University of Central Florida Top Questions

I would advise my high school self to stay positive and focused on my acadcemic progress from the very onset of my college experience. It is extremely easy to get distracted with all of the freedom that college offers and the lack of supervision, so one must always remember the main reason for attending school - earning a higher level degree. College is a great experience that allows you to learn new things and meet lifelong friends, so a balance should be maintained among one's academic, social, and spiritual life. I started college the summer right after high school graduation and had a great start, but once the fall semester started, I became more involved with my social and community activities and not as much with my academics. Nonetheless, I was able to attain a 3.0 average that semester, but not everyone is as fortunate. I would strongly advise myself to create and maintain an enjoyable and well-balanced lifestyle throughout my college experience so that once I complete it, I have no regrets and achieved everything that I wanted in the manner that was most beneficial to myself.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a highschool senior I would be able to give loads of helpful advice. Throughout my first three years of college I have met thousands of new personalities and established lifelong relationships with people from all over the world. The biggest piece of advice I could pass on now, is that I should remain focused and goal oriented. Living around a large metropolitan area such as Orlando with over 50,000 students on and around campus, it is easy to find yourself falling into bad habits. Ultimately I would warn myself to be concious of the fact that college, while a tremendous social journey, is intended to help me gain knowledge to support my family for the rest of my life. My best advice to myself would be to balance out partying with studying, and to allow staying home and reading a book or typing a paper to take precident over going to bars and clubs. With tons of peer pressure during college years, I would also remind myself to keep a strong faith within myself and to believe that I can always manage and overcome any obsticles.

The best advice I could think to give myself as a high school senior would be to read. Often and curiously, read as much as you possibly can. Whether for a school assignment for a simple grain of knowledge. There is so much information available to us if we are just willing to take the time of day to sit down and focus for an hour before we go to bed at night. This not only helps our standardized testing scores, but also gives us a new prespective with which we can view life. This will also give us the initiative to challenge everything we learn. This a very important thing to learn in life. If we do not challenge everything we are taught we will fall into the tricks polititions attempt to pull over our eyes every day. A thirst for knowledge gives us the opportunity to fight for our freedom, and be able openly converse with anyone we come back in contact with. There are so many benefits that can come from simply picking up a book before bed, whether it is fiction, non-fiction, political science, or a dictionary, pick it up!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would tell myself to focus on things like building good studying skills and learning good time managment. I find that it is more important for high school students to focus on how they learn versus than focusing on what they are learning. As a high school student, you need to be focused on understanding the importance of being apart of an acitivity and representing your school respectfully. I would also tell my high school self that there is more to college/unversity than just the education, in college you are learning life education and to pay attention to what is going on inside and outside the classroom. Overall, I would tell my high school self to focus on studying skills, time managment, and being aware of your surroundings.

I honestly wished that I would of payed more attention in my classes and received better grades. I have earned my g.p.a. that I have now because of the hard work that I have put into it while in college. Growing up I didn't have a lot of guidance from my parents to excel in school until my stepfather came into the picture. He was my shining armor and helped me excel in school afterwards. I would of have loved to be able to attend school activities and clubs but my family never had the money for me to join. I know school activities help you become a better person at times but unfortunately I wasn't capable of it because of income and time.

As a transfer student, the hardest part in becoming connected to your school and newly found home is getting involved on campus. If I could tell myself , as a high school senior, one thing it would be to get involved immediately and in as many student run organizations as possible. This involvement helps students make the transition more smoothly and creates a feeling of personal contribution to their home school. By attending a university a student has the ability to become more than they have ever imagined. I would also tell my former self to not be afraid of making mistakes because, ultimately, college is a learning experience and the best learning comes from correcting mistakes you may have made. Don?t be afraid to be the best you can be.

I would tell myself to remember my strengths and weaknesses. More specifically, I would say to avoid Finite Mathematics, because even though everyone will tell you it is easy, you will fail it miserably even after attending tutoring every week. I would say that school is why I am at college, not the parties or my friends, but to get an education so I can get out from the support of my parents. I would tell myself that my diligence in college will directly affect my future, buckling down is something that needs to happen, not just a phrase you toss around as finals approach.

