By Elizabeth Rueda
We asked students from last year’s Senior Class (at Silverton High School) what advice, if any they would give to this year’s Class of 2011 on all things college and this is what they said:
How do you deal with Senioritis?
“I dealt with senioritis by trying to get it all done before the weekends so I wouldn’t have to worry about it. If I didn't feel like doing homework, but knew that it had to be done I would set a limit to how much I would do, take a short break, and then finish it.”
-Briauna Stadeli, Whitworth University
“To deal with senioritis I got as much homework done at school as was possible, that way I could just chill out when I got home. I got lots of sleep and I had an aide period with Steers.”
-Brittany Brown, Western Oregon University
“You just have to develop self-discipline and learn to manage your time well”
-Katelyn Bye, Evangel University
“A Treatise on Senioritis: It sucks. Get over it. Keep working.”
-Matt Nelson, Concordia University Chicago
What advice can you give on applying for colleges?
“When applying to colleges you should try and write a killer essay and then tweak it for each application, according to the application question. Then you don't have much work to do. But make sure the intro is "shocking" so they want to keep reading.”
-Briauna Stadeli, Whitworth University
“Apply to a lot. Competition between schools gives you a bargaining chip.”
-Justin Thomas, Willamette University
“Don't apply for every possible school. You're just going to waste money on the applications and it will just make the decision so much harder. Choose 3 or 4 of your top choices and give it your all when applying. “
-Brittany Brown, Western Oregon University
“Apply early because you are more likely to get in and get good scholarships.
-Katelyn Bye, Evangel University
“Apply to a lot of colleges because some will give you better financial aid and this could make or break your decision.”
-Kalia Mathae, George Fox University
“Don't stress about things like the common app, unless you plan on applying to a billion schools. Also, don't spend your precious time applying to colleges you know you don't want to go to; narrow down the characteristics you want in a school to a few really important things and there will be schools that match that criteria.”
-Lacey Carlson, George Fox University
How do you decide which college to go to, if you get accepted by more than one?
“The best thing to do is rank the colleges in order of which you think you like them, and then go visit your top two or three. After the visit it will be pretty clear to you where you will be going.”
-Briauna Stadeli, Whitworth University
“It all comes down to which one you can afford and which will meet all of your academic and social needs. You have to think of the relationships you want to build and the kind of career you want to pursue and where God wants to lead you.”
-Katelyn Bye, Evangel University
How do you know where to go to apply for scholarships, and what are some of the "best ones" to apply for?
“If you are serious about college and you don't want to be in debt, get into Mrs. Fisher's office and apply for as many scholarships as you can. Don't expect people to throw money at you just because you have great grades.”
-Justin Thomas, Willamette University
“Talk to your career counselor because they know most of the scholarships that are available and look in the community for local ones. A lot of times churches give out scholarships too.”
-Katelyn Bye, Evangel University
“In the spring a billion pieces of paper will make their way into Mrs. Fisher's office. Pick up EVERY scholarship application you qualify for and fill it out. Plan for deadlines and do one or two each week. At the end of the year you may be surprised at the generosity of our community.”
-Lacey Carlson, George Fox University
“Look for scholarships that apply directly to you and that you stand a chance at. Don't bother with the ones that require you to read a book and write an essay, it's too much work with almost no chance of success... If you have a specific interest or affiliation, I can almost guarantee that there's a scholarship for it. The smaller, more local, and more specialized scholarships are typically a better bet because both factors reduce the number of people competing for that scholarship…Also apply to EVERY scholarship that does pertain to you. It's a lot of work, but it pays off in the end.”
-David Larson, University of Washington
What can you say about financial aid, where do you get all that money from?
“I really recommend looking at smaller, private schools. They can be more expensive, but they do a GREAT job at making sure that you get a lot of financial aid. Plus, if you get a couple scholarships then you won't have to pay for hardly anything. That's the myth about private schools. You don't really have to pay that much in the end.”
-Briauna Stadeli, Whitworth University
“Don't automatically disregard the idea of loans. College is expensive and loans are inevitable. Trust me, loans are not the enemy.”
-Lacey Carlson, George Fox University
“Financial aid can come from all sorts of places…A lot of people will talk down $500 or even $1000 scholarships as "a drop in the bucket", but they add up.”
-David Larson, University of Washington
How do you balance Senior Projects/Advice on Senior Projects?
“Do most of the senior project work in AG. Don't stay up super late when you can do it in AG”
-Bailey Bersin, Linn-Benton Community College
“Get them done as early as possible. Choose something that you are passionate about. Don't just make it another thing you "have" to do. Make it fun! Form relationships with your adviser and mentor. It makes the entire project way more fun. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. Your graduation is actually on the line for this one!...Be adults! Get them done on time!”
-Brittany Brown, Western Oregon University
“Unless you're really seeking a challenge, don't go for a project that takes a monumental amount of time. There's so much busy-work involved that the simpler the project, the better for saving time.”
-Lacey Carlson, George Fox University
“You balance senior projects by coming up with a clear plan early on about what you want to do, and then go about the process of getting it done….If your only goal in doing your senior project is to fill out some arduous paperwork, spend a couple hours doing community service, and check off boxes on your graduation requirements then you've missed the point entirely. Pick something big, something that both interests and stretches you, something that may just have truly lasting effects. It will take a lot of work and a lot of time. There will be times at which you have no clue how you will manage all of the demands or even finish. The results, however, will be priceless...”
-David Larson, University of Washington
How do you balance everything out between work, school, senior projects, and applying for colleges and scholarships?
“You just have to be really balanced and focused when you get home. Set aside a certain amount of time each night for homework, scholarships, and college applications. It doesn't even have to be that much time for scholarships or applications, just 30 minutes every night or every other night will put you ahead of the game.”
-Briauna Stadeli, Whitworth University
“I kept a very detailed planner of everything I had to do (applications, resumes, senior project, scholarships, homework etc.). It helped me manage my time and it kept me organized.”
-Brittany Brown, Western Oregon University
What are the pros and cons of going to a community college?
“Pros of community college: Cheaper tuition, smaller classes, more interaction with a teacher (it's easier to ask for help in person)...It’s a cheaper way to "figure out what you want to be when you grow up", you can take random classes just for fun and know it’s not costing you a fortune. Cons of community college: No dorm life (this can be a pro for some people). You're not thrown into as many new people as you would be with a university”
-Bailey Bersin, Linn-Benton Community College
“The obvious pros of going to community college is SAVING MONEY. I’m taking the same classes I would at a more expensive university but paying WAY less. It is like finding great sales on the clearance rack. Depending on your perspective, this next point could be a pro or con. There are so many characters at community college. You have students of all ages ranging anywhere from 15 years to 60+ years, people of all different backgrounds, ideas, interests. It is like mixing all the different colors into a bucket but still being able to see all of them...It can be totally overwhelming, but I would also wager that it is something the university students are missing out on.”
-Kat Stoltz, Chemeketa Community College
Other Advice:
“Advice to the adventurous. There are other ways to make it without going to college. You have to be realistic and hardworking if you want to make your way in the world without the benefit of a diploma, but it is possible. Whatever you do, make sure you know WHY you are doing what you're doing, and if it is what you truly want. You're adults now. Take other adults’ advice with a grain of salt.”
-Justin Thomas, Willamette University
“Get an early release not late arrival it gives you the impression that you don’t need to sleep in when in actuality you do!!!”
-Alex Jones, Chemeketa Community College
