University of Kansas Top Questions

What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

Ryan

College is very different from high school. In high school, it is easier to do a million different extra curricular activities and still maintain a high GPA with ease. In college, you have to be focused from day one. As soon as you get behind in a class or do not perform well on a test, it is hard to climb the hill to get back on top of your grades. Stay focused!

Victoria

I wish I had known about the construction that was coming up on the Hill. The dorms are located there, and they are putting up two new ones, which is taking up all the parking. One of the older dorms will be torn down, but until then (after the 2014-2015 school year) parking is going to be horrible. Plan on having to walk to and from parking frequently. It's a minor problem, but it is pretty inconvenient.

Mallory

I wish I had known about the amount of outside work one has to do. The classroom time is wasted by the professors talking about one subject for the entire period.

Lexanna

Let me start by informing you how naive I was as a high school student. My senior year, I learned I was moving to Kansas from Illinois. I thought to myself, "I want to stay with my family so I guess the only wise decision is to go to KU." I wish I wasn't in such a rush to go to the University of Kansas, because I probably would have actually been able to afford it if I started at a community college. I could have found a major in that time.

McKenna

I wish I had known that it is ok to not declare a major your first day of class. I started out as a Dental major and quickly realized I do not like science. I am now a Business major and have loved my courses, but that may change. My step-mom attended KU so I was very prepared and new the campus.

Alexis

I wish I would have known more about Greek life of the University level.

Akira

I wish I knew that my school had a very lengthy and confusing study abroad process.

Melissa

I wish I would have known how difficult the gen eds really are, and how much everything costs from an actual student's viewpoint.

Ashley

I wish I would've known what studying for college was like in comparison to high school. I came from a very small, rural high school where studying was very easy and didn't take long at all, and heading to a big, public university was a huge transition for me. I had to teach myself new ways to study, and it was very taxing my first year at school. It was very stressful, adapting to the college workload and the studying it required. Now, however, it's fine, and I feel I can tackle anything.

Jarika

Before going to the University of Kansas, I wish I would have known how competitive the graduate programs are. This would have given me more motivation to strive harder my first semester. It would have also encouraged me to open up to my professors more for help right off the get go.

Matthew

There is a difference between being good at something, and enjoying something.

Jayne

I wish I would have known just how big this campus is. It takes about 15 minutes to walk from one side of the campus to the other. I would also have liked to know what sort of Christian organizations I could get involved in.

Daniel

Most of the things that student's need to know before choosing to go to the Universtiy of Kansas are very well taught to the students. There is a very helpful orientation and people are always here to help.

Matt

I wish I had known all of the Kansas basketball chants and traditions that take place at every home game.

Daniel

What I wanted to do with my life!

Natalie

Before I came to this school, I wish I had known more opportunities for recent high school graduates in terms of routes to be taken in college. I wish my high school would have offered a course that outlined various paths that could be taken and various opportunities that colleges have. By the time I got to college, there was not a lot of time to decide what I wanted to do or what major to choose.

Luke

How important Greek life is here

Robert

I was well informed before I came to KU but I wish I had taken advantage of freshmen scholarships. Out of the 40 languages taught at KU Romanian is not one of them. However, I am studying advanced level Arabic and I am very happy.

Amilia

I would have liked to known more about scholarships and I would have liked to had more time to speak with my advisor. I think that in being able to meet with my advisor I could make more profitable descisions that could help me towards my goal in graduating. I was put into classes that I did not need and although I protested I did not know much being a freshman so now I have taken unnecessary classes.

Colleen

It is a very large school in terms of the amount of students, so make sure you get involved in some kind of club, group, campus job or a small group activity. It helps shrink the size of the school and gives you someplace to start. Other than that, it's an incredible school and very real. What you see on tours and tv is very realistic to what it's like.

Amber

Before I came to the University of Kansas, I wish I had know more about financial aid and classes (in general). I didn't know a lot about what financial aid is out there and it has been difficult enrolling in classes because there are so many options that I'm not sure which classes I would or wouldn't like.

Kennedy

Honestly, there is nothing that I didn't know that I wish I would have. It is not that I had such an extensive knowledge of the school, but rather the only surprises that I have gotten have been positive.

Catheine

There's really nothing that i wish i would have known before coming to this school, it accepted me as i am and embraced me as a fellow student.

Meagan

I wish I had known that on-campus living is pretty crappy (don't apply to live in GSP, guys!). I also wish I'd known more about the honors college, about the general education requirements that the school has (they're really oddly specific, especially for a state school), and about the department I was going into.

Lauren

That it does not matter what other students think of you. Work hard. Do your own work and take responsibility for your own actions. Things don't just happen to you, in general the things that" happen" to you are largely of your own making. There is no one to blame for anything but yourself in the end: good or bad.

Paige

I wish that I had known how great it was going to be. I would have been a lot less miserable in high school with that to look forward to.

Kendra

I wish I had better planned how to pay for my tuition. I am in a lot of debt from already taking out too many loans. I came from out of state and do not have the help of my parents, so I am not going to be able to pay for next year or stay at KU if I don't figure something else out. I've made great friends, have a degree I want to finish, live in an awesome house close to campus... it's all amazing but money is constantly an issue.

