University of Pittsburgh-Titusville Top Questions

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

Katelyn

Knowing what I know now, I would change a few things about myself in high school. There isn't many that I would change, but one is I would tell myself to take all the science classes I could. I went to Vo-Tech for cosmetology, so I didn't take some classes that would help me in the nursing program. I would've told myself to slow down and have fun as a kid. I worked six days a week from my junior year until now. I was working at a hair salon, but quit to focus on school. I don't regret that decision at all because I'll like my paychecks better as a nurse. I starting school in the spring term instead of the fall term. I was scared to fail and thought I wanted to be a hairstylist at the time. My boss also gave me a raise to stay and not go to school. Looking back now, I would tell myself that I could have made it just fine. I can do anything that I put my heart into. I would also tell myself that college is very hard, but is worth my time.

Rodney

Knowing what I know about college now I would tell my senior high school self to apply to more scholarships because college will be day you know the true value of dollar. Another I would tell my past self is to take college serious. The classes are no joke and the professor will not hesitate to fail you and tell you not to come back to class. The last advice I have is to start taking your high school classes serious because even the classes you believe are pointless have some value too them.

Hannah

If I could go back to being a Senior in high school I would tell myself to start saving money now! I would also tell myself that even though something may be difficult if you push through the circumstances you will make it through.

Burke

College can have some of the same features as highschool, yet at the same time very different. There are more responsibilities as well as requires a lot more self motivation. In college, mom isn't waking you up, packing your lunch, and getting you to school on time. You have to know where you are goin and when and how to get there. College life requires accountability. If you miss class, it is up to you contact your teacher and get yourself caught up. College life has been portrayed to be a big party and it's not. Along with self motivation and accountability, you have to be well organized and always on tract. Schedules vary, things get confusing, but always keep it in the back of your head that this will all be worth it one of these days. I know it seems like you will be in school for the rest of your life after 4 years of high school. But, I can personally guarantee you if you don't take college seriously, it will be one of your biggest regrets. It doesn't seem like it now, but take my word for it. It is a guarantee!

Meni

Dear Meni, You’re finally a SENIOR! You’re probably thinking, “OH YEAH! I’m a senior! CLASS OF 2012!", well you really need to relax. This is the year you really need to focus. There’s no time for slacking off; colleges have their "binoculars", looking at your GPA, extracurricular activities, and ACT/SAT scores. This is some advice I will need you to follow through your senior year and towards your first year of college: 1.Don’t Be Afraid Participate in Class Discussion I know it’s very nerve racking to state your opinion because you may think that your answer is wrong but, remember, just go with your instinct. 2.Learn to Take Responsibility You had your chance to do whatever you wanted because your parents or teachers were able to fix it, but now it’s time to be accountable for your actions. 3.Always Be Yourself Never feel obligated to change who you are, no matter what anyone says. Do the best you can and if the results don’t come out the way you wanted, just know that you tried your best while others don’t try themselves. Your Future Self, Meni

Diamond

I thought college was going to be similar to high school as far as homework and reporting to class is concerned. I thought if you miss a class, the instructor would review the material. And if an assignment is missed, there would be some leniency so that it could be turned in late. Again, I failed to realize that there would be consequences for those actions. If I do not turn in an assignment on time or report to class, I earn a zero for the assignment and have to find another way to learn what I missed in class. If I knew then what I know now, on the first day of school I would have been better prepared to handle the challenges of collegiate academics and the lack of privacy that prevails in dorm life. Specifically, my habit of procrastination when it came to studying or completing assignments left me ill-prepared for the demands of navigating class schedules and assignments, while sharing a bedroom and bathroom in the dormitory poses challenges of a much more personal nature. Now that I have been here for a year I would warn high school self about the dangers of college.

