Tips for Future College Students

[Alicia]

What do you wish knew about college when you were younger? Do you wish someone had told you more about college when you were in high school? 

[Mariana Stavig]

I was lucky that someone shared this brilliant nugget with me: if you are worried about money, apply to good private liberal arts colleges. They have a ton of money and great aid scholarships, often covering more than your aid at a state school. also, because of their large endowments, more money is invested per student for resources, services, activities, travel, etc. I recently found out that my college even maintains a conference budget for each student- we can access a couple hundred bucks to travel to talks that interest us! This is on top of all the free services in my reach every day. We are, like many private liberal arts schools, a cash free campus, meaning that any event, meal, resource, party, exhibit, show, etc. Is free to students. Not bad, huh?
Private schools have huge price tags, but don't be intimidated. Myself and many friends are on full rides thanks to the amount of green in my school's bank. So go for it!

[Ingrid Vasquez]

When I was is in high school, I thought I felt like I knew a little too much about college. Being the youngest of my family, I had watched my brother and my sister go through their college application, acceptance, and graduation process. I thought to myself, "I've seen it all!" But honestly, when it came to being my turn to go to college, it was as if I had never knew anything about college at all. I feel that even though it might be something simple, you need to realize that there are going to be people who are completely different from you in college.  I had a difficult time dealing with this issue - something many refer to as "culture shock." I believe this is one of the biggest things I should have been told about when I was younger. 

[Klarissa Perez]

I am a first generation so in all honest I wanted to know EVERYTHING but in the end I would of liked to just know tips on what "not to do". For example, I wish I would of know what organizations were good to do and which were...not too good. I overwhelmed myself my first year with organizations and had to learn on my own what was worth it and also had to learn which ones were know on campus for their good deeds or not good deeds. In all honest I wish I had a mentor in my pocket my first years but the second year it got so much easier! Live and learn!