I would say to myself: "Anthony, really think about what you enjoy doing. I know you are into weight lifting and staying in shape. UCF offers a new program specifically for you. I recommend you take school seriously, and graduate on time. Don't waste your money on material things, they aren't important. Money will need to be spent on books and classes. Find friends you can really count on and live with the ones you know you'll get along with the entire time. Have a good social life, but don't over do it; make mistakes but, make sure you learn the lesson at hand. Most importantly be yourself and don't change for anyone. " Honestly, that is everything I would say. -Anthony

Assuming I could go back in time to my senior year, I would have strongly advised myself to enroll in dual enrollment and more advanced placement courses to accumulate more college credits, to accustom myself with a heavier workload and independent study, and to further challenge myself academically. I would also have applied for more scholarships than I did.

I would tell myself that the most important thing is to always hold onto my aspirations and dreams, and to never give up on what I want to become. It is important that I know that I can be whatever I want to be as long as I keep trying and always believe that there is no limit to how far I can go. I would remind myself how much of an impact my family and friends have on my life, and what a difference opening up to new people can make. Never losing sight of my goals and making the best of what I have and what I am given will make college life even more enjoyable.

Always shoot for your dreams! Never give up! Its never to late to start something new. Anything is possible if you believe. Relax and enjoy the season you are at.

If I could go back in time I would tell myself a couple of things. I would first tell myself keep up the good work because its going to pay off. Push your self a little bit more. Take more college bound classes. Start taking the ACT or SAT your 9th grade year and don?t stop taking it until you get a score that will get you in to a good university. When money is short and you have no way to pay for the ACT or SAT ask for a fee waver. But be careful and use it wisely because fee wavers are limited. Find a place to volunteer that will help you in becoming a Physical Therapist because that is what you will later choose to follow as your career path. Apply for colleges early at least eight months before you graduate. Stay close to home for your first two years in college. It will help you learn and get a feel of what to expect at a university. Get your AA in health science and don?t ever quit!

I would have told my past self to calm down and take things one step at a time. If I had spare time from my studies, then go out and get involved.

Throw out the everyday ritual that you're used to during the high school years, because it is absolutely nothing like the college life. Save every single penny you can and use the excess financial aid money wisely! You're heading out onto a new adventure in your life, treat it as such, but don't forget what you're really going there for; an education. Focus Focus Focus and Focus!! It's going to be so many distractions (parties, clubs, friends, girls, more parties, booze, alcohol, more booze, and the occasional bad influences), so keep your eyes on the prize and have your priorities in check. Stay true to you and what has gotten you to this point in your life, and most importantly, enjoy the experience!

I know things now that would have definately helped me as a high school senior transitioning into college. I would push myself to give involved right off the bat as a way to meet new people and experience great things. I would talk about being involved in the week of homecoming. I would also talk about keeping copies of transcripts and records so that if the university lost anything, I would have it with me. I would give advice on making sure all my pre-requisites were finished from the community college before going to UCF. As a leader, I would give advice about time management and getting enough sleep, especially during the week of finals. I would push the issue of eating healthy and getting a small meal plan on campus. I would also suggest filling out as many scholarships as possible.

If I could go back in time to high school and give myself advice about the college transition I would tell myself one thing...Be Prepared. College is more self-study and freedom than students are used to in high school, and that can make it very hard to transition into a university. When I first came to the University of Central Florida, I had been mostly a straight A student in high school and had taken many advanced placement and honors classes. I did not expect that college would be any different. I was wrong. In high school we had a lot more hands on projects and group work in which we interacted and got to participate and experience what we were learning. At the university level, students are expected to do those things outside of class while inside the professor lectures. This is a challenge I face at the university level, and I had to adapt to that type of learning. Even so, I have enjoyed every minute at the University of Central Florida, and I would be sure to tell myself to be prepared and have fun!

THAT TRAVELING IS A GREAT WAY TO HELP YOU GROW UP FAST.

You must understand that college is nothing like high school, you will meet so many new people and learn so many new things, but you must be prepared to mold into an adult. The process happens fast and it is exciting, hold onto what is important to you and don't forget that you are at school to learn.

My advice I would give to myself would be to stop worrying about things that doesn't matter and live life to the fullest. I would tell myself that the road ahead is not going to be easy and that nothing in life worth having comes easy. Nothing is hard, it just needs effort and time. I would tell myself to cherish and enjoy each and every moment that passes because you can't turn back time. Enjoy what you have now and quit comlaining about what you don't have. Going to college is one of the best decisions you'll ever make. Be true to who you are, don't worry about the things that doesn't matter (like what people say or think about you), and remember that the journey brings us happiness. Family and friends will help you along the way and you can always count on them. Lastly try to workout everyday.

