Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science Top Questions

I would take myself by the shoulders, look myself dead in the eyes, and shake myself. As I'm shaking myself I would shout at myself to shape up and get my head on straight right then and there. That there is no one out there to help me but myself. I don't have all the answers and that I can't walk in to college thinking I'm all hot stuff. I have to walk in there and take responsibility knowing that everything I do reflects me as a person. I can't screw around and I can't take things for granted. I have a job to do and that is school. I am at school to learn, not to party and not to waste my time and money. I would tell myself that this is our life that is on the line. The life that we have been planning since we were little could go up in flames and that there is nothing i could do to save it if i don't take it upon myself to act responisibly and do what i am supposed to do, which is to learn and get an education.

Dear high school senior, College is hard, and it costs a lot of money. Buckle down now and get better grades. Apply for more scholarships, and ask for help if you don't know what you're doing. Life might seem difficult and very stressful righ tnow, but it gets easier. You love being in collge and you're doing really well in all of your classes. Just take the time to get better grades, and work towards getting more scholarships. Paying for college is difficult, but as long as you try your hardest, everything will be okay. From, future me

Going back to senior year there is a lot I would've told myself. To start off, I'd let myself know that I need to appriciate the support of my family, especially having them so close while in high school. In college, 5 hours away from home, your mom and dad can not speed over whenever you need help. When you encounter your first problem at school, that's when you realize that you are officially on your own. Secondly, I would tell myself that when you leave for college you descide who you want to be. It's a fresh start so take complete adventage of it. With that being said, jump in. Do as many clubs and activities you can and try as hard as you can in classes. Joining clubs and being active is so important, you meet many new people and get to try so many new things. Lastly, take advantage of the resources available at school. GO TO THE LIBRARY!! It's a magical place that you can get tons of work done and meet new and helpful people. There any many other resources that can aid you making the college transition easier.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior from my experiences as a college student, I would inform myself of what I should be doing. I would want to tell myself to work hard and focus on my grades. I would also tell myself to try to take difficult classes and not slack with easy classes to be able to pass. As a college student I would say to my high school self to get involved with as many clubs and activities that I can. I would want to experience as much as I can so I know what I like the most and maybe make my career out of it. I would also tell myself to not be as judgemental towards others. I am now more friendly and understanding with people because I realize that no one is perfect. We are all changing and growing, I believe as we develop into who we want to be, we need to focus on what is important and what will get us far in life. This is all the advice I would tell my high school self if I could go back in time.

As a High School Senior I was ready to go off to college; as some would say “senioritis” was kicking in. If I could go back in time and tell my senior self to slow down and savor the time I had left in High School I would. I would also remind myself that the first semester of college is more important than beer and friends. A lot of college students get caught up in the social aspects of school that they forget that the money they are spending is not for partying it is for academics. The advice I wish I had as a freshman is to find a balance between books and friends, your friends will still be there if you have to stay in and study for a few nights.

If I could go back in time and talk to my senior self I would say that Paul Smiths is definitely the school for me. I would tell myself that Culinary Arts was the right career choice for me and it will lead to many opportunities in a of couple years. I would also tell myself about all the friends I will make but wouldn’t tell myself who the people were because I want it to be a surprise. I would tell my senior self to stay motivated all through college because it will pay off once I get my degree.

Not everything that you learn in highschool will be applied in college. College writing is alot different from highschool writing especially. Anything you learn in a Career and Technical school will most likely be re-learned differently and you will have to adjust. Learn to buckle down more and study, be prepared for what ever is to come and take it one step at a time.

So far my college experience has been really good. I have made friends. I have played on a varsity sports team. I lived on campus for three semesters and enjoyed my dorm expereince. I was able to move off campus during my fourth semester and I am saving some money buying my own food and paying a lower rent. The school also provides a comuters lounge with locker to accomodate those who comute. The classes are usually small. My bigest class was no more than 50, my smallest close to 6. The teachers are all nice and very helpful. I have engaged in some volenteer research outside of school. Its been a great experience. I enjoy all of my classes. Then have time to get the school work done, and still enjoy the school sponsored activites. We have dances, game shows, and movie nights among may other things. I also find time to go to the gym and work out in the new fitness center. Afterwards I go into the gymnsaium to play some indoor soccer with my friends. Whenever I did run into trouble I always found who I needed to and they guided me in the right direction.

