University of North Florida Top Questions

Try and determine the type of school atmosphere you will be most comfortable in. Do not choose a school because everyone else is going there, your friends are going there or it seems to be "the school" to go to. A large school may be overwhelming, difficult to make friends, etc. A small school may not have enough interests for you. If you can research and determine the most important qualities in the lifestyle you will lead it will help. You need to feel comfortable and relaxed in order to succeed. If you realize you can't be far from home than decide that now. If you can't learn in a class with 500 learn that now. Tour the campus, talk to students that go there. It is a difficult transition from high school to college both socially and academically no matter the size of your high school. You will struggle to keep your grades in the best situation so being comfortable with where you are is extremely important. Don't choose a school simple for a major. Many students change their major anyway once they get into it. The school needs to have the total package for you!

Finding the right college is not as gruesome a task as one might imagine. As long as you have a general idea of what you may wish to do in terms of a career, you have already narrowed down your choices immensely. One should always consider whether it is best to stay close to home, or to broaden one's horizons and sail on new seas to truly venture out into the world. The size of the school is also important; larger schools tend to have more organizations, clubs, and other student activities while smaller schools lend themselves to a more close, community feeling. Once you have choosen the school you think is the best fit, it is time to really stretch your legs. If you don't involve yourself in activities, events, or organizations the college provides, you will find it difficult to meet new and interesting people, and the people are what make the college experience the most rewarding experience of your lifetime. Not the classes or the homework, it's the people who you learn from and teach. It's the people- your future best friends and greatest companions who share in your four-year journey.

Check out the area that the college is located, because you want a safe environment for the student when they are not on the school campus. Also check the ratio of graduates verses the ratio of jobs after graduation, make sure that the college is not just handing out degrees. Check out the reputation of the colleges graduates with companies within your chosen field. Ask questions about the avaiability of classes within your Major: are there a selection of days and times for your reguired classes? what kind of security is avaiable at the college? Most of all check out the facilities at the college, such as student centers, libraries, and recreation areas. Find a college that meets all of your needs and the student should flourish.

My advice to students and parents for finding the right college would be to focus on what you really need, not what others need. If you think you would feel more comfortable in a smaller campus then choose a smaller campus and don't worry that it might not be as prestigious as a larger one. In the long run, it will be better that you went to that smaller college.

College is an exciting time for any high school senior, but it can definitely be a stressful time for parents as well. Every parent wants their child to attend the college of their dreams, but financial situations can be a setback for most. The thing to remember is make sure students apply for as many grants and scholarships as they can because there are so many scholarships out there that never even get used. Finding the right college, though, can also be a difficult choice for many students and parents. Many parents would prefer their student stay at home and go to school, but going away to college can also be a major learning experience for students. Have the student pick their top 3 schools and make sure to schedule tours of the school, but also be sure to explore the areas surrounding the schools. The right college for a student is one that makes them feel safe away from home and will provide them with the education they deserve. Joining any clubs, group organizations or sports teams in college will make the college experience one a student will never forget.

Pick a school based on the city that it's in because whatever is prevalent around the campus are the type of people that go there. Embrance the people around you and learn from them.

follow your heart and do what you think is best for you. you dont have to be a leader or a follower just do what makes you happy and stay in school.

In order to find the right college for you, you should evaluate yourself first. Do you learn better in smaller classes or do you prefer larger lectures where instead of interacting with a professor you just take notes? The answer to this question will give you an idea of whether or not you will want to attend a large university. You also need to choose a school based on what you plan on doing in your future. Some schools specialize in certain areas. if you are unsure of what you want to study, choose a school that offers a wide variety of study fields so you can find out what is best for you. The location of your school is also very important. Think about the weather, available jobs, the area surrounding the university and how close you want to be to family and friends. With all of these things in mind, finding the perfect school is easy!

Tour potential campuses. Your institution should have an excellent program(s) for the field(s) you intend to study, but all the credentials in the world are meaningless if you are not completely satisfied with your surroundings. When you are on the campus of the right institution for you, you will know it is right. Everyone is different and has different needs, so make sure your campus meets yours. Also, use discretion when listening to recruiters for campus programs such as honors programs and societies, etc. Ask students who have participated in these types of programs about their experiences to ensure that recruiters are not simply luring you in with exciting words. Once you are a student, get involved! Find clubs, activities, volunteer work, etc., to allow you to meet new friends and stay busy. Your experience will be much more fulfilling than if you spend all of your time doing course work.

