Westfield State University Top Questions

As a high school senior I would tell myself that even though getting good grades is very important, so is making connections with fellow students and your teachers. Going to classes is more than just learning the material; it is learning how to work with other people from different walks of life. The first year or two of college I didn’t bother to make real connections with anyone because all I wanted were the grades and the degree. Now, I have made dear friends and have learned that everyone is in school for the same reason as I am and to enjoy it while I’m there.

I would advise myself to take it slow and and just enjoy being in school. Take in as much as possible but still give a lot of thought to what exactly are my career goals and what I should do to get there.

Thinking about my Senior Year, I laugh about how stressed out I was commiting to Westfield State, but once I arrived on campus, I felt at home. The advice I would have given myself senior year is to just be yourself. Don't apply to a school because your friends are going there or apply because you hear it has awesome parties. Go because when you tour it you can picture yourself walking around campus. When you pick a school and you move in, continue to be yourself, it is the most imporatant thing I can tell you. When you get here, you will meet people prettier than you, smarter than you, more athletic and talented than you, but just rememer that no one is you. Join clubs, try out for a sports team, do what makes you happy, don't listen to other peoples opinion about things that intrest you and not them. People here will like you for who you are and what you are capaibale of. Don't pretend you are someone your not because you will end up forgetting who you really are. Be yourself Torie, and I promise you will succeed in what you do.

Chose to test your seemingly innate beliefs and objectively decide whether those assumptions hold truth. After you're removed from the surroundings of your upbringing, you need to determine your individual lifestyle. Many people fall into habits, but you need to factor mental reflection into this process. That’s the only way to make sure you're not living aimlessly, to live your life with purpose and limit regrets. But how can you be truly objective? How can you make sure you're not simply seeing what you already believed, and subconsciously ignoring the rest? Should you remain subscribed to prior assumptions that don't align with what you really believe? These are some of the questions you need to address if you want to live a life with purpose and direction. Your perceptions will certainly change as you endure more experiences and as more knowledge floods your brain. Yet, you need to decide (and continue to decide) what is concrete and what lessons you choose to take from the past eighteen years. Factoring introspection into your choices will help lead you toward success and insightful failure.

I would remind myself that this is my first babystep into adulthood. I'll have to get used to not having to ask and recieve everything from my mother. It is now that i'mbecoming a "grown up", I will advise to start sharpening up my interative skills because knowing people can help you get to places. I would advise myself that its time be on your own...finally!

I feel the biggest advice I would give is figure out a much stronger plan. One of the hardest parts about the overall experience is micromanaging different aspects - time to devote towards school, towards work, towards maintaining relationships. To make progress and have life change to a point where school had to be set aside, where my own career goals became questioned by not doing the proper research, took up a lot of time - I learned alot in the process, but to go back in time, I would want to tell myself to focus more on creating a sensible plan that would allow me to financially and emotionally be capable of continual progress.

If I could go back in time to when I was a high school senior, I would tell myself that everything is going to be okay. Going to college was a struggle for me because it was the first time I had really left home. It seemed like I was on a foreign planet with no resources. I would tell myself that the panic and frustration of it all will be over eventually because every kid goes through it. It might take some time, but eventually everyone makes the right friends and gets comftorable. When I first went to college, I left after 2 weeks because I was scared of being on my own. I would tell myself to tough it out, because in this world that's what you have to do to make it. I would also tell myself to focus on what I want in life. Having a mother that is sick basically all the time is hard. I felt like I was abandoning her, but in reality, thats exactly what she wanted. I would tell myself not to let anyone hold me back.

Please choose a college that is in a stimulating location. Don't assume that you can't get financial help and don't assume that you'll find things to do in whatever location you find yourself in. Think carefully about what you really want in a school and make sure to thoroughly research the programs to make sure it fits what you want. Also, the more you apply for financial help (ie: scholarships) the better chance you have of winning. Don't slack off. In a year you will regret not putting in the effort to be more thorough in choosing your college.

I would tell myself to study harder, pay more attention to math classes. I would also tell myself to ask for more help from teachers and classmates. There is nothing wrong for asking for help. Then I would tell myself not to wait to go college waiting makes it harder. Harder to catch up and learn. Life will sweep right by you if you wait, before you know it you will have a family and responsabilities that will take up a lot of your time. School is important and college is also. Life is hard and jiobs even harder to find without a good education.