The first advice I would give myself would be to develop a strong and consistent study pattern. College is a totally different world than high school. As a student, you tend to take for granted how little studying you do in high school to get good grades., compared to the studying that you must do to even stay afloat in college. The second word of advise I would give myself would be to learn how to be a responsible adult. I depended on my mom quite a bit in high school . You definitely get spoiled having someone there to remind you of assignments, helping you with projects, waking you up for school in the morning, etc. In college, you have to do everything on your own. It sure makes me realize how much my mom was there for me, and what a big help she was for me all through high school.

In the little time that I have been a college student I can clearly say that i have changed alot as a person socially and academically. The best advice that I would give to myself would be to develop a good study plan prior to going to college. During my first few weeks at college I realized that my study habits in high school would not work in college and required much more concentration. I would also tell myself to invest in a nice planner or agenda. I have learned the true meaning of time management and fitting in enough time for academics, social acitivites, household chores, and adequate rest time. Having a set agenda and managing your time wisely helps the transition to college become easier. Last, I would tell myself to have fun. College is ment to be stressful but it is also an experience of a lifetime, meet new people, try new things, but make sure to stay focused on your goals and dreams!

i am a non-traditional student, and i did not take my high school years very serious. my gpa shows that, and returning to college in my late 30's was a challenge. i lacked many of the fundamentals needed to succeed. i was awarded a place in the national honors scholar society, wrote an award winning essay, and held a gpa of 3.85 until my daughter's life took a turn and her bad choices she was making caused me to move to florida mid-term, and fail my courses. i re-established myself here in florida, resumed my college path at lscc, and graduated with my AA in human services. after the long bumpy road my advice would be, listen to your parents, accept their guidance, believe in yourself, and study!!

"College is meant for you to get an education, but most importantly its a time to grow. The decisions you make always have consequences, but that shouldn't scare you out of making them. Have faith in yourself, surround yourself with good people, and remember to prioritize what matters most in life. You never know what tomorrow will bring, but accept everything with confidence. Remember that there is a time to laugh, a time to cry and a time to do things you'd rather not , but be true to yourself in every circumstance. Always put your best effort into all you do; there is nothing more rewarding than reeping the benefits of hard work. But don't get too caught up in schoolwork, that does not encompass your entire purpose in life. Always make a memory; take mental pictures of funny times with your friends, remember how the stars twinkled when your boyfriend told you he loved you, leap up and down when you ace a test. College is a time to make good decisions, but learn from bad ones. Stand up for what you believe in, but always learn from others. Work hard, cry, laugh, learn, be grateful!

Honestly, I would tell myself not to rush into or feel pressured in finding a major. It's important to not be afraid of a possible five-year plan to graduate as long as you are finding what you truly want to pursue for the entirety of your career. I would have told myself to use my first year to take a variety of classes in different areas to estimate more accurately what they are like and to save some of my General Education Requirements for later because they are not necessarily the priority, at least not when considering the burden of finding a major that fits a persons personality and interests. It's important to research career paths, to make sure you can enjoy what you are doing, or at least to make sure all of your hard work is worth it in the end to get you to your goal. I also would have told myself to pursue a second language like it was my job, and maybe have encouraged myself to study abroad a semester to get a real feel for the real world and what exists beyond my own realm of understanding and experience.

Definitely go to the University of Central Florida. Go with off campus housing and make as many friends as possible. Be outgoing and study alot.

If I could go back in time with the knowledge I now possess I would advise my former self about many things. Above all I would tell myself to remain open to all the social and academic possiblities I will encounter. As a college student one gets the opportunity to learn and view things through different perspectives, nothing is concrete. I would tell myself to see college as one of the best learning experiences a human being can encounter. Also important, I would tell myself to cherish my family. The distance and time apart from them makes one realize their essentiality within one's life. Family is one's moral support more than ever in everything one embarks on in college.

I would tell myself not to slack off my senior year and not to kid myself about how easy I thought college would be. Don't be folled by the fact that you make your own schedule and the fact that ou can technically do whatever you want. Being in college is alot of hard work and it takes alot of time and detication. You have to study 10x more than you do in hogh school and to get in the habit of doing it in high school so I won't have a hard time doing it in college. Do ot procrastinate, it will not benefit you in the ned and make sure you get your work doe when you are supposed to get it done, don't depend on the teacher for extra credit. college is alot to take it but just take it a day at a time and you will be okay.

