West Virginia University Top Questions

College can be a great expereince if you make the right choices. Your parents have prepared you well to be on your own in the real world. They have taught you to respect yourself, respect others and respect the law. Remember that your priority is to get an education. You will be the first college graduate in your family. You have worked very hard to get ehere you are and you should be pround of that. You are an example for your younger siblings and for your community, so don't mess this up. There will be a few times when you will make mistakes. Don't beat yourself up over them. Remember that every mistake is an opportinity to learn a valuable lesson. Also, don't forget to have fun. Your only young once so enjoy yourself but do it responsibly. Make sure you always put safety first. Don't allow your shyness and a few extra pounds keep you from tyring new things and meeting new people. You have worked hard to loose weight and gain confidence in yourself so do not allow anyone to bring you down. You are smart, you are beauitful and you are worthy.

Over the years I have developed into a strong, confident, independent woman who aims to please all of those around her. Yet, now through my first semester of college I realize that I should have went to a college that was more appealing to me than those around me. The university itself stands apart from the rest and is doing rather well. Personally, it seems that a much smalller university would have been more benefical and suitable. The majority of classes I am enrolled in have a minimum of one hundred students. These larger classes will only last the first two years but are making it rather difficult. Those first two years are make it or break it moments in the eyes of college students. As a senior in high school I didn't know what I wanted in a college but now I do. Having a better understanding of myself would have been very helpful during the big, life changing decision in that last year of high school.

Take everything in moderation, working, studying, and partying. Try and find and maintain a balance between academics and a social life because both are an important part of the college experience, but what is the most critical is education so do not let anything over shadow that.

I think my issue going to into college was having the belief that it would be just like high school. I thought that the professors would always care, and push you to go to class. But when in all reality, some classes are over 300 people and they cannot do anything about whether you go to class or not. You depend on your self motivation and drive for your education. But I also was not prepared for the workload I would have as a Music Education major. I took 19 credits which equaled to 11 classes. That requires a severe amount of time management and commitment. But I just completed my first semester with a 3.25 GPA I believe. But lastly I would tell my high school self to make the smart decisions of listening to your professors when they tell you to do something, or as with music they tell you how to become better. I had a tough time realizing what my Clarinet professor wanted me to do to succeed.

I would first apologize for the painful year and lessons ahead. Tough love from present me to past me is needed. I would carry on to tell myself that the most painful and unpleasant lessons I learned that year were crucial to me becoming a beautiful, strong young women. I would tell past Inna to do as she was doing, she will fail and face rejection. But from her failures and mistakes came an amazing individual. This individual today is the Membership Director of a community service sorority, she walks with a passion, a reason to be a better person and help others. In 2011 it was my time to fail and be rejected, in 2014 its my time to shine. I have never shined brighter. But without the painful lessons I would never have such a passion to help others. 200 words will never be enough to explain my life journey or myself. But let this be an introduction. Hello. My name is Inna and today I live my life to the fullest because of my failures.

I learned so much in my first year of college. There is quite a long list of things I would go back and tell myself. Most importantly, I would tell myself to really enjoy living under mom and dad's roof. Cherish the time that you still live with them and don't be so excited to jump into the adult world and be on your own. Also, I would tell myself not to be so prideful and acknowledge the fact that you're going to fall flat on your face when you attempt to be so independant right out of high school. However, I would tell myself that no matter how hard the fall and how full of pride you are, mom and dad don't judge and they always have your back. They are the unrelentless backbone of support that will get you through your first year of college. Even though you are 18 and an adult, you are not quite ready to take on the world by yourself yet. Take smaller steps and study a little harder.

Learn good study skills, don't worry about high school grades to the point that you're stressing yourself out though. Learn life skills that will help you when you're living without parents.

I would give myself the advice to keep my grades up. I know I could have down better at school, if I actually studied, which I am in need of now more than ever. I would tell myself to search for scholarships even earlier and try to get into a habbit of spending my stime more wisely, make a scheduel, and work out a little more. My most important advice would be to stay on top of things, not procrastinate, but still have fun while doing it.

If I could go back in time, I would stress the importance to myself of applying for scholarships. I missed out on so many opportunities to earn help with my tuition. I also would make sure to tell myself to become a more organized individual. You need to know exactly where every paper is so that way you will have it when it is necessary. The transition from high school to college is definitely challenging when it comes to making new friends. I would explain that to get a real experience and make the most of the changes, I need to broaden my range of new people I talk to. Be open to trying new activities. I would challenge myself to be prepared for not gaining the "Freshman 15." Eat chicken wraps, rock climb at the workout center, and do Zumba! Excel in the major you are striving to achieve, and study hard. The most important necessity to making it the best transition possible is to be yourself. Don't give in to peer pressure. Find what you are passionate about because college prepares you to finally earn your dream job.

