College Regrets

[Nighthawk76]

If you did not go to college, do you now wish that you had? If you did go to college, did you wish you had done things differently?

I did go to college, but if I did it again, I would do things quite differently. My first mistake was that after graduating from high school I took a semster off before starting college. This was a bad idea. College is very difficult to get used to and when you have been out of school for a six months, it is just that much more difficult.

My second biggest problem was that I did not take my studies seriously. Between Jan 1996 and May 1999 I only earned a total of 25 credit hours. During the 1998-1999 school year, I did not earn a single credit hour, I either failed or dropped out of every class I was in. I was put on academic suspension at MSU and had to go back for several years to the community college that I startred at. During the fall 1999 semester I fianlly started to take my work serioulsy. I eventaully earned my Bachlor's in 2003. Even though I knew I would have to eventually have to get a Master's, I had to leave school to work to pay off some credit cards (another big mistake!)

If I could go back, I would change so much. I feel that I totally wasted my early 20's away and now at 33 I am not at the place in life where I really wish I was.

[HuntingtonM15]

Even though I never really knew too much about them, I guess I would have joined one of the student accounting organizations. It would have been nice to add to my resume, but it doesn't seem worth joining for one semester.

[Waterston_Fan]

I had gone to college, and if I had to, I would have tried to take a Radio Television class that has the broadcasting in it to see if it was worth it to keep going. Truthfully, I think I had to take other courses first but I wish I was able to take the broadcasting first to see if I could do it but then there was a teacher who was an old grouch and gave me a C.

There are times where I wished I had gone into group activities and stuff but then I took the bus so it kinda wasn't worth it.

Maybe group activites had some guys in there..

[Hollow]

my first year was a mess. i had no idea what i wanted to do with college and my mind was in a totally different world (long story) to where i just barely cared about my classes. i was planning on dropping out after that year because i was just not in the right state of mind. fortunately i came out of that mentality after the year ended and found a degree program that was perfect for me. i started it last year and i've been doing great, but those first two semesters took a blow to my GPA and transcript. i have another year before i earn my associate's degree (that will be the end of college for me since my field of study doesn't go further than that) and with some luck i might be able to boost my GPA to a 3.0. so things aren't horrible, but they're still a little icky from my first year.

[browneyes106]

If I had to do it all over again I would do things differently in my freshman year. I didn't give it my all those two semesters. I got mostly C's and a couple of B's.

[dawsongirl]

Yeah, I'd change things. Listen to my mom and not go to the first college I went to maybe, though I did learn things being away from home. I wouldn't have skipped classes so much. I dunno...I got sick of school.

[Schmoopie]

This is a great topic and one that I've thought of over the years. When I graduated from high school, I had this idea in my head that I was supposed to go away to college instead of going to a college near my home. I guess it's just the stereotypical idea that a college away from home follows high school. I went to a junior college about two hours from my house and lived on campus. It was really cool because I was closer to my grandmother and she really loved that, but I was only about two hours from home.
I was all ready to major in Elementary Education, which I did, but I really wasn't prepared for being on my own. To say that I ruined my education at this school would be putting it mildly. By my second year I was more into the fraternity where I was a Little Sister (got into that one to meet guys. I met some, but no one ever dated me, which was actually my initiative), and could have cared less about school. I got sick of being there, really and I'm really ashamed of how I did so poorly. I'm also ashamed to say that I became accustomed to attending frat parties and at times I ended up abandoning my good (non-fraternity/sorority) friends.
I am a lifetime alumni member of this school, so I am haunted by this almost daily, when I get newsletters and info in the mail from the alumni association.
Whenever someone brings up the topic of "If there was one thing you could do differently"... I always mention going to school.
The next year after I left the junior college, I moved back home and went to school at the local community college. I worked part time and managed to make almost straight A's.
If I were to do things differently, I would have stayed at home for a year and gone to the local community college. I would have taken all the basics, which I have learned are mainly the hard classes, like math and history (or at least they were for me). That way I would know what college classes are like and I would have my parents to help me out. Then the next year I would have still gone to the junior college, but I think I would have been a lot wiser and had a better head on my shoulders.
However, about ten years ago, I was finally able to obtain a certificate (my second one) in administration and landed my job. I'm still working in the same office where I started in 2001, and prior to that, I worked in another office for three years.
Obviously I didn't end up doing the Elementary Ed thing, but even so, I would have a degree by now.

