University of Maryland-Baltimore County Top Questions

When I think about myself two years ago, I honestly was not too much different than the person I am now. However, I am older, and with age comes wisdom so there are a few things I would say to myself. Number One: Do not be afraid of your professors. Even the scary ones. While most professors at my school are helpful and awesome, there's always one that isn't. But it is their job to teach and help you, so if you need it, go for it. No matter how cantankerous they are. Number 2: Do not pick your roommate the first year. It's much better to be mixed with the pot, because then you meet more people and have a lot of fun doing it. Number 3: Do not pick out your friend group the first two weeks of college, because they will often not be your friends several months later. It's not high school, but people still create drama for no reason. Number 4: Do not stay up past midnight on a school night. Yes, you make friends, but talk to them when it's still daylight. You'll do better in school.

As a college Senior at UMBC i have seen alot of things throughout my past four years that i never really experinced in high school. I learned so much about myself and about others and how to interact toward other individuals. My school is very diverse and I felt like i was in culture shock my sophomore year that i transfered into the school. I believe that you should come into any college with an open mind. Join different social groups and meet people of different kinds of races. Dont stick to one particular crowd. You never know what you could get out of the relationship if you make friends with different types of individuals. Visiting the campus for the weekend would be a good way of experiencing college life is really like. Overall college is an experience that should not be taken advantage of. You should enjoy every minute of it and not let other people influence you on certain decisions that you may not feel is right.

There are many things that I could wish I had known in high school that I know today. But the reality is that if I would have know what I know today when I was a high school senior then I would have probably made the mistake that I did or had the success that I did. I current time would not exit. But I think that they only advice that I would give me self it to always try hard and to just focus, and sometimes it won't be easy and u might fail but to never give up.

I really would not change much, because in a way, that is what makes the college life what it is. You change majors, you change professions; things just change. Honestly, going into my last year, I think I've done everything I wanted to do except graduate :) But if I had to give myself some advice, I would just think about making a couple backup plans if my original plan did not work. Of course everyone (hopefully) has a plan after high school, but it is rather daunting to have a backup plan so I would advise myself to do that.

I wasted a lot of time in Community college because it was easy, cheaper, and the only the credits transfered so it didnt matter how bad you could do in community college as long as you do enough to be able to transfer. It hurt me because when I came to university it was very hard to adjust, and I had taken all the easy classes at community college and took all the hard classes in university making it very hard to adjust.

focus on making lasting relationships, don't isolate. network - people want to help you. make sure to take care of yourself BEFORE anything else

To please your father, or please yourself? To bring glory to the family, or glory to the self? For enrichment and understanding, Or money and rights for bragging? In all these things you must decide, For the consequences are yours to abide. College life is not high school. If you disagree then you are a fool. Be wise. Be careful. For what may seem right is not always helpful. But do not be discouraged, For in this time you will find within you Much courage. Do what is right, No matter what. And in everything you do, Trust your gut.

Dear Ashley,Take a deep breath and relax. I know as a senior you are stuffed with countless emotions day in and day out. You wake up every morning asking yourself ?Where am I going in this life?. Advantageously, this letter is here to guide you. Take what you want from it, and know everything is going to be fine. You will be accepted everywhere you apply (I bet this just put a smile on your face). However, along the road there will be people telling you to give up your swim career. This is when I want you to look in the mirror and know you are a survivor. You can succeed if you put your heart and soul into everything you do. UMBC is where your journey will begin. College life can?t be explicated in words. It is everything you can imagine and more. The transition from high school is made easily as long as you are willing to embrace change. Michael Jordan said it best with ?Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game?. Life is short, so appreciate college and study hard but don?t forget to have fun and laugh often.

With college comes a freedom that will be a new and exciting experience for most incoming freshmen. Though it would prove regretfull not to take advantage of this newly-earned privelage, do not indulge. Stay focused and build a strong and stable foundation to pave a path for the rest of your college career. As college progress, you will find out that your GPA will be harder and harder to raise. This is enough reason to stay focused on school in the early years of college and come out strong with a high GPA. A strong GPA will allow you to take advantages of more opportunities such as scholarships and internships. With the ever-increasing rate of college tuition, scholarships will be more than helpful. Internships will help in securing a post-undergraduate job in your field of study. Everything adds up and if you do not have a strong foundation, everything could crumble. With that being said, make sure you create friendships with many different people. Join different student orginizations and get involvled around campus, but do not overload yourself and forget about school. Balance is the key to everything. Study, socialize, survive and succeed. That is college.