Dear Tyler, I know that it is really easy to go to WVU but don't do it. Go visit other schools. Go visit schools that will make you get outside your comfort zone. It is really easy to go to a school that everyone in the valley goes to but it will cause many issues for you. By going to WVU, you will limit yourself in the things you do and how you grow as a person. It will cause you to keep the same friends and you will not go outside your comfort zone. What is easy isn't always best for you as a person and personal exploration is the greatest part of college. Lovw, Future You

I would most likely tell myself to apply to a few more scholarships, and to not worry so much about going to a new place that's bigger than anything I've known before because there will always be people like me there. I'd also tell myself to relax and enjoy my senior year, and also not to order my college textbooks five weeks early. Or to pack five weeks early as most eager pre college students tend to do.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior the biggest advice I'd give myself would be to make sure you work hard and bust your ass to be able to get the education that YOU want. I'm not saying to not have fun but be able to balance out what's important and what's not important.

better education

Popularity does not matter. It does not matter who has the most money, who looks the best, who the funniest person is, who the skinniest or most obese person is, who has the nicest car, who has the most well known family, or who is the most athletic. All that matters is who YOU are and what is important to YOU and for YOUR life. Don't worry about anybody else but yourself. Being a sophomore in college now, I speak to about 5 people I went to high school with. Some of the people I went to high school with who I wished I could be are now in worse positions than I am in life. I wish I knew this back in high school because I was always envious of other girls who had perfect hair, the newest Coach purse, and the best looking boyfriends. But today, I am happy with who I am, and I wouldn't want to be anybody else.

If I were to go back and talk to myself as a highschool senior, I don't think that I would tell myself to do anything differently. What I would do is tell myself to slow down and be thankful for the things that I have. I would tell myself to take advantage of the time spent at home with my family (particularly the home-cooked meals), be thankful for the money I have and not to be concerned with having more (because most of it will be gone when I go to college, and I'll just learn to be okay with that and survive without), and most importantly to enjoy the fellowship of the friends that I grew up with. At college you meet plenty of new people, and some of them you will have great fun with, but the relationships with them just aren't nearly as tight as the ones with the people you meet in K-12, and certainly not as close as with your family.

The transition from high school to college can be daunting for a lot of students. Moving away from home for the first time or being on your own can be scary, but you don't need to worry about it! You will be so busy with class work and making new friends that you'll hardly have time to be homesick or stressed out. Keep in mind that everyone else around you may be feeling the same thing, so use this opportunity to get to know your classmates while shrugging off some of the stress. College is only four years, which seems like a long time when you're moving into your dorm and thinking about the next few years. It will go by so much faster than you think, so make the most of it! Join clubs and participate in activities, but remember to make time for yourself and your classes. If you're struggling to find a balance, talk to your friends or advisor about ways to stay on track. Again, everything may seem scary on the first day, but you will get the hang of it all in no time. Study hard, but have fun too!

I would tell myself to apply to as many scholarships as possible so that I would not have to worry about paying for college. I would also tell myself to work harder to obtain better grades so that my transcript would look more appealing to colleges and universitys.

I would tell myself to forget all the expectations I had. College is something completely different than anything you have experienced thus far in your life. If you go in with all these expectations you are likely to be disappointed at some point, but then again it will also blow your expectations out of the water the next minute. You will have great experiences followed only by failures. It will make you questions everything. Why is this my major? What do I even like to do? What am I doing? You will be lost and then by some miracle you find yourself again but only at a deeper level. You will change your mind only to make it up a hundred times more. You will think you know what you want to do for the rest of your life but then you realize that’s a really long time to be doing that, maybe I should consider this instead. So, my advice: start college with an open mind, allow yourself to explore different classes and organizations, take a class in something you never thought you would like, and you just might find what you are passionate about.

When you go to college, put your heart and sole into trying to enjoy and participate in what is going on around you. The first few months and even as long as the first whole year you may feel like you are missing out on what is happening back home. Resist the urge to drop out of school or take time off to join your friends from high school who were not able to stay in college. It may sound like they are having a great time earning money and going out every weekend, but you will realize that college has much more to offer and after graduation you will also have a degree to help you obtain the job of your dreams. It will be very difficult to pursue the type of job you are interested in without a degree.

