Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach Top Questions

What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

Elizabeth

Finding the right college can be a difficult, time comsuming, and frustrating process. The first step in finding the right college is to start early. It is never to early to prepare for college, from saving money to deciding what you want to do. Something that will help with both of those difficult tasks is a summer job. Try to get a job or internship in a field you are interested in, even if you have to take an unpaid position. More and more companies are offering programs to younger students. For example, during my internship with NASA, I discovered that NASA has a wide range of high school internship programs. These programs will let you explore possible future careers and maybe even save up some money for your tuition at the same time. Once you have a better idea of what you want to do, you can narrow down your college search by looking at colleges that specialize in your field, and are in the location that you prefer. Also, apply early! Even if your college doesn't have rolling admission, presenting a well prepared application early gives you a better chance of getting in and getting financial aid.

Paul

Go with your gut. There's always a way to pay for the college you want to attend; don't just go for the most scholarship money or least cost. Make sure you like the students and the general lifestyle of the campus. School's a lot tougher if it's tough to forge a good social life.

Cassie

Definitely go to visit the campuses that you apply for. Looking at pictures of a school will not tell you enough about the experience you will have in college. Ask a lot of questions and think about your choices thoroughly before making a decision. Never apply to only one school because you may be blinded by what others have said about that school. You will not agree with everyone about the type of school you should attend, and it is ultimately your choice in the end. Don't let other push you to go somewhere you don't really want to go; this means your parents as well. Most importantly, be open minded, you never know what's out there.

jennifer

Look at a bunch of schools and go with your instinct. If a school feels right go with it and don't be afraid to branch out and move away if it means attending a school you fell in love with.

Kelly

College is a fantastic experience and going to the right one for you is just as important as going itself. Be sure to visit the schools you apply to. You can get a really good feel for the college and campus by visiting, and talking with current students and faculty. Wear around your future school's sweater or T-shirt. See what type of reaction you get from your peers and others. Sometimes even a small school gets attention in areas you might not expect. Not to mention, alumni from that school can notice you and be a valuable contact for during and after your education. Being proud of the school you choose will help you easily fit in with other students who already chose to attend, which helps ease the stress of transition, and can help you make friendships that last long after college. Once you are finally setting up your room and telling your family goodbye, be sure to attend all the orientation parties and other sessions no matter how "lame". More likely than not you'll share your excitement, or lack of, with someone else there, someone you may not have met if you hadn't attended.

Edward

The advice I would give parents and potential students is first a foremost, know what you want to aim for that is more specific than an idea. This will allow you to find the college you need and will also cut down on costs due to changing majors or schools and needing to retake a course because a previous course did not transfer over. To make the most out of college life once there, go around a socialize and network. If the professors know who you are, they will be more willing to write recommendation letters once you start looking for a job. Make friends both in and out of the classroom because it will help you with studying and everyone needs to blow off some steam every now and then by seeing a movie or just hanging out. When you pick the right college and make friends once there, college life will seem easy and fun.

Paul

The advice that I can give to parents and/or students who want to find the right college is this. Finding the right college should be about finding the college that best fits you, your values, and your goals. For parents it is important to always remember that your student needs your support. Parents may not always agree with their child?s plans. But as an adult, a student needs guidance in a positive direction. As for students, remember that selecting the right college may take longer than you think. Often including several changes to your career goals. Going to a community college is often a great way of adapting to college life. The most expensive schools are not always going to be the schools that best suit your life style. Explore different campuses, and visit school websites to learn all of what they can offer you. To make the most of your experience at college, try to reach outside of your comfort zone and explore your environment. Joining clubs and organizations are great ways of meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. Most importantly, no goal is impossible if you put your heart into achieving it.

Eric

Find a college that is right for you and has what you need. After this process don't think you aren't going to have any fun college is fun even if your learning or hanging out.

Christy

I would advise parents to serve primarily in a supervisory role in their child's journey to finding the right college. It is very important that a student does their own research so that they fully understand what options are available to them in a college. For students, I strongly recomend speaking to professionals in the career field that they are intrested in and asking their opinions on the best colleges in that area. After arriving at college, the best way for a student to be successful, meet friends, and have a great college experience is to become involved in an extra curicular activity. However, it is also important that new students keep their priorities in order; classes must come first. Students - keep in mind that it is far easier to get good grades in the first two years of college while you are still in basic level classes. I recomend building up a strong GPA early on so that you can weather the storm when the serious core classes hit you in the begining of your Junior year.

Jacquelyn

Take a chance, you can always transfer if you hate it. But most importantly get as much involved in things as you can. The best way to get super involved in your campus is to go Greek. Make sure you go meet people from multiple fraternities/sororities before you join and DO NOT decide which organization to join based on stereotypes or other people's opinions. Go wherever you fit.

Rommel

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Jay

Talk to the students of the campus on an unscheduled college tour. The students true feelings about the school will come out. Don't listen to just what they tell you at information meetings and brouchures. They will only give you the best--which sometimes does not outweight the worst.

