University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Top Questions

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

Melissa

I think that when looking for a college the most important thing is that the student feels at place where they are going. There are several factors that you should think about when looking. First is location, city, small town, etc. wherever the student feels the most comfortable. The other factor is the people. I think that most schools have a lot of different but similar people and the type of people could be an important factor on the student.

Stacey

I would advise students and parents to not settle on the first college they visit. Although college visits may be boring, it is best to visit all options. i would also say to talk to current students to get a feel for how college life on their campus is like. To make the most of the college experience, it is best to go to as many activities offered right away freshman year and to get involved.

Mary

The best advice that I can give people to find the right college is that if you know what you want to get a degree in, research that college's qualifications in that area and then, if that seems like a good fit, go and take a tour/day visit to feel the atmosphere during the school year. To make the most out of you college experience, you have to get out there and joint at least one group that has your same interests. This will help you meet people that can help you academically, socially, and personally. Also, have what fun you can, but don't let it interfere with doing your best in your classes. It's not worth spending the money if you aren't going to stay serious about the whole reason you are there.

Sarah

find the school that fits everything for you. academics, activities, location, housing. everything-DON'T settle.

Kristen

go to a college where you'll get a good education as well as have fun. make the most of it

Leane

Make sure you find a school where you feel comfortable. You will be calling it home for at least the next four years. Check out clubs and extracurricular activities, those are the best ways to m eet new friends.

Joel

Visit the campus first to make sure it "fits."

Gwen

My advise to parents and students looking to make the most of thier college experience, is to get involved. The more groups and activities that you are involved in besides accademics the more friends you will make and fun you will have during your college years. I wish that I had known more about getting involved around campus before now!

Megan

Make sure that you feel comfortable with the college that you're attending. Don't attend a school just because others are doing it. You want a place that provides opportunities that are important to you weather it be a strong athletic program or an active social life just make sure it fits the lifestyle that you want to enjoy during your time in college. Also make sure that you don't get hung with just hanging out with a close group of friends. College is made up of many different people make sure you take the opportunities to meet others from a different culture or even a different major they may turn out to be your true best friend. College life only happens once make sure you don't regret anything from your college career.

Sarah

First pick a school that you feel comfortable in. If you go to the campus and it doesn't feel right, find one that does. Also make sure that you pick a school that emphasizes what you would like to major in, but is not limited to that field. You may want to take some other classes, so you will want to have options. One thing that cannot be over said is to get involved! It may be hard to take that first step to join a club or something, but it will be totally worth it.

Nathan

The advice I would give to incoming freshmen or transfer students is there is never a wrong decision you will make in your life. With every "wrong" decision you learn more about yourself and other people around you. Life is about learning and growing. College is a time when you can meet lots of people and learn the most about yourself. This is the time when you or your son/ daughter will grow the most and transition into who they want to become for the rest of their life. While there may be up and downs it is best to stick it out and learn from your mistakes. In order to make the most out of your college experience, you should get involved. College is a great time to get involved in organizations and meet people who have the same interests as you. Whether it be through sports or other students organizations, getting involved is the best way to make the most of your college experience. You should also focus on school work and party every once and a while too. College is a lifetime experience, you should get involved and let it guide you to your future!

Josh

Most students will adapt to their surroundings so just find a college that offers the coursework of interest. Take your coursework seriously, its not as easy as high school but it will become easy if you have interest in it. All around college is alot more that just class, you will learn how to live off $20 a week and still have fun. You will also learn to juggle 30 hours of class, 30 hours of work, a love interest, homework, and a social life without any problems.

Amy

The most important advice that can be given about finding the right college is to look around and do your research. There are many colleges out there and they all offer something different. The factors that should be taken into consideration are size, cost, location, and exactly what degree options that specific college have to offer. There are colleges out there that specialize in certain areas of study or may be known for the programs that they offer. This type of information can be found out at the colleges' website. If you have the time, campus tours are a fun way to learn more about a college and ask questions of students currently attending that particular school. Visiting a campus to get a feeling for how things work can be a key factor in choosing the right college for you. To make sure that there is something for everyone, most colleges have a wide variety of organizations and activities students can get involved in. Joining an organization is a great way to get involved on campus, as well as in the surrounding community. Choosing the right college can be time consuming so do not hesitate to start early with applying.

