University of Florida Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I know now about college life, I would advise myself better than any high school guidance counselor could have ever done. Although I am very happy with my college choice there are so many other aspects about college that I would strongly consider other than prestige, extracurricular activities, climate and location. I would consider: class ratio, financial aid packages, dorm room information, cost of tuition, diversity of the professors, how to choose a major, and a host of other college insiders. This invaluable information would have definitely prepared me more for college life. Below is some of the information that I would have strongly considered when choosing a college: 1.Class ratio: What is the student to professor ratio? 2.Financial Aid Packages: Does the college renege on offered scholarships? 3.Dorm Room Information: How comfortable are the dorm rooms? 4.Cost of Tuition: How much more does it cost for a nonresident student? 5.Diversity of Professors: Am I likely to be taught by a professor who is a minority? 6.Choosing a major: What are my academic strengths and weaknesses?

Study harder and stay focus. Don'r procrastinate. Cherish every moment and make the best of the present because time is short.

I would tell myself not to sweat the small stuff and to enjoy every moment for what it is.

I would definitely tell myself to turn in the financial application early! Participate in dual enrollment to get more college credit. Learn a new language besides Spanish.

I would tell myself to be prepared to change. College is a dynamic experience, and it's impossible to fully reach your own potential unless you are ready to venture outside your comfort zone. I would reassure myself that while preserving my own identity is important, it's also important that I look to the world around me, the campus as a representative microcosm of many ideas, and try to incoporate other habits and beliefs into my own personal tradition. I would advise myself to be unafraid of living with other people just because of the stereotypes I have of college girls. There is a place for everyone on a college campus; no one needs to be alone--there are always people who share your own convictions. Sharing an apartment with others can be one of the most opening experiences, dealing with others' habits first hand and on a daily basis.

The b est advice that I could give myself beforehand would be to take advantage of all the great resources and events that UF has to offer. There are numerous workshops and socials to help students fit in and get involved with the campus community. In doing this, you meet people from different backgrounds and learn things that you normally never would have. Also, UF provides a lot of resources whether it's labs for scientific research to our many libraries for purposes of study.

If there is one thing that I have learned throughout my collegiate career, it is the value of being independent. Intellect alone can carry one forward, but as it is college, one's education is in a constant state of flux and rarely do they possess enough intelligence to avoid hard work. The most important advice I could give to my high school senior self, and to any student in general, is to learn how to learn. This alone is the ticket to all academic success. Determination and resourcefulness are key. The ability to learn is a subtle and very much underappreciated talent, yet one that can prove invaluable to any scholastic endeavor and make even the most unattainable goals attainable.

Take an easy first semester. Make a lot of friends at first and close friends quickly. Do NOT get into long relationships first year. Make friends in advising and with the deans. find study groups ASAP. Do not be afraid to ask for help, people will help you. Go out more and don't be afraid to spend a little money.

Take the summer before College to get to know yourself and who your real friends are. Don't get too upset when you find the classes are much harder than High School ever was. You are going to great, just don't get distracted from school with your new freedome and stay focused. Here are work is the only way to succeed. Congratualtions and Go Gators!

Study hard and enjoy your time in college.

Get as involved as possible. Even if your burnt out from doing so much in high school, make it an effort to find a club or group and really indulge yourself in it. Also, make time to go out, don't take every part of school so serious. It's ok to not always make an A or a B even, the letter is not always worth the stress. Apply for as many internships as possible, and dont let rejection bring you down. Never give up on what your passionate about. Remember that everything happens for a reason and have faith in yourself.

Apply wherever you would dream to go. Now is the time to reach high! You never want to look bad and wonder where you could have been or what school you could have gone to. However, money doesn't grow from the ground. Three words: scholarships, scholarships, scholarships. They are out there! They are waiting for your name on the application list! College is all about gaining independence, and being able to earn that money will make you feel a sense of pride. If you are involved, stay involved. Nothing can make a better college experience than getting to know your campus and the people in it. Find a place you belong in and build yourself there. College is the time where you find your niche and grow. It is not easy to go through the years seeing people who know exactly what they want to do while you have no idea for yourself, but you'll figure it out. I know I still haven't, but I'm working on it and that is all I could ever ask for. Do things you like, do things you don't like, do it all! That's what college is about.

