Towson University Top Questions

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

Samantha

If I could go back in time and talk to myself high school senior, I would say that academics in high school are definitely important. Your grades in high school matter, and it is important to develop good study habits now so that college courses are not too much harder. I would tell myself to save money, because being in college now, money is very tight. I would emphasize that there is life and meaning beyond high school. You will meet your life long friends in college and there will be a place where you fit in. Being the "popular" one in high school will not matter once you graduate and move on to college. Focus on your studies and being the best that you can academically be, and let everything else (social life, extracirriculars, etc.) come after that. Certainly visit many colleges before committing to one, and even try to spend a night or weekend on prospective campuses to get a feel for what life is really like there. College should be one of the greatest times of your life and you want to make sure that the college you choose is 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} the perfect choice for you.

Dakota

I heard my mom tell me over and over again to take workshops on good study skills. You might have coasted through high school with little effort, but reality will hit you when you enter college. Learn how to study, how to take notes, attend study groups and ask for help. Do not let your pride get in the way of seeking assistance.

nsikak

As a high school senior looking into college, i will definately consider going straight to a 4 year college without community college because in my experience it seemed to be a huge distraction for me staying home and comuting. I will also do more reasearch on my major,either through internships or by speaking to people in the field. I would focus less on the distance from home just because i want to go away from my parents.

Brittany

If I were able to go back to my senior year in high school I would tell myself "do this for yourself." I constantly worried during the last few months of high school. I worried that I would end up being a failure and wouldn't make my family proud. I am the first person in my family to go to a university and go straight into college. I had a lot resting on my shoulders to impress them. Now that I have reached the point in my life where everything matters from here on out, I finally realize that this is for me and for my future. I had to become independent. Instead of getting A's to show my parents my report card, I am getting A's for myself.

Allison

Work really hard in all your classes, pay attention and focus. Take teachers seriously, put your best foot forward, don't get lazy or give up easily. Be accepting of people from all backgrounds and understand the importance of finding the best school for you all around.

Julia

I would try to impress upon my younger self that the colleges portrayed in movies are unrealistic and romanticized. As an incoming freshman I was looking forward to sitting on big green lawns with books strewn around me, surrounded by laughing friends (most likely one of African-American and one of Asian decent. Possibly also a red-head.) There we would sit, studying and enjoying the lovely weather without a care in the world. Everyone would be accepting- except maybe a few snobby girls- and my professors would be understanding as well as attractive. But alas, young self, college is not like the movies. Many times it will be a whirlwind of finding printer paper, scrambling to make tuition bills, and disagreeing with a roommate. But in the end, despite finishing a thesis at 3am and constant fire alarms in the dorms, every memory and experience will be well worth it. Enjoy and take advantage of everything the campus has to offer, because that is how you will meet the friends to laugh with on the lawn.

John

Perhaps the most important responsibility for college bound high school seniors is to find the college that fits them the best. Excellent grades and test scores may increase the chances of getting to a highly ranked college, but it is also critical that you look for colleges that fits your style and interest. Colleges come in all flavors which include size, location, costs and rankings. But there are also many parameters that are easily overlooked. Diversity, political culture, unique majors, student aspirations as well as other things also influence the college experience. A college will mean nothing if you are miserable.

Mark

Mark, the next 4 years will be the hardest 4 years of your life. The time and effort that you are willing to put forth from this moment on will be the determining factor of whether or not you achieve your goals. You must set goals; Realistic and attatinable goals that will test every thing that you have. You got what it takes, but it will take everything that you got. Create a vision for yourself, and than go and do everything in your power to acheive that vision. Failure is inevitable on your path to success. You may fail a test, you may fail an evaluation, or you may even fail a class. You might not get a certain grade you think you deserve, and at times you may feel like giving up. These are the moments where you must choose to get back up, swallow your pride and drive yourself to work harder. You must use these failures to help drive you on your path to success. Good things come to those who work hard. There is no such thing as talent. If you want it bad enough, you will acheive it.

