Help a future College student

[Shard the Gentleman 2,891]

I know absolutely nothing about colleges or the requirements or anything, and I would very much appreciate an explanation of every detail about college. I am currently a Sophomore in high school, so I want to learn everything before I am a senior. Please explain to me. As you know, My family and I have been digging in our ancestry, and so has another part of our family we didn't know. They found us, and added My brothers and I to there scholarship program, its like a lottery, they choose 20-22 relatives a year to give some scholarship money to, and that sort of set everything off on me, realizing that I only have 2/3 short years until I am out of highschool. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[TheBucket2 114]

Get used to not sleeping. That's the best advice any college student will give you. Prepared to not sleep, and to not have money.

[Shard the Gentleman 2,891]

Get used to not sleeping. That's the best advice any college student will give you. Prepared to not sleep, and to not have money.

 

Well, I already have sleeping problems, because my back pains wake me up everynight, and I don't have any money...ever... so uh....

[TheBucket2 114]

Well, I already have sleeping problems, because my back pains wake me up everynight, and I don't have any money...ever... so uh....

 

Well then you're set. Oh, prepare to gain some weight, too. Most of your diet will turn into junk food. Because it's affordable.

[Shard the Gentleman 2,891]

Well then you're set. Oh, prepare to gain some weight, too. Most of your diet will turn into junk food. Because it's affordable.

 

Roman Noodles are like 12 cents a package here... and I love them!

[Rob 5,571]

You could get rid of the rest of your relatives.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Rob

[Robbie the Wise 5,050]

I'll give you three peices of advice from one guy to another

 

1. Get a job, fact college is expensive even without tutition be prepared and have some extra dough coming in (plus girls like guys that will pay for dinner now and again)

2. Ratemyprofessor.com is going to become your best freind. Don't EVER EVER EVER take a class without scouting your professor it could be the diffrence between passing or failing a class.

3. Get involved on campus it's easier to adapt to collge life if you have something to do and people to see it helps you grow as a person.

 

I'm gona give you two more peices of advice free of charge.

4. If you decide to pledge a fraternity just bare in mind pledging suycks no matter what anyone tells you keep that FACT in mind. However if you decide to go through with it don't drop stick it out "pain is temporary but pride is forever"

5. Be smart and use your head in other words DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE

 

Words of the wise from the True Master of the X-Blade.

[Shard the Gentleman 2,891]

I'll give you three peices of advice from one guy to another

 

1. Get a job, fact college is expensive even without tutition be prepared and have some extra dough coming in (plus girls like guys that will pay for dinner now and again)

2. Ratemyprofessor.com is going to become your best freind. Don't EVER EVER EVER take a class without scouting your professor it could be the diffrence between passing or failing a class.

3. Get involved on campus it's easier to adapt to collge life if you have something to do and people to see it helps you grow as a person.

 

I'm gona give you two more peices of advice free of charge.

4. If you decide to pledge a fraternity just bare in mind pledging suycks no matter what anyone tells you keep that FACT in mind. However if you decide to go through with it don't drop stick it out "pain is temporary but pride is forever"

5. Be smart and use your head in other words DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE

 

Words of the wise from the True Master of the X-Blade.

 

Thank you for the advice, and don't worry, I am an Anti-Alcoholic

[The One Truth 48]

I'll give my two cents as well.

 

1.Be prepared, and on time. It isn't like grade school where you are late so many times you get a punishment. The classes make you come to class a certain amount of days and if you miss too many your class could be dropped and there goes the money you spend on class and books.

 

2.Don't procrastinate, trust me when the professor gives you an assignment. You should work on it as soon as you have a bit of free time.That can also go for studying for exams and such.

 

3. Be prepared to be busy, cause mostly you will be studying on or doing something else.

 

4.If you work, make sure it doesn't interfere with your studies, Money is a good thing and you will need it. But if you are missing class and failing because you are busy with work then maybe you should do part time work.

 

5.Be prepared to lose some high school friends, cause a lot you won't get to talk too much, and a lot will move out of state. But don't worry you will make new friends in college.

Edited April 1, 2012 by The One Truth

[Shard the Gentleman 2,891]

I'll give my two cents as well.