Deanna

The best advice that I could give to a highschool senior is just to keep moving forward. Remember, life is never hard; it's just how you perceive life. Being a high school senior myself, I've learned a great deal of how to take control and moving at my own past of life. You're going to make mistakes. At times you will look back with some regrets, but just don't be hard on yourself. Keep going and never look back. Stepping into a new era of education, I made myself a promise. I promised myself to devote my time and energy to nothing but achieving the best I can, and I'm glad that so far I have kept this promise and I hope you will as well. Transition to adulthood can be difficult. Never forget its all about how you perceive the world. Be in charge of your life. You are a bright soul who has so much potential in life. You deserve all the best. Don't lose your momentum to keep moving forward. Take baby steps. YOU CAN DO IT!! -Truly yours

tony

If i could go back in time to my senior year of high school, i would tell myself to not give up on our dream. I would tell myself about the history i've had with other colleges and reccomend they start with hostos community college becuase it has he right programs we need there. and to focus and keep studying to graduate and transfer toa four year college.

Brianna

If I could go back in time I would definitely tell my self to try not to procrastinate. I was a huge procrastinator in high school. College is way different than high school, you cant just tell your teacher "oh I forgot I had a paper due today, I'll bring it in tomorrow." It doesn't work like that in college, you'll get a zero, most professors have a low tolerance for things like that. Another thing I would tell myself would be save your money! Everyone wasn't lying when they said all college students are broke. Unless you have very wealthy parents most of the time you'll be broke unless you get a job. Also never give up, your freshman year will be the hardest so just stay focused and do as much extra credit a possible. you'll definetly need it.

Alex

If I was capable of going back into time I would tell myself first too take my time with my future and not rush into guessing what it is I want to do with it. I would let myself know that loving what you do, and appreciating what you have is the most important task in life. I would also let myself know that the journey forward to adulthood would not be easy, but worth every second. I would tell myself to take more pictures, and write in a journal. And also too appreciate every second I had.

effie

my advice for myself as a high school senoir will be to choose my classes wisely, get a G.P.A of 4.0 and higher for better chances of great scholarships or getting a full scholarship; get as much help as posibble from teachers especailly my very hardest A.P. class, learn to study well and a lot more because college is not a joke. College students need to spend time studying almost all the time for all their classes or major classes because they get tougher from freshman to senoir year. I should spend more time learning how to study better even though the way i used to study worked very well through out my years in high school. Also i should spend time applying for scholarships even when i know that I'm graduating and the scholarships extended to the summer. More time in studying, gets me a better G.P.A and better chances of getting good scholarships to help fund for my college education. This would be the advice i would give to myself.

Shelby

Right now you are probably more concerned with your upcoming road trip and dates with that cute boy you met at your cousin’s wedding, but check it out. You are soon to enter a whole new world (kind of like Aladdin & Jasmine). Take everything the future has to offer, experience as much as possible. There will be moments in which you want to give up, pack your things and run back to mom & dad (hard to believe, I know) but stick to it, you can are strong enough. You’ll learn the friends you make in college will stick with you in life, the classes you struggle with will likely be the most memorable and the dining center food isn’t all that bad! You’ll learn that life happens all too quickly and you wish you could go back to not worrying about a job and mortgages and car payments and keeping food in the cupboards. Take my advice. Be nice to the guy that delivers your Pita Pit at 2:37am on a Wednesday because you are still awake writing a paper for your class that starts at 9. You can do this!

Lacey

If i could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior i would tell myself two things. The first thing being is college is not as bad as you thought it was going to be. I mean you have to study a lot harder than what you did in high school but its not bad. The second thing is to take in more things that you have learned in high school and just apply it to what you are going to learn in college. the reason for that is because in ur first semester you basically relearn what you have already learned, like your math, english, and say you took a class for your major in hiogh school and you retake it again in college just remember what you have learned in high school and apply it to your college course. These are the two things i would tell myself if i could go back in time.

