Florida International University Top Questions

Plan ahead and don't procrastinate it can stress you out more than it should!

College is a different experience, anything you worried about now, you won't be worrying about later. You won't have teachers screaming at students telling them to sit down or stop talking. On campus you are respected and treated as an equal. Your ideas are taken into consideration and your opinion matters. Studying is important, in fact, it should consume most of your time; however, don't forget to unwind once in a while otherwise you will burn yourself out. Never give up, just because something seems difficult is not a reason to quit or drop a class, you can do anything you set your mind to. Talk to your professors, they are there to listen, and they are there to help. Remember there is no such thing as a stupid question. Join a research lab, you will benefit greatly from it. Experiment in different fields and find out what is best for you; the applied or the research? Do as much as you can during your next 3 to 4 years there. Join as many extracurricular activities as you can handle, without bringing your grades down.

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If I could go back, I would have lived on campus. Living on campus gives you so many more opportunities to make friends and become socially involved on campus. I am close enough to home that I would not have lost that contact with my family.

Having a 4.0 is not that hard if you make it a priority, and the benefits are well worth the effort. Take advantage of every opportunity available, and you will find that the possibilities are endless.

When applying for college, look not only at the field you think you want to study, but look also to the kind of courses offered in other fields. Take into consideration the area, the scenery, the town. These seem trivial, but setting is truly very important in your college career. Talk to some alumni or current students before you go and meet with potential faculty mentors to get a feel for the attitudes and interests of the place before you commit to a final decision. This is a 4 year commitment, it is like a brief marriage and you will have to work for your part, but if you follow this advice, it will make many aspects of those 4 years run much smoother.

i wouldn't have much to tell myself. My transition to college was very smooth. I would have told myself to work a little harder on my math skills. I would have told myself to be more open to the suggestions of the adults who were trying to help me better my studying methods. I would tell myself to find help to try and discover what i want to have as career because adulsthood and responsibility is closer than i can imagine.

I would inform myself that Florida International University is a good school and I will grow alot. I would remind myself to get inloved as much on campus and I can off campus and that grades always come first, show myself how to use rate my professor and not allow myself to take early classes.

don't fool around with scholarships and take it seriously as if it were a job. fooling around and cutting class doesn't cut it here learn to actually do something for yourself rather than because you have to. once you get to university not all professors care , actualy most don't care how you do so if you pass or fail they don't care as much. if you flunk out of here there is no safety net to save you because this about you and no one else, you go as far as you push yourself and thats the truth. you don't have to go to class or do homework and no one will make you do it or give you a hard time about it and that really is a curse as much as a relief. remember what you want and what you gave to do it will help you find out where to go and help give you inspiration why to attend class when you don't have to.

Enjoy the last years of high school life because they dont come back. After high school if you want to be sucessful in the future you need to get serious and not goof around. College is serious business. There is time to have fun but school is more important than anything else.

WOW. If I were able to go back in time as a high school senior I would definately tell myself to research everything about the school of my choice and make sure it fits my guidelines (social life, tuition, location, etc) It's nothing worse than going to a school and finding it hard to co-exist or survive because of the severity of the problems that may occur. Also, I'd reseach a lot more scholarships that would be appliable for four yrs. It's really hard to finance college if you don't receive sufficient financial aid. I would definately go back in time and make sure that I inform myself of this vital information.

Self - College is not a slightly more difficult high-school. We didn't have a problem in HS because we managed to get by on brains alone. If you procrastinate in college, you will fail classes. Studying isn't just re-reading the notes, you have to remember to actually re-read the chapters, take more notes, get in study-groups, ask for help. It's harder than you expect it to be. It's awesome to be able to choose when your classes are, but don't get carried away. It's harder to wake up in the mornings especially if you've been up until 2 re-writing a paper. Take that into account since your grade drops if you miss too many classes. And on that note, just because you can skip, doesn't mean you should. Just be smart, Self. Don't take it lightly because scholarships do not carry over if your grades are not good and there are no guarantees. Ask for help (I know it's hard!). Make sure to plan accordingly, leave enough time to get to school in the morning, unplug from the Internet sometimes. Godspeed and good luck, Self. -Me

If I had known what I know now I would tell my high school self to stay living at home. Even though it would have meant living in another state and having to wait a year for financial aid to be available to me, at least I would not have suffered so much heartache and headaches. Living on campus was like trying to make ends meet. For the amount of money housing charges it is not worth it since you will not have enough money, if any, left over to pay for books. It becomes nearly impossible to find an on campus or even an off campus job that's close by. The only way to move around outside of school is by carpooling or having money for a bus, which you won't. It can get very lonely on campus even when surrounded by many. It will be a hard year with the passing of your grandmother and it is something you don't want to go through alone. The staff isn't very helpful and the teachers don't teach well enough for you to learn. Go somewhere else for Univeristy.