Alison

I wish I had known the fantastic opportunities available at this university campus, located just 45 minutes from my hometown. I wish I'd taken a closer look at the preparation opportunities available for me as an undergraduate to pursue a career in the health/medical professions. I now know about the strong Doctorate of Physcial Therapy program that the University of Kansas offers, including many clinical opportunities. I have observed at the JayDoc Free Health Clinic and hope to help there directly as a student and practicing physical therapist.

Alexandria

I wish I would have known more about the dorm and dining programs. When I went on campus visits, the tour guides emphasized soley the benefits of living on campus, when in reality, my current residence is just as close to campus as the dorms were, and I save more money.

Erin

I wish I had known that it is ok to say no. There are so many opportunities to be involved and become a better student and person that you forget that you can't do everything. KU is the land of opportunity, we are constatnly built up to be ready for the "real world" and we are forced to learn time management.

Leah

I wish I had known all of the expenses. A Division 1 university like Kansas is obviously expensive, but a lot of my costs came after my loans had been taken out and I had been awarded scholarships, and were very unexpected. I had to pay for them out of pocket, and am now short those funds I had saved up in the beginning. Knowing I needed to watch out for those nickels and dimes that popped up would have saved me a lot of time and money.

Christopher

About the numerous amounts of scholarships available to me, especially grants and other financial aid packs that would make the coverage of cost so much easier on me and my family.

Breanna

I wish I had been more aware of scholarship sources, help rooms, tutors, and just more overall tools that help students master material givcen at the university.

Amanda

I wish I would have known my Dad was going to lose his job. Being from Iowa makes me out-of-state which makes the tuition ridiculous. Now that my Dad got laid off I feel that going to this school is becoming a hassel to pay for. I wish they would have better financial aid for students who are out-of-state, especially if their parents/grandparents are alumni.

Jenna

I wish I had known the correct curriculum for the school of architecture, design, and urban planning. I applied for the school of fine arts which went through some reforms and became the school of architecture, design, and urban planning. I was told I would stay on the same curriculum even after the change. However, many credits from my first year of college and credit I had coming in were moved to electives and I no longer have room in my schedule to take classes that interest me such as printmaking and ceramics.

Chen

I wolud like to know more about how the class are organized. How the grades are organized . i would also like to know more about the camopus before coming .

Abitha

Something that I wish I would've known is how some of the faculty are so passionate about their job. I have teachers who give their e-mail, phone number, and are welling to see you whenever they capable to help. Yes, I ended up attending the university at the end but my decision wouldn?t have been as difficult if I would've been more aware of this.

Catherine

People can sense your fear: if you want to join a group or do something, go right ahead and do it!

Rebecca

Being the only one from my graduating class to come to the University of Kansas, I wish someone would have told me to branch out and try new things. There are so many activities going on it's hard to take it all in at times, but the only way to truly find out who you are and the things you enjoy most, is to try EVERYTHING. It may seem like a waste of time at first, however by the time you graduate, you'll be able to look back and truly appreciate all the experiences you had.

Tyler

I wish I had known how much snow they can get in the winter or how good of a workout you can get from walking all the way to class up the hill.

Rae

KU is crazy about giving out information, that's for sure. But the information they give out is perhaps more like a list of facts they hope will make you want to go here, and less of the stuff students really want to know. Such as: the hill leading up to the dorms will kick your butt, the rec is not a scary place and is really a great resource, and you really have to learn how to study (those things you called study habits in high school won't cut it any more).

Krystal

Before I came to this school, I wish I would have known how difficult it is to come up witht he money to pay for tuition, books, and all the other expenses that go along with attending a four year university. I have always been a straight A student, but I did not receive any scholarship from the school for my academic exelence during high school. I have also run into the problem of being turned down for student loans because I do not have any credit or a cosigner with great credit. Finding money is harder than it seems.

Frances

I wish I would have know how much I would love it. I stressed out so much before hand and it was all completely unneccessary. I'm glad I chose a co-ed traditional residence hall instead of the suites.

Renee

No matter how hard you try on a paper or project, you are not gauranteed an A. take the proffessor's criticism and advice so you can improve in a class. If i proffessor can see you trying and showing improvement they will often reward you for your efforts with better grades.

Shannon

I wish I had known more about scholarships, I am just begining to learn about the help I can get from my school and outside organizations.

Joelle

That so much of my personal success depends solely on me because once you get here you're kind of left to figure everything out on your own.

Kyle

The one thing that I wish I had known before coming to the University of Kansas was how hard it would be to stay in touch with friends, even the ones also attending KU.

Josh

Currently, school is my primary focus. Given that I wish I had known the "little things" or the "ins-and-outs" of the college life a little better. For example, the necessary studying habits to approach a multiple choice test versus an essay heavy exam. Now, I recognize that I need to know more facts and definitions for a multiple choice test. Also, it would have helped to truly understand the increased difficulty of living off campus in comparison to living on campus. Essentially, I wish I had started college with a junior's knowledge of basic campus life.

Jeffrey

more about the area and what activities there were to do

Cullen

I wish i would have known that a digital recorder at the beginning of the semester is extremely helpful when studying for comprehensive finals!!