As excited as you are for college, don't take yourself out of the rest of your high school experience. The final months of high school are the most memorable and being focused on college almost prevented me from investing myself in those last few months. I am so thankful I put all my focus towards that time because I rekindled, strengthened and formed so many friendships during that time and after four years, I saw my class finally come together. Don't get me wrong, preparing for college is so much fun and arriving to start a new life is just as exciting but when you feel homesick, which you will, those memories from the end of senior year are what got me through. Both high school and college are such memorable, different experiences and it's important to fully invest yourself into each experience because they will both form memories that will last forever.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to do everything possible to get the most out of my college experience, as well as the rest of my time in high school. I would tell myself to step out of my comfort zone and live on campus for my first year of college. I would insist that I do everything possible to make friends in college, as most of my friends would be leaving to go off to other colleges all around the country in just a few short months. I would also make sure that I focused on my schoolwork, rather than trying to balance it with work and home life. I would say to step away from all the baggage of the past 18 years of my life and be who I want to be, not who everyone else wants me to be. Unfortunately, I cannot go back in time and give myself advice, but it really would be great if I could.

It took me seven years to complete my bachelor's degree after I graduated from Holyoke Community College with my associate's degree. I would tell my high school self that there is no rush to move out of your parent's house. Once I moved out, my life became very stressful because not only was I going to school full time, but bills had to be paid so I had to work full time as well. I would also tell my high school self to concentrate on only you. Don't take care of any significant other because he can tie you down which can cause you to stop going to school. College life is not all fun and games and is not easy, but in the end it will be worth it. You will have a better paying job that makes you happy. Also, I would tell myself to get involved in sororities involved in the education field. You will have many opportunities to be involved and don't pass them up. Overall, I would tell myself that I am an intelligent woman and to use my knowledge to my advantage.

This is a pretty loaded question. As a high school senior, it's hard to grasp the fact that you're going to college next year. No matter what the pamphlets tell you, or what orientation explains to you, you can't have concrete expectations. Knowing what I know now, I would have told myself to save more money! No joke, this college thing is expensive. (Not just for my parents.) I've realized I'm on my own when I'm away, and I need to have my own means of getting money. Also, I would have told myself to really think thouroughly about what I want to do for the rest of my life that was going to make me happy. I had this one idea in my head when I left high school, and I changed my mind in the first semester. I'm ok with that. I just would have told myself to think seriously about my life and my future, because it's really sneaking up on me. I need to do something I love, but something that's also going to give me a good living. And That's why I need this scholarship.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior the main thing I would tell myself is to apply myself more to my studies. After completing my first undergraduate semester I recieved better grades in this one semester that I recieved in all of my high school career. I studied for all my tests during my college career but while in high school I never studied for tests and in some classes I struggled to get C's. Upon graduating from Westfield I will not have gotten a grade below a B. College has challenged me but I feel as if I can graduate within the top 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my college class I can do a lot more than I expected.

If I were to be able to tell myself as a senior what I know now. I would challenge myself to not play it safe. Comming out of my comfort zone and attending Westfield three hours from home was one of the best decisions I ever made. Challenge yourself to try everything once. If you don't like it, you don't have to do it again. Don't look back and wonder, look back and know! You need to have confidence and faith in what you want to accomplish. Dreams are not easy to chase, but putting one small goal in front of the other makes the whole proccess easier.

If I could go back as a highschool student with the knowledge that I now understand about college I would first off tell myself not to stress out over the small things, it all happens for a reason. However, through out the entire college process I learned not to freit the "friend" drama; to put the extra energy into the friends who are true. Being in college I now realize how important it is to keep in touch with all the elements of home; Stay close to your family, friends, cherish you home town, and your health. Most of all, I am greatful that my parents stressed the importance of living within my means and picking a state school with a reasonable tuition. With the revilation that I will one day need to pay back every dime of the tuition I am paying, I know how many shifts it takes to pay off only a fraction of my semesters tuition. It was a struggle when choosing a college to accept going to a state school when all my friends were going to private schools. I now realize I made the most reactional decision for my life.

Never hold limitations to what you can do. Your majors are subject to change; it's only normal. It's never too early to start saving money for college, saving money will save you in the long run. You need to learn how to relax when the pressure seems unbearbale. Be realistic in your goals by strive to achieve them; they are possible. Yes you will miss your friends and family as you move on to college, but they will always be there when you come home. Coming home on breaks and holidays you will realize just how important family is and what they mean to you. College is a time to try new things so don't hold back and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Believe in yourself because with hard work comes reward.

