University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

Back in high school, I took finances for granted, but if I could go back in time, I would advise myself to have taken more advantage of the available scholarships. The recession is obviously having negative effects on everyone, but I never would have imagined this in high school. My parents split up during my senior year, and my father got laid off from his job. In the midst of all of that chaos, I was focused on getting my GPA to at least a 4.0 and being captain of the track team. I applied for colleges early, but I did not apply for any of the various scholarships that were available through my school, church, and outside sources. I took those scholarships for granted, and became more focused on actually getting into a good school, but not the financial part. Now, my father and I are struggling to pay for college. I have already taken out loans, which is definitely something I would never had imagined five or six years ago, and I am going to have to work alongside of my education, which is something I would rather not do. With prayer, everything will turn out alright.

I would advise all my friends to take all the ap classes they offer in high school. I would also advise them to complete all of their foreign language classes in college. Also I would advise them to pick up a good study habit.

I would tell myself not to stress so much about college. It was a relatively easy transistion for me, and I wasted time and energy worrying too much about the seemingly hard adjustment. Also, I would explain that college students are a lot different than high school students. Most of the students that attend my college are at or above my intellectual level, and grades are not enough to get to the top of your class,. In order to stand above the rest, I have to join clubs to ensure a good resume and possibly make networking contacts. Joining groups in college are essentual, because the decision to join one may influence the career I attain after I receive my degree.

The first semester of college necessitates daily adjustments to the radically new life each first year student has been thrown into. As confident as I was on my first day at the University of Illinois, there are three areas where minor adjustments could have been made to allow the transition to be much smoother. Academically, I would have better utilized my academic advisor to immediately begin my career path instead of focusing on general curriculum for the first semester. Taking advantage of dual credit classes to fulfill multiple requirements would have put me a step ahead of my peers and on a more direct academic path. Socially, I would have more intricately explored the school's website to immerse myself in the vast array of organizations and clubs available for me to become involved with immediately in my collegiate career. One, which I chose to join, incorporated me instantly into university life, and joining another could diversify my social outlets. Finally, financially, I would have surveyed many more scholarships and financial aids to ease the burden of the inevitable collegiate fiscal responsibility. Many of these opportunity exist, and would allow me to strictly focus on academic success at the university.

For the most part, transitioning into college was pretty easy. I got off to a good start meeting friends right away and even learned how to get around campus well. Except there are still a few things I wish I knew before school started. First of all, try to be more involved in campus activities; whether it is joining a club, volunteering, going to sports games, or participating in dormitory events. It?s a great way to meet new people and a way to give back to the community. Second, take the chance to talk to your professors and advisors. I always talked to my teacher?s assistants more because it was in a smaller class or I felt less intimidated. However, talking to the professor gives you an opportunity to view the subject in a more experienced way. They could also be a very good mentor for your career. Last of all, time management is one of the keys to success. Keep a balance between studying and your social life otherwise college may seem very stressful.

I think that 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body at my university would like to go back in time to talk to their high school senior self. I personally would make sure to tell myself what major to choose, not to eat too much dorm food, and to be careful with missing class. I would also tell myself to get a job my first year because a job forces a person to organize their time. Lottery numbers and things like that are an obvious consideration also since paying for school is much harder now. Yet I also feel that if I really had the opportunity to go back and talk to my senior self I would not say anything because I am generally happy with the hardships of my freshman and sophomore years. I learned life lessons that I would have never learned had I known to avoid my early hardships. I am now more organized than ever and I have, in my opinion, finally matured.

I would advise myself to not get distracted by my surroundings and to take school more seriously. I would also say to have a plan ready as to where you want your career to take you in life. Had I gone to school with a plan, I think I would be in a better position than I am now.

Going back to my senior year of high school would be very beneficial to my transitional success upon entering my freshman year of college. The one piece of advice that immediately comes to mind would be the importance of time management skills. This cannot be stressed enough seeing as how life can become miserable if a student is unable to manage their coursework efficiently. During my senior year of high school, I decided to take it easy and took a relatively laid back schedule. When I entered my first semester of college, I was hit with a rude awakening when everything from projects to papers were assigned within the first couple weeks. Like any incoming freshman, I wanted to experience the new sense of freedom associated with college but my social life was initially limited due to my procrastination. While there are many words of wisdom that I would like to tell my former-self, the most useful piece of advice I could give would be to find a balance between coursework and social life that works.

