University of California-Berkeley Top Questions

Confident, motivated, and determined is what I am. I am very determined to keep going until I achieve all my goals. I am majoring in Motion Graphic Design at Expression Digital Art College. I always wanted to be a designer, because I'm a very creative and artistic person. But Motion Graphic Design stood out from other types of designing fields to me. I love how Motion Graphic Design has more of a variety of things you are learning. I feel that the variety of things i am learning will give me a opportunity to work on different projects in my future. My future is very valuable to me, because my life is something I cherish. The key to being successful is to get an good education.

I have learned how to make connections between various subjucts, and dedicate a certain determination to all that I do. I have have also learned life skills such as how to live with difficult people, and function in a very proffessional environment.

I learned alot about myself and other people. It has also introduced to a much more diverse atmosphere than high school and working allowed me to see. Attending college allowed me to better mine and my family's future.

I have gained a lot of confidence and a sense of achievement. I got a very low GPA in high school due to stressful living situations, and in my first semester of college I have received a 3.75 GPA and got on the Presidents List. I have overcome a lot of hardships in my life, and college is very important to me and I am so grateful for the support that I have gotten in my choice to attend college. I am hoping that I am also setting a good example for my 2 children who are 5 and 3 by finishing school and working towards a degree.

While I only just finished my first semester at the University of California, Berkeley, I have already met 110 sorority sisters within a house that I will always be a part of, as well as a roommate who has become my best friend. All the way from Germany, my roommate and I would have never met, had it not been for Berkeley. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and that the people that I come in contact with throughout college will shape my life and lead me through experiences in order to become the person I am supposed to be. These people will help me realize who I am as an individual and aid me in discovering what I want to do for a career. While my education will lead me to future success, I can take classes anywhere. However, the reason that I know I made the correct choice in attending UC Berkeley is because of the friends that I have met here thus far, who will undoubtedly effect my future.

Going to my college has, of course, taught me maturity and acceptance. I have been able to learn how to be and act like an adult and deal with a variety of aspects of life. Working with other classmates has also taught me how to work with a variety of others from myself. I have had the opportunity to work really hard at my academics and the grades to show for it. Getting praise from the teachers and the praise shown from the grades has given me confidence in myself socialy, academically, and successfully. Going to my college has been able to show me that I can achieve my goals in life and have success in life and career if I stay focused and work hard. It has given me much pride and joy to acheive a hard working ethic and hunger for education and knowledge. It has given me excitement for future and higher achievements in both life and career.

I received a degree in Public Health that no one can take away from me. Not only did I receive a degree from one of the top public schools in the country but what I got out of my college experience was the best four years of my life. What I gained from college was so valuable. I gained: a strong work ethic, dedication, transitioned from a teenager to a young woman who had to make difficult decisions on her own, life long friends, the opportunity to see the world through a a six month study abroad session in Rome, the opportunity to challenge myself every single day through stimulating courses and lastly, I gained a career. Going to college has given me the confidence to know that I can balance any challenge that comes my way. Living on my own for four years in college, making decisions on my own and the education I received from college gave me the tools to succeed and transformed me into the person I am today. Without my college experience, I know I would not be the well rounded, intelligent, caring and cultured person I try to be every day.

Berkeley redefines the paradigms within which its students live. Attending Cal means having your mind dissected, put under a magnifying glass, and examined, scientifically discovering what makes you tick. It makes you cry and sweat with stress, but if it doesn't kill you, it makes you that much stronger. Cal made me realize that I can be successful, but my classmates are among my competition. Between deciphering Gramscian texts and evaluating Supreme Court cases, I learnt how to challenge myself to work harder than my peers, not because I had to, but because I wanted to be the best. Because Berkeley ranks as one of the top universities in the world, opportunities for career-related advancement and social work are abundant. Coming to this school taught me to take those chances, to put in the effort to get the coveted reward. Finally, Berkeley introduced me to infinite social, ethnic, and political perspectives. I truly feel that I am becoming the person that I envisioned in my youth: adaptable, savvy, sensitive, compassionate, and intelligent. I love everything about Berkeley, even the disappointments and the difficulties, and could not imagine having had a better experience in any other school.