Meghan

If could go back in time and have a conversation with myself, I would tell myself not to sweat it so much. The college experience is a big change, but not so much that you have to rush over it and miss the last part of your senior year in high school. I'd also tell myself to take it easy and not to over think about which college would want to get into or apply to because essentially they all can benift my acedemics.

david

The one bit of advice I would give myself would be to TAKE HIGH SCHOOL SERIOUSLY! Personally I don't have to much trouble learning new concepts and ideas, and applying them, but if I had known that I would be seeing the physical sciences again in college, I most definitley would have committed myself to learning and understanding them in high school. It would have made things much easier at the university level to already have a true understanding of higher order mathematics and science since these are the main subjects I find myself having to learn now. If I had taken high school seriously I already would have established strong study habits too, as opposed to building them after I entered college. It turns out that all the stuff I thought was being crammed down my throat actually was worth a little bit more time and effort.

Sadeen

College credits are important for the completion of my college career. I would have told myself to do much better in my classes so that i would be able to move up in some of them because my school, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, offers college level courses and would have counted as college credit. Successful completion of those classes would have allowed me to earn my bachelors degree at a quicker rate so to not waste time. Furthermore, I would have been able to take more advanced classes when I got to college which in turn could result in a higher number of credits.

Jean

Self, it's imparative that you read more to improve your comprehension skills. Take the SAT and ACT, ask questions about assignments you don't understand. Learn how to navigate the library. Stop feeling intimidated to ask questions. Save money when you get your first job and attend one class at a time while supporting yourself.

Brenda

Three advice that I would give myself if I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior are not to get influenced by my peers, be productive with my time, and know the reason why your in college. My first year at Pitt Titusville was a life changing experience due to all the things that my peers were trying to influence me on doing such as, drinking and partying every night. Second, one thing that many of my peers including myself had a difficult time with was time management. Yes, you are in college and you want to have fun, but you have to be able to manage your school work and fun at the same time. Third, you must know what you want to accomplish in life and why your parents are paying thousands of dollars for you to be in school. Many people come to college and try to live the college life (fun life, independent life) but don't put much work on their education and dream. Finally, get involved in your school like I did, it could be joining SGA, intramurals sports, honor societies and etc.

Anne

Working hard throughout high school years really pays off during college. The students that slacked off in high school don’t have the basics of knowledge to keep up with college courses. College classes are more serious, but it is an individual’s choice whether he or she wants to attend class. There are no more parents telling saying you have get up and attend school in the morning so try to train yourself before you are on your own. Professors don’t care if you come to class or not because either way they still get a paycheck. Be respectful towards everyone no matter if they’re your friends or not. Don’t play with any drama because that makes you a low person. If people are rude and mean to you, just take the high road and stay away from them.

Abigail

If I could go back in time and give myself a little advice about starting college, I would definitely tell myself to just calm down. I am a worrier and I freak myself out over everything. I was so scared of coming to college and beginning the next chapter in my life. Knowing now how easy the transition was and how everyone at school is so nice and how easy it was to become friends with everyone and create such amazingly close with everyone at school, I know how silly it was for me to be as afraid and as worried as I was. I would tell myself that you’re going to love college and the adorable campus will be just like home and your peers and the friends you make will become your second family. You have nothing to worry about. Just take a breath, calm down, and enjoy the ride.

Anisah

I would tell my high school self to not be so afraid! When going into college its important to be open minded but at the same time to be aware of the consenquences and being aware of the surroundings. I was so afraid when I first go to school. I was known to be so innocent. I talked to people but didnt really do much, so I was bored all of the time. Being silly is apart of college, its when knowing when play time is over is what matters really.

Jade

If I could go back and talk to myself when i was in high school, I would tell myself not to stress so much. That things will work out as long as you let them. I would also tell myself to save save save! because college is exspensive Tuiton, Gas money, books, and all the medical items I had to have done to qualify for nursing. The last thing i would tell myself is that i can make it in college, that there is no need to doubt myself in anyway because in the end everything will be worth it.

Jenna

If I could go back in time I would tell myself to try harder in Chemistry. I could have gotten a better grade, But The most important thing that I would tell myself about college is that I picked the right major. I love what I am doing Physical Therapy Assistant is exactly what I want to do. And that college life is not going to be anything like I thought. It's hard yes. But there's time for freinds and when you love what you're doing then everything is worth it. And most of all never give up. Not even when I finally finish.

