University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Top Questions

What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

Mathew

Find a college that gives the sense of comfort. One should be able to focus 110{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} . Do not by shy or hold anything back. This is the time in life where one will find themselves. This is when your life journey is in your hands so find a place that you makes you fell like you will be able to reach your full potential.

Ashley

Apply to the colleages that will help you accomplish your career goal. Apply to the ones that have a low professor to student ratio. So you can have more one on one time with them if you need it. Choose a college were the professor care about you and are willing to help you understand the material better.

Amanda

For parents, I would tell them that they can have a say in where their son or daughter attends college, but ultimately it is their son or daughter's decision. I would tell the parents to be supportive in whatever school their son or daughter chooses to attend. To the student looking for the right college, do some research. Don't settle for the first college that catches your eye or the same school your best friend or significant other is attending. Make sure the college you choose has the major/minor you're interested in persuing and go from there. In the end, you want to feel comfortable and right at home at the college you choose, so make sure you tour a few campuses before you make the big decision. As far as making the most out of your college experience, don't hold yourself back. College is the first time in your life where you are placed in an environment where you barely know anyone and basically have to start fresh. Be open. Be friendly. Get involved! And always remember, work hard, play hard!

Andrew

I don't have much advice, except choose which everone you feel most comfortable with and is affordable. Don't only take counsler's advice and tour guides advice, they are the salesmen, if possible ask a student who you see and take ther opinon into account.

Colin

Advice i would give to incoming parents and students is first to apply to every school you can afford to, even if you don't think you will get in. there is nothing wrong with having too many options when it comes to your education. After that, do research and visit every place in your top 5 schools. find out what has really good areas in your major, and also in other areas that you are intrested in, because often times plans change when you find a class or area of study you really like. also, look for opportunities to get involved with your prospective major or areas of interest, because that is where you really hone your skills when it comes to what you would like to do in life.

Jon

I believe the decision to go to a particular college should be determined in large part by where the student is in his/her life. Several questions to ask yourself as a student or parent are: 1) How mature is the student? Will he/she make bad decisions that ruin the rest of his/her life if given to much freedom typical of large colleges? Maybe a smaller, more strict school would be a better choice if the answer is yes. 2) Does the student know what he/she wants to study in college or do as a career after graduation? I did not know what I wanted to do when I first attended college. So I went to a school with an ecxellent liberal arts major, which is a good general education. If the student knows what to study and/or do as a career, then a school with an ecxellent program in that desired field should be chosen. 3) What is the student's social life like? would the student benefit from breaking out of old habits and broadening horizons, or would it be better to find a campus where the student will fit in and be comfortable?

Amanda

There are many colleges out there. Everyone needs to find the college that will fit them. Do not choose a college because your friends are going there or because your parents want you to go there. In the end it is your decision, you are the one that will be spending the majority of the next four if not more years of your life there. Choose the school that you think will help you flourish as a person and help you mature as an adult in today's society.

Katie

Find somewhere you feel comfortable. Different aspects of each campus will appeal to different poeple. Some people are more attracted to the beauty, some more to where it is located, etc. Just find what feels right to you and go with it!

Melanie

I would suggest that students make a choice for themselves and try their hardest not to let friends influence where they are going to go. I also think that it is important for parents to be a strong part of the college selection process. I believe that parents should go on campus tours and look into colleges so they are aware of where their children are going, but at the same time, not forcing them to go to one school or another. I think that getting the chance to stay on the campus for a weekend for example would also be beneficial if the opportunity presented itself.

Dustin

sdrgserg adfgsr artg agra a ga rg rgagrwarg arg rg gr aegf reagres gdtyrj uk gyuk uykyru tyewrdtrh gh s

Valerie

Parents, let your child make most of the decision based on where he or she feels most comfortable. Don't force them to go to a school where you want them to go, just because you went there. Students, tour a lot of schools. Sit in on a lecture or two. Eat in the cafeteria. Walk around the campus. Do these things to get feel for what the campus people are like and see where you fit in the best. Don't just settle for the first one that you come across. When you are an incoming freshman, make sure to get involved in campus activities right away and meet other freshmen and higher classmen. Freshmen will reassure you that they are going through this at the same time as you. Upper classmen will let you know "the ropes of the course" and help you with any questions you may have. It's good to be friends with both groups of students at different levels in their college careers.

Amanda

The first and most important thing to do when choosing the right college is to make sure you would be comfortable learning and living there. If you're not comfortable it will be very hard to concentrate and do well in your studies. Another thing would be to get involved with your campus early on in your college career. Being involved not only looks great on your resume, but also allows you to meet people and make lifelong friends. Getting to know your professors and counselors is important too. They can help you decide on a major by giving you advice based on their experiences. Once you decide on your major, they can help you plan the rest of your academic career in order for you to reach your goals and be successful. The last thing would be to keep up with your homework because once you fall behind, it is really hard to catch up again and you end up cramming for exams. It is easy to procrastinate about studying for classes because the professors don't give you daily worksheets that have to be turned in. In college it is your responsibility to balance studying with everything else.

