Questions from the Third Annual Questions from the Third Annual Senior / Alumni SummitSenior / Alumni Summit

FeracoFeraco

SFHP / Myth to Sci-FiSFHP / Myth to Sci-Fi

20 December 201120 December 2011

High SchoolHigh School What was the most valuable academic lesson you What was the most valuable academic lesson you

learned from high school? What was the most learned from high school? What was the most valuable life lesson?valuable life lesson?

Any tips for avoiding complete senioritis during Any tips for avoiding complete senioritis during second semester, or for not getting lazy with second semester, or for not getting lazy with your extracurricular activities?your extracurricular activities?

What’s your best memory from your final What’s your best memory from your final semester, other than graduating?semester, other than graduating?

What do you miss most about AHS?What do you miss most about AHS? Is the first year of college more fun than your last Is the first year of college more fun than your last

year here?year here? Is there more or less competition than at AHS?Is there more or less competition than at AHS? Do you think you have an advantage over other Do you think you have an advantage over other

students at your college because you went to students at your college because you went to Arcadia High?Arcadia High?

Acceptance and Leaving HomeAcceptance and Leaving Home Did you have a hard time waiting for admission Did you have a hard time waiting for admission

decisions to come? Are you happy that you chose decisions to come? Are you happy that you chose the school you did?the school you did?

Does the small envelope automatically mean Does the small envelope automatically mean you’re rejected? Did you ever get acceptance you’re rejected? Did you ever get acceptance letters in small envelopes?letters in small envelopes?

To those who were accepted to multiple schools: To those who were accepted to multiple schools: how did you end up choosing which college to how did you end up choosing which college to attend? Which of those schools’ qualities attend? Which of those schools’ qualities mattered? What’s your best advice for those who mattered? What’s your best advice for those who will make that decision?will make that decision?

After you graduated, did you feel ready for After you graduated, did you feel ready for college? If you could have taken a year off, what college? If you could have taken a year off, what would you be doing?would you be doing?

Acceptance and Leaving HomeAcceptance and Leaving Home What was it like to say goodbye to your parents? What was it like to say goodbye to your parents?

Is there anything you’re supposed to say?Is there anything you’re supposed to say? Do you miss anything specific about home? How Do you miss anything specific about home? How

do you deal with homesickness?do you deal with homesickness? What was the scariest part about entering What was the scariest part about entering

college? What was the hardest part of college? What was the hardest part of transitioning from senior year to becoming a transitioning from senior year to becoming a freshman yet again?freshman yet again?

Did any of you choose a college near your home Did any of you choose a college near your home just to be near your family?just to be near your family?

What is something that you wish somebody told What is something that you wish somebody told you before you went to college that you’ve had you before you went to college that you’ve had to learn the hard way? to learn the hard way?

PeoplePeople What should we expect our professors to What should we expect our professors to

be like? Are they intelligent, be like? Are they intelligent, approachable, etc.? How easy is it to approachable, etc.? How easy is it to contact them?contact them?

How often do you keep in touch with your How often do you keep in touch with your high school buddies? Have you had time high school buddies? Have you had time to visit any of them?to visit any of them?

How have your friendships changed ever How have your friendships changed ever since you guys have gotten to college?since you guys have gotten to college?

How are the people you’ve met in college How are the people you’ve met in college different from the ones you knew in high different from the ones you knew in high school?school?

How often do you call home?How often do you call home? Do you get to visit your family and friends Do you get to visit your family and friends

during short breaks?during short breaks?

Community CollegeCommunity College What are the pros and cons of staying home? What are the pros and cons of staying home?

What about the pros and cons of moving out, What about the pros and cons of moving out, other than independence and being away from other than independence and being away from family?family?

If I want to go to a community college but move If I want to go to a community college but move out of my parents’ home, do you think going to a out of my parents’ home, do you think going to a community college outside of my city is a good community college outside of my city is a good idea?idea?

What made you decide to choose a community What made you decide to choose a community college over a university or private college? If college over a university or private college? If picking between a “lower tier” UC and PCC, picking between a “lower tier” UC and PCC, which would you attend?which would you attend?

What are some differences/similarities between What are some differences/similarities between AHS and community college?AHS and community college?

How do you deal with your friends going to a How do you deal with your friends going to a university or private while you stay near home?university or private while you stay near home?

How are the professors compared to high school How are the professors compared to high school teachers?teachers?

