Going Away To College

[Honest]

Apologies if this thread already exists

Aside from being one of my favorite songs from Blink-182, this sentence also has a lot of meaning to me right now, cause college admission's slowly starting for me. I had college night yesterday in my school, as a matter of fact.

Anywho, college for a lot of us is the step after gradeschool, where a "child becomes an adult", so I've heard said. It's a tedious process as I'm finding out right now. There's confrences with your guidance counslers, sucking up to teachers so you have a better shot at a teacher recommendation from them (how it works here in NYC anyway), entrance exams (SAT[1970, and I'm retaking...]/ACT[Hell. No. 5 reading passages in 30 minutes? No thanks.] here in the US, not sure how it work outside here, to be honest), and of course grades. But it's a step so many of us either have already taking, are taking, or hopefully will take.

There's also obstacles such as actually getting in, possibly dorming, selecting a major, and of course, MONEY MONEY MONEY. Goddam Tufts' tuition is like $58,000... But we try to get scholarships, or federal aid.

My discussion topic for you guys really depends on who you are. If you already ended grade school and are an undergrad or above, what do you have to say to those who haven't yet, and if you're nice enough, care to share where you went. Also, any personal experiences you'd like to publisize?

To those in my boat, currently suffering through this right now (I'm in my junior year by the way, thought you might wanna know), how are you coping, and how sure are you in your future? Any colleges you guys are interested in? Feel free to share your experiences, or if you're a senior, perhaps brag about what college you got into Saying this right now, congratulations to anyone who got into Ivy's, the statistics for this year were so bad

And all you grasshoppers out there, for you, I ask this: what do you make of college life, and I guess your future in general? Anxious, scared, enthusiastic, nervous?

And of course, we have those who decided/are deciding to not go to college for whatever reason they have. Do you guys plan on getting back into school in the future? Anything else worth mentioning please mention!

I don't think I've ever written so much for this damn site. o_o

Anyway, I made this thread on the fly, so it could seem a little disorganized. But please, discuss your heart out. And any advice to me personally couldn't hurt. =P

 

[appletechGodjuice]

I'm a senior in high school, and I honestly had no clue what college I would even apply to until I was sitting in French class last October and my teacher was asking the other seniors where they had applied to.
Then I started applying to three colleges in my area, didn't bother to finish the application for the private school, got accepted to my second choice, waited forever to hear from my first choice only to get a no.
So basically I'm going to a school 30 minutes south, living on campus.
18000$ total cost of attendance
luckily I got a lot of grants.

But basically I just took it one day at a time.
And, while I don't know your grade situation, if they're anything like mine used to be - you're going to be in for a lot of disappointment. People used to tell me to give up on school entirely when I had straight Ds/Fs, now I've got As/Bs after just four years' work.
Basically just hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

If any of that makes sense, heh.

 

[Oryx]

I forgot how much college obsessing there is in high school, haha. I did the same thing, but looking back on it now it all just seems so silly, to start planning way in advance and worry constantly about colleges and such, lol.

I go to Notre Dame as anyone who knows me on this site knows because I have a lot of school pride and my ego emblem is ND-related and such. But it wasn't my first, second, or third choice; in fact it wasn't even on my radar as a possible school, which sets me apart from most students here. I ended up getting waitlisted on my first choice (Columbia), and rejected from my other reach schools, and plus ND is giving me enough grants and scholarships to choke a horse (5k in loans, the other 45k+ is all given to me). In contrast, my bf got no loans or grants and was wearing ND stuff since he was a baby, including a "future ND student" shirt haha.

But yeah I would recommend just relaxing a bit. My senior year of high school I got to school late one day, went to the nurse's office, and had a nervous breakdown because of all the things I was worrying about for college, so they sent me home. Don't be like me, lol.

 

[Kura]

Apologies if my sentences are rambling everywhere.. I'm kinda tired ;o;..