My advice would be to make the decision for yourself. If you have a dream school but your parents or friends are telling you that you won't get in, apply anyway. I picked a school that was financially better for my parents and hated it there. I recently was able to transfer to another school that is a much better fit for me. I wish someone had told me in the beginning to jsut go where I felt most comfortable instead of listening to all the other people telling me what I should do. I would also tell them to not be afraid to be bold. To make the most of your college experience be brave. Go ahead and try out for that varisity basketball team and if you don't make it then join an intermural team. If you want to sit with people in the cafeteria then ask to sit with them chances are they would love to have you. I wish someone had explained that to me too. I spent so much time crying and complaining about having no friends but the phrase really is true, in order to make friends you must show yourself friendly.

Take the school, whichever you decide, seriously and don't fall into the freshman trap. Go in with the longterm goal in mind (employment!) so that you pull the necessary information from the classes you take.

make sure that it is a college that the student will enjoy. visit it, go to an orientaion and get to know the place you plan to spend up to 4 or more years of your life. do this ahead of time and maybe while on campus ask students who are walking around random questions you may have. they may answer more honestly and from a more valuble perspective than a staff member or university recruiter might. good luck!

My advice I would give about finding the right college is to do your research on any of the colleges you apply for. Try to look for the schools that could give you the most for your education. If for example you want to go into the health profession, look for a school that offers the best health progams. Also, if you want to find a college who is not only involved with their academics, just research your choice colleges' extracurricular activities and how much they are involved. If there is a good balance between academics and extracurriculars, then your college experience will be great and less stressful.

Dont listen to anyone but you. make your own decision, and stick with it ad be proud and happy about both where yuo're from.

Make sure the college that you pick offers many programs that interest you, as well as a campus that advocates unity and scholarship. Also make sure there are sufficient resources to promote learning. Colleges with aesthetic appeal are always a plus!

Find a college that has the major that you want. If you are undescided, then pick a school that has a variety of majors that interest you. Try out different clubs, and find one that you fit into, builds up your friend list. Good support group. Get involved with activities on campus. Take time to go and see the proformances that are offered. Work hard and have fun!

Don't take it lightly!!! Aim high, tour as many colleges as you can, don't declare a major when you start school! KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND CHALLENGE EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN TAUGHT THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE, it's your obligation in getting an education!!!

I would reccomend visiting every college that you, as a prospective student, have even the slightest interest in. To make the most of the college experience, I would reccomend joining a club or group in order to meet people similar to you and make the experience more enjoyable.

Choose a college for the achedemics. All campuses have great extracurricular and fun activities as well as good social networks, but you need to go to a college that is going to prepare you well for the future. Don't choose a school just for the "fun" part.

Pick a school that sticks out to you when you visit the campus. You need to feel "at home" when you come to the campus. Sit in on some classes at that college to see if you enjoy it. Most of all, pick a school that fits in with what you want to do in life. However, if you are still trying to figure out what you want, pick a university or college that is neutral concerning degree emphasis. You social life is extremely important at the university. See if they have clubs, fraternities, sororities that interest you so you can get connected. Finally, choose a college that can fit your budget. Research the amount of scolarships available and figure out how much you will have to pay to attend that college. If you can exit college debt free, you will enjoy your future career even more.

The best advice I can give is to not base your choice simply on where your friends are going. Branch out. Get uncomfortable. Visit as many campuses as you can and decide which best fits YOU and your circumstances. Sometimes the most popular schools are not the best fit-- academically or socially or financially. Whether you need to be at a huge school with tons of team spirit, or one whose main focus is academic acheivement or one that is in between, find your fit and throw yourself into it. Get involved. Take every opportunity that comes your way. Seek out opportunities and frienships. Take trips. Learn something new. Learn more about what you love. Enjoy it.

make sure you research not just the college but also the surounding areas. insure it has what you need academically, socially, financially, and will motivate you to continue going.

If you can afford to don't go to a local college. Putting yourself in an unfamiliar town/state forces you to mature and you'll never forget it. You need to introduce yourself to new ideas and opinions and you'll never do that going to the local university thats 20 mins from your parents' house. It's part of growing up - you need to learn to be independent! Parents - let you're little hatchings take flight from the nest. You may have raised them far the last 18 years but it's time for them to lead their own lives and follow their own dreams. College is expensive so let them get a degree that they are passionate in! They'll only regret it if they don't. And no one wants to regret spending $40,000 and 4-5 years of their life working for a degree in something they don't even want.

I would like to suggest students who are looking for the right school is depends on how much research has one done to learn about its college and surrounding areas. one should check the crime rate of its city, and how well protected the areas are. to make the most of the college epxperience is vary depending on one's life style. it is always better to do the school work first, and enjoy community events and social gatherings with friends and communities.

