The University of West Florida Top Questions

Make sure that you visit each school before you enroll. You can learn a lot about a school by just visiting and going for orientation. Do not be afraid to ask questions, you want to make sure you are getting what you want. Get out there and meet new people. Do not expect others to come find you, make the most of your situation and go to events that you think you will enjoy. If you live on campus, find out who lives next to you and go to the events your dorm is holding. You can make great friends that way. Find out what is going on on-campus for free before you try to go off-campus and have to pay money. Love your school, and college will be the best experience.

make sure that this is what your child wants, or else they wont put the effort into it. and make sure that your child has some sort of a plan, or else they'll just get lost in college and fall behind.

Don't settle! find a college or school that gives you everything that you want. Great sense of pride, intelligent, helpful professors, wide range of both academics and athletics, accessibility to resources and above all a place you see yourself growing in!

Be to go to a college that you feel comfortable in. That includes the campus and the surrounding city. If your not comfortable then you might not break out of your box and enjoy everything that your college has to offer.

Visit a lot of different universities to get a feel for what fits you best. A college may look one way on it's website but can be completely different in person! So make sure to plan a bunch of college tours and get as much information as you can, you'll be glad you did! The best decision I made was to visit schools, the school I thought was my dream school turned out to be anything but. After touring UWF I found a school that made me feel at home, if I hadn't visited this school who knows where I would have ended up!

Research all of your options and visit all of the schools your considering. See if you like the people, the environment and the school in general. All those things will affect your overall hapiness in college. Remember that your going to school to learn and to get a higher education so that you will be successful in life. It's ok to have fun, but remember your goals.

When trying to find the right college, the best thing to do is research the college and schedule a campus tour. Looking at a brochure or a website is NOT enough. A campus tour allows one to get a feel of the campus. Do your research! Try to get in touch with students whom already attend the school. Check its academic background, affordability, and location. Make sure the school is right for you. To make the best of college do the following: work hard, stay focused, have fun, and don't forget the reason you're in college.

Parents: Be a part of the college selection process and do not dictate, because your child will be taking the classes and living at the city. Communication is the biggest factor because you do not want your child to be miserable for a year at a college, then possibley drop out. Take time to research and take campus visits. Learn to let go and teach your child how to make their own decisions concerning money, college activities, and residence. Your child's college experience will become better once you have planned everything with your child before the first day of college begins. Students: Listen to your parents and be realistic. Yes, choosing a college because of the football team or friends will be a factor, but it all comes down to the education and money. Your parents may be paying for tuition, books, housing, and other expenses and if it means to stay home, then stay home. There is nothing wrong with living with your parents during college. Trust me, free rent, utilities, and food makes college life much easier. The opportunities and activities will come to you so be patient and plan ahead including all the expenses.

The advice I would give to parents about looking for the perfect school for their children would be to listen to your child. They will know what school they feel comfortable at and that is what is most important no matter how far away it may be from home. I would also advise the parents to check into the security available on campus. They could also look into the student/professor ratio because that makes a big difference in how their child learns. I would tell the students to base their decision on how they feel about the school and campus. I would also tell the student to not pick a school just because their friends are going to it or because it is a big party school because college is not about the parties. I would advise them to choose a school based on their major. I would also tell them to get involved in campus activities because it will make their college experience that much better.

Financial aid, dorms, school life, transportation, and degrees are all things you should consider when choosing a college. Parents, remember; it's okay to let go and allow your child to experience the real life, even if its not in your hometown. Students, remember that your parents are going through a hard time. They're losing something that has been their life for the past 18 years. Don't forget to call home often, they miss you and even hearing your voice will make them feel 10 times better. As far as making the most out of your college experience, I say this; GET INVOLVED! Whether you join a sorority, fraternity, student government, drama, band, art club, computer club, gaming club, whatever it is, get involved. You can only expect to get out of college what you put in it. You will find that once you are involved, you may do better in your classes. Have a lot of school spirit. Even if your school doesn't have a football team (like mine) you can still cheer them on in other sports. Do whatever it takes to have an enjoyable college experience. Trust me, it goes by WAY too fast!