Save all your money, apply for a TON of scholarships and DONT GO INTO EDUCATION! Go into the health field where the money is at!

Dear high school me, When everybody said that college is nothing like high school, don't listen. Remember all the lessons you learned this year, like don't talk behind peoples backs, because somebody will tell them, don't expect the best out of everybody even though you give them nothing less, but remember not everybody is a backstabber and not everybody is out to break your heart. You will meet a few amazing friends this year, try to remember to not be so sensitive, and remember some people actually want to stick around, so don't be so afraid to leave home. Try not to be so shy, nobody is judging you, they jsut want to be friends so let them. Don't stick so close to only a few people, you would do a lot better without them. and remember most of all that you're a good person, and you will have hard times, but I promise it will all be worth it. love, Me

I would tell myself to be more outgoing and try to meet as many people as possible. You only have the college experience once.

I would say go with your gut and don't decide which college to attend based on finances. You need to go to the college that makes you happy because this is where you are going to spend the next four years of your life. When you do finally get to college you need to learn to work now and play later. Before you go out with your friends, make sure you get all of your homework done. There are many distractions in a college dorm, but don't let those stop you from doing well in school. Try your hardest to make friends and keep an openmind; people may surprise you.

I would tell myself to keep focused on school work, find ways to make studying and organizing easier, and be more outgoing. All three of these will definitly benefit in the future. The school work is nothing like high school. Teachers are not going to "let it slide"; if you don't do the work, or you don't study... tough. And become more socially active. If you continue to be your shy self in college, it will only make finding friends more difficult if you keep to yourself. Don't be afraid to stand up and speak out against something you think is wrong. If you sit there quietly and let it pass you by, then it will keep happening, more often as before. And keep organized. You spend more time straightening out your desk, figuring out what your homework is, and finding where you put your textbook than doing the homework itself. And if you're having trouble in class, either ask the teacher, kids in your class, or get a tutor. There is nothing wrong with that! Once you step foot inside that tutoring center, you'll feel better already!

Out of my college expierence i have gotten the ability to create a good time and friendship with the people who are here. We don't have a mall or movie theatre that close to go to so we stay on campus and hang out in eachothers rooms and get to know eachother. This is valuable to all college expierences because even though you need to focus on academics, you will always need a friend there for help that books cannot give you. This college helps build stronger bonds with your friends.

College is not what you expect it to be like at all. I would tell myself to stay calm and not to stress out. Collge isn't ridiculous parties that go on 24/7. It is a lot of work and studying, and not studying like you did in high school, where you barely studied at all. You actually have to read and study your notes a few days before a test. No one holds your hand in college, you need to learn to do things on your own and take care of yourself. I would change my major to what it is changed to now, which means that I would have completely different classes. I guess I should have taken more time to think about what I really wanted to do with my life instead of listening to others about what they felt I should do for the rest of my life.

I would tell myself that it is ok to be unsure where my decisions will lead me for a career path. I started out as a History Secondary Education major and then changed to a Criminal Justice major. I now work in communications and logistics for a medical transport company. Recently I decided to go back to school to attain my Master's degree in Emergency Management. This is vastly different then a degree in History Secondary Education. While I very much enjoy reading about history I discovered that teaching that subject was not a career I could see myself pursuing.

Take your time in the decision process, know yourself and be true to yourself. It is a decision that will ultimately affect you for 4 years. It took me a long time to decide, but in the end, it was a great decision for me. When I started looking at schools, I had no idea what I wanted to pursue, I had ideas, but wasn't sure. I had ideas about what I thought I wanted in college life, but after visiting a couple of my top choices a few times, I realized that some schools I loved in the beginning weren't really the schools that were the best fit. Listen to your gut, I made my choice on April 15 and sent my deposit right away. I come from a very small school and Senior year your emotions are running high, your finally a senior, you have the stress of leaving your home, your school and figuring everything out and it is very overwhelming, but in the end I listened to my heart and went with where I felt I would fit best and am very happy with my choice!! Can't wait to continue at Westfield State!!

