University of Northwestern-St Paul Top Questions

Practice studying hard now, because it won't get any easier. Also, it's easy to forget good study habits, so enjoy your senior year, but don't sluff off too bad! Most of all, just enjoy your high school friends, but be willing to make new friends at college.

I would tell my younger self to go to school instead of working. Getting an education is invaluable and will open doors for you. Even though you don't know what you want to do yet just go and get your generals out of the way. Also do not go and party all the time. Study hard and stop being a child. You are now 18 and need to act like a man not a child in a man's body. Go to school learn about God and marry a great godly woman. Every journey that you want to take starts with a first step and going to school is a first step. You also do not know everything. You need to learn more.

One Word! RELAX!!!!!! I spent too much of my senior year of high school worrying about college. I would really tell myself to relax, breath, and enjoy my last year at high school. I was accepted to the University of New Mexico and recieved the Lottery Scholarship. Well, maybe the other thing I would tell myself would be, "do what makes you happy". I have recently moved to Salt Lake City, Utah and plan on attending Westminster College and I know I will be happy in the end. Westminster is an expensive school but I know that if I keep applying for scholarships and just understand the chances of recieving one then I know I will be ok. In high school I knew I wanted to be a teacher and I'm happy that I've learned to relax and to do what makes me happy, and I'm sure teaching will make me very happy.

the first and most important thing i would tell my self is to get of my lazy butt and complete some scholarships. this is the most important, because i didn't realize exactly how expensive school can be. i would also tell my self to study for the ACT, i should have studied more for the ACT so that i could have gotten a better grade, thus more money would have been aworded to me for the school year. As for the life transition, not much, it is what i expected. I live close enough to home where is i need anything i can just call. I would have to say though, call your mom more offten.

Focus on academics your first year to give yourself a solid GPA, but make sure to balance your time between social life and academics. Be intentional with friendships; they don't just happen. Look for an on-campus job if you need some extra money. Build a friendship with a few key professors in your field of study. Spend intentional time with your roommates to make your time living with them more enjoyable. Be flexible and open to learning new things. Think critically and don't go with the flow because everyone else is doing it.

Save money.

If I could go back to high school and tell myself about the transition to college the main thing I would tell myself is to take more time with schoolwork. The amount of homework and studying that goes on in college is way more than I was ever prepared for. I had never taken a final in high school. I came to college completely unprepared for the level of work that would be demanded of me. I would also be sure to tell myself to be outgoing and make sure that I put myself out there to make friends.

The first piece of advise would be to forget anything that media has told you about college. The movies talking about what college is like are not real. They do not represent what will happen. The most important advice that I would want to share would be to find out who you are before you find out what your major is. Many people will go to college and find a group, clique, or frat house to identify with. Ultimately, when college is over, you will need to find another place to fit in. So find out who you are first so that you are happy and are not settling. It will be hard, it will be stressful, but in the long wrong, you cannot go wrong if you know who you are. Another thing I would say is in the transition from high school to college, do not forget where you are from. I wanted to dissociate myself from my family and "be my own person", but my family has had the biggest influence of who I am today! Allow time to reflect on who you are, where you are from, and where you want to go. Have Fun!

They need to take their time while making a decissions and also pray about if before they do.

If I could go back and give advice to myself some of the things I would say would be: Do not procrastinate on work, if you know you worked hard in a class and do not get the grade you want remember you tried hard, the learning is the most important thing, be yourself and do not let others try to tell you how to live your life. I would also advice to take harder classes in high school instead of the easy ones because you will be more prepared for your college classes. Study hard, but have fun too.

Be yourself. Do not expect to leave all your high school problems behind. If you have not dealt with them yet, you will have to in college.