With the collegiate wisdom I have worked so hard to attain, I would go back to my high-school-senior-self and tell her to listen to my parents! They truly know more than we stubborn know-it-all adolescents give them credit for, probably because they've already been through this, even if it was "quite a few years ago" and times have changed and all that. When they say to create a budget, do it! When they want to know what you would like to major in, talk about it with them! I "went with my gut" and have changed my major three times before finally settling with a double major, but I feel that, had I talked to my parents initially, the major-switching could have been minimized to maybe only one switch! They want the transition from high school to college to be as smooth as possible for us too, so let them! When they say they want to help, our parents, more than anyone else, really mean it! I may not have believed it then, but I stronly do so now: when I graduate, that diploma will be as much theirs as it is mine!

Get involved in sports. One could be able to get paid without him doing much

I would tell myself that college is great, but expessive and to start saving up because its going to cost a lot.

If I were to somehow meet with my past self in my senior year of high school, I would have loads of advice and information to pass on to myself. In high school, my idea of college was just simply a continuation of my high school, like a 13th grade. I would immediately tell my high school self that that is far from the truth. College is something that is more advanced and geared toward your development of the major that you choose to pursue. I would further tell myself that the transition to this new college life is going to be difficult at first. I need to be more open to these new people and I shouldn't be afraid to make friends that'll help me with this new transition. College is a whole new experience of meeting new people, gaining exposure to new insights, and most importantly painting a picture of what your future will be like. The actions that you during these four years will ultimately determine what my future will be. Lastly, I will say to myself that persistence and determination are all that I need to succeed here.

If I could go back in time and give myself advice about transitioning from high school to college I would stress the importance of creating a well balanced schedule. Freshmen year is a very exciting time with many opportunities and it is easy to mismanage your precious time. Obviously academics should be every student?s priority because ultimately that is what we are in college for. So students should attend class regularly, do assignments punctually, and devote enough time to studying outside of class to learn the material. It is also essential to get involved on campus through organizations to make friends, give back to your community, learn outside of academics, and discover yourself. To maintain a well balanced schedule I would suggest purchasing a calendar to stay organized. The calendar should consist of class time meetings, test dates, assignment due dates, club meetings, campus activities, volunteer opportunities, and social events. Adjusting during the first year of college can be overwhelming but if you stay organized you will learn a tremendous amount about academics, people, life, and most importantly, who you are.

The first thing I would tell my high school senior self is "Don't stress over everything. You'll do just as well if not better in school if you don't freak out about everything." This would of course be after the past me freaked out about seeing a future me. Then I would tell myself that "procrastination is not the answer." I have a feeling though I would still probably not take that advice. I would explain that the transition would have it's ups and downs academically as well as emotionally. We get through it though because we make amazing friends. The last thing I would say is to "be financially conservative." When you switch from a community college to a university you will be thankful for every penny you saved. Also "have fun" because, without any fun it makes everything so much harder to deal with. Then my future self would vanish, and my past self would think she had finally literally gone insane.

I would tell myself that the teachers are not completely wrong; college can be tough. The best way to bring failure upon yourself is to procrastinate. When an assignment is assigned, start on it that day and attempt to get the majority of it finished quickly. Also, study habbits need to be formed long before senior year comes, and if they have not been, then they need to be formed quickly. It is not possible to briefly look over notes 15 minutes before a test and then do well like it was in high school. Tests tend to be longer and with more complex questions. College is a whole other ball game than high school is.

If I could go back in time I would change a couple of things. For one I would have taking advantage of dual enrollment in high school. I think it is just wonderful to have that opportunity to graduate high school and also obtain a college degree. Plus you could go right into a 4 year college. Another thing I would change would be to have dedicated my time to more extracurricular activities and become more involved in my community. I was always so quite and kept to myself in high school. I feel like I missed out on such a big part of socialism with my peers and just having the opportunity to be more actively involved. My advice to myself would be to not be so intimidated by what is out there. I would advise myself to get involved in study groups. Get actively involved in school groups and organizations because this only helps you in the long run. With these changes and advice I have set for myself I feel that the intimidation I have at times would not be there and I wouldn?t be so afraid of change.

The first thing I would tell myself would be to not make any academic decisions based around a boyfriend. I would then encourage to finish my Associates degree at the community college. I am a strong believer that taking the first couple of years to grow, learn, and discover yourself is the key to a succesful academic career, as well as financially more affordable. Don't wait to the last minute to apply to transfer, if you do you will not be able to obtain all the financial aid you would be entitled to, from either UCf or IRSC. When you transer get involved on campus early. Don't waste your first year going to class, work, and home and thats it. UCF offers so many different ways to get involved on campus and really will help you obtain internships, network, and polish your business skills. Continue to apply for financial aid you never know what you might get. The last thing I would tell myself would be to have fun, learn and enjoy this time as an undergraduate because you will never have this time back and it is the best years of your young adulthood.

