University of Arizona Top Questions

If I could go back to high school, I would definately advise myself to invest in a planner, becuase writing things on different pieces of paper really isn't a good organizational skill. I would instruct myself to have better time management and to not be so scared of the future. To walk straight and tall and to be confident in myself as a female, a student, and a minority. To participate in school more and work a lot less (you'll be working for the rest of your life Janessa!). To be kinder to my family and focus more of my attention on school than friends.

I would tell myself to start early. Never wait until your in a pickle to try to find how to get out of it, talk to advisors and professors early about the smallest problems and what it takes to survive. Same thing with school work. When the syllabus gives you the huge paper prompt, get started on it right away, don't give your self even two weeks to work on it, get that stinker immediatly out of the way so it doesn't hang over your head the whole semester and then get rushed. Never listen to those silly professors who tell you lateness doesn't matter, its a trick. Do all of your work on time, and that means at the very least two days before its due. Notes are taken for a reason. Read them the night you take them then read all of them at the end of the week, because repitition is key for retainment. Don't you dare cram! Even if you think your good at it. Make friends in every class. You are going to need their help at least once.

Given the opportunity to converse with my younger self in reguards to college life, my biggest piece of advice would concern distraction. College life is much more individual than highschool life was. In college, you are expected to do and learn many things on your own outside of the classroom, where as in highschool the battle was just attending. When I graduated highschool, I quickly moved out of my dad's house and into my own. During the first summer I lived independantly, I allowed myself to get into the habit of doing everything I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it. During the summertime this behavior was great but it unfortunatley carried over into my freshman year of college. This behavior led to procrastination and oftentimes even neglect of my studies. By no strech was I a poor student, but I would have been a much better one. The best advice I could givce myself would be to be weary of easy distrations, because being on your own opens the door to such things every moment of the day.

My biggest advice would be to prepare and don't procrastinate. Time managment is so important in everything you do in life. A lot of stress can be deviated by using your tme wisely. It is also very important to take advantage of the resources provided for you. So many people are willing to talk and help you with college decisions. Your advisor will be one of your best friends during your college career. I would also tell myself that college is just the beggining. You might think that your high school friends will be with you to the end but so much can change. Everyone seperates and goes their own ways after high school. So don't stress when this happens because you honestly make the life long friendships during college and your bond becomes much stronger than the ones you had in high school. Your life will be exactly what you make it and it's going to be fun.

If I could go back and advise myself as a high school senior I would recommend that I take the time to explore all my options, especially concerning financial aid. I would tell myself not make plans based on something like a boyfriend, the thought that I'm not good enough to go to a certain school, or even how far from home it is. I think another important aspect I would have suggested would have been to try new things! Go out and join a club or organization, or at least loosen up enough to talk to people and not be so shy and reserved. Most importantly, if I continued to make the decision to attend a community college first, I would support myself! I would make sure I understood that it wasn't settling for second best, and that it was a smart decision to ease myself into the college experience. I would explain that I was allowing myself to find out where I want to go with my life and that it would only lead to a better opportunity later in the future. (As it did!)

The advice I would give myself would be to take my time, and trust in God. Being 18, there is no rush. When it looks like things might not work out, trust in God, and expect the unexpected. God knows what is best even when, at first, I do not see it for myself. Find what inspires me and go after it, not allowing others to discourage, but take hold of my dreams, make goals, and do it! Change will happen, the person I was at 18 will not be the same person at 25, but that is a good thing. Learn from every situation, the good and bad. Ask for advice, be honest, be myself, and in the end, I can endure. That is what I would say.

Looking back at my experiences thus far, I would tell myself what to do or what not to do, because the experiences and the journey were the most rewarding. I would simply give myself a short list of things to remember-- 1. Don't make yourself too crazy. 2. Enjoy the work. 3. Revel in the anxiety; it makes you feel alive. 4. Expect success. Your maturity and passion will carry you to great heights. And most importantly, 5. Pray hard, work hard, enjoy the ride.

I would have told myself that transitions are hard and it takes every individual a long time to adjust to any given situation. I am just now getting comfortable at my school after over a year of attendance. I would have advised myself to be more active in the Universities community from the start and join activities on my own without needed the support of a friendly face. Knowing this advise would have made the transition period a lot easier for me, but life is a rollercoaster of learning and that was just another life lesson of mine.

I would tell myself to be ready to expect the unexpected. I tried so hard and did everything I could to prepare, but you will never know it all. But that's part of the fun, right?! To do well in college, you must learn to balance your work and your fun, but you still have to have both! Too much of either will only set you up for failure. Meeting new people and figuring out how your professor grades her exams, it's all part of the experience. Be open-minded and you wouldn't believe how much you can learn.