As a college senior, I am a completely different person than I was as a high school senior. Personally, I had a hard time with my transition to college, but instead of getting involved and reaching out to my new community, I withdrew and because of this did not enjoy my first two years of college. If I could go back, I would tell myself to go and get involved, to make friends and to remember that there are always people there to help when I need them. I would remind myself that I am never alone, and to focus on my relationship with God, because He brought me there for a reason. I would then tell myself that finding something that makes you happy is more important than anything, and staying in school for an extra year, as is my current plan, is worth it to finish a double major which will end in my ability to work a job that I love. And above all, I would remind myself that life is short, and to not live with any regrets, because this moment right now is the only one that we know we have for sure.

I would tell myself, that life isnt easy and that college is going to take alot of work and effort to make it happen. but its up to me to make it happen, not to give up and life going to be easy. you work hard and than you can play. Just have fun and get to meet people. it's about who you know .

I would have to tell myself that it's okay to go to a 4yr institution right out of high school. There's plenty of scholarships and assistance to help with tuition and books. I would recomend going as a full-time student in a degree program your interested in. This is going to be your career, do not go for something just because it requires less education and pays more money. You need to enjoy this. Up until my senior year I wanted to be an accounant. As a senior I took a class on medical careers and thought great I'll go for my associates in radiology/ultrasound and make lots of money only after 2 yrs. I really should have stuck with business accounting as I had already planned prior to senior year because it was something I did good at and enjoyed.

If I could go back in time to my senior year I would tell myself to get prepared for one of the greatest adventures in your life. College offers us a wealth of opportunities to meet new people, get out and experience the freedom of being on our own, and to grow and develop our own path in life. I would tell myself to get involved, right from the very first day you arrive on campus. There are so many activities, clubs, groups, teams to get involved in, try as many as you can. While moving away from home for the first time can be intimidating remember that the friends and family that you leave behind are always there for you. You will be surprise, on your first trip home for the holidays, how much those relationships and friendships you left behind continue to grow stronger.

Be series about your studies concentrate and have fun.

Live life without regret. To prevent this I have learned from both my high school and college experience that when something is sitting right in front of you, you should take advantantage of the opportunity. When colleges host open houses, you should visit to see if you will really enjoy the college and make you feel at home. This will prevent you from choosing the college that is completely wrong for you and prevent you from wanting to go through the transfer process. Also, in my high school juniors and seniors that contained a certain GPA were given an opportunity called the "High School Partnership Program." This gave high school students the chance to take a transferable course free of charge. This is something that should definitely be taken advantage of because you can save both money and study time in college. Lastly, as a senior in high school you should take advantage of all those scholarships and actually search for some whether they are small and large awards. This helps because in the end all those small scholarships add up. In the end all these things will help you so you do not regret anything you missed out on.

I would have pushed myself more academically in my senior year to try and boost my GPA as much as possible. I also would have tried to apply for scholarships earlier to try to have guaranteed financial aid before enrolling in the college. Each semester the amount I have saved up for college is diminishing more quickly than I had expected. I would have also applied to more colleges to try to have a larger selection of colleges to attend; well more than the four I had to choose from. Overall, I would have pushed myself more and I would have told myself to apply to more colleges.

I would tell myself to study more and make concrete study habits. It's been a challenge to get into the work as well as others have, but I seem to be doing well. Working hard is a major part of college that I'm not sure highschool students really understand. The work is very different.

I think that the most important thing I would have to relate to myself would be not to be afraid. Before I got to school, while it was still an unknown looming closer and closer on the calendar, I had reached the point where I had simply resigned myself to it. I didn't really want to go, but I figured there wasn't really any getting out of it now, so I would go there and just endure it. I would go to class, do my work, and simply endure the next four years. But now I see that there is no point in doing anything, no point in living, purely as an exercise in endurance. I had resigned myself to misery before I had even set foot on campus, and only upon arrival did I realize how silly that was. I had only done it, really, because I was afraid. But there was never anything to be afraid of in the first place. I made friends, had fun, and did not have the need to endure anything but dining commons food. I had dreaded college for months for no reason. Silly me.

I think I made the right decsions for where I am, I wish the school was closer but the closer school didn't have what I wanted. I would have meet the people I've met. I have friends for life.