Don't worry so much about everything. You'll make friends. You'll pass your classes. You'll be on your own. College is different than high school. Your professors won't be telling you what you need to do all the time - you'll need to take responsibility for your class work. You'd better get on top of turning in assignments on time now because once you get to college, your professors won't necessarily be constantly reminding you that a big project is due - you're expected to know because it's on the syllabus. I know it's spring semester of your senior year, but you should probably make sure you go to Chemistry, and pay attention - it may actually help you during that required General Chemistry class you need to pass in order to graduate. College will be tough, but you will have the time of your life. Have fun, but don't have so much fun that you let your grades slip - once your grades slip, its hard to get them back up. Lastly, enjoy the time you have at home, don't spend too much time thinking about when you finally get out.

Caitlin, be willing to speak up. Speak up when you sit next to someone you don't know in class. Introduce yourself and say hi. If the person doesn't end up being your new best friend, he or she can be a class/note-sharing buddy. Speak up when your professor asks a question and you know the answer. Caitlin, don't hesitate. When teachers make a point to say that they welcome students dropping by their office, take advantage of the offer and treat yourself to good conversation. Don't hesitate to join that club or go to that seminar. Don't hesitate when you walk into the cafeteria and can't find any of your friends to sit with. Find someone else eating alone and ask to sit with them. Caitlin, take advantage of your first year. It gets so crazy after that.

Oh my. The most important bit of advice would be to "chill out and relax!" Especially when it comes to major-specific things. The professors at Northwestern are all about having you succeed and they don't want to see you fail. Be willing (and very much prepared) to move out of the protected bubble you arrived at school in. Make friends in all your classes because chances are these people will become your new best friends. Boys can be silly, even slightly exasperating (shocking, I know but still very true) so don't fret over them. Remeber that no matter how hard it seems or how frustrating it can be to not to be able to talk with your mom, eventually the homesickness gets better and while it never goes away, you will be soon surrounded with friends and roommates to help you cope. Also, be very careful about the food (just because it tastes good now doesn't mean it will like you in a hour). I believe that the immortal words of Ms. Frizzle sums up everything you need to know about living the college life, "Take chances! Make mistakes! And get messy!"

Work harder in high school. Write papers to the best of your ability. Live, laugh, love. Become involved more deeply in your church and in the lives of those you love. Be flexible. Pray and seek after Christ's heart. Fear the Lord. Give to others willingly. Know that life is not over if you do poorly on an exam. Stay ahead, work hard. Make time for God, family, friends, yourself, and work. Do not give up. Keep your goals and dreams in mind. Stay selfless. Fight the good fight. Let others bless you. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Get to know those around you. Read you Bible daily. Stay strong in Him and humble in heart, mind, and soul. Do not judge. Love.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to save more money than I'm spending. I've learned that college is very expensive! I want to go out more, but I can't because if I take out more loans just for fun it's going to take longer and will cost more money in the long run to pay off all of my student loans. Also, I would have studied more and worked on better study habits. I would have tried harder to not get so side tracked because it has become somewhat of a bad habit. The last thing I would give myself advice on would be to spend more time with family and to acknowledge everything that they have done for me. Coming into college, I realized that I was on my own for meals and laundry and not only missed my parents because they provided those things for me, but because I really did miss their support and comfort they provided once I went through the first month of college. These are a few of the things I would have advised myself on.

During my senior year of high school, I was captain of the cross-country team, president of three different organizations, involved in other activities as well as taking some college-level classes. It was hard adjusting to college because I no longer had anything to define me! I had to figure out who I was underneath all of those activities and where I wanted to go in life. Through the transition period, I was able to learn so much about myself as well as identify different characteristics about myself that I wanted to improve upon. I was also able to spend more time deepening my relationship with God and asking him for guidance as well. Looking back, I would advise myself as well as other high school seniors to make sure that they set aside quiet time where they can really reflect upon who they are and how God wants to use them. Be prepared for learning and growth! If you are open and ready to continue growing then you will be prepared to follow God and His plan for your life. It is an amazing journey!