Since in high school I was not in any way motivated to go to school and since my parents did not go to college I never really cared about going to college. Therefore, if I could go back in time to my senior year of high school, I would take in to consideration how college would be important for my future and why I should attend school. Additionally, I would look into what type of college I want to attend and how much tuition is going to cost. I would spend my senior year debating what school I want to go to have a backup plan just in case I could not attend that school. I would decide whether or not I want to live on campus, transportation methods, the type of job I need to have money for school. Basically, I would do a lot of things different and be prepared for school. Another important thing would be to set up a plan to study and take college prep classes in high school. Worry more about my GPA and do things in any way that would help colleges notice me through my academic skills.

I would tell myself to be less worried about things and to just go with the flow. Friends will find you no matter what so just be ready to meet new people. Also explore the campus as much as you can in the first month or so to learn more about what is offered and where to go. Talk to other people about how you are nervous or whatever during the first weeks because they are probably feeling the same way too. Get involved in as many things as possible and try as many new things as you can. Stay focused on your academics but also go out and have fun. These are some of the most fun years you will have so just experience it and try to cherish it. Soon enough you will be out in the real world, so enjoy being a student.

Plan ahead, silly.

College is a very different world from high school. I have to do everything on my own, have to have a good time management. Must have self control.

Develop better leadership skills and communication skills

Lindsay college is not exactly what you expect it to be. College challenges you everyday not only academically but physically, mentally, and spiritually. You should read more books and writing is huge never knew that. Essays are given out repeatedly. Academically it is harder than expected but by reading the books and teaching yourself the material you will be fine. Physically the campus is very large you will be walking alot more than highschool. The campus is so diverse there are so many people. Most people are nice but its hard to trust people. Tucson is annoying but livable. Mentally you have to be calm and controlled and think about your actions before you do anything, things can happen people are doing crazy things that you dont want to be a part of. Yet college is the most fun of your life and changes you forever to make you become the best you can be.

The advice that I would give myself would be to put more time into studying, apply what I learn and to look for opportunities to serve others. I belive that studying is extremely important and you can never go wrong by studying more. I have found that I retain more if I look for ways to apply what I have learned. This would help me to hold onto the great knowledge that I would be learning. Lastly I believe that you must be balanced in order to succeed. Serving others would help me to focus on others for a short while and would help me to forget about myself.

If I had the opportunity to go back and talk to myself when I was a senior in High School, there are a few pieces of advice that I would give myself. College is hard; much harder than high school. The teachers give you space to be responsible for yourself, which is nice because you can start taking complete responsibility for your actions, however it does have its down falls. The professors are no longer walking you through each assignment, or making sure that you study for your exams, or turn in projects on time. You are responsible for you, and need to ensure your own success by taking your education seriously. I would tell myself to focus on school even if there seems to be plenty of more fun things to do. Of course studying is not the most fun; however it is the way to be successful. Studying and focusing on school will most likely allow you to get good grades. Your GPA will be healthy and will cause you less stress. Without stress, school can be much more enjoyable. Basically, I would tell myself ?Study, you?ll thank yourself later.?

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I now know about college life, I would tell myself to do what I have already done and let my college experience be guided by a balance of heart and mind. Higher learning comes from both in and out of the classroom. The ultimate goal of our education is to more fully realize ourselves within the contexts of science, history, philosophy and humanity. I would thus encourage myself to whole-heartedly embrace both the learning I receive within the classroom and the personal experiences I go through outside of the classroom - the "good" and the "bad" - which mold me into a more understanding, evolved and compassionate person.

Think about where you will be in ten years, financially, professionally, socially. Regardless of personal relationships, set a goal for yourself, based on you. Know what you like, make a list that details what fulfills who your are, and then set a goal to achieve the things in life that fit you. A rewarding career comes from a good education, and worthy companions will be found as you make your way. Don't worry about lonliness. As you develop yourself the people you encounter will fulfill your relationship desires. You are the only one who can make yourself a position in life that you will love. Be afraid, for a little while, of new people and things that you must overcome, then do what needs to be done, the course work, the reading, the interactions with people and you will find that you are capable and worthy of all you seek in your life. There will be challenges, and bureaucracy and there will be help. You will find friends and overcome challenges and you will appreciate yourself and smile a lot because you will achieve a place in life that you can give from and enjoy. You will be proud.

