University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

Make a lot of friends! The most friends you make freshman year, the more fun the rest of your experience will be. Don't freak out about class- study hard, and play hard. Everything will work it's course. And make sure to have the most fun you can.

Try to make as many friends as possible. Dont be afraid to be a little more socially outgoing. Focus more on getting good grades from the beginning. Look into the study abroad program as soon as possible. Take a lot more time deciding on your major and discuss it with as many people/advisers as possible. Get a fake ID because most people go to the bars and you'll be left out of a lot of social events if you don't have a way of getting into the bars.

You'll get everything you want and more. Trust your instincts.

I would tell myself to change my major to something that could more easily land me a job, and I would tell me have more fun, and come home less.

I would tell myself to try and find a roomate that I liked before getting to college. I went with a random roomate and i got a roomate in which i did not like. I would have told myself to have taken a couple more AP classes in high school so that I could have potentially tested out of some college CORE couses. Testing out of these CORE classes would have allowed me to take more credits geared toward my intended major and other courses that i would be more interested in. It also would have allowed me to register for classes earlier, enableing me to get the schedule/classes that i want. I would tell myself to be a lot less shy around new people, especially to people you meet on your floor. This is because making friends and close conection with the people you are living with can really help you with the transition to college life. I would tell myself that it's very important to make friends right away so you can surround yourself with a support system that can help you with the stresses of a first year at college.

First thing I would tell my self would be to cut back on the number of hours I was working at work and focus on my studies and apply for all the scholarships that were available, because the higher my GPA the higher chance of me gettign into a college and being approved for more Scholorships. Second i would tell me self to not to procatinate in my senior year and get all the application to all the colleges in prior to priority deadline, I would also tell my self to rather play a sport than to work part time while in high school.

I would tell myself that college is a lot different than high school. In college there is a lot more freedom to do what you want, when you want. It is an opportunity to learn about yourself and grow from your experiences. You have to learn to discipline yourself to complete your assignments and readings as they are assigned! If you review a little everyday, you're not cramming when its time to take an exam! With that being said, take advantage of office hours and review sessions! The instructors are there for you and want you to succeed! Also, take the time in the beginning of your college career to choose your major carefully. Often times students learn closer to the end of their third or fourth year that they want to go down a different career path or course of study. Learning early saves a lot of time and money! Lastly, becareful and mindful of who you surround yourself with. Make sure you are around students with qualities that you aspire to have. If you hang around procrastinators, chances are, you'll become one! In closing, my advice is mainly to be very careful and make wise decisions!

Focus on schoolwork because it is more work than you think. Search for housing opportunities as soon as possible and have a backup plan. Apply for any scholarship you can because it is so much more money than you ever thought.

Dear High School Senior Joy, RELAX! I know you are stressed about college and the choices that you are being forced to make but I promise that everything will work out. Just trust yourself and the right decision will come to you like magic. You do not give yourself enough credit, you are smart and can excel anywhere you choose to go. Although, choosing the right college is a very important decision, there are many colleges that would be perfect for you. I know you are also very worried about leaving your friends from high school and venturing out to make completely new friends. I promise that you will do fine. You will make such great friends that it will eventually become hard to return home because you will not want to leave them. I know college is scary at first but remember to try not to be shy. People will love you for who you are, and if they don't, you should want to be friends with them anyway. Just remember Joy, this is an important decision but if you follow your heart, I know you'll choose right. Think UMD! Love, University of Maryland Joy

High School was an extremely easy ride for me and I feel that I could have prepared myself more thoroughly for college. If I were to go back in time, I would definitely do things differently, however that is not to say that I regret my past because that is what shaped me to become the person I am today. Being able to travel to the past, I would definitely do things differently and this is the advice I would give myself: 1. Set goals and try to envision what the future could hold, that way you have in mind how you want things to progress. 2. Laziness and procrastination are not key in becoming successful. 3. Talk to people (professionals, advisors, etc) Try to release yourself from your own comfort zone and get to know people that could help guide you on your educational path. 4. It is important to have fun- wanting to get a good education does not necessarily mean cutting yourself off from everyone and everything. If you have discipline, integrity, and determination fun and learning can go hand in hand. The list could go on and on, however unfortunately I am running out of words :) .

I would have to talk to myself about trying harder and trying not to work to hard while going to school. I had to retake a few courses because I was more concerned about making money and working 2 jobs than studying for tests and reading the material. I also would try to convince myself to not take as many classes at once. I thought in the begining of college that I was only a C student, but found out once I stopped wsorking so hard that I could be an A student if I would allow enough time for studying. Although studying takes up a lot of time, it shows in your grades and helps motivate you to keep going to you can keep good grades.