 

1.Be prepared, and on time. It isn't like grade school where you are late so many times you get a punishment. The classes make you come to class a certain amount of days and if you miss too many your class could be dropped and there goes the money you spend on class and books.

 

2.Don't procrastinate, trust me when the professor gives you an assignment. You should work on it as soon as you have a bit of free time.That can also go for studying for exams and such.

 

3. Be prepared to be busy, cause mostly you will be studying on or doing something else.

 

4.If you work, make sure it doesn't interfere with your studies, Money is a good thing and you will need it. But if you are missing class and failing because you are busy with work then maybe you should do part time work.

 

5.Be prepared to lose some high school friends, cause a lot you won't get to talk too much, and a lot will move out of state. But don't worry you will make new friends in college.

 

Thanks for the advice. 5. shouldn't be a problem seeing as I have kept to myself, thus having no high school friends. this site is where my friends reside, and some old middle school friends.

[Spiney 125]

As someone who just transferred from a community college to a university...it's been really difficult. I already suffer from anxiety issues so that didn't really help much T_T. I get really depressed b/c i miss being with my family, having my work/school being super close to me and just having that sense of security..and I end up going back on the weekends b/c I can't stand being in my dorm. My mistake was letting this depression get to me and getting more involved on campus life. YOU on the other hand have someone telling you NOT to do that. So, get involved and have fun. :-)

 

As for homework...omg, make friends in your class. Srsly, just sit next to someone who u think looks friendly chat with them and say "hey, do you want to exchange phone numbers? That way if one of is absent, we can find out what we missed?" I've done this like four times now and no one has ever said "Er, no, sry." It helps a lot. You can also use this to setup studying groups and stuff Doesn't matter what your major is, you are going to have a lot homework. TONS. I'm majoring in bio, so they take my workload and make it even double what other majors are! D< We even have to take an exit exam!

 

As for paying....I would go talk to the financial aid offices of the universities you are interested in. There is a federal grant out there that can help u out if u need it. And if there is one, I know there is in my state, look into state scholarships as they are usually pretty good.

[XIIISwords 1,059]

Only a high school senior, but here's what I've got.

• Start researching now. I waited until October of my senior year and it was dreadful.
• Activities are more important than grades... sorta. I'm 5/400 in my class, but I was still able to get into Ivy League schools whereas only our Valedictorian was able to too (2-4 couldn't). My grades were lower, but I had amazing clubs and a dozen leadership positions.
• Look for scholarships. The difference between one school and another is often money.
• Keep your grades as high as possible. Duh.
• Leadership positions; get them.
• Take the SATs at least twice. I took them three times. I left them till I was a senior and they were miserable. Start in the middle of 11th (March), if need be, retake in June, and if you're still not where you'd like, there's always October and December the next school year.

Good luck!

[Amon 4,279]

Your going to need at least a 3.5 GPA if you want to get a job that will let you live comfortably in this economy.

[onedaystronger 4]

College is interesting. I think it's one of things you either love or hate.

 

I'm at a community college right now but I love it. I hate school so much, but my college is tolerable. (: It's small and I don't feel like I slip through the cracks. I've two really good friends there and I feel like that's all I really need. I still live at home so I commute, but it's great. I still get to see my friends at school and come home to my family. The tuition's way cheaper than a university too.

 

Honestly, if you don't wanna pay a large amount of money for your pre-reqs then I say go and get them done at a community college. They're all the same courses no matter which school you go to. (Actually, my classes at my school are much easier than the university I'll be transferring to. For me it's like high school all over again in terms of class difficulty. But community colleges do vary from place to place). Anyway, just make sure you talk to a counselor/advisor at the university you eventually wanna transfer to so they can set you up with the knowledge of what classes will transfer when you do make that switch. Trust me, it would suck for you to work hard and get all those hours done at the community college and find out they don't transfer to the university you wanna go to. That's probably my best advice to you.

 

If you keep your high school grades up, you have a good shot at getting great scholarships at a community college. Then, if you aren't worried about paying for school, you'll be able to do better on your schoolwork, thus giving you a nice college GPA that'll help you get good scholarships at the university you transfer to.

 

One other thing that's helped me tremendously in school so far is having a planner. I write down in class when the teacher says something's due when he/she says it. Then I don't have to worry about mixing myself up. I can check it each night and see what's due. It seems elementary, but it really does help. Organization is key in college.

