University of Nebraska at Omaha Top Questions

What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

Kate

You?re seventeen, and you?re about to discover something so much larger than the small community you?ve lived in all your life. You?ll learn the importance of hard work, even when it goes unacknowledged. Even more importantly, you?ll learn that family should always come before work. Love what you do, but remember to love the people who love you in return. If you want love, you must give love. When you venture out, remember its ok to feel scared, and its ok to ask for help. Don?t panic, and never think you?re not worth holding out a hand to. You are worth it, and if you let fear control your life, you?ll never have the chance to truly live. Remember you can accomplish your dreams if you picture them in your mind and see yourself achieving them. As the popular dance school from your beloved high school states, ?Just like a dream, you are not what you seem,? don?t define yourself by your past, you are who you are now and you are beautiful. Let go of your ego and live life without pretensions. Life will appear more beautiful to you then.

Aisha

Hey Aisha, its me your future self. Yeah i know freaking awesome and weird at the same time, but that is not why i am here. I want to tell you something i wish i would have known back then. Dont start drinking. Yeah your bored and out to piss off our stepdad but its not worth it, cause one day in that drunken state we call the military recruiter and say we want to join. The next day mom is signing the papers cause we are only 17 and need her permission, but we're to messed up to realize what the fuck we're doing. We drop out of college and the life long dream of becoming a Nurse and and go to bootcamp. We gave up on our goals and that will soon become a trend of ours. We start giving up because things are just to hard. We tried going to school while working but again we fail because we dont know how to balance work, school and drinking. But let me tell you, once we finally stop the partying, we're a great student. We have so much Potential. DON'T EVER FORGET!

Kathleen

Go into your freshman year with a positive mindset. Be confident in yourself and be open about joining clubs and getting involved. If you are going to school with your best friend, make sure to make sometime to get out and meet other people. Transition is difficult, but if you cling to someone because they are the only thing familiar to you, it makes the college experience more difficult than it needs to be. Go out on your own, and take some classes by yourself, that way you get a chance to meet other people. It's is all about meeting other people and having fun. College is a new experience, there is no one to dictate what you should be doing everyday, like in high school. Make the best of it.

Alyson

Most seniors try to make their senior year their best year by focusing on friends and partying and little on school. They have taken the majority of the classes they need to graduate and are just there because they need to be there. If I could do my senior year over again I would focus more on school. I would have taken an extra writing class and some more business courses. Students don't think to worry about how much more difficult college will be compared to high school. You should still enjoy your friends but make time for school instead of taking the easy way out because you can.

Danielle

The advice I would have given myself during my senior year in high school would have been to apply for more scholorships and study more to get better grades. I wish I would have done that now because its super hard to keep up with college classes and have the grades in college that I had in high school.

Emily

Dear, Emily I am writing you this letter to give you a little advice about your future. The first and most important thing, don't stress. You have a lot on your plate with a full -time job, full-time studies, school activities, and friends. There is no need to worry or stress, everything gets done in the end. You have to learn to take it one day at a time. Trust yourself; you have what it takes to make it through. Another thing, do as much as you can to learn about the world around you. It will really help in your future career as a social worker. Be aware of societal issues and how they could be affecting you and others. Then, take what you learned and help, be active. If helping others is what you want to do then start now, the experiences you encounter will help you in the long run. Finally, take some time for yourself and the people you care about. You work really hard, but just know college is a time for living and learning about life. You have the rest of your life to stress out. So have fun! Sincerely, Yourself

Matt

I would go back and tell myself that even though the subjects may not be important in the future, the ability and study and learn is applicable across all fields of study. Being willing to push yourself to learn and study in subjects that aren't important or don't appeal pays off in life down the road. You will always run into work or life obstacles which are difficults or annoying and the ability to keep a clear head on what is required to move forward will pay off.

Cortney

The advice that I would give myself as a high school senior knowing what i know now would be a few things. I would definately say go to the college that fits you best and not what other people tell you. Nobody can make you happy besides yourself, you are the first person to accomplish that. Secondly, know what kind of activities the RA's do with your buildings or floors because that is a big part in how you get involved and unfortunately my RA does not do anything. I would also say if you grew up your entire life playing sports and you love them, just because you think college is a different step in your life do not give up doing what you love. Even if you do not think mentally and physically you can handle it and you are questioning yourself, take that chance and go somewhere you will feel at home with what you know best. If that is what you love do not stop just because you think college is different, because it is not take the chance. PLEASE. Those are the three main points I wish i would have known in high school.