Chani

I would give myself the advice of doing research about the possible career and major that I would want before entering college. Coming to college unsure of the major that would lead to a certain career has kept me behind and I will graduate a year late because I waited until my junior year to declare my major and started taking classes for that major.

Benjamin

Be true to yourself, focus on getting your work done, but don't ever give up life experiences because you will grow from whatever life events you have.

John

I would advise myself to take the challenge head on. Instead of waiting to go back and earn my masters I would have stayed in school finished both degrees then sought a career. I would have earned degrees in different fields so that if I became uninterested in the career I originally chose I would have another degree to fall back on. I would have advised myself to intern as much as possible and take every opportunity for professional development.

JaShaun

I would tell myself to stay focused. It's okay to have a social life as long as it is not interfering with your school work. Communicate with your teachers when you need help and make sure to keep up with the readings and classwork. If you are still struggling, make sure to find the time to get tutoring. Don't be afraid to go to on-campus activities. Students are always open to making new friends. And lastly, JUST PICK A MAJOR ALREADY! It's okay to switch later if you decide you want to do something else.

Caitlin

I think what's most important about college is realizing that it doesn't matter what other people think about where you want to go. Don't choose your college based off of anyone else and their decision, especially your boyfriend or girlfriend. What matters the most is whether or not YOU like the school! It's a super important decision and yes you want your friends to be close, but in the long run, its your decision, not anyone else's. Also, don't overlook any schools, you never know what school may surprise you. I ended up deciding to go to the university that was my least favorite out of my list and I absolutlely love it and can't imagine being anywhere else. If you don't know exactly where you want to go or what you want to do, don't rule out community college! A lot of community colleges have excellent Honors programs that will get you headed in the right direction and help you figure out what you're really passionate about without breaking your bank account. Most of all, don't stress! Everything will fall in it's place and you will succeed!

Stephanie

If I were able to go back to high school, I would tell myself that I should make friends, get some of the college experience but also say that no goal is too far to reach. When you get the chance to do something great then do it because you do not want to have something amazing pass you by. Do a workstudy program because you learn a lot and get real life experience. My plate is full now but that does not make going to school and doing assignments any less important. Always remember that when you are working and going to school, make sure that you put yourself and your schooling before working, especially on campus jobs. Success is going to help mold the future so do not fall behind on school work.

Jared

As a college student there are many advice tips that I would give myself as a high school senior. The first advice tip would be to apply to many more scholarships. This year I struggled with tuition and I am looking for many different scholarship options in order to decrease my tuition bill next year semester. Another tip would be to establish strong study habits. In college there are very few grades that actually contribute to your overall grade. Most of these grades are accumulated through tests and quizzes. Studying will help improve overall grades and understanding of the material given. Even though I had to learn how to study properly this semester, i still managed to receive a 3.1 my first semester.

Jennifer

Entering through the portal of a time machine and returning to myself as a high school senior, I would give myself a great deal of advice. The most important advice that I would give to myself is that balance is key. Oftentimes, seniors are experiencing complete freedom from their parents as they commence college. There is an abundance of activities, events, and student and athletic groups to join. There are new people to meet and befriend. However, I must harp on balance. Balance amongst friends, parties, and academics is so vital. During these four years, it is important to balance academia and activities. Imagine that working towards an undergraduate degree is a road to a fulfilling career or the light at the end of the tunnel. That road includes a bright yellow line that aids you in balancing your life as a student. Falling to one side will lead to abandonment of another, whether it be a loss of meaningful friendships or poor performance in a critical class. Remaining balanced allows for neither of these two to fall by the wayside. Balance will allow a student to make everlasting friendships and also successfully prepare them for a bright future ahead.

Baynham

Pick a school that will bring out the best in you. And pick an environment where you will think that you will make an abundant of friends because the friends you make will be friends for life!

