Appalachian State University Top Questions

To be the most effective in college, parents do not need to rush their child off to college if they are not ready. This includes if the child does not know what they might want to do with their life and with their career. By attanding college for the sake of "attending college," one is setting themselves up for a rough and rocky college experience. The child must be ready to take on all aspects of college life and if they are not there is a great possibility that they will not achieve their maximum potential. I went into college believing that I would have all the time I needed to figure out what I wanted to do as a career and by the time I realized what it was that I wanted to do, it was late in my college experience. Now I am having to struggle with getting classes when I need them to graduate and financial aid is hard to come by. If a child needs to take a semester or year off to find out what it is that they need and want out of life, then that is the best thing that they can do.

Start with everything. Have a list or book of every possibility. From there start to work down the list to a handful, by eliminating schools based on location, size, courses offered, price, and student life. Many students will choose or not choose a school that they actually know little about just because they have heard a couple of offhand comments. It is good to take into account what others before you have experienced, however what?s true for one person in one year, may not be for you and in the next. Exhaust all your options, do the research, because the time you put in will be well worth it, not only placing yourself at a great school that fits you best, but also giving you the comfort of knowing that you have made the right decision, which will keep you focused and in the school you have chosen, well on your way to graduation.

Parents should not choose the school for their child. The student will end up spending the next 4 or 5 years of his/her life at an institution so it should at least be a school he/she acutally likes. Visit Visit Visit! All schools sound amazing on paper, but until its right in front of you, you cannot make the greatest opinion about it. Think about all possible majors you might want to pursue. Do not pick a school based on the one major you are in love with; try to pick one with multiple backups. It is totally okay to feel nervous or scared during orientation or the first day of classes. It gets easier. Try to get involved in a club or activity you like or you think you might like. College is all about experimentation and trying new things. Just do it. Make all kinds of friends from different walks of life. They help you grow. Do not stay in your dorm room all day. Making the most out of your college experience does not mean you have to compromise yourself. Be who you are, and you will have fun. Its a fact.

The most important consideration is the prospective student's approach to the world of collegiate academics. Unlike the suppressive public school systems, colleges do not enforce student particpation for participation's sake. University resources, professors, and students are all encouraging to the learning process, but it is ultimately up to the student to decide the value of their educational experience. In my experience, academic (and overall) satisfaction at the collegiate level is correlative with academic interest. Most all professors are more than willing to help students outside of class on matters concerning both academic success but also personal success as well. I have never felt encouraged than by the atmosphere of my university. There was a time when I never thought I'd make it through highschool. During that time, "education" represented an opressive "system." My presence at a university has helped changed my point of view entirely. Only four years of college? Why not a lifetime? How can I afford that? Setting also plays a crucial role, and is an extremely important consideration in deciding which college to attend. But ultimately I feel that an interest in learning, enthusiasm, and persistence, are the key to a successful college experience.

Trust your instincts.

Visit all the colleges you are looking into, and when you are there go talk to people. Meet and talk to a few professors you see. go eat on and off campus, the campus food will be your life when living on campus so make sure you can eat it for days on end but remember you can cook and eat off campus too, so check out that area. most importantly look at the weather, really hot or cold and be prepared! do get there and 2 months later have it be snowing and have no winter clothes and be mad because you don't like the weather, you are living there about 9 months at a time. Look into the extra-curricular activities and think about which ones you would join and the others that you would meet in those groups. to successed you have to met and others and have friends, joining groups are the best way outside of classes. The student has to plan what they will do and how they will successed once they get to college, then the student the put their plan into motion to get the most out of their college experience.

Honestly, try to figure out what your needs are before you start looking, but don't limit yourself to what you think those needs are. A lot of students come to my college - even though it doesn't fit the specifications that they had when they first started looking at schools - just because they got a sense that this was where they were supposed to be. If possible, go and tour the schools you're looking at - and if that's not possible, try to talk to students who have attended that college or university. Also, if you have an idea of what you want to do as a career before you start looking into colleges that will help you narrow your search too because you can ask your teachers about schools they would recommend for your field. The best way to "make the most" of your college experience is to try and be free to trying new things. The entirety of the college experience is new, so take the chance and push yourself. This is the best way to start figuring out who you really are, by discovering parts of yourself that you might have never known otherwise.

Visit the college first and try to talk to someone who has been there or is going there now.

Appalachian State University is a small school nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina. The campus is quaint and tight knit, fostering a real sense of community among students. Class sizes are small and there is great opportunity for students to make as much of their educational experience as they are willing to put into it. Our football team has been doing exceptionally well the past three years that I have attended the university, and I hope they will continue to be a legacy for years to come. Freshman students especially have a good time here as the town itself is easily accessible by foot and the school provides too many opportunities to get to know other students. No, I kid, but there really are lots of club info sessions and freshman seminar groups to help students make lasting bonds with one another and explore the opportunities that university life has to offer. I would recommend students enter the university undeclared and find the academic pursuit that best fits them after a few years of general study, and I would not be surprised if while attending this school you develop a real passion and enthusiasm for the outdoors.

Choosing the right university is a monumetnal decision in the life of a modern student. Choosing the university that fits a student best is vital in order to succeed in the social and academic setting, however selecting the right university is not necessarily everything. I truly believe any student can do well in nearly any college setting, given the right attitude and determination. While life will surely be easier in a place that seems to relate to a student best, the right mindset is the main determining factor in making the most of the college experience.