Any change or new opportunity has its pros and cons; education is key to ensuring a secure future in our competitive, globalized world. Although leaving home may be difficult for some, others may have no choice; attending a college or university is the next step in the lives of many, and is a process that I believe can be very intimidating. But don't be afraid to reach out for advice from a counselor or advisor. Money issues? Millions of dollars of scholarship money go unused each year!! Personally, I think local accredited institutions such as community colleges are a great place to start to get basic courses out of the way at low cost, close to home. This also allows the student to build confidence in their ability to accel in college, as it is quite a different pace and expectations as the typical high school may have. My advice: one step at a time (even if that means 1 class at a time) and find someone willing to hold your hand if the street gets too busy. Your education & your future are way too valuable; invest in yourself and take the first step.

I would tell myself that i don't have to go away to school to get the best experience. Also, to have fun and enjoy time at college and not get lost in my books, although my studies are very important. Get involved, learn, explore, and enjoy the years ahead, but never lose sight of my goals and aspirations as they will take discipline and hard work, but the reward will definately be worth it !

I would tell myself to volunteer in my preferred field of study because several individuals are aware of what they want to do and are moving in that direction. I would also say that college is not only a time to explore but also a time to find what one's passions and dislikes are but always keep in mind that you should always have a standard for yourself and never drop below that standard.

Realize that nothing in high school prepares you for college. You can shed your old image, friends, and hang ups and explore who you are. Realize that you are an adult, decisions you make affect the rest of your life. Money and financial planning is something that should be a top priority throughout your college career. Use the resources available to you - other class mates, professors, student organization, student services. Make connections with other people in the college community. Live it up because no other period in your life will ever be as free and adventurous.

Try harder in high school to be able to get accepted into a better college.

Be more motivated in what you aspire to acheive. College is tough and if you wish to make it through and make something of yourself you have to develop strict studying habits now. Look into scholarships early and make sure you have everything planned out ahead of time. Don't lose motivation!

I would convince myself to become more driven, both emotionally and academically, with my career choices, and most possibly kick myself into remembering there are faculty and staff that are both willing and able to help when help is needed. I would try to encourage myself to not just think about joining a sorority, but actually doing so if I could; and above all else, remind myself to slow down,just enough so that I can sit on the grassy hills of Florida International University and take in the reality that, yes, I'm an independent college student whose future is not only a dream, but an achievable possibility.

"Kassandra?" "That's me," she'd say, turning around. Then, she'd stop dead in her tracks. If I went back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, after inducing in myself short-term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and doubt of sanity, I'd tell myself that college is probably the best, most scintillating and eye-opening expereinces that I have ever been thorugh. "Are you just saying that?" she asked skeptically. I'd shake my head "Absolutely not, and I--you--," I wouldn't know how to address "us". "We're doing quite well...A's and B's on everything." A proud smile. "The main thing is to not allow yourself to get distracted," I'd continue. "Keep your priorities straight. So many others procrastinate and party and slack off. Make sure you stay focused and you will succeed in everything you take on." She'd sit there, imagining for herself this highly anticipated new part of her life. "And, Kass..." She'd turn back to me. "There are going to be times when you're so stressed you break down, but you always make it through. We've always been determined like that."

Some words of advice that I would provide to prospective incoming freshman college students and their parents is to not be completely let down if you don't end up getting your first choice for college. Speaking from first hand experience I did not get accepted to my first choice, so i had to settle for my second. The "college experience" is really what you make of it. If you feel negative towards your school then you're going to get a negative experience from it. You have to make the most of it, and really research and find out how you can be involved on campus. Once you have all the network connections you can move on to do greater things.

College is what you make of it. For many, it is the greatest years of their lives. The best advice I can give you is to diversify yourself. Don't just go to school to party, attend football games, socialize, study non-stop, or get involved in every organization on campus. Make sure you take a little bit from everything there is to do. If you spend your first year doing nothing but studying, you will soon burn out. Grades are, of course, extremely important. However, it is very possible to have a 4.0 GPA while managing a social life. Don't just party every night, you will get tired of it and you might just have to drop out if your grades slip. Learning time management is the key to having a sucessful college experience. Manage your time and try new activities. Take a leadership position or two, but do not join so many organizations that you have no time to go out on the weekends or study for that exam next week. Lastly, keep a positive mindset because you can accomplish anything you put you set out to accomplish.