Carl

If I were to go back in time and speak to my self about college I would say this. Listen to God, He knows way more than you, trust Him. Don't be so focused on your course of study, you will meet people that God puts in your path, and He will encourage you as you need, not as you want. Do your homework overly well and reasearch colleges, but pray often about it and leave the final decision up to God. He loves you!

Amanda

I would tell myself to study really hard. I don't think high school prepared me enough for college and you really need to focus and buckle down. But you also need to enjoy your time. I didnt realize how much of a difference there was going to be between high school and college but there is and you should be ready to embrace it. College is a great experience!!

Amanda

If given the ability to go back in time and give advice to myself as a high school senior, I would say that the number one thing I should focus on is giving the academic experience my all. I would join more active groups such as a debate or political team, as well as sports and theater. I believe that each of these lead to enhancing self-confidence, communication skills, dedication to achievement, and work ethic. I hesitated my first year of college due to being shy and unsure where to start in joining clubs on campus. Now that I know how much fun and eye-opening it can be, I would tell myself to go for anything I could dream of! I have enjoyed every moment of choir, band, theater, various ministry groups, debate team, cross country, and dance team since I have attended college, and wish I could go back to encourage myself to join all my freshman year. I would recommend the same to anyone as I believe it gives us confidence in class, grows leadership skills, builds friendships, and prepares for the world unknown after college.

Heather

If I were able to go back in time and give myself advice about college life, I would tell myself to apply for as many scholarships as I could possibly do. You may not think you would get a certain scholarship, but it never hurts to try, and the worst that could happen is that you do not get the scholarship. I would also tell myself to save money, and work hard so you have no regrets about the outcomes of the school years. The most important thing I would tell myself is to be who I am, and do not let anyone change who you are. You do not need to change who you are to fit in. If they do not like who you are, then they do not deserve to be your friends. Lastly, do not do anything you will regret later on.

Sheila

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would tell myself to not be afraid of being myself. That I should put myself out there to meet new people and connections. I would also tell myself to try hard in school and not to be afraid of failure. Failure isn't always a bad thing, because it brings experience, and with it you grow. You look back at your failure, review what went wrong, and try harder to fix those mistakes. This is the beginning of my life as an independent grown up. Things are going to be hard, but with effort comes results. You can't expect things to always go your way. To succeed you need to attend every class, take good notes, review your notes at home, do homework and study hard.

Kelsey

There are many times in a persons life when they wonder if he/she has made the right decision. This could include a job, trip, friend, etc. One of the big choices a person has is the college he/she attends. Knowing what I know now I would not go back and change my decision. I have loved my college experience at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I have created lasting friendships, reconnected with some family, and recived a great education. However, the things I would change are my invovlement on campus and how I approached college. I never really gave much thought to applying for scholarships. This is the biggest regreat I have. I would definately tell myself as a high-school senior to apply for any and all scholarships I/you can find. Any little bit of money helps out when in college. I did not get involved my freshmen year of college after being super involved in high-school, thinking this would help with the transition. I was wrong. Being involved helps you find a support system, friends, etc. This involvement helps with both social and academics. This is the knowlege I have aquired throughout collge.

Elizabeth

I would convince myself to "rush" (join a sorority) or attend meetings for organizations. I would also strongly advise myself in better sleeping and studying habits, as well as making time for on-campus activities.

Todd

The drive for education has to come within. You must be self-motivated to finish school. In college you have to show up for class when the only person accountable is you. Professors will not seek you out or care if you skip class, the only person you hurt is yourself. "College is the only place where consumers steal from themselves," this was a statement I have heard about school. This was in the forefront of my mind and I wanted to make sure I didn't do this. You should know you are paying for this, it's an investment, sometimes a large one, to attempt to obtain a diploma. Also I would not get caught up in the drinking scene as much as I did at some points. I understand that drinking is a part of college life, I would advise to be disciplined about it. Limit yourself to bars and such only after you pass a class, test or finish a project, not on a Tuesday when you have work to be done. Finally, realize that you need to seek out what you want. Professors are avaliable and can help, but you must find them.