I would tell myself not to be afraid of this life transition. Although change can be intimidating and scary, it can also be meaningful and inspiring. Before relocating to college, I spent a great deal of time worrying about whether or not I could adjust to this new environment, and if I could handle being a little fish in a big pond again. I realize now that this was simply time wasted, since I adapted to school just fine. In addition to not being afraid, I would also tell myself to appreciate every moment of college. The time truly passes much quicker than one can comprehend, especially when you are enjoying yourself and succeeding academically. Meet as many people as you can, join organizations that you?re passionate about, and make the most out of every minute you?re there. I would encourage myself to listen to this advice, since it would only enhance the great experience of attending college.

Apply to more schools and don't settle for your back up.

There are two pieces of advice I would give to myself. The first is to take a deeper look into getting more money to pay for college--to either research more financial aid opportunities or to find a job during high school to have more money for college. These methods would help to keep me from taking out so many loans, which I have done, and I probably wouldn't be in so much debt as I am now. The second piece of advice I would give is to find a major and get a degree in something you enjoy and are passionate about. Having a job that helps you to make a good living is important, but having that career that makes you that money is meaningless unless it is something you enjoy and love doing.

If I were able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself that college would be the singlemost influential time in my life. The transition from being dependent on my parents to being sort-of independent on my own at college wouldn't be as hard as I thought it would be. The university is well aware that everyone is coming in either not knowing anyone, or only knowing a few people. That is why they have freshman events. I would tell myself to go to all the events, meet as many people as possible, and not to be afraid to make new friends. As a high school senior, I knew exactly what I wanted my major to be, looking back I made a great decision, because I am on my way to becoming a doctor. However, I wish I would have tkaen some "fun" classes along the way. College is the only time in your life when you can take different classes and truly explore and understand what interests you and what you may want to do for the rest of your life.

Do not have expectations! It's fine to research the best school for yourself and to have plans laid out, but do not rely on them. Reality often differs from our expectations and while fulfillment of them can bring joy, having them unmet can cause great disappointment and dissatisfaction. Instead, allow room within your plans for change and take things as they come, seeking the best in all situations. Do not be afraid! Go out and seize the opportunities that are available. College is a great place to learn and prepare yourself for a career, but it can be so much more. Attend a guest lecture, see a play, join an athletic club or a band, go to a concert, and cheer at a school game. These activities are what makes college unique and such a fascinating community to be a part of. When you step onto campus and walk on its grounds remember that college isn't just about preparing for a job, its about preparing for the rest of your life.

I would tell myself that I need to put myself out there more and not be afraid to talk to new people and enjoy new experiences. I would tell myself that everything happens for a reason and do not be afraid or dissappointed if things do not always go my way as they have in the past. I would also tell myself to get involved in more activities because those activities are where you make lasting friendships. Don't be afraid to approach a professor and create a relationship because they will be there to help you. Sometimes those relationships are a difference between an A and a B. This is the time when you find yourself, don't be frightended if you see yourself leaning towards a different career than origionally planned. This is the time where you live on your own and grow up- your advisor is there to help you, but only to a certain extent. If someone isn't treating you right then say goodbye and enjoy the time you have with the friends that are there for you. Leave the past in the past and enjoy the time you have now.

College life isn't as grand as Hollywood shows us; you need to make a lot of choices on your own. Be sure that you think of the consequences of your actions, seriously, I'm not trying to sound like Mom, but you really should. Also, be sure that God is at the center of everything you do; that what ever you do, you do for the glory of God. Never forget about Him. Whenever you're in trouble, don't think that you can handle it all by yourself; pray to God and go to your friends, same age or older, and don't be afraid to ask for advice.

Don't let freshman year fool you. You need to start out hitting the books hard and focusing on grades. Once you get that down then you can worry about trying to take on a bunch of other activities.

I would tell myself to be more sensible during my first semester and not get swept up in all of the new liberties. It is easy to spend whole nights with your friends when there is noone to stop you, but eventually you run out of gas. When you do the group project for GE 101, don't trust your group members to get anything done, try to motivate them early and checkup on the progress all the time. Other than that, get ready to enjoy some of the most fun (and some of the most challenging) times of your life so far.

Don't lose yourself. You are a strong force and can make a difference in the world, even at a young age so never underestimate yourself. Rachel Joy Scott, one of the victims of the Columbine shooting once said, "I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same." Be the one to make that difference! Understand who you are and where you come from. It is easy to get caught up in the social aspects of college life or to lock yourself away from friends while studying day and night. You only live once and make the most of it. There will always be obstacles in the way on your journey through college and that just makes you push yourself to a higher level. Challenge yourself to be spontaneous and don't settle for anything less than your very best. Your very best is using your life to make a difference and with that difference, just like Rachel said, "You just may start a chain reaction."