Michael

Make sure that you take a lot of time and start early to look for a school that fits you. Find out if you want to be in a smaller or larger school. If you like a larger school you will most likely have to pay more money and vise versa for a smaller school. Take into account how far it is and what type of school it is, like what it is known for academically. You obviously want to attend a school that fits the type of career or subjects that you are interested in. Make sure you think hard and pick the school for the right reasons.

Bridget

Future college students and their parents should pay attention to many aspects of certain colleges when deciding on the right college. The first thing they should do is take a campus tour and decide how far they wants to travel from home to school. Future college students will then want to have a general idea about what they want to major in and see if the school offers that specific major. After they decide on a school, to make the best out of their college experience, they need to meet new people, get involved in activities they enojoy, and have a good time while they balance school.

Stacy

Look for the college that calls out to you and you feel the most at home within.

Carolyn

I would advise parents and/or students to tour as many colleges or universities as they can. There is no way to determine if you are right for a particular school unless you go there and explore. See what interests you, see what you like about each campus, visit the dorms, take a tour, and ASK QUESTIONS! College is supposed to be the best years of your lives, and you need to like your school for that to happen. Finally - look for what organizations are on campus, a successful college career includes begin involved on campus in residence halls, in organizations or in greek life! Mostly, HAVE FUN!

Leah

Let the children chose the college they want because it will make them happy. Drinking happend at all the school in the state of Wisconsin. Let go of your children, if you raised them right they will be fine.

Justine

I would first recommend looking for a college that has the area of which you will major. If you are undecided about your major, I would decide whether or not you want to go to school in your state or go to school out of state. Then, if you have a learning/physical disability, I would suggest looking for a college that can meet those needs. I would also look into what the school offers financially. Ask yourself is this a school I can afford? Is this a school that offers financial aid that will accommodate me? To make the most of your college experience, I would highly urge you to get involved in sports, clubs, and/or volunteering activities to become connected with other peers that share in your same interests. I advise living in the doors at least your first year because you will be encouraged to socialize with others and make friends, it will be easier to become aware of the campus and the different resources available, and this is a time to break away from family to become more independent. Finally, take your school work very seriously, and have a great time!

Megan

One of the most important things to do before you choose a college is to figure out what you want from the college. What do you want to get out of college? Is class size, financial aid, environment, or academic offerings more important to you? Then you obviously must do research on the schools, which you can do easily on the internet, but you also want to make sure that you visit the campus and ask current or recent students about their experiences with the college. There is a lot to learn about a college that no brochure or website can tell you, and students can help with this. As for the experience itself, you will get out of it exactly what you put in. If you don't do the work, you aren't going to be prepared to enter your field. Take advantage of the resources the campus has, because college is a lot more than going to class and socializing. Your college experience is what you make of it.

Robert

Look and visit the colleges your interested in

Lucas

Well the first thing i'd tell them was to remember that their son/daughter is going to college to get an education. That is first and foremost important. Hopefully you have an idea of what you would like to persue as a career. Then to make sure the college you are looking at has a good program in that field and ask to talk with a professor or two to get a feel for what it might be like for you taking classes and after you are done with your schooling as well. Secondly I would remind them that peer pressure in college is pretty tough on alot of kids. Do not feel like you have to be cool and fit in with everyone, because you will not be able to its just not possible. Some kids may make fun of you for wanting to study and going to classes, but those are the ones that will not make it more than a semester at college and your real friends will want to hangout with you and do the things you enjoy to do. Thats what I would tell parents about making the most out of the college experience.

Crystal

Visit a few colleges so you can compare them. And just go with the one you feel most comfortable about.

Rhiannon

Remember that, like you, the school should be multi-faceted. Obviously a great education is extremely important, so find a school that offers the necessary classes and support that you will need to get the education you desire. Also remember that focusing 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of your attention on school-work is not healthy! Find a school that offers other activities that are of interest. Remember to go somewhere that makes you feel comfortable and you would not mind spending four years of your life! This has to be a decision that is made by the student. Yes, parents, help, support, do what you need to; but it all comes down to whether or not this school will aid in your son/daughter's future!

Kayla

I would tell them to choice the college that makes you comfortable and to see the student living there as if it's your home. Choice a college that reflects upon all your interests. College is to prepare you for your career, so go to every class and experience as much education as you can. College is a great adventure. It help you to find who you really are and what you stand for. Education is key for success in your future.

Garrett

Go on campus visits to schools that interest you. Ask questions about the way the campus runs, meaning find out about sports, extra-curricular activities, clubs, academic advising, class sizes and so on. The more you ask about the campus the more information you are going to recieve. Many campus' allow you to sit through a class just to get an idea of how individual classroom settings work. Make a list of the things the excite you about a paritcular campus and also the things that don't get you motor running as much, this way, when it comes time to choose a school, you will already have a good idea of which one to pick.

Stefanie

To definately visit the schools that you are thinking about attending. Stay the night with a student there to get the full expierence to see if you will truly enjoy the student life at that university.

