University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Top Questions

Do what you can to get first-hand experience at the campus. Tours and information sessions are very helpful. Stay with friends or do camp-in programs before committing to a university. To make the most of your experience, do things to challenge yourself. Try to get into honors programs, join organizations, take on leadership roles on campus, and try something new. Since attending UWM, I've joined the Honors College and the Business Scholars Program, been a VP of a marketing club, I play intramural sports, take sailing lessons, have had a plethora of jobs, and attend school events. I hated school the first semester of my freshman year; I was home sick and felt disconnected from my school. Once I got involved, I absolutely fell in love with my school and community. My biggest piece of advice is to get involved! It makes the transition from high school to college not only easier, but fun!

Check out ALL expenses. Develop an in-depth budget.

Dont go to just a school because your friends are there go somewhere that you will enjoy and fill comfortable.

As early as a junior in high school, make sure you set a lot of time to check out college campuses while school is in session. That way, you can see what it is really like during a normal school week and see how the current students feel about their campus. As a parent, don't push your child to attend a school you want them to. Instead, encourage them to attend a school where they think they will be able to succeed, which is what both a parent and child wants in the end. Getting the most out of your college experience means getting involved. Join clubs related to your majors, form study groups within classroom settings, volunteer to help children or people with disabilities, join a sports team, or even sign up to tutor other students. College life is what you make out of it.

I would suggest to parents and students to find a college that is similar to the environment in which they live in now. Also, find a college that is fit for the student financially. Make sure the college offers a broad range of courses, and that the student's major has great importance to the college. Additionally, find a college that will best fulfill his or her needs as a student, and one that offers a large amount of activities such as clubs, sports and vollunteering oportunities. Lastly, it would be important to find a college that has the right social setting for the student, so he or she would feel comfortable, not out of place.

When you go to orientation, take note of all the groups and resources on campus. It's very beneficial in the long run to get familiar with the campus library--take a tour! Never be afraid to change your major; a little paperwork beats taking a lot of expensive classes that you're not interested in anyway. And, most importantly, don't race through classes in college. When you graduate, you shouldn't look back and say, "I took a lot of classes, but I feel like I didn't retain anything." If the professor isn't making you excited about a course, try to find some way to apply to everyday life to put together your "big picture."

Just be open minded and try not to worry. Dont base your decision on financial aide either, make trips to all the campuses you are looking into. All universities and colleges have their own feel and you won't know if its for you till you go there. Also, dont worry about making friends, there is always such a wide student base you will never have trouble finding people with similar interests.

shop around! the best choice is out there!

Looking back on the three years I have spent in college, I can now say that I have grown more than I could have ever imagined. College is not only a time to expand your knowledge academically, but also personally. I have learned a great deal about myself, and who I want to be. It is important to keep an open mind and take in as much as you can. Seize the moment, and take advantage of all that your school, and surrounding community, has to offer. This is the beginning of the rest of your life!

I would tell them to pick the college you like the most because college will never turn out the way you think it would.