Andrea

Take college seriously; every semester counts. School is your number one priority, not friends. It's okay to have fun, but keep school your biggest focus.

Brynn

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, what would I say? I would first start out with saying you need to study hard. You go to college to get an education, not to party and have fun. I would also tell myself to try to ignore drama and find friends who support your education and actually want to work hard. I would also say to take things seriously. The reason I would say this is because one day if you don't take things seriously, then maybe you could be out of college and not be able to go back because of the mistakes you made. I know if I would go back in time I would prepare myself fully for the college experience.

Christopher

If I could go back in time I would tell myself to carefully research the computer engineering field, and dont be afraid to make changes, because the longer you wait, the harder it affects you in the future and the slower it wil take to start an actual career. If I could go back in time, i would go back and tell myself to consider going to an out of state school which would benefit me more.

Nyae

I would of did less cramming, and actually taught myself better studying habits because college work is fast pace with alot of material to take in.

MaryAnn

If I could go back to August 30th I would. And while am there, I would change my effort on math So far this term, after math class I have held off on doing my homework, when it was time to do it. I would give half effort on my math . My habits became consistent in allowing myself to give half effort on any math assignment. I noticed my homework started to affect my test scores. The problem was due to the fact that I never checked my answers to see if they were right. And if they were wrong, I would be studying from wrong solutions. Therefor I would familiarize myself with wrong work which showed on my math test results. This was a result of me to giving half effort on my homework. If I could go back to August 30th, I would do my homework with full effort. I have begun to ask my professor for help after class on a concept that I don’t understand. Also I have begun to review my math homework and work on practice quizzes. Most importantly I have started to check my math solutions to make sure they are correct.

Dominique

The advice I would give myself if I were to go back as a high school senior is to visit more college campuses. I would actually research more about colleges before making a choice right away.

MaggieMae

Knowing what I know now as a college student – I would honestly give myself the advice to be prepared to expect the unexpected to happen, as you never know what might happen in the future ahead of you, to use and manage the funds I might receive for college very wisely, and also to take better care of myself and my diabetes, as well as to not let my diabetes stop me from getting involved with what I love to do, or being more open to making friends with other students too.

Amy

I would advise myself not to stress. High school was such a precious time and i wish I had enjoyed it more. Transitioning to college really means growing up, taking care of myself, and being an adult. It is a very hard transition. I think I have handled it well and everything has worked out fine. I would tell myself not to worry about the future.

nikola

If i could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself. that college is nothing like highschool Be prepared and stay focused. I would tell myself to get organized and stay on the path of success. That i'm not a child anymore and it's time to make something of my life. I would advise myself to do what the teacher assigns and i will pass the class. also that I need to do this for me, not for anyone else. And that in 15 years that girl, those friends and that car might not be there and if i want anything to show for my years as a young adult, I should make the most of my college education.

Deborah

If I could go back in time and have a talk with my 17 year old self I would certainly give myself the advice to go to college immediately. I have waited 30 years to return to school and the transition that I have had to make from the working world to the full time college world has certainly been a challenge. I am pretty sure that if I had gone to college in 1980 I would not have found it as difficult on a day to day basis. I would most definitely have an encouraging talk with myself and push myself toward that college career while my brain is still young!

Gabriela

I would tell myself to prepare to be challenged in college. I would encourage myself and say that there's nothing I can't do if I just focus on it. The transition to college life was a challenge, I would encourage myself to be more independent and responsible. I would tell myself that no one is going to force me to get to class on time and finish assignments, I have to push myself. I would tell myself that there are incredible opportunities and to be ready to take them as they are offered to me. In regard to schoolwork, I would encourage myself to take advantage of the great resources schools and the libraries offer, and spend a lot of time studying in the library. I would tell myself to take time to get to know my professors and their expectations, and then try to exceed them. I would tell myself to be excited, because college is an awesome adventure and I'll only experience it once, so take every opportunity to learn and enjoy college life.

