College Jitters..so many questions.

Applying to College
1

<p>I'm super nervous about college and don't exactly know the right questions to ask but here it is...
Okay, so I plan on going to FAU in the fall of 2012.
When should I apply?
Scholarships, how do they work?
I want to major in Nursing while I'm in FAU-Does FAU have a good Nursing program?
If not then how is FIU? (just a consideration)</p>

<p>I visited FAU's campus recently and it looks pretty bland. I really didn't see much color or spirit. Maybe I just came on the wrong day? I'm a pretty spirited girl and I definitely need an active campus. </p>

<p>Does FAU require a personal statement? (I heard a few colleges want that...)
When is early admission?</p>

<p>I use collegeboard.com for most of my info, but I wasn't exactly clarified on the tuition and fees....
Do we pay tuition monthly or yearly? Or even semester?
I've asked a couple people this question, they said it usually depends on the college.</p>

<p>Is working on campus a good idea?</p>

2

<p>Start applying as soon as the application opens up. Since it’s rolling admission, you should probably finish ASAP.</p>

<p>By recently, I’m assuming that you visited FAU during the summer. Don’t judge a campus during the summer because that’s pretty much when everyone’s gone, giving the impression that the campus is bland and inactive.</p>

<p>As said before, FAU goes by rolling admission, so there’s no such thing as early admission (…unless I have the wrong school?). Jst apply, and you’ll be told if you’re in about six to eight weeks later. The earlier you apply, the easier it is to get in. From what I know about rolling admissions anyway.</p>

<p>[FAU</a> - Apply On Line](<a href=“http://www.fau.edu/admissions/apply]FAU”>Apply Now | Florida Atlantic University) <- …Just in case you didn’t know.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, I don’t know how to answer the other questions. I’m still an upcoming senior myself. I heard that working on campus is a pretty good idea though, as long as you can handle it.</p>

3

<p>I actually visited FAU mid april.
I definitely would apply now if my SAT scores were higher. My GPA is perfect though.
And I haven’t really done any of the FAFSA stuff…I don’t exactly know when I’m supposed to finish it. Like before I’m accepted or after…</p>

<p>but thanks, lots of helpful answers :D</p>

4

<p>You need to talk with your parents about how much they can afford to pay. If you are eligible for Bright Futures, you need to take that money into consideration as well. Since you know the major you are interested in, and the universities that you are interested in, you should contact each of them and ask about admissions, and financial aid. Most of what you need to know is right on their websites.</p>

<p>Your parents can get an estimate for their FAFSA results by running the calculator at [EFC</a> Calculator: How Much Money for College Will You Be Expected to Contribute?](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>Calculate Your Cost – BigFuture | College Board) You will complete the FAFSA for 2012-2013 early in 2012. It will be available on January 1st.</p>

5

<p>Not sure why you thought there wasn’t much color or spirit.</p>

<p>We have FAU banners up along the roads on campus saying GO OWLS. We have FAU banners with student organization names - including Greek orgs - on the main sidewalk along the dorms (Called Diversity Way). We have a football stadium that says FAU in big letters across the seats. We have Greek banners hanging in the Student Union, which also has FAU colors (blue and red) and we have FAU and the Owl head on the ends of the Breezeway (the main walkway). In October during Homecoming we’re putting up a bronze, life-sized statue of our mascot, Owlsley, over by the Alumni Center, which already has a big Owl statue over there.</p>

<p>Not sure how much more “spirited” a campus is supposed to get?</p>

<p>Oh, and how’s THIS for spirited? (turn down the volume a little bit before you start it)</p>

<p>[‪FAU</a> vs FIU Celebration‬‏ - YouTube](<a href=“FAU vs FIU Celebration - YouTube”>FAU vs FIU Celebration - YouTube)</p>

6

<p>FAU guy:haha, okay that definitely IS a lot of spirit actually. But when I was there, the campus was pretty empty and not many people seemed welcoming. Maybe it was just a bad day? But in all, I will definitely re-visit FAU. I went to their gym and absolutely loved it. Great atmosphere and I love that little cafe they have at the entrance.
**And I’m just wondering, what was the best thing about FAU that you liked?
(The atmosphere/campus, education, faculty, food etc.)</p>

<p>Happymomo: Thanks, I will most surely check out Bright Futures. My parents actually have a “pre-paid” college plan…thing. I don’t know what it’s called but it’s supposed to save up the money that my parents are paying once a month and put it into my college savings. So I think I’m in pretty good hands so far. However, I am still going to apply so as many scholarships as I can.</p>

7

<p>

If you want a good answer what you need to do is something called “informational interviewing”. This is well covered in the book “What Color is Your Parachute?” that your local library is sure to have. Basically you make arrangements to meet with some nurses at local hospitals for coffee (everyone gets breaktime during the work day, so its not imposing). You explain that you’re interested in becoming a nurse and ask their advice on how to do so, including choice of college.</p>

8

<p>Hi easilyfreakedout (like the name, btw),</p>

<p>First of all, stop freaking out! All of your questions have answers, but you’ll have to do online research or ask (yes, ask) each individual college. Don’t worry! Admissions officers don’t bite! In fact, they’ll be more than happy to assist you. :)</p>

