University of Arizona Top Questions

I wish that I would have shadowed more careers prior to matriculation. I also wish that this campus offered internships for every major. Being a research university it has allowed me to participate in a variety of research, it would be also useful to expose us to a variety of industry related work. I would have picked a school with better career placement, had I known better. I also wish I knew that tuition would suddenly go up without increasing any financial aid, it has definitely been a struggle for me personally.

I wish I knew to relax! Everything worked itself out in college and it was because I learned to relax!

I wish I had known that college really is an independent situation. I knew that I would have to focus and do a lot on my own, but I hadn't realized how difficult that really was until school really kicked in that first semester. It is a lot of work to remidn yourself to do assignments and to make sure you eat healthy and get stuff done, but if you put your mind to it and really try you can make it work and you can succeed.

Before I'd gotten to school, I wish I'd known that even though you're scrared, so is everyone else so don't be afraid to say hi to the person you're sitting next to in class or the person on your hall in your dorm. You get as much out of your freshman experience as you put into it and even though it's scary, it can be a lot of fun.

Before entering college, I wish that I had known how much time I would need to invest in my studies. In high school I rarely had homework and studying was an unusual occurance. But I still managed to maintain a 4.31 GPA. When I entered college, I knew that I would have to work harder but I truly do not feel that high school prepared me for a University. Although I maintained excellent grades, my life was completely devoted to school work and I couldn't seem to make time for myself of my social relationships.

I wish I had realized how important it is to communicate with my professors at the university level. In high school, I took my connection with my teachers for granted--they all knew me, how I learned and what I was struggling with. In college, this is not the case; many lecture halls have hundreds of students, making it hard for professors to get to know their students. I found this out the hard way, and now I always visit my professor's office hours: for help with homework problems, research opportunities, or even just to chat!

I hope I know that the food is not offer 24 hours, at least not at my dorm.

Prior to coming to the University of Arizona I wish I would have known more about the intensity and breadth of their research activities, although it has certainly been a pleasant surprise to see their tremendous engagement in the pursuit of knowledge rather than simply hearing about it.

I wish I had known about certain programs that I didnt know about, such the accounting club that bring so many opportunities to new students and helps you with your classes. Also looking for a job is kinda hard so I wish I had known of an special site to go and just apply. Also that I could apply for scholarships and I didnt had to be attending college, I would of save money so I wouldnt have to be getting loans.

That the food is prety boring.

I have grown up in a low family income home, and we all know out of state tuition is a lot of money. I think the only thing I really wished I had done before going to college is save up money. It is hard to pay for my schooling because my mom fell at work and opened her own tutoring business which is not as much income and my step dad works at Trader Joes. With my real dad out of my life it is hard to pay tuition. Overall, I wish I had saved up more money.

I wish I had known that college is much different than high school. I did well in high school honors classes but that doesn't mean I will do well in college honors classes. I wish I knew that I would have to do everything by myself rather than have a counselor do it like in high school. I wish I knew that I have to formulate a study plan in order to succeed, and that I would have to study, a lot!

I wish I had been more prepared to make friends and have a social circle while living off campus.

I wish I had known how greek life orientated the University of Arizona was before I came to this school. The reason I say this is because most of the people involved in greek life tend to be more focused on "whose cool and whose not" and who drives nice cars and has expensive things. This is hard for me to relate to because the majority of the people seem to be very materialistic which makes it difficult to find genuine friends.

I wish I would have known how beautiful the evenings are. In the evenings the sky is a beautiful blend of vivid colors with a burnt orange sunset. The view is amazing and the refreshing wind blowing against my body only makes it more beautiful.

I wish I had known that a large portion of the student population comes from wealthy families, and because of that, financial services for students with a lower-income background are not as strong as other universities, leaving them somewhat neglected.

Where constuction was going to be at on campus. It makes it so difficult in morning when you have an early class.

Before I came to this school, I wish I had known how big of a campus it was. When I first came to this school I had a lot of trouble calculating the distance between buildings. I thought I could just walk to all my classes, but later realized a bike was essential for getting to class on time.

I wish that I would have known how to prepare for classes and test. I never struggled with school in High School; so trying to even prepare for the next class was terrifying. I had no clue what I needed to know so i tried to know everything which was just overwhelming.

I wish I had known about the emphasis that testing has on grades in college classes. I learned in my freshmen year of college that studying constantly throughout the semester is necessary to receive high grades and that compared to weighted grade of testing, the wieghted grade of writing does not come close in terms of importance. I wished I had developed a successful way of studying for tests before I came to college because once I got there I was forced to find my own way.

I wish I had realized how close knit student groups can be. Shortly into my first semester in Tucson I received a newsletter that said that enrollment was over 40,000 students, a school first, but the tight knit community I lived in made it seem smaller and I liked that. It was kind of like having that small college feel inside a large major university.

The most important thing I wish I knew before I start at this school is how addictive sport event can be after I start school. I have never been a sportif person so when school start it I learn that sportif event is very important for socialization and to be in school spirit which is an important part of each university. it allow student to all find something in common and to be together and be exited for the same thing. It allow unity that is not find any other time.

You don't have to major in science or engineering to be successful at life. Major in what you like. You'll do better in school when you are interested in the subject matter. UofA has the worst math department ever. In fact, it's on probation right now for being so bad. If you need to take math, do it at the local community college and transfer your credits to UofA. You're more likely to get a better grade and limit your frustration with the poor quality of math teachers at the UofA.

One thing, in particular, that I wish I knew before attending was the importance of submitting applications months in advance. I was faced with deciding between two schools in the spring, after the University of Arizona housing application was due. As a result, I did not submit my application in time, meaning I did not receiving my housing assignment until a week before I moved in. Although I received my assignment, it was not my first choice and I ended up in a residence hall that I did not enjoy.