My advice would be to always do your best at everything you do. I would explain to myself how college life is totally different from high school and how you would have to do everything on your own. There is nobody telling you what to do and how to do things.

READ MORE!!!

I would tell myself that going to community college and then transferring to a four year college would be the smartest thing I ever do. That it is possible to have a fulfilling college experience while commuting everyday and having both a learning and a physical disability. That the professors will challenge me and make me really stop and think about what I know, how I think, and why I think the way I do. That the friends that I will make will be some of the greatest people in my life, and that while the work is sometimes very challenging to do, it's worth it. That it's not a problem to ask for help when I need it and that the people here really want me to succeed. That my advisor cares enough about me personally to ask me what I like to do and what I think my options are, so that she can keep an eye out for internships that I'd be interested in. That it's okay to not be perfect and that the transition is going to be weird, but that it passes quickly.

I would say plan ahead with regards like financial aid and academic hsitory.

When finding the right college, I would encourage students to seek friends who are current students at the prospective college so that they can learn about the school's atmosphere from a student prospective. Most of what is place in college brocheres is generalized information; this information does not always convey the actual environment. It is very helpful to visit the campus while classes are in session because you can guage what an average school day is like. Talking to current students and exploring the campus were very crucial to me deciding where I wanted to go. In the end, I feel I made the best choice of where I will develop as a young scholar and future leader.

Really sit down and take a look at what you think you would like to do in the long run for a job. I know most students have no idea what they want to do starting out, and some still dont know even after having been in college for a few years. If you do have an idea, take a look at any and all colleges that offer that sort of program or are known for it, and apply to all of them. Then make your decision from there. If you have no idea, apply to all of the reasonably priced schools that look appealing and apply to all of those. That way if you decide on a major and that school is not one you like, you have not wasted a lot of money on an expensive school for no reason. Also, some community colleges are an amazing start for students and can even be better academically than some of the universities.

Dear Parents and Students, Picking and choosing a college isn't all about the future, but rather, who the individual is and what they want in the present. Many students come into college thinking that they're going to fly right through, get a degree, and have a job by the time they graduate. However this isn't the case. Many students come to realize that they have to be mature adults when they're really not and they will eventually have to start earning while also going to school in order to fund their education. Pick a school because of its academic program and their finiacial package. Don't be fooled by nice architecture and a 'fun' environment. Take into account what you and your parents will have to do in order to get through the next four years. Its not hard, but its not that easy either. Have fun, study hard, and don't forget your responsiblities and priorities. I cannot emphasize this enough, but please remember to fill out your FAFSA so that the financial isn't that tough on your family. Welcome to college! Hang tight and have a blast! Sincerely, Mahnoor Siddiqui.

Always do your work, its better than nothing. The only way to keep up on your work is to be accountable, that means either making lists, using the agenda book or even an online calender. This leads to organization. The only tool you need to succeed in college is the ability to pull sane and logical order out of the inevitable chaos caused by the attempt of individual students to balance work, a social life and their academic careers. Don't be stubborn, your new and have no reason to not get help for everything and anything, don't figure this out the hard way. The motto to follow is: "Do it". Try everything, get a taste, then you will learn how to deal with stress. Do it right at the start, it is critical you learn to handle stress. Stress is that force from many things that presses on you as you do more tasks than normal. It forces you to act and you will learn from those actions, whether they are good or bad choices, it doesn't matter. Everyone learns from their mistakes.

Go to community college. Get an idea of what you want to do and find a college that fits. Do well in community college and let scholarships put you through the final two years.

My advice for parents and students would be to plan ahead for college. There are three main factors that are included in making the most out of the college experience. The first factor is financial preparedness. College is very expensive and it is important that parents have a financial plan for the child's college career. Financial difficulties can add stress to the student which can lead to poor academic outcomes. The second factor is discovering the students academic interest at an early age. Students should be exposed to various career fields throughout their primary education and receive specialized guidance during secondary school to help discover their career interest. Discovering a career field/major at a young age can help relieve the feeling of frustration and uncertainty during the college years. Lastly, students and parents should discuss the many aspects of college frequently. College is one of the greatest experiences of life and parents and students can work together to make the best of it.

