Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton Top Questions

I think we've all had a time in our life where we've said to ourselves, "If only I would've known that before." For me it's no different. Transitioning into college has been one of the hardest and most stressful things I've ever had to do. Tons of decisions that essentially make or break you. Taylor, next year the only thing you're gonna want to do, is move out, go to a big university, join a sorority and be a happy college kid. The only way to do that is to work your butt off now, get good grades and apply for as many grants and scholarships as you possibly can. It'll be worth it to put in the extra effort. If I would've been able to tell myself that when I was a high school senior, I probably wouldnt even be writing this right now! A girl can dream, right?

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self, I would tell her that choosing a school based on what your friends have decided is not the way to go. It is really important that you look more into the financial aspects of going to college rather than just the social aspects. The difficulty you will have to face because of the high tuition bills will quickly make you realize that being scared to start over in a new place all by yourself is not as bad as watching your parents struggle to put you through school at a college you're not even 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} in love with. Be your own person and learn to make decisions because you know it's the right thing to do and not because it is the easy thing to do. You will make friends no matter what school you go to. Just, be smart! This is one decision you will have to live with forever. P.S. High school does not prepare you for college; but with that being said, always push forward and stay focused and I promise you can get through anything.

I would go back in time and tell my high school self so many things about collge. I would tell my high school self to be yourself. College is a totally different world from high school. I would tell my high school self that the transition from high school to college will not be easy at all! It will take time and it will take patience. Once you go through the transition, everything gets easier. One other thing that I advise doing is talking to your professors. Your professors will be willing to help you every step of the way.

I would definitely tell myself to know what I want before hand (major,classes), do more research and to always know where I stand in college.

I would tell myself and preach to myself that I could do better. I am smarter than what I appear to be. I would push myself to do better and get my GPA up into the 3.8-4.0 range. I didn't push myself as hard as I should have. I would apply for as many scholarships through out high school rather than just assuming that I would/ could get scholarships with no problem. I'd make better grades on everything, and study for test. I would try to get a greater ACT score than what I didn't push myself for before.

The only thing i wish i could have known as a high school senior is, DO NOT DELAY! Get everything done quickly and why before the deadline.

I would advise myself to be more open to people and experiences. College truly is an exciting time and I wish I had taken more advantage of what it has to offer. Get to know people, even if they aren't like your friends from home, because you just never know who you'll connect with. Join anything that sounds remotely fun, because the worst thing that could happen is finding out it's just not for you and then not going to another meeting. There's absolutely no harm in that. My main advice is to pick a school that works the best with your personality. Give yourself time to adjust to the change of college with an open mind and greet people with an open heart.

Since attending college so far away from home, I've been able to mature as a person and a young adult much more than i would have at home. Going away for college has been such a valuable experience for me, not only have I matured but I've also learned how to handle real life situatons for myself. Being at college has allowed me to blossom into a person that I did not know was in me. Living around such a diverse group of people, with similar goals allowed for so much growth. By far the most valuable thing I have embraced while being at college is independence. Learning how to become a more independent adult is by far one of the most valuabele and enjoyable experience of my life so far. I am so glad and fortunate that I'm able to attend college, because of what it has allowed me to experince learn.

College is eye opening. When you grow up in a tight family, coming from a small school, there is a certain naivety that is shattered when you enter the real world. No longer do people seem to care about you, your success is nearly entirely self obtained. I have learned to take whatever I can, whenever I can. It is unfortunate, however, that these opportunites do not come often. I have seen people who do not have the gaul to press on in the face of adversity be swallowed whole by the current academic world. I will be the first in my family to have a college degree, and with every fiber of my being I want to bring that pride to my house and my family. College has taught me, so far, that I must be strong, I must find within myself the strength to succeed. I am hoping that through these scholarship opportunities, I get the chance to have a helping hand. I must find something to help me conquer the arduous task of completing school, and creating a career and profession for myself. My efforts will not be in vain, I shall find a way to succeed.

I have recieved a great amount of independence while attending Penn State. Since coming here I have recieved the oppurtunity to get a good education while stilling being able to live at home. When I first attended Penn State I had originally lived on campus. While living here I didn't apperciate the oppurtunity of living on campus and how conveniet it was for me to just walk to class. Half way through my first semester I had found out my family could no longer afford for me to live on campus. When that news was brought to my attention I was destroyed. I was given the option to go somewhere else but choose to commute an hour everyday to get an education. It's valuable for me to attend collge because once i have successfully completed each class it is bringing me two steps closer to becoming the first in my family to have complete highschool and college.

I would first sit myself down and tell him he is not going crazy for seeing my future self. Than I would explain that college is really not that hard if you put in enough time and effort into each class and take them seriously. After I would explain how expensive college is and not to screw up with stupid purchases and costly endeavors. I would tell him to make sure that he knows where his money is going, because college is more of a business than an institution, and deadlines and money affairs should be his top priority if he wants to stay in college. Most importantly, I would tell myself to socialize whenever possible because the old saying goes "all work and no play makes you a dull boy" and friends can ease the transition into a new school as well as make the semesters that much faster.

As a high school senior I would give myself the advice of staying on top of my work. It's so much easier to complete assignments right after you receive them. It's harder to try and play catch up at the last minute. Most importantly, my advice to myself would be to SAVE! College is very expensive and the price goes up every year. Financial aid has its limits, but what happens when scholarships and loans don't come through. I know from personal experience that saving up for college is reqiured. Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to a college education without money being a major factor.

I strongly urge parents to become active in their child's decision of choosing a college. Parents can lead their child in the right path in choosing a college that is financially suitable and will best cater to their child's specific needs. As for students that plan on attending college, I must stress that you do not choose a college because a friend is attending or based on the popularity of the school. Doing so will be your downfall. I suggest that you choose a college that is great academically, provides a variety of available resources, has a great support system and even provides good financial aid. Overall, choose a school that is the right fit for you. College is a long term investment and it is important that you grab the most out of your experience. College gives an individual an opportunity to not only grow academically but socially as well. These two factors go hand in hand in becoming a successful citizen in today's society.

When it comes to choosing which college is best for you, don't make it about distance from home or which is the best party school. I chose my school becuase I wanted to be close to home, but far away enough to be able to branch out. However, I limited my choices greatly. I could have chosen a better campus or university altogether had I given myself that chance and not worried so much about distance from home. Think about what is going on in the world today, think of what you want to do to help it, and try to choose the best university that will help you achieve that goal. Don't let little factors limit your decision. Pick your top choice schools and stick with it!

Everything is what you make it! Make sure you're comfortable with the area and distance from home. Otherwise it is easy to adapt to where you choose to attend college if you try, and that is a good thing because after high school many students think they have an idea of what they want but aren't exactly sure becasue of many reasons including lack of experience. You may get to school and find out that it wasn't exactly what you expected but that's ok because you can Always transfer. However before you just bail you need to make sure that you are doing everything you can to make the most out of your college experience; make friends (a suprisingly easy task especially in dorms) , join clubs and/or sports teams, start your own club or team, make study groups, get to know ur professors (it helps!), DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!( it's for your own sake not the prof's), try new things you're interested in, stay in touch with loved ones, have fun and stay focused! Remember that you're in college to learn and grow academically and personally and the rest is all you.

it all depends on you're personal needs. Listen to your child, don't force them into anything, it will just be a waste of your money, and your child will be miserable. Also always go to the college and tour it first, you may think you want to go somewhere, but after seeing the campus and what it's really like, you may change your mind.