Virginia Wesleyan College Top Questions

If I could go back and tell myself as a high school senior everything that I have learned being at college, I would tell myself a lot. I would let myself I know that college is tough, but it can done and done well. Also, I would let myself know that making friends is a great way to help the rough transitional process that everyone faces when going from high school to college. It would have been good to know that college is not an evil place and that the professors are very willing to help like the teachers in high school are. I was very concerned my senior year of high school that my professors would not take time to talk with me if I was struggling or even if I needed clarification on an assignment. Being here at college I would tell my high school senior self that the professors are people too and they do not mind helping; they actually enjoy it! Another thing I would have loved to know and that I would go back and tell myself is that, college is a learning experience; you will fall down, but you will get right back up.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would encourage myself to never lose hope. I would say, "Amber, if life takes a curve ball, never, EVER, lose the joy that keeps you going. Even in the toughest times, always find a way to foresee the good; never lose faith. Even if you lose friendships once cherished, never allow your hopes and ambitions to fade away, or your inward zest to succeed disappear. Live life refusing to be afraid or full of “what if’s”. Have confidence, especially in the hardest of times, that God has your back. Know that without a shadow of a doubt, you SHALL be a conqueror, you SHALL be a prosperer, and you SHALL be a young lady who refused to let your faith in Christ fade any longer. College is a decision to seek the best, obtain the best, and BE the best! So, empower yourself, Amber. Rest in Christ; know that with Him, all things are, indeed, possible! You've worked hard for the best education and most positive education life can offer, so obtain it!...And when you get it, never let go!

I would tell myself to not worry about what my friends and people surrounding me think. I would focus more on my grades and taking all of the extra classes I can. In college there are so many different types of people that there is no need to change who you are to fit in. You will fit in perfectly fine with people that are similar to you. Being the most popular in highschool means nothing going into college, you'll be right back at the bottom. In college everyone is friends with everyone pretty much and age and year doesn't matter. What matters is whether you are going somewhere in life and what your priorities are. So go to class, do your work, study, and have fun. If you work hard you can play hard.

Shaquasia, look I know you are lazy sometimes and you do not feel like living up to your potential, but it is time that you change your ways. Keep your grades up because the amount of tuition is high and if you have better grades, you will be offered more scholarships. Make sure you take care of the financial aspect of applying to colleges because it will catch up to you in the long run. Play a sport because your inability to play a sport is holding you back from great opprotunities that you would be interested in. Overall Shaquasia, just try harder, work harder, and get more involved.

I would tell myself to always have the initiative to do what needs to be done, be on time, and always respect your family. I would also tell myself to look and apply for more scholarships, college is very expensive and there are incidents that come along the way that mom and dad are going to have to worry about.

If I could go back and talk to myself has a high school senior knowing what I know now about college life and I would tell myself to buckle down and study harder. I would tell myself to actually learn the information I was being taught and not just memorize it for the test and forget it shortly after. I would have toured more colleges then I did, to get a better feel for the different types of college there are and maybe find one that suits what I want to study better. I’d tell myself to more serious about going to college and maybe prepare myself better for the transition of moving and being away from my friends and family. Joining a club where I could be a leader would have helped instead of just participating in clubs. I would say the extensive hours of volunteer work I did helped prepare me for the volunteer work I have to do for classes now. Overall the main advice I would give myself would be retaining the information I learned, studying harder and putting more effort into classes so I would understand the work load that comes with college classes.

If I were given the opportunity to go back in time and talk with my high school senior self, I would tell myself all about my college experience. I would stress the importance of reading and doing homework when it is assigned to prevent procrastination. I can only imagine the response I would get from my high school self. My old self would probably role her eyes and think, "yeah, yeah, I already know that" and completely disregard my advice. However, I would share all of the experiences I have had during my first year of college. For example, something I would share with my high school self is to always write down homework assignments. Also, to become independent and weigh every decision carefully. Being in college means having more responsibilities, a teacher is not always going to be there to hold your hand and tell you what to do every step of the way. In order to make the transition easier I would tell myself to be open to change especially since I was shy in high school. These are the things I would tell my high school self about how to make the college transition.

If I could talk to myself in highschool I would tell myself to take the subjects more seriously and study hard to apply myself fully in those areas. Also, I would of told myself to be more active in school activities and that I should volunteer more in the community.

Now listen, Cassondra. I need you to take this advice seriously. Although it is important to find your nitch and make as many friends as possible, make sure that what you are deciding to do for the rest of your life is just that. Not only does it need to be what you are passionate about, but it also must support you. Read beneath the lines and look between the people because that is where you are going to find the most education. What you are about to embark on is a journey that unfortunately and fortunately is how life is going to be. Make sure you can take care of yourself and never have to depend on anyone!

