University of Central Florida Top Questions

My experience at the University of Central Florida has significantly impacted my view on the world, and it has seriously broadened my horizons. Being from a small town, it was quite a change to transfer to UCF, where the size of the campus alone is almost bigger than my hometown. Such a change also brought along an extinsive diversity in culture, as I was now immersed in a campus with students from around the world. The increase in cultural awareness made the quantity of education all the more staggering. UCF has impressive graduation percentages in their varied colleges of study, leaving future employers pleased to hire UCF graduates. Further, what makes UCF better than other schools, is the experience, both while attending the university, and while pursuing careers. The school activities at UCF are amazingly exciting, allowing students to take part in organizations that are oftentimes once in a lifetime opportunities. UCF faculty members do their very best to ensure a positive college experience for all of their students. My experience at the University of Central Florida has been the most valuable experience of my life, and it will definitely impact the rest of my life.

For 18 years of my life, I grew up in a small, 97{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} white, conservative community. After moving to a large city and being surrounded by diversity and opportunity, I have grown as a person. I have gained an understanding during college of how people differ and why the idea of a melting pot in the United States is so necessary. It is important to embrass every person's differences, whether we agree with them or not. With my college experience, I have learned something I never would have if I'd stayed in my hometown: tolerance. I believe that my future career of elementary education will be stronger and I will better influence my students to accept all those around, even if they are different. Although I have learned so much academically and gained numerous friends for life, I truly believe I have learned to think independently and accept those around me, which I believe is an important characteristic in life for a successful journey.

I am not a traditional student. My college experience consists of logging in to my online classroom, interacting with my classmates over a virtual connection, but never meeting them face-to face. I will be graduating from the University of Central Florida in May 2011, yet I have never been on the UCF campus. Despite this, I feel connected to the university. I am a twice-married mother of two daughters. My second marriage brought two stepchildren into my life. My children are the world to me. As a first generation college student, returning many years after high school, I want to show my girls that they could do anything they put their minds to and I am not stopping here; I plan to continue my studies to pursue my graduate and post-graduate degrees (even if I am going to college with my daughters). The most valuable part of my college experience, would be showing my daughters that hard work and determination pay off. The many nights I stay up late studying and doing homework are rewarded with a high GPA and a great education.

It's hard to say how valuable college has been to me. It has been a life changing experience, at both of the schools I've attended. I met many wonderful people, had many great times and wouldn't change a thing about it. I adore everything about the college experience. There's so many things to learn and so many oppurtunities are offered through school. I've discovered so much about myself and about other people in my college career, many valuable lessons have been learned and I am so very grateful for the oppurtunity to learn more about my interests. So many people in the world are less fortunate and I hope the people that go to college realize how lucky they are to be doing what they love and furthering their knowldedge in whatever interests them.

I have recieved an amazing education, learned how to live on my own, and made lasting friendships. I am confident that I will only continue to excel in my future education. UCF has assisted in teaching me this. For example, I am confident that I can inter act effectively with strangers due to the tutoring job I had on campus for the entire time I have spent at UCF.

College has been a never-ending learning experience that will continue on throughout my lifetime. The most valuable experience was that College classes and teachers taught me how to teach myself. As I go through life I will make references to what I have learned in College and will add to that knowledge when I am seeking my professionial goals. While in my profession during my lifetime, College knowledge will be the building block of my profession and I will have the skills, having learned them in College, to build upon my profession to be top- notch in the field in which I am in. College has shown me the way to personal freedom while learning and that what I learn and how I learn it is my personal choice. It is not all perfect, I must learn things I am not particularly interested in, but they all have a place in the higher education I am pursuing.

There are many things that have helped me with my college experience. Making new friends, and experiencing new things with them has probably been the highlight of my first year. Before college, I was very shy. I always stayed to myself, and rarely had any interactions with people outside of my tight circle of friends. But, now that I've gotten out and met the wonderful girls on my floor, it's been a lot easier for me to meet new people and get involved in things around campus. While all of my shyness hasn't gone away, a big chunk of it has dissipated and has been replaced with confidence. UCF has especially helped with me making new friends, getting more involved, and being a better student. All of the campus activities have helped tremendously, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. What I've gotten out of my college experience is a sense of home away from home, great friends and memories. It has been valuable to attend because here; I've made life bonds that can never be replaced; ones that would've never been made had I not attended UCF, nor college.

I have been at UCF for almost four years now. I have learned a lot during those four years but the thing that I think made a major impact on my learning experience at UCF is the fact that when I first got to UCF I thought that I could get by and get good grades by doing the same thing I did during high school. I quickly learned that I would have to actually try at my grades and A's were not going to come easy. I learned that I had to grow up and take responsiblity for my grades and what I do since I am on my own. Overall, I think that my experience at UCF has been a great one. I have made many great friends, raised my GPA, and started to enjoy my classes and teachers.

My experience here at UCF, has given me more than I could have expected. Coming into college, I had my mind set on a single plan. Now however, through people I have talked to, my plan is coming together in a direction dissimilar to my original plan. I have been able to network with people in the law and financing world. Speaking with these people has caught my interest and given me the confidence to succeed. In the short time I have been here, I feel that I am ahead of the game and I can see my future. I would not trade this experience for anything and nothing is more valuable. People always say that college is expensive. However, in my experience with UCF, not attending here in Orlando would be the most costly thing I ever did. I am extremely grateful and excited for my future here at the University of Central Florida.