 

If you like working at your own pace (preferrably faster than slower...) I'd recommend online classes, especially if you like learning on your own. I've taken about 5 classes online and I love them. I've taken a range of classes- a 2 week psychology class, a 16 week english class, and they're great because I was able to work as fast as I wanted. (But note this may vary depending on the college). If you want to knock out some easy classes like English, try going concurrent your senior year. I did that with college algebra. I took it online while I was still attending classes at my high school. It gets you a heads up in college (and what to expect) but you're just tackling one or two classes. You can sometimes get reduced tuition if you're going concurrent too, and then when you start college you'll already have some credit hours built up. (:

 

Another quick thought- if you're really good at a subject, try to CLEP out. If you pass them, you get college credit. If you have a counselor at school, talk to him/her about it. Just say, "I'm interested in taking the CLEP test for American History" and they can help you get set up for it. if you pass you get college credit for it and won't have to take it in college. And if you want to take a swing at them, AP classes help out. Whether or not you pass the AP test at the end of the year, they help you get a good idea of what to expect in college.

 

Ask around when you're in college. If you have to take certain classes next semester, ask people in your class. For example, just say, "Hey, have you by chance taken college algebra here? Do you know professors to take or avoid?" This will save you. You have no idea.

 

Also, these sites are GREAT with helping you maybe narrow down your college picks. Or at least get an idea of what school each has to offer. I've compiled this list over the past few years and I wish I had found them sooner back when I was in high school. They range from school reviews to picking professors and some scholarship stuff also. Hope they help you! (And anyone else checking this post out)

 

1. www. cappex.com

2. collegeprowler.com (great for scholarships)

3. myedu.com (great at helping you plan out your classes and such. It's been a lifesave for me!)

4. ratemyprofessors.com (helps you find the best professors. This one has saved me too!!)

5. studentsreview.com

6. http://colleges.usne...m/best-colleges

 

(A note- to get the most out of myedu.com, you should probably sign up for an account because it makes you a schedule and a time chart thing and it offers all sorts of great college management tools. Cappex wants you to sign up but if you're just looking at colleges just use the search bar on that main page.)

 

Sorry for the insanely long reply here! ;_; I just remember when I was in high school I had no one to help me out, so I had to figure all this crap out by myself. Hopefully something I've posted here has helped you in some way, shape, or form. With that being said, if you need any more help or have more questions, just message me! I'm totally happy to help out. Good luck!! =D

Edited April 7, 2012 by onedaystronger

[Shard the Gentleman 2,891]

College is interesting. I think it's one of things you either love or hate.

 

I'm at a community college right now but I love it. I hate school so much, but my college is tolerable. (: It's small and I don't feel like I slip through the cracks. I've two really good friends there and I feel like that's all I really need. I still live at home so I commute, but it's great. I still get to see my friends at school and come home to my family. The tuition's way cheaper than a university too.

 

Honestly, if you don't wanna pay a large amount of money for your pre-reqs then I say go and get them done at a community college. They're all the same courses no matter which school you go to. (Actually, my classes at my school are much easier than the university I'll be transferring to. For me it's like high school all over again in terms of class difficulty. But community colleges do vary from place to place). Anyway, just make sure you talk to a counselor/advisor at the university you eventually wanna transfer to so they can set you up with the knowledge of what classes will transfer when you do make that switch. Trust me, it would suck for you to work hard and get all those hours done at the community college and find out they don't transfer to the university you wanna go to. That's probably my best advice to you.

 

If you keep your high school grades up, you have a good shot at getting great scholarships at a community college. Then, if you aren't worried about paying for school, you'll be able to do better on your schoolwork, thus giving you a nice college GPA that'll help you get good scholarships at the university you transfer to.

 

One other thing that's helped me tremendously in school so far is having a planner. I write down in class when the teacher says something's due when he/she says it. Then I don't have to worry about mixing myself up. I can check it each night and see what's due. It seems elementary, but it really does help. Organization is key in college.