Michael

Reseach and talk to the students that are just sitting around or eating, not so much of the tour leaders!

William

To parents and or students considering Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach campus) for an undergraduate degree, I would like to offer my advice as a senior completing the B.S. in Aeronautical Science. There is no doubt that Embry-Riddle is the most highly accredited aviation university in the world. ERAU's name echoes far and wide throughout the aviation industry, which attracted me as a high school senior aspiring to become a professional pilot. However, Embry-Riddle exploits it's students by charging extremely high tuition for become accredited by the university. Quality of the education that takes place in the classroom, and in the airplane varies and tends to be "hit or miss" with different instructors. Our university is constantly updating technology and resources, but lacks in actively teaching emphasis on conscientiousness regarding the environment, social interaction, and one's own health. These are things I wish I had known about to consider before making my decision to attend ERAU. The best thing about ERAU is that there are not as many distractions here as I have seen at every other university I have ever visited. Finally, I recomend taking summer classes, they are discounted and shorter.

Steven

Choosing the college you will attend is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. For students, I strongly suggest you reflect on what exactly you want your college experience to grant you, and what you hope to achieve with what you learned during your college experience. Once in college, students must maintain a balance between a social life and his responsibilites in school and work. Getting involved on your campus is one of the greatest things you can do. Joining academic organizations, club sports teams, fraternities,volunteering networks, getting a job on campus, or starting up your own group are some of the activites that will help you make great friends with similar interests, and network. For the parents, I can say that the greatest support you can grant your child is not financial support, but emocional support. Being away from home is one of the best and most terrifying experiences that a young person endures. Furthermore, when it comes time to chose a college, it is important to view college as an investment that will eventually pay for itself and also provide countless learning and growing experiences that would not have been possible anywhere else.

Cameron

dont jump at the first good idea. think long and hard about what you want to do with your life. think about what you want to do versus what you are able to do. think about how much effort you want to put into your education. also think about location. where would you like to go to school? near family/friends? what type of weather would you like? think about more than just who's the easiest to get into. think about cost. money is a big part of college. think about transportation, sports, clubs, anything that you like. check out the teacher-to-student ratio, and the quality of the campus. rerasearch more on college than you did with your senior research paper. you dont want to end up being the kid in a private school paying 40K a year with all student loans, and not even liking your major. just take time to decide.

Mike

Pick somewhere that has variety. Don't isolate yourself somewhere that is single track oriented. Picking somewhere which variety in academics, sports, and social life will make your college career a lot more enjoyable.

Benjamin

Finding the right college is like using online dating. You never actually know about the college until you meet them in person. There is a lot of fluff, a lot of hype, and a lot you just won't know until you get out and visit the school. Ask general questions to the staff but you will find out everything you need to know from someone in the school that is doing your major. Remember tour guides are paid to make the school look good, they won't tell you the bad stuff. Making the most of your college experience is all on you, get involved, meet people, and get out of the dorm room.

Jenn

I would say to find the school that makes the student most happy. If the student is not happy he/she will not succeed or excel. Get involved early is by best advice about making the most out of your college experience. Getting involved in the orientation team was my best decision. I get to help freshman get ready to make the transition from home to college. i suggest getting involved in student government if you have a strong opinion about anything.

Roy

Picking the right college requires getting the right information. Remember that information provided by the college is designed to attend that that school, it shows them at their best. Rarely does a college tell you the detractors of attending. As soon as your done with the guided tour, take a walk away and talk to the real students. Ask the hard questions and get the answers that you really need.

Stephanie

Campuses should be visited with a tour of the campus to check out the facilities. If the student can contact current students beforehand it would be beneficial. Check out websites and books that rank the school, and do so in an unbiased way. To make the most of the college experience, get involved in clubs and other organizations. Take advantage of the knoweldge of the professors. Take advantage of the school's resources. Go to career fairs and lectures to learn more about your industry. GPAs count more, so take classes seriously.

Phillip

There are very few girls here. Do not come here if you're the kind of guy that measures his worth by the notches on his bed-post. And girls, this school is full of nerds, many of us have little experience with girls, so we can be really awkward around you.

Rafael

My best advice would be to stay focused on the future. A lot of parents and students loose track of what their long term goals are and they lower their standards to fit their present needs. If you want to be a doctor, go to the school with the best medical college, do not settle on what is cheap or convenient. You will only hurt yourself in the long run. Understand that college will not always be easy or fun but what you get out of college will almost guarantee you success for your future and maybe even the future of your children or children's children.

Pritpal

GO VISIT!!! YOU MUST VISIT THE COLLEGE!!!!

Stephen

It depends on what the student wants to do. If the student knows exactly what they want to do and the best college in that field is affordable to the parents, then that should be the college of choice. Chosing the best college in the field of choice should be the deciding factor for students. Second should be activities and social life around campus. Most state colleges are party schools and most private colleges are more academic based. Acedemics should always come first, however the student does need some time to relax from class. A balance of the best academics and some variety of social clubs would be the best choice. To make the most out of college, the best decision would be to see your professors during office hours and get tutoring when you need it. Then, when you have time, go have fun.