My college experience hasn't been all fun games like most college students. Trying to juggle school and working, its been hard, and almost wanted to throw in the towel. However, I see that the lessons that I have learned and the struggles I have pushed through is what makes this world go round. If everyone gave up when times got tough, then we wouldn't get anywhere in this world. I was fortunate to land a job in my intended field where I can continue my education outside of the classroom. My coworkers and managers push me every day to finish school so that I can move on to bigger and better things. I would of never had the life lessons, experiences, and positive support if I didn't attend the University of Central Florida.

My college experience so far has taught me how to be a good student. Not only have I learned valuable information that will steer me toward my goals - but I have learned how to retain that information with good study habits. I've always been a good student, but last semester was different because I took 18 credit hours while working up to 25 hours a week as well. I received straight A's for the first time since early high school, and was honored to be part of the dean's list at my school. This experience has made college valuable to attend because it has given me confidence and excitement about my education. What is more valuable, then feeling excitement over learning? It's not just something that I'm being forced to do to reach my goals because now my curiosity and desire to know all that I can have been activated. I will carry this experience with me for my entire life - having such a positive college experience is priceless!

From my college experience, I have gotten different outlooks, a better sense of community, and a quality learning environment. At UCF there are so many people who wish to express themselves and their ideas, and with that mindset, a person is exposed to different cultures, lifestyles, and opinions that begin to make you think about the values and ideals that you hold. You no longer have one person in your ear telling you what's right, but multiple. It forces you to actually make a decision for yourself. The community here is so tightly knit that you can literally have a conversation with the person next to you about any sort of topic. We all realize that we are here to reach a goal and, under the banner of UCF, we help each other get there as though we were family. It's almost as if we have a blood bond with one another. Finally, the learning environment that UCF provides is one of excellence and diversity. There are numerous courses all geared towards respective majors that give you variety in choosing which path you want to take. This is invaluable in choosing what want to do in your life!

I am the first in my family to graduate high school, and to attend college. Despite the money issues, I feel that my college experience has been valuable because I was the only person in my family to overcome the doubt, and struggle to make my future brighter.

In high school, I was a pretty lazy person. My college experience has caused me to be surrounded by people who are driven and want to succeed more than anything. This has caused me to become a motivated, focused student. I am building a future for myself. I will be able to support myself and help those in need one day, and that knowledge is more valuable than any friendship. Although I am truly enjoying making friends and living in a community with many minds similar to my own, I am looking forward to starting my own student organization, doing an internship, researching various diseases, and starting medical school. My year and a half in college has blessed me with an extremely eye opening, life altering experience.

Being a returning college student I was nervous about how I would fit into the collegiate culture. I first graduated with my AA degree in 2000, I have found that this time around it is so much more exciting and I am more involved in the academic learning process than I ever was before. My years in the business world gave me the direction I need to choose a degree that I am interested in and understand how I will apply it in my career. I achieved very much without a college education but, now with the aid of the course it’s as if all the pieces are being but together. As much as I thought I knew attending the university has made a blurry picture very clear. I am so excited by the education and techniques I am learning and eager to apply them in the future.

I’ve had a great college experience here at UCF. I enjoy working with other students who share goals such as mine. UCF has opened a lot of doors for me and helped me enhance my degree. Without their guidance I don’t think I would have gone as far as I have today. I also appreciate the fact that UCF has helped me come out of my shell. I wasn’t involved at all in my Community College and I thought it would go through the same experience once I transferred over to this university. I wasn’t that involved in my first semester but once I started making a couple friends that shared a lot of the same interest as me I started becoming more involved with my university. I’m proud to tell anyone and everyone that I attend UCF because this University has helped me accomplish a lot of my goals in life.

Attending Southeastern Illinois College has been a very valuable experience for me. Through the various events and classes at the school I have learned that instructors don’t always have the answers to life’s deepest question. Oh, sure, they can answer my questions about accounting laws, management practices, et cetera, but answering the question of man’s beginnings and endings, and especially purposes of life, well, they really can’t. They try. But they never seem to hit the mark. Perhaps it is because they themselves don’t know the Answer. So what has college taught me? My college experience has taught me to look deeper within myself—to truly examine motives, beliefs, theories, and dreams. Very little of what I believe and stand for conforms to the teachings and expectations of those around me. But I have learned that I am stronger because I’m not just a number in the crowd. I swim upstream; I make a difference; I cause people to think. College has strengthened my resolve to be counter-cultural; to change that status-quo and truly leave a mark on a community college; to leave a mark on my world.

The greatest bit of education I received at UCF was the ability to direct my dreams and aspirations into goals for the future. I've always known I wanted to go into the field of advertising and marketing but I was not sure exactly what job I wanted. At UCF I learned about the industry and found the role I want to play in it. The wide variety of education I received allowed me to focus on matching my talents into abilities for potential employers. Realizing my dreams into obtainable goals has made my time at UCF invaluable.

Even though I am a transfer student I personally feel I still received the full on college experience. No I am not involved in any clubs or anything but I was able to make good friends with the students in my classes. I love how everyone treats you like an indivudal and doesn't judge you if you are different. Besides from making new friends I feel in my psychology classes I have learned a lot through my professors especially the ones that have been working in the field and bringing their knowledge to the classroom. I love when professors don't go exactly by the book but teach you real life situations. UCF offers many opportunities for all types of people and I love that. There is always something to do here. I feel UCF has more of a home feel than other college campus's may have.

I believe that striving for a college education is one of the biggest building blocks to starting a career that one can pursue. Being an undergraduate freshman, I have learned that college takes a lot more than hitting the books. Throughout my first semester I have learned many valuable lessons from the challenges I have faced. The most valuable thing I have learned from college is that commitment and hard-work are the most important characteristics a young person can possess. I have also learned that being a good student is a lot more than a high GPA. My college experience has taught me that good character and personal values make a good student.