Shenandoah University Top Questions

First thing I would say is there is no such thing as "good college/bad college". All colleges are good as long as you are good and focused at acheiving your goal. Don't ever let bad grades upset you, instead make it learning experience to improve. Never give up instead find ways to improve. Don't stop living your life, before you know college life will be over, enjoy it along with focusing on acheiving your goal, very important to find balance in life. Learn to priortize things in life. Maintain budget this will help you further in life as well. Be responsible and organized, will help with keeping up with deadlines and you will take this with you for your life. Friends are important. Most important college is not high school, you have to earn good grades in college, so make sure you work as hard as you can to achieve your good grades and goals in college. Don't give up nothing can stop you if you put all your efforts in it.

I would tell myself to be open to experience. I would say that it is important to take care of yourself and make responsible decisions that will better you and your education. As long as you keep an open mind and a level of persistance, you can be succesful.

Julian, Never - ever! - settle for less than 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}. Your career and future are in your hands, and the only person stopping you, is you. Aim high, follow your dreams, and never lose sight of your goals. I know you aren't even sure on what you really want to do with your life, but if what music is what gets you up in the morning, have confidence and know you are on the right path. To be honest, you won't even really know what you want to do with yourself when you reach 23, but I can tell you that your love for music doesn't dwindle, but grows significantly with each new day. All this said, remember to have fun! If I regret anything about college it's getting too worked up and stressed with all the work and deadlines. Remember that you need to maintain a proper balance of work and play in your life, and forgetting either will drag you down. Go exploring - hang out downtown with friends or take advantage of the beautiful Shenandoah Mountains and leave the schoolwork back home. You can do this - you have your whole life ahead of you! Sincerely, Me

Dear Josie, During your senior year, you make some of the best decisions of your life. Attending Career and Tech for your CNA and GNA is the best possible thing to do for yourself, you will get an amazing internship and job at the end of the school year. Do not forget to study! I know many individuals have expressed that to you, and you do not listen, but it is the easiest way to get good grades. You are going to be disappointed and not get exactly what you want. You will not get into your first choice school, but everything happens for a reason and you attend the most amazing university, perfectly suited for you to be you! Oh, and by the way, you have already met the love of your life, just tell him! Your senior year is when you learn the most about yourself and life. Remember to be yourself no matter what, and everything will work out for the best! Love always, The Older and Wiser You

I would tell myself to keep doing what I'm doing. I came a long way throughout highschool and made a lot of changes for the better. I would have liked to have put my full effort in my acedemics and done more research on the career I wished to pursue. I wish I had some of the experiences that I have had now just so I knew what I truely wanted to do before I got to college. I really would have wished to got into the three+three program that my school offers and thats definatly one thing I would tell myself to change.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a highschooler I would say; "The beginning has just begun; this is the start of your life. Make it how you want it. Don’t let someone tell you other wise, you can do anything you set your mind to. No matter how hard the work is or how much stress you’re under, you can make anything possible. Don’t let anything stop you. People have knocked you down and you’ve gotten back up, keep getting back up. If you stay down then they’ve beat you. Don’t let someone beat you. Don’t let someone take your hard work from you. Learn from everything around you, because that is what’s going to make you so great when you get to college. You are an amazing, strong, powerful, determined person. Don’t let someone tell you other wise. Believe in yourself...never give up."

All high school teachers said, college professors are not going to hold your hand will not care if you need help. In a certain extent that maybe true, but you are given a syllabus on first day, outlining everything you will be doing and the times everything is due; therefor, there is no excuses. It is responsibility, as an adult, every college student needs to learn. Every professor I had provided their e-mail, phone number, and office hours to talk to them outside of class. You must learn time management and do class work at any free time. And yes, college is expensive. Financial Aid will not pay for your college. There is plethora of scholarships and grants and have to apply as early as possible and take advantage. I told myself I will never attend community college, but I could not afford an university. I had small classes with amazing professors. They are attentive and make themselves available. Remember, it does not matter where you start from, so start somewhere. What matters is where you graduate from.

I would tell myself that you don't have to be super smart and know everything to go to college. You are there to learn not to show how smart you are. If you get degrees in college your chances of making more money are much greater than if you don't. You don't need money to go to school. Finiancian aid can assist you in books, tuition, and even pay you money through out the semister so don't think you are not good enough, smart enough, or rich enough. College campuses have many resourses and many ppl to help you to succeed but you have to look and ask for it. If you want to do well and get good grades, than hold off on the partying until spring break, winter break or summer. You need to stay focused and apply yourself in all areas: Do your homework, study, get a tutor, use the labs, ask for help, eat right, get some exercize and most of all, get some sleep. If you fall behind on your rest, use the weekend to catch up, it matters. Last of all have fun. It's the journey not the destination.