Ben

I would put one hand on my shoulder and tell myself to start taking school a bit more seriously. In high school, I was eager to get out and my day ended around 12:30 pm, right after lunch. Right after I graduated, I worked for about a year and a half and realized my life wasn't really going anywhere. That's when I decided to go to college. Knowing what I know now, I think the best advice I could give myself would be to sieze the opportunities as soon as they come instead of waiting. Deciding on a major was the hardest thing I had to do, but once I had it, things started to take shape and the gears in my life began turning. And not just the regular ones, but the really big gears that have been waiting to turn since I was born. These were the gears of my career and the career is the biggest part in the machine that is my life. In conclusion, I would say: decide on a goal or major as soon as possible, and don't stop trying to obtain that goal.

Benjamin

Work more in high school so you wouldn't have to work while college is in session

Thomas

I would like to tell myself to be better prepared for the ACT's and to have looked at more job shadowing opprotunities.

Danny

Be open minded. The unknown is always scary, but worrying will do you no good. Be friendly, smile, and new friends will not be hard to come by. Do everything you can to keep the fires of past friendships burning. Moving on to college is a big step, but it is only one chapter in an ever-changing work in progress. Be patient, but never routine. There is no such thing as a time limit when it comes to your dreams, goals, or aspirations. Move forward with your eyes fixed upon the sky. Make each step more sure than the last and you will never fall down. Rest easy now; good sleep is hard to come by.

Elodie

no matter where you come from, no matter your race be open minded and feel free to talk to people around you and everything will be fine.

Erica

Wow, well for one I would tell myself to enjoy the last year of your high school experience but still work hard. Believe it or not you will miss high school so live it up while you can but be preparing yourself for college all at the same time. Secondly I would say follow your dreams and your heart, not your friends or your families, your own heart. Don't go somewhere only because your friends are going or because your parents went there, go where you and only you want to go. This is honestly a one in a lifetime experience so take it and run with it. Once you get to the college YOU want to go to get involved. This is the best advice I can give. It makes a world of difference to be involved in a group(s), putting yourself out there is the best way to get to know people and really enjoy every aspect of college life. Lastly, don't get caught up in the parties and not going to class. Once you fall behind it's nearly impossible to catch up. Oh and HAVE FUN!

Rachael

I would not talk myself out of going out of state. I think it would of been a good experience to get away from everything and start life out on a new slate. I just thought I would get homesick if I were to live more than 3 hours away from my house. Also if your debating about playing sports in college, do it. You will regret it if you don't. And if you hate it you can always quit, or transfer. But I made my best friends by deciding to play. It wasn't necessarily my teammates but it was all the other girl athletes that I met through university seminar. It gives you a way of meeting people. Loved that I played!!!

Jessica

I would recommend that students and their parents visit as many schools as possible. Even if that school is on the bottom of your list you should take a look at it because you never know. Students should talk to friends who attend different schools to get their take on the academics, extracurriculars, and social life. Also do not choose a school based on where your friends are going. You need to find the one that fits you the best! College is a great experience for everyone. Not only when it comes to academics, but also life-long memories and friendships. You should take your academics seriously and do the best you can, but do not forget to have fun...life is short!

Emily

It is important to research the programs offered at each college in order to make sure you can complete your major there. Also choose a college that has the class size you'd prefer. I think on-campus activities make a college experience so much better.

Danielle

Do not hesitate totry things out. There are a lot of college options out there and one would benifit best from visiting many schools and trying out manyoptions. Go out on recruit trips, visit the schools you think suit you, talk to councelers, make them sell you the school because it has to be right for you. Be sure to keep in mind all the big attributing factors of what school suits you best, like price, location, size, ect. Do not let the enormity of the decision make you scared to start looking early, because the sooner you narrow your options the better you will feel with the school and path you have chosen. College is a great time to explore yourself, and your world so never be hesitant to try new things as they come to you.

