University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Top Questions

My advice to parents and students who are just starting the college process is to visit several different schools and cities before you make your final decision of where you are going to get your education. I never had the opportunity to take a campus tour -before I started at UW-Milwaukee and found that I was a little lost for the first couple months. Tours can often provide you with valuable information besides the geographical layout of your school. Often times, the tour guides are students themselves and are usually more than willing to answer questions about thier personal experiences and challenges at the school. This insider information can provide you with a better understanding of how the school rates from the perspective of a student and not the people who are trying to recruit you to come there.

All students who are looking at colleges to attend, I have this to say to you: go with your gut. No matter where your friends are going, where your parents want you to go, where your boyfriend/girlfriend is going...if you have a gut feeling about a school, go with it! My father went to UW-Madison, and that is where he really wanted me to go. He wanted me to go there very badly. I was planning on going there, until I visited UW-Milwaukee. While walking around the UW-Milwaukee campus and talking with tour guides, advisors, etc. I just had a gut feeling that this was the school for me. And I was right. I love everything about my school, and I know that if I had not gone with my gut instinct about it I would have always regretted it.

The most important thing to remember about trying to find a college is, will the student have fun here. Studies are important, and the level of high standard is great, but the overall mood and happiness of the student is what matters most. Whether you take in sporting events, activities, clubs, organizations, activities, and other things around campus to help you enjoy the college that much more is up to the student, but if the student doesn't feel that he/she can be able to participate in the college atmosphere to their full potential, then the student shouldn't pick the college. The parents can have an impact and an opinion as well when it comes to choosing, but this decision is the students' because they are the people that are going to college. Advice that I would also give is attend as many college tours as you can. Do not settle for just one college and assume you will get in. Have more options at your hand so that the decision will be one that you will have to think about long and hard once you come to that decision. Have fun and enjoy the college life. Thanks!

My advice to incoming freshmen student is make new friends and stick with the old ones. Through my experience, friends help me financially, mentally, and physically. Without my friends I really dont think I could've made it all these years. Friends influence your study habits and there the only one you can rely on if your far away from home!

Visit the college for an entire week. Get the real feal of it. Talk with program specialist and see if they really are specialists.

Students should choose a college based on their learning needs. Some students like larger campuses while others prefer smaller schools. Parents and students should take a tour of several colleges in which they are interested in before making a decision. Parents should support their childs decision and not let money become an issue. Students should really be focused on doing well and take care of schoolwork first. Students should also be outgoing and get involved with their school. At least participate in social events, but joining different clubs also helps building social networks. Having pride and spirit for your school will help you enjoy your college experience just that much more.

To talk it out with your parents about what your really want in the future and what your short and long term plans are. Also don't be afraid to make a change of schools or anything else if your are unhappy.

The best advice I could give to both a future student and parent would be to go and visit each campus the student is interested in and check out all the school and surrounding area has to offer. It is very important to feel comfortable at the campus you choose and not choose it only because your friends are going there. If you do not feel right about it, your success will change. Students, I recommend that you choose a place you see yourself being, loving, and enjoying. A place where you feel you will get that college experience that you want, because it's different for every student on every campus. Parents, I recommend that you be as supportive as you can of your child's choice on any campus they choose even if its not the one you wanted them to attend. Ultimately it's their decision and that is where they will be living, so their happieness is what is most important. Being happy at the campus you choose is a huge key to success because you are more likely to enjoy your time and do your best at everything!

Making the right decision about attending college is crucial. I chose the wrong college first, I went to a large research university for the first three years of college. If you want to be just a number and teach everything to yourself, that is the direction to take. But for me it turned out not to be. Changing to a smaller college, one more dedicated to its students has helped me regain control of my education. Instead of researchers teaching my classes I have professors who are actually in their field. I am learning from some of the best people in their respective fields. Don't think that if you want to go to a small college that it has to be in a small town as well. This is what makes your life outside of school interesting. College is about more than which college you attend, but it is about the atmosphere you put yourself in, so it is important to find a city that suits you and your needs as well. In closing, this is one of the more important times in your life, and you must take in all of the possibilities and decide carefully!

Do a lot of research about the university. Make sure it has what you want! Maybe get to know some professors before you go. See if you can meet them for office hours to see what they are like.