When I first started college, I thought it would be all work. However, I have since learned that the most valuable thing that college has given me is access to loads of people who think and act like me. College is a place where tons of ideas and beliefs are shared and exchanged and is truly a place to gain knowledge and network. In the little time that I have attended college, I can already say that college is one of the best experiences of my life. Nowhere can you find such diversity and culture in a relatively small place. I have also learned many life lessons. College is very different from high school in terms of work. The demands of college far exceed anything in high school and its been a diffifuct journey adjusting to the new standards. I have seen in myself newfound determination and perserverance to overcome these challenges. I have learned to not give up, to push forward past these roadblocks. College has provided me with so many new changes and wonders that is invaluable to me. I cannot wait to see what else this wonderful place has left to offer.

I believe that everything happens for a reason, but there is not a reason for everything. The former part of this statement explains that every choice an individual makes leads to a learning experience in this process called life; however I do not believe that things happen for a reason because each person is capable of creating their own future. By attending U.C. Berkeley I have met amazing individuals with such diverse thoughts and ideas that I would have otherwise not met elsewhere. It is with these peers of mine that I have gained the harsh lessons of truly striving towards one’s passion. In this step into a more realistic world, I have learned that you can only rely on yourself to go out there and fight for yourself and your dreams because there is no director that will magically give you the things dear to your heart. It has taught me the true value of independence and ambition, the ability to put oneself out there despite the potential damage and reach for that possible goal.

College shattered many of my conceptions about knowledge and the world. For most of my childhood, concepts and ideas were presented so finely and neatly that I supposed all knowledge was so: that discoveries came packed in gift-wrapped boxes, and that understanding amounted to boiling things down into infinitesimal categories in a sort of sorting game. But I've come to learn everything is a lot more complex than that. The stock of human knowledge is the product of thousands of years of human labor, and what we know (or think we know) is constantly in flux. College gave me the perspective to see how we got here--what strides the human mind has made over centuries, and what assets it needs to make them again. I learned that reductionist models about how the world works--however useful--should never be confused with the world itself; that divisions among people by race, class, or even by field of study are by and large mental constructions that can be overcome. College was world-shattering for me, but my world needed reconstructing anyway. Today I'm a better thinker for it, and (I hope) a better person.

I entered college with a stomach full of nerves. I was an academically focused throughout high school, enrolled in the I.B. Program and president of the on campus math club. I went from taking calculus my junior year of highschool to the fine arts department at the University of Arizona. Needless to say, I thought I would fail. College has helped me to develop another side of my personality, while maintain the ability to be that analytical bookworm. I am double majoring in Theatre and Math Education, and the amalgamation between the B.A. and the B.S. has been nothing but helpful, as nightly I switch between math and acting homework. My education has further helped me, as I learn to blend these two subject areas, using my knowledge cross curricularly to further develop my work in each respective area. I am loving school, finals and all, as it really does make me happy in every way, both intellectually and artistically.

from collage i have gotten more of a sense of urgency and responsibility. Having to get up at 6 in the morning to go learn your craft kind of doses that to you. Also I have to learn to deal with my priorities of life because my school counts every minute that you’re not in class against you. Basically what I’m trying to say is collages is the step from teenager status to adult and this collage is really reinforcing that in me.

I have had some great teachers who take the time to explain in depth and give students one on one lessons. I have very high goals for myself and want to provide for my infant son and I believe my college will provide just that. This school will allow me to acheive all my goals and become the nurse I would like to be.

Besides the obvious answer of knowledge in my field of study, I have gotten many other amazing experiences. The first of which is my view of the world. Being around so many intelligent people coming from all different walks of life has allowed me to see similarities in people that I never could have seen before. My peers are of all different race, gender, political view, country of origin, as well as many more traits. These have, with my experiences so far at UC Berkeley, allowed me to understand important differences as well as see how the differences make us even more alike as we pursue knowledge together. Another experience is the independence surrounding college and the preparation for the rest of my life that comes with this. This can be seen in methods of study I must use to succeed, for example should I work in a group, work alone, or ask for help? Collage is making sure I refine this in a way that suits my individual needs best. I believe that finding the balance between handling problems on my own and seeking out help for problems that are better accomplished with those more experienced is very important.