When I was first starting college, I was terrified that I would miss something important, that my financial aid would not come in, that my housing situation would be shot, and that I would not be able to pick a major that interested me. If I had known how helpful the staff would be, and how many resources are there to help students, I would have stressed out a lot less. It is important to remember that this university genuinely wants its students to be successful, and that it will do a lot to achieve that goal.

Before attending the University of Arizona I wish I would have known how difficult school could be. I wish I would have developed a support system that encouraged me to dedicate as much time possible to my studies in order to solidify my success. I wish I would have known how prestigous the science programs were in order to develope a sense of pride and accomplishment.

I wish I would have been more prepared for the atmosphere of the classrooms in the college setting. I went to a small, private high school, where class sizes were no more than 20, to a large, public university with a 1200 person class. Additionally, some of the ideals and theories I was exposed to in my earlier college years were new to me and I had not been exposed to them prior to college.

Before coming to the University of Arizona, I wish that I had known how willing professors would be when they see students ask for their assistance. In high school, I had teachers say that they would not go out of their way to help students because they wanted to prepare us for college; they were wrong. When a professor saw that I was struggling and sought their guidance, they were more than willing to aid me in any way that they could.

I wish I knew that how to properly study before coming to school. I would have been more prepared for college. I also wish I knew about how much work college really would be.

I wish I knew proper study habits. I was smart enough to get by in high school with very little studying. That does not work in college. Because I never learned how to study, I have been stuggling to keep my grades up. So I definitly wish I knew how to study before I got to college.

I wish I'd known how independent a student should be in order to survive at the UofA. But at the same time, I wish I'd known how incredible some of the professors are and how inspiring they can be. There are so many kind people at the UofA, and so many opportunities to meet new people.

If I could go back in time and address my high school self it would be to apply for more scholarships and financial aid. The reason for this is because although I'm academically doing well, my parents are struggling to pay for my tuition and off campus housing. Somedays it's hectic; the choice between paying my rent or my parents car monthly car payment is heartbreaking. I have no job and no resources to confide in, so if I could tell myself 3 years prior, it would be apply for scholarships, it could mean the world.

Before coming to the University of Arizona I wish I would've known the dedication that was necessary to succeed and been better equipped. High school was pretty simple for me, I never had to study, I seemed to retain information fairly well. When I came the the U of A I got somewhat discouraged in the beginning and my focus was not where it should've been, I struggled with balancing my priorities. Being a year into going to college and upholding a part time job, I've acquired the skills that it takes to improve my grades.

Looking back there are few things I regret not knowing before I went off to college. I came from a very small town to this big city so I wish I had taken a tour of the campus and I wish I could have sat down with a current student to learn about all the processes involved. The tour would have been very helpful as I got lost 3 times on my first day of classes. There is so much involved with scheduling and finacial aid, I wish I had another student's perspective to help me.

I wish I had known that it was going to be so hot in Tucson. I had heard about how hot it could get but I never really believed it.

I wish I knew about the website ratemyprofessor.com. It really helps when planning classes.

To start being proactive. Arizona is a state school, so your success will be what you make of it. I wish I had been saving money, working, padding my resume, applying for internships, and working for the future after college. Get involved as early as you can. Freshman year is a really easy time to do nothing, because just getting adjusted to the new setting feels like a full plate, but you want to be able to look back and feel like you did enough. Be competitive, apply for jobs, branch out into different clubs and groups of friends, and just work hard. Also, stay in shape, eat healthy, and get enough sleep. No one will make you do any of these things, but it is completely worth it. Your health is so important to how you do in school, and how enjoyable your experience is week-to-week. Don't let your friends blow by you and have a great resume while you just hang out in the dorms.

I wish that I had known that a large portion of the students commute from neighboring areas.

Before coming to this school I wish I would have known a couple of things. For one I wish that I would have been told not to take such an academicly heavy work load my first year because of the transition of living on your own, and the new experiences that are all around you. Secondly I wish that I would have been more aware of the services that the school offers to aid students with their classes and school work, but these things did not hinder my first year in any way.

I wish I knew how much work you actually have to put in. This school's work load is constant. Not having homework at least 4 out of 5 days is rare. I also wish I had known how much it costs. There is always a rough estimate, but there are many expenses not calculated in that rough number.

I got the vibe when I toured the campus so I did know this before I came to this school.

I wish I had known college is not as scary people told me back in high school, it is just the way you make your own experience.

Coming to The University of Arizona i wish i had known the campus a little better. Coming in as a transfer study from a much smaller campus it was quite a change coming to a much bigger university campus.

I wish I had know that I was going to be working long hours outside of school for theatre productions, I wish I had know about the scholarship opportunities before I registered here

I wish I'd been prepared for college more academically. I didn't learn a lot in high school. I wish I had been taught better time management skills before I came here.

I wish I was more prepared for my classes like English. On the first day of class my teacher asked about authors that I have never read before. I was scared I wouldn't make it through my first year. It has gotten a lot better.

Before attending The UA, I wish I had known that the earlier you apply, the better scholarships you get. As a student in the Honors College, I could currently be getting paid by the college had I applied before the December deadline.

I wish I had known that I needed to save more money rather than taking out loans that will put me in debt as soon as I graduate. Also that I it would have been easier if I had moved into the dorms for the first year.

UA does not cram loads of useless knowledge into your brain. Rather, the outstanding professors provide opportunities to learn and extend your education to whatever extent you desire. Finishing a course with an A really is not that difficult, but to have gained something useful and timeless from the course is up to the individual student. Unlike high school, the motivation and desire for success for pupils has shifted from the teachers to the students themselves. You need to be ready to earn your education, not just have it plopped in your lap.

I wish I had had more of an idea what resources were available to me BEFORE I needed them.