take the correct measures to get good grades and a high GPA. Also, when you fall behind it is EXTREMELY difficult to catch up and you are usually forced to cram for tests when you should be spacing out the information you need to study for tests. This is not good for any class or subject. I procrastinated my first two weeks in college and spent the rest of my semester catching up and cramming things in. It was extremely stressful and if i would have done things on time my life would not have been as hectic but i learned my lesson. Never procrastinate.

Do not be too busy for community involvement. It matters the most out of all the different ways possible to spend time. Grades are important, but a resume matters, also. Pursue, above all, what you are passionate about, and find ways to use that passion and help others around you. Name-brand schools do not matter for your undergraduate degree, so save some money and stay local.

Knowing what I know now about college, I would give myself a lot of advice if I could go back to high school. If I could go back, I would advise myself to practice good study skills, do not procrastinate on anything, take school serious, don't expect to slide your way through classes, don't expect your instructor to give you any extra credit, do your best the first time on any assignment, take AP courses or challenging courses so when you get to college you will know how to work through the tough classes, don't rely on one-on-one help from instructors, take advantage of academic support centers and tutors, learn how to become a more independent learner, learn to communicate better with others, form study groups for each class, set goals and establish your priorities, refresh yourself on every subject from high school becuase you will need it in college, tell yourself there is an attendance policy so you will not be tempted to cut class, and don't just try to pass a class because a lot of information you learn, you will need to apply in higher level courses.

If I could go back in time and give advice to my high school self, there would be a few key points I would focus on. First, I would recommend that I should do what I have already done by getting an on-campus job. This job made the transition from high school to college a much easier experience. I became familiar with the campus layout and even met some lifelong friends in the process. Another point of advice I would make would be to make sure I saw an academic advisor on a regular basis. This would make sure that I was going to be on the right road to graduating on time. Lastly, I would recommend that I join school-sponsored organizations in my first year of college. These organizations would look great on my future resume and would put me in touch with many professionals in my future field of study. All of this advice would be very helpful for myself as a high school senior, and I wish I actually had had someone to give it to me back then.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would first and foremost tell myself that you have to manage your time, study, and stay organized. If not, the work load can get very intense and hard. In addition, I would tell myself to interact and network because you never know who you are talking to and what connects they have. Finally, I would stress that college is what you make it. It can be a big party or it could be a great learning experience. If you are going to party, make sure you at least do your reading, homework, etc, because at the end of the day the money that you are paying is coming out of your pocket. Because the last time I checked hardly anyone can afford to pay 3 to $4000 per semester.

I started college at MSU right out of high school. I dropped out because of poor grades and I wasnt really into learning - I didn't realize how important education was until I was almost 30 years old. I would tell myself as a high school senior all about the life I had lead since dropping out of college - from the low incomes I have earned to the everyday struggles of putting food on the table and clothes on the kids due to working as a contract employee making between $6500 and $17,000 for a family of 3. I had had to do without my entire adult life due to the choices I made in college. It is something I regret in my life and I have committed to going back to college to vastly improve my way of life, sort of righting the wrongs of my illspent time at MSU!

I would tell myself to put the effort into delveloping study habbits and getting used to reading textbook chapters completely and throughly without being asked. I would also tell myself be aware of how much time I need to devote to each class and to plan my schedule accordingly so that I don't overwhelm myself. Also, I would tell myself to keep in mind that it's very hard to keep up with classes and have a job so to keep in mind to not overload myself.

I would tell myself to think really hard when it comes to choosing courses. I work also give myself advise about studying, and to take school serious.

I would say go to more college prep classes or be a duel enrolled student. Not only would that prepare me for school, but it would help me to finish school in less time and my high school would have paid for it. I would say save your money so you have a little cushion there if times get tough. Then I would say to stay home a study more rather then go to a school basketball or football game. Good grades are so important and they will help you get things like scholarships and I wouldnt have to have so many loans and money to pay now and when I leave school. Finally I would tell myself to really research colleges like crazy. I made a quick decision when choosing my first college. Now that I am at the one I really love I wish I would have been going here for my entire college career.