I would tell myself to start practicing the clarinet more since I am a music major. Build confidence. The last thing I would tell myself is work hard and dont worry everything happens for a reason.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would explain that the experience is going to be fun and enlightening, but nothing like I expected. I should not have assumed that college would be much different than high school, especially considering I chose to go to a fairly small college. I should give myself the opportunity to look at larger universities, or ones in a city. I would also tell myself not to get to anxious about the process; slow down and enjoy the changes that are taking place instead of stressing. When looking back, the summer before college was an extremely stressful time for me, and it did not need to be at all. As soon as I began school in the fall, everyone at the school was eger to meet me and help out. The faculity did a great job transitioning school work from high school to college as well. Before school started I was worried that I would not be able to keep up with the work, but my overcompensation made the work ultimitely very easy to complete. I other words, I would simply tell myself not to be so anxious about college.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would drill into my head these two things: studying hard and time management. I was always one of those people who could pick up a textbook, read the chapter once, and do pretty well on the test which caused me to never really develop good study habits. Unfortunately, this kind of came back to haunt me since college level academics involve much more reading and comprehension of the material. As for time management, I go to school full time (averaging anywhere from fifteen to twenty-one credits per semester), work (sometimes up to 39 hours a week), and persue my career of aviation. I do not know how I do it and most days I can feel myself dragging and sometimes my academics slipping. Luckily I am quick to notice it and make a change, but it is one area that I wished I had learned more about how to successfully do so that I am not always so stressed out about how I am going to get everything done and keep from going insane!

Researching as much about the institution is very important, however, tours are very important. Students need to personally experience the school before making such an important commitment.

To the students: Don't go to the school that you think has the most parties. Don't go to the school that all your friends are going to. It's about YOUR future, remember that. Find a school that suits you based on your surroundings like location and how big the campus is. Make sure to ask around about your major at that particular school because there could be a better school out there where you can learn!

Look at all the options regardless of cost to find a good fit for your student. Don't party while at school, the statistic of freshman enrollees who actually go on to receive degrees is suprising very low. I believe in setting goals and exceeding them. College is a time to show the world what you can do and prepare yourself for the next undisclosed number of years of your life. Don't waste it.

Keep all options open and consider all types of schools. You may find a school you weren't considering earlier is actually a better fit for you.

Be aware of your financial situation and be prepared to need more money at one point or another and know how you are going to handle that situation.

I would tell students that they should think carefully about where THEY want to go to school. Don't worry about what your friends, boy/girlfriend think, just worry about what you think. I would also tell them not to worry so much about money. Although college can be expensive and money is often an issue, there is financial aid, scholarships, work, and loans can be taken it. I think it's more important to make sure you are going somewhere where you will be happy rather than just worry about the cost of school.

I would say first off to figure out what kind of learner your are as a student. For me I need to be able to be involved in the class and be ableto ask questions and converse with the professor if I need to. That is why a smaller college was best for me. If you learn better by reading the book yourself and teaching yourself then a big school would be better for you because you dont need to speak with the professor or ask questions as much. Also see how the campus is layed out. Academics come first but you want to be able to enjoy your time there as well. So see what there is to do downtown or see how far away downtown is from your campus. Maybe you dont have a car and you want everything to be within walking distance. Or maybe you dont mind driving 5 minutes to go downtown to hae a good time. Visit all your schools of choice first, and dont pick a school based on its name and reputation, make sure the school fits you before you committ

In my opinion, when choosing which college is best for you my first advice would be to visit as many schools as you can. It is very good to see the different style of schools and what the campuses are like. If you are going to spend four years there you want to like it. I would also recommend talking to students because they will tell you the truth as to what their school is like versus a recruiter who wants you to go to their school just because they work for the school. Also, don't just limit yourself to the schools nearby. Don't be afraid to see what is out there. Concerning, "making the most of the college experience" that is up to you. Honestly, I would recommend living on campus versus commuting. It is a great way to meet people, make new friends who will be lifelong and get involved in a whole new world after high school. Good Luck!

You should only apply to schools that you think will give you the best experience and education. You don't want to go somewhere just because your friends are going there. If you already know what you want to do for a career, you should look at schools that specialize in that field. Don't be nervous when you are at school. You will make plenty of friends and build relationsips with your professors.

If I were to give advice about choosing a college for a student or parent of that student, I'd make sure that both the parents and student were confident that they will be comfortable and happy about the situation. If there is something they saw in tours or any other source of information they didn't like, they shouldn't just ignore it and hope that it won't be a problem. You are spending a lot of money and should make sure it is going to what you want. Also they should meet some of the staff for their student's major, make sure they are friendly people who seem like they care about the student's progress. Make comparisons at different schools on what the facilities look like and the overall positive atmosphere. Overall, you basically don't want to spend a lot of money to be uncomfortable.

follow your gut