I remember fretting a lot about college/university back in highschool. I worried a LOT. I worry about a lot of things, but I remember worrying particularly over college and uni stuff. Crying some about it too; losing sleep; the whole shebang. For those who may not know: I'm a college graduate now (graduated just under a year ago) working full time in pretty much my chosen career with a BAAA (Bachelor of Applied Arts and Animation is what the degree is called.) It was a college I went to but with a degree program.

For me it was a bit different.. as, being an arts program, you have to invest a lot of time into an entrance portfolio as well as have high grades to get in. The grades thing wasn't much of an issue for me because I have always studied hard in school, but the portfolio part is really competitive. About 3000+ or so students apply and only about 100 or so get in per year so it was pretty scary. I remember feeling "maybe I'm not ready and I should do a 1 year art course first" but decided against it because it was almost like a bit of a waste of money if I could get in right away. I would redo pieces of the portfolio like 4 times, just trying to improve it or trying a different approach, and also while working on other personal pieces to showcase. I had three different portfolios to prep for.. so it was a lot of work.

I applied to two places, my first choice, Sheridan, (which I got in) but I applied to "animation" and a separate "illustration" course as a backup, and my second choice was York University for Art, but I knew even if I got into York and not either of Sheridan's, I probably would take a year off to build my art and reapply to Sheridan since York didn't really offer an animation program. Frankly, York wasn't all that great, in my opinion, and focused more on academics instead of actual art. For me, at least, getting into my college of choice was pretty important because there are so little places that offer GOOD animation classes that aren't about the technical side of it. At Sheridan we did both traditional animation/ flash animation, and 3D animation.. along with design, storyboard, film and etc. So yeah, I stressed a lot.


The school was in Oakville, which is pretty far from my home. The whole first year, though, I commuted it by bus pretty much. It was awful.. it was about 2 hours each way (with 2-3 transfers between) and by the end of the year it was so draining that I told my parents that I needed to stay on campus because I had to come into school some weekends, too, to use their animation light-desks and pencil-testers to shoot my animation- which I couldn't do at home. (I can't sleep on busses either so that was out of the question.) So yeah, for the rest of the course (3 more years after that first year) I stayed in a dorm room that had a separate room for two people, but a shared kitchen and bathroom- which means I shared with another person. I kinda hated it. Not that they were bad roommates or anything (besides the roommate I had in my last year but that's another story) but just because I like my own personal space and I am a really light sleeper. I get stressed out easily if people are around me for too long because I feel like I can't just.. say go to the kitchen to grab a glass of water without having to smile and say hi or seem rude or something- when sometimes I'm just tired and not in the mood to have others around. But yeah, it was better than the 4 hour commute every day :// That's why I was so adamant not to have roommates now that I'm out of school- I want to feel like a proper adult- I want my own bathroom to keep it clean- I want to decorate my own space and organize my own things without feeling like someone else can walk into my zone and touch my stuff without me knowing.

Anyways, I got some bursaries and student loans to help me through it because I maintained my grades and organized my supplies and stuff for tax return and all that from the government so it helped a little. Now I have a job so I am paying it back while also trying to build some personal savings.

I'm not sure what else to say here in regards to the first post, but I guess I'm someone who can't let the future be so up in the air. I mean, I know you can only plan so much but I also believe that with hard work and dedication, you will be rewarded in the long run, even if there are minor blips in the road. I know some others may be different, and that's okay.. but I think even with everything- say.. buying an electric blanket on amazon or something.. I always do my research, ask people who've been to that school their opinion, and also see what my budget is in terms of loan, dorms, and how far I would be willing to travel for my education. When you have all that, then I guess it just comes down to studying- and if you dont get into the school of your choice- then it's not the end of the world. A lot of knowledge comes from your own ambition rather than just the teacher, so if you have personal goals, just stick with them even if you find yourself taking a different path than you might've thought.

