Rockford University Top Questions

I would tell myself to not worry so much about athletics and put more into grades. I also would tell myself to take up architecture. I would say do more scholarship and try hard on the Act practices.

Visit as many colleges as you can. During those college visits ask questions to current students, advisors, and financial aid counselors. Ask the financial aid counselor what scholarships are available for that college. Ask the advisors what majors are available to those schools and what the coursework are like in the majors of what you are interested in. Ask current students what it is like to be a student at that college. Also, be sure to stay overnight in a dorm room, so you know what that experience is like.

Something I would tell myself is to really do well on the ACT, because many schools give scholarships off of that one score. Also, I would have done cross country during high school so that I would have had time to build up my speed. Mostly, I would tell myself to really focus on my classes and to study more so I could get better grades. The other two things I would have told myself is to apply for as many scholarships I could qualify for and to really research which college I wanted to attend and do visits. Taking more time to do those things could have really helped me do better in school and have a better college experience (along with a better high school experience)

The advice I would give myself would be to join more clubs and organizations instead of just playing sports and waiting until college to do so. These would have helped me not only in gaining more scholarship aid from my current school, but also to learn much more. I would also tell myself to be interested in what other people were planning to do after high school because I had never set a goal for myself and perhaps other people's plans could have influenced me.

Apply to more colleges! You will have no choice in your college decision because you only applied to expensive schools, and you did not get sufficient financial aid. You need to start your college applications early or else you will be working on them the night that they are due. Also, apply to more scholarships! You won't be able to go to your top choice university without them. Be more confident in yourself at your college interview. Know that you can achieve your dream through hard work and dedication to that goal.

At Rockford College, I have learned what it means to be sensitive to other people's feelings as well as express my view and take a stand. I have blossomed into a real leader at Rockford College, getting to know as many new faces as I can and getting involved with volunteer activities within the school for the community. I have made many life-long friends, and learned that my teachers actually care a lot about my well-being. My professors also care a lot about the subjects they teach and if I need help at any time, I can ask and they will offer up times for help. The teachers and other staff at Rockford College want everyone to succeed and know that sometimes, life gets in the way of being able to pay the bills. They help in every way they can, making me realize that people can always make things work, they just have to try.

Since I have completed my bachelors degree, I feel very confident about myself. I now believe I can accomplish things I have never thought I would be able to do. My degree has helped me advanced my career. I am now back in college pursuing my MSW and hope to advance my career even further. My college experience has been very enlightening and empowering. I would advise anyone to at least attempt to get a degree in something, it would be worth their while to invest in their education. I started by taking a few classes and eventhough it took me awhile I complete my dreams. When I decided to go for my masters my son who at the time was 29 years old with a 5y/old and they both were living with me. Well, my son had some legal problems and went to jail. I had to raise my grandson on my own and I had problems with a baby sister. I persevered and I am currently in school eventhough I had to take a year off. I love being in college and learning about something I am passionate about.

Education is not just an expense or a means to an end. Education is a life-long adventure and the knowledge aquired from an education is valuable and priceless. The act of learning and gaining knowledge through an education is a fruitful and infinitely valuable investment. Just as we all need exercise, good food and nutrients for our body; education provides nutrition to our minds which unlocks infinite potential. I like to think of education as an infinitely vast artists canvas with no limit to the size or amount of space for which to paint. You start out with a blank canvas and with each piece of knowledge you aquire there is place of the canvas that is filled. There are no boundaries and there is always a place for each piece of knowledge. The painting's value is priceless for it is the most beautiful thing ever painted and can not be reproduced exactly the same every time, like a snowflake or a fingerprint. My experience at Rockford College is a valuable piece of artwork and I am proud to be a part of such a wonderful place!

