Azusa Pacific University Top Questions

DON'T PANIC! The right school will become apparent to you. Just keep visiting as many different campuses as you can, spend the night in the dorm, if possible, and take a lot of tours. If you panic through this process, stress can cloud your vision of you or your child's potential future home. Relax, though it is a big decision, it CAN be an easy one to make. Also- get going on those scholarships NOW! It doesn't matter where you go, you will need that financial aid. Students- get a job! Parents- help your kids find good scholarships to start applying to! Not all scholarships require that you be a senior in high school to apply. Your financial situation will greatly weight your decision for a school.

One of the best pieces of advice I received from a friend in college as a senior in high school was that in visiting prospective schools, visit on non-preview days and don't act like a visitor. I did this when I visited my first choice school, the school I attend now. I am so glad I did. I saw classes, people, and the environment on a normal day and felt like I belonged. I was given smiles and help if I asked, and all the while this was assuming I was already a student there. Also, I would, as corny as it may sounds, make a comparison chart if you have a lot of choices to weed through. Ask friends already in college what little details they wished they'd investigated, or are glad that they did, such as availability of laundry facilities or the availability of food on weekends and alternatives in the area at local businesses. Overall, try to envision yourself as a student for a day, what all would make a perfect day there for you and if that campus facilitates what you need. You could really live there someday.

My advice for parents and students looking at colleges is to put the decision in God's hands. Check out several different colleges that you think you may be interested in and compare the pro's and con's of each, but in the end if you get stuck on where to go, pray about it. As for making the most of your college experience, one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give is to stay true to yourself. Find friends who have the same morals and are interested in the same things as you because if you try to be someone who you are not, you will not enjoy or fully enjoy your time in college. College is where you can find your best life-long friends so if you don't compromise your character you are much more likely to find others who are similar and worthy to be your friend for life.

Don't go into the process set on one school, and don't settle for a university where you don't feel at home(you'll be spending the next 4+ years here!!!). There is always a college out there with EVERYTHING the student and parent want, don't sell yourself, finances, or options short. Most colleges will give back to you in financial aid and academic assistance what you gave in the application process. Oh, and one more thing: visit the school, those pamphlets only highlight the best places on campus, and every school is only as good as its worst.

If you want to find the right college research all the possibilities. You want what's best for you (your child) academically, emotionally, mentally, and physically. Visit the campuses and take a tour or talk to some of the students there. A huge factor is financial aid, so I would check out how much the school is willing to give to. Also, pray. Trust in God to guide you where He wants you to go. As far as making the most of your college experience, I encourage you to just immerse yourself in the culture of your college. Don't hold back. Let yourself be vulnerable to others. When you're vulnerable to others, they tend to let themselves also be vunerable to you. My biggest mistake was not going out there and looking for friends, social events, and ways to get involved. I stayed in my room and waited for those things to come to me. Also, join clubs and go to the events that your school organizes. Don't be afraid of being hurt or losing something or else you'll never do anything worth remembering. Be careful, but not paranoid. Seize every opportunity that comes your way.

Make soure that you are able to finance it and would want to stay there for four years.

In order for any prospective student to find a college that he/she will not only be successful both academically and in future endevors but also enjoy; one must look at the history of the school's success of programs offered, visit the actual campus and surrounding location, speak with professors faculty, and students, and be on the campus during "active hours" to experience the culture of the school and it's people.

Research, explore, find the right fit. Check out as many colleges as possible. Go visit on campus. Talk to people. Find what you are passionate about. You are much more likely to succeed in something that you love to do. Make friends. Friends push you to do better. They help you through. Above all, find joy in what you do.

The most important thing to do is to meet the people-the staff, students, faculty and professors! Money will work out if you want and need it to.

I would highly recommend visiting the school, more than once if you can. Utilize the opportunities they offer to meet with admissions counselors, visit classes, and if possible, stay on campus over night. These experiences will give you a more authentic flavor of campus life. If it is impossible to visit, ask as many questions as you can over the phone, look into making contact with current students to get their perspectives, and make sure to request a catalogue from the school. Because I was interested in attending a Christian university, learning about the faith community on campus and how I could be involved was very important to me. If you don't know what activities you are particularily interested in, take every opportunity to participate in the events on campus, espcially in the first few weeks. These are a great way to make friends and feel connected to the community, especially if you are attending a school far from home. In classes that you need motivation to attend, do the math to calculate how much you are paying for each session. If that doesn't work, find something that does because falling behind isn't fun. And, have fun!