University of Central Florida Top Questions

Although dual enrollment may seem time consuming, DO NOT reject such an opportunity!

If I could give advice to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to apply for more scholarships. I learned this year that between books, tution, housing, and meal plans your money goes very fast and I would warn myself that although I did get a few scholarships, I should keep applying for more so that I can get as many of the expenses of college paid for and so I can aviod taking out loans.

College is the most growing experience that I have had until this point. It forced me to think by myself and make my own decisions. It gave me the opportunity to meet people of different backgrouds that I never expected to meet. It also gave me the opportunity to acquire valuable experience when it concerns my future career preference. However, most of all it gave me the opportunity to learn more about myself and develop into an independent woman. So, I can only say to not be scared that it will only get better!

Well, I did not make it past the middle of 11th grade in high school and received a GED. I started college later in life and have acheived my AA Degree and am working on my BA at UCF. I then plan to go to law school. I don't think that I would change anything that I have been through in my life as it has made me a stronger and more knowledgeable person. The advice that I would give myself about college life and making the transition would be go for it, you can do it at any age, you can acheive your goals, take your time and be ready to attend college, don't let anyone hold you back and study hard!

If I were able to go back in time to when I was in high school, I would tell myself not to worry about finding my way in college. I grew up always fearing that I would have to be completely on my own and not have the guidance of another individual throughout college. Since i've become a member of the UCF community, I have quickly seen that there are thousands of opportunities to help you succeed and further your educational, social and intellectual life. Since I've started college, I've become more philosopical, almost wise, and I have my adult peers and my community to thank for that. My college has several ways to reach to students for not only current problems, but future ones as well. Finding a mentor to help you along your way is easy in this community. The stress and fear that I received as a high school student would have non-existent if I had none then, what I know today.

Do not slack off in college and when you work hard it will pay off in the end. Thoroughly research the major you want to persue and assess all of the expenses attributed to the college life.

As you enter college, you will be starting a new time in your life where you will be confused at all of the different opportunities that are offered out there and what you can achieve. With this in mind, always keep yourself motivated and determined to achieve everything possible. Don't let the stress of how much a degree may cost you, or how much work it will require, but think more of the fact that you are working towards starting your life in your career, and the rest will fall into place. There will be a lot of obstacles that you will have to overcome on a daily basis, but remember that all of the hard work will help lead you into becoming that much more of a hard worker when you are looking for a job. Never forget how much work you have already overcome during your years of schooling, and use this to help motivate you to pass all of your classes and work towards something new. Don't be scared of what the future will bring, instead embrace what the world has to offer you.

College is hard but donr get frusterated. Take it easy, don't overwelm yourself, and try the best you can. Take only whatyou can handle, and dont wait till last minuite to get stressed and work on your grade. Aim for an A!! Always! Do not let other discourage you !! Get involved and engage in the most activities you can. Build relationships with other students as well as teachers!! Above all remember that you are great and you can do anything you set your mind to, Don' t give up!! Be the best at everything you can!!

Embrace every opportunity you are given and never change yourself. You will experience many good and bad situations, sometimes you will feel uncomfortable and other times you will be content. No matter how you feel or what you think, know it is all a part of the process. Cherish every moment you have, because you will never have it back. Study until you feel successful, dance all of your worries away, hug every person you cherish, and share your happiness by smiling at everyone you see! :)

Zoe though working may be a priority since you have to pay bills, try and focus on community service hours as that will open up many doors to scholarships. Not only that, but also try hard to pass all your AP classes! And when it comes down to picking classes, try and take as many AP classes as possible.

I would tell myself to start taking school seriously. I would ask myself to take a look at what I want to do with my future. I would tell myself to strive to the best of my ability and to take harder classes. I would tell myself to learn how to study and manage time and money now. I would tell myself not to listen to other people about the way I should be. Most importantly I would let myself know that everything will work out as long as I stay dedicated.