 

If you like working at your own pace (preferrably faster than slower...) I'd recommend online classes, especially if you like learning on your own. I've taken about 5 classes online and I love them. I've taken a range of classes- a 2 week psychology class, a 16 week english class, and they're great because I was able to work as fast as I wanted. (But note this may vary depending on the college). If you want to knock out some easy classes like English, try going concurrent your senior year. I did that with college algebra. I took it online while I was still attending classes at my high school. It gets you a heads up in college (and what to expect) but you're just tackling one or two classes. You can sometimes get reduced tuition if you're going concurrent too, and then when you start college you'll already have some credit hours built up. (:

 

Another quick thought- if you're really good at a subject, try to CLEP out. If you pass them, you get college credit. If you have a counselor at school, talk to him/her about it. Just say, "I'm interested in taking the CLEP test for American History" and they can help you get set up for it. if you pass you get college credit for it and won't have to take it in college. And if you want to take a swing at them, AP classes help out. Whether or not you pass the AP test at the end of the year, they help you get a good idea of what to expect in college.

 

Ask around when you're in college. If you have to take certain classes next semester, ask people in your class. For example, just say, "Hey, have you by chance taken college algebra here? Do you know professors to take or avoid?" This will save you. You have no idea.

 

Also, these sites are GREAT with helping you maybe narrow down your college picks. Or at least get an idea of what school each has to offer. I've compiled this list over the past few years and I wish I had found them sooner back when I was in high school. They range from school reviews to picking professors and some scholarship stuff also. Hope they help you! (And anyone else checking this post out)

 

1. www. cappex.com

2. collegeprowler.com (great for scholarships)

3. myedu.com (great at helping you plan out your classes and such. It's been a lifesave for me!)

4. ratemyprofessors.com (helps you find the best professors. This one has saved me too!!)

5. studentsreview.com

6. http://colleges.usne...m/best-colleges

 

(A note- to get the most out of myedu.com, you should probably sign up for an account because it makes you a schedule and a time chart thing and it offers all sorts of great college management tools. Cappex wants you to sign up but if you're just looking at colleges just use the search bar on that main page.)

 

Sorry for the insanely long reply here! ;_; I just remember when I was in high school I had no one to help me out, so I had to figure all this crap out by myself. Hopefully something I've posted here has helped you in some way, shape, or form. With that being said, if you need any more help or have more questions, just message me! I'm totally happy to help out. Good luck!! =D

 

Thank you sir. I will check out those sites today. Thanks

[legendkiller222 22]

It depends on where you go to school and what your major is.

 

The best general advice I can give is:

 

1. Go to a school that you want to go to. Do not go somewhere because your family says so or because your friends go there as this most likely will not make you happy.

 

2. You don't have to pick a major right away. You have two years to decide. And you will not pick a major and stick with it. There will be a lot of indecision.

 

3. Realize how much work goes into that major and ultimately that career field. Be ready with realistic expectations of what the job market will be like.

 

4. Go somewhere that is affordable. This means that basically avoid schools that are too much money and will force you to use private loans because they can be VERY VERY expensive. And you do not want to have a 25% interest rate on loans it will keep you in debt forever.

 

5. Meet new people. Do not stick to just your friends that you know before college or meet in your freshman year. Take in new experiences.

 

6. Try to live on campus for it gives you the best experience of that college.

 

7. Study. Don't put things off. This isn't like high school where classes really don't mean much (well sometimes its like that).

 

8. Research teachers on ratemyprofessor.com and take the good teachers if possible.

 

9. Take classes that expand your horizons. Challenge yourself. Remember getting a C in a class doesn't mean you didn't learn anything. Getting an A doesn't mean you learned a lot either.

 

10. Enjoy yourself now and take things as they come. Love high school now because you only do it once. Then when you get to college love that. Do not look too much into the future because you cannot plan ahead that far. Life is unpredictable and you never know what tomorrow will bring.

 

I started out in community college and did my two years. In the fall I will be at Temple University double majoring in Film and Advertising because I know I will need a good career field if film doesn't work out. I do not regret going to a community college and do not look down upon it. It is a great place if you work hard and get out in two years or less. If you have friends that go to other schools you can as I did still get a "real" college experience.

 

I cannot give studying advice besides just study and don't push things off because your experience with classes and your learning style may be different than mine, but if you stay on top of things college won't be any harder than high school. Sometimes its easier because you are taking stuff that interests you/you are more mature.