University of Phoenix-Oregon Top Questions

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

Brandi

I would tell myself to go to college as a young adult, no matter what barriers might be presented to me. There is financial aid available, even if your parents make a living wage, there are scholarships you don’t realize exist, and loans are more affordable now than they will be in 15 years. MAKE IT HAPPEN! Going to college as an 18 year old student will be more fun and easier to handle than it will be when trying to juggle college, a career, and a family. If your high school counselor does not provide the information you need, seek it out. Be a self-advocate and figure out what you need to do. Being the first going to college in your family is not an excuse for ignorance. You are intelligent and while you may be eventually able to make it in a career, it will be ten times easier if you have a degree to start with. Don’t wait until not having a college degree becomes the barrier preventing advancement. You are important and worth it. MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Sabrina

If i could go back, I would tell myself that even with a learning disablity that you would do great in collage and keep a great GPA , to not stress about the students and teachers who made of of you because yo have a LD.

Thomas

I knew I wasn't going straight to college after high school. I knew I didn't know what direction I wanted to take my life and education yet, so I knew I wanted to take some time off of school and take on work to have real experiences to guide my future decisions. That lead me to some great discoveries about myself, my abilities, and my passions. I wouldn't trade those decisions for anything. However, I could have done some things back then to make things easier on myself. I've taken a mix of classes up to this point, including some classes in architecture and design, which is the direction I aim to take my education ultimately. But, I've spent a lot of time as an adult trying to get my lower division and general classes taken care of so that I can focus on the more interesting subjects. The advice I'd give my high school self would be to put in the extra effort in high school and take AP classes that count for university credit. It's a beautiful option our schools have set up, so it should really be taken advantage of.

Don

If I was able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would jump at the chance. I would have told myself to knuckle down and start college courses right away. I worked a full time job during my senior year. I felt that I could work for a few years, save money, and then start school later. The problem with the plan of going back to school next year is that it will stay next year’s goal, and the next years. My high school senior self would have argued that I am not a good student, I don’t think I am ready for college, I am making good money in a full time job now, and for all these reasons I shouldn’t focus on school now. I would agree with myself that it would be harder to start college than not, but I would detail that it is even harder to sustain a successful life without a college degree. My final words to myself would be: don’t be afraid.

Jacqueline

As a first generation ever in my family to make it even through middle school all the way to where l am now, wasn't easy for my family and l after my father passed away. My recent college classes brought much out of me that l never knew existed especially painting. Recently a book was published was in my school documenting the best artist in my school. Six of my artworks got in among thousands of student selected but one of my artworks was published in the book to make room for others too. Seeing my work being published among best students was overwhealming. Unfortunately someone elses name was being placed under my work making that person to get all the credit and hardwork that l worked for. l confronted my art department Dean, they appologised saying it was a typo . l couldn't do anything because the books were out even sent to different colleges so other professors and student can see. l felt deverstated. l didn't know who to talk to till l recieved a letter from my school saying l should use the letter to validate my work for my future academic or atistice deavors.

fred

I have learned a great deal of diversity amoung people, classmates , and teammmates alike. The studuents that I have been in class with come from differnt cultures and backgrounds, it truly is a gift to learn from them as the facilitator teams up the class. I have learned the correct way to make a presenatation, and have used this new skill set in meetings with my current employer. I am very excited to take this new found knowledge and apply it to my everyday life that I am learning such as speech, history, writing, and communication in general. I was never excited about going to school, but worked hard to earn my diploma; I am now older and enjoy going to class and meeting new people, the facilitatiors at the university are simply amazing, I have a 16 year old daughter and she is suprised that I am excited going to school and earning a BA degree and will continue to get a Masters. It has a valuable experience for me to see that my daughter has taken a more serious interest in her eductaion, and to me, there is nothing more valuable

Kathy

I would tell myself to do get better grades and to take courses in a field that I would be more interested in. Take extra classes to get me better prepared for the future.

Corina

Assuming I could talk to my self 15 + years ago, I would tell myself to go to college straight through the first time. I had started college just out of high school, and had various different excuses why I couldn't finish. I would tell myself that finishing the first time would enable me to be better off financially and complete school with my original academic goals instead of settling on second or third choice goals to provide for my family. I would tell myself to finish with the first goal; I can always add to it later if I want. I would also tell myself it doesn't matter what my classmates think of me now, because down the road, I will never see or speak to them again even with the social networking sites. I would also advise myself to have some self confidence and be more assertive in order to gain the academic promise that high school has to offer. Again, I would tell myself to complete my classes and do the very best I can so I can succeed in college. Sounds corny, but that is what I needed to hear back then to have succeeded.

Sabrina

I would slow down first and not be so much in a hurry to grow up. I would tell myself that the best investment in myself over and above fashionable clothes, popularity, the ever important youthful idealism of " independence and liberty" to have fun and " live for the day" is a sure fire sentence to financial failure. I would tell myself that by " living for the day" one does not realize the rapid approach of the " tomorrow" and by living carefree and with youthful frivolity tomorrow approaches and you have no foundationational means with which to sustain yourself or family. I would encourage myself to build that educational foundation and enjoy my youthful liberty with more foresight and restraint. I would have learned to observe those around me who were older and " lived for the day" and then found themselves without the ability to support themselves. I would have realized that recipes are designed for more than cooking, because there are " recipes" for success in one's future too. The ingredients are there: education, a belief in one's self, and most of all learning to live for the future and not in the moment.

michele

If I could go back and talk to my high schoool senior self. I would tell her not to pass up College and strive forward and not let anyone take the dream away that has been set forth. Tell her that education is the best part of making it to anywhere in the world with a get knowledge to be the best in anything she could ever dream of. Reach high and strive harder then ever before and don't let that door close behind you, it will take much longer to get where you want if you wait to long.