Highschool me, college isn't as tough as they make it out to be. You graduate in 4.5 years and only because of some hard times you face. You lose your sister, and you lose your best friend, but you bounce back. You fight through it and become a better person. Everyone you will meet are great people and will remain in your life. Stay focused and you'll do well, since you have a head's up on those two tragedies you should be ready to face them, and do better than I did. Good luck.

My senior year self was confident and ready to take on the world. Unfortunately, my freshman-year-in-college self was shy and nervous and just different. My advice to myself would have been why not? Although having this motto to live by may scare some parents even more about sending their kids to college, let me explain. I found that I missed out on a lot of opportunities in my freshman year simply by being too shy or worried about not making friends. This year, whenever I have a doubt when an opportunity comes up, whether it be a job, club to join, or simply whether to go out for the night, I ask myself "why not?" This isn't to say that everyone should take on an invincible attitude. If I have a solid reason as to why I shouldn't do something or go somewhere, I listen to it. However, if I am just limiting myself due to laziness or nervousness, I force myself to do it anyways. Not all experiences turned out to be good but my thought is that at least I had them. Thats more than the freshman year self could say.

Make a practical choice and realize the career potential in the major you choose. Also, if you plan on graduate school, get the appropriate research and work experience ASAP.

If you thought high school was a breeze and you're gonna do the same throughout college, think again. Not only is college very different, but 1 semester in college = 1 year of high school. This means it's twice as much work in HALF the time. If you were the student that studied the night before exams just to get by, change right now. Exams and quizzes require days of studying and you will find yourself practically living at the library, so pack a lot of energy drinks and coffee. You need to be prepared for the enormous workload, so maybe take summer classes the summer before your first semester if you already have an idea of what you want to take. Exams aren't measurements of "if you can plug in the equation or know the definition, then you'll be fine." You need to have more than this "superficial" grasp on material and REALLY know it. College exams make up most of your grades in classes, usually 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} in math classes, and are very conceptual-weighted. for every hour of class per week, study twice that amount if you want to "get by."

Looking back, I was only concerned about the academic aspects of attending a university. I've discovered that there is so much more to the university experience. While your classroom learning is very important, your personal growth is more important. Knowing this, I would have taken more opportunities to participate in new things coming into the university. I've found that there are too many things on this campus that I now wish I would have tried. Take a risk and do something new.

I would give myself the advice to really learn how to study in high school, it really pays off in college. In addition i would tell myself that college cant be completed in a day, take everything one day at a time and do not rush. It is important to not feel overwhelmed and ask for help, if you give up to easily you will not be able to be successful. I would also tell myself to hold onto my passions because thats what drives me through school.

My feedback on the great advice covered in the 'Inside the Admissions Office' Webcast

stay motivated, and keep up with all of your course work! its easy to fall behind

I would tell myself never to slack off. I worked hard in high school, and started my college career by taking it easy. Additionally, I would have taken a variety of classes to make sure I knew what I wanted to do. That is key. It is no fun going through college in a major you are unsure about, especially when the work load is so high.

Join clubs as a freshman and small schools probably aren't so bad.

If i were able to do so I would honestly go back in time and pat myself on the back. I was very determined to succed in High School and I am proud of all that I accomplished in my four years there. I would most definately reassure myself that college is where you go to discover exactly what you want to do and who you are going to be for the rest of your life. I was worried that I did not know exactly what major to choose, or if I was choosing the right University. I think there is something to be said for intuition, because when I came to visit the University of Illinois and walked around on the campus, it just felt right, I could visualize myself as a student. 3 years later, I still get that same nervous excited feeling walking around campus. I wish that i could have had a bit more confidence in myself coming into the University, I let my nerves get the best of me at times, but I could not be happier with my situation today.

Be prepared to move from an extremely small town to a huge campus town. It was a huge adjustement for me to come to this campus. I would tell myself to learn how to study for exams more than the night before because even though that worked in high school it does not work at this Unversity.