For the past two months I have wished that I could turn back the hands of time, because of what I am learning now as an adult learner. I would have forced myself to study more than to just settle for average. I would have also never taken advantage of time and most of all the resources that funded my education. Since, earning my first degree and working on my second degree in nursing, it is now time for me to purse what I believe I have been placed on earth to do and that is to help underserved individuals get access to healthcare, so that they can also have the best quality of life. So, when I begin to reminisce about my past and feel like it was not meaningfully, I say to myself “everything happens for a reason” and this is what I needed to push myself to the limit to realize that I am much stronger than I thought. I was not mentally ready during my first four years of undergraduate and now I am even more determined to achieve my degree by next fall, praying that the financial issues will not deter my plans. Thank You

I would try to be more responable.

The advice I would give my self is that I should have applied myself more. Before comming to college I should have taken more AP classes and got classes out of the way. I should have applied for more scholariships and tried harder to get more of my school paid for. I do not regret the decisions I have made before college and I am okay with the transition. But, if i could go back in time, I would just tell myself to make more decisions before college and making myself more prepared for the college years. Other advice I would give myslef is that I would have spoke and aquainted myself with many more people to make myself more known at my school now. I basically would have just told myself to get a better head start to be more prepared.

Out of my college experience, I have gotten so much from individual attention. Going to a smaller school and NOT being a number makes going to Shenandoah so worth the cost of going to college. I get better and better in my artistic abilities by the week as a result of such small classes. This has also facilitated the ability to bond very closely with my classmates, and the others in my program. My closest friends in the whole world are the fourteen people in my Musical Theatre class, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. And when we get out into the real world, the fact that we'll all be on the same level, in the same playing field, most likely in the same city makes it so much less nerve-wracking to graduate. The training I'm receiving behind my degree has absolutely been invaluable to me as a person.

I am returning to school to complete my bachelors degree after being gone from college for more then 15 years. I am a mother of three and I work two jobs. Going back to school gives me hope that after I complete my degree, I will find a higher paying job so I can provide a better life for my kids. And I know that as my children watch me attend college, I am setting the example for them of the value of a higer education. That alone will make all the hard work and the late nights worth the effort. But as for myself, I am doing well in school. I have A's in both of the classes I am taking, and that has done wonders for my self esteem. To know that I can tackle a difficult class like accounting despite everything else going on my life and do better then most of the kids fresh out of high school shows me that I have a lot to offer a future employer. I have wasted far too much time worrying about how to provide for my kids, but now I know nothing can stop me.

So far, I have only attended a very large public university, the University of Connecticut, and I have found that what I crave in my education is for my teacher to know my name and to be able to consider my student profile including a relationship I have with them. However, I know that it is going to be much different at Shenadoah, not only because a few people that I know have gone there, but because the sheer number of students at this university is a great deal smaller than at the University of Connecticut. I only wish that I could have known that going to a private university would make such a great difference. I would have skipped the "experience" that is Uconn and would have gone to this amazing school.

Attending college has been a life changing experience. I have grown up and matured so much in the last year because that is what college forces you to do. Also, I have learned how to manage my time and the consequences of not managing it correctly. I know that attending college is a good decision for everyone, even if you hate school it is a good idea to go. When I am done with school I know I will be able to get a great job and get a start on my career. Without a college education my job options would be a lot less than with an education.

By attending Shenandoah University, I've gained a sense of freedom and responsibility. I know that there are certain things I have to do to succeed. Also, that there are certain things that will be presented to me that can prevent me from succeeding. I've learned that college isn't what some people think it is, a time to party. It's really a place to grow into a responsible adult and learn to live on your own. I'm learning how to be the person I want to be and have the job I've alwasy dreamed of having. I want to be a music educator and Shenandoah University is the best place in the state to do so, especially since it is the only conservatory in the state of Virginia. I'm extremely grateful to be attending Shenandoah and I know that as long as I continue to work hard and push myself to succeed, I can accomplish so much here and continue to do so after I graduate.

Talking to myself as a high school senior, I would probably tell myself that I need to really work on having better study habbits. I got in such a groove in high school, knowing how the teachers gave tests and graded that it was one of the hardest things for me when I got to college. There are so many more distractions around college than there were at home and you really need to know how to focus and get your work done. The only other thing that I would tell myself is to enjoy the time I have at home, moving away was also really hard for me, but now I'm better about it. Its still hard to go home and then have to leave, but I just look forward to my career and go for it!