First, I would advise myself to take as many honors and AP classes in order to prepare myself for the course load of college. Also, I would take all the AP tests to obtain college credits, because college credits are very expensive, and it would lighten up course load during college. Step out of my shell and be more outgoing, because it will be easier making life-long friends. Also socializing is an important part of college life especially in the classroom; talking to other students in classes helps with academic success. Second, it is important to start reseaching majors and professions that interest me, so that I know exactly what major to declare and exactly what classes to enroll once in college. By knowing what profession I want to pursue, it will be easier to discuss classes and options with academic advisor, which will decrease the stress of signing up for unessecary classes. I would advise myself to research possible study abroad programs in various Universities within my major. Many people have told me that, study abroad is a great opportunity to learn about other cultures as well as about myself. It is a great learning and growing experience.

Dont transfer between schools no matter what, transfer system is corrupt and will cause a extreme RE-do of courses already taken with no additional learning acheived. College is basically a way to drain you of MONEY, increase debt to society and destroy a persons self worth. And in the end there are no jobs to take / between a rock and a hard place takes on a new meaning. College education in this COUNTRY is a joke, other countries offer this for FREE!!! Thank you for the debt and meaningless paper I will receive at the end. ?

Apply to more schools and be open to more change. Maybe apply to some schools internationally to open up my options. Consider taking a year off to travel to give yourself more time in making your descision. Don't base your descision on what your friends are doing, because friends come and go. Be more open to visting different schoools to learn more about each one.

I was never a high school senior, so I cannot quite answer this question, but I will take it as the time I graduated from community college (when I was 18). I would have recommended that I register for minor courses in a couple of different disciplines, more credits than I could really take, so that I would have more options if I decide to drop a course later (as I did with a physics class). If I could have done a bit more in that area my first semester, I would have been able to learn more things of interest to me in the relatively short time I have at the University of Arizona (since I am a transfer student with an A.S., I only get two years worth of scholarships unitl I get a bachelor's degree).

Self, When you go to college, make sure to always stay true to yourself. Make lots of friend, step outside of your typical comfort zone because the friendships you create will last forever. Don't be scared to talk to the doctor who teaches your biology class, or the professor who has wrote a wall of books, getting to know them will help you understand the material, expectation and yourself more. Enjoy the college life, go out when you can its important to have fun but remember your priorities. Have a good outlet to release stress, like jogging. Jogging or whatever outlet will not only help with stress but sometimes stepping away from the situation, homework or whatever it may be will help clear your mind; its when you have your best moments of clairity and come up with the best ideas. Utilize the resources the college offers to you, they're there for a reason. And lastly, learn to like coffee, staying up a whole week a time is sometimes a must, but IT IS WORTH IT.

College is an adventurous learning experience overall. Learning how to balance your social life and family life is going to be one of the most difficult transitions. Your parents are no longer there to tell you when your curfew is and punish you if your homework is not finished. Every one enters college with fear and excitement it is new to all incoming students so you are not alone. There are people who will help you with anything you need but you cannot expect them to come to you. It is very important to be involved in activities and put yourself out there. You will get a feel for how everything works so just be patient and enjoy yourself. Stay on top of your homework and take advantage of all the extra help programs available, you do not want to fall behind! College is just another step in becoming an adult and will help prepare you for the real world. So stay focused and have fun, everything will soon become a natural routine!

I would tell myself that college is very rough and just be prepared for the stress that it causes.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself not to waste time. There is so much to do while you are in college. I would tell myself not to spend all my time with the boyfriend I had then and to make friends. I would aslo tell myself that college is not as difficult as high school teachers make it out to be. The last thing I would tell myself is to be myself. Do not try to be someone your not because most people are going to see right through the fakeness. People will like you for who you really are. And most of all the students here are going through the same thoughts you are with going to a new school so you are not alone. College is suppost to be the best years of your life so make the most out of it.

While I and my entire senior class grappled with scholarship applications, college searches, and fending off senioritis, we were provided with essentials about college and what it would be like. Our parents, teachers and friends were giving us random information about crazy professors, living off of microwavable soup, and how different life was going to be for us. All this information though, did not help me with my college transition. Yeah, there are some wacky professors and a couple times I did have to stay in my dorm room eating chicken soup, but overall, college was not something I could easily organize for by asking people what it was like or what I should be doing. All the expectations I had were scattered into chaos the second I set foot on campus, and for nearly a month I attempted to connect reality with my assumptions. Now, I really wish that I could have known not to rely so heavily on what I was told about college and that the best thing to do was to enter my new life free from expectations so that I could choose my own unique path for the future.