Make sure to take the time to do extensive research of what college is for you.

Ideally choose a university that has a great program based on your passion, but make sure that you have enough money and financial support. During high school, talk with advisors, and faculty during about what options are out there. Do NOT base your decision solely on distance from where you live, just like myself. Once in college, get involved in community/special interest clubs. Get active on issues that matter to you: that will connect you with people that are interesting and inspiring. Look at professors reviews online before taking a class with them. Read the university's newspaper: that is a way of getting connected to what is going on in that smaller community and you will make better decisions when voting in student government elections, and attend to university related forums. Make of your campus your little-practice-world, so in the future, after graduation, you will be more familiar on what it takes to be involved in the "real" community and political processes, since those two factors will greatly help you in your career and how well you will do on it.

I give them not to give up in school and make all ends meet. Try to work hard at your work and make an effort to study your material . Over come obstacles and head forward.

My advice is to select the right college that you think is right for you. Take into consideration the fact if you want a big school, what kind of environment you want to be in, and how motivated you are to suceed.

i think that stuendets should go with what feels rigth, i rememeber at first i always said i didnt want to go to FIU and i wanted to go to my dream school in central florida, but when i went to visit the campus and went on the audition process at my fream school i didnt feel that say way i felt when i went to FIU and i audition there, like i said on a previous quiestion as soon as i walked in through those thetaer department doors, i felt welcome which was something that i didnt feel at my dream school, so not awlays your dream school is the best you you, its the right program!

Choosing the right college isn't easy. Visit the campus beforehand. Check out the food options on campus. Check the apartments on campus. Check everything that you deem important to you. Even little things that you don't think will matter like parking spaces, make sure you are comfortable with everything. You (the student) are the one who will be going to school there so you have to be comfortable, not your parents. Just because you are accepted into the university doesn't mean that you stop applying for scholarships. Apply, apply, APPLY! As for campus life, join clubs! One of the best decisions I made was joining a club for leadership. I had the time of my life. It was amazing. And that was just one club., so there are PLENTY more to join that give you amazing life experiences. Make friends in your resident halls because you will spending ALOT of time with them and they may help you out later in your college careere. HAVE A GOOD TIME. Take school seriously but allow yourself to have a good time as well. Good Luck!!

I think that in order to find the right college for you, you need to do some research. Make sure that you take the tours, visit the website, and talk to the students. Every college has its pros and cons. In order to ensure that you make the most out of your college experience, make sure that the pros out-weigh the cons. Even though I felt that the university I chose was way too large for my taste, I was happy because of the education I was getting through the Honors College and through the College of Education, which is one of the best in the state. Another way to make sure that you make the most out of your entire college experience is to get involved in the school. I was not as involved as I would have liked to be, and I regret that. I was not as involved because I had a full-time job in order to pay for classes. You can use my experience as a learning situation. Make sure that you apply for as many scholarships as possible in order to pay for classes so that you have the time to get involved.

welll i think that you should go to a school that best fits your personality along with a great program for your major..college is about education but also having to make the college experience fun so that's what i think you should base your opinion on.

FInding the right college is probably one of the hardest decisions that any person has to make and a lot of time must be put into researching different school. The most important thing to do is to make sure that the school has the major that you want to pursue. Then ask yourself if it is not too far away from home. If those two things are answered, then make sure to visit the campus to see if you feel at home and if you like the people. If all of those things seem to fall into place and it feels right, then that is probably the best school for you. In order to make the most of the college experience stay focused on academics, but also ventrue outside of your comfort zone and try new things. Getting involved in different activities allows you to enjoy school and not become overwhelmed with the work load.

A picture is worth a thousand words, but you'll never truly know if a college is right for you until you visit the campus and find that one thing that sparks that something inside of you. Without that spark you're just wasting your time, because as you get closer to the end of your college experience you'll need that spark to keep you going.