While looking for the right college, a student should research what types of classes and programs are available. If the college has the right classes and/or programs that the student is looking for, he or she should check into any financial aid that the college offers. If the student already has a scholarship or any other type of college money, it is still a good idea to know what types of financial aid that particular school offers or allows, just in case anything else falls through. Tuition is not the only expense involved with college. Therefore, students/parents need to be prepared to pay for additional costs (e.g. books). Students should take advantage of any tutoring (especially FREE tutoring) that is available at the college. Tutoring is not just for students who are failing class(es). Stay on top of learning, doing projects and studying and it will pay off. Friends and fun events help to keep a student from having a nervous breakdown or getting too stressed out over exams and projects. However, a student should not get carried away with this idea. If a student keeps everything well-balanced, the college experience will be amazing.

My advice to prospective students and their parents is to research, research, research! Do your research before you apply to colleges. Then, go check out the campus (preferably during the active school year) to see what it?s really like. Go sit in a few classes to get the ?feel? of the classroom. I think this is important because this is where you will be spending most of your time. All colleges are different. It?s important to find the right one.

Make sure its a school you want to go to not because you parents want to you go there. Dont dive right in with sororities and fraternities, find out how the work load is first then decide whether you join one or not. It's your money being spent soe make the most out of it, and invest yourself in it.Don't pass up internships or advice from professors, networking can get you where you need to go .Good Luck!

It's okay to change your mind. When I started college I left home and moved into the dorms and hated it. So I left after a semester, changed my major and moved home to go to a state university in my home city. I thought my parents would be upset with me, and they were slightly upset. But it was the best decision I have ever made. I love my major and I love the school I changed to. It is good to let your college students make their own decisions, they will do what's right.

The best advice that I could give anyone on attending the right college of their choice is go where you feel that you will have the best time of your life. The reason I chose my college is because I love the beach and everything that their is to do with it. I go surfing regularly to get my mind focused academically and mentally. If you do not have fun where you go to school then your school work will be a drag and your grades may tend to fall. So the best advice that I can give to you is to go where you believe the college has the most interesting things that pertain to you. Do not make your decision based on where all of your friends are going to attend because I have had friends do that and they are very unhappy. I came to my college for the fact they have a very good Business major. I didn't know anyone at first when I got up here but alot of people are willing to open up and meet new people. Choose the right college for you is the best advice I can give anyone.

Find a college whose mission is similar to the direction you would like to go in life. Then find the opportunity to get involved on your campus with groups, clubs, and programs that support your passions. This will help you to gain the most out of your college experience by being presented with opportunities to meet individuals that will help you accomplish your goals. Also, don't be afraid to jump out of your comfort zone, college is designed as a place for you to safely explore the world around you. So get different viewpoints and opinions on subjects because only then can your views have any validation or strength.

Finding a school that is actually centered around th einterest of the students is important and a school where alot of the alumni actually give back as well as support there school says alot about the school itself.

My advice for finding the right college would be to forget about where your friends are going and really think about what kind of environment you learn best in. For instance if you learn better in smaller classes look into colleges that offer mostly smaller classes, much like UNF. In order to make the most of your college experience you just have to get out there and get involved. One way to get yourself out there to meet people is to live on campus. When you choose to live on campus you are always on campus and that makes it easier to meet students around you and get involved in on campus activities. The most important thing is to just be yourself and learn to balance school and fun.

I would tell parents to find a school that encourages their child and for the students that are looking for a college pick one that you will feel apart of when you visit the campus. Don't pick a school out becuase of its ranking, pick one that has a close student to teacher connection. Pick a school that can help you and not treat you like a number.

I am a firm believer that neither parents or counselors can make a student do anything. The trick is to help students realize the importance of their life and the difference that they can make in this world through obtaining an education. Students must have a value of self and a vision for their future. If students can be led to this truth in high school, I believe that the right choices of colleges will be made and students will feel at home in thier respective universities. If students like where they are and have a sense of pride in what they are doing (ie: students that take pride in their school and in the education path that has been chosen), the college experience of these students will be lived to the fullest extent.

Look for a college that suits your needs! There are so many options and choices! Have fun looking around and don't be afraid to ask questions. Once you begin make sure to enjoy all the aspects of college life. Get invovled, be social and friendly. I'd definately recommend living on campus the first year because that forces you to get out and meet people! There are going to be ups and downs but all the experiences will benefit your future!

A student will change their major atleast 2 or 3 times while in college. So absoultely knowing what one is going to do in life is near impossible. What's important is knowing that the college/university has a variety of majors to choose from in all fields. The university should be well established, and the post-graduate career rate should be high.