When I was getting out of school many of the people I spoke with had a whole different reflection on the life of college. The factris certain things was that teacher was plentiful at the time I got out of school. When I got out of school also you could land a good paying job. Education was kind of secondary to life back then. As my life continue I started to go to school because I was seeing the whole atmosphere changing about the job situation . I was seeing jobs going out of the country to coutries that made far less money. So I was going to a community college for lots of my credits and now its time to finish and complete the rest of my education. I've been lucky because of the fact I meet nice people along the way which has given me the knowledge to go on to finish because of the fact I pick up other knowledge about a whole different career move. So the knowledge will link me to more challenging events in my owned life to make me grow in a new field of study. Life has change for the better.

I would have not gone to Oakland and would have gone to University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Nothing against Oakland, but whenever I go to Ann Arbor, I feel like I'm home and I actually belong somewhere. At Oakland most peopel just come and go (commute). I don't get along with everybody at Oakland, and it feels like I'm an outsider compared to my other classmates. I said earlier that I couldn't describe all of my classmates in one sentence; because not everybody is simply "nice" or "mean." They come in all varieties. Everyone fits in with a clique at OU and I can't seem to find the place where I fit in. I attend club meetings, and go to class every day, but nothing fits for me. Mostly I'm just here for the Health Science (B.S.) major, and the low tuition rate, but after the welcome I had received in a class in Ann Arbor from the students, I felt like I would have been happier there. To my high school self; "You always hated when you were an outsider in high school, why have that again in college?"

I would tell myself not to worry so much about the social aspects of your high school life because once college comes around, you don't have the amount of time that you used to have in high school for your friends and school should be first, not your social life.

Study alot harder these next few years

Listen to the advisors, they know best. Don't rush into taking excelled classes because in the end, you're not ready for them yet. Take your time with classes and make sure you study a lot. Reading extra material can also help you in your more difficult classes.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I think I would tell myself to explore more options. I've always had my mind set on teaching and so everything I did was based on my future of educating. I was a teachers aid at an elementary school and tried really hard to get good grades. A lot of people told me it would be best to go to a community college first to save money and get ahead. I ended up going to our community college in St. Clair. I wish I could go back and tell myself to do what I thought was best. If I could do it all over again I would go with my heart and being my college career at Oakland University as a freshman. It is important to do what you think is best and knowing what I know know I think I would have been better off going with my first instinct. "Do what you want to do and be who you want to be.," is what I would tell myself if I could go back in time.

Focus a little more on your studies and not about the party. I feel I would have been better prepared if I focused a little more on academics and took them more seriously.

I would've told me to start at a community college and take the core classes required in every field in order to graduate. As a college freshman; take the 'intro' to classes that you find interesting. Before declaring a major, find a subject that you find not only interesting but fun. If you're going to make this a career choice, you should enjoy going to work for 20 -25 years. By taking the 'intro' and core classes you're able to continue to make progress toward your goal of graduation. You're also able to keep your options open if you're chosen major isn't what you'd thought it would be, without starting over in a new major. Keep an open mind when it comes to career paths, you may be destined to do something in life that you've never thought was possible.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would sit myself down and tell myself to get more focused. That If you would like to go to the first college of your choice you must do good in high school. College is great, but it is costly and getting it done in the place that you want to get it done at is extremely important. College is a lot easier than high school because you are your own boss and it is up to you to get your grades. No one makes you go to college, you make that decision so if you decide to not focus and not go to class, you're only hurting yourself. Also, be well rounded and participate in activities. It really is enjoyable and its one more selling point to get you into the college of your choice.

Live life, and don't worry about what people think of you. High school is just a small part of your life, the friends that mean something will not care what you look like, say, or wear. Be yourself.

the advice that i would give to myself would be to make sure you research the program and college that you want to go into or attend. Make sure that you go on a campus tour and talk to the profosser in the major that you to study. Make sure to have more than one school to choose from. Another big thing i would tell myself is to find scholarship that can help you pay for school so that you wouldnt have to work so hard to try and pay for school and wont have a larger amount of loans when you graduate.

I would look more into schools then just picking the ones around my neighborhood. I would go on campus tours and actually talk to students other then ones i knew who went to different schools. I seriously slacked on the seeing different colleges and campuses.

Try to get involved in as many things as you possibly can! It may seem geeky or you might not think you will have enough time, but you will make time. And who knows, you could end up meeting friends in these activities who you will be friends with for the rest of your life. It is so important to get involved, it will help you feel more connected to your school, like it is your true home. Getting involved will also help make you a more well-rounded person. So get out there and do it!