Be prepared to learn to live with others. Rooming with One person fot the school year is dificult. Also when teachers tell you to do homework they mean it in a good way. homework helps a lot. I would also tell myself apply for all the scholorships I can, college is exspensive. I regret not applying as much as i could have. I am having a really hard time paying for everything. Taking out loans is a long term comitment, and asking family members for money is not going to be easy.

I am currently in High School but if it was in jr High School I would tell myself to focus and to learn as much as I can. If I did that then I would have the chance to be more successful in High School.

If I were to give advice to parents and students, I would start by telling them that going to open houses is one of the most important things you can do to find out if a college is right for you. At open houses, one can find out how the dorms are, how the food is, what resources are available, and how friendly the staff and students are. Specifically for parents, I would stress to your child or children how important it is to apply for scloarships and stress the importance of financial aid no matter what the cost of his or her college education may cost. Specifically for students, the best advice I can give is pick a college that you love, one that feels cozy like home to you. Make sure the college feels welcoming to you. This will allow you to build relationships with friends in facuilty and students. Never let any body try to persuade you in a way that may lead you down a wrong path or may lead to a discomforting future. Remember when looking at a college, keep in mind how many years you will spend there and what you want to get.

I know everyone tells you this but I can't stress enough how true it is, VISIT THE CAMPUS. To this day (and I am going into my second semester as a junior in the fall of 2009) I don't know why I picked PSC. They didn't give me the most money, they weren't the most presigious college, it wasn't the one my parents wanted me to go to, it just felt right when I was there. Once there, get involved ASAP, preferably to positions of power, you'll make friends you won't want to leave, and you'll feel important and as a freshman that is very important. Also, again very cliche but talk to your teachers, at PSC they WANT to help you and will go FAR out of their way to. Talk to at least teachers in your major, if your a science major, frankly who cares about your economics teacher as long as you are doing well in the class but talk to your biology teacher, get to know him, he might just get you the internship to land you the job of your dreams!

Students: find a major that you are more passionate about than anything else. The college, location, friends, and grades will follow with hard work and interaction. Price is always a concern, but there are thousands of scholorshipd not taken that are waiting to be found. So do some research, and look foreward to what is in store.

For finding the right college, I would first advise to ask: "what are the things you love to do most in life," and then type them into an internet search. Find possible career directions that you know you would love to wake up every morning for. Then, find schools that offer similar degrees, and compare them. For making the most of your college experience, don't forget why you are there in the first place. You are paying for professional people to teach you, so try to absorb as much as they have to say, because that knowledge will transform into useful and sought-after information. But remember, you're in college - so have fun, because you (hopefully) only do it once.

well it all comes down to the student being happy with their enviroment. this includes where the schools located, the people that are in it, and the surrounding people and acttivities. i suggest that the school in question should be visited so you can see first hand how the campus is then try speeking with students there that are just walking along, not someone showing you around. the student has to think about wat is most important to them and their college career . once that is figured out it should be easy to weigh the positive and negative of each school.

Find out what you want to do with your life and then you will know what college to go to.

Make Sure you visit your colleges and pick one that makes you feel comfortable in because this will be your home for the next four years. Visiting is so important and to research all of your options because there are endless oppurtunities for anyone and everyone out there. Even though a college may cost a little bit more than you thought, like mine, it will all be worth it in the end!

Visit your top choices more than once. Try different seasons, and when school is in session. An empty campus or staged orientation can have a very different feel than that of the day to day life of the current students. You want to feel comfortable and confident in your choice, and in the end go with your gut. Your instincts won't steer you wrong.