Jared

My parents would actually love this response. I would have told my senior self to listened to them more from the very beginning. I wish I didn't blow so much money over the Summer. I would tell my senior self to save every penny and work 2 or 3 jobs if possible. Its not just the tuition which is huge, but the books and other unplanned expenses. My spending money was gone within a month because I just didn't really think about it being a problem. There is no hidden college fund for me. My parents didn't have a lot of money saved up. I guess I never realized how stressful paying for college could be. My parents always warned me about college loans and how hard they are to pay back. I just wish I could tell my senior self to truly pay more attention when they were discussing these things with me. I wish I could go back and tell me senior self to fill out those scholarhip applications when they told me to fill them out. If I had, I probably wouldn't be stressing myself out looking for different ways to pay tuition.

Jade

I would tell myself what my uncle told me. "You can't just wait around, you have to go out and get it and fail and prosper." With that I would tell my oldself that in order to do what you want you have to find a feesable way and that applying to alot of scholarships would only lessen the burden of debt. I would tell me that you are doing great and to not give up on my dream.

Kelly

If I could go back In time and discuss my future with my High school Senior self I would tell myself to get over my prenotioned ideas about how I thought college should be. I would explain that the hoops are there to help you achieve success in the work force, that not all things go smoothly and even though there are hurdles to overcome once you achieve your goal you will be a better stronger person for it. Life is harder without an education, showing that you can work hard to earn a degree proves to future employers that you're worth the investment and you have the credentials to back it up. So let go of your angst and adn know that the next twenty years can be an easyier road if you just show initiative and follow through.

Leemu

As a high school senior, I pictured college as the depiction often found in teenage movies. I knew it would be full of new experiences that would serve as a coming of age, but I undervalued much advice that was given to me. With hindsight as the best visionary, I would advise my seventeen year old self to be released from the social boundaries that teens create in high school. The transition from high school to college is the ultimate opportunity to reinvent oneself. I did not take maximum advantage of the chance to participate in quirky activities, create novel memories, or even form friendships with people very unlike myself. Juvenile social divisions by group no longer applied in college, and I didn’t realize this change until it was too late to benefit. I would urge my high school self to release the stress of trying to “fit in.” I would aim to reinvent myself year after year so that when graduation came around, I experienced many revisions of myself. I’d be able to choose the experiences that were best and apply them to my grown up personality. Diverse college experiences make the essence of who you are.

Keyonia

If i could give advice to my highschool self about college life and making the transistion I would let her know the two most important lessons I have learned. First, make your college experience one of indivudal growth and experience. I spent my first two years at Towson focused on staying with my highschool friends and missing out on great opportunities I found interesting for fear that my friends wouldnt think it was cool. I learned it was ok to be independent and go out on my own. And if those friends didnt like it I could find genuiwine friends that would. The second lesson I would tell my highschool self would be to fully enjoy the experience of going to college. There are so many things to do, see, and experience while in college. And it goes SOOO fast. To just live in the moment will be the best thing you can do and will be the memories you will share and cherish for the rest of your life. The lessons you learn (both good and bad) will be invaluable. Your paying a lot of money for this education. Better make it worth it!

Marquasha

I would have definitely gotten better grades and focused more in school. school should have been taken more seriosly, and I could have received more scholarships.

Rachael

The advice I would give myself is to not procrastinate. I waited until now to start looking for scholarships and helpful resources to help pay for my education. If I could go back in time, I would start looking for scholarships in the beginning of my senior year and made sure I had money going into college. I would also tell myself to charish every moment I had with my family and closest friends. It really is true, you never know what you have until it is gone. I took advantage of my parents and I never spent time with them, but since the first day I moved out, I have found myself regretting my choice. I hope every high school senior takes the time to look for scholarships and grants, and I hope they all charish the people in their lives.

Ashley

You're a senior in high school, and it seems like you are about to embark on a journey that might not end well. Do not panic. Your life is about to change for the better, so take advantage of all the opportunities available at school. Go to all the orientation events, even if you feel a little awkward being all alone with so many people. Start looking into study abroad now, because believe it or not, you're going to go to Oxford for your junior year! Go to office hours early in the semester--your professors will know who you are, and they will notice if you get a mediocre grade and don't come in to ask for help. Try everything--go to the new restaurants in town, join the campus clubs. Take in everything college has to offer, because you will never again be surrounded by so many diverse people, offering so many opportunities. You're working hard to go to college, so don't waste the chances it affords you. Don't worry so much; everyone else is as nervous as you. So jump in! Milk this opportunity for all its worth!