Caitlin

First, I would tell myself not to slack off my senior year. That was my biggest mistake in high school. I would also tell myself to set time aside everyday to study. The differences in the amount of material you have to learn in high school and college are astronomical, and learning to study is one of the hardest things about college life. I study about twenty-five hours a week now compared to high school, where I studied about five minutes before my test. Studying is a skill that can only be aquired through practice. I wish that someone would have prepared me for the extreme changes from high school to college. If I could have had the chance to prepare again, studying would my number one priority in high school.

Brittany

I have learned valuable lesson here. This campus is where a lot of changes happen for me. Not be able to go home when I want to and doing everything on my own wa hard at first. I used to it really fast though. Being here taught me how to manage my time so that I have enough time to get everything done and still have time to relaxed. It valuable for me to attend because for me its one step closer to my dream. I know that not being here I would not be able to achieve what I want and life. By not achieving that I will not be succeeding in life. Being in college actually means a lot to me. Its hard but as long as I have this mind set I know I will achieve !

Tony

My name is Tony Deshaun Manuel. I am a sophomore at Pulaski Technical College. I graduated from Hall High School in 2008. After I graduated from High School, I enrolled to Pulaski Technical College. This will be my second year at Pulaski Technical College. My goal is, to attend to 4-year-university. My ultimate goal is to become a businessman, hoping to own my business one day. I am currently taking 12-hours so I can transfer to a 4-year-university. I have learned that I have to depend on myself I can't depend on my teachers, I have to depend on me. College is much more than just pursuing another level of education its an experience that will make me a better, wiser, and more intelligent person. I hope one day when i have children that they too will attend college and get the same experience that i have experienced. College does have similarities as high school, but they do not have as many hours and study time as college do. That is something that i definitely had to get use to is studying more now I am use to it. i am use to it.

Kristine

I believe that out of my three years experience on this campus I have learned so much. I have learned more than just what is taught in my classes, but what other classmates have taught me from their classes, their life experiences, along with teamwork, being a responsible adult, and the importance of reaching out to the community and keeping in touch with family. I feel that being here has helped me get the extra help I needed to help me reach my goal in becoming a physical therapist. If I didn?t have professors that cared about their students passing, I would have never felt comfortable about approaching them to explain things that seemed unclear to me. They want us to know the information so that us students can become the best in the fields we are applying into which, when we go for our job interviews or even graduate class interviews we will be well prepared. So every day I learn something new; either in the class room, in the dorms, or just around town. It has opened me up to new things and allowed me to become a more rounded person.

Mandy

I would tell my self as a high school senior to visit college campuses more. The current school I am enrolled in, does not reflect me in any way. It is rural and nothing to do. I came from the city, therefore I am used to the busy life of a city, compared to the farm life. Also, to look at the opportunities the university offers. I personally like to study abroad, and this was one of the reasons I choose this university. They have a very creditable programs that offers many oppurtunities for undergraduates. Out of state is alluring however, not always the most intelligent. Being on your own is every teenagers dream, being away from parental supervision, however you tend to miss your family the most. Definetly do not follow your friends in their decisions. You need to become an independent adult and not follow your best friend or significant other to their dream school. Keep in mind, that it is okay to change your major. There is no point waking up each day miserable regreting choosing this career. Finally, keep in mind each year school tution goes up 7 percent. Remember to consider scholarships and financial aid.

Shannon

When I was a high school senior, I remember being nervous about coming to college. I know that the hardest thing I had to deal with was self-scheduling. I would've told myself not to be so nervous, and not to be scared of the other people. There were so many other freshmen in my position, and that was so much of a relief. The other students were really helpful too. Finding buildings on a small campus isn't too complicated, but finding rooms can be a little confusing. I would've probably reassured myself that once I got settled in, I would begin to make friends and enjoy myself at college. I believe my teachers in high school prepared me for the courses that I took my first semester, but I wish I would've paid a lot more attention to what they said. So basically, to sum it up, I wish that I would've been more relaxed in high school, and I wish I would've paid more attention to what my teachers had to say.