If I could give myself advice as a high school senior now, I would strongly advise myself to look for more scholarships. Since I had good grades, I would have been eligible for more free money, lifting the financial burden I am now experiencing. I would also advise myself to obtain a tutor for the SAT. My scores were not the best; if I could have studied more for the test and scored higher, I could have obtained more scholarships as well.

Right after high school I would go to a either a 4 year college or university. Even at this age (I am 53 years old) going to school and better myself is great and lots of fun,challenge,and most of all,self-discipline. It's great to know that I didn't lose my energy and motivation!!

Dear Senior Self, As you graduate this June and prepare yourself for a summer adventure in Europe, don’t stress much about the upcoming college year. You will be fine. Remember to leave early for that first day of class. It was embarrassing walking in 15 minutes late because you didn’t how to find your class. Sit with Thomas, he was in your prom group, he will help you with math a lot. When your classes seem to be hard and you’re all alone, remember you’re not. Turn to people in class for more help than you did through high school. Speak up in class, in college your voice does matter. People are interested in what you have to say. When it comes to transferring from 2 year college to 4 year university, look at out of state schools. Study hard, keep your grades up, you’re going to be just fine. With all of this you will be prepared to step off to Hawaii Pacific University. Don’t forget to apply for a lot of scholarships, you won’t be getting financial aid. You will need all the help you can get. Sincerely,Your college self

I didn't attend my high school senior year. I dropped out and completed my GED. I wanted to get a full time job and some real work experience. If I could go back in time I would tell myself to finish high school. There are a lot of years in the working world ahead of you. Get the full time job after graduation, and then explore the working world. Figure out your passion first, then seek your college degree. You will be much more focused on your studies after seeing what it is like in the "real world". You should also wait to have your three children until you graduate college. It's really tough to miss their ball games and programs when you have classes at night. You will be able to attend any college you choose regardless of location without worrying about uprooting your family. Please take my advice! I may sound like your parents, but trust me they are very smart folks. Someday you will realize this.

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This answer is simple: I would tell myself to enjoy it, take it all in and work hard. Often times I get caught up in just the "get good grades" aspect of college that I forgot to have fun while doing it.

Ashley, Although a social life and getting involved on campus is of high importance in college, academics should always come first. Getting involved too much leaves little to no time to spend on academics. After all, your academic success is what got you into college in the first place. Please do not loose touch on what you will be going to college for. Join organizations that required a minimum G.P.A and go above and beyond those minimum requirements. Reccommend required study hall for your varsity sport to keep academic success a main priority. Lastly, use the resources that the college constantly brags about. Your faculty and staff are there to help you succeed. They cannot do the work for you but are their to aid you in your success. Take opportunities that are presented to you and always ask for help. Always remember the motivation that made you choose Virginia Wesleyan College and use that to guide your way. Best of Luck, Ashley

I was adequently prepared for the transition from high school to college. However, if I could go back in time to my senior year I would have encouraged and pushed myself to search for more financial aid. If I had taken care of business back then I would be better prepared now to continue my education at Virginia Wesleyan.

Knowing what I know now I would tell my high school self to take school more seriously. I would say that it is in my best interest to actualy apply myself fully in order to actually learn what the teachers are trying to teach me. School came easy to me and all of my teachers liked me so I always recieved good grades even when I did not work hard for them or didn't deserve them at all. I realized this when I got to college because there are things that we discuss that I should know, but I do not. My level of comprehension would be a great deal higher for the material that I am learning now if I would have learned what I was suppose to in high school. High school was so easy for me, but if I took it more seriously I would have gained more. Sometimes I feel that I am not at the level I should be as far as intellect. I knew that college was not going to be easy and I was excited for the challenge, but I feel that I could have been better prepared.

I would make sure that I worked more and saved more money for college. Attending private school can be very costly, but I would not change it for anything because the education that I am receiving is priceless.

The one thing I always say to prospective students, and I wish someone had told me, was pick a school for you. Don't pick one based on where your friends are going, where your parents went, or anything like that. When deciding on a school to go to make sure it is one you will feel at home in. So many people have dropped out of school because they picked it for the wrong reasons and weren't ready. Make sure that you look at it for you. Don't worry about the money or anything. The money will work itself out. It is better to be in debt and learn alot because you will probably get a better job because when you're asked about your education you will be totally upfront with them and excited about the education you recieved. There are so many scholarship opportunites out there that you just need to look for them and apply. Apply early, and often. Basically, make sure you don't rush into a college decision for the wrong reasons.