Leah

Leah, I know you are stubborn. I know you going through a lot but you know what? NONE of that will matter. Ignore the bullies, ignore Dad and ignore everyone that is trying to bring you down. Do not give up on yourself. If you do, it will be a long and torturous ten years before you begin to get your life on track. The ONE thing that no one can take away from you is your education. That will be yours and your’s alone forever. Put your stubbornness to good use and get through this. You DO NOT want to be me and you do not want the life I have made for you. You can do better than this. No one took the time to tell you this, but did you know that you are smart and intelligent? You have talent that most people dream to have. It will not always be food stamps, loneliness and doubt. Stop letting life get you down because it is a hard task to get back on the horse. It will be worth it, trust me. Keep going and keep your head held high. Leah P.S. I love you.

Mitchell

I would tell my self to get involved with everything college has to offer on the very first day. Don't wait until a few weeks in because you will miss out.

Jody

One of the things I feel the most in my 30s was regret that I spent too much time focusing on activities that I thought were fun and not enough time focusing on school and career advancement. I got my only C in college b/c I was spending so much of my time traveling with the speech and debate team. I spent a few winters snowboarding rather than trying to find better career opportunities. I put off grad school to travel the country competing in swing dancing. But. Without those fleeting moments of chasing passions, I would have missed the opportunity to truly get to know myself. Without speech and debate, I would have never found my professional passion for event planning. And on the day that I got my grad school acceptance letter, I asked my best friend to marry me; and I wouldn’t know her if I decided to learn to dance. You can’t ignore the practical and the sensible. But you also can’t build a life and a career without passion. Good luck trying to balance both, because I can describe it, but you’ll need to learn it experientially.

Levone

I would tell myself to focus and stay positive. Anything worth having is worth sweat and tears. I would say this is no easy task but with a positive mind and faith and your belief in God, You will accomplish your goal.

William

Self, let me tell you something. Going to college for the first time is a bigger deal than you know right now! 30 years from now, you will be able to look back and see exactly what I am telling you right now is true! Give yourself a whole lot of preperation. Talk to your high school counslors and others who care and know what you do now. Make sure that you do your research, both about your own needs and desires, AND as they relate to the various schools that you may like to enter. Realize too, that the way you see and feel about things now, today, most likely will be a lot different from the way you will see and feel about things in your distant future. With that in mind, don't be afraid to move ahead with your present knowledge, and understanding of things, but don't forget to listen to the advice of others wiser and more mature in age than you right now. One last thing, try to be flexible, and learn to accept/forgive your own mistakes and those of others along the way!

Asher

I would have told myself to research the fields of study I was interested in very well. This way I could be sure of what I wanted to do once I got into college. The longer you spend taking courses the harder it becomes to switch your major without feeling like you wasted a lot of time. I would also advise myself to work hard on my college applications and make sure they are all submitted on time so that I would have a better chance of getting in where I wanted.

Jennifer

Jennifer, You are so shy -- at least as far as people view you -- but you have so much love inside of you to share with others. High school peers knew you when you were a unsure of yourself, but you learned alot about who you are and can laugh at them. You know you are intelligent yet you haven't been able to demonstrate this characteristic of yourself due to self doubts. Take your time in college to find people who make you comforable, practice all of your known talents, learn new talents and don't let anyone stop you!!