Ellie

Parents should support there child in the best way possiable. Giving them what they need to ge prepard for school as well that the parents should trust there child that they will know what to do or what not to do, to make the best choice that can be made.

Derrick

i

Sarah

It is SO important to go and tour the colleges that you are thinking about attending. After each tour, you'll be able to get a good good indication of whether or not it will "fit" you. You'll be spending the next 4-5 years at college so it is important to go to a school that YOU want to go to and feel comfortable with. Don't be pressured into going to a school where you have friends going. I didn't know ANYBODY going to my school and it actually was the best thing I could have done because it didn't limit me to meeting all of the wonderful people that I did. If I could give one piece of advice about making the most of the college experience: by all means, have a social life but remember to put school first! Start off the first semester strong and get a good g.p.a because after the first year and a half, it is VERY hard to move your g.p.a. Also, don't ever feel afraid or intimidated to talk to your professors either. They are there to help you so, use them!

Jaclyn

First of all, go to the college and walk around, ask students that arent hired by the campus questions about their experiance at the college. Walk around the dorms, in some of the classrooms, and just around the campus to get the feel for the campus. Second of all, do not base your opinion of the school based on websites and specific campus information. You could love the programs and resources that are available there, however, not nessasarly like or agree with some of the students and teachers and their views. Most importantly, take a day and pretend that you are a student on campus. Talk to current students. Eat in the commons area and see how the food really is. Check out the student labs, sneak into large classes to see some of the teacher's teaching styles. Once you have a feel for the campus, and if you like the campus, schedule a campus tour. Students, if you want to make the most of your college experiance the only thing you have to do is get involved. Be social, join groups, programs, sport teams, clubs, the more involved you are, the more oppertunities and memories you will have.

Amanda

The advice I would give to students about finding the right college for them is to not only pick it with who they are right now in mind, but also who they would like to become. College changes your life. You are finally off on your own and you are able to choose who you want to hang out with, how often you want to study and what your hobbies are. It is very freeing and you want to make sure you choose the right college that enables you to become who you want to be. In order to make the most of your college experience, you should join anything that interests you because you might find your calling there. Concentrate on getting job experience once you decide what you want to do and also, have fun!!

Katie

that you try find a school that well met needs.

amber

The one thing that I would highly recommend to prospect university students is to take the time to gather as much information about the univerities of interest. It is one of the hardest decisions you will have to make. With an optimist outlook and the right research you will find the one that fits you the best. Take the time to visit the university that you feel is the one and once you see the campus and the student life you will know. Don't be discouraged and follow YOUR dreams because it is your life and your future you are working towards. College is one of the most intimidating decisions, but is one of the greatest life experiences.

jack

The best way for people to find out about a campus is to go visit it on one of the designated tour days. The other thing that really helped me was to go to the campus' official website to help explore options. The only other thing that I would suggest is to talk to some students that go to that university to get a general feeling about campus life. However choosing option three can be sort of risky unless you poll multiple people because it is possible to find a person who had a bad day or just dislikes the school. The best way to get the most out of school is to focus on your studies but do not let them run your life. Plan out homework but also leave time to go do things with friends. Finally the world in college may seem that it revolves around freedom and alcohol but it you can keep that in check you should be alright.

Rhiannon

In order to be successful in college, you need to be happy. Happy can have a variety of variables: how large the campus is, how much it costs, how large the classes are, etc. Scout out a lot of schools, really look at them and go more than once. Get an idea of how the campus is when it is really busy and really slow. Will you be bored, challenged, have people to "hang out" with? The other large factor, of course, will be the value of the education. Can you get a job in the field of your major? Will you be able to take courses that interest you in the field or courses that are just required to take. When the time comes and you choose one, remember, you are not stuck there! Do not be afraid to talk to someone if something needs to be done! Most campuses are great with a variety of channels for help! Remember students: have fun and learn a lot. Remember moms and dads: let them have fun and know they will learn a lot! That is the advice I have.

Amber

My first Bachelors Degree ended up being just a degree. It was not what I really wanted to do the rest of my life. I now have learned that doing what you love the rest of your life will impact your outlook on everything you do in a positive way. When deciding which college to go to, the most important thing I have learned, is to pursue a degree or career in something that you really love. After college, what matters most is that you love the career that you have chosen.

Marc

For future parents and students my advice would be to pick the most responisble choice. I know when your young students want to go to schools where their friends are going and possible the "most fun", but the reality is that this is your future. College only lasts about four years, a lot can change and before students know it their out in the real world with their degree. My advice would be to sit down and think whats best for you. Friends are great and very important, but doesn't mean you cant make new ones or stay in touch with them. Understand what needs to be done and go with it, good chances are college is going to be the best four or five years of your life. College is a life changer, embrace it and take in as much as you can. Try to avoid the wrong decisions and take responsiblity for your own actions. It's time to buckle down and realize that this could potentially make or break a student. But relax, enjoy college it will be a heck of a good time, always keep in mind what's best for you and your future.