I would tell myself (my hyper-driven, strung-out, no-idea what to major in high school senior self) to slow down and really explore what you like to do and apply that to a field you might be interested in, instead of to just randomly pick a field and go with it because that is what you had been doing throughout high school. Be careful not to get burned out! You don't need to take sixteen credits each semester! It's okay to push yourself, but don't feel like a failure if you are not at the top of every class. You're not perfect and no one expects you to be!! Don't be afraid to ask for help (see last sentence). Take classes that you enjoy, but branch out and take something you wouldn't normally consider. You'd be surprised. Don't forget to make friends. These people you will probably end up knowing for the rest of your life. So, basically, college life is all about balance. Strive to do your best, and have fun once in a while!

Learn to study! College is NOT easy like high school. Get involved in more clubs. It makes it easier to make more friends. Wait on dating until you've graduated!! Guys just complicate things and distract you from your studies.

If you want you still want to become a physician, brush up on your chemistry. Chemistry is one of the hardest lower division classes a science major student will take. Learn the pKa and PkB values of many molecules as they are what makes chemistry the most confusing course there is. Also, take calculus seriously. Science majors depending specifically on what it is go at the minimum to Differential Equations. As it is, the basis of it is Calculus I. High school calculus is not that any different from college level calculus; as such the same deritives are discussed. That's it. Afterall, your a senior now, the society will view you as an adult soon. Take all Math and Science all of your 4 years in high school and apply for University of Arizona ASAP. The admission is not competetive but classes do fill up fast, even with lower divisions.

If I could go back in time and give myself advice while in high school I would emphasize the importance of being dedicated to my education and making sure that I just put my nose to the grindstone in college because it is something very important and opens the door to so many oppurtunities in life. I would tell myself, get it done quick, do it well, but have a great time doing it!

I would not change a thing if I went back. I feel like I did everything I needed to do to prepare myself. My senior year in high school was such a life changing year for me. I was challenged so much. I made it through the year without support of my father & with a lot of responsibility & I recieved straight A's in college level classes. I learned about the incredible power of education & knowledge, I learned about myself & how I don't have to accept negativity in my life, & I feel like I really "bloomed" into the person I need to be to be a positive influence in the world. My initial response was that I would have told myself not to become pregnant my first year of college, but then I thought about it. Now that I am where I am, the a mother & happily married, I would never ever change a thing! I am so saticfied with life & I know that with the support from my husband I still have the option of changing the world! (& that, to me, is no understatement). I have done very well in college so far, & with a lot more respensibility.

Take more duel credit classes, stay in AP and IB classes.

I would tell myself to be prepared for the ultimate challenge in life. I would tell myself that high school does not really prepare you for college. I would then tell myself to buckle down and take things more seriously in order to make it through.

I would prepare myself better for what I was about to experience. Most of my friends and family will be far away and I will have to learn to live a completely independant life. I would also make it very clear I don't need to know anything about my career until much later. There are so many different kinds of people at U of A that it will be easy to fit in, so I just need to be myself and live life to the fullest.

I would tell myself to have confidence, both academically and socially. I went to a small high school, so transitioning to a university with 30000+ people was difficult. I didn't know where I fit in. As it turns out, I'm the same person I was academically and socially, and I wish I had known that earlier, because I think it would have made my transition to college a lot less stressful.

I would tell myself to study, and always ask questions and never fall behind.

In high school, it is important to develop a sense of who you are. If I had the chance to go back and give myself some advice, I would focus on developing myself as a person. In college there are many opportunities to learn, so it's not a problem finding a place for yourself. The important thing to do in high school, I would tell myself, is to participate in lots of diverse activities to gain a sense of the kind of person I would want to become. I would tell myself to get to know different types of people, and to try to identify with them. It's important to educate yourself about issues and aspects of the world around you before you leave for college. That way, you enter college knowing what you're most passionate about. Knowing that is the key to the college experience. There are so many possibilities to get involved in things you're passionate about at a university! Getting to know yourself, developing a passion, and discovering what you would do for your passion are the three things that any high school student should work on before college.