I think in finding the right college, students and parents must visit the campuses to really get a feel for the atmosphere. In visiting it is important to ask questions such as, "Will I be able to be successful here?" ,"Can I focus and relax here?", "Is there enough variety of activities to be involved in?". I think really after attending is when you will feel if it is the right college for you or not. To make the most of your college experience, you should really seek involve yourself in activites and attend events that you are attracted to and also some that take you out of your comfort zone. I think to make the most of your college experience and really to make the most out of life is to experience things and talk to people that you wouldn't naturally. College is a world of opportunities that prepares you for a bigger world with bigger opportunities, make the most of it!

The best thing to do when looking for a college to fit your needs is to research the available programs and their accredidations. Also it is good to check out the campus, activitites, library, and sit down with the academic advisors. I happen to have a great experience with my academic advisors and they are very hands on with helping me and others in my program with staying on top of my classes and keeping me on track. My experience has made me strongly consider getting my masters with them and possibly my doctorate. Feeling comfortable and finding a school that you know will help you stay focused and succeed is very important.

i would look for a school thats fits your learning and personal ideals. do not pick a big school just because your friends are going, since most schools arent the same for each student applying. you should choose a school that you can succeed and get the most out of that school. have fun picking out your school and its a great time so cherish it.

Explore all of your options to make sure you get what you want. Study hard and don't completely isolate yourself from everyone, you might need them oneday! :)

I would say to visit each and every college you wish to attend to get a real experience of what it would be like to live there and go to school there. Take pictures EVERYWHERE you go so you dont forget anything! Do pro and con lists, and parents let the STUDENTS decide on their own!

I think the most important thing when choosing colleges is visiting the campus. You really need to experience the atmosphere, make sure you feel like you fit there. UNF has become my home, I could not imagine spending my college years on a campus I did not feel comfortable with. As for making the most of your experience, break out of your shell! Try new things, but make sure school stays your priority!

When planningg on what college to attend, make sure that you put aside thinking able your social life, meaning where all your friends are going, and search for what best fits you. If you have any concerns about you child not knowing anyone, parents, contact the campus and learn about the counseling and freshmen welcoming events that may be happeneing and encourage your child to attend the scheduled events. I would encourage that every incoming freshmen take part in on-campus housing opportunities, because it helps you meet more people and allows you to slowly, but surely make the transition to living on your own. One more thing that all students must understand is that they are not the only ones who may feel overwhelmed, scared, stressed, or frustrated, there will be thousands around you experiencing those same feelings. Take advantage of this common ground and share your experiences with your peers.

Live in the dorms!!

Be sure that you are familiar with the faculty you will be working with most and their reputation in comparison with other professors at other colleges in the same field. Do some research on the school and go there yourself and see how you feel about the vibe it gives you.

Apply to as many schools as possible. Go and look at the schools that accept you before you make a decision. Don't give up. If you're not accepted to the school you want try try agian. Do not settle!! The world is your oyster and you can do whatever you set your mind to. Take advantage of scholarships and grant before you look into loans because you will surely have to pay them back.

When it comes to finding the right college for yourself or helping your child, there are a few important things to keep in mind. One, you should always visit the college in question. It is important to see where you might be spending the next four to six years of you life. If you don't feel comfortable with the area, chances are, you won't be happy at school. Second, check to see what classes they offer. Many colleges have a list of classes but when you check on them, you might find out that the classes you want are only offered every other year. Finally, when it comes to making the most of your college experience, you need to find clubs and groups that share the same interests as you. Explore the town and make friends. The most important thing to remember is that you are there to learn, and even though it's good to have fun, don't let your grades suffer. College can be the best time of your life. Make it count! Find a college that brings out the best in yourself, because ultimately, you will do better when you are the happiest!

Find a place where you fit in and feel at peace.

Students and parents need to think not only of the academic program and whether it is a good fit, but also about other activities and the atmosphere of the school. For four years, the university is where the student will live, play, and often work. It is home as much as the place the student will sleep. Each school has its own philosophy and areas of emphasis, and it is important that the student feel a part of that in order to get the most out of the college experience. It is also important for the student to take an active interest in what classes will be beneficial and interesting. If one only takes the classes that are required or recommended by the faculty or advisors, opportunities and intersts could be missed. If the student takes a learning approach to college rather than "I just want to get my degree," then college is a great experience that will make one grow in wonderful ways.

I would tell parents and students to take time in deciding which college is right. Look at several campuses throughout theyear before making a final decision. Weigh all the options of location, tuition, educational degrees, activities on campus before making a final decision.