I was very afraid to leave my hometown and family and explore a whole new world, but it has been the best experience of my life so far. I have met the most intellectual people in Berkeley and they are so fun and lovely. I feel that without those people I would be so alone and lost, but I have seen the most nice and caring people in my life. Now in UC Berkeley, I truly know what a challenge is, this school is so difficult and there is a huge workload at the same time we are getting tested. I feel very honored attending such a prestigious school, because I am not only a woman, but I am a Mexican American woman, making me such a minority. I just feel like everything is possible and it has made me see that even minorities in America have the chance to go somewhere, they just have to take it, and that is what I am doing, I am taking my chance.

UC Berkeley is arguably one of the best universities in the world. The students are so academically driven, yet display a true passion for learning and expanding their known horizons. There is so much spirit for football games, political happenings, and music and cultural events. Students are creative and brilliant and are not hesitant to display their gifts. Professors are very engaging and challenging but approachable; they want to develop strong academic relationships with their students. We have the very best graduate students teaching the smaller sections, each so dedicated and diligent in his or her field. Considering this is a public school, the quality of education far surpasses anything one could receive at a private school. There are hundreds of clubs and organizations for every student possible, whether it be a magazine for environmental sustainability or a world-renown Christian organization. There are very few hate crimes, but if there happens to be one, thousands of students will come together to protest the event peacefully and wisely, not imfringing on anyone else's right. I am proud to be a Cal Alum. Go Bears!

Attending college has given me the privilege of interacting with other people who are also seeking to learn more about the world. We live in a society where it is easy for us to become self-absorbed and ignore the going-ons off the world around us, and being surrounded by people who do care is a refreshing change. I love waking up in the morning and knowing that I will probably meet someone who feels the same way about an issue as I do. Or, better yet, who feels differently about it. Being a college student provides me with the opportunity to meet not only people who share my beliefs, but others who completely oppose it as well. By becoming familiar with these people as well as my fellow believers I can strengthen my morals and principles. College is the door to knowledge.

I have been blessed to have met so many talented and aspiring peers here at college. It has been most eye-opening and awe-inspiring to be here with so many different others.

For some young men and women, the minuscule thirteen years of grade school fill those students' appetite for education, but for others the craving to push onward becomes insatiable. I fall into the latter category, but please do not perceive me as somebody I am not: I was not valedictorian or anywhere near that high scholarly point; nevertheless, my heart burns with desire to successfully complete a college degree. Why though? I possess a drive to succeed because I want to know that I am in control of my future. When I hear people above my time speaking about their childhood, I realize that this opportunity that lies before me is simply unprecedented. Today, almost every single student has the ability to continue their education, and for me, I will value and cherish this gift. This gift is almost like a lotto ticket that's already been proven to be the million dollar winner; the only question now is if I will pursue the benefits of it. From here on out, obtaining the full value is my responsibility.

College is so different to what everyone has said of expected. I never knew what I am capable of until I came to Berkeley. It has a lot to offer me and teach me. College allowed me to see the other half of the world, and share many experiences with other students on campus. I have interacted with different students from different backgrounds. This has taught me to appreciate cultures and traditions. Seeing the competitiveness around Berkeley, I have learn to adapt to it and use it to do well in school. The competitive atmosphere pushes me to strive for the best and work harder. For that I am able to get the most out of my college education.

Having only experienced unconventional education (Waldorf, Homeschool, and Hawaiian charter), I wasn't sure I would survive in a conventional college institution. I was afraid I would be pinned down and drilled to boredom. That the learning freedom my "unconventional" education fostered would be squashed, and thus, my creativity and thirst for knowledge with it. Despite my fears, I also had a burning desire to do something "normal." I had a desire to prove that not only could I survive it, but thrive in it. I enrolled in the local community college in my island home of Kauai, Hawaii, with apprehension. After five semesters in a “conventional” college, my fears had faded. I discovered that I was the determining factor in the level of enrichment I got from my college experience, regardless of it being “conventional” or “unconventional.” My strength of will and my yearning were what led me to “thrive.” I proved that I can have faith in myself; that I can be anything and everything I dream. And that in the end it doesn’t really matter how “normal” you are. What matters is how wholeheartedly you engage yourself in the challenges and processes of life and learning.