Kathryne

Students, examine your options carefully. Different people choose their colleges for various reasons. Some make their decisions based on where their friends are going, while others simply look for the least expensive school. The wise student, however, closely examines all aspects of their options. To do this, consider what best suits YOU. Would you be more comfortable in a large or small school? Which schools have programs that match your potential career aspirations, as well as your extracurricular interests? There is a good chance that if you do your research, you will find a school that can suit most, if not all, of your needs. Once you have chosen a school, make the most of your college experience by not only applying yourself in the classroom, but also taking time to make new friends and get involved on your campus! Parents, your child needs your support as they go through the decision-making process and adjustment to college life. This can be a stressful time as they enter into a new way of life, oftentimes away from home. However, if they have your help and support, the transition to college life can be smooth and exciting for everyone!

Andrew

Find a school that you like and fits you. Then decide if you will be able to pay for it. Stay focused in school. It is far too easy to get distracted with your new freedom from your parents, but your decisions now decide the rest of your life. Do not screw it up now. You have plenty of time to drink and have a good time when you have your degree and career in line.

Samantha

The most important part of finding a college is visiting and finding that "feel". When you feel like you are a part of the campus and the activites going on around you the whole college experience is better. Finding your own "niche" is the most fun of the whole campus life. Explore, enjoy, and meet new people!!

Geoff

When deciding what college is right for you, the most important question to ask yourself is a simple one; "Can I see myself attending this college?" You must feel comfortable at the campus and you must feel comfortable with the staff. If you can take a step back and see yourself still attending a college in three years, then it is a good school for you. After you choose a school, then you obviously want to do two things; get good grades and enjoy yourself. Getting good grades can sometimes be easier said than done, but as long as you put time into each one of your classes, you will be happy with yourself. Enjoying yourself is as simple as getting involved on campus. If you join different campus groups like student government or greek life, you will find yourself not only enjoying your experience more, but also more focused on your goals and the future.

Jeff

Go somewhere different from all of your friends

Maceal

I would suggest that students should find a college that is not only right for them, but is also an affordable one. I did not get any scholarships and my parents made too much money for a lot of financial assistance, so I had to take out loans. I truly believe that it does not matter where you recieve your undergraduate degree at, just as long as you get one. So my advice is choose a college that is a right fit and affordable. I mean who wants to be paying off loans for the rest of their life.

Elizabeth

Be sure to consider all of your options. Don't instantly go for the prettiest campus or the farest from where you went to high school. Be confident in your choice of college, no matter what other people say. Use all oppotunities to meet people, but don't let school work fall behind, it's why you're there in the first place. Most importantly, make the most of your time there.

James

Make sure you find a place that is friendly. Not just friendly students, but also friendly teachers. It is hard to learn from a teacher that you think hates you. And it is hard to relax when when you can't make any friends. To make the most of your college experience: don't just party every night, save it for the weekend and make sure that classes and studies come first. Partying for 4 years and not getting a degree will only destroy the rest of the years of your life. Stay focused, but don't over work yourself. Work hard at the beginning of each semester, that way you wont stress yourself out during finals. The people that try hard at the start have 2 major advantages: they learn the material (which makes the rest of the semester easier) , and they have a higher grade to start with (which means they wont have to try extra hard to pass). Don't skip classes, knowing you are not "required" to go to class sometimes makes it hard to go.. but it is worth it. Parents: make your students be accountable, make them pay for some stuff at least.

Jill

The most important part of picking out a college is just knowing yourself and what you want out of your college experience. Sure, you will grow and learn things about yourself in those few years, but your core personality will stay the same throughout your life. With that in mind, think about what your long-term goals are for college. Do you want to stay focused, get a high GPA, and go on to grad school? Or, do you want to put aside the grades and have four years of parties, friends, and stick with your bachelor's degree? Maybe you want a compromise of the two? If you are satisfied with your study and social habits now, chances are they won't change. Pick a college that is convenient and comfortable for YOUR lifestyle. That means you may have to take into consideration things like commute, parking, distance from your hometown, space on campus, class size, dormitory vs. off-campus living, availability/interest in the activities on campus, scholarship availability, and even how much you may have to work to pay for tuition and books. Pick the college that works at your pace and keeps your stress levels low!

Stacy

To make the most of your collge experience, living on campus is definately your best option. You get to experience the social aspect as well as close classroom exposure and recreational events and activities. Research the colleges you are thinking of attending to find out about the size, activites and food available, and post-graduate career options.

Brad

GO TO CLASS!

