Insights
I wish I took advantage of the AP classes more because I could have used the credits to skip a few courses (with the exception of major requirements). Also, since I’m a bit introverted, I wish I would have practiced asking for help. One of the biggest changes I made in college was reaching out to TAs and making use of tutoring services. It doesn’t hurt to ask, but it will hurt when you flunk the midterm, final, or even the class.
Malia Fujita '19
University of California Irvine
Biological Sciences/Pre-Med
Malia Fujita is a proud graduate of the Class of 2019. She is currently studying Biological Sciences on a Pre-Med track at the University of California Irvine and hopes to work as something in the medical field (either dentistry, chiropractic care, physical therapy, or maybe dermatology). Even though she knew college would be hard, she didn’t think it would hit her as hard as it did. Struggling a bit to keep up with the crowd, Malia had a rude awakening and looking back realizes she could have prepared herself better. Now that she has figured out a bit of college tricks, she’d love to share them with everyone else at Pearl City!
Other Advice/Information
Many of the AP classes I took really helped me to get ahead academically. Depending on your school, you might be able to apply AP credits to general education requirements, so you don’t have to worry about taking random, boring classes (don’t get me wrong though some GEs are fun and really eye opening!). Even if you don’t get the AP credit transferred, the stuff you learn in AP classes will
be the same things you hear in your introductory courses and you’ll be able to breeze through it! I also recommend volunteering or shadowing! I did a lot of volunteer work through HOSA and Queens which helped to solidify what path I wanted to take and what things I was passionate about.