I guess that's all for now :3 Maybe I'll post more later and turn this into a real novel! @_@

edit to post more lol:

I forgot to mention, I guess in a sense I am a bit lucky in that I knew what I wanted to do when I graduated.. but the hard part is is that art is so competitive, you don't know if you'll even actually land a job once you're out of school. Freelancing is an option, but I knew I would always be so stressed with it. Teaching is also an option, and I do like teaching (hence the drawover paintover thread on here) but I have a personal goal of wanting to create something that makes others laugh, cry, and be entertained. So although it was scary, I wanted to give it my all anyways.. and I want to pass that off to people who don't know what they want to do: even if you're unsure.. give it your all anyways cause otherwise you wont know. And if later on you realize it's not for you, then don't be hard on yourself and just switch to something else.. cause at the end of the day if having a job you enjoy (or don't hate) is something that's appealing to you, then taking a bit of extra time to discover yourself and what you wanna do is really worth it! Internships help a ton, too, if they are available in what you want to do! So get involved and do some reading up on those options. The last thing you'd wanna do is procrastinate :3 Good luck to everyone who's going through this right now!

 

[Esper]

Trying not to make this tl;dr

The one piece of advice I would give people is this: if you want to continue your education, if you're pretty good at school or like it and want to have a college degree, but you don't yet know what you want to focus on, go to a community college and work hard on getting your general education completed. It will save you money and give you time to think about what you'd like to learn while you're in a learning environment and around people who can probably help you figure stuff like that out.

I never took the SATs. I failed a few classes in high school. My GPA wasn't what you'd call "college material." But I went to a community college and did well there, getting mostly A's and B's, and I transferred to a UC (University of California ~ ooo all prestigious and stuff). It worked well for me because I probably couldn't have afforded to go to a 4-year school right away and I didn't know what I wanted to study. I would have paid a lot of money for GE classes than I actually ended up paying, but I still learned as much from my community college classes.

So... it's stressful trying to apply and have good grades and test scores and community service hours and all of that, but if it gets to be too much just... know that there are always choices and you can make something really good even out of a really crappy high school experience.

 

[voltianqueen]

I've been out of school for a year and currently no plans for college. I just really do not like academic-school-type stuff, so being out and not going back gives me this good feeling :P People have criticized my decision, but oh well. My mom and I have come up with this plan of saving all my paychecks ever while living at home, then after some years getting my own place, blah blah blah. It sounds pretty good to me, now all I have to do is apply to get a job! :P My mom is really money-smart, so she will guide me. Hopefully it goes well ^^

In addition, apparently my parents have some connections to people who might be able to get some of my kid's books or comics out. Could be good, too, but who knows with that.

 

[Alex]

Well, I'm not sure exactly what you're studying. But any field is competitive, especially if you want to study at a well-known school. I'm an arts major, I study Film Production, and the program is very competitive, and requires a lot of dedication. I used to do the 2 hour commute to school last year but it just drained me after being at school for x amount of hours. And that was only for class. I managed to get by in first year but I knew that I would be much better off if I had access to the school's facility after-hours.

So I moved out for the next year, which is the one that just ended. I probably have another three to go. (I say probably because my school wants to up my program from an Advanced Diploma degree to a Bachelor of Applied Arts, which would add an extra year to my studies).

I loved it at first. I was a bit homesick, but overall I loved the independence. The only thing I regret is not having had a job while living on my own. It really restricts you. The money you have is what you live off of, and no more. At least if you have a steady income, you can afford to do more. Which leads me to my second point...

BE FRIENDLY! Talk to everyone! Make contacts. Especially if you're in a new city/town, like me. I moved away from home to a suburban city where I knew no one other than my class peers. You'll be happy you did. Because even if you live with roommates and whatnot, the difference from not having your parents around all the time (at least, in my opinion) is astounding. I found that I needed social contact. I would be able to skype with my buddies online and from high school (who were all hours away, too), but it's just not the same as in-person contact and conversation.