I would first tell myself to strive for a 4.0 and to take more elective classes and to do more community service so that I can get a better chance at scholarships. I would also tell myself to probably go through community college first then transfer over so that it saves me alot of money in the long run. But the most important thing I would tell myself is to ask for help, college is tough and trying to get in and survive the big universities one would need help. Last but not least, I would tell myself study, study, study.

If I could talk to myself in my senior year, I would day do not be afraid of entering college; it is the same thing but you have to pay 20,000 a year and receive no help from your teachers.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to be sure to develop great study habits from high school. In high school, it was easy to quickly study for an exam, and even pass with a 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}. However, I have come to learn that such tactics will not work in college. Instead, we must constantly be studying and keeping up with all the new information that we are presented with. I would also tell myself to search for multiple scholarships early and to begin searching for summer programs relevant to my major and my prospective career path.

Choosing a college is a huge decision and one you should be make after a lot of careful consideration. If you think you prefer a large (or small college) think about why you have the preference and all the pros and cons associated with it. If you were in a small high school and attend a college with 28,000 students, its a major adjustment. A large, academically challenging university gives you lots of choices, but with those choices comes responsibility to choose appropriately. You may not be able to attend every event and get all your work done. Organization and planning is key to success in college no matter where you go.

The advise that i would give to a high school senior is to learn not to procrastinate or allow social activities to distract you. College life is extremely different from high school. You have more leisure time and you are responsible for everything you do; the professors are not going to baby you like they did in high school so you need to learn to be independent and not let all the new found independence you have distract or bring you down.

College is no easy feat, but with the more classes experienced the easier college life becomes. The best thing to do is keep a healthy balance with the workload of all classes. Sleep is a luxury, professors and advisors will stress eight hours of sleep, but the reality is that eight hours probably will not happen. The best way to combat a lack of sleep is power naps. Studying is essential as well. Some classes require an extreme amount of studying to the point that the classes appear to take over everything else. The other thing that students tend to ignore is the need for internships and lab experience. Resumes are the stepping blocks into the professional world. Talking with advisors and upper classmen, graduate students included, is very beneficial as far as getting an idea of what professionals are looking for in up and coming employees. College is definitely an experience, but it is a key process in the maturation process. Through a heavy workload, and the need for success, it is a time of true self discovery. Try to enjoy it and do not take a moment of it for granted.

Try to get summer internships in the field of your intended college major during high school. The earlier you start getting experience , the easier it will be to get hired for future opportunities. Also this will give you a chance to see if you like what you plan to learn in college.

Stop worrying. Yes college is important, yes grades and hard work are important, yes meeting new people is important but you can do it. Your life hasn't been worthless, it has taught you boundless life lessons and given you much sensibility. Stop worrying, relax a little, and trust that the right thing will come about. Stop assuming it's doomed to fail, and stop thinking that any kind of failure is the end of the world. You will be strong and you will come back even if you don't at first succeed. You know yourself better than anyone else and you will be able to find the right path for you and you alone. Stop worrying about what others think, your friends, your family, concentrate on yourself for once in your life and things will turn out for the best. It will be hard, but you can do it.

I would tell myself not to buy that car! Do not move out at 19 just because you have a great paying nightshift job. I would tell myself to keep all the money that I earn in the next year to help pay for college. The transition you are about to make is not going to be as easy as you think. It is going to be very hard working fulltime at night and going to college full-time during the day. You have to start talking to people that already attend the college so when you start attending, you already know some people there. Oh, and study the campus map very well. Learn where all of the important buildings are so you don't end up late for class. Most of all, have fun. Dont be scared. Take a break from studying once in awhile and go have some fun. Join some clubs your first year. It helps with meting new people. Try to find a job on or around campus to help pay for some of the things that you are going to want to do. Most of all, remember your family is just a call away.

As a high school senior, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to study in college, so I applied under different majors to several schools. I ended up going to Virginia Tech for a year as a psychology major, but things just didn?t seem to work out after the shootings, so I dropped out of school for half a year. Ironically enough, during the half year I had taken off, I managed to get deeply involved with Students for Sensible Drug Policy, a grassroots nonprofit organization focused on educating people about the government?s war on drugs. Only after my involvement in this extra-curricular activity, and after wasting thousands of tuition dollars on a major that didn?t fit me, did everything line up for me. I went back to school, this time at the University of Maryland as a criminal justice major and president of our SSDP chapter. If I could give my high school senior self advice about college, I would suggest becoming involved in campus organizations as soon as possible. My involvement has boosted my self-esteem and helped me step up into a leadership role, getting the most out of college.