I would tell myself that college is more difficult than high school. In high school, I could put hardly any work into studying, and still recieve an A. Things changed as I started college, as I recieved a 3.28 GPA my first semester because I did not put in enough time in my studies. I was really dissapointed because that was the lowest GPA I have ever had. I finally began to realize I have to study more to get the grades I want, so once I realized that I have had a 4.0 every semester since then. I just wish I would have realized that my first semester.

If I could go back in time and speak to myself as a high school senior I would advise myself to jump into a social group as soon as I arived at university because it took me a while to find my place and it would have made my transition much easier. I would also explain to myself that some of the activities I was involved in at high school wouldn't be the same in college and that high school is the perfect time to become the president of an organization. I did do some community service in high school, but I would tell myself to do even more because I do much more now that I am in college and it makes me feel great to help other people. During my senior year I worried a lot about leaving my friends behind, but I would tell myself how importnat it is to have new experiences and remind myself that my friends would always be there for me no matter how far away they might be. Besides those few things, I would just tell myself to continue enjoying my time the same way I did when I was there.

When I think back to my high school self and what insight I could give myself, a multitude of things come to mind. First and foremost I would have told myself to take more honors classes in the subjects of my strength. Not only to help me prepare for college but also to solidify the foundation of strong study habits to get me through the more rigorous college courses. I would have also told myself to pursue more variety in my community service. Besides the fact of it looking good on college applications it also exposes you to a wealth of life experiences that the curriculum of standard education does not quite begin to cover. Last but not least, I would have told my high school self to enjoy the friends and family you have around you. That is one thing that I have found to cherish the most while being farthest away from home. These are all things I look back on that have the greatest importance. I wish I could tell the person I was in high school to listen to what I said as well as every other high school student I do and do not know

I would tell myself not to wait to do thing last minute and to study more often because grades are important and tend to be a big deciding factor when it comes to many programs, scholarships, and other aspects in life that help you get to your goals

If you party every night, you will fail out. People will not feel sorry for you.

Knowing what I know about making the transition to college, I would go back and tell myself to work as hard as I can so that I can get the best grades I can get and have a good start to my college experience. Slacking off in high school is something that can really hurt someone trying to apply and get into a good college and start off on a good foot. I would tell myself to learn as much as possible so that it would make my college years a little easier.

First off, it is okay to not know exactly what you want to do. With that in mind, do not let fear of something big, new, or different affect your decision. The easy choice is usually not the right choice. You are going to be scared and stressed with making a decision; but know that your family will be okay without you. It is of high importance to make the decision of school for you, and you only. While you may think that you want to go to a college where no one else from your school is going and get a fresh start, it is actually better to have a friend around. Best friends find a way to be together and help each other through life as they have an impact on your future; let them. You are capable of achieving more than you think, so just do it. Take all that you have learned from the first chapter of your life and carry it with you. Your roots, values, morals, and beliefs are very important to determining your future path. I ask that you remember these words of advice, and take the challenge of something new head on.

If I could go back in time to my high school days I would definitely study more and take a more vigorous schedule. My senior year was a piece of cake and I really didn't concentrate on school work much at all. My main focus at the time was high school cheerleading. I took an easy load so I still had good grades but the classes weren't challenging at all. When I got to West Virginia University, the vigor of the classes I had to take hit me like a ton of bricks. I had to work extra hard to do well and retrain my brain to think and study. If I had taken harder classes as a high school senior I would have been already been used to thinking and studying.

Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, if I could go back in time and talk to my self as a high school senior some advise I would give my self would be to plan ahead. Time management was key in organizing class time, homework, time with friends, and club activities. Club activities were an awesome way of making friends in college. Its good to have a balance of school and fun, that way you do not feel overwhelmed.

Follow your heart. Althought it sounds cheesey and easy to do, most people have a hard time listening to what they actually want and more from what their peers and family like. I was accepted into two other more "presigious" schools than West Virginia University. When people asked where I had gotten accepted they gawked at the idea that I would even hesitate on which to choose. However, after visiting the three schools there was only one that I truly fell in love with. Today I still have to explain myself for why I chose West Virginia University, however, I have never been happier or had a better understanding of the information I've learned. In order to have a successful transition, you need to do what YOU want and what is best for YOU; even if you get laughed at in the process, when you get to your school you'll be happy you made your decision.

I'm here to let you know that you need to listen to your heart, don't be afraid and just go out and seek the answers to the questions you have. I know your parents told you they couldn't pay for college, but you need to listen to me: There are other options to help you pay for continuing education and let me tell you that the things you learn during your college career are so valuable and no one can take that knowledge away from you! I promise you by continuing onto college the overall quality of your life will enhance tenfold. College is not only exciting and rewarding but you'll get to meet so many other people who are just like you! College is where you will truly thrive as a person and can begin to focus on who you are professionally and will give a whole new meaning to your life. It will help you discover who you are on the inside and will enable you be able to give back to the community. Go on to college so you can make the most valuable connection ever, and that is with the real you!