AcademicsAcademics How do you get classes? Is it as easy as it How do you get classes? Is it as easy as it

was here?was here? What are courses like for freshmen? Are What are courses like for freshmen? Are

you already fulfilling major requirements, you already fulfilling major requirements, or can only upperclassmen get into those or can only upperclassmen get into those classes? How are your grades determined?classes? How are your grades determined?

On average, how many hours do you On average, how many hours do you spend self-studying per day? spend self-studying per day?

How does “college stress” compare to How does “college stress” compare to “high school stress”?“high school stress”?

Do you feel that the workload is much Do you feel that the workload is much heavier than senior year?heavier than senior year?

AcademicsAcademics Do you feel as if some of the classes at Do you feel as if some of the classes at

your college are much easier than the your college are much easier than the AP/Honors classes taught at Arcadia High?AP/Honors classes taught at Arcadia High?

Are professors open to creativity or Are professors open to creativity or experimentation in your writing, or do experimentation in your writing, or do they require you to do things they require you to do things conventionally?conventionally?

Should I buy a laptop before I go to Should I buy a laptop before I go to college? Would it be easier to bring a college? Would it be easier to bring a computer to class, or just paper and a computer to class, or just paper and a pencil? How many notes do we have to pencil? How many notes do we have to take during lectures?take during lectures?

How many of your classes are just How many of your classes are just lectures, and how many of them let you do lectures, and how many of them let you do other stuff?other stuff?

AcademicsAcademics Are you happy with the major you chose?Are you happy with the major you chose? Have you decided what to do with your degree Have you decided what to do with your degree

yet? Do you wish you applied for a different yet? Do you wish you applied for a different major? Is it hard to change majors if I wanted to?major? Is it hard to change majors if I wanted to?

If you’re undecided about your major, do you If you’re undecided about your major, do you face any pressure from professors, staff, or peers face any pressure from professors, staff, or peers to pick one quickly?to pick one quickly?

Have any of you looked at grad schools already? I Have any of you looked at grad schools already? I want to go to med school, and was told that I can want to go to med school, and was told that I can major in something else besides biology and still major in something else besides biology and still go as long as I fulfill the pre-med requirements. go as long as I fulfill the pre-med requirements. How do I take those? Do they count as electives, How do I take those? Do they count as electives, general eds, or something else?general eds, or something else?

Dorm LifeDorm Life What do you recommend bringing to What do you recommend bringing to

college? Which item’s the most important college? Which item’s the most important one to bring? Is there anything we one to bring? Is there anything we shouldn’t shouldn’t buy? buy?

How nice are the dorms? Do you spend a How nice are the dorms? Do you spend a lot of time in your room, or do you go to lot of time in your room, or do you go to other places on campus?other places on campus?

Do you like your roommate(s)? Does it feel Do you like your roommate(s)? Does it feel weird to live with someone you really weird to live with someone you really don’t know that well? Any tips for don’t know that well? Any tips for avoiding conflicts or making sure you have avoiding conflicts or making sure you have good relationships with them?good relationships with them?

Who do you go to for help if something Who do you go to for help if something goes wrong?goes wrong?

Dorm LifeDorm Life Is privacy an issue in the dorms? What Is privacy an issue in the dorms? What

about in your room itself?about in your room itself? Should you make a list of Should you make a list of

boundaries/agreed-upon rules with your boundaries/agreed-upon rules with your roommate?roommate?

Do we really have to share bathrooms? Is Do we really have to share bathrooms? Is it always crowded in the bathroom? Do all it always crowded in the bathroom? Do all the girls or boys share one bathroom at the girls or boys share one bathroom at the end of the hall, or do you have a the end of the hall, or do you have a suite? Basically, is it as suite? Basically, is it as uncomfortable/inconvenient as it sounds?uncomfortable/inconvenient as it sounds?

Where and how do you do laundry?Where and how do you do laundry? Is it hard to concentrate in your dorm Is it hard to concentrate in your dorm

room?room?

Dorm LifeDorm Life What happens if you lock yourself out of What happens if you lock yourself out of

your dorm room?your dorm room? What do you do if your roommate wants to What do you do if your roommate wants to

go to sleep but you can’t sleep? Do you go to sleep but you can’t sleep? Do you leave the room?leave the room?

Is there a point to joining fraternities or Is there a point to joining fraternities or sororities? Do you really get hazed if you sororities? Do you really get hazed if you join?join?

Would you recommend living in a dorm, Would you recommend living in a dorm, even for those students who don’t really even for those students who don’t really think they should?think they should?

Do kids go home on weekends or stay in Do kids go home on weekends or stay in the dorms? the dorms?