Andrea

[InspectorExstead]

Interesting topic Mike. Well, I don't know if I necessarily have any college "regrets," but I do wonder what would've happened if I had done things differently. But I am 100% happy with the school I'm attending right now, so I don't know.
When I was in high school, I got into NYU as a senior. I was dead set on going to NY and being independent. NYC is my favorite city and I was beyond excited-SO STOKED-to be going there. Shortly after I accepted, everything kind of fell apart because the school was ridiculously expensive and my parents weren't planning on paying for it or co-signing a loan. And taking out a loan for $50,000 for four years just didn't seem like the brightest idea ever.
I was accepted to other universities, but I turned them all down. None of them appealed to me. I could've contacted one of the state universities that accepted me and seen if they would still be willing to let me in. I would've liked to have lived in the dorms or maybe in an apartment near campus. I ended up going to community college, in hopes of maybe transferring somewhere in NY, but I am now at that same state university I was thinking of going to back in the beginning. It's a great school and I love it-which is why I wish I had come here from the start.
I wish I could've met more people in college. Community college is not the best place to meet people because everyone is coming and going-no one is there all the time. And there were hardly any activities going on. I joined as many organizations as I had time for. But overall, my college experience has been a great one, and I have met a lot of amazing people that have changed my life for the better. So, as disappointed as I was about NYU not working out, I realize now that I was SUPPOSED to stay here in Cali. It kind of worked itself out in the end!
Wow, I was not expecting to type this much up. Props to anyone who read all of this.

[SBTB Geek]

^What Cal State did you end up at?

My only regret is that I took sooooooo many classes. I think I graduated with 140 units. lol

[InspectorExstead]

I'm going to CSUN right now.

[Sharop]

I just finished my BA in June this year (I started in September 2006; in the UK most BA degree courses are three years.)

I had a good time and met some great people. The only thing I really regret is that I wish I had been more involved with things during my first and third years. In the third year (September 2008 - June 2009) I often had quite a lot of stuff on my mind. I was still doing well in my classes, but I wasn't spending as much time on the college campus as I had done. During my first year, I took a little while to settle in properly - it was in the second year that I got a bit more involved with things. So I wish I had done a bit more of that.

I want to work for a few years and then go back and do an MA. Possibly a PHd too, as I am toying with the possibility of becoming a university teacher and you need to do an MA and PHd for that.

[comedyfreak]

Originally Posted by Shine

If you did not go to college, do you now wish that you had? If you did go to college, did you wish you had done things differently?

I did go to college, but if I did it again, I would do things quite differently. My first mistake was that after graduating from high school I took a semster off before starting college. This was a bad idea. College is very difficult to get used to and when you have been out of school for a six months, it is just that much more difficult.

My second biggest problem was that I did not take my studies seriously. Between Jan 1996 and May 1999 I only earned a total of 25 credit hours. During the 1998-1999 school year, I did not earn a single credit hour, I either failed or dropped out of every class I was in. I was put on academic suspension at MSU and had to go back for several years to the community college that I startred at. During the fall 1999 semester I fianlly started to take my work serioulsy. I eventaully earned my Bachlor's in 2003. Even though I knew I would have to eventually have to get a Master's, I had to leave school to work to pay off some credit cards (another big mistake!)

If I could go back, I would change so much. I feel that I totally wasted my early 20's away and now at 33 I am not at the place in life where I really wish I was.

Same here only I quit after my second year at City College. If I were to do it over I'd have gone right after, stuck with it and got it over with. My Nephew took a few years off and I asked him the same question and he told me he wishes he would have gone on without taking a break. He's 32 and will get a BA and BS degree next year, he's married with one child and another on the way. Talk about doing it the hard way.

[MickeyMac]

Several. For starters I probably should have waited a year before starting college because at the time I wasnt ready, but I was living at home, and had I not gone to school my mother would have flipped out. I also regret I wasnt focused back then. Had I been I could have had my phd by now.

[Brent88]

I made so many mistakes in my first year and a half. My first semester in the spring of 2007 actually went pretty well(remains my most successful semester), but my 2nd semester in the Fall of 2007 was a complete and total disaster as I failed all but one class(this was before I knew of the concept of dropping classes, it could have really helped matters). Then in the Spring of 2008, I did a bit better(escaped with no F's), but my GPA still suffered. I finally passed my remedial math class after 3 semesters. I went on academic probation after that, took the summer and fall of 2008 off(this was my big mistake, I should have not taken the fall off, because it caused me to fall behind). I went back in January taking a measley 2 classes(one of which I was failing and dropped in April to avoid an F), then took this summer off(again!). I'm just now about to go back and get serious about it. I'm still on probation but with any luck will get better.

I'm so upset though because it's ridiculous that it's 2 1/2 years after I started and I've only got 19 credits. I wasted so much time and I very much regret it now.

I have a plan to knock out the other 41 credits between this semester, the spring, next summer, and next fall, and then be done in December next year before transferring to South Alabama down in Mobile(which has always been the plan it's just been delayed). We'll see but I hope it happens.

[phoebe7165]

Originally Posted by Shine

If you did not go to college, do you now wish that you had? If you did go to college, did you wish you had done things differently?

I did go to college, but if I did it again, I would do things quite differently. My first mistake was that after graduating from high school I took a semster off before starting college. This was a bad idea. College is very difficult to get used to and when you have been out of school for a six months, it is just that much more difficult.

Yes, it is!! I did the same thing, and I didn't last long. I just couldn't stay focused. I ended up dropping out.

I eventaully earned my Bachlor's in 2003.

Good for you!! Hey, it's not how long it took you, all that matters is that you did get it!!

If I could go back, I would change so much. I feel that I totally wasted my early 20's away and now at 33 I am not at the place in life where I really wish I was.

That's the way it was for me for a while.