Finding the right college starts with the needs of the student. Define your actual needs in a college, not petty wants. If your unsure about your major, do research, shadow or ask a professor about the content of their work. Making the most of the college experience begins with putting academics first and a social life second. College is a place for learning a developing - not a place to learn how to bindge drink. It's also important to not neglect the fact that your peers are an valuable asset to learning. One way to make the most out of your experience is to find a group of friends with study habits most like your own. This way the group can study and hang out at the same time. Don't waste money on entertainment - get involved in campus activities and social groups on campus. Know what resources are avaliable through your college and use them whenever possible.

I would advise the students/parents to take college tours before deciding on their college and becoming well informed about the school before making a decision and how it will benefit them the most.

These are the years to learn and grow as an individual, to find out who you are and become who you want to be. You will never get another opportunity like this, and there's little point in holding back. So connect with your professors, talk to your advisors, and find out how to do research and get involved in your field. Take every opportunity to study abroad, work around the world, volunteer to help those in need, start a club - anything. Get your fingers in everything, and you'll establish contacts and networking opportunities that will serve you for years to come. It's also a fair bet you'll find so many new things that fit you, that you'll take them in and grow from them - college is supposed to change you, so let it.

Its ALL ABOUT what you want to do, not what you should do. Don't listen to those who goes "theres no money it", etc. If you do something that you are extremely passionate about, then money is the least of your worries and you'll be overall a happier person. I recommend that you sit down everyday for 15 to 30 minutes thinking about what you're passionate about. It could be absolutely anything; big or small. Once you find what you truly want to do, your heart and mind will guide your actions towards the future that you've made in your mind. Live in the future, be who you want to be. Again, its ALL ABOUT what you want to do, not what you should do. For the parents, I recommend talking to your child about thier futures, support them, and ultimately be happy for them that they're doing what they're passionate about.

Selecting a college is a life changing decision that can be hard for a highschool student to make by themselves. Whether teenagers dump the decision onto their parents or are forced to do their own research, there are a few things one should keep in mind when choosing a college. Size of the college, educational programs, extracurricular activities, housing, location, and most importantly price are a few factors students need to consider. The best advice I would give to a student trying to choose a location for higher education would be to visit as many colleges as possible and talk to the students on campus. The best way to choose a school is to attend the college or university and get a feel for the students attititudes towards the school. Choosing a school may be stressful but try to see the excitement in choosing your future destination.

You need to find a school that fits you. Don't pick a school based solely on an academic program unless you are 300 percent sure that's what you want to do with your life. Your college choice should be about the next four years as well as your overall future. Pick a place where you will have fun AND learn a lot.

Get involved!! Don't skip class....EVER!

Make sure the school is the right size for you. Can find the right people and activites that will interest you. Find the right programs

Above all, the academic and social factors are the most important. Your college should focus its attention and resources towards your desired major and career choice. Further, the academics should be a challange but not easy enough to be considered a breeze. But at the same time, ensure that you will come out of the college near the top of the class so as to gain the relative likings of the on campus recruiters. As for the social factor, absolutely all students must live in dorms. The experience is so enjoyable and necessary that every student must have it, even if there are considerable finacial holdbacks. The student should choose a college where the social atmosphere meets what he wants more so than what he is. The student should aspire to be what he wants to be. Although the financial factor is important, do not make it the center for your decisions. A decision based on money that alters the prime academic experience can negatively impact the student's career future, and a decision based on money that alters the student's social experience can lead him to regret.

To get the most out of your college experience you should be mentally prepared to put in the needed effort, be disciplined and determined enough to devote the necessary time to your studies, and be willing to devote your best efforts to achieving the goals that bring you to college. We don't come to socialize and party, but we come to college to improve ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually. Attending college is a privalege earned by our devotion to becoming an educated person. It is not just a meal-ticket to personal success, but a journey with an established goal that ends with the accomplishment of that goal. Education then continues throughout a person's life, first to further the original goals and/or to develop new goals and develop new skills to enrich our lives and the lives of people around us.

