June 27. 2003
A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE COTTRELL IN UT
Jenny,
I have done what you are about to embark on. I had a hard time deciding what to do and not do, also. So what I did was a bit of both. I still took the classes I wanted at the high school AND the college as well as the extra-curricular stuff. I was on the debate team, tennis team, and in the Marching Band and choir. I was also in various clubs. The point is, you can do it. I did all these things and I even managed to keep my college GPA above a 3.0. I did have to make a few choices and really study when friends were partying, but the rewards are more than I can imagine. You are only going to be a senior in high school once, do the things that the seniors do like prom and ball games but also do the things that you want to try in college. The best advice I can give you about college classes is to take a wide variety of subjects no matter what and get involved in the classroom. The other people in the class are likely to be mostly freshmen and they are not going to know that you are still in high school unless you tell them. The fact that you are even asking for advice shows courage and that you want to step out of your comfort zone. You know your own limits, just keep in mind that it is impossible to do everything (believe me, I tried.) : )
Good Luck!
********************

A: FROM MENTOR LAURA CRUZ IN INDIANA
Starting to think about colleges and majors entering
your Junior year in High School is GOOD. You want to
try and take some classes that prepare you for
college, some high schools offer technology courses,
pre-college prep, etc. Planning ahead is always good.

Being involved in many, many activities in college can
be tough because your classes will demand A LOT of
your time for studying. College is a lot more
difficult than high school. It is good to be involved
and active, but don't over commit yourself.
********************
June 25, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR CHARLENE CASSIDY IN SC
Jenny, I think it is possible to overload your schedule, especially in your freshman year -- you'll need to adjust to college life your first semester. You should expect that each credit hour you take will require about 1 hour of prep time outside of lecture -- so if you are taking 15 credits, you'll spend about 15 hours outside of class preparing for lecture each week -- reading, doing work, writing papers... So far about 30 hours per week are spoken for just with classes. You'll also want some time each week to relax and enjoy yourself. Find out how much time you'll be required to commit to the other activities. I'm not saying that you should not be on the dance team or in the orchestra, but you need to look at the time commitment required and see if there is enough time each week to do everything you want to do. If not you may need to decide which activity is most important to you and do only that one to start with. Best of Luck!
********************
A: FROM MENTOR DIANA DIONISIO IN CA
In college, you definitely want to pick the most important activities that you want to participate in. It's not like high school where you can be involved in everything like clubs and sports and still have time to do well in school. It's much better to find a few things that you will be really passionate about and try to get leadership positions with that. Your goals sound really great but I don't know how much time your extra curriculars will take and you can choose your level of involvement.
********************
A: FROM MENTOR ELLEN PICCIOLI IN MA
Hi Jenny,
I believe that getting involved in extra-curricular activities in
College is wonderful and important. They key to doing this successfully
is managing and prioritizing your time, and to enjoy what you are doing.
As you probably already know, there are many things you can learn from
experiences outside the classroom. For example, by being involved in
teams, music, etc. you can not only develop fun new skills, but you
learn about team work, leadership, and time management.

So my advice is to go for it! If you find that you are over doing it,
you can decide to cut back later.
********************
A: FROM MENTOR MOLLY WILLIAMS IN MI
Certainly it's possible to do too much, and then you won't be able
to do anything well. However, college is a wonderful opportunity to
try out lots of activities, and you should take advantage of the
chance to explore your interests and abilities. I recommend
investigating a variety of extra-curricular activities in addition
to your academic programs. These might be in the arts, athletics,
religious, or service groups. Go to a few gatherings, but don't
accept a position of responsibility until you're sure this is
something you want to continue with. Eventually, you'll select a few
activities where you really feel at home and can concentrate on
those. And be sure to allocate enough time to your academic program.
Good luck!
********************
A: FROM MENTOR AIMEE WILLOZ IN MN
Jenny, there probably is a point where you'll feel like you've reached
the limit of activities, but I would recommend that you try to do all the
activities you want to and see how it goes. You could find out that it's
great! When I was in college, I routinely took 18 credits (12 was
full-time, and 15 was average), in addition to participating in marching
band and employee clubs. One thing to keep in mind is that in addition to
the extra-curricular activities, you can control the number of classes you
take -- assuming that you have the wherewithal to attend for an additional
semester or two. If I had to choose between taking more classes or
participating in more activities, I think that in retrospect I'd choose
more activities/less credits. Being involved in extra-curricular
activities is desirable from an employer's point of view, so I say go for
it! Have a great time!