I lived in a basement apartment with two other guys. The landlords were an old polish couple that could barely speak English. They rented us out a fully furnished basement that was a 10-minute walk to school. One of the roommates didn't talk much, but the other was awesome. Always was great to come home and have someone to chat with. My friends at school would tell me how much they hate going home to their dorm because they hate their roommate, because he/she is rude or whatnot. Give respect, get respect.

Living away from home is tons of fun. You get a lot more freedom than before. I say enjoy it! Work hard to where you want to be, and don't be nervous!

 

[♣Gawain♣]

My 1st and 2nd year of college ended up being wasted. I've into Nursing, because the demands of overseas employees are high at that time. Plus because my parents told you me so. During my 2nd year, I've found out I can't handle extreme stress nurses have to endure. So I shifted to Radiology.(And probably will shift to BS Bio)

Aside from enjoying every bit of your college life, I suggest before taking a course, find the most suitable and also fits your lifelong desire. So that you don't have regrets after.

 

[Argenta]

i might think about that soon...maybe go learn more about ART stuff,it would be joy to me :)

 

[Sir Codin]

Make sure you are absolutely sure what you want out of life before you decide to go.

I'm 21 now. I went to a university right out of high school with the intention of studying marine biology; however, recently I've been fighting with myself if that's what I really want to do. I've been fighting with depression lately because of college. Is it really worth all this time and money just to get a piece of paper that won't totally guarantee you a job; not only that, I am now struggling with hard classes and wondering if biology is what I really want to do with my life and it's causing me a great deal of stress and aggression to the point where many times I've thought about quitting because it doesn't feel like I'm going anywhere.

Personally, I am starting to think college is a waste of time, especially considering many colleges have required courses you need to take that sometimes have absolutely nothing to do with your major. Christ, I went to college to study biology, not to be a jack-of-all-trades! Trying to learn something you aren't good at, let alone interested in is a waste of time and it messes with your schedule so badly that it's no wonder some colleges have a high amount of "super-seniors."

My advice to avoid getting in my situation is to not go directly out of high school. Instead, just work for a while or at the very least go to a community college to get a sense of what you want to do before transferring to a university. Also, don't rely too much on loans or your parents money; it'll put you into a heap of debt. In my opinion, if you are in your third year of college and you still rely on loans and parents to pay for college, you need to find a part-time job. Not only will you be making some money to help pay for college, but you'll also be getting some work experience, which you can never have too much of.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

I started college over ten years ago, and did undergrad and grad studies at three different schools over an eight year period. I decided to live on campus during my entire tenure at college, and I'm happy I made that decision. On campus is a good place to live if you think you'll be active in organizations and clubs on campus, as you'll be close to everything you want to attend. I also got to know my Resident Assistants (and even became one for a year) and most are pretty cool people as long as you don't do stupid stuff in the building and get in trouble too often. I highly suggest getting to know them.

Becoming a Resident Assistant yourself is not for everyone. Some weekends you can't leave campus. You have to be ready to spring to action at any time of the day or night. You have to tread the thin line between friend and supervisor with the students you're directly responsible for. You will see all sorts of stuff... some things you thought you'd never see, and other things that never even crossed your mind. But for me, it was an experience I felt was very enjoyable and valuable, and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

I didn't bring a car to campus; fortunately the schools I went to were either small or they had a good bus/shuttle system that linked with local buses so I could get to shoppping and the like. Not bringing your car means you also get to avoid parking police tickets, which I heard my friends complain about at each of the colleges I attended. It seems parking enforcement officers swarm like vultures on college campuses, so if you do bring your own car, beware.

Try to get to know at least a couple classmates, especially in classes you think will be difficult. I kinda slacked off with that during my grad school years because even then I hung out mostly with undergraduates. I got involved in residence hall association, student government, gaming/anime club, and a couple campus ministries. I'd advise getting involved in whatever interests you, as long as you don't spread yourself too thin... I think I made that mistake in grad school and my grades reflected that.