I would say that don't worry what other people tell you about a school. Make a decision for yourself and your needs. Don't let others influence your decision. I am happy with the choice I made and glad I didn't listen to others opinions.

Going back in time and talking to myself in high school as a senior is always something i wish i could do. At the time i was just turning 18 years of age, meaning i could get a low limit credit card; which i found out later on this was the first personal financial mistake i ever made. I would lead myself to not get into any debt, knowing all the debt i was going to have to be forced to take in college. As well as my senior year i would probably take myself back a little earlier, maybe sophomore year, and tell myself that working hard in high school was very important for later on in life. At the time i did not understand how high school would pay off, but now in college i understand my opportunities would have been a lot bigger if i had done better, as well as the knowledge i would have attained from high school to have a strong backbone of information for my college level classes.

If I could go back and take the position as my old guidance counselor, definitely I would stress the importance of selecting a university with a surrounding city that I would feel comfortable living. After all, I have to live there for four years. I'd also ask myself what is most important to me when defining myself and my identity. With that I would advise I choose an environment that accomodates me most in that manner. Furthermore, I'd make sure to suggest volunteering as well as getting to know the faculty and staff involved in my major. Lastly I would strongly suggest searching for internships from the first year of college entry.

Buckle down and work hard especially your freshman year! Just one mess up can take you all four years to get back on track and can also leave you with no/very little financial aid!

I would tell myself to plan ahead and stop expecting life to "work itself out." If you don't think ahead--consider what your heart truly desires, what is feasible, what is profitable, and what is favorable to your future--then you'll find that things may not work out like you'd want. Perhaps they will work out for the best, but you can't be sure! And to be sure you need to take the initiative; look into the schools you interested in--even vaguely interested in--and look into them with great detail; use all resources at your disposal; weigh every pro and con possible. Don't be afraid to consider the little things like where the school is located, what the campus looks like, or who might also be attending the school, but do not let any of these be deciding factors in your decision making. Let the academics, the activities, the potential networking, and the reality (of tuition and such) be what truly drives you to your decision. Put simply, consider everything you can ahead of time, and don't be slack about it; plan ahead as best you can.

Don't spend all of your money on fast food. Use your time wisely. If you are going to go to this out-of-state school, live with your family members instead of expensive off-campus housing. Be involved in any club or group that sparks your interest. Try out for the dance team.

I would tell myself to study in the library every day and treat school like a 9-5 job. You constantly need to be reading information and practicing what you learned in order to be successful. Also, I would tell myself to act your age and learn how to take critizisms. People are only trying to help you be a better person and you need to learn how to change yourself. Be nice toyour mom on the phone. Don't ever eat Great China!!! ( The closed for health Reasons : ( )

If I could go back into time and talk to myself when I was a senior in high school, I would have some simple but honest and hard truth to tell myself. I would first off tell myself that anything my parents said would happen, most likely did. They still do know best. I would tell myself to stop spending my loan money like there is no tomorrow, because when it runs out, you just have to try and take out more debt. Apply for as many scholarships as possible, because you may never know what may end up happening. If I could go back and tell myself college wasn?t, and isn?t anything like high school, I would be a better college student today because of it. Learning and going through hardships only helps you grow in life, but listening to your parents and to the advice of those around you can help you make better informed decisions and protect the longevity of your college career.

The advice I would give my high school senior self would be to make sure all of your AP scores were transferred over, switch to another dorm because sometimes the first roomate you get could be a completely different person than you are, always be wary of the roads because many people cannot be trusted behind the wheel. Also, always keep your keys, phone, and ID with you because the unexpected could happen and you might need to call someone or show ID in an emergency, make sure to get your roomate(s)'s phone numbers, and keep checking email and mailboxes for updated news on a class and other topics such as financial aid status, any suspicious activity going on that the police email students to be wary. Also, make sure to learn from your mistakes and expect to get a lower GPA and grades in classes, and always ask yourself why you are here: to get an education for a lifelong career.