I really needed to know everything I know now about college and the transition from high school to college. The most important thing I would tell my high school senior self would be to work on as many scholarships as possible and to work very hard on the essays. The second thing I would advise is that being involved in extracuricular activties , if only for one year, is so vital to finding out what major you are looking towards. I would advise myself to get involved in my passion for acting with a whole heart and put my all into it. If I could go back in time I would tell myself to charish every second of highschool and to focus on school work and not all of the drama that comes with high school. But, scholarships are very important and not just for college but to help youself out in the future so you can work for a living and not work just to pay off loans. The last thing I would tell myself would be to really think about what I'm good and at and where I can go career wise with my talents.

I believe that I made a good transition. The only advice that I would give myself is to apply for more scholarships and grants. I was not aware of the financial challenges I would go through just to stay in school. I didn't realize all the sacrifices my mom had to make for me to get through only my freshmen year of college alone. I am now aware of all the different scholarships, such as for deceased parents, single parent students, minority, etc. Had I'd known about this stuff then, I would have been applied for as many scholarships as possile. The good thing is that I know now, and I will continue to look for as much help as possible.

If i could talk to myself as a High school Senior, i would tell myself to NOT pocrastinate. Deadlines are very important and if you dont make it, you might not get what you want during the whole getting-into-college process. Giving yourself lots of time before a deadline is crucial. For example, FAFSA application, Scholarship Deadlines, College Application Deadlines and many more. I know I was organized through this whole process but i know i could have done it a little better. Having a planner is good and having a section to keep all important phone numbers. Keeping organized is Key.

If I was given the oppurtunity to go back to high school I don't believe that there are not many things I would do differently. Maybe I would have visited the campus one or two more times to make sure it was the right fit, but the best advice I could give myself would be to open more to the people I meet. Upon arriving at Shenandoah I stayed to myself, I really did not act like the real me, which eventually led to problems with the friends I had made. They felt like I was a liar and they lost most of their trust in me because I was not really how I portrayed myself. After that incident I was very unhappy and almost transferred. Eventually I was able to make amends and explain my side of the story and why I acted the way I did, but if I would have just been the real me from the beginning, I never would have had to go through that horrible experience of having no one.

If I was a high school senior again, I would tell myself that when I get to college to take one day at a time. At first, college life is a lot to get used to. My family and friends aren't here to help me with a problem that I may be dealing with, and I have to learn how to handle things by myself. I would also tell myself not to procrastinate because if I procrastinate then I will be stressed out, and my grades will suffer from that. Another thing I would tell myself is that I am in control of my own actions. A lot of times in college many students have to deal with peer pressure, and that causes them to get involved in things that they should not be involved with. I'm here at college to learn and prepare for my future, not to make decisions that I will regret later on. One last word of advice I would give to myself is to never give up. Sometimes there are things that I do not understand, or I may be struggling with, but if I stick with it, it will get better.

To be honest, I would not go back and change anything. In many ways music has helped many people through very rough endeavors. I am one of those people. I am a second year student at Shenandoah University with a major in Musical Theatre. The power of music and acting fuels me to get out of bed every morning. The fact that I get to do something that makes me the happiest person alive in such an unstable time is such a great opportunity. Sadly this may be my last semester do to my families financial situation. I feel I deserve this scholarship because I have a dream. Yet, my dream is getting further and further away due to money issues that haunt my family. I need this scholarship to keep going after that dream so my family can rest easily and proud of there son, without worrying if I am going to make tuition for the next semester. I am very blessed to have a chance to come to a school as great as ?SU?. I wouldn?t want to do anything to change that.

I would tell myself that I needed to take more advanced classes and to push myself in everything that I do. Also when I come to college I need to remind myself that I will not be the big person on campus like I was when I was a high school senior. Make myself more open to new opportunities and never let anything pass me by while in highschool. Also try and get involved in clubs or after school activities, this would have opened my eyes to different cultures which in turn would help me meet different people. I would also tell myself to never change myself for anyone no matter how important I thought they were at the time. Also to make time for my true friends and time to get away for a couple of hours from the books. I also need to have better time management for everything important that has to be done in a day.

I would tell myself that social life is fun but remember that that is not all what college is about. I would tell myself to have put more effort into studying my freshman year and learn what resources there are as far as counselors go. I would also encourage myself to play a sport while in college and get more connected with people.