I would suggest finding the school that is the right fit for you. It does not matter if it is one of the best schools in the country for what you are interested in or not, if it doesnt feel right to you your learning will be impaired. college visits might seem like a hassle but are very importnant, although i would recomend skipping the college tour and do your own. try to find students who are not paid by the schools admissions department to talk to, they are often more honest about how they feel than those who do work for admissions. once you find the right school, get involved with a club or activity, although do not over do it. if you need help with your classes, get help early before it is to late. talk to your proffesurs and upperclassmen who have been through the class. college is all about finding where you fit in, once you have found your group of friends things get a lot eaiser.

Make sure it is a place that you're comfortable calling home for the next four years. Get to know your class. Make lots of friends, definitely key. With lots of friends, you should have lots of fun. Get involved, really. It's actually fun and looks great on your resume. Study, please! Take your grades seriously. I didn't in high school and I regret that now. I had a 2.0 if I'm lucky in high school and failed classes left and right. Now I have a 3.6 GPA and am President of the only honor society on campus. Doing well in school is not as hard as I thought. You just need to make the time and effort to do your homework, show up and participate in class, and study for your tests. I really don't know how some kids do poorly here. It's not that hard. Make sure the school has a good reputation/post-graduation job placement. Paul Smiths has some great alumni, many in the top of their field. Network with them! Make contacts! It will make getting a job after college so much easier.

College is where you learn who you are and what you want to do with your life. Don't ever forget why you're there. Get involved! Join clubs you're interested in, go to student activities, even if you don't know that you'll like them, and invite people in your class to do homework or study with you. That's how you find the people who are like you, and that's very important, because identifying with them, and sometimes disagreeing with them, will help you find yourself. Talk to your teachers after class, because they'll be invaluable resources throughout your college career, and they may even become mentors, and friends. The people you meet and learn from will become your network. Don't waste any time beginning that network, because it'll allow you to do a whole lot more in the long run. Take advantage of opportunities to learn more about things you're interested in. It'll put you ahead in class and in real life after college. Take time to relax and have fun, but never forget that you are there to learn, first and foremost.

If your gut instinct leads you in a particular direction then go with it.

I would suggest to parents that it is important to encourage, but not pressure, their children to attend college. A college education is important. However, if a student is pressured into college, it is possible that they will be forced into a path that is not right for them. The student may act poorly in this type of situation. A college education can be very expensive. It is important for the student to desire a college education or they may not take their education seriously; and taking education seriously is an important part of a successful college career. I would suggest to students that they follow their hearts. A college education is not worthwhile if the student does not enjoy their topic of study. Every student should pick a type of education that will lead them into a career in the future that will increase their enjoyment of life. I suggest not choosing a path based on how much money you will make. You cannot take money with you when you die, and I feel it is more important to find a career that will make you feel good about what you are doing with your life.

Try and talk to students that already attend the school and find out what their feelings are about the school... Try and request overnight visits... stay in a dorm and try and experience the real collage life for a weekend

The academic parts of most schools will be very similar. Focus on location, size, and non-academic opportunites when picking a school.

You need to look for a college that's students have a healthy lifestyle. Look at how recognized the school is in the rest of the world or at least the field your child is interested in. How prominent the proffessors are. Look at the job placement rating of the school and go deeper, what jobs are the graduates getting? The school I attended had a great 98{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} job placement rating but many of the jobs my peers found were medicore. Find a school that gives you options, as many as possible in every catagory imaginable; career choices, activities, proffessors, mentors, flexability of programs offered, and so on.

Always remember that no matter what college you choose that it is always all about the actual experience of going to college that builds you as a person and prepares you for the future, don't worry about how much its going to cost you just look at the a school best fits you and will benifit you the most.

Interview faculty and staff and consider the percentage of adjunct instructors; some can be pure nuts.

It is not all about college names and prices. It is about making sure the student is a right fit for the place, pace and program he/she enrolls in.

Vist the college first, and talk to actual students, NOT the people that lead the tours. They are, most of the time, model students, who are getting paid to try to get you to go there. Ask to see how a class in your major is run, and to sit in on it. Always, always talk to the students that are walking around campus, and ask them what they think about it.