My experience was delightful.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, i would tell myself... well, two hundred words wouldn't accomodate all i would say. I guess the best and shortest advise that i could give myself would be that college is tough but with motivation, hard work, and at least eight hours of sleep a night should do the trick. Realize that what we do in those short years of college affects how we will live the rest of our lives; therefore, make the most out of it by studying, joining clubs, and applying for scholorships to help through the journey. Never procrastinate to avoid stress and to make college life much easier. My biggest advise would be to just enjoy being young and in college cause it is a short-lived experience that many people don't get to experience. I would wish myself the best and would feel very blessed that I was allowed to talk to my past self before I entered college.

Approach college with an open mind- it's a great experience full of tons of new opportunities & responsibilites. Don't be afraid to open yourself up to meeting new people & joining clubs. Don't feel overwhelmed with classes- make some time to do something you enjoy every single day.

I would tell myself that college life is going to be fun but it will not be easy. I would instruct my past-self to go ask my mom to teach me how to cook in order to save money. Also I would tell myself to buckle down and study more often than I think I should because classes get alot tougher as the semester goes on. Another thing I should tell myself is that I should cherish the time left with my family because I will surely miss them and the support they gave me while I lived at home. Overall the transition was not very hard for me so I believe I could be even more successful with just that bit of advice.

I would advise myself to prepare early for exams and not procrastinate. It is easy to become distracted at a large university with many entertaining events and activities happening all around you, but you have to force yourself to study sometimes. However, do not solely focus on studying. You must find a healthy balance between studying and free time in order to stay psychologically focused. If you become too focused on either extreme of studying or partying your grades and overall happiness will likely decline.

If I could go back, I would tell myself to take more than four classes a semester when I wasn't working. It would have been wiser for me to keep a full schedule as I did in highschool. I would also tell myself to explore classes other than what was required because knowledge of other subjects would be beneficial in times to come. Finally, above all else, have fun because life is too short.

I would pay closer attention in some of my classes because I have taken classes where some of the material is something I learned in high school, but had just forgotten.

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare. I can't stress enough how applying to scholarships very early on realy is. Make a plan even if you change it as you go, start by mapping out the next four years of college even if you have no idea what is going to happen. Go online research, or ask friends and family how college is really like. Start perfecting studying and listening skills while you're still in highschool. Most importantly never give up, you have big dreams so you have no time to waste get started.

Learn how to study!

Work hard at everything you do. Get the best grades possible, the highest scores possible, and highest GPA possible. College is no joke, you will always regret not working as hard, so do the best you can. ENJOY the time you have with friends and family. College will drain away your social life, so appreciate the time you have with loved ones.

I would tell myself to be more proactive in my school life and ask more questions. Being proactive makes life so much easier, and you find yourself getting things done faster. I would also tell myself that the end is in sight and not to stress about what college you'll get into. You will get into the college of your dreams, and if not, then you'll just make a new dream.

If I was able to journey back in time and rendezvous with myself as a highschool senior, I'm not sure there would be alot of discussion about adapting to college life. The transition from living at home to conducting myself as a newly christened UCF denizen happened fairly painlessly. However, this does not mean that all my tidings would be bright or reassuring. This year has been an arduous journey, frought with financial peril and beaurocratic aggravation. A perfect manifestation of Murphy's law, this semester has tested the fullest extent of my fortitude. This being said, my dialogue to my naive, past-dwelling counterpart would not consist of grim warnings and tales of woe. Rather, they would be words of encouragement and hope. The most important knowledge I could impart to the ambitious, albeit clueless, young man in front of me is that dilligence and hard work are instruments that can dig him out of the deadliest of quagmires, be they lost scholarships, excessive school fees, etc. I would remind him that character is not inherited, nor is it bought or improvised. Character is sculpted from the clay of our endeavors, amidst the volley of life's curveballs.