Always do the right thing. No matter where you are, or who is watching always do what is right. Be an ethical and moral individual. To many today try to get by the easy way and by hurting others and this is not the proper way to go about doing things. Always do what is right and treat people the way you wanted to be treated. I feel if more people did this today than we would not have the problems that we have going on throughout the world today.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to not choose a school based on one visit and your current boyfriend. Looking back that was not the best idea I have ever had, but luckily it all worked out for the best. I ended up walking on to the softball team. I would tell myself to take classes more seriously and not worry what other people thought about me. I would tell myself to not give into peer pressure and to not party so much. I also think that I should have gotten more involved in other organizations on campus and to join a church before senior year. I think the number one thing that I would tell myself would be to always be yourself! Don't let others make you feel like you are not good enough and need to change. Be yourself and they can take it or leave it. You're the one that has to be happy and love yourself, not them.

I would tell myself that the best thing to do is break out of my shell from the minute I step on campus. You shouldn't be afraid to speak to anyone even if they seem very different from you. You may miss out on a potential strong friendship if you don't. This is your opportunity to expose yourself to different types of people from varying backgrounds and walks of life. Everyone there is new, scared, and wanting to fit in just like you. So change that! Don't skimp out on special welcoming events for freshman during your first week. Its how you meet some of the people that will be your friends and your support system for the entire four years and maybe beyond. The right group of friends really help you get through your college years in so many ways, including academically.

For starters, BE PATIENT! The right school doesn't just pop out in front of you. I had to be very open minded and willing to explore all the possibilities. Look for a school that has a good atmosphere academically and socially. It's important to attend a school where they're accepting and understanding. Attending a school that is well rounded will help you in having a wonderful college experience. Pick a college that is SAFE! Everyone should feel comfortable and secure at all times! As for making the most of your college experience, have fun! Have fun learning and communicating! Get out of your dorm, your circle of friends and participate in campus activities and organizations. By doing this it will make you more aware of what you want out of life, and will make you a more well rounded person. I know I have, and I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything! I love Shenandoah University!!!! Go Hornets!!!!

Going on tours of the school does not always make the decision of choosing the right school easier. My school offers a shadow day where interested high school students spend the day with a college student in your childs intented degree. I reccomend getting involved with the school you are interested in before choosing the right one. I did not really love college until the end of my second semester. It is hard to adjust to living on your own and having to fend for yourself but your parents are just a phone call away and there is always someone at school that can help you with anything you need.

The most important thing is to visit the campuses that you are interested in, but not on a typical orientation day. Go on a day when you can see the campus and how the students are interacting with each other. That is the best way to experience the surroundings. Also, be open to what you see. Some people have not experienced a lot of things, and when they see it they can simply cross that college or university off the list. Don't do that. There are things to be learned and experienced besides stuff from books.

pick a cheaper school

The number one thing I can think to tell others about chosing a college is visit the school. Places may look very nice in pictures but you can't be sure if it is right for you until you step foot on the campus and walk around. Another important thing I did that helped me greatly was writing a letter to the financial aid office explaining my personal situation and they were able to better help me to finance my education based on those circumstances.

The best advise I can offer for students and parents considering different colleges is to do their research. I think one mistake I made when I was selecting which college to apply to is not doing enough research on the schools I selected. The internet is truly a great tool for all sorts of research on any college. Aspects of a college that would be best to reaseach are student life, acedamics, professor to student ratios, test-scores of students accepted to graduate school. Also, the locale of a school is somewhat of importance in student life on campus. Both student and parent should make sure the school is trailored to both the needs and wants of the prospective student before applying to a certain college. A student should not try to tailor themselves to fit into the school but choose the right school that fits themself.

I would say that just follow your heart in making a decision like this. Choose a college that would benefit you the most and enjoy your time time in college because you only live through it once.

I would tell the student to look at the types of people that go to the school already and to make sure the faculty will be willing to help. To make the most of their experience they should become involved in many extracurricular activities and don't be afraid to speak up in class.

It is a personal choice dont let you friends persway you college decision

When looking for a college or university it is helpful to have some idea of what the student would like to do in the future, or at least what they are interested in. This helps to pick schools that have the major or minors that would be appealing to the student. It is also important to take into considersation the distance away from home. I think it is best to find something that is far enough away, but still close in case of home sickness. The size of the school is also important. Something too small can feel smothering, whereas something too big may make the student feel lost and alone. Once you find the school you think is best it is important to embrace the activites on campus. Participating as much as you can while still keep up with your schooling is the best way to get the most out of your college or university. You pay to go there, so take advantage of everything that they are giving you.

Pursue what you are really interested it, what you care about. Make sure you like the campus, if you can vsit the campus and like it in the rain, then you will like it in the sun. Go to the Welcome Week activities even if they seem silly, thats where you meet your friends. Go to class!! Even if there isn't an attendance policy, go, you wont learn if you don't go to class. Don't party to much, I'm not saying don't go, parties are an important social scene, but that doesn't mean you need to party every weekend. Get to know your roommate, and if you don't get along switch roommates. Don't go home to often, make college your new home.

