University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Top Questions

High school is a stepping stone to prepare ourselves for college. People stereotype that college is all about parties and messing around will not have an effect on grades. But college is the real deal, choose what you want to do and achieve it. Many people change their career more than once but messing up is the last thing you would want to do. In college, get yourself involved. Join clubs and interact with other students. This is a great way to start your college career because the more people you know, the better experience you will have. Not only that but get to know the faculty, they will make good references and are very useful when it comes to school work. Another advice is keep up with your school work; you never want to fall behind because it is really easy to fall behind. You must have good time management, and creating a fixed schedule to keep you on track is helpful. Study a few weeks before an actual exam and read your required readings and you will succeed. When attending class, bring your whole body and brain. Lastly, try to create some free time to have some fun.

Plunge into life and college. Experience as much as possible and expand the circle of friends you have to include as many people from as many life experiences as possible. Freshman year is the best time to meet people and get to know a lot of people in a short time. As corny as a lot of the getting to know you activities are, try them. They usually give away free things and there are a lot of all kinds of people at them. When you are scared, remember everyone is. College is a time to make connections, learn a lot, and experience life a little different than what you are used to. Don't listen to people who are negative or who are too "cool" to talk to people who are different or try new things. They are likely scared or shallow. Although meeting people is critical for enjoying school, remember to save enough time to keep up in and learn in all classes. They get hard quickly, especially at the end of the semester, and in order to accomplish the goals you have, you have to learn the information from class and maintain good grades.

I would tell myself that what I got away with in high school (skipping out on class readings, doing minimum effort on essays, etc.) will not help you pass in college. You must attend every class and do every assignment in order to get even a C. College doesn't offer extra credit very often, so do your best in everything that you do. It'll really pay off in the future.

get a job so that you have more money to pay for college and stop slacking

WORK OUT MORE! Don't eat sooooo much just because it's there! Save your money so you aren't always broke. Pay more attention in class cause this isn't high school and doing the bare minimum isn't going to get your by.

You aren't going to like Archaeology, so look up so more information on the forensic's program.

I think the biggest thing I would tell myself is to not let little things get to me. I definitely was one of those freshman/sophomores who allowed friends and boyfriends to get in the way of my schooling. I look back on it and now and realize how foolish it really was. As a senior in high school, I wish I could tell myself to relax and let things happen because "it is what it is" and some times you cannot do anything about a situation- things just happen.

If you have a college you really want to go to try your best to make that a reality. Don't settle because of finances or location. Four years should be enjoyable and challenging and you have a lifetime to pay for what you really want.

Apply for the BFA earlier and take more art classes sooner.

I would tell myself to study hard and not let yourself get too stressed out, because it all works out for the best.

If I was able to travel back in time to talk to the high school senior me, I would tell her that college is a lot harder than people tell her. You need a lot of discipline to get through, but once you adapt to the demand you'll be fine. School is extremely stressful at times, but friends and family make it easier to get through the papers and projects. I would also tell her not to ever forget where she has come from and how that has shaped her as a person and in her college experience. People will surround her to give her guidance and assist her along her path. She should always show gratitude to these people, and try to have patience with those who are struggling too. As long as she keeps pushing through whatever is thrown at her, she'll reach her destination in no time.

I would first attempt to stress the importance of not only good grades, but how crucial taking advanced placement courses is. As a senior in high school, I was able to take two AP classes, English and Advanced German and it was absolutely a useful decision. As a result, I received credits in college and ultimately saved me money. Also, taking AP English helped me so much when it came to writing essays and papers at a college level.

Be sure to stay organized, keep up with school work because everything you learn builds upon itself. Don't expect to be out in four years, you're going into one of the hardest programs at UWM. Don't just think that Bachlor's is an end, you can continue your schooling!

I would tell myself to work harder and network more. As a college student I have learned that it's not always what you know but who you know.

It can be hard to adjust to college life. Once you enter college, you need to learn how to balance freedom with school work. College is the first time for many people where they have a lot of freedom. Also, it is the first time for many people to live alone as opposed to living with a guardian(s). When you all-of-a-sudden obtain that kind of freedom, it can be difficult to adjust to having to decide whether or not you should go to a party or stay in to do homework. They key is to complete school work when it is given to you and then go out. If it all balanced correctly, it should not be too difficult to adjust the college work load along with freedom.