Marcela

I would tell myelf to not be afraid of anything and to be myself. I am somewhat of a shy person, so college was going to be a huge transition for me. I had never been away from my parents for more than a week at a time and my friends were all going to different schools. I was not sure if I was going to fit in or even like the school itself. As I began to experience Orientation and my first week of college I realized how important it was to be confident in myself and be outgoing. I have learned that college is what you make it out to be. How much you put into your college experience is how much you get out of it. This not only applies to academics, but also to friendships made, clubs joined, and life in general. Although, inevitably, college is bound to be difficult, it can also be a time to grow as a person, so I would tell myself to enjoy the experience and make the most of it.

Nytiah

Focus! Focus, focus, focus! Your GPA is really important but not ONLY your GPA. Get involved into sports, if you haven't, yet. Try to join as many clubs as you can (while being able to keep it all balanced), and remember--colleges like leadership. Develop yourself as a person--you've got to sell YOU! Be confident, never second guess yourself. Study: it's for your own good. Never stop reading. Prioritize. Getting your homework done is more important than that cute, new student in your English class. Challenge yourself: take AP, IB, or Honors classes; colleges eat that up like candy. Most importantly, have fun your senior year in high school. College isn't free and it takes a lot of hard work to get there, but enjoy your last year to the fullest! Your happiness is important, too.

Kira

Get things done on time. Keep a calendar and stay organized. Mom won't be there to do everything so you need to become even more independent. Go into your future being yourself and don't the attention and actions of others influence you.

melinda

Well I went to West Covina High School and two months before graduating I moved with my family to apple valley and there is where I finished out high school graduated by the skin of my teeth but I finished my high school years were I had hard problems with math but I had a sister that helped me finished. So if I could go back and tell myself how easy it will be to go to college I would say its great. Katline darlin Coffman Is Gods gift to me. I meet my husband Alfred Gallardo I moved in with him dating he and I raised my daughter together for four years then we got married . So after a year of traveling Alfred and I split up he and I parted ways .Then I meet Eric the love of my life we fell in love then I was pregnant with the most gorgeous baby boy there is my baby Orion Isaiah Lucas on august 17.2010. I was so happy. For the last past 6 months I have been a house wife taking care of my family.

Asher

I would tell myself to try harder. I would explain that the better I did starting off the easier it would be for me moving on. I would continue by showing myself the situation I am in now. I would urge myself to excel rather than just pushing through so that I could attend my first choice college and earn scholarships. I would prove that even a little but more work then would allow me to live a higher quality life now and forever more moving forward.

Brittney

If I could go back in time and talk to the seventeen year old Brittney, I would tell her to begin to find herself. As a freshman in college, I did not choose the best major for myself, because I did not know exactly what I wanted to do or what talents I possessed. It was not until my junior year in college that I realized I wanted to be a health social worker and by then it was too late to change my major. So, my advice to myself as a high school senior would be to begin researching career fields. I would also, try to better evaluate my own characteristics, traits, and talents and correlate them with different careers. Then, I would narrow down my list of possible career choices by talking to professionals in those fields and job shadowing. By doing that, I would have been able to grasp an idea of what field I would like to study and I would better understand my strengths and weaknesses. Selecting the right college and major would have been much easier if I would have had a better understanding of myself as a person.

Sarah

Work on your study habits because they will be important in college. On a more realistic and general note I would practice using an alarm clock more effectively and getting up early so actually getting up for classes would have been easier.

Dawn

Dawn, I know you think life is pretty terrible right now. You’re a little bit of an awkward kid who doesn’t fit in easily and most days you think you just want to disappear. However, it is because you see the world differently that you are destined to be a great filmmaker. The fact you always saw the world in a different way will serve your vision. The time you spent reading when the rest of the kids were going out will serve your writing. The films you watched that no one ever heard of will serve to your advantage when you’re sitting in a classroom with your fellow film students who’ve only seen popular cinema. I know it’s hard sometimes looking at the kids who seem to have it all and wishing, for just one moment, you could be one of them. However, not being one of them will serve the person you’re destined to be in the long term. So keep your head up and keep struggling through, it does get better. The best days of your life aren’t high school, but the days long after it’s over.

lydia

i would advice them to believe in what the want and pursue it. it gets hard on the way but if they put their mind to it, they would accomplish alot.