Lucas

Do your research and take a college tour. You find out so much information and ask about organizations. Thats where you will find the most information about your college. Do your digging and don't forget to get a feel for the town and know where things are. Sometimes its the city your in can make your experience even better or worse.

Megan

look and apply at alot. Kepp your opions open and go somewhere for the class and place not your friends

Trevor

The first advice i would give, would be to go to the university that makes you feel like home. Also they should consider what activities that best interest them and get involved as much as possible.

Meredith

Make sure that the college is the right size for the student. If it is too many people or too few people, the student is going to have a tough time. Also classes, making sure that the college is the appropriate one for what they are trying to do is the most important thing. If the classes offered are not something they are interested in, the student is wasting their time and money by being there. Another thing is to become involved on campus in organizations or sports. That is the easiest way to make lifelong friends. If you seclude yourself on campus it is easy to become depressed or flunk out if you feel like you do not fit in.

Alissa

What is most important is finding the school that is right for you! Don't settle for average, when it could be perfect. To get the most out of any school you need to be open to new oportunities and experiences. If you stay in your comfort zone you will never know some great people or experience something truely amazing. The scary part for some can be the idea of having to make new friends. But that is so much fun! Everyone wants to make friends so it is easy to find people that have some of the same interests as you, and it's great to get to know people that come from such different backgrounds. College is a great place to learn a lot about yourself, don't miss out on the opportunity to experience it!

Nicole

My parents encouraged me to find a college close to home or within 2 to 3 hours away. I've always wanted to go somewhere far from home, near the beach or the mountains, somewhere fun. Although, I'm glad I listened to them and chose UW-Whitewater. I don't know how I could live so far from home; I'd be homesick. If I did live so far, I wouldn't be able to keep a healthy relationship with those at home because I wouldn't be able to see them often. When finding the right college, write a list of what you're looking for in one. In my opinion, if you were shy in high school, it would be better to go to a smaller school so that it wouldn't be so overwhelming going to a big one. You would feel like just a number rather than a unique individual. Also, consider your major, see which schools have the best programs, and are worth what you're paying for.

Andrew

Look for something that suits your needs, don't worry about where friends are going. It is easier to make friends than you would think, and if a university offers things that interest you, it will make it easier for you to make friends with people who share those interests with you.

Mehul

Finding the right college is a bit of a hit or miss. It depends mostly on yor outlook. You can find all the same things at every university. Just be positive and know that change is never impossible.

Jessica

Each college around the country is different and offers different opportunities. My advice for picking the right college would be to first, tour as many as you can to get a feel for what they are really like. You can not really know unless you have been there, so even if you are planning on going away across the country, visit it first. My second piece of advice would be to look at the cost. Going to a well known or big ten school is great. And for some people, that is the only way to go. However, look at the programs they offer and what you are really interested in studying. Another state school may offer the same exact programs and allow you to graduate sooner and as a result, save you money. No matter what your financial backround is, saving money is always important so that you don't have to come out of school with tons of loans to pay back. Thank you.

Chad

Don't go to a school just for the athletics. Plans can and probably will change.

Mark

Don't rush into making decisions about finding a school until you get on the campus and check out the school for yourself. If you have an idea of your respective major take a look at the buildings you will be utilizing for the longevity of your carreer as a student. Apply for FAFSA, everyone is able to recieve a certain amount from the government regardless of your financial situation. When you are looking at your respective school, ask faculty and students questions that concern you; more students = more positive attention from media and local government!

Steven

The best thing students can do for themselves academically is to go to every class, every day. The teachers will teach you everything you need to know for tests and quizzes, so as long as you show up, you should do great. Also if you want to make friends fast, talk to the people living around you and arrange something to do. Go to a game, have dinner together, play games, etc. Most of all, have fun and enjoy the experience.

Kristin

I would tell parents and/or students to check out as many colleges as possible before making a decision. It is really important to pick an environment where you will feel comfortable. Also, I would reccomend making sure the degree program you wish to pursue is offered, and is up to the standards you feel you deserve. You're paying a lot of money for a college education, and you want to make sure it is a wise investment. Talk to recruiters at the companies your thinking you would want to work for, see where they like their new hirees to have graduated from. Just because a school costs more, doesn't mean it will look better on your resume. Lastly, let the student decide. Don't pick a college where most of your friends are going, or where your parents graduated from-it needs to be where YOU want to be. Remember, college is an investement in your future-a four year investment, make it your own.

jennifer

Follow your heart, dont do it beacuse someone else is.