I would advise myself to fill out more scholarships. Also, I would tell myself to go into every situation with a positive attitude and always expect the best. I would tell myself to always look at the good in situations and people. With that type of mindset, nothing can stop stop you from being happy in college and reaching all of you goals and dreams.

The advice I would give myself as a high school senior would be to not procrasinate and really work on my time management skills. Also I would tell myself to find out what I'm really passionate about so that I would choose the right major.

Oh, if I only know now,what I could of back in my high school days, which has been 34 years ago. Things would have been different but the only thing I wouldn't change is having my children. Now getting to experience the joy as a grandmother, and wouldn't change that for the world. Throughout my life have had some bad relationships, but again wouldn't change for my children all three are wonderful kids. I'm enjoying my life at this time, feel more confident about myself. It has all worked out for a reason. Now attending National American University in the Medical Billing and Coding Field. This education has opened my eyes on the importance of education that I never thought of before, while working during the day at my job I can't wait to get started with class at the end of the day. The 2500.00 sure would help me along my path in education, and will be very much appreciated. Thank You very much, Susan Goss

The first piece of advice I would give myself if GO TO THIS SCHOOL. Virginia Wesleyan College is magnificent. It is the perfect size in every way, it has the best professors that help students learn better than they could ever have learned before. On the down side, I would have liked to have told myself that life on campus is not as important as my studies. Working hard in the class room and on my own to have my goals come true is what is the most important. I would make sure I told myself to plan out what classes I want to take and make sure I get all my requirements out of the way. Also, I would need to tell myself that greek life is not the most important thing ever, just because everyone else is joining does not mean you have too!!! Lastly, I would tell myself to enjoy every minute I have here. It is the best choice I have ever made when dealing with my education and life goals!!

Apply for more more universities! I thought I knew what I wanted to do in high school so I did not apply to any universities. I went straight to community college for firefighting. Now, looking back I wish I had actually applied to at minimum 3 or 4 schools other than community college just to give me an option. Transferring out of a junior college saves money, but going strait to a 4 year university would have been more enjoyable in the long run.

WHAT I WOULD TELL MYSELF IS INSTEAD OF GOING TO COLLEGE TAKE A BREAK FROM SCHOOL OR GO TO THE MILITARY. FURTHERMORE, DONT APPLY FOR ANY LOANS.

If i had the oppurtunity to go back and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would explain the importance of preparing myself for the college experience. The transition to college is both mentally and physically, and as a senior in high school I assumed the transition would be easy. I would tell myself that although the start of the transition is very tough, to not let down and get lazy. The end result of the transition to college is well worth the struggle and all it takes to make it through the transition is a bit of self confidence and patience.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to take more time to study, apply for scholarships, and get more involved in school activities. I would tell myself to study more because in my first two years at VWC, I didn't study as often as I could have and my GPA wasn't as good as it could have been. I would tell myself to apply for more scholarships because I am in quite a bit of debt from having to take out student loans. Had I applied for more scholarships, I may have considered living on campus and getting a better experience out of my college life. Lastly, I would tell myself to get more involved in school activities because I feel I may have missed out on a lot of the valuable college experiences. With these advices, I think my college experience would have been much better.

If I were to go back in time to my senior year, I would tell myself to focus more on getting my school work done. I would have been practicing to eliminate any procrastination because in the college life, procrastination presents itself more often.

just help me

I would love to tell myself to study more and gain better study habits. High school was important to me but I didn't study very much. In college now I find it very hard to study because I didn't gain the study habits necessary for college. I'm learning now and doing better though. I would also like to tell myself that it doesn't matter what people think about you in high school. I spent a lot of time worrying about what others thought about me but now that i'm in college I realize that it doesn't matter as long as i'm happy with myself. I can't believe how much I learned being in college for only a year and how much I wish I would have known in high school.

I am choosing to write a letter to myself: May 1, 2009 Dear 18 year-old Stella, This is a letter from your future self with some words of wisdom I strongly advise you to follow, or at least ponder, before you make the big jump into your college education. I know you must be very excited, as next month marks the end of your high school education. I ask you to take a look around you; your best friends will always be here for you, your family will always love and support you and they want you to be happy with your choice of where you want to go to college-- never loose track of what these people mean to you. I know you want to get out of Utah so badly you can almost taste the sea breeze in Virginia that is awaiting you. My advise is to choose a major that makes you truely happy and never forget to thank your family for your successes, becuase withour them you wouldn't be here. A job worth doing is a job worth doing well. Get ready to work harder than you have ever worked! Best wishes, Future Stella

The adivice that I would give myself, would be to explore all of your options. Make sure that you ask anything and everything about the school that you want to know, and visit every school you are considering. If you are going for a sport, make sure you meet the team, and never make a decision based on someone else. You always have to do what's best for you, because in the end you may have no one there for you.