Ashley

I would tell myself that the hard work will eventually pay off, and staying in to study rather than drinking represented a mature choice despite what my friends thought of me when I didn't go out.

Janell

You will be graduating from High school soon and you are planning on joining the Army right after High school and you are excited to be going off on your own, venturing into unknown territories. I think that is a great choice for you to help with your future career and paying for college. I hope you will also look into Scholarships and be more involved in your art work. I think you would make a great artist that would sell many pieces of art if you would only take more time to commit to your artistic talents. I think it would be best to research scholarships and really look into what field of study you want to pursue for your college years. Transitioning from military life to college life is kind of a hard one so make sure you have a realistic goal in mind. Look for majors that will help you grow artistically, also study for a trade that will pay well while you are studying art. Life is going to be tough leaving your family and home on the Navajo Reservation but it is worth all the struggles you may encounter, I wish you the best.

Matthew

GPA is one of the most important factors that will determine how you will do in college, before and after it. Your GPA determines if you get accepted in the first place, wether or not you are awarded any scholarships, and it will also come into play when finding a career. So I would tell myself to "do especially well in class, because it will determine your future."

Cassandra

I would tell my self stop worrying about basketball and doing everything i could to get better grades and a scholarship. if i would have known how hard it is to get into college and the cost i would have studied, tried for scholarship from my job, tried for grants, anything just to make sure that i would not have such a hard time getting into school and paying for it.

Anna

Ironically, if I would have the opportunity to talk to my “younger self” one statement that I would make sure to tell myself, would be don’t rush! Take the time to figure out what you want to do, although entering college is exciting it does have its challenges. But don’t worry; you’re going to learn how to depend on your faith. Now I know what you’re thinking, Towson, it’s a huge school, how in the world am I going to connect with people? Again, don’t worry, finding a Christian based group, is a good way to start. Also, you know some people, who got accepted to Towson, try and find them! The workload, yes a four year university, having work outside of class is a definite. Just try to manage your time, and don’t be afraid to ask for help or clarification from your professors. Yes, at first they might seem intimidating, but they will help you. Lastly, even though you’re going to be living in an apartment, and not with your parents, it’s ok. They are just a phone call away. Good Luck!

Christie

I will ensure that I am very prepared to move to a different academic level. I will be very studious and very organized. I will make sure to keep intouch and communicate with the academic instructors as needed. I will keep up with all projects before deadlines. I will put school first than any other things such as to minimize all distractions. In addition, I will help my fellow students with school assignments.

Kelly

Apply for scholarships and grants. Save your money. Its hard paying off loans especially when you are paying for grad school.

Noehly

If I could go back in time to my high school years with the knowledge, I have acquired while in college I would tell myself every grade does matter. Although I did graduate with honors from high school I now know I could have actually carried a 4.00 GPA throughout high school. I would tell myself the famous Nike slogan "Just Do It". This slogan has allowed me to get rid of my bad habit of procrastinating while in college. I am able to get things done in a timely manner and eliminate stress procrastinating would create. Lastly, the most important advice I would give myself would be to ask for help. I have learned not to be scared to ask for help and stop feeling "dumb" when I do not understand something because the truth is no one knows everything.

Aiyana

In high schoo,l I was a very smart and intellignt student with little motivation. With that said, the transition to college was generally exciting; however, tough. The transition between the two was not too much of a challenge thanks to the International Bacculaureate program that I was enrolled in but, it definitely took a toll on my motives, GPA and goals. If I could go back, I'd definitely tell myself to take heed to all of the advice and mentoring that I received from college graduates and students. As a result, I most definitely would have taken college more serious. I think that with the amount of muturity that I have and with a litle more stamina, I would have perservered through tougher classes- making B+'s instead of C's. This would have been done once, I told myself to find motivation in the name of education and better living, allowing for these mistakes and rough experiences to occur so quickly. The advice to the high school Aiyana would definitely had made a change in the freshman Aiyana with the struggling of more important things than high school summer thoughts such as finances and grades.