Don't be afraid to change majors. I didn't change mine, and I'm kicking myself for not doing so now (I majored in Math and Finance, but through living on campus I began to develop an interest in Student Affairs - too late for me to switch over, though.)

As for food on campus, I eventually found out that getting a meal plan with a "declining balance" was the best for me, as it allows more flexibility in which food facilities you can use it for (as opposed to "x number of meals a week/semester" plans which usually can only be used in the main dining halls and not food courts or convenience stores). Depending on the quality of your school's main dining hall food, being able to use meal plan funds at other on campus eateries might be a major benefit (the school where I did grad studies had a Wendy's, Starbucks, and other name brand eateries in the student union). And at the schools I attended, you didn't have to pay sales tax on food bought with a "declining balance" plan, which is a major plus.

Buy your textbooks online at the beginning of the semester and if you can, sell them online at the end. The on campus bookstore will rip you off on both ends. Sometimes they won't even buy back your old books at all. However, consider holding onto textbooks that pertain to your major. You never know when you'll find it helpful to reference them. But no matter where you buy your books, buy used if at all possible.

ALL-NIGHTERS ARE BAD. I tried to do that a couple of times, and my grades definitely reflected my lack of rest.

Yeah it's a long tl;dr post but I've got eight years of college experience under my belt and figured I'd share some of my experiences and what I've learned.

 

[Livewire]

It's not for everyone, I think. I like avoiding a dorm, I don't like being cooped up in a tiny ass cramped room. But that all changes once you're an upperclassmen and you can live off campus, at your own place. Much better. Once you get past the first two years, you should be good to go. Finishing up the degree at the end seems like a bit of a pain, though.

 

[fiOWNya]

I'm graduating university in 3 weeks, so I'm almost done (yay!). I haven't had the typical college experience (had a son half way through my senior year, am married, military family), but I definitely have some suggestions for soon to be college students.

First, apply for as many scholarships you can. If you can avoid working during school, it's nice being able to fully focus on class (especially the first year while you're getting the hang of things). Also, one of the big things about college is the culture - meeting people, partying, etc. Have fun, but don't go overboard. It's not worth it. Trust me. Parties during the week? Not worth it. I went to one of the top 'party' schools in the country, and way too many people dropped out because partying started to become a priority.

Also, the exact school you went to? Unless you're doing something like medicine, it doesn't matter if you go state or Ivy. I suggest state. A lot of the time, the more expensive schools are actually easier because the higher rate of graduation makes them look better. State schools have the same education for a fraction of the cost. The libraries and campus may just not be quite as nice, but for $20k compared to $50k+, who cares? In fact, if you are worrying about money - getting an Associates at a community college first is a GREAT investment. This is what I did, and I saved thousands of dollars because of it.

Be sure to apply for the FAFSA, even if your parents make to much money for you to get anything, it's better to at least try and you can get loans easily this way. I paid for a lot of my education through the Army (Army ROTC for both me and my husband, so we got a monthly stipend and tuition scholarship), so if you aren't opposed to military service that's a great route as well.

My school required living on campus freshman year, but I'd seriously look at off campus if you have it available. You're not missing much, and you're often saving a boatload of money. My school cost about $1500 a month on campus, I now live in a house where I'm paying about $2k a month for the three of us, including food, transportation, etc. Car? Not really worth it, unless you have to drive for work or something. More trouble than it's worth, IMO. Repairs, service, gas... adds up really quickly.

Oh, and lastly? Get a major you enjoy. Nowadays, for most careers, just having a degree is what matters. If you hate math, don't make your live miserable by getting a math degree. Get a degree that you'll enjoy, as it will make school a whole bunch easier for ya.

FWIW: I am graduating with a Criminal Justice degree, from a Washington State college. 2 years at community college, 3 at state, currently considering getting a Master's in a couple years.