Zebair

It is important for students to take a very good look at themselves before choosing the college that is right for them. Depending on their personality, their interests, and their desire for knowledge vs. their desire for parties, a prospective student can make the proper choice for where they want to be. All students should look into each college's cost, available clubs and organizations, available new technology, and available social life. By finding the answers to these four things, one can make an appropriate decision on where they should go to school. For instance, lets look at the student who cares only about his career. He should find a school with a lot of clubs (which are usually a great source for knowledge), a lot of new technology available, and maybe not such a great social life. The student would also probably be willing to pay more for a better education. The party student however should probably look for a low cost school, with a good social life, probably not as much of an emphasis on technology, but still with many different options as far as clubs and organizations.

Raam

Visit all possible colleges that pertain to your needs.

Francisco

Get oriented. Read all the fineprint and before comitting to a school becuase of the price make sure to know what is and what is not included in the amount. Many parents make the mistake of believing that tuition includes housing and dinning fees, and later are dissapointed to find out that those are an extra 5 Grand. Also, choose a school based on academic pride and study habits. Some schools are based on party atmospheres and others concentrate on scholastics. Choosing a school for the wrong atmosphere will only hinder you in the long run. The best school for a student is that which makes you excited on the inside and practices your true passion for learning.

Jaya

good luck...you pay for the name not the education, I do have an amazing job because of ERAU but it's very $$$$

Joe

Look for financial aid. You will get a superior education with small class sizes and helping professors, but everything good comes at a cost.

William

Pick a college that you like the looks of and are comfortable being at. If you don't your time there will probably be less pleasurable than if you had chosen one you liked.

Chris

Find somewhere with small class sizes. The one-on-one aspect with your teachers is priceless.

Chelsea

To find the right college you really have to visit the campus and take a tour. Usually tours are given by students and that way you get to have a little insight into the school. When you select a major, I would say to find the school that has the best credentials in that major. For me, I wanted to be a pilot so I chose the best flight school in America regardless of price because I knew that I would immediately have a job lined up after graduation. To make the most of a your college experience is to meet people and interact. Usually activity fairs take place and to go around and look at what extra curricular things the school has available is a big help. Make a lot of friends because they will be your friends for a long time., guarenteed! I'm not not part of greek life but I know people who are and if you have the time, Frats and Sororities are awesome things to be a part of.

enrique

As any other student do a good research, preferably if you can , do touring of the campus, speak with students that are actually attending , ask them about everything you want to know. As any other business the school will advertise itself as the best one to attract the students. Go online, research in forums or even Facebook, try get insight information from someone currently attending. Look in the surroundings as well for apartments, because in the future you might want to live off campus. Also, talk to people who work in the industry for which the college offers degress towards, for example: ask pilots what do they know and or recommend about Embry-Riddle. Use lots of resources , magazines, internet, forums , including Facebook. Most importantly, do your research, have various options, apply to many , do not settle just for one.

Murray

Make sure you are ready to take on one of the greatest challenges and best experiences you will ever endure in you life; because the second you let yourself slip and get behind, you'll be paying for it during the rest of your college career.

Adrian

If you are trying, nay, wanting, to live up to your dream, never give up and persevere if it truly means so much to you. If you learn new things about the path you plan on taking and realize this path will be fine for you, and you have no doubts, then make sure to always think understanding thoughts and to never have worry - for your thoughts define who you are. Always remember: what goes around, certainly comes around. If you make a struggle for something and hold on with a fine glimmer of hope, you will realize that your patience will pay off to the very end which leads to a new beginning. Most importantly, you need to search inside yourself for what is right for you. Just because a certain career may give you a more impressive cut than another, does not mean it is better. Listen to what your inner self feels comfortable with, and go with the flow of that realization. If you, on the other hand, just follow the path of a certain career just because it pays well, then you might find it difficult to express the passion you need for it. Remember that.

Anthony

be sure that you have access to enough money to pay for it.

Nathan

The best advice any student can get in selecting a college is "to thine own self be true. " College is a life-altering experience and each individual will be motivated (or stressed) by very different experiences. Just because a school has a great reputation it may be a horrible match for the student. Some students need an active social life and some need quiet study time. Some students thrive on class attention in discussions others prefer to remain obscure in large lecture rooms. Some students are hands-on learners, some absorb best listening to lectures and taking notes. Some students are ready to leave home and others need more time to grow before leaving the safety of friends and family. Some people like the bustle of cities and others like pastoral beauty. Some students need many athletic and cultural opportunities while some can spend all evening with video games and television. Students all thrive in different environments. There is a lot of pressure to go to the very "best" school so students come out with marketable degrees. Students must resist the allure of status and choose the reality of chemistry. Know thyself and college will be a rewarding adventure!