Former El Dorado High School students volunteered to return to EHS to share their college experiences with current students on Jan. 8.

Some of the college students that came were Kenneth Hall, Anna Enzor, Noah Gaul, Nick Sorrells, Matthew Bartlett, and Brennan Smith. They discussed dealing with class schedules, how to prepare for a class and room and board.

The Promise helped these students, who graduated from EHS, which is why they came to talk with some of our students. Sorrells said, “[The El Dorado Promise] pays for tuition and fees. You still have to get books, housing and food, but overall it saves you a lot mainly from tuition.” Smith said if you attended EHS at the beginning of freshman year you get 65 percent of the Promise and it will help save your family money.

When it came to class schedules, most of the students suggested taking afternoon classes, but Bartlett and Smith suggest taking morning classes. Sorrells said, “It really depends on whether you’re a morning person or not, for instance all my classes are in the afternoon because I don’t like getting up early.” When going to college, take into consideration what works best for you. Gaul said that when he signs up for classes he checks ‘Ratemyprofessor’ to see if he’ll like that class, and to make sure if he’s not going to class that it’s not affecting his grade.

The number one thing discussed was about living on campus and not living with your friends. “You learn things about them that may mess up your friendships,” Gaul said. “You won’t talk to any of them after high school and people change. Don’t follow your friends and their choices.” Go somewhere that will help you, not just somewhere your friends are going.

At some colleges, there are bikes that you can rent for the day. It’s faster and costs less to just walk to your classes. “Don’t be late for your classes or skip them. In the end it will be worth all the work. You need to get up if you took the class,” Hall said, adding, “and don’t be afraid to talk to your professors. It may seem scary, but they are willing to help.”

Smith said that you need to maintain good grades and be successful, some tests will only have about four questions so you need to study.

Promise Director Sylvia Thompson said, “Everyone involved, scholars, students and teachers have been pleased with the event. It was a pleasure to see how successful these students have become and how hard they have worked.”

During the event, 31 EHS Scholars came and talked to 26 different classrooms in 3rd and 4th period. Thompson said that they did an amazing job talking to the students about their college life and teaching them to be successful.