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would first tell myself to relax, I definitely made the right decision. I would tell myself not to worry about what roommate I was going to get because we would end up being best friends and rooming together for many more years. I would tell myself to not worry about my current boyfriend, because college shows you that he isn't the one that matters in your life, that you can do whatever you want and can achieve far more than you'll ever know. Outside of my social life, I would tell myself not to stress so much over the amount of classes I needed to take. Slow down and take a breath. You don't need to pack 20 hours into one semester; some of those classes can wait a year. I would tell myself that I would find who I was supposed to be; that I wasn't going to fail like everyone from my hometown thought I would. Being in a small town, everyone is jealous. You can succeed in whatever you want. You are the one who owns your future.

The most important thing to do is stop and appericate your family everyday. Even though odd are you have your differences, going to college is a family effort. From the support they provide you, to the guidence and love you need, and that tuition check they will likely be writing once a month, your family is a key part to your success beyond high school. With that being said, start making and following good studying habbits now. It is hard to buckle down and put school first when you're emersed in such a new and fun environment and if you do not put school first, you will easily fall behind. Most importantly, start thinking about what YOU want to do in life. College is the first step you will take towards your future as an adult. Think about what you are passionate about and stick with it.

I would advise my high school senior self to not slack off and to keep pushing through class and school. You should have a plan about where you wanna attend college and what kind of field you wanna study in. I would tell myself that life isnt just about football and that my coaches would just tell my teachers to pass me, in the end that just hurt me more because that would encourage me to slack off even more. Not every person that says, "I'll always be there for you", will always be there for you and not to depend on others, you have to be the one to do everything in life for yourself if you wanna excel in life and in your career as a senior. Get things done, dont cheat your way through, go to sleep early, don't skip school and most importantly be a leader and dont follow losers. College isnt hard if your prepared, so learn about the college your gonna go to, research the programs that they offer. But definitly learn about how to get money by scholarships and grants so you wont have to worry about paying for college.

If I could go back in time and truly have a deep conversation with my high school self and offer some words of wisdom regarding college life and the difficult transition I would stress that it is important to be myself and not worry about stressing to fit in. The credit cards and excessive shopping will not make the lonliness go away; it will only ostracize myself from my peers who do not have the credit cards. Money can not fufil the void left by parents splitting up and it will not make them love you more to see that you have grown up so much and dress like an adult. Debt is stressful and makes things difficult. Having a job is not the worst thing in the world but when you get a job, you will actually make some true friends that have some of the same problems as you. Do not be afraid to leave your dorm and just meet new people at the gym and in the cafeteria. Most people are just as scared as you and would love to be friends with someone new.

Take as many college credit course as you can before you graduate highschool. When in college try to study harder and dont party so much.

Study! Study whenever you can, because the material is tricky. Plus you need to find time for everything. Study right after your classes to make sure the material sticks. Also the libiary is going to be your best friend, that will be the second place you attend the most besides your dorm. Lastly dont worry about your major yet and dont stress yourself out with it. GEt core classes out of the way to see what you enjoy. The major you decide to do is going to be with you for the rest of your life might as well enjoy it.

I would say that I need to make sure that I really like the school I am about to attend rather than just pick out a school without loving every little detail about it. Also that it should be a school that I absolutely love and that it can help me in becoming what I want to when I am finished with my education.

Upon meeting my past self in high school, I would, as a college student tell her that college is a whole different life from high school. I would tell her that is a very intelligent young lady and can definitely pull off the acedemic side of college. However it would be more difficult to pull off over a 4.0 GPA in college. She would really worry about that, but I would tell her that the professors are fantastic and will help her succeed in college. I would also tell her that her advisor will help her choose the courses that will help her in her career choices. Those classes will not be a waste of time. Although, there is a more challenging side to college. I would inform my past self that it will be hard to adjust to being on her own at first but in time, it will all be better. There are dorm advisors who will make her feel at home even if she will miss her loved ones. Lastly, I would tell my past self that college will be fulfilling and that she will become a very independant and successful woman.

Stay focused on the reason you are going to college and dont lets the distractions take you off your goals and path.