School LifeSchool Life Is it difficult to make new friends? What are Is it difficult to make new friends? What are

some ways that work?some ways that work? How do you keep a relationship alive if you How do you keep a relationship alive if you

two can’t see each other very often – whether two can’t see each other very often – whether that be long-distance or not?that be long-distance or not?

How difficult was it to adjust to cultural How difficult was it to adjust to cultural differences on a college campus, and how has differences on a college campus, and how has going to college changed your perspective on going to college changed your perspective on diversity?diversity?

What are ten things we should make sure we What are ten things we should make sure we do our freshman year?do our freshman year?

What are ten things we should avoid doing What are ten things we should avoid doing our freshman year?our freshman year?

School LifeSchool Life Everyone in high school talks about how the social Everyone in high school talks about how the social

scene is college is so much crazier than in high scene is college is so much crazier than in high school. Is it really like that? How do you find a balance school. Is it really like that? How do you find a balance between fun and school?between fun and school?

Are there other things to do socially – events, sports, Are there other things to do socially – events, sports, etc. – or are things pretty quiet on campus otherwise?etc. – or are things pretty quiet on campus otherwise?

How’s the food at your campus, and how do meal How’s the food at your campus, and how do meal cards work (especially at schools that have chain cards work (especially at schools that have chain restaurants on campus)? Do people really gain 15 restaurants on campus)? Do people really gain 15 pounds during freshman year? What’s the best meal pounds during freshman year? What’s the best meal you get to eat?you get to eat?

Which elements of the college environment did you Which elements of the college environment did you adjust to easily? Which elements posed a challenge?adjust to easily? Which elements posed a challenge?

How hard is it to balance a job, classes, and life? How hard is it to balance a job, classes, and life?

Opportunities and TimeOpportunities and Time What is your typical weekly schedule like? What is your typical weekly schedule like? Is it better to space all your classes out Is it better to space all your classes out

through the week or take more in one day through the week or take more in one day and then have more days off?and then have more days off?

Do you find you have more time to do Do you find you have more time to do what you want if your classes are spread what you want if your classes are spread out through the week, or do you have less out through the week, or do you have less anyway because you have more anyway because you have more responsibilities?responsibilities?

What do people spend most of their time What do people spend most of their time doing?doing?

What’s the most important thing to do in What’s the most important thing to do in college (besides go to class)?college (besides go to class)?

Opportunities and TimeOpportunities and Time How do your extracurricular opportunities and How do your extracurricular opportunities and

activities compare to the ones we have in high activities compare to the ones we have in high school? Do you still do volunteer work now that school? Do you still do volunteer work now that you’re in college? How do you get involved with you’re in college? How do you get involved with clubs, land internships, etc.?clubs, land internships, etc.?

Assuming you’re more independent in college Assuming you’re more independent in college than you were in high school, is that than you were in high school, is that independence a blessing or curse? independence a blessing or curse?

What are you looking forward to doing at college What are you looking forward to doing at college that you haven’t gotten to do as a freshman?that you haven’t gotten to do as a freshman?

Do you have any free time to do the hobbies that Do you have any free time to do the hobbies that you did when you were younger?you did when you were younger?

If you plan to study abroad, where and why If you plan to study abroad, where and why would you go? would you go?

EnglishEnglish What kind of an impact did this class What kind of an impact did this class

make on your life? make on your life? What was your favorite activity in the What was your favorite activity in the

class? class? Did you like first or second semester Did you like first or second semester

better? better? If you had one word to describe the If you had one word to describe the

second semester of the class, would it be second semester of the class, would it be demanding, rewarding, or challenging?demanding, rewarding, or challenging?

Did you become a better person when you Did you become a better person when you left class for good? left class for good?

What did you learn that you still use What did you learn that you still use today? today?

FinalFinal What’s been the best aspect of college? What’s been the best aspect of college?

The worst?The worst? If you could start college again, would you If you could start college again, would you

make different choices – attend a different make different choices – attend a different school, not move out, choose a different school, not move out, choose a different dorm, etc.?dorm, etc.?

How have you seen yourself grow or How have you seen yourself grow or change since your time in high school? change since your time in high school? What were the biggest differences What were the biggest differences between your “college self” and your between your “college self” and your “high school self”? What did it feel like to “high school self”? What did it feel like to start from scratch, make new friends, and start from scratch, make new friends, and live on your own?live on your own?

How does post-grad life compare with How does post-grad life compare with your expectations? your expectations?