As an incoming college student, my college experience has been limited. I am soon about to embark upon a journey that will define the person I am, as well as the intellectual I seek to become. Yet just through the acceptance process, my college experience began. The initial seed of growth was that estatic "Congratulations". Each college has a limited supply of these seeds. Each college also look for different students, looking for the perfect person who will cherish their seed and ensure its growth. Luckily, UC Berkeley granted me with a small seed. This winter, I will plant my seed with new knowledge, new developments and new relationships. I will water it with numerous ideas. As my seed progresses to sprout, new challenges will await. Mistakes will be make. The spouting plant may be malnouished at points; yet, after a period of weakness, my recovery will be strong. I will grow and learn, and become the tree I had always dreamed of. After four years, I will be one tree amongst thousands, I will move to the forest, to the real world, with my college lessons permenantly absorbed in my roots.

I've learned most of all who I am and the things that I can handle. I've challenged myself and for the most part have succeeded thus far. Not only in school, but personally just with knowing myself and my own limits. I have learned so many new things and my passion for research has reached heights I never thought they'd reach. I feel good that I have expanded on my knowledge of other cultures. Most of all I am having fun. College is suppose to be the best years of your life, and despite a few struggles, I am having a blast. I've met people who will be in my life forever and have met others who have taught me to follow my dreams and succeed.

My college experience thus far has been vital to my development both as a student and a person. I came into college not knowing who I was or what I wanted to do in life. Attending Berkeley has helped me learn that in order for me to be successful in anything I choose to do, I must persevere through any obstacles that come my way. Berkeley has been valuable for me to attend becasue the school challenged my both academically and socially. Before college I had rarely ever been challenged academically. High school was easy and almost seemed redundant to me, as far as the course work was concerned. Berkeley not challenged in that area but it made me more accepting of different people and was of thinking. This has made me a better person and that I am greatful for.

It has been valuable to attend UC Berkeley because of what I call my "social education." I have grown to become knowledgable in many social issues and conflicts from around the world. More importantly, I have grown to feel that with the education and professional networks that I have built at UC berkeley, I can do something to correct these issues. My college experience has made me aware of want to do and achieve in my life. I am an economics major and have the opporunity to make lots of money; however I have discovered that I am much more passionate about changing society for the better. This passion to change society has motivated me to succeed in every aspect of my life. I must become a leader that has the power to inspire the nation to make something better for itself. I eventually plan on running for office. I want my campaign slogan to read, "We can do more picking each other up, than stepping on each other to get to the top." Wish me luck!!

College has allowed me to experience and appreciate various cultures around the world and let me spend time in other countries. College has also taught me the value of a dollar. Without scholarships I would not be able to afford college. I'm trying to get enough scholarships so that I'l be able to attend my dream college. College allowed me to begin to stand on my own two feet instead of depending on my parents to help and do everything for me and with me. College has made me grow up and become responsible and make me understand that I am responsible for everything that I do and that has my name attached to it. If I had a chance to do things over again, I would definitely attend college but I would make sure that I was completely prepared financially and apply to as many colleges and scholarships as possible and take as many classes as was allowed. At one point I was jealous that all my friends were moving into dorms and I was staying at home going to community college, but everybody's experience is different and what I've done, makes mine specially unique.

At Berkeley, I've not only gotten the chance to attain great knowledge, I've learned what it means to grow up. I've become the manager of a choir, the Vice President of the university's choral system while holding down two jobs and focusing on friends and academics. I've learned what it takes to maintain roommate relationships in my apartment, and how to live on my own far away from parents. I'm constantly star-struck with the history and prestige of the university, and the people who have built it's legacy. I truly believe I'm at the best place possible for me, between strong academics, amazing people and spectacular extra-cirricular activities. The need to constantly keep up with everyone else makes you stronger and smarter, and only makes your potential job prospects better. I love this school, and always will!

I have really matured into a better informes person . I am becoming more involved in my communities politics. Its really interesting what law is about. That is what i am majoring in. Right now I am working on my Associates in the Paralegal Studies. Its so interesting, the instructors really keep me on my toes. They are always having us do projects and research papers on on our current events, and the new laws that are being passed. Its really great. I love doing these things you know because I am learning the laws that apply to all of us. My instructors explain how they affect us and i also put my feedback on how i think new laws and policies are affecting us. All of my school staff is so herlpful and always smiling and in a good mood. I love my school and the experience ive gone through so far. Well see what the future hollds for me at ITT Tech of San Bernardino.