I would say take the most scattered set of undergrad courses in the first semester, go to other classes that I am not enrolled in, and figure out what is actually something I could see myself doing. Then figure out the requirements. Do this as early as possible. Knowing that I was going to go to law school would have been a great advantage and would have given me a chance to plan jobs, clubs, organizations and everything that would ready me for that graduate program. I would tell myself not to get sucked into the "college life"...something I was able to avoid for the most part and focus on the future and why I was at college. The transition is more easily handled as well by voluntarily putting me into situations that will make me involuntarily meet people. I have been independent and able to take care of myself for years before college- so that wasn't hard. But forcing myself to meet people wasn't something I did well- so living in the dorm or something would, while annoying would have been a good way to meet people and all that.

Look into more schools, don't just settle on one major, consider other majors first, look for more financial aid, get more involved your first year, do not go into your first year with a long distance relationship, have more fun while you can!

The best advice I wish that I could have gotten as a high school senior is to learn how to stay calm. College can be very stressful at times, and it is important to learn how to manage your time. From school work, to friends, to extra-curriculars and employment, there are many opportunities to become stressed. It is important for college students to know how they work best, and to know that there are people available on campus to talk to if you feel overwhelmed. A good balance with all aspects of your life is important in succeeding in college, as well as in life.

Della, you have been in school for 13 years, and now you are looking at officially becoming an adult. As you move past high school graduation, you must be thinking about all the exciting things you will be able to do with your brand new level of freedom. As you prepare to go to college in the fall, you must be filled with apprehension, as well. It truly is an exciting and scary time. You are going to get out into the world and start really exploring who you are. College is the perfect place for that. There is so much you can get involved in, and you should really check out anything that seems interesting. Be involved in your school. Take advantage of the benefits. But, take your time. You don't want to bite off more than you can chew. My advice to you is to remain focused while you explore all that college life has to offer. Manage your time wisely. Keep your academic and social activities balanced and in check. Make your decisions with your end goal in mind. And, most importantly, don't give up when things get rough.

Think about what you need to be successful. Don't choose a school just because all your friends are going there or because thats where your parents are pressuring you to go. What tools do you need, and which school could meet those needs best? This isn't a decision you can make overnight. You have to research the different schools available to you. It's also important to actually go and see the campuses. You will never know what its like unless you go and see it for yourself with your own eyes. I know its difficult but think about the long run, not just tomorrow. Close your eyes and try to picture yourself in a couple of years, where do you need to be? Which school can help you get there successfully?

Stay the course, go through community college and don't go straight to a 4 year university, you'll save money and the friends of yours that go straight to the big university will probably all funk out anyway. Then when you get to the college learn from their mistakes and become a great student and have as much fun as you can in the same time.

I would tell myself to make sure to set a lot of time aside for school and make that my number one priority. Always put school before everything because it is a wonderful opportunity and investment in your future.

If I could go back in time and talk to my past self as a high school senior, I would tell myself to lighten my college coursework for the first couple semesters. I would tell myself to relax, and that I will make it through and be successful. I would tell myself Event Management is the major I will eventually decide to major in and to take coursework related to that so I can persue my goal of becoming an event manger. I would mention to find internships or jobs related to event management so I could get hands on expereince for my future career and look more marketable and desireable for the work force. I would tell myself everything would sort it's way through and all the hard work will eventually pay off!

If I could give my high school self some advice, I would definitely recommend making the most of academic resources, specifically: instructors, professors and guidance counselors. I would have spent more time meeting with professors and counselors; getting to know them and their careers. Doing this from the very beginning would have made my academic experience more rewarding, because I would have guidance to make the best choices for my path of study, wisdom from their experience and understanding, and connections that would lead me into my career.