It's in your best interest to figure out which type of school best suits you. I believe it is vital to visit colleges of all shapes and sizes! It's important to become acquainted with how living at a campus will affect study habits, social life, and activities. The people who surround you are also very influential. Going to a small school gives you a strong sense of community. But attending a small college where the people are unlike yourself can be detrimental. So, visit! Don?t just take the tour! It is necessary to see behind the scenes! Trust me, you do not want to attend a college where you?re kind of socializing differs with the norm! Make sure that a BIG school isn?t too BIG! If you want to study in a library every night, taking a bus onto campus to do homework may not suit you. Or maybe it does! But the important thing is to pick a school that is a great fit for you and the person you want to develop into through your college experiences!

I am content with the way things turned out. I knew that Architecture was the career for me. In two years I completed my associates degree at the College of Dupage. I also, was a starter for the basketball team and helped us get to Delhi, New York for the NJCAA divison III Nationals. During these two years I established a great relationship with my teachers, classmates, and teammates. It was nice to have feed back from the teachers multiple times a week. From what I've heard from students at other Universities they don't recieve as much one on one attention. Another benfit of going to community college was the price. I saved a lot of money. With the money I saved I was able to use it to afford studying aboard in France through the University of Illinois. Now, I'm surrounded by great architecture and traveling all over Europe. If I were to go back and tell myself I was going to be a starter on a college level basketball team and studying in France for a year I wouldn't wanted to do anything differently.

If I can go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, the advice I would give myself would be to seek out more scholarships. As a senior in highschool , I did not really understand the severity of finding money for college. Now that I am in college, I found out through my situation that there is no possibility that I can receive financial aid from my school. Also, I would tell myself to do more research on the intended major in which I wanted to pursue. I changed my major twice. As a result, I will have to possibly take summer school in order to graduate in four years. I will have to fulfill the department's course requirments. Lastly, I would have told myself not to fall in love in college because it will hurt when a breakup happens. As a result, you lose focus and then you stress out.

You should look into all the university has to offer. There are so many different majors to examine, clubs to join, and friends to be made. Do not limit yourself. Take this time to find out who you are and who you can become. Do not be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and experience various things. Don't be afraid to "re-invent" yourself. Not only can you do anything you set your mind to do, but look for experiences you never even imagined existed. Networking is extremely important. Soak up all the information and experiences you can. Do not be afraid to ask for help. When people tell you college is the most fun time and also the hardest time, they are correct. It's your time to learn, grow, and blossom! Expand your horizons. Make the most of your college experience.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to do everything I have done before. I believe I was pretty well equipped to attend this university. I was diligent, possessed great time management skills, joined various extracurriculars, and I was a mature and focused individual.

Study more, high school does not prepare you for college.

Breath. Breath in the air of your hometown, because you will be leaving soon. Breath in the scent of home cooked food, dorm food will never have that scent. Breath when your overwhelmed with applications and paper, it will be worth it very soon. Relax. Relax when your best friend makes you angry, your time left together is limited. Relax when you fight with your parents, you will miss those small arguments. Relax when you you can't make up your mind, these choices are important but not the end of your life. Take it all in. Take in the drive home on that familiar road, it may be awhile until you see it again. Take in the halls of school, these are your final days as a high school student. Take in the comfort you feel in your own home, home will soon be different. Breath, relax, and take it all in. Not only now, but when you arrive at school. What seems complicated now will be nothing soon. Life is about to become difficult beyond belief. Things are going to be completely different. These are the best years of your life, your life is just beginning.

Save money! Be prepared to work hard! Learn how to study early on!

I would tell myself to be more careful about the college drinking scene. Also, I would tell myself to take on more classes and more of a challenge because its very manageable. I would also tell myself to be confident. Making friends is so easy as long as you feel good about yourself and put yourself out there. But the most important thing I would say is to meet NEW people, do not always call and hang out with people you knew in high school! There are so many other people out there that will become your new best friends for life. Emerse yourself completely in college life and try not to think about home and everyone you used to know as much. Think about being at school and doing something new!

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself about college life I would say to stay focused on school work, and get involved early and consistently with campus life. I would tell myself to stay focused on my academics because that is why I am going to school, to do well and get good grades, learn, and apply myself so that I can achieve greater things that my family does not have and need. From my point of view if I do not try my hardest there is no point in attending, because this is my future and life. Getting involved into school organizations and campus life does not only help meet new people but as well gets you involved and looks great on a resume. Getting involved in an organization with which is related to your major will also help out tremendously not only personally but also helping career wise.