I have gotten a lot of wisdom from my college experience. When I first moved away to go to college, I was immature, now I'm an adult because of all the growing up that I have done. I had to learn how to care for myself, travel alone, and finance myself by getting a job. I am learning so many things about the world, myself, and my field of study: biology. All of this knowledge is opening my eyes to things in the world that I was so narrow minded about before. I think college is valuble to attend because it is a stage in your life where you grow up and fend for yourself for with food, money, and transportation but also with academics. This is because teachers don't hand you resources to use or make handouts to help you study. They make you work hard alone in order to learn more and apply the course material as you see necessary. If you want to pursue a certain major or career path, everything is up to you because no one is going to hand it to you. You have to work exteremely hard to reach your goals.

My college experience has prepare me for my Child Development Career. My college experience obtains information I want to complete to be sucessfull in my Career. My college supports my financial aid needs. My experience guides me in the appropriate direction. My college supplies workshops which are important to building skills in my profession. My professors our leaders who encourge me in my career path. Each course I have completed has influence and empower my learning because the coureses subject relates to information I learn in the follwing fields Child Development, Chicano Studies, and Personal Skills Development. The courses relate because Child Development require Chicano Studies and Spanish 1-3 to earn a degree in Bilingual/bi-cultural and Personal Development is a skill that will allow me to grow in settings. Attending College has given me the opportunity to gain strong relationships with individuals of the community. The relationship I build at my college are the individuals I want to incorparate in my future Day Care business. My college eperience has made me excitied to know I will influence the lives of children through my education and I am glad to be strongly committed to a profession I enjoy.

I have obtained a wealth of knowledge and a sense of purpose. I understand the importance of giving back to one's community and contributing the betterment of society. I feel that one of the greatest ways to serve one's country is by helping fellow community members reach their fullest potential in life. My college experience opened my eyes to human suffering and pain caused by greed and selfness. I have learned that in order to save a people, one must serve the people and in order to lead a people, one must love the people.

I was a refugee, born and raised in a small town in Vietnam until the age of nine. I learned from Vietnam that poverty is directly correlated with the lack of education. My parents hoped that I'd pave the way for my siblings, but I did not know how until I found my interest. The curiosity of my myopic eyes led me to an optometry course at UC Berkeley. I then discovered how vision is strongly interrelated with health while learning of eye diseases. I also became aware of developmental disorders that children face early in their lives and realized the importance of optometry goes beyond my na?ve thought of glasses and contact lenses. Wanting to learn more, I took the Optometric Assistant position where I received full exposure to the demands and rewards of optometry. This is when I knew I have found my refuge .

My experience has taught me that college is more than just preparing for a career or making life-long friends. It has been about the fruitfull cultivation of self. When I first began studying Political Science and Anthropology, I thought it was to understand why other people did things. However, I have realized, more importantly, that my experience has taught me why I do things. College is about understanding your own human condition. Political Science has showed me the intricacies of how I am empowered, as a political actor, to contribute to domestic, national, and international political systems. Anthropology has taught me how I, as an agent, contribute to cultural common sense. The value of a college experience has not just been the pursuit of knowledge itself, but using that knowledge to understand who I am.

My first year in college has been definitely frustrating but more than rewarding. This is the first time that I have experienced the term responsibility. There isn't anyone there to tell me what to do. There isn't any tardy sweep if I came late to school and there are no consquences for forgetting to do my homework. In college, I am on my own. College has definitely taught me to be independent. Not only that, it has also taught me to work harder, for my competitions are fierce. I have to do that best I can do and excel in order to move on to the real world. College is one of the most valuable place that I can be at this point in my life. Not only that I have learned from the academic courses I've been taking but also from the professors that has given me more insights than I can ever grasp hold of. I've been filled with knowledge and will continue to expand it years i have left in College.