Work hard and don't get caught up in all the fun. Make sure you focus on your studies as well as have some fun. Make friends in your classes, they could be your friends forever. College is fun, enjoy it!

I would advise that my high school senior self focus more on studying effectively. In the past, not knowing how to study in a way that would bring me the most success hindered my understanding of the material I was being taught, as well as my grades in the classes I was taking. In fact, I only just realized about three weeks ago that the best way for me to study was to take time to rewrite information we went over in class, create review questions, and use those to study for upcoming tests and quizzes. Once I had figured that out, everything else fell into place for me. If I had figured this out a lot sooner than I had, I would have higher grades right now, not to mention more time for hanging out with my friends, reading, and other activities I like to do in my spare time. When I was a high school senior, the people I talked to who attended college told me the most important thing to remember was to budget your time. However, in order to be able to budget your time, you must first know what studying strategy is best for you.

I would say you should be prepared going in that you have to do a lot more work on your own to understand what is going on in class. If you want to do well you have to devote a lot more of your time and effort out of class to stydying and doing practice problems then you did in high school . No one is going to hold your hand here. Not to say that the faculty do not care because that would be false, but at the same time they understand that we are young adults and preparing for the real world, so they are not just going to hand you an A because they think you are a good student. You need to earn your grade. Lastly, I would say enjoy yourself because college does get pretty stressful sometimes and when it comes down to it your happiness is the most important thing in life. If you are feeling sad or depressed don't be afraid to talk to a friend or therapist about it. It does help.

If I was able to go back in time to my high school senior year, I would advise myself to take as many AP classes as possible. That way I could get a jump start on my degree, and accelerate my graduation date. I would also have done internships at different jobs to get a feeling of the different arenas and possibilities within my interests. Furthermore, I would have started saving earlier for my education and applied for different Scholarships and/or grants. Finally, I should say that otherwise I am very proud of my academic success so far and what I have accomplished throughout my years of education.

The advice I would give to myself as a senior given the opportunity, would be to look harder for schools that match where I want to be and what I want to do. Unfortunately, I did not know exactly what I wanted to do until I got to college. However, it still would have been beneficial to look more than I did. Also, I wish I had known that I would have preferred to get farther away from my hometown and learn about places other than the DC metropolitan area. I always want to travel, so even just moving away for college would have been a good start and great experience for being more on my own.

The college application process is a stressful one, but apply to every college in which you express even the vaguest interest. Give yourself options. You never know which college may compel you througout your senior year. Open yourself to shifting interests in the kind of campus life you'd like to have, the majors you'd like to pursue, and the professional field you'd like to access. Applying to several colleges will accomodate your changing interests and diminish the confinement of applying to only a couple. Also, immerse yourself in each of your potential colleges. Take several tours of each campus during operating hours in which you can observe current students progressing throughout their day. Shadowing a current student is a fantastic way to familiarize yourself with the college and determine whether you feel academically and emotionally comfortable on the campus. Envisioning yourself as a student at each college will assist you in deciding which college is the best fit for you. Finally, ignore negative stereotypes or stigmas that others might attach to the campus life of your potential colleges. This is your college experience and tuning out negative comments will decrease the stress you feel during this process.

I would give myself the same advice. That I should be happy and take things easy. I would probably try to tell myself more that its okay to study more and that friends will be there after you get the A. Also, I would tell myself that it's okay to ask for help and that I should do it as often as I can. You would rather be the person who asks to many questions and knows the material, then the person who is too afraid and does not know anything. It doesn't matter what other people think of you. If you think highly of yourself, then everyone else will see that and come up with the right opinion from that. I would tell myself to enjoy the time I have here and to take every opportunity to learn!

I would tell myself that it's important to know where you stand religiously and to not get involved with girls immediately. Also, I would tell myself to be a proud Jew.

My advice going into college is to be very open-minded; be willing to break up with your high school boyfriend and don't cling on too tightly, understand that your best friend in high school is hundreds of miles away and cannot provide a social life for you, do not judge new people based on appearance. It is easy to take these things for granted in high school, where everyone has been together since as early as elementary school. The first few months of school are crucial to creating a friend base at college, and off-campus distractions (boyfriends, friends) could impede you from creating this firm foundation. Remember that everyone around you chose THAT school to go to, so you have at least one thing in common with everyone, even the red-headed boy who likes to wear high-heels and skirts (who, by the way, happens to go to my school and is a brilliant person). Take advantage of constantly being surrounded by intellegent people every day, because you don't only better your mind through studying. Talk to as many people as possible. Join multiple organizations. And, most importantly, HAVE FUN while doing it.

