University of South Florida-Main Campus Top Questions

Get as much money together before college

There are many things that you must take in affect when trying to decide on a school. The first thing that is important is to find out if the school has a good degree program for your desired major. Then next important thing is that you need to find someone you can call home. It needs to be a place where you feel you can establish relationships and networking with other individuals. Most importantly, you need to go somewhere you feel the happiest.

My advice to anyone trying to find the right college is to go there. Explore the campus, talk to students, even sit in on a class or two if you get the chance. The only way to know which college is right for you is to experience it first hand. When I was a graduationg senior in high school, I made my decision solely based on the fact that the campus was close to my parent's house which was where I thought I would be living for the next four years. The truth is, you never know where life will take you, and if you don't chose a school that feels right to you, chances are you will eventually realize you missed out on a great opportunity. College is all about expression and finding yourself, so do the research and visit as many schools as you can because you're in for the best four years of your life!

I would tell parents to let their children have a major part in the decision-making process of finding a college for them to attend. This is somewhere that they will be for a long time and they should feel comfortablel with the choice they make. It shouldn't be because you want them to go there, that they attend. Students should know that they should do alot of research on the location of their college, knowing what it's reputation is and what choices they have for jobs and off-campus housing. They should make sure the size of the school is something that they're comfortable with and if the student wants to be really involved on campus (which is something great new students should do in order to make great friends), they should look up what clubs and organizations are at the college.

Location, are you active? What are "you" looking to get out of college? Do you want the prestige of a big school, or do you want the experience of the city that the school is within. Being content with your living situation, and enjoying the company that you are around is just as big apart of the college education for me. Meeting new people and networking while in college is just as important if not more important than being in the class room in some cases. Its great to make good grades, but if you can socialize with your fellow class members, how are you going to socialize in the business world? In todays world it comes down to who you know more than what you know alot of times to get that job you really want.

Make sure that you visit the schools you may want to attend and visit the colleges or college within the university that you plan on attending.

The right college is what you make of the lifestyle. College is going to change your life, period. The question is how much are you going to let it? I couldn't move too far from home so I chose USF because it is only an hour and a half from home. Close enough to visit and far enough to keep the past at bay. I wanted a larger university because I wanted to meet a lot of new people and learn from a vast array of subject. The opportunities given for personal growth and development are without bounds. It appeals to me that they are the only University to have a Joint Leadership Center for all ROTC branches, have an acclaimed medical program, great communication courses, and a fun and interactive Greek life. What do YOU want from the university of your choice? I got everything I wanted and more from USF.

If there's one thing I would loved to have had going into my first year of college, it would be some sound advice from someone who has been there and done that. My first advice would be to parents to get involved in their child's school choice, but don't push. For me, moving out and going to school just an hour away from home was scary enough. Nothing is more important for a student, than to know that their parents support them no matter what or where they choose to go to school. Secondly, to the students I would say go visit as many colleges as you can after you have a narrowed list, and visit those schools as often as you can. My biggest mistake was only visiting schools once. Then, when you get to that glorious haven, put yourself out there and get involved. Meet people! Even if you don't stick with it, you will have made some valuable friendships to hold on to. When you're finally comfortable in your new school, reach out to others. After all, someday you might be the one giving out sound advice to another student in need.

My advice to students about finding the right school would be to actually visit the campus of the potential school. The students should look at the different programs they offer and the different clubs and organizations they have. Students should be proactive in pursuing their degree or finding out what they want to major in. It is a tough choice but I advise students to take their freshman year as an exploratory time and find out about the different programs and majors there are out there. Also students should get as involved as they can in extracurricular activities. These will not only help you build friends but also the specific major organizations will help launch your career when you are finished with college. These organizations look very well in resumes and are very helpful in finding a good job. My advice to parents would be to encourage your student in whatever they find they want to major in. Be lenient with your student, but also steer them in the right direction. Too many students don?t do well in college because they forget about the academic part and focus only on the social aspects of college.

I would suggest that a potential student checks out the different programs socially and for their major.