I would definitely remind myself that money does not grow on trees and that studying is of the upmost importance. I would urge myself to develop and transfer good study habits as well as good money habits. Also, I would stress the importance of going to freshman welcome week activities as well as participating in the LINK activities for freshman. I would urge myself not to pile activities on myself when I first get on campus. It is very important to take your time and get to know your campus, but if you load your schedule up with all sorts of activities and clubs during the first few weeks, it is difficult to balance everything and feel comfortable on campus. Ultimately, I would tell myself that college is not as threatening as I thought it would be and that your best memories are made in college so I should savor my time at UCF.

If I could go back to my senior self, I would tell myself to take college more seriously. High school does little to prepare someone for college. At college, noone is pressuring you to go to class or making you do your homework or study. To attend college means you have to have a ton of self-discipline and high school doesn't nearly prepare you for that. I would also tell my high school self that having fun is not the only thing important at school. You have to know when it's time for fun and when to buckle down and focus. I would make sure that I knew that before I started college.

Vasthie, Stop procrastinating. Although you have always managed to get good grades by studying 10 minutes before a test, you need to stop. When you get to college, procrastination is going to follow you and you will be left with a GPA that will disappoint you. If you become dedicated to studying and making good grades, your GPA will be beautiful and you will not have to worry and stress as much about making it into a good medical school and even becoming a great pediatrician. You could use the study skills that you are learning in high school to make you into a better college student. Please take this seriously or you will be sorry.

If I could go back in time and give myself advice, I would tell myself to do more extra-curricular activities, do more sports and be in more clubs. I would tell myself this because coming to college and not being able to really associate with people in clubs because you do not know your interests is difficult. Socializing in high school is much easier and less scary than trying to do it on a campus of 40,000 other people. I would also tell myself to apply for more scholarships so that when I got to college I wouldn't be worrying about paying my bills and getting by every month. Also to be more responsible with my money and my time, because those are two things that you need to learn before going to college.

Take up the offers from my mom on cooking. Still in my second year here at college I have yet to make a complete meal. Those skills are really important if you do not what to live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cereal. Another thing, get used to using a planner. I can't say how many time I have forgot to do something. Finally in my seconnd semester I got into the habit of writing things down and making a to do list (another tip of my moms that I didn't pay attention too). But other than those things, being an IB student prepared me for the college workload itself. Papers were no problem and the homework was actually less in college then it was during my highschool years in IB. So I would say to listen more to what advice my mom was giving more than anything. Mother does seem to know best after all.

I would have told myself to study more so that I could have passed more AP exams and earned more college credit. Now that I have started taking some classes I already took in high school, it would have been much easier had I had gotten them out of the way beforehand. Also, I would have given myself advice about study habits. I was so used to having class everyday and having homework grades, participation, test grades and classwork and college is completely different. For the most part, there are only test grades and since there isn't class every day, it is important to study days in advance rather than the night before.

Don't be intimidated, you are not alone in this new experience. There are hundreds of other kids who are attending school for the first time same as you. Each of them is scared and trying to find their way around. In no time at all you'll find your way. Get involved, join some clubs, make some friends, and live on campus. College is a time to find yourself- don't pick a major right away, take classes that interest you, explore new ideas. Take the classes seriously, show up for them and do the work. College is a great and exciting time in your life. You are young, single, and free to do whatever you want. Make the most of this time and have something to show for it at the end of your journey.

If I had that incredible opportunity I would tell my younger and na?ve self to apply to as many scholarships available for students graduating from high school that year because finances are one of the aspects that can affect many academic choices one makes. I would also tell myself that focusing on education is the most important task during the years to come, in other words, to forget about the full-time job and enjoy the experience at its fullest. I would end by letting myself know that there are many difficult times combined with many distractions in the next few years to come, but to always keep in mind that they come with many fulfilling experiences and my best alternative is to embrace them all no matter how hard it gets sometimes.

If I could go back to my senior year of high school I would definately tell myself to study more. After finishing high school I felt like I could have done more and done better. I did well, but I feel like I cut myself short and could have achieved much more. I would advise myself to just stay focused and work harder.