In order for the student and the parent to feel comfortable about the school that is chosen, I feel it is very important to visit these colleges and universties, even if you cannot get a tour guide, ou walking around the campus wil tell you a lot about the school. I personally visited 13 schools before I chose the school I actually attended. Some of the schools that looked amazing on paper gave my the wrong vibe when I walked around on the campus. This also gave me the opportunity to see how students interact on campus without it being 'staged.' Its very important to see a campus and talk to students who go there (even if all you do is ask where the restroom is or the cafeteria), you will stil get a vibe from the students.

Advice to parents is be supportive, ask questions, give advice but let the student make decisions on their own. Advoid giving lectures to the student and be willing to listen to student. Keep in touch with the student without smothering them. Be willing to let them grow and learn and most of all tell them you love them and you are proud of them often. Advice to students is take advantage of the time when you don't have major responsibilities of life and take as many classes as you can handle. Learn to schedule your time wisely and be responsible. Do your best in all things. If you say you will do something then follow through and do it. Give back to the community by helping others. Say thank you to your teachers and parents for there help and support. Call your parents to let them know how you are doing and tell them you love them. Also get a part time job and help earn some money to help with the expense of your education. Realize the sacrifice your parents have made so you are able to go to school. Balance is key when in college.

This is the decision that will determine what you do with the rest of your life. You have to make sure that you are making your decisions based off of educated information that you research as well as what other people tell you. However ultimately the choice is yours and YOU have to be the happiest with whatever school you choose. You are mapping out the first of many pathways to your future, so make sure you take the time to learn about all the opportunities you have so that a good one won't pass you by. The future is YOURS and it is the most precious and valuable thing that no one can take away from you or make it their own, so take your time, take a breath....and happy researching! :)

I had always heard that when you visit the school for you, you will just 'know.' I was skeptical. I visited my 3 top choice schools and loved them all. I could honestly see my self fitting in on all three campuses. When a friend had suggested Shenandoah, I visted on a whim. SU was without a doubt, the smallest, least well known, and least 'impressive' of all the campuses I toured. However, I felt at home there... 19 hours and 5 states away... I was home. They were right. I just 'knew.'

Chooising the right college is honestly less important than how you spend your time while in college. Most people have an obsession with finding the "perfect school." The perfect school doesn't exist; you just have to make the best decision based on the reputation of the school, your financial situation, and the "feel" of the school during your visit. You'll have to make compromises with any school, so don't stress so much about making the "right" decision. There are successful people from colleges you've never heard of, and homeless people from Harvard. The important part is when you are in school. Take advantage of all of the resources the school has to offer: the libraries (you'll miss it once you're gone), the fine arts department (fantastic, professional-quality performances for free or really cheap), clubs/fraternities/sororities (you'll make some of your best friends), and, most importantly, the professors (expert advice available during office hours - people would pay hundreds of dollars for this service). The potential to learn and grow at college is limited only by how much you are willing to give. Be sure to give all you can, wherever you go.

Understand that you may not know what you want when you're looking for a school, and what you think you want may change. Be sure to look at the school as a whole in addition to the program(s) you're interested in to make sure you don't find yourself in a situation of having to transfer, though that's not the end of the world. Make friends. Friends will make or break your experience, be it a big or small school.

Visit the school for your choice before accepting to go there. Looks can be decieving on the catalogue.

Finding the right college is always difficult. In most cases, you won't know until you visit. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to visit SU before I decided it was the school for me. Before enrolling, I met with students and teachers . It was a great experience and I wouldn't have chosen any other school. I felt at home when I walked through the doors. When you find a school that fits your comfort level and supplies your needs, it is indescribable. The best thing for me was meeting my advisor my first day on campus. I was lucky to know who my advisor would be on attending Shenandoah. She assured me I would have the time of my life at SU. She was right, I love my college!

When finding the right college to attend go with the one that will fit you best. Don't like big classes pick a school that will have smaller lecture classes. Also pick the school that is in the right area for you. From a small town like me, pick a school that is small and not in a big city if your not use to living in a city. Lastly just follow your heart. You will know what school is right for you.

In order to find the right college, you definitely need to visit it while there are students around. Go on a visiting day when you can tour the campus and see real students in action. See if you can have a student in your prospective field or major take you around for the day to their classes and possibly let you stay in their dorms over the night. Get hooked up with a pen pal in your major who can tell you what they honestly think about the school. The only way you can find out what students really think is to talk to them!

Do what feels right.