If I could go back and have a conversation with myself as a high school senior; I would have alot to say. Much to say about life in general and the lessons I have sinced learned as a result of some of the choices I have made. As far as the college life is concerned I would tell myself the most important thing is to stay focused on what is important and what will last. Education is a benefit that will last a life time. While attending college coursework and maintaining a very good GPA should be a priority. The fun can wait till the semester is over or during break. Although it is important to have a good time once in a while without sacrificing your studies. I would also tell myself there are many different types of students of different backgrounds and its important to take time to get to know people when you get the chance. A little networking may go a long way in the future and also valuable friendships are formed in college that can last a life time.

The best advice to give a high school senior would be to take college seriously and start directly after high school. It is very important to stay focused, attend classes, and complete all of your assignments on time. You will not do well if you drink, party, and skip classes. Also, you don't want to wait to start college. Generally, the longer you wait, the more likely you are not to attend at all. Another important tip would be to decide early what you want to major in. If you waste any time at all, you won't be able to graduate on time. There aren't many across the board general education classes, in reality there are various general education classes for each major. Besides staying focused and doing well academically, it is important to enjoy college and participate in clubs and sports. By doing these things and getting involved, you will feel part of your college and make valuable friendships. I hope you will take this advice into consideration and truly enjoy your college experience!

Deciding to leave home in pursuit of an education is one of the most important decisions that one could make. The field in which one invests their time often dictates one's income, hardships, and overall lifestyle. Knowing what I know now, I would advise my high school self to consider all disciplines before committing to one major. Though a subject might be of particular interest, it does not guarantee success. Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, I would have given myself more time to explore all of my options, instead of settling based on a misinformed perception.

Going back in time to my senior year of high school would be a very rewarding experience. Knowing what I know now from my two years of college experience, I would have done a few things very differently. I would like to say I have always been a fairly motivated student, but in college, I have learned motivation is the absolute key to success. By the time I was a senior in high school, I felt like the years were dragging on and I began to let myself slip too many times by doing less than my best on my homework, or studying for tests with a little less ambition. Today I know the college work load will absolutely not permit laziness and less than satisfactory work. I learned very quickly that motivation is a staple, and if I could just go back in time a few years, I would have given myself a heads up that being successful calls for motivation! If I had known that then, I believe I would have transitioned into college with grace and my first semester would have been an even bigger success and a more memorable stage of my life!

Dear Zeljana, You are about to embark on a very important journey. The choice you make for a college is one of the most important decisions of your life. You have chosen to go to Virginia Wesleyan, which is a great choice for you. Once you get there, here are some things you should keep in mind: 1. Everyone is really friendly. Do not be afraid to step out of your shell and interact with people. 2. Get involved! It's a great way to make friends and really feel like a part of the Wesleyan community. Plus, it's fun! 3. Do not let your workload intimidate you. It can be a lot to handle sometimes but with focus and concentration, you can do it and you can do it well! 4. You are going to be exposed to many different kind of people from many different places. Have an open mind and see this as an opportunity to learn new things. 5. This isn't high school. Be careful who you talk to and the things you can get into because it could lead to trouble. Your professors can be your friends. You have freedom. Embrace it.

students should stay focused and not forget their goals and the main reason they are attending college in the first place. it is a great experience, but learn how to balance when you have your fun. be safe, make the smart choices and choose the right ones. follow this and you will succeed.

Knowing what I know now, I would go back in time and advise myself to buy a day-planner. I think that having a planner is important because it keeps you organized and you learn to manage your time very well. In college you learn that you have to go to a lot of appointments such as making class, going to meetings with your professors or advisors, and attending extra curricular activities. Also you have a lot of work that needs to be submitted to a class on a certain day. In using a planner, you can put all of these things into your schedule ahead of time, so that you know what needs to be done and when it needs to be done by. Since you know when an assignment has to be done by, you are less likely to put it off until the night before it is due and put not as much effort as you could if you hadn't put it off, causing you to feel stress. I truely feel that having a day-planner is important in order for you to be an organized, less stressed college student.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior I would tell myself a lot of things. One is to not to over stress. I always do that and stressing myself only makes everything worse and causes even more stress. Another thing i would say is to not procrastinate. This is one of the main causes to my stress so dont do it. No waiting till the last minuet you dont work well under pressure. third thing is get more sleep and dont pull many all nighters. These all nighters just wear you out and again make things worse, you need your sleep. And lastly is keep doing what you are doing. Dont give in to what others want you to do. Stay true to your beliefs and stick up for yourself. And make sure you call mom frequently, it makes her happy and you feel better as well.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to avoid procrastination and time management are the biggest factors when attending college.