<p>Since you sound confused, I would suggest reading this series of articles to help you get into the right state of mind for applying to college. I think it’s a great collection of detailed explanations about virtually every aspect of applying to college. Check it out:</p>

<p>[The</a> Applying to College Series- Nerld Blog](<a href=“http://www.nerld.com/blog/the-applying-to-college-series/]The”>http://www.nerld.com/blog/the-applying-to-college-series/)</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

9

<p>easilyfreakedout: </p>

<p>RE: “But when I was there, the campus was pretty empty and not many people seemed welcoming. Maybe it was just a bad day?” </p>

<p>Mid-April would have been just before Finals Week of Spring semester, for what it’s worth. Usually Spring semester ends at the end of April/early May so people should have been either in the library or at home studying. The other thing is, if you look like a college student and you’re walking around on a campus, people are just going to assume you go there and probably not going to approach you because they figure you’re on your way to do something. </p>

<p>In any case, I’d encourage you to stop by again at the beginning of this Fall semester (classes start on Monday, August 23rd - come on by). Then come tailgate when we open our football stadium on October 15th. It’s going to be a pretty awesome day.</p>

<p>RE: “And I’m just wondering, what was the best thing about FAU that you liked? (The atmosphere/campus, education, faculty, food etc.)”</p>

<p>I met some great people in my sophomore year, who in turn ended up introducing me to their friends, and over a course of 1-2 months I suddenly had 10-15 people to hang out with on campus. We hung out in the dorms, we partied, we went to campus events, the whole bit. So even though I was a commuter, I was still connected to campus life in a big way. And you know what? They’re still my friends today. We’re still talking about how we miss it.</p>

<p>Outside of that, I do love the campus. It’s not red brick, collegiate gothic because it’s south Florida and it’s a heat/cost issue to do that kind of thing here. But it’s clean, it’s incredibly safe, the Breezeway keeps you out of the sun and the rain, the new Breezeway Cafe, bookstore, rec center (with pool) and a bunch of other cool stuff is coming online. It’s really exciting and when I go down to south Florida next week (I’m in Gainesville, which sucks) visiting campus is going to be one of my first priorities. </p>

<p>I also had some great conversations with professors and took some really interesting classes. Had nothing to do with my major (medicine) but still very interesting. Like a sociology class about sexism in Disney movies, a geography class called World of Wines with wine tastings, 3D art classes, paleontology, stuff like that. In fact, my paleo professor offered to buy me a beer one day.</p>

<p>So yeah. That’s why I’m here. Because I loved FAU. Not everybody did, but more and more people are feeling the way I do. The school’s seriously on the verge of exploding</p>

10

<p>Old Dean: uhm…i’m not jennifer o.o</p>

11

<p>Mike: yeah i was thinking about interviewing some nurses soon and thanks for that tip, i will definitely be looking into getting that book.</p>

<p>yuechen: wow, that site’s really helpful! thanks you(:</p>

<p>FAU: wow, with what you said, i’m seriously excited for FAU!
So you majored in medicine? What was hardest about that? Did you have to write a lot of papers…? o.o
I’m going to major in nursing and probably minor in biology, do you think that’s a good idea?</p>

<p>I’d love to take the classes you took, it seriously sounds fun(: i just hope i have as much fun in FAU as you did lol.
And I’m really looking forward to see the opening of the new stadium, i hear its going to be HUGE.
Was there anything you didn’t like about FAU?</p>

12

<p>easily:
Did I write a lot of papers? Sure, in the first two years of undergrad I wrote papers for classes such as College Writing, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, etc. Nothing too long… 3-5 pages usually. For the science part of my degree I mostly read Powerpoint packets and completed lab reports. </p>

<p>The hardest part was time management. You can’t learn 50 pages of biological terms two nights before an exam. Not even with copious amounts of coffee. School is your job. Classes aren’t very exciting but you’re there to get something done, get a career going. It’s serious business.</p>

<p>Thing is, people want to go to college to live out their elaborate fantasies from college movies. You know those people who don’t go to class and drink themselves into a stupor so they wake up on a lawn a couple days a week… those people often fail out of college. You can live life like that for a little while - especially if you’re in an easy major like Education or Health Promotion - but not every day for four years. You go hard and study, take the test, party, then go hard again.</p>

<p>Nursing is rigorous, especially Anatomy & Physiology. Realistically, if you can’t get in the top quartile of your class for A&P… you probably shouldn’t be a nurse (and will have difficulty getting into the official nursing school program). Take this from someone who taught nursing majors at FAU.</p>

<p>Also, you don’t need to minor in Biology as a nurse. That’s a waste of time, in my opinion.</p>

<p>The stadium is 30K seats. It is awesome! I’m getting my tickets to the opener this week.</p>

<p>Anything I didn’t like? Um… I didn’t like the unfair criticism it got from people who don’t know what they’re talking about. That was my main thing and it continues to bug me. That’s why I’m here now - to dispel some of the misunderstandings about what the school is and where it’s going. I believe FAU’s future is strong and there’s going to be a lot of awesome growth in the next 5-10 years.</p>

<p>Hope that helped.</p>