Always go for your 1st choice =] good luck

Look for what you want and what will benifit you and your family in the long run

Go to the place that you feel you will have the best experience and do not go somewhere that you know you will have a hard time...and do not go somewhere just because your friends are going there...do research

Let the student decide which school is for them and choose on the atmosphere and variety of programs related to what you're intrested in. You will change your major and develop new intrests through college. Just roll with the punches and create friendships that will last a lifetime.

college is the pursuit of meaningless peice of paper.

When I first started appyling to schools my preference was the school that was farthest away from my parents. My parents wanted the school that gave more scholarship money. Those two things can be accounted for in any school out there, but the best advice that I can give is to start looking early and don't settle for just anything. Start looking at colleges before the summer going into your senior year of high school because there are so many schools out there to choose from and there is one out there just for you. Campus tours and overnight stays are the perfect way to get to know the school, faculty, and the students that will soon become your lifelong friends and colleagues. Don't just settle for anything, there is a school out there that is just perfect for your field of study, as well as you and your lifestyle. This may not seem like the most important decision of your life as you are applying to colleges, but once you get to that school on the first day of classes it will hit you, this school will change your life.

When you go write down the pros and cons of the college. That's how I picked the college I'm going to. Also, look at financial aid and what scholarships the college will give you. And don't be afraid to ask students on campus what their experience is. ALWAYS go on the campus tours. Some people just don't. But I went on a tour for UMBC at least 3 times, which is a little much, but it helped me in picking what I wanted. Make sure that the major is offered at that school and if you're undecided make sure there's a lot of options or an interdisciplinary studies program. You don't want to be stuck somewhere and have to transfer out because that's a hassle and some credits just don't transfer right.

Visit as many schools as you can. Sit in and classes. Meet with other students and ask them how they feel about the school.

help support your child in students no matter how bad the economy.

I would advise doing as much research as possible in regards to what kind of degree you're interested in, such as reading course descriptions on classes offered in the major you're considering. The most important thing to me is deciding to where to live. You need to analyze what kind of environment you can live comfortably in. If you're fairly young and fresh out of high school, more than likely it is easier to adjust to any environment. However, if you're a little older, maybe 22 or older, it is possible to be set in your ways in which it is hard to live in a noisy environment because there's always going to be someone partying somewhere at some point. Maybe that is okay with some people, but if you are serious scholar it is important to find a comfortable environment because then it is all downhill from there. My biggest mistake was assuming that since my school is an honor's university, there will be serious people here so there should not be so much partying going on, but I was wrong, so just make sure you get your living situation taken care of.

think

Take a deep breath and understand that state Universities provide many oppportunities. Name brand colleges are not always the answer, especially if you can get into them for graduate schools. Really research the colleges and understand what it offers, and consider the bills and loans to the career path the major will take you.

Definitely take you're time because a good education/college experience is worth much thought and consideration.

take your time and find out everything about the school before you decide. and its not all about the money.

GO visit the school. Talk to the students who currently attend the school. See the surrounding areas and meet some of the teachers.

Go and visit the colleges you like, talk to random people there and ask them what they think about it.

Work hard in school so you can get into the school of your dreams.

I believe that students and parents should take their time in finding the right college. Students should find a school that reflects their personality and allow them to grow. In order for the students to make the most out of their experience they must get involved. By getting involved in the school it allows for the students to feel a part of the school. Also, becoming involved in the schools allows the student to grow. Students become exposed to new people and ideals and allow them make friends for life. Doing school activities allows the student to have an outlet. It allows for the students to have something else to do besides schoolwork and allows for them to be able to enjoy their college experience. To me the best part of going to college is all the activities that are available. It allows me to do activities that I enjoy and engage in some that I otherwise would not have engaged in.

The best advice I have about finding the right college is to consider how you liked your high school experience as well as what you intend to study in college. If you liked your high school because it was small and personal, choose a smaller school or one with small class sizes; if you're looking to be self-sufficient and left to explore different major options, choose a bigger school with a wider variety of majors offered. That being said, be sure to visit all of the campuses of colleges to which you intend to apply to know if they have the "right feel" to you. Once you're in college, don't be afraid to go out on a limb, always leave time for more friends, and ask for help whenever you need it and you'll do fine.

Find something in your price range that provides an enviroment that your student can be happy in and that allows for the best educational experience.

First start with the basics of what type of school you want to go to. Then narrow down your search gradually until you get just a handful of schools you may wish to attend. Finally make an effort to visit these schools before admission.