Transitioning from high school into college is a major change, but it can be a positive experience if you are wise about choosing a school that has programs and opportunities that will challenge you while still keeping you encouraged. It will take time to make the adjustment, so do not expect to have everything figured out right away because college is a continual process of growing. College is all about learning how to balance activities like schoolwork, work, friends, extracurricular activities, and volunteer work, so be sure to know what your priorities are and stick to them! Do not worry about making friends or trying to be ?popular.? Focus on being yourself and being friendly to the people you meet; develop friendships with your roommates or people in your classes. Friendships will take time to build so do not be discouraged if it seems like a slow process because oftentimes it is, but continue to put effort into making a connection with people to start friendships, and it will pay off. There are so many opportunities in college so do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and get involved; it will make your time more meaningful!

I would have taken some college courses for credit during high school so the work load would be easier for my four years. I would tell myself to be more open to others and get to know people better at the beginning of the year. Befriend your advisors and professors! They can make or break your progress in your classes and your search for a job! Find a job on campus or off of campus that will look good on your resume (not just the first one that hires or gurantees good tips). Don't take on too many credits if you can't handle them! Enjoy your freshman year, and then get down to business!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to be prepared for a lot of hard work. I would make sure that I knew that college life was not going to be easy and just socailizing, but there came a lot of studying. I was a student that never needed to study in high school and would be able to take a test and ace it. It is because I was like that, that I would want to let myself know that you will not be able to get away with that once I get to college. Lastly I would tell myself that the friendships I will make in college are so much more worth the ones in high school. I would tell myself how the drama is basically gone, and the friends you make, you will actually be able to trust.

If I could go back in time there are three main things I would tell myself: get your financial aid straightened out right away, be open to making new friends with anyone you meet, and finaly, don't be afraid to ask for help. I would tell myself to get financial aid figured out right away because as you start school, you won't realize how much time passes by. That time is very valuable figuring out your schooling. I would tell myself to be open to making new friends with anyone, because as you meet "random" people around campus, you never know if they will become one of your best friends. Someone that I thought I would enver be friends with is now my best friend. And last but not least, I would tell myself to not be afraid to ask for help, from anyone. Parents are a huge help when it comes to details about money and rooming and food service details as well. Professors and friends will always help you with classes and even beyond that. Take whatever help you can get to make college less stressful.

As a senior in high school my primary goal was to escape as soon as possible and move onto college. I was over the drama, the boring classes and being told by my parents what to do (after all I was 18 years old and thought I knew everything). I strived to escape to college, because I was ready for a change. I was ready to take control of my own life and do what I wanted to do whenever I wanted, I was sick of being told when to clean my room or run some errands; I simply wanted freedom. However, looking back I feel a grave disappointment in myself. As a senior I wish I would have cherished each moment I had. I wished I would've spent more time with my family, even if they did drive me crazy they all contibute to who I am. I wished I would've had more heart to heart moments instead of running around moments with my friends, because deep conversations help us discover and define who we are. Most importantly I wish I would've spent more time with God, because when we have him everything else makes sense.

Learn how to balance social life and homework life. Work out more often and eat healthy. Take all your classes more seriously and your grades. Do everything to glorify the Lord. When you struggle remember to trust in the Lord because He will guide you. Focus on your study habits rather than focusing about finding your future husband. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength in all situations.

College life is a bumpy ride, full of ups and downs. There will be days when it won't seem like it is worth it. School costs a LOT, the food is usually lousy, and you won't always get along perfectly with the people around you. Germs abound, and when you get sick, you will want nothing more than to go home and just sleep for a year. The classes are a lot of work, getting good grades is a stressful process, and getting enough sleep is an unlikely luxury. At times, you are definitely going to question your decision to give up your old life for this new one that is so completely foreign. However, you can't forget the positive. Your classes, though challenging, will be exciting, and your mind will be stretched in new ways. You will meet many different people, and make friendships that could last a lifetime. With these friends, you will laugh over stupid inside jokes, cry over impossible homework loads, stay up too late watching movies, and get up too early to watch the sky for shooting stars. As you get ready for college, prepare yourself for a rough but rewarding adventure.