When you arrive on campus as a freshman your life instantly will change. Some people spend their whole time trying to fight against this inevitable change, while others embrace the new found freedom. Once you are in college you get to finally make your own choices, and while this can be scary at times, it is so rewarding when you find success. The worse attitude you can have about college is that everyone needs to make your life great and exciting. When it comes down to it, wherever you end up you have control to make your life enjoyable or miserable. The people who feel entitled to being entertained every second by their college or university, will end up bitter and not happy. Pray that you avoid this situation when you finally get the chance, because if you do, the next four years can be unbelievably enjoying!

Prioritize your time better, and get motivated.

don't worry

Knowing what I know now, I would tell myself as a high school senior to take a deep breath. Remember that college is a place to discover who you are and what you are going to do with the rest of your life; you don't have to have it all figured out right now. Going into your freshman year, everything seems so scary and intimidating . Remember it's okay to be scared, it's okay to be nervous about your classes and meeting new people. Know that other people are just as nervous as you are. Be outgoing, talk to people and just be yourself. Go to classes, even though it's tempting to sleep in without your parents dragging you out of bed. Be excited, because you are learning new things everyday. Do not be afraid to express yourself and to get involved in clubs that interest you. Don't lose sight of your goals and always do your best. Realize that college is an amazing opportunity and that this new chapter of your life will be so much better than you ever thought it could possibly be.

Education is the most important thing you can do for yourself.

DON'T GO TO MADISON! The people there are pompous and drink too much. Your roommate will be a very inconsiderate drunk.

I would tell myself to not pick a school becouse other people are going there, or becouse it is a university. I would tell myself to choose a school based on what i want to do. Also that everyschool is differant but they all have pros and cons. I would tell myself that even though a big school is said to be better with there teaching, a smaller school could be the way to go since i grew up in a small town. It would seem more like home. I would tell myself that whatever i choose will effect me in the long run. So even the small choices matter.

The key important piece of advice I would go back and tell myself would be to calm down! I was highly nervous because I was to be rooming with a person I have never met and I was petrified! However, I am so thankful to have met my roommate because we have become close friends, which makes this new life so much easier! Another thing I would make sure I told myself is the fact that the college professors really do care, all you have to do is approach them and get to know them. I was a shy person in high school but in college you are on your own now so you need to open up and take chances!

I would tell myself to approach college thinking outside of the box. Outward thinking is important in every aspect of college life. You will meet people from almost every background you can imagine--do not judge anyone based on stereotypes or first impressions. You will grow more than you know by challenging yourself to learn about other people--understand them, be patient with them--you will become a better person because of the differences you encounter in others. Take every situation in which you are faced with adversity and use it to improve yourself. Do not shy away from new experiences. Try activities you have never heard of before. Join clubs and organizations. Talk to the person sitting next to you before class--you have no idea how much people other than your professors with teach you in college. Of course, don't forget to make every effort to attend class, but remember to have fun. Apply yourself in the classroom, but also extend the knowledge you gain beyond the classroom . Overall, learn to embrace uncertainty and humility. If you are able to do this you will leave college stronger and more intelligent than you ever imagined you could be.

Now that you are a senior Melany, you need to refocus. Start to learn how to organize yourself with your time management skills. Make time not just to do homework, but to go over everything you went through in each class for the day. Prepare yourself for the lessons that will be taught the next day so that you have an idea of what the teachers will be talking about. When quizzes or exams will be given, do not wait until the last day to study for them. Craming is not a good way to prepare yourself for tests! Melany, dedication and commitment are very important when you enter college. If you really want to succeed you need to give up some fun time with family and friends so that you can work on assignments, projects, and papers due for classes. However, this is where your time management skills kick in because you can work around your schedule to give time to everything accordingly. Now, all this will not kick in very fast when you enter college because it takes practice. So, start practicing now so that when you enter college you don't feel overwhelmed. You will succeed!!!

The advice I would give to parents and/ or students would be to thoroughly research what each college offers, including anything from the program you wish to be admitted to, university housing, class types, fitness programs, social events, campus security, and the overall campus location. I found it also useful to keep in mind travel times. Returning home for school breaks can become difficult if you have to travel hours by car or by plane, especially when it comes to packing. I, also, suggest a campus tour. A campus tour allows you to feel like a student. You are able to see if campus is either too small or too big or too spread out. Although these may seem like the farthest things from your mind, but walking time around campus is important, especially when you have to walk in the snow. All-in-all, research everything. Make a pro and con list between close campus' and talk to school counselors. By doing all this, I think it is possibly for anyone to pick the perfect college for them on the first try!