I would say to apply to as many places as I want to go, even if you think you might not get in. Just apply and hope for the best because you might understimate yourself and those universities might be looking for you.

Not to care so much about the little things that happen to you on a regular basis, they are just temporary.

Do as much possible and take advantage of all the resources the campus has to offer.

I would attend a 2 year college and complete all the class needed to earn an A.A. in the major that I am interested in before tranfering over into a 4 year university to make the transition easier. Furthermore, I would take into consideration the importance of the S.A.T and A.C.T

If I went back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would say for me to work hard in my advanced placement classes and pass the college-based exam. If it weren't for those courses, I would save about three hundred dollars a class that could be in my own pocket instead of giving it towards tuition. Also, I would not tell, but almost yell at myself about my grades, and how important it was to work to recieve one hundred percent of my Bright Futures Scholarship, which could've given me seven hundred dollars extra a semester. Lastly, not on an academic note, but as advice to life, I would say to my high school self, that like everyone says, now I'm an adult and nobody will spoon feed information like they did in high school, and my grades depend on myself, and I'm soley responsible if i want to succeed or not within my four years of college experience.

Don't get to caught up with the change, stay true to your self. You may think partying is okay your first few semesters, it's okay in moderation but school needs to stay first . Stay focused because you don't want to get behind. It is easy to get lost in the new environment.

Given the opportunity to go back in time and have a conversation with myself as a senior in high school, I would definitely tell my self to be prepared for a rollercoaster of emotions and to not let it effect my schooling. I took my high school career very seriously and graduated with over a 4.0 average and as a senior in high school I wanted nothing more but to apply to different colleges and prepare to move out . On my 18th birthday my parents separated after a 32 year marriage and my world got turned upside down. My father moved out on the day of my graduation and moving out and going to college didn?t seem like a option. Instead of moving out and going to college I stayed home with my mother and attended a local community college. After earning my AA, I transferred to UCF and just completed my first semester earning a 4.0 ! My journey has been an arduous one but the struggles make me appreciate my successes.

In reality, if I could go back in time, I would not give myself any advice. When I was a high school senior, I always knew that I was meant to go to college and I could not wait to get there. The main reason for this is that I was always very dettached from the high school life and I wanted to finish right away because I knew I was not learning what I needed to learn. College was the best thing that ever happened to me and everything was exactly the way I expected and wanted it to be, so I guess my only advice to myself would be: "hang on, because the real, useful learning experience will begin shortly."

This is a tricky question for me, because I am an older student. At 32 years old, I have been attending college on and off since I graduated high school. I finished my AS degree right away, and my AA a few years after that. It has been only in the last 2 years that I have finally discovered what I am capable of and what I want to "be when I grow up". That being said, I have quite a few things that I wish I could tell my 18 year old-graduating high school-self. I would tell myself that I am capable of so much more then I ever knew or was told. I would tell myself not to be intimidated by the words "University", "Professor", or "Campus". Most importantly, I would tell myself to get involved! Meet your professors and classmates...talk to them and network, because they can and will be a great asset to you! As my Dad would have said to me, "Get your ducks in a row!" be organized. The transition from high school to college is filled with lots of new info and you need to keep it all organized!

It is very important to study and keep the goal at hand at your center of focus. The most important thing you can do is meet with your teachers and go to every tutuoring session offered because they are there to help you and most importantly FREE! There are so many opportunities to be successful and you need to utilize them!

If I were able to go back into time, I would tell myself to remember not to stress the little things. Work as hard as you can, continue on the path you are on, don't follow the crowd, be your own person, and always remember when times get hard you have people at home who love you and will always support you. Try to be a bit more organized and learn to speak up and stand up for what you believe in even if you're standing alone.

If i could back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would say start early. First enroll in college classes as highschool student to get ahead of the class. I would also join as many organizations that you are passionate about. Secondly, I would suggest to get envolved within your community and find out what you like to do and what you don't like to do; so you have a better idea of what you want to major in. I would also suggest learning about your professors and getting envolved in doing research for your class.

Check out more than one college. Incase you find one that is a better fit when it comes to class sizes.

My advice to seniors is to do a lot of research freshman year in college! Find what makes you happy and what you will want to do for the rest of your life and pursue that dream. Be open to everyone you meet because you will learn so much from everyone that enters your life!