With college coming up this next year you must understand that the first day will be overwhelming. The professors will show you a semester worth of work in the first class period. You will think it is impossible and not know how you will surmount it. Just know that many have done it before you and as long as you manage your time and priorities efficiently you will learn, grow and begin to love the things you can learn. You will be able to decide what courses you want to take and start to enjoy learning instead of despising the thought of going to class. You will be away from you parents and that means you must be responsible for yourself, so respect that responsibility and take advantage of your opportunity to grow and be brought up in such a lifetime experience. Above all, just take it one day at a time and keep yourself organized and on top of things. Understand that you will not be able to procrastinate and get all things done the night before they are due and get a good grade, because it isn?t that simple. Good luck and stay on top of it!

Don't be so ignorant of the other side of diversity and poverty. You may experience some cultural shock as you enter into a community that is very different from where you grew up. There is such thing as stealth racism and discrimination even amongst people who claim to be Christians and faithful church-goers. When you encounter these events and situations, don't quit and withdraw from your situation. Stand firm and go find support. There may not be a lot of resources available at first, but the people who are willing to support you in those areas most likely have already experienced the same or similar things that you are going through. Don't ever let anyone put you in a box. Nothing should not excuse you from doing what you have to do in order to graduate and pursue your dreams. There will be a lot of distractions that will keep you from staying on top of your academics, but know that you are a student first. Prioritize as best as you can. Highschool life is nothing like college life. College life comes with many responsibilities that will change your life forever.

The first thing I would tell myself is to enjoy my time in high school with the friends I have there. I moved out of state for college and have not seen many of my friends in three years. Since coming here, I have made many good friends, much closer than back home, but I still reminisce and sometimes regret that I did not take as much time to enjoy them as I could have. Next I would tell myself that grades are not everything. I definitely have had my heartaches over the last few semesters about my GPA. While college is an academic experience, grades are not of the utmost importance during these four years. Finally, I would tell myself to let people in on my life. Upon coming to college, I let my roommates and friends know everything about me so that they could encourage me and help me grow. I wish I had done that earlier, and I would want to ensure that I told myself that as a Senior.

A lot of what I thought was important back when I was choosing a college does not seem to be such a big deal to me anymore. I was worried about the cost of tuition, the atmosphere of the campus, and quality of the academics. Of course all of those things matter, but I wish that I could go back and tell myself that the most important aspect of choosing a college and making the transition to college-life is realizing that no matter where I end up, the school will probably cost too much and the students and professors will be both good and bad; there is no perfect school. I definitely found a good fit for myself, but what my success came down to was my own attitude and the extent to which I put myself out there in order to invest in the students and professors, both good and bad, and in the opportunities that came my way. It's certainly worth it to put time and thought into making choices about which college to attend, but for me, I think it was more pivotal to realize that the success of that choice was my responsibility.

Make sure you follow your heart and talent when deciding a major. You will not make up you mind on a major the first time and if you do your very lucky. It is alright if you transfer schools, its worth checking out more than one school to find that one that offers you the most academically. Your homework and study habits will change. Dont believe College is a social gathering where you can hold off on homework and studying while you hang out with your friends when outside of the classroom. Take initiative to get you work done first. Remember to Keep your social life alive but do not let it interfere with your academic life. Your grades are important, but do not fret if you recieve a c in your first few classes, your getting use to the big change of College life! Your going to do great! Your going to succeed! And you will have struggles but they will be followed with success and an adventure into the future!

I would advise myself to take as much time as I needed to pick a college and also to do some research on the major that I decided to pick.

One thing that is a lot different about college is the work load. I did not put in as much effort as was required my first semester of college because I was used to the work load that I had in high school. If I had to go back to high school and tell myself one thing it would be to study harder and listen better in lecture classes. Another thing that is different about college is the fact that you are on your own. I had to make my own decisions about what to eat and I let that get out of hand. If I could go back I would tell myself to remember the way I ate at home and not give in to all of the unhealthy food that is offered at school. The last thing I would tell myself is to remember to get more sleep. I wish I would have done this last year! Thankfully my second year of college (this year) I have learned all of these things and am getting more rest, eating better, and bringing my grades up.