Hello High School Becka! First of all, when you get to college, remeber that it's okay to drink in moderation. Don't be afraid to speak up in class, because most underclassmen are. If you want to get the most out of your college experience, read the textbooks assigned to the class! Remember to visit your professors during office hours; sometimes they offer you that little bit of extra help that will be needed to pass your tests. Don't slack off too much, and trust me...you can still work 40 hours AND go to college full time. You'll be fine. If you have a hard time making up your mind about what you want to be after college, that's okay! You don't HAVE to graduate in 4 years. You are a smart young woman and I know that once you get here, you will be perfectly fine! Have fun and remember to be yourself :) Love, Becka

I would tell myself that you really need to buckle down and try and do all your homework the day it is assigned because by procrastinating by just one day can easily through you off by a whole week. I would also say that you shouldn't be so worried or nervous to start the college life because it isn't that bad as long as you have your head on tight and stay focused but also not worry about not having a social life because college is all about meeting new people and making new friendships.

The first and most important advice I would give is, unless given a scholarship, find a good school close to home and live at home. There are so many good reasons for this. Not only will it save you ALOT of money, but you will have more time to concentrate on your studies in a family environment. Some people might say that it is good to learn to be independent at this point in your life, by living on your own. However, I would argue this is not necessarily true, since college in general, such as networking, talking to advisors, learning the ins and outs of the system including the tools which are available at your particular college will help immensely in your growth as an independent individual. Plus, there will be plenty of time later on to live on your own in a more secure/less stressful period, because college can be stressful! Do not worry that your college career will be less meaningful or less fun if you decide to live at home because you will have plenty of friends who have houses/dorms which will allow you to be a part of the college experience.

I would advise myself to not procrastinate and to be more social

Stop I know what you?re thinking; "College is going to be sick dude; girls, parties, drinking it?s going to be awesome." And your totally right, college is full of fun and you will meet a lot of girls. But stop and think, your parents agreed to sign the financial aid to attend the U of A, when you know there is no income to supplement it. You want to major in Business, and one of the most important things you have to learn is integrity. With integrity you have to think about all of the shareholders in the business process. In the case of attending college, your most important shareholders are your parents. I know it?s going to be hard, but I guarantee you it?s easier to buckle down now than it is 4 years down the road.

I would say; keep your grades up, get more involved, volunteer, start better study habits, actually use the library! Also I would say don't be nervous about college it's the same routinue just more time consuming. Make sure you use all of your resources in college; teachers, libraies, advisors, social networks, other students, etc. because those are going to get you far in your education. Lastly, you'll have an amazing time!

If you think you know it all by now, you still have a lot to learn. College is the time when you become who you will be for the rest of your life and not just career wise. College gives you the guts to try a lot of new things and you will learn so much about yourself, others and the world you live in. Don't expect that it will come easy, you will have to work your butt off at times but always keep in mind that the rewards are well worth it. Consider the papers, homework, exams, all-nighters and groans as a rite of passage and the beggining of all the stories you are going to tell friends and family. There is no other experience quite like the college life, so study hard, play hard and just soak it all up. Remember that for every hard time will be two great memories that you will keep with you.

I would tell myself simply to enjoy my last year as much as I could. I didn't have a problem transitioning, but I realized that as much as I love college, I miss my senior year of high school at times. I would maybe also tell myself that my hard work and everything I did prepared me well, so to not be concerned about it; just to keep it up especially during the times it was very difficult to be motivated to do so

My best advice would be to look for what field of business the student is interested in and research the best colleges that offer that certain major, then most importantly, the student and parents should visit the schools that they are interested in applying to. Visiting the school definitely makes a big impact on deciding which college to attend to. Everyone has different priorities that they look for in choosing a college, so the best way is to look for the colleges that meet their priorities and taking a campus tour of colleges certainly help give students and parents an idea of what the school is like. So I advise students and parents to take trips to visit colleges. It'll be fun to spend time with your family and definitely worth your time since it is a time spent to determine the future of the student!

My first slice of advice to any student is to decide what you want to do with your life and, more importantly, why. Allowing yourself to remain indecisive keeps you from furthering yourself everyday in the exact direction you want to take with your life. Secondly, have a reason for being specifically at the school you choose to go to. This may be because of an excellent program they offer, a particular teacher, or otherwise, but make it a good and firm reason in your mind so that when you?re tired, overwhelmed, and hormonal, you?ll have an unshakable reminder for why you?re putting yourself through this. Also, set a goal for yourself other than getting a degree. A degree is great and necessary, but why else are you here? Make it personal, significant, and worthy of four years of hard labor. Lastly, go into college having already decided what is and is not personally acceptable to you regarding relationships, partying, and even recycling. Your viewpoints may and will change, but go into college being as solid in yourself as you can because your world is truly about to be turned upside down. Smile and go with it.

Definately find the right college and you will do better in school. Relatives of mine have went to school that they hated and their grades suffered along with their social life and all around enjoyment of college.