If I were to talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell me to be more open minded. I now realize that planning out every year of college and what classes to take before I even get there is not necessary. Instead, I need to take the time to explore the diverse classes and oppurtunities the university offeres. Transition wise I would tell myself to get out more and try getting involved in some more sports like I'm doing now in my third year. All in all, I believe it is important for students to really find themselves at college and the best way I've learned to do so is to try a little bit of everything.

In high school I was extremely driven and followed a demanding schedule. Today, would I probably tell myself not to put as much pressure on myself. My ultimate goal in high school was to earn high grades and be over-involved in extra curricular activities so that I could attend an Ivy League college.My reasoning for this was that throughout my high school years, I saw how my family struggled financially. I thought that my easiest way to attaining the happiness was by attending a good school I now know that how I perform in college will determine how successful I am. At the University of Maryland, I have been given many opportunities to find internships because of the school's proximity to Washington D.C. and because of the loyal alumni. It is through the contacts that I make at my internships and in talking to the alumni that I know I can find the ways to success. High school was an overall stressful experience due to the academic pressures that I placed on myself. Today I would convey to the high school version of myself to work hard but enjoy myself in the process.

As a high school senior, I would have told myself that college is not easy. In order to make a difference in the future of my life, I need to work hard and apply myself . College is time consuming, but well worth the effort. I have obtained knowledge and friendships that will last a lifetime, and I am only in my junior year. I graduated from Wheaton High School in Wheaton, Maryland in 2006 and attended Montgomery Community college for three years. My last year at Montgomery College I worked hard and obtained straight A's in the spring and fall in order to boost my grade point average so I could attend the Smith School of business at University of Maryland, College Park. Ever since I could remember I wanted to to a successful business woman. When I was five I created my own store called "jen's stop and shop" where I would sell used items from around the house to my family, and then resell the same items to different members of the family. Today I continue to dream of owning my own business, except in an honest and ethical manner!

I would say to just enjoy your last year of high school because you will never be able to re-do it. There is so much stress put on you your senior year, but enjoy it and make the most of it. Study hard, make good grades, but take the time to make the most out of your experiece.

The most important advice I would give to myself is to stop my procrastination early on before I get to college. Procrastination is the killer to most people's grade, you just can not wait to the last minute to do your work or study in college. This is because the work load gets piled up fast and before you know it you are too far behind to catch up. Another piece of advice I would give myself would have to be find many ways to study. I know when I was in high school I did not need to study but once I got to college it was a major transition for me. If I knew how to study before I got to college the transition would have went much easier.

In this rough economic time I suggest parents explain to their children whether or not they may be able to afford the school of their choice so that there are no surprises. However, when choosing a school, do not only choose a school based on one aspect. For instance, I would not suggest students picking a school simply because it is in a city or near the beach. Pick a school you can see yourself in along with choosing a school that works best for your major. Picking a college can often be a compromise. Although the student will be attending, the parent's usually will be paying. If you do not get to attend your top choice school, go into the other school with an upbeat and positive attitude.

In order to find out whether or not a particular college is right for an individual, I believe it is very important for one to actually make a visit to that college and take couple days to experience the campus life, social life, and classes by participating in over-night stay programs, attending classes, and/or asking the students directly about what they like about their university. I would like to advice that merely looking at brochures or knowing about the school's reputation does not mean that it is the right college for an individual. Also, to make most out of the college experience, it is very important to try new things. For example, even if one is a Biology major, he or she should consider taking a class or two in other mjor fields to gain diverse knowledge in many different aspects. It is never wrong to try different things, including sports and extracurricular activities, to seek for your own identity and find out what you really enjoy ,and may wish to continue study and explore that field as part of one's future career.

Visit the school! I was told this by alot of people and didn't believe them. I looked at a few colleges campuses, but that was mostly because there were in the area we were staying for some event. For every school I visited I thought it was nice. I always told myself that it didn't matter what my school looked like as long as I was getting the best education possible. When I was accepted to University of Maryland I decided to go to an accepted students event to learn more about the school. The night before the event I took a walk around the campus with my parents. I fell in love with the school that night and ended up spending most of the next day picking out t-shirts to bring home. If you are unsure of what school you want to go to, and have a few to decide between, visit the school. As soon as you walk on campus you will start to imagine yourself walking to class there or hanging out with the people you see around campus. You will instantly know the "right" school for you.

The best I can say is go and visit the school, and ask all the questions you have. Make sure the school has everything you want, because it is alot easier to better in school when you are at a place you love and are sure you will make friends. When you get to school make sure you join a club or sport, because those people share the same interest as you and that is most llikely the group of people you will be closest too throughout college.