It's amazing how quickly high school graduation day arrives and one of the most important decisions must be made, which college do I attend? First, the student should consider where they want to live. Once they have decided they should compile a list of the top five schools they are considering. Furthermore, they can narrow the final choice by scheduling housing/campus tours. Then they should make a pros/cons list as to why they should or should not attend this school. Although finances should be an important consideration it should never limit the student until all resources exhausted. For example, financial aid, student loans, and personal loans. The student should organize a budget of all expenses including transportation, tuition, books, medical expenses, groceries, ect. Finally, once the budget is complied together with the pros/cons list, the student and the family can decide what school to attend. The student should make the best of the college experience by becoming involve in the community and on campus. It's important that the student begins interacting with his/her peers because these people may become part of an essential network in the future.

To look for information about the colleges that they're interested in. Visit different campuses and find out which ones are most convenient financially, the place where is located, and educationally. Interview the staff and students at campus so they can advise about their experience at school, and you can know the pros and contras of each school. Apply for scholarships, be responsible, study for the tests and do all your homework. Have fun with your friends, go to parties, but remember the most important thing is to study first and get good grades!

The college experience is arguable one of the best experiences that anyone could have. In order for it to be one of the best experiences that a person goes through however, it is imperative that a student finds the best college that fits their wants and needs and prioritize these. Students must ask themselves if it they would much prefer to go to a school that is big where there are an enormous amount of students and where one could make an impressive list of friends, or go to a school where the feeling is more like a small and close family. These questions as well as a host of others must be answered before the best college for a particular student will be found. Once the right college is chosen, it is important that a student gets involved early on. Getting involved will give them the means to meet new people, learn new things apart from is being taught inside the classroom, and make lasting friendships beyond the 4 years that is spent in college. College is indefinitely a great thing and in order for one to get the BEST college experience, they must come with an open mind.

Well college is very expensive but it's an important investment.

In order to make the most of one's college experience--many things need to be considered. First and foremost, school is going to be stressful for a student scraping to pay each semester off, so try and choose a school that offers you the most amount of financial aid/scholarships unless your family has the means to pay for an expensive private education. Research what you're interested in and find out which universities offer competitive programs in that field. If you know that you do not perform well in larger classes, consider looking at the average class-size of the college and making sure you will be able to learn in a proper setting. In college, you want to learn about yourself and the world around you--so I suggest leaving home...even if it isn't far--live on campus if possible. Be independent and take it all in--you may surprised to see what's out there!

Its really hard study!!

I would tell students to sit down, meditate, and really dig deep into what your interests are. What kind of city do you want to live in? Do you want a big school or a smaller, quieter school? Do you want a school where you can study quietly or where the football team is #1? I would tell them to search thoroughly and visit the campuses before they make a decision. When you step foot on a campus where you just know you want to be there, right now, then that's the school for you. Websites, brochures, and pictures are just not enough. Parents, accompany your kids to the campus visits. Get to know the environment, make your kid feel confident that college is the right path for him/her. But be lenient when the first couple semester's grades come. Remember, it is college, so they're gonna be havin' fun. Just make sure they dont get kicked out for Unsatisfactory progress.

Start early and save money.

Makes sure the college is the best for their intended major.

I would advise parents and students to research grants and scholarships while finding the right college because without financial aid, getting through college can be extremely difficult. Find the college that is best for your intended career, not so much for your social life.

My advice to students would be to use the first year of college (or, if possible, the end of high school) to take a variety of courses in order to get a better idea of what they are good at or what doesn't suit them. Making a decision about your future career is very hard and students need all the information they can gather in order to pick the best path for themselves. Other than that, students need to enjoy their college experience and make the best of it by finding a balance between their social and academic lives.

Find out your Professors ratings before picking them. I had great dedicated professors through my college career because I did my research before picking my classes.

Do your research and ask other people for advice

Feel comfortable in your environment and with the people around you, also embrace the diversity it will make you a better person.

The best advice would be: do not stress out and it is okay to change your major. College is all about new experiences and finding out who you are and what you want in life.

Id definately tell them to explore all their options. Choose a school because of its teaching qualities not because you want to get away from home. Sometimes a school might be less expensive and might not have a great reputation compared to others but in the end, the school doesnt make the student!

You need to look at the whole picture. What do you really want to accomplish once you go to college. Think about what you really want to do in life. What are your career goals. Once you know you need to look for what will help you accomplish this goal. You look for a college that will make you happy, it is a place where you will be going to everyday for the next couple of years. You want to meet a faculty and an administration that will help you and support you as you go along. You need a team of people that will help you along the way. Meeting other students in also an important part. We need to relate to others as well, so making new friends in college is also important. You need to find a great school that will help you in all these areas in order to grow intellectually, mentally, and physically. FIU is a school where I have found all these elements and I hope I will be able to finish my career here.