University of North Florida Top Questions

The best advise I can give is to someone trying to find the right school is to know exactly what it is you want in a school. Only when you know what you want should you start searching for the right school. The student should make the decisions about the school, considering advise from parents and others. But, the student should make the choice because forcing someone to pick the wrong school only damages them. When the right school is selected the best way to make the most out of the college experience is to get involved. While partying is fun, it is not really connected to the college experience. But, getting involved in a student organization, sports club, or career club helps you feels connected to the school. It enhances the college experience by making you part of the school like going to classes never can. Getting involved connects you to students, professors and potential employees making it easier for you to start your career, which is the main reason people attend college.

I would advise students to visit different campuses to take in the different atmospheres. If it is the right school for you, you'll be able to feel it. Don't just go with a school because your parents or peers want you to!

Look for a campus that is spread out with alot of greenery. Large areas of grass and landscaping makes the campus more environmentally friendly and relaxed. Take note of the area outside and around campus. This will be your social realm. Remember to keep an open mind and be honest with yourself. Don't pretend to be someone else to get friends. And when you get there, keep your eye on your books. You're in college, and gaining a social life should not be a priority.

The most important of all, visit the college campus. Do not go to a school without visiting it's campus. Trust me, you will thank me for this later. I am all about my environment(i.e especially if you will be experiencing weather changes). And, everyone should get a feel for the college they will be attending. I would tell them that life is all about experiences and one must weigh the pros and cons of every situation. Everyone makes mistakes and of course you will make some, but learn from them. I would also advise that people put their self out there so that they can get to know others and get involved in extracurricular activities. Furthermore, be the best you can be. The sky is truly the limit. Do not take all the easy classes first. Mix them up! Apply for as many scholarships as you can because when it comes to attending college, the expenses never end. Oh yea, and SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!!!!!!!!

I firmly believe that the decisions you make early in life have compounding effects on the rest of your life. With that said, finding the right college and making the most of the college experience is extremely crucial to the success a prospective student will eventually attain. The key components that link future success with the college experience are knowledge, experience, confidence, focus, team building, and the ability to effectively apply these things. Students and parents should focus on these attributes when deciding on which college to attend. Once a student decides on an initial program interest they should then write out a five year plan on what they want to accomplish. This "goal" focused plan along with the before mentioned components of success should be compared with what a prospective college has to offer. If a college you find has a faculty that brings real world expertise and experience to the classroom, has programs and clubs that correlate to your goals, and has courses that are challenging with a team building and application focus, then you have found the right college. I highly encourage students to join networking clubs and maintain contact with the college career services throughout school.

College is supposed to be the best time in your life. It's about the experiences, the ability to meet new people and learn things about yourself that you never even knew. When I was in the process of applying for colleges, it has to be right for you. I visited all of the Universities before I applied for them to see what they were like. I decided to choose a school where I could commute to but still had the ability to go to a great school due to the fact that money is short while your in college as they say. To make the most out of your college experience, I would definitly get involved with everything that you can and get to know the faculty and staff, they can change your life in many ways. To parents, just as I always told my mom and dad, whats meant to be, will always find it's way.

Have fun!

There is only one advice that I would like to give to parents and/or students about finding the right college for them. From my experience that advice is to be humble, focus, and patient because nothing is easy in reality after high school. Therefore, when combining those three things as part of your attitude about expending your education, it will be a great help to you as an individual when dealing with everything else that will face when looking for a college that is right for you. Although, in my opinion there is not something called ?the right college? if you are not willing as an individual to adjust to it and make it a right place for you.

I would encourage students in high school to look for as many scholarships as possible . Meet with guidance councelors and try to find out ways to get assistance. I neglected this resource and I am currently paying the price. By having to work hard and study hard. Having some extra help would really allow me to focus more on my schooling.

Make sure you physically visit the schools before making a decision. It is sometimes little things like parking that can change your opinion of how good a school is. Also, make sure to pay attention to the area surrounding the campus. Check the cost of living index for the area. If you are a scholarship or financial aid student, you may not be able to afford to do anything off campus if it's a high cost of living. There needs to be a good balance of fun and work. If you put too much stress on work and grades, you will ultimately suffer. Make sure there are lots of options for after school activities, both for fun and for work opportunities. The more choices, the better chance of A.) getting a job, and B.) having a good time while not in class. As a student loan kid myself, I can attest to the cost of going to school full time and the stress of having to pay bills while doing so. I valued my time away from class doing fun things with my friends to help reduce the stress of school. GOOD LUCK!!!!