Making the most of your college experience has a lot to do with the attitude you go in with. Growing up I never wanted to attend UMD. Now, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Find a club, work on campus, reach out to others on your floor, and try hard in class! When looking for colleges remember that you can make a big school small but you cant make a small school big. Try to think about what kind of opportunities the school can offer, the alumni network, school spirit, and overall impression given by the students you interact with. One really origional way I decided on Maryland was to look at each school how many students were wearing university clothing. It was easy to see which universities had a lot of spiritied and passionate students!

I would advice students and parents to visit the school prior to making decisions. They can visit the school during the weekend to see how the campus is during the weekend. This is needed to determine if the campus is a right fit for the student. I would also advice the student to visit during the weekday to visit a class in the student's field of interest. This will help determine if the classroom size is appropriate for the student's need. And finally, it will be very important for the student to keep in close contact with a student that's already enrolled in the campus to find out more information about the school that is not portrayed to the public.

Be careful and make sure you're prepared to work hard.

When choosing the right college or university it is important to ask, where do I see myself in 2 or 4 years. Based on the answer the question find a place that will help you achieve the answer to that question. Are there certain academic milestones that you need to reach? What kind of activities do you need to participate in order to reach your goals? How do you want to grow as a person. Another important aspect is comfort. As yourself will I or my child be comfotable in this enviroment? College should be challenging however success will only occur in a place where a student is comfortable. Lastly ask what you imagine a typical week in college to include. Once you know how you want your college life to be like finding the right college or university should come easily.

There is no ONE "bad" or "wrong" college for you. Tour the campus, consider your financial situation, but at the end of the day go with your gut and make the best of wherever you go. Life is about taking risks and chances, there will never be a perfect place, situation, or job, so it's all a learning experience-- and you can always transfer!

In order to find the right college, I think it is important for the prospective student to visit the campus and if possible to do an overnight stay to really experience what it would be like to live there. It is also important to look at the academic, extracurricular, and social activities at the school to see if they relate to the student. It is important to find the school that most relates to you and where you know you will be happy and find your niche. Talk to current students at the school to see what they think about the school and why they picked it.

Finding the right college is key. I suggest visiting numerous colleges or universities to get a feel of the school and environment. Make sure to talk to students to ask their opinions as well as professors in a field of your interest. Also explore the different options, extra-cirricular activities, academic support systems, and other ways to get involved both on and off campus. Start the college search process early and give yourself plenty of time. Find the place that feels like "home" and you could see yourself enjoying. Picture yourself in different places on campus and with different groups of people. Keep searching until you find that "perfect" fit for you because trust me, its out there!

When I was applying to colleges, I had no idea what I wanted, applying to a wide variety of schools and spending too much money on applications and sending scores. The college that I ended up choosing was actually my last choice going into the whole process. I completely fell in love with my campus at orientation and, in retrospect, I definitely made the right decision. Everyone was really friendly and helpful, and the campus atmosphere was upbeat with always something going on. Whatever you want to do, there is probably a club or group of students that shares the same interests. My advice to prospective students and parents is that you can't judge a school by it's admission pamphlet or website. To get a good grasp of what a college represents, you have to make sure to take the time to visit and get to know the school both academically and socially. Most of my friends fell in love with a particular school when they visited it, and I think that you can't base your decision on academics alone but by where you can see yourself being happy for the best four years of your life.

I would advise parents and students that the most important thing to consider when choosing a college is if you feel comfortable there. Most universities offer similar qualities of education, so more important than anything else is whether you will be happy at the college you choose. If you love your school, you will learn more and be more prepared for life after college than if you aren't happy. For this reason, my advice would be to spend time at your choices of schools and compare how comfortable you feel at each.

Decide whether or not it would be wise to go to a college in state or out of state. Out of state colleges are difficult because parents will not have easy access to their children if something happens or if they need something. Also, take advantage of the oppurtunities that your college gives you. It is a once in a lifetime experience and you won't be able to do most of the fun things once you graduate. Most important, it is easy to get distracted so stay on top of your school work as well.

When researching colleges you should consider location, class sizes and the college's reputation especially for your major. College can be very fun and very stressful. To make the most of your experience you need to be focus and disciplined. Avoid procrastination. Put academics first and the rest will follow. Be friendly. Talk to all different kinds of people and form relationships with your teachers and advisors. Join groups and participate in different activites that compliment and add to who you are. Be assured in you are and who you want to be. There are a lot of different distractions and personalities as long as you know what you stand for and why you should be fine. Have fun, do all your work and breathe. The better you do in your classes and with your life the more confident you will feel.