University of South Florida-Main Campus Top Questions

Know who you are, or allow your son/daughter to discover who and what they want to do with their lives. Know the things you'd like to do within your day and incorporate that information into a career. Do something that's going to inspire you. Live a life that is an inspiration to other people by simply being true to yourself, never giving up no matter what life throws at you, and believing anything is possible. It's all about your attitude and how you apply yourself. Don't listen to anyone that trys to bring you down, because they will try. I promise, from someone working on their second degree with many years behind my belt, life is rough and it's only going to get tougher, but as you continue to learn and grow individually, you're able to stand on your own two feet and make a difference in this world. You become well rounded men and women, with beautiful minds to go out and change the world! The best advice I can give you is to just be yourself, believe in yourself, and share your gifts to the world around you.

When i was in high school, movies and television gave me a view of college that was extremely skewed. I expected to be able to breeze my way through classes and continue, as i did in high school, without studying. I was in for a rude awakening. You must study and do your work because the professors aren't able to single you out and listen to your problems because theres 300 people in the class. Bottom line: You must be responsible for yourself. Once you overcome that boundary, the hardest part is behind you. As for choosing the right school, I think atmosphere is key. I hear that most colleges up north are indoors and that blows my mind. I love walking from class to class, being able to sit under the trees, next to the lake and study for my next class. I feel that enjoying the atmosphere of your college makes it much easier to WANT to go to. Just another reason to help you get out of bed in the morning.

Many parents and students are unnecessarily anxious about the start of the whole college experience (i.e. picking the right college). Finding the right college should come effortlessly. For me, cliche as it sounds, but when I first saw the campus, it was "love at first sight." Being at USF just felt right. And in the end, the right college will feel, well, right. But I want to stress that parents and students should not factor in the cost of tuition. The cost of tuition should be factored in at the last moment after the student has found one or two loves at first sight. As for making the most of the college experience, the student, depending on his or her major, should be aware that even though there is a bit of degree of freedom, college is meant for advancement and preparation for the consequences of the real world and a career. Thus, he or she should acclimate himself or herself quickly to the college life in terms of academics and extracurriculars, so that the whole first year isn't used as an acclimation period. In so doing, the student should be ready to focus on his or academics.

My situation is different from most. I am 52-year-old adult, and make all decisions regarding my college education for myself. I am fortunate that I need only consider finances, quality, and professional reputation of the actual institution I ultimately select. Fortunately, I have been able to meet all of these needs at the University of South Florida. However, if asked to advise younger students and their families about selecting a site for higher education, I would remind those involved of one thing: it is the student alone who will attend the school. As such, he or she should be the person to make the final, and hopefully sensible, decision as to where to attend college. That said, other factors come into play: finances, living arrangements, caliber of the educational institution, etc. The involved parties should thoroughly discuss all considerations and attempt to come to a consensus. Nevertheless, I feel the more the student is invested in the selection of the institution, the more successful that student will be in his/her education overall. A student truly invested in his/her education will be able to create an appropriate balance between education and fun, which are not mutually exclusive!

FIRST, GET ALL OF THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EACH OF THE SCHOOLS THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN. EVALUATE EACH OF THEM, THEN CHOOSE THE ONE THAT WILL BEST BENIFET YOUR COURSE OF STUDY, ACADEMICS, FINANCES, AND SOCIALLY. THEN APPLY TO THE COLLEGE OF YOUR CHOSE, AND GIVE IT YOUR BEST TO SUCCEED, AS WELL AS ENJOY YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE.

Take some time to figure out your major and choose something you truely enjoy. Don't take on too heavy of a courseload but try to graduate as quickly as possible to be sure you continue to qualify for financial aid.

The best I advice that I could give a parent or student about finding the right college and making the most of their college experience would be to assess all of their given options before making a final decision. I would tell the student and/or parent to choose the environment in which they feel most comfortable and able to strive in, and the institution in which they feel will better them and better preparethem the most post graduation. The one thing that I wish I had done as an incoming freshman was take advantage of the opportunites that I had to visit other uiniversities and experience life on those campuses. Although I am very happy with my final decision of attending USF, it is always a good idea to observe all of your given possibilities. Furthermore, I would encourage students to get involved in as many campus activities as they can, because getting involved effects and aids you as a maturing adult and helps you gain that total college experience. I rushed a Fraternity my freshman year of college, and it has been the most rewarding experience yet.

The best advice I have to offer both parents and students about finding the right collge and making the most of the college experience is to look into the colleges that most appeal to the student. Take time to figure out what is really important to the student (ie. location, class sizes, campus size, distance from "home," as well as safety and academic concentration). Tour the schools that you have choosen after narrowing down the list and do not be afraid to ask questions. Stop and talk to students that are already attending the college, as well as talk to the facualty and staff. I would like to just stress the importance of feeling comfortable at your school. As long as you know that you will be able to find the answers you need to the questions you might have at the school you want to go to, then not much should go wrong. I love my school and its location, as well as its accessibilty to local hangouts, amusement parks for fun, housing, and stores.

I advise parents and students both to visit many college campuses before making the decision about which college/university to attend. I believe that once you visit "the campus", you can feel it meaning that you just feel comfortable, welcomed, and at home there. You can't experience that feeling by looking at a website (even though you can research the colleges/universities you are interested in). Also, I think it is important to make the college decision together; as a student and their parents. College is so vital in the world we live in today and it is essential that there is a mutual love, respect, and comfortableness toward the college and campus that the student (and parents) end up choosing. As for when you are a student in college, make sure that you continue to study and try your hardest at all times. You are paying for your education and to be the best that you can be in the profession you choose. The hard work and effort that you put into your school work will pay off and you will be able to meet some of the neatest, most helpful people that way. Good luck to you!

Try not to get too pressured in your first year. Don't even consider taking more than 15 credits the first two semesters. Most students need time to adjust to new surroundings.