Ohlone College Top Questions

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

Emmanuel

The best advice i can give is apply yourself in everything that you do from here on out. Dont think that you wont be eligible for scholarships or financial aid. Even if you have an opportunity to work and go to school, it is very beneficial to have school paid for with scholarships and financial aid. Aspire to do great things, not only for yourself, but for others as well, so that it may have an impact on you and those around you. Another important thing to remember is that hard work pays off in the end. if you really apply and motivate to keep on going, one day you will reach those goals and graduate with a degree. If you have an opportunity to go for a masters degree i highly recommend it. One final thing that i will leave you with is that the choices you make today will effect the choices you make tomorrow. Therefore, it is good to examine all your options or choices and see which can have the best impact in your life.

Jovana

I never thought it would be so different than the life I lived. I would tell not only myself but other students to focus on school, nothing else is more important than getting a good education and grades. I'd tell myself to get more involved with school activities, programs, and anything there is available that I can do because all of those things look good on a universitys application or any kind of college I want to go to. Id not only do it for myself, but for my little siblings. They look up to me and I want them to look forward to going to school because they see me doing a good job and getting something good out of it. I would also tell myself that getting my education is not only good for me but for my family. Especially my father and mother. They want better of me because they didnt get to go to school, so they would be proud to see their first daughter walking the stage with her masters degree and doing something good in her life. Last, it would be the best thing for me to do. to not struggle in life.

Lindsey

My advice to myself would be to try harder and put all my effort in to all of my work because it does make a difference and does impact my future. I would also tell myself that while having a social life is important, school work should not take a back seat and to make sure that that I woould not take on more than I could handle. But most of all I would tell high school me not to be so hard on myself if a test doesn't go how I planned or I do not get that perfect score and make sure to have fun, you only have this expiernce once!

Amber

As a senior there are a few major things on your mind; prom, graduation, and most importantly college. Leaving high school and going on to bigger things in college can be scary but you have to be willing to take chances and put yourself out there. Remember that a lot of people are in your same shoes, trying to make friends and working towards a career. Some will become good friends and others are better to keep as acquaintances; do not loose yourself, there are pressures but you will always make the final decision, think with your head but remember your heart. Life is a rollercoaster that we must be willing to ride, tests are around ever bend and success is at the end, we just need to hold on. I am coming back to tell you, well me, that we can not let fear take over, and even though family stressors will hit hard the first semester we can not give up, dreaming high is a risk and as long as the work is done we will end up where we want to be.

Naomi

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior the first thing I would tell myself is that the fast track isn't always the best choice if your not a 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} sure of your major. I chose to go to a vocational school right out of high school and I wasn't completely sure it's what I wanted but I just knew I didn't want to spend 4 more years in school, boy was I wrong! I would suggest going to a 2 year community college and taking my general ed. classes while taking a few special interest classes to help me decide what I wanted my major to be then transfering to a 4 yr. college. I would tell myself to talk to a counselor or someone who has gone to college vs. a vocational school and compared the advantages and disadvantages. Even though I did visit alot of 4 yr. college campuses which I liked, the thought of financing my college education scared me and had I talked to someone it may have helped to ease my mind that their are programs , financial aid, and scholarships available.

Kyra

If i could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, i would tell myself being in college is nothing like high school and if i want to succeed it's up to me to stay focused. I'd also stress the importance of studying, in high school class is mandatory and you're given plenty of material to study from. In college it's up to the the student to go to class and take notes for studying. College is in some ways simular to high school with the ample amout of students and the relationships you build with people over the years of attending school. In high school your lesson is set for you and you are taught the fundementals. One of the best things abolut college is you have complete control over your future and you are given the oppurtunity to learn about anything you want. In shorter terms i would tell myself although college might get a bit overwhelming never quit and do my best because it will be all worth it in the end, and my future is whatever i choose to make it.

Vignesh

If I could travel back in time, I would simply tell myself to follow four simple rules also known as "P.A.S.S." Pay attention in class. College is not at all like high school, and the curriculum that is taught is much more complex and in depth. Studies show that sitting in the front of class allows a student to retain the most information. Activity; a healthy lifestyle can cultivate a healthy mind. Being active and sportive can not only bring a more upbeat social life, but will also keep your mind fresh and ready to take on new material while college is in session. Study relentlessly; although it seems obvious, many students forget that studying outside of class is required to successfully pass. Many universities usually have a rule of studying a certain number of hours per unit outside of class. With many other things on their mind, students forget to follow this simple rule. Stay away. College is not just a place for new knowledge, but also an environment filled with different people from different backgrounds. A student needs to learn who and what habits to stay away from.

Eric

I know you have heard to "keep up your grades" and "continue school" many times in your life. This is not a way to pick on you or annoy you, but it is very good words of advice. Don't worry if you don't know what you want to do or where you want to go in the future. Nothing is set in stone. You are allowed to change your mind. You are allowed to change directions. You are allowed to explore and learn. Look at learning as a fun and exciting activity rather than a chore. As you graduate from high school you will no longer have others telling you what you need to do. It is now the time for you to decide what you want to learn. Don't worry as you will change what you want to learn the more you learn. This change is all part of a great journey.

Brian

If I had the opportunity to go back through time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to stop looking into the superficialities in life and put more value in what lasts. I would try and get myself to understand that reputation and appearance aren't what matters in selecting a college to transfer to or boast about. What's important is the person you become and the choices you make for where your life is going. If I could go back I would tell myself to stop smoking copious amounts of marijuana and drinking habitually and think about what I want out of life, as a writer and as a person on an intimate level. I would tell the past me, to ask myself what it'll take for me to get where I want to be, and to seek it out without expecting it to fall in my lap without hard work and perserverence.

Fernanda

If I could go back the one thing I would advise myself to do is to cross register for classes at a local community college, if I had not done so already, and get some classes out of the way. Especially since the budget cuts, it has become harder to get into classes, and getting courses out of the way while you are still care free in high school is a very good way to use your time. You recieve college credit and have an opportunity to graduate early. If you finish the required transfer courses early, you'll have some free time, and you can take elective courses to fill that time. This will allow you to have some fun in college and gives you a chance to explore different career opportunities. If you graduate early, this means you'll have an associates degree and little earlier than most and will allow you to get a better job to help support yourself through college. Don't take you AP courses for granted, pass those with a 3 or higher, and you get college credit. This will just help you finish up early, and be a little more stress free.

Anna

I wish I knew more about how to file my FAFSA back when I was a high school senior, so that I could have gotten more financial aid back then.

Kassandra

If I was able to speak with the senior me, I would advise myself to not allow different personal adversities interfere with my college life and academics as much as I have. I would help me be more focused on my education and reaching my full potential in all areas rather than taking time off for personal 'traumas'. I would also advise myself that when things did get rough, to take things slow as to not get burned out.

Aubrey

Take advantage of what your college has to offer you. Complacency is the first step towards becoming a career-student, so make sure you figure out what you want to do before you spend too much time trodding down the wrong path. Speaking with academic and career advisors is invaluable, and creating a clearly defined, well-researched, goal-oriented academic plan will shed unnecessary addtitional terms off your stay in community college. Community college is a great bargain, and it's a great option for those who want to dabble and explore potential avenues of educational advancement, but time is important too, so don't let it run away.

Anna

I would take what I know about how to do my FAFSA and show myself how to do it correctly so that I might have the chance to go to a four-year university instead of community college. I would also tell myself not to major in Business and to major in Communications instead. I would also tell her to apply to the universities I applied to recently.