Don't be afraid to set high goals for yourself and never settle for what doesn't satisfy you. Apply for schools out of state, there are scholarships available and you would be able to experience the excitement of a fresh, new start. Do what you want, and don't worry about what others think. Live in the dorms, as much as it sucks for the year, you'll make new friends and wont be stuck hanging out with the people you don't like from high school.

Join clubs you enjoy right from the beginning; it will make it much easier to make friends. Do not try to go to school for what will make you money, because if you aren't happy with your major, you probably won't put your best foot forward and your grades will suffer. Be yourself. If people don't like you for you, then they aren't worth it. Be prepared. Especially as a fine arts major, my life is hectic all the time. If you learn how to apply yourself and not procrastinate, you will save yourself a lot of sleepless nights in the long run. Take every opportunity you can. Your teachers and professors are there to help you, and the sooner you get involved, the more likely you are to succeed. Don't be afraid. People are not as scary as they seem, and you will be lonely if you shut yourself off from everyone. Always pay attention to deadlines, you don't want to miss an opportunity because you simply forgot about it and missed the deadline.

You cannot be afraid. Fear of the unknown, of the future and of success will only hinder your college experience. I remember walking into my dorm room during Hurricane Faye last year with a complete and utter sense of fear. I didn't know my roommates, what the following week would hold or when I would see my parents next. These fears prevented me from making lasting impressions and friends within the first few days. As frightening as it might be, you have to propel yourself forward into the unknown. This will be the best time of your life, and you simply have to trust in that which may frighten you more than anything. Your parents will not forget you, your classes will be fine (for the most part) and you'll make lifelong friends. And you'll probably cry a little along the way. Because, I'm not going to lie, it's hard. But it's amazing all the same. You change forever, you become a better person. It's OK to be afraid. But just for a little while. Don't let the inevitable fear stand in the way of the best time of your life.

to work as hard as i can and do more scholarships

Don't bother with AP courses. Take dual enrollment.

Keep your job until you need to leave for college. Save as much money as you can because you are going to need it. Apply for more scholarships. It never hurts to put your name in the hat. Become serious about reading the material provided in classes. This will help you develop some study skills, and at the very least makes you more responsible concerning schoolwork. Loosen up some. People are friendlier than they usually look.

?Get off your bum!? would probably be the first thing to escape my lips. I had so many opportunities in my senior year of high school that I did not take advantage of. I was accepted to St. Louis University in Madrid, and let the chance to study in Spain slip through my fingers because I did not believe I could obtain the monetary means to attend. Instead of frantically searching for grants and scholarships that would allow me to study my major (Spanish) in a perfect setting, I sat around and let the opportunity of a lifetime pass me by. I wish I could go back in time and work harder to make my dream a reality, but because that is not a feasible option, I am going to start my search now for a helping hand. Study abroad is still an option, and I can still live in Spain like I have always dreamed of. Now that I am in college, I know that hard work and dedication is a necessity for everything because the amount of competition increases. If I had known this in high school, I could have been sitting in Plaza Mayor at this moment.

Learn to study and push yourself, just because you can ace each test without opening the book doesn't mean you should. Learn to study and work hard or it'll bite you in the butt. Don't go to UF, no matter how your parents push you. Go somewhere where the school is known for your major, like UCF, or even out of state. When you win a National Merit Scholarship, DO NOT go to UF with it. It will be the biggest waste you ever make. Go somewhere where they actually give you a reasonable reward for the work you put into that scholarship. Learn to self-teach. The professors don't care if you pass or fail, you won't even meet most of them because they'll be off busy doing research and getting paid to send their TA to class. A lot of professors are infamous for their difficulty and bad teaching skills, so learn to use ratemyprofessor.com or risk getting stuck with the 80 year old foreigner who had bad communication skills BEFORE he learned to not properly express himself in english. Again, don't go to UF.