Even if you have no idea what you really want to do still try out college for a few years. The first two years are pretty much general classes anyway, but those general class can be used to help you find what you want to focus on and pursue for the rest of your life.

Be open minded at the beginning of your college search. Enter into this process knowing that there are many different areas to consider when selecting a college. Remember to look into both the academic and social areas of the school to see what it is really all about. Also, be sure to visit as many schools as you can, for you cannot truly get a feel for the college or university by browsing its website and flipping through its brochures. If you visit, ask if you can sit in on a class or two, particularly in your potential field of study. This gives you the chance to meet professors and students who have the same interests and passions as you. If you would like to get a feel for the college's social and living situations, see if you can stay overnight with current students. This will open up time for you to gain a more personal perspective on how students feel about the school, and you can get an insider's tips on what the school is really all about. I hope these words of advice have helped, and most importantly: Get out there and start looking!

As I spend more time in the college setting, I realize that every step that I take now will affect my life in the real world. In high school, the most important thing was beefing up my scholarship and college applications. Now, however, relationships, internships, and academia all play important roles in my future. What I know is important, but whom I know is also vital to where I go once I graduate. Find a college that will keep all of those areas in mind. Find a school where the people, as well as the academics, will be part of the foundation of your life. And finally, find a school that you know will positively impact your growth as a person. In college, you become who you will be for the rest of your life, and the influential people around you will have a say in who you become. No matter how independent you are, you are not an island. Make choices about your relationships and academics with a forward, open mind. Once you get there, ENJOY it.

Visit as many schools as you can. Each school has a unique flavor, and you can only really get that flavor from experiencing what life is like on campus. Stay overnight there with a friend. Visit classes. Talk to professors. If you're leaning towards a major, still investigate schools that are diverse and less focused; many people change their plans in college several times. I know I have a few times at least, and if I knew what I was ending up with, I might have chosen a school with more choices. Parents, I know you are just watching out for your children, but give them a little freedom in choosing where they go. After all, they are the one's going, not you ; ) Most of all, don't stress out about choosing a school too much, it is an important decision, but take time to choose what's right for you.

First, find a school that has a wide range of majors that you're interested in. Many college students switch their majors, so to avoid the trouble of transfering schools, and the possiblity that some credits may not transfer, have a few back-up plans available. It's important to visit the school as well to make sure you like the atmosphere- it is where you will probably be spending the next four years of your life. My advice for making the best out of your college experience is to go crazy. Get out and meet as many people as you can. There's no need to go delinquent and freak your parents out with drugs or alcohol; all you need is whatever talent you have and the guts to throw it out there. Know how to play guitar? Enter the talent show. Good on stage? Try out for every play, musical, and one-act you can. College is what you make it; it's an entire bundle of experiences for you to pack for yourself. Don't forget to study, because after all a degree is what you're paying for, but live hard and live the best possible.

Figure out what you want to do prior to your attending college. Switching majors is easy, almost too easy, but only in the sense of declaring a new major, actually getting it actually becomes more work when you have taken classes for your old major. Transfering schools is an incredibly difficult thing to do. It may seem like you are saving money but with the loss of non-transferable credits being a likley scenerio it actually becomes quite costly. Also making new friends with less time is always a tough situation no matter where you are in life.

I would tell them that they should tour the colleges that they are choosing from more then once because it allows to see different things that you did not see at the first visit. Also, it is important to talk to different students that go to the college to see why they like it and how it fits for them. And I believe that prayer is the key component. Asking God where he would like us instead of us choosing our own path. What God has in mide for our future may be a totally different path that we want to go but he knows the ultimate plan for each of our lives and He knows what is best for us even if we do not see it at the time. God will lead us to do great things if we are willing to follow His lead.