My advice to parents and students would be to communicate with one another and complete the proper research as a team to choose the college that is best for the student. While working together, the parent(s) and student should determine three things: what type of environment they desire to be apart of, how far away they are willing to live away from home and their top/top three intended majors. By determining these three things, the "team" (parents and students) will be able to take the next step and look for universities that fit the needs of the student. I find discovering a desireable environment at a campus that has a great program for the student's intended major is neccessary for a successful transition from home life to college life.

The advice I would give when looking for the right college is to tour every college that comes to mind!! Even tour the ones that you don't think you are interested in very much because you never know what they are going to offer you or seem like to you when you visit them in person. Never judge a college just from a brochure!! I never regret spending my first year of college at UW-Milwaukee, however, I am transfering to UW-Oshkosh for my sophomore year. I believe that if I had toured Oshkosh while in high school, I would have chosen to attend there instead. I am going to try it now for a year and see how it goes. What I believe is the best advice I can give is to tour as many colleges as possible!! I only toured three and wish I had toured several more!!

Don't get too caught up in touring a billion colleges. Do your research and go on the campus tours, but don't base your decision solely on the research and the tours. College is different for everyone... some people love it and adapt very well, while others struggle. For students, don't try and take on the whole college responsibility by yourself; use the help that your parents are hopefully giving you. I don't know where I would be without my parents help. For parents, take your kid shopping and make them meals every once and awhile to take home. That is honeslty one of the best things a prent can do for a college student. Don't get to stressed out with schoolwork, take some time to enjoy the college experience and have fun with it!

make sure to visit many different colleges. They are all different and give their own different twist of college. Some kids like big schools some like smaller classes. The student knows what they like and will be able to tell from the visit. Don't let your friends pick your school for you.

Be open to new experiences. Also, be ready to change your plans. You have to be ready to roll with the changes

Choosing the right college is a difficult challange. It involves alot of time and research. However sometimes looking through flyers and web sites isnt enough. Visit the campus in person. Be aware of any instant connections you may have with the campus. If the campus is one that you seem to connect with, make sure to re-visit it . It is important to re-visit any potential options in case you reallize it may not be the perfect fit for you. Interact with students from the school. See how they feel about the campus, student life, job placement after college, etc...take the positives and negatives said about the school into account. Narrow your search by making a list of specific wants in the school that would be best for you and go from there. Dont rush into a decision because you are worried about what your friends and family are saying. Listen to your heart, I did and I found the most incredible match for me! If you take these steps your first semester will fall into place because you will be in an atmosphere you love, learning about something that interests you with people you feel comfortable with.

Touring schools you're interested in is extremely important. The school I ended up going to, was defintely NOT on my list of choices. I ended up loving it and I don't regret my decision at all. Don't just go where your friends are going. Making friends on campus is a lot more easier than you might think. I actually think it's harder to NOT make friends. Although studying is important, having fun, and enjoying yourself is even more important. Go out and enjoy the city, meet new people, do things you can't do in your hometown, if you choose to go to a college away from home. Not everything they say in high school is true about college. Professors are normal people, go talk to them if you need help. Failing a class your first semester isn't the end of the world... and neither is not knowing your major... most people actually change their major. If you learn to balance your social life with your studying, you will defintely have what it takes to make the best of your college experience!

College is the experience of a lifetime. This is the place you meet your closest friends who are going through the same ordeals you are. This is the place you bond with others, push your limits, and realize you are a great deal stronger than you think. College is more than earning a degree. College is learning discipline, setting priorities, and preparing yourself or your child for a future in the working world. College allows you to find yourself. It helps you spread your wings and helps you find what you love most. College helps you find a place in this world. The one thing I have learned most is a great college lives up to its reputation, but I do not let it define who I am. I do.

I would go, do the tour and meet with an advisor.

The advice I would give to parents or students about finding the right college would be to look for a college that first of all offers your major, one that is in an area you will be comfortable living in, offers activities you may enjoy, and the class sizes you would prefer. To make the most of you college experience I would say that one should keep an open mind and be open to new things. Try and meet a lot of new people, try different things and attend school events to improve your college experience.