Pay attention, work harder, help others more, get a job to save money.

You made the right choice. Choosing the school that makes you happy was a great decision, and going to a small school definitely has it's advantages. Be friendly and don't be intimidated, the most important time to be outgoing is when you first get here, so it's time to get over being shy and take advantage of the fresh start you are being offered. Get involved. One of the biggest advantages of VWC, is that there are so many opportunities for you to have a leadership role and have an impact on campus. Never waste opportunities, because you never know just how many you will get in life. If you take advantage of the many opportunities offered to you, be they Greek life, events, academic presentations, or service experiences you will be able to look back at your college experience proudly and without regret.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would have a few words of advice for myself. First off, I would have told myself to take preparing for college seriously. My parents never attended college, nor my older brother; therefore, when I took the ACT test, I didn't even know what it was for. I scored low on it and didn't understand why that was a bad thing until I started applying for colleges. I would also have encouraged myself to start watching people and what careers were out there. I would have said "shadow people at their jobs and volunteer in the community." I would have encouraged my high school self to travel when possible during college and apply for scholarships. Also, I would tell myself to find out what my passions are. Attending college is important, but doing passionate things, such as running on a team or in races, being a college tutor and helping others or being part of a student goverment are exciting things that I would have stressed to myself were just as important as taking classes for a future career. Lastly, have fun!

Monique, you will never be too sure of what school you want to attend until you are actually there physically. Do not settle for nothing less than what you have expected, and if you are in it just for the pertying and fun, then you need to reconsider. Yes, college is for making friends and having fun, but stay focused on your academics. Do not take your credits for granted because your credits have a way of defining you in the aspects of what grad level you are in and what courses you can take.

If I could go back to my high school self and advise myself about college, I would tell myself that I would need to be prepared to work harder academically, and take it more seriously. I would say that it is a competetive world out there and to never settle and never be satisfied with where I stand, whether it be academically or athletically; that I need to establish goals and continue pushing to be the best all around person in order to be one that stands out from a large crowd. The most important thing I would tell myself is to be well organized and take advantage of time given to myself, never waste a second because you can never get it back and when it all adds up, those extra seconds turn into minutes and hours that I can never get back, and it's those seconds that make me a better athlete and student, which will in turn establish myself above all the rest around me.

Work hard and develop good study habits now. Be prepared to work hard and be stressed out sometimes. But do not forget, you will get through. Become more outgoing and friendly. Although other people are new too, YOU need to reach out to make new friends and get to know people. Your efforts will be returned. Open your mind. Everything you will learn will change your perspectives. So, never debase another person's beliefs or become stoic in your own. Be tougher. College professors are not scary, slimy monsters! Well, most. So, do not do that nervous, crying thing you like to do. There is no point! Find your group...a good one. Hang out with everyone, but find your core, your main crew. They will support you through the rough, enjoy with you the fun, experience with you the new, and be your true life mates. Take advantage of your time there. It goes too quickly. An entire year will hold too many memories to recall, so savor each and every one in its midst. A year passes like a second.

Go to a community college first. Coming from a very very small private school does not fully prepare you for the college workload. It would be very difficult for you to stay on track and remain positive and focused. You may think that the school is for you because it is small like your highschool was but it is very different. Also plan to work and stay out of trouble so that you can remain on the track and field team and set new records. School is tough, so prepare as much as you possibly can early. Do not not procrastinate. Whenever you can get a chance to go ahead do that just as you had in highschool. You have to motivate yourself because if you do not no one else will because it is not their job, it is only your's.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to choose a college based on more than just sports. Although I love Virginia Wesleyan, I had always wanted to go to a bigger school where I could go to football games and have that stronger sense of school spirit that the larger schools have. Because of soccer however, the transition was not hard since I immediately had friends on the team. I would also tell myself to not listen to anyone else except for myself when making the decision and to choose more based on variety of academics offered in order to keep my options open. As my college experience is winding down, I have come to realize that I wish I had more options in terms of classes and majors because even as a business major, since it is a liberal arts school, I got more of a broad education than a focused education where we go in depth in one subject. This however, is not a bad thing, it was just not exactly what I was expecting from college.