Sarah

Finding the right school is hard to do. You usually don't know what you are looking for in a school when a student starts looking for colleges., but in my opinion, students have to have the final say in choosing a college. I belive that it is only right for the student to pick a college that he or she really wants to go to, not a college that the parents want them to go to. If the student wants to go to a tech college to study for a career of their choice, let them. Same goes for if they want to go to a private four year college. Don't worry about money because there is enough finicial aid, scholorships, work study, and grants out there for parents and students to take advantage of. Whatever the choice ends up being, let the student be 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} sure that the school they chose is the one for them.

Megan

Find a school that is the right size for you personally, along with a school that offers a strong program in the area in which are you planning to study. You need to feel comfortable in your surroundings in order to do well with you course work. Also, don't be afraid to try new things. College is about learning and growing. You're not going to learn and grow if you sit in a dorm room all day. Don't be afraid to talk to new people or join a new student organization because you don't know anyone. For parents, give your child space. This is their time to be on their own and have a safety net. They're going to make mistakes just be there to support and give them guidance when asked. Last piece of advice, enjoy every minute of it. It goes so fast and before you know it you're looking at graduation and full time jobs and you can't believe you've made it through five years of school. However, looking at graudation is an amazing feeling, and well worth the hard work.

Jillian

Look for a place that your comfortable with. If you like small towns, find a campus right in the middle of a great small city. Find out what goes on during the weekends and what goes on in the city, then you'll have an idea of what you'll be doing during the year.

Wesley

My best advice would be to take one step at a time and try not to rush or worry about it. You're taking a great step in deciding to get an education, and its a great experience you'll never forget. The first step is knowing what you want to do with your life and what you'd like to go into. At this point you can decide where, as in location, you would like to be. See what schools are there that have your field of study then apply and sign up for a tour. Sign up for at least three schools so if you're for some reason not accepted into one school you'll still have some back up plans. When you're attending the tour make sure they offer extra-curricluar activities you enjoy, remember it never hurts to ask. Also get a good look at the campus and make sure its a clean appealing environment to you. Before or after the tour explore the area around the campus to be sure you're happy with it, and to see if there is options for off campus living. Lastly, have fun and good luck!

Garrik

Let your kids decide!

Kaylin

I would say that you have to find a college that you can have fun at as well as be academically challenged. Make sure that there is at least one group or club that you would like to get involved with on campus, and join it! It will help you get to know other people, and feel more a part of campus life. It should also be a college that is affordable. Look for scholarships, grants, and loans that can help you get into the college that you would most enjoy. Get a job and save up some money to help pay for college. Having a little extra spending money during the school year can really make your experience at college enjoyable.

Joseph

If you can, stay close to home. It's no fun to have to drive to see your family all the time, especially with todays gas prices. Also, don't give too much thought to the cost of the college. Take the college that offers a very good program in the area you wish to study and that has a reputation for having a good community. Of course, last but not least, have fun at college!

Andrea

First of all, you can always switch colleges if you don't end up liking your first choice. It happens and I know I had no idea of what kind of atmosphere I wanted until I actually got to college. I fortunately ended up at the right college for my particular personality and preferences. As for choosing a college, go for something that is like where you grew up. If you grew up in a city then choose a college in a city atomosphere, and if you grew up in the suburbs/country, go for a college in that type of area; unless of course you didn't enjoy your childhood. Once you find the right college, get organized and stay that way. College is VERY different from high school, and simply winging it will not work in your favor. One last thing, if you're looking for a boyfriend/girlfriend here are some words of advice from my Grandpa. Do well in school and focus on what you want to do with your life and the rest will come in time.

Lavaughnta

First and foremost I would suggest not going somewhere because of an outside interference. Simply not going somewhere because of other people, whether thats a boy or girlfriend, mom, dad, sister, brother, or friend. College is a time to really find yourself and prepare yourself for your future. So make sure you pick a school that fits your preferances. Like if you like being in a huge crowd, pick a big school, and the same goes for wanting to be more noticable, to go to a smaller school. At the end of the day you should feel like the school you pick is a resemblance of who you are as a person