Visit the colleges that you are interested in going to. When you are there, don't just participate in the visit day activities, but participate with the students of that campus. That's how you will find out about what life is really like on campus for the students who go there. Although I didn't do it, I do encourage prospective students to stay a night on campus to get a basic feel for student life. Also, if you have one bad experience, remember that bad days and experiences are bound to happen. Don't just write off that school. Give it another chance. Although this may not be right for everyone, the thing that made a big difference in my choice was to ask myself, "Can I see myself living my life here?" Good luck on your future college experience!

Make sure it is right for you.

Definately go to a school that "feels right". Once you get on campus, you'll know if that's the place for you.

Go where you feel called.

To anyone looking for a good education and college experience, I would say, "Search hard, tour campuses, and be sure to ask lots of questions." The students and especially admissions are great resources for all your questions. Even though campus tours can tell you all you want to know about the campus itself, it won't really say anything about what your experience as a student will be like. In order to bypass those 'pre-programmed answers' that your tour guide and the admissions staff give you, I have found that you can discover a lot about the students and the overall campus atmosphere by asking students questions and even by watching Youtube videos created by the college's students! It may seem strange, but it has some truth in it. Once you choose a school, embrace it! Don't let second thoughts ruin your experience. Any college can be the "right" one if you only have the "right" attitude. Get involved, meet other students in your hall and your classes. Find school activities that you enjoy, and go for them! Soon you will find that, whatever the college you picked, you can make it the "right" college for yourself.

Go where your heart leads you.

I highly adovcate visiting the colleges you are accepted to and interested in. It helped to narrow down which schools I did and did not want to go to. Also, when making final decisions about colleges, read the doctrine/mission statement of the schools so you know what they stand for and if you think that it is a good fit for you. Making most of the college experience, I have found that it is a good balance to have both school and a little work (preferable outside school). This gives me a well rounded education as I take what I learn in the classroom and apply it to daily life.

Don't agonize over finding the right college too much. I was not accepted into my first choice school, which turned out to be the best thing ever, and looking back I know that it would not have been a good fit for me. My freshman year I studied abroad and enjoyed a more relaxed, fun year before transferring to a tougher school. Don't panic if you don't find the perfect college, and if you end up at one that isn't what you expected or wanted, don't be afraid to go somewhere else. Do find a college that has programs, activities, and a location that interests you. Wherever you go, find a solid group of friends. Take time to join an extracurricular or club that interests you and do things that are fun. College doesn't have to be all about books: make it a good balance between study and fun! Finally, do go to classes. Even if they are ridiculously boring, you registered for them for a reason. Someday you might be glad you have those notes on comma splices from freshman English.

Go and visit colleges. I thought I wanted to go to a different college until I visited it. It turns out that college is not at all what I thought it would be, and the college I am attending is exactly what I needed. I would also tell parents to just let your kids go, but be there for them if they need you. I think mostly do not try calling them everyday let them call you so that they can slowly move toward more independence. College is a time for kids to become adults, so let them go and trust that the things you taught them will get them through.

First of all, pray about it. Secondly, find a school with a stong emphasis in what you want to get out of your college career. Because a wanted a high-quality education from a biblical worldview, I came to the conclusion that Northwestern was the right place for me, and it has been. Something else to consider is the school's location. Is it in a big city? Is it just outside a big city? Or is it smack-dab in the middle of nowhere? Also make sure you can afford to go to the places you are looking at. When you have a set of schools that seem right to you, pray about it again. Look into the specifics of each school and determine what the best for you would be. Apply to all of them, even if you don't get the one that you want, maybe God just had a little something else in mind. Do the best you can and keep striving for excellence.

Be bold and don't be afraid to chose the one your not excited about, there is a good chance you'll love it as time goes on. Also, make sure you visit the campus often to get a taste of it before you go.

College is a big part of your life. Depending on where you go and who you spend your time with will form who you will be in the future. College is not all about grades, it's about the experience and what you learn being there. You can't take studying too serious, you have to have fun and let loose. Like college, life isn't all about making your way to the finish line it's the journey to that finish line that really counts.