Hi Steph - Guess what? College will be the best years of your life. You will make life-long friends, travel across the world and mature tremendously. Just make sure you slow down. Focus on today and not three years from now. There's nothing wrong with being career-driven, but make sure you enjoy the freedom you have in college. Don't bury your head in books to make the transition easier. Go to more football games, take a break and party sometimes. Relaxing won't prevent you from graduating with honors, and it won't affect your job prospects. Just don't go too crazy. I know you worked really hard to get here, but you will regret sacrificing the time you could have spent with your friends. After college, you'll all scatter across the country. Plus, it will make adjusting to college your first year so much easier. xoxo, Me

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to get a summer job. I didn't realize how hard it would be to pay for college. It's impossible to work a job and also be a full time student with over nineteen credits a semester. The reality of the price of college is overwhelming and puts a lot of stress on family members as well. I should have gotten a summer job earlier to help contribute to the large amounts my parents are having to pay for my education.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself, or any one of my classmates, as a high school senior I would focus on informing them about the difficlties I faced in my first year of college. As a freshman in college, I worked extremely hard and persistantly in order to recieve good grades and form good relationships with my professors. I suffered the most in effectively studying and preparing for my exams which resulted in average grades. If I could talk to a senior in high school I would encourage them to take their senior year extremely serious and focus on learning how to effectively prepare themselves for exams in college. By this I mean it is important to understand who you are and what type of learning style you have. If I could have learned what types of studying were most effective for myself, my transition to college would have been much smoother. Looking back, my biggest mistake was not taking high school seriously and I would encourage the high school senior me and classmates to have focued more when I could afford to in high school.

the best advice i would ive my self is to read the books my teach assigned and study a head of time so you are not cramming for your test the next day. i would also tell myself to be open minded because there are lots of things your teachers did not prapare you for college.

I would tell myself that even though its your senior year and it's the time when most students goof off, to really take it seriously and be in such a rush for it to be over. I would tell myself to cherish every moment because it will be over before you know it. I would also say that college is not as scary as you think. As long as you go to class and pay attention, its really not that hard so don't waste your time and throw your money away. Its a great experience, you will meet a number of great friends that will last you a lifetime.

I would say that WVU is whatever you want it to be. If you only want to come here to drink and party then WVU will be a perfect fit for you. Likewise, if you want to crack down, study, and do well in your classes, WVU is great for that too. It all depends on what you want to do, and WVU gives you the opportunity to learn as much as you want.

Try to get your basic classes out of the way first.

You must come in prepared for the drastic change in scenery. You will be tempted to party on a nightly basis but it is essential that you focus on your school work in order to get off to a good start. I witnessed multiple kids get sucked into the party scene and they eventually were forced to drop out because of it.

Go to a community college, a good one, and study your general education and prerequsities there. It will be a great experience and will save you thousands of dollars. Join clubs, meet people and get yourself involved in the campus life. Volunteer. Apply for internships. Make life happen for you. You'll want something to write on your transfer application and you might as well have fun with. Fight for the classes you want, not literally of course but continue to attend even when you're wait listed or the teacher is boring or you feel like you have a million other things to do. This is your education and you deserve to get the best from it. Don't spend the night before cramming for a test. Instead, study throughout the semester, make flashcards, form study groups and spend time really learning the information. It will make a difference. Make sure to fill out your FASFA on time. In fact, make sure to do everything on time. Keep a planner. Talk to multiple counselors, they all have different perspectives. Stay organized using binders, post-it notes, folders, taping things to your wall, whatever works. Strive for your best.

Toni, as a high school student, you took AP and Honors classes and did really well without putting a lot of effort into anything. That's not how college is. You can't get by without doing your reading assignments and homework. Try working on your homework every night after school but on the weekends, have fun. You've never had an easy time making friends, but if you don't start making them in college, you will regret it. Whenever things seem impossible to overcome and you cry yourself to sleep at night, it's really going to make a difference if you have people you can go to. Also, get involved in a student organization. You'll change your major several times but enjoy it. College is work, reading, writing, laughing, crying, struggle, and play all balled up into one. Embrace it, and don't regret a thing.

To be able to go back in time and talk to my high school self would be a truly amazing thing. When talking to myself I highly doubt I would reveal much of what would happen in high school me's future because when I look back at my past few three years of college I wouldn't want to change a thing. I would give myself a few words of wisdom though. I would first of all warn her that there will be boys on campus, lots and lots of boys. I'd tell her that she'll experience heartbreak, but remind her that she's strong and she'll have the best friends to put her back on her feet. I'd tell her that her friends in college are going to become her family away from home, cherish their friendship because it's a beautiful thing. Lastly I would tell her to enjoy everyday and the beauty that comes with it. Take chances, be silly, dance and laugh for no reason, and never lose hope because hope and faith in something is what will keep you going the rest of your life.