Attending UC Berkeley has given me the opportunity to be exposed to a wide range of worldviews and new perspectives. It has been exciting, but in the end, it has refined me into being more grounded in my Christian beliefs than ever before. It has been valuable to attend because I learned that at the end of the day, friendships endure, while grades will not. At Berkeley, you'd find someone on every spot of the spectrum, whether the spectrum is political, religious, economical, ethnic, and so much more. In and out of the classroom, it was wonderful learning different viewpoints and philosophies, and the reasonings behind them. Interestingly, all this made me even surer about my Christian faith, even though that might have been unpopular to do amidst the college atmosphere of "find your true identity." Things that strengthened my Christian conviction comprised of, ironically, my failures: missing a paper deadline but being given an A anyway by a gracious TA who didn't even look at my paper; failing to submit a difficult assignment but consequently having that be the first step towards being freed from perfectionism, and the support of countless Christian friends I made on campus. =)

Well college so far has been a great experience; educationally and socially. Although I am only in my second semester it shows that you are no longer a kid. College is something for the people who push to achieve more than just the basics. College is great life awakener, you realize that you have to be determined, have patience and keep a steady pace so you wont get overwhelmed. College has allowes me to network and meet people that can either be a part of the team or help me climb the ladder of success. College does not guarantee anything unless you push yourself to strive to be the best. The college experience will step me up to the next level in my life to be where I want to be. I will be able to market myself well to the world to show what my talent offers.

After my first semester at UC Berkeley, I developed a brand new worldview and philosophy. My professors provided new ways of viewing the world and humanity as a whole. The research that I have done in my classes on poverty in developing nations and genocides occurring throughout the world has led me to change my intended major to, actually, a double major in Peace & Conflict Resolution and International Economic Development Studies. After speaking to representatives from the Peace Corps last semester, I plan to enlist in the Peace Corps to make a real difference in the world - without resorting to violence. Once I come out of the Peace Corps I plan to attend law school (possibly Stanford Law or McGeorge Law) and focus on International Law. From there I plan to enter the world of Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy or work for a charity. This is what my experience at UC Berkeley has done for me: it has given me the means, inspiration and encouragement to reach out and help others. I'm not attending a university so that I can make money later on - I'm attending college so that I can make a difference now and later.

From attending college I feel that i have a better understanding of what the world will expect out of me. it has taught me the importance of responsibility and punctuality. It has also taught me the importance of having an education. the reason that I say this is because I see all the older people that are going to school just so they can keep up with the technology that they use at work. I feel that by going to college so far that I am a little more ready to take my place in the world.

As a graduate student at California State University at Sacramento, I continue to enjoy a challenging and fascinating environment in which to discover the world's many intersecting pathways. Each class within each major builds and contributes to the next one, while education itself is the single most empowering pursuit possible. UCBerkeley has helped me discover both the pathways and the empowerment to find new ways to experience the world.

My college experience has been one of the most enlighening times of my life. You think you know everything as a high school senior, but college flips your whole world around. I began at a four year university, Virginia Tech in Blacksburg Virginia. After one year my family couldn't afford the tuition anymore, so I was plunged into the world of full-time jobs, apartments with roommates, and part-time community college classes. Those words alone explain the amount of stress involved in the process. But the most important thing I learned during that time was that extreme pressure turns coal into diamonds. Gradually, I went from a student with no real concept of time management, to an employee and student who didn't have two pennies to rub together and no time for anything. With a schedule like that, you realize how important it is to focus on what's important. You also learn that you don't have time for people or things in your life that won't lead you towards your goals. I'm thankful everyday for that because I surrounded myself with the best people and they have helped me achieve so much.

I have been able to experience teaching at its best. It is uncomparable to anything I have ever experienced before. You are able grapple throught the intertwining of the most complex issues Today and discover the reality. It truly has been an eye opening experience.

Take more AP tests, get more scholarships, and research more about the college before attending.

During a visit home after starting college, I went to church and listened as our preacher told the story of a friend's secret to a successful career. The preacher titled the sermon "And Then Some." Puzzled by how those seemingly simple words translated into a formula for success, I listened curiously as the story unfolded. In school, the preacher said, this man did everything the teachers asked of him, everthing the school required...and then some. When he got his first job, he did everything his boss asked of him, everything his job required...and then some. As he moved further up the corporate ladder, his philosophy never changed: make the extra effort, go the extra mile. As I left the church building, I realized I would not have been accepted into a top university had I not unknowingly followed this philosophy during my high school years. I took extra math and science classes as well as numerous Advanced Placement courses. I joined the debate team and the Academic Decathlon team. I did more than what was asked of me, more than what was required. So my advice to others is simply to remember these words: "And Then Some".