When looking for a college, seek the best in the area you are most interested. I was at first reluctant to go to the large University in Milwaukee, but it had the most to offer in Film and media production for my in state budget. I have found that being immersed in the Peck School of arts, has challenged me and opened up many new avenues for me. Go with your passion.

Follow your heart.

Chose the right one that fits you best.

Now what you are looking for in a college and reach the goal you set for yourself.

I would adivse students/parents to visit the school. You must not only like the campus but you must make sure they offer what you are interested in studying. If you are a Marketing major, you would not want to go to a school that is well know for their nursing program. You would instead want to go to a school that well known for their business programs. Good luck!

If you know what program/programs you are looking for start with that, however look at clubs, sororities, fraternities, extra curricular activities-basically anything you (the student) may want to do now or in the future even if its only maybe. Look to see if the school has support for those with Learning Disabilities, tutoring centers, and a flexible meal plan. Check out the advisors -they will be your lifeline when class registration comes around. Keep in mind that your ideas may change and that whatever you are doing in school; you will definately need an outlet to relieve stress away from school. Whether your outlet is the gym, yoga, meditation or if you enjoy a house off campus to call home and have the guys over to play video games or jam in your band; everyone must relieve stress somehow. Yet, at the same time every student has to know when it is time to sit down and write that seven page paper or start studying for that test coming up in three days. So you must have a place in your apartment where all you do is homework and study, nothing else.

For parents, I know each one of you have your own opinions about what is best for your child and where you think they should go, but I believe the final choice should be left up to the future student. They should want to be there and enjoy themselves, right? For future students, pick a school where you are comfortable with and could see yourself living there for the time you're going to college. Pick a school that has what field or fields of study you're interested in. Do extensive research on the school or schools you are looking at. You don't want to live somewhere that doesn't appeal to you.

Prepare early and try to find out exactly what you want from a college. Take time to tour and even sit in on a class on various campuses.

Visit as many colleges as possible, private, public, tech. Many times out of highschool we have a little tiny idea about who we are and what we want and keeping your options open when it comes to choosing a school will better help you decide where your little tiny idea can grow into a big reality. Be open to living off campus, part of a wonderful college experience is being immersed in your comunity and the nooks and crannies that make up the surrounding area. Volunteering is another great way to make the most out of your college experience. Few things are as inspirational and stress releaving as giving back to your classmates and comunity.

Consider all of the options and weigh out the costs. Understand that everything doesn't have to be accomplished the first year, you will get burned out if you try to get all the college experience crammed into your first year. I know you want to try everything but consider your near future and what it will take to make all 4 years the best and not just the first. Also, try to find a major before you go into college. All too often I see people stuck in a major they have already invested too much in or they change their major 5 times and end up in college more than 4 years. Take advantage of your high school because many times you will have the option of trying college courses or getting credit for advanced placement classes. It is worth saving your money if you can get your high school to pay for it. There is an old saying "You will never work a day in your life if you love your job." So try to find something you enjoy and college will be a sinch!

Apply to a lot of different colleges and visit every campus, sometimes you know instantly when you walk onto a campus that the school isn't for you. And after you've picked a school GET INVOLVED!

Finding the "right" college is stressful, but doesn't have to be painful. The most important sentiment to keep in mind when searching for colleges is that nothing is final. As a sophomore in college, I have seen my peers labor over applications, cry over denials and doubt their own success because they weren't able to get into their first choice of school. The stress of applying is inevitable, but it's essential to remember that there are thousands of schools and options. What is the right school freshman year might not be sophomore year, because as a new undergraduate, you are sure to change immensely in the next four years. To make the most of the collegiate experience, make sure that scholastic acheivement is foremost, but not a source of unhappiness. College isn't just about work, but also about growth. By being open to new ideas, discussions, material and people, the college experience can much better prepare you for a career, graduate school and future interactions.

It's all about the atmosphere. If you like the city type of school, but also are looking for something where classes may be smaller and there's lots of hands on learning activities, Milwaukee may be the place for you. If you're looking for something a bit smaller or more forcused on a specific subject matter, maybe it's not the place for you. Either way, your sourroundings can affect a person so much more than they think. It is important to feel completely comfortable on campus and around the campus and in the classroom. If your not comfortable, your minds not set on learning. Atmosphere and comfortability are the key to choosing the college that is right for you.

Encourage your student to legally get involved on campus.