Brochures, Facebook and websites are great ways to learn about colleges and universities, but a campus visit is the only way to experience what life on a campus is really like.
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is welcoming high school sophomores and juniors to spend a day on campus for Meet Milwaukee on Friday, May 2, or Friday, July 18.
Events start at 8:30 a.m. and run through 3:30 p.m. Students can register online by going to the UWM home page at uwm.edu and clicking on the link to Meet Milwaukee (meetmilwaukee.uwm.edu).
High school students visiting campus on either of these days will have a chance to get the inside scoop on campus life from current students, talk with advisers, tour the campus and its residence halls, and learn about the many majors UWM offers – some of them unique in Wisconsin and even in the U.S.
The university also offers a wide array of online courses, with more than 35 percent of students enrolled in at least one online or hybrid class.
A visit to campus can give high school students a real feel for the university and its many opportunities.
UWM’s location on Milwaukee’s East Side gives students easy access to the city’s sports and music events, festivals and internship opportunities.
And, the Lake Michigan beaches are only five minutes away.
With its own Pantherfest, Division I sports teams and more than 300 student organizations, the university offers plenty of social and entertainment activities on or near campus.
The Panther family includes nearly 28,000 students of all ages and backgrounds.
Last year’s freshman class was the most diverse ever, with 30 percent students of color. Students come from 49 states, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
More than 1,300 international students represent 83 different countries.
And, with 1,400 enrolled veterans, service members and their dependents, UWM educates more of those who’ve served their country than any other university in Wisconsin.
The Princeton Review named UWM a “2014 Best in the Midwest” university, based on overall academic excellence and student reviews.
Student Success
UWM focuses on helping students succeed. For example, new students can request a mentor – either a student peer or a staff member.
The Student Success Center (ssc.uwm.edu) is a one-stop shop to help all first-year, transfer and returning adult students handle the academic and personal challenges of that transition year.
It offers services like free tutoring through Panther Academic Support Services (PASS) at numerous locations around campus.
Besides PASS, there is additional help available for all students at the Writing Center’s two locations.
Also, UWM’s Academic Opportunity Center provides extra support to students who need to develop their academic skills and adjust to university life.
Unique learning opportunities
For a truly powerful college experience, UWM offers a number of unique learning opportunities for undergraduates:
• UWM’s Honors College gives motivated undergraduates choice coursework with extra support, like small class sizes, an Honors study room at the Golda Meir Library, the newly opened Honors Hall and special advisers.
• First-year Learning Communities: The university’s Living Learning Communities (LLCs) bring together groups of students with similar academic interests to occupy the same floor of the residence halls.
Some professors actually hold office hours and teach where students live.
• The Office of Undergraduate Research encourages students to get involved in research early.
Students are paired with faculty researchers in a shared field of interest, giving them the opportunity to experience what graduate students do.
Money matters
The Meet Milwaukee days will also give students a chance to meet with financial advisers for information about paying for their education.
Financial aid takes a variety of forms, from scholarships and grants (which don’t have to be repaid), to fixed-rate, low-interest loans and federal work-study options.
For more information about UWM and other campus visit opportunities, contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at contact.uwm.edu (live chat, email, call, mail or connect to social media from one location!)