There are so many things that I learned since coming to UC Berkeley so there would be a lot of advices that i would give my high school self. First of all, I would tell me to actually make the effort to visit the different campuses and see if you like the area and environment. You also should find time to go to different school orientations to find out more about the campus. Secondly, it's important to double check which classes are transferrable and which aren't. Although it okay to have an undecided major, it's essential to spend time to think about the future and come up with a few possible majors, search their requirements and prerequisites, and start making backup plans. There is no such thing as preparing too much. Finally, it's important to know how you're going to pay for school, so i would've told my high school self to apply to all the different scholarships available even if i thought i wouldn't get picked. Applying for internships and unpaid volunteer work can also provide lots of experience and hands-on training. Lastly, don't be stressed and try to relax!

Mom and Dad have engrained in you the belief that college is about studying at your maximum efficiency in the pursuit of a stable profession. That is only a portion of what college is about, and certainly not what life is about. It is just as important, and infinitely more fun and liberating, to see college as an opportunity for self discovery and growth. Use the time to learn what drives you, to find your passions, and to take risks. Take the risk of pursuing different careers, meet people who challenge you and who you can learn from, let your courses shape you beyond what you are tested on. There will be a point when you will be faced with a certain type of adversity that will seem foreign. It is adversity accompanied by feelings of loneliness and failure. Everything will be ok. There are many opportunities to correct your mistakes as long as your remain heartened. Do not be jealous of those who are successful, otherwise you will never have any peace. Do not take life too seriously. Most importantly, learn to trust yourself and what you are capable of. Love and be good to yourself. Dream big.

Keep you goal in sight. Have fun, work hard and you will reach that goal. Prepare for college early. Take some college prep courses. This will help to get you familiar with what college is about. Reseach all possible venues for paying tuition and not rely on any one source of funding. Make use of the internet to search for scholarships, and grants. Check local civic organizations and check with the college for leads on scholarships and grants. Work hard to be your best but also to have fun. Take advatange of all the support and help that is available. Make sure to watch your debt load so you do not over extend yourself. If possible stay at home while attending college. Make sure you work hard and have fun learning. Keep looking at the goal and soon you'll have to set a new goal because you've reached this one.

Be bold. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself to approach decisions in college based on your experiences and not those that have been ingrained in you because of what your friends think or have done. Be willing to explore every possibility and go with your gut if you're having a difficult time choosing majors or careers. In the end, it's not about the major or the career, but how much you stayed true to what you want out of life.

Before you head off to college the most significant thing to know is the value of time management. Not just time management in the sense of being able handle the pressures of a college education, but more important time management to take advantage of the amazing opportunities available to you at world class university in an urban setting. You will have the opportunity to hear lectures from world leaders, renowned scientists, and respected academics. You will be able attend concerts by headlining artists in grand stadiums and bands who could be the next big thing in cramped venues. There will be plays and sports events, restaurants and street festivals. However, you are eighteen. You will feel the temptation to sleep in, skip class and watch too much television. Don?t let this happen. Always make sure you are focused on your studies, but never let yourself miss out on the amazing events and opportunities happening around you every day. Get out of your dorm room, explore and make the most of one of the most amazing periods of your life.

10 things I would tell my former self... 1) Learn to enjoy learning. If you don't, college will become a huge pain before you know it. 2) Blunt memorization no longer results in an A. 3) No more mommy to nag you. 4) Get friendly with upperclassmen (ESPECIALLY those who hake taken the courses you are planning to take). 5) GO TO OFFICE HOURS 6) Don't sleep at 3 am everyday unless you want to be a living zombie by the time finals week rolls around. 7) Plan on excercising, unless the "Freshman 15" is on your To-Do list. 8) Don't rush for a fraternity unless you: A) like being drunk the whole weekend B) think it's cool to have Greek letters on your clothing C) like to be hazed D) all the above 9) Sleepy and you have an 8am class the next morning? Set two alarms....maybe three. 10) Always have a purpose. In other words, it will not be of your best interest to watch Youtube videos all day (even though the super fast, in-dorm internet is just sitting on the desk, sucking you in like a black hole).