Brookdale Community College Top Questions

As a high school student, I remember feeling rushed into make a decision as to what profession I'd be pursuing in college. The process happens so quickly that you're left with the feeling of uncertainty. Uncertain if you've made the right decision, which in high school, is billed as "the most important decision of your life." If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I'd tell myself to slow down and take a breath. It's important to not feel rushed as a high school senior because deciding your future, although an important decision, is a difficult one. I would tell myself to take more time out for experiences and projects that would help hone my skills as a future professional. Extracurriculars are not only important for acceptance into college, they're important to help you meet other people and gain insight into a field you may be interested in. Lastly, I'd tell myself not to take anything for granted. Growing up is the quickest part of life that doesn't wait for anyone. It's a train you don't want to miss.

If I could go back in time and tell my former high school self about college, I would have some things to say. “Honestly though, the transition was easy. You won’t be moving into a dorm, so that’s nothing to worry about. Classes are like high school but much more mature people, you don’t have to ask to go to the bathroom, and you are allowed to just walk out of class. You will actually feel more comfortable at college than you did in high school, and the best thing is you will be there for what you want to be, and will be happy about that.”

College isn't as easy as everyone says it will be. Make sure you do a quick run through of where your classes before the first day! This will greatly reduce your stress level. When you first walk into the classes some of the people seem mean/gruff but most of them are a lot nice than they first appear give them a chance. Take the time you need off of work to do your course work. (I promise they'll let you and understand). Take your classes seriously and study hard in every free minute you have! If at all possible rent books on-line it's SO much cheaper just be sure to return them on time. And most importantly have fun and soak up all you can from your classes! :) Best of luck

Knowing what i do now, i would go back to tell myself to stop procrastinating all the time. This is because in the beginning i would put friends before school and would fall behind on my work because i would always tell myself that i still had time to get it done. I would then end up skipping out on class in order to finish papers at the last minute. I would also go back to tell myself to take on more classes in the beginning so that would have graduated on time instead of taking baby steps. I now know that i can handel much more than what i thought i could in the beginning and learned to balance work and school while still having time for friends and family.

If I could go back to my senior year and give myself advice I would say pay attention to scholarship stuff, start your FAFSA as soon as possible and learn to drive. I think not paying attention when the teacher came to talk about FAFSA and scholarships was the worst decision I made in high school. I figured I wouldn't need it because I was planning on going to a school that didn't use aid. Turns out that isn't what happened and because of this I had trouble filling out my FAFSA and had to wait a whole year to start college. Another big thing is I should've learned to drive and gotten my liscence while in high school. My life would be so much easier because I wouldn't need to depend on people or busses for rides everywhere. I could go anywhere I needed at anytime and accomplish so much more.

Finish school Eric! It's an ever changing, dog eat dog world out there. A GED, talent and a good line of bullshit only carries you so far before your education matters more than your talent. Trust me, I have lived the life you will live ! Going to college isn't as monsterous as it might seem. Because your family refuses to pay for your education shouldn't stop you - 26 years from now I... you will find out (despite your financial woes), you... I will be able to afford college and get that education you're believing is escaping you. College life isn't like going to a new high school, the students are friendlier, the staff is far more helpful than in high school. You'll be able to ask questions and get answers; the benefits and oppotunities you'll find there will blow your freakin mind! One more thing, don't break up with your girl now, you'll find her in 22 years and you'll cry over all the years you missed. Stay with her and convince her to go to college with you, she'll say yes like she does in your future.

If i possess the ability to go back in time to talk to myself, i would give myself plethora of advice to avoid the mistakes that hindered my college performance. However, due to a 200 word constraint, i will share the main event that if i knew prior knowledge of, i would have been significantly in a better state that i am currently in. The event is when i got kicked out my parents' house. I will not drag and bore whoever read this with the entire details of my dysfunctional family, but i will discuss the aftermath that was caused by this event. After i was kicked out (primarily because i was 18 years old and my father would not have to pay child supprt), i had to move roughly 115 miles of where i was attending school. This situation made the ability to go to school relatively impossible. Due to this event, i received my first and to this date, my only C. Additionally, it cause to me miss the following semester which put me back a little. So, if i did possess the ability to go back in time, this is what i would have warned myself.

I remember when I was a senior I was nervous and terrified by the minute about college. After being a college student for two years now I wish someone would have told me to just relax! If I could go back and give some advice to myself I really would have loved to hear some of the things I learned on my own. The minute you step foot on campus ground you are on your own. There are no second chances, you miss a class then you need to get everything you missed because chances are the professor looks at you just as he looks at everyone else. There is no mommy around to do your laundry, cook, or school work. There is no one to make sure you wake you up for class. These are the responsibilities you adapt too and if there was one way to some up my advice it would be this: It?s a place where memories start, sleep deprives, food intake becomes a habit, and new friendships develop. College is your future, your success, so take it serious but have fun at the same time because it is one experience you will never forget.

This question recently arose when I was discussing the application process with a mother of a friend of mine. Her daughter is going to college next year, and her older child did the same thing as me - didn't apply for scholarships. I was accepted to many universities, I believe six overall, however could not afford to attend any of them due to lack of financial aid, as well as the fact that I could have, but did not apply for scholarships. I would have advised myself to take the time out of my day and apply for maybe one scholarship a week, just to up my odds of receiving some amount of financial help. Also, I would have studied much harder. Had I gotten better grades, I would have gotten much more scholarship money from universities. Although I'm very happy where I am now, I feel I could have done better for myself if I had just put a little bit of extra work in. What seemed like a lot then, really is nothing compared to the amount of work that I do now!

If I were able to go back in time and give myself advice about college I would tell my self to go to community college. After high school I wanted to get out and be on my own, so I went away to a state college and lived on campus. Living on my own I was not able to balance my time, get my work done or be on any normal schedule. After my first year away from home I decided to come back home and try community college out. Brookdale has been able to truly prepare me for my future and pointed me in the right direction.