If I were given the chance to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would most definatly tell myself to put more of my energy and thougts toward figuring out what exactly I wanted to pursue. I have always been a dreamer and an artist in a sense and never could fathom the idea of what my future would look like and take the time to prepare for the work field. I was luck enough to live out those dreams, and am now able to focus on my educational asparations as well. I would also encourage myself to really push my abilities to the limit. I did not give myself enough credit for my abilities then, and I would like to advise all young people trying to discover themselves to reach for the stars, because the sky is the limit.

If I were to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would definitely have much to say to myself. To begin with, I think the three major things I would emphasize would be: to be motivated in my upper level courses, practice good study habits, and to be able to time manage to the best of my ability. As a senior, I was involved in basically everything that I could get my hands on. Being employed almost full time, being a varsity athlete, and being a leader in symphonic band were just a few things that kept me busy during those days. It was a sort of "Jack of all trades, Master of none" scenario. Reflecting back on those times, I was motivated to get well rounded, but I was lacking my academic work ethic. I now know that is something that gets looked over when students transition into their collegiate careers. In high school I was the big fish in a small pond. Now, I find myself swimming in an enormous ocean as a little fish. If I had the opportunity to talk to myself, I would motivate myself to become the big fish in the ocean.

I would tell myself to try as hard as I can from the very beginning. To understand that college is much more difficult and time intensive than high school. Don't always get caught up in the moment and become involved in groups early. Make friends as often as possible and hold on to them, aka make connections for later on as well as memories for the time being. Love college because it is so much fun. Work hard, play hard!

As a high school senior, I wish I had realized how drastic the change is from high school to college. It is like living in two seperate worlds. I would have loved to know how important it is to be outgoing, especially in the first couple of months. This is the only way to make friends, because not too many people will reach out to you if you do not do the same. I also wished that I would have known that it was going to be extremely hard, but I needed to give it a shot. The first semester that I was at the University of Illinois, I hated this school. However, once I gave the school a chance, I loved it and realized that it was okay to move on from my high school world. I think that all students in high school need to visit a friend or two in college during their senior year, in order to begin to recognize how different the college world is. Accepting that things will be drastically different is the key to living happily in college, and I wish that I would have known this when I was in high school.

Take your time. College is not just a 4-year-experience. Instead it is an eye opener to the world we actually live in, because it exposes you to so many different people and revenues. College gives you that once in a lifetime opportunity to redefine the way you want to see yourself in the future. You have the advantage to take up so many activities including: sports, religions, clubs/organizations, courses, etc. to choose from, because they are all conveniently at your reach. It?s okay to be open-minded, but you should never feel pressured to do anything that would question the representation of your original character. Remember you are an individual, and college is just an outlet, where you can explore or expand your uniqueness.

I would definitely tell myself to consider drastically changing my study habits. College is very different compared to high school and therefore new study habits must be formed in order to succeed here. I would also tell myself to try not to be so shy because college is a place where one is free to be themselves and free to figure out who they really are. Being shy only inhibits that necessary growth. Most importantly I would tell myself that anything is possible and not to give up on my goals just because things become difficult. Life is full of challenges and only the strong overcome them.

The most important thing is to challenge yourself socially. This will affect your future more than anything that you study academically. The friends and experiences you have during this time will affect how you experience life after you leave, and having close relationships will help you weather storms that you will encounter. They will also help in networking, opening doors of possibility that were previously closed or unknown. Also, do not slack off in your final semester/year, as you will need to push yourself in order to be ready for the rigors of college coursework. Do not listen to those who advise you to shut it down and coast it in during that time. Especially work on your writing skills, especially concerning lab reports. Hone your observational skills, so that you will notice every detail, and teach yourself to describe those succinctly, but noticing enough to meet the length requirements of the class. This will help you better communicate and allow you to do better academically, causing less strain on your mental and emotional health.

Chill out and never stay in at night! The more people you meet, the better college gets.

I would tell myself to stay motivated and don't let thigs distract you so much. There's always parties and times to have fun but what's really important is that you stay focused and make sure you get your work done.

Here is my list of top ten pieces of advice:10. Pack LESS clothes MORE rain/snow gear!9. Go to professor?s office hours - they write the tests!8. Get involved and stay involved in as many activities as you can.7. Get season tickets to the football and basketball games!6. Live in the dorms!!!5. Don?t worry about not knowing your roommate ? it will work out!4. Take advantage of the flexible schedule you have. This is the only time in your life when the weekend can start Thursday at 3:00pm.3. Stay on campus for the summers.2. Yes, it is going to be as hard as you think to get A?s!!! Stay focused on your goals and drink lots of coffee when you need to! =)1. Have fun, the next four years will be the time of your life!!