Dear Seventeen, Start saving quarters now; doing laundry at college is not cheap. This, I know, is about all I can tell you, because your attention span this year mirrors that of a puppy. You are so excited to finally get out of that tiny town and prove yourself to the world that you simply don't have time to let any advice sink in. But I'm not worried about you: you'll remember all of that advice when you need to, and you'll be alright. I suppose I could warn you now from making the mistakes you will make, or tell you about all the great things you will do, or get you ready for the changes ahead, but I wouldn't dare... because you will learn some of Life's best lessons through all of those. You'll come to realize soon that I wouldn't change a moment of my life anyway. Know that God has a knack for revealing truth in change, Katie, and you have a knack for listening to your heart. So keep listening. I can't wait to see you here. Love, Me

I would tell myself to better set up my financial aid so that I would not have to take out as many loans for school. When I was a senior I was overwhelmed with the school applications and did not have a plan for financial aid. I just planned on it coming with the school that I chose. I found out that getting financial aid took a lot more work than just applying for school and I should have done more preparation for having it.

I would say that I need to look into things a little more and make sure that it is really what I want and not just what my sister wants.

For students it is not always about picking the biggest school or the one with the best sports team. One should try to visit as many schools as possible to find the one that will best help them achieve their goals in life and head them in the right direction for their career. Say you want to be a lawyer but the best law school out there just does not fit you. If one had never visited many law schools they would have picked the best one and been miserable. Just taking a tour and getting a feel for what they school is like will go a long way in making a good college decision. Parents should try to be there for their children as much as possible. This is a difficult time for students trying to pick the right college where most of their friends will be choosing a different school. Parents should try to provide as much support as they can as students make the decision of where they would like to pursue their education into the future.

The students must know what they are want to study and their goal of studying to be success in finding the right college and to making the most of the college experience, my advice is to seeking for help when needed. Everyone need someone to talk to, don't be afraid, you must reaching out to someone, let it out and then you will feel much better.

Get involved.

Don't let the money strain affect the choice of your school. I never thought that I would have gone to a private college and now I am attending one. The amount of financial aid is out there just use your resources and pick what you think will fullfill your expectations. For the parents....allow the child that is attending the school to have a voice. They are the one's that is going to have to attend for the next 4+ years.

For parents, be sure to be completely supportive and there for your kids. It can be a hard adjustment and it would be better that your children turn to you and not bad activities. If your child is unhappy where they are, be supportive of a school change or a major change early on in their career. Students, you should try to get involved early and make as many friends as you can. Even if you think you love something your freshman year, it's okay to change your mind a million times throughout your entire college career and even after you graduate.

Be sure the you love the campus. If you don't like the campus you won't want to be there. Also, see if you can mee the faculty of your intended major. This helps to see if you'll be a fit in this environment.

I would definately recommend visiting the campus before making a decision. Looking at the school and seeing the environment makes a difference on how comfortable you are with the learning environment. Sit down in one of the common areas in the school and just start talking to people about their experience with the school. Find out what plays and arts programs are available on campus. These provided a huge cultural learning experience for me that I would not have wanted to do without!! Talk to advisors and find out how the school interacts and helps the community around the campus.

Know what you want to do before you start looking. Then find schools that match what you want. Also, it's never too early to begin looking at colleges. You can start your Sophomore, even Freshmen years of High School.

Do research on the different colleges in the country and do not limit yourself to your surrounding. Remember, college is where your dreams will come true so take it seriously and make it be worth the money you are paying.

I think it is most important to ensure that the college atmosphere at the college chosen matches the student/parent's comfort zone. Attending a college solely based on athletic scholarship or prestige can be one of the worst mistakes when picking a school because it does not take into consideration how an individual will mesh with the institutions (social and academic) that make up the college. For example, perhaps a school that has great prestige also has a large number of liberal people but this individual attending the college has very conservative values. No amount of prestige can combat the potentially awkward and uncomfortable situations this student may be put in simply because their views and values do not fit well with a majority of the student's values and views at the school.

Visit as many colleges possible, and do your homework before going to that particular school because it's best to know the facts before being told by others. These advantages will help you decide which schools are the best one for you. When visiting, make sure you ask alot of questions and always make yourself at home. What really helped me was pretending I was attending those colleges, and from there, see if I would fit in or what not. The best thing is when you walk in the school and you get a great vibe running through your body. The first feeling you get is always the best decision maker. Living life to the fullest is the best/most you can make of the college experience. For example, while in school try your best no matter what the outcome may be. We learn by making mistakes, falling, and failing. These hurts will only makes us a better and determined person. Mostly, be honest and true to yourself.