Jaime

I would suggest for parents to be encouraging to their children in choosing their careerpath and college. No matter the location of campus, financial aid and scholarships are always available to help in any costs. Encourge your children to take interesting classes to find out more about themselves and what they want to do for a living. For students, do not be afraid to branch out and meet new people on campus. You are going to be spending about four years going to school, so you should make the most of your time expanding your network and connections to people who are learning along with you. Try to get involved in at least one activity because this will introduce you to more opportunities and people that you may not have met otherwise. Go to class, no matter how tempting skipping may be, you are paying good money for an education, so soak up your knowledge. You have the power to make the most out of your college experience so do not be afraid of this opportunity.

Jeff

Choosing where you want to go to college is an extremely personal -- and frequently stressful -- decision that teens and their families have to make. It's best to start looking at colleges in your Junior year of high school. In my opinion, it's best to choose a college depending on it's size, degrees offered, and also the city you would want to live in. As long as you work hard you can be very successful in your college experience. Also try and get involved in programs and clubs so that you can have some fun doing it.

Mark

Finding the right college is best done by asking someone who's been there. These people know the inside scoop - not just what the college wants to tell you! Websites like campusdiscovery.com that survey the students over the internet are the way to go. College isn't just about the classes you take. These are useful, but in college you really have to start to figure out what you want to do with your life and then make proactive attempts to get there. In elementary, middle school, and high school we were spoon fed information and expected to simply retain it. Fortunately, classes in college sometimes break out of that, but sometimes not. Once I got to college I realized it's a lot like high school, but with more advanced material. Realizing this, however, is what allows me to make college so much more productive. No longer do I have to wait for 'something more' out of my education. I realize I have to educate myself and use the resources available. Extra-curricular activities and clubs are one way to do this, as long as they pertain to what you want to get out of life.

Michael

College is what you make it. At most colleges you can get a good education. Your state college is not going to give you any worse of an education then a college in an exotic location. Start early and take your time while looking for the right college for you.

Arielle

When looking for the right college make sure you are going somewhere where you think you will fit in. Don't focus on just going out-of-state. My advice for making the most out of your college experience is to get involved right away so you can make friends, find study partners, etc right away. Also, make sure you stay ontop of school work and studying because once you get behind it is very hard to catch back up. Also, use your resources if you are struggling, it realliy helps!

Ashley

Make sure you ask questions. Being informed about all the processes, applications, tests, and classes required to move through your education to receive a degree will prepare you and keep you on the right track. Get involved in some sort of activity, whether it be athletic, artistic, religious, etc. This is the best way to meet people that you may have something in common with. Living in campus housing at least the 1st year helps you meet new people too.

James

Depends on what your are looking for there is alot of things you can be active in but you have to go do it same with meeting people but there are 15,000 students so chances are your going to meet alot of people and have a fun time and there is alway something being remodeled or something new being built so its nice to have all these new facilities

Johnny

To make the most out of your college experience a student should minimize the amount of time spent on working to make money and maximize the amount of time one can stay on campus and be involved in extracurricular activities. It will help one to take full advantage of opportunities that will look good on a resume, take more classes so that they can graduate on time, and give the time to have a true college experience. It will also promote good study habits and limit the amount of distractions and problems with time management.

Ashley

Cost of tuition is very important. Finding a good college that will provide for small loans will help significantly after college.

Brandie

let the student spend a few days on campus with another students who lives in the dorm

Erika

Make sure that sending your child to a school isn't all about the school being "prestigious" or ivy league because with experiencing a state school compared with some of my friends who attend private schools, I feel I have the same quality of education and attention from professors. Some private college's are priced so high and you can get just about the same education as colleges that are not ranked as high. With that said, parents shouldn't send their child just anywhere, but definitely research what they want in the school they are sending their child to. Overall, make sure that the school will be somewhat entertaining for their child, because as much as parents want their child to just focus strictly on school, students will want more out of their college experience than just academics. If that isn't met sometimes the student will have a worse time then if there were things to do that were fun but also approriate too.

Jillian

Look at many different schools. Don't be afraid to look out of state.

Brittany

It is best to only receive an education you know you can pay for at the time. Do not bank of making money after school. It is much more expensive after school because you are in a starter job with thousands in student loans.