Baylor University Top Questions

Make sure you go to every college weekend that you can so you can get the feel of the campus and ask questions face to face.

I would tell parents to start saving and planning for their child's education as early as possible. This means make sure that their credit report is good, and that they save throughout the pre-college years. I would also tell parents to let their children make their own decisions about college, including, which one they want to attend, their major, the organizations they wish to join, and the activites they wish to engage in. I would tell students to start saving and planning as well. Please don't leave all the work to your parents. Apply for scholarships and grants, and try to stay away from loans if at all possible. I would also tell them that while it is important to concentrate on your academics, have a social life or you will regret it. The last thing that I would tell them would be to make friends that are of various ethnicities/races.

In order to find the right college, one must read student testimonials, not pamplets or online guides because those are going to make the campus look its best. Also, campus visits are always a good thing to do because it gives a feel for what the campus is like. Also, at school, one needs to find a good balance between school and fun, without sacrificing the grades. College is not meant to be all fun all the time, just like its not meant to be all work all the time.

My advice to parents is to have you child attend a community college first to see if they are truly ready for college studies or not. If they are truly ready for college studies they will concentrate on their studies and not so much on partying. My advice for students is also for you to attend community college and get the basics out of the way before attending a big college/university. It is easier for the student and easier on the parent's pocket book. My advice for making the most of the college experience is to get the basics out of the way cheaper and easier so that when you do get into the college/university you can relax a little and enjoy the courses in the subject that is in your field of study.

Speaking from experience, my biggest piece of advice is to choose the college that is best for the student and not another family member or friend. Choosing a college is one of the most important decision. This campus is the one that will provide the knowledge that you will use the rest of your life in your career. Become involved on your campus and reach out and meet as many different people as you can. I say this so that you can truly find where you belong within your university and those will be the people that will grow with you. God will help provide guidance with this process, so my advice is to listen and see where He takes you.

Find out as you aon as you can what books are needed for class and buy them online at sites such as Amazon.com or Half.com you'll save several hundred dollars

Visit every college that interests you, for the most part, you just know which one you feel like you should go to, it will just feel like home.

Students and parents searching for a school should have an idea of what they want in a school before they start looking. Once they have a good idea of what they are looking for, they should not settle for anything less. There are alot of really good schools out there and just because something seems convenient doens't make it the right one. Besides things like programs offered, size of the school, extracurricular activities avaliable, ranking of the school, and price of the school, the prospective students should also consider the focus of their potential classmates, the relationship of the faculty to the students and the history of the school and the alumni as well as their goals for the future.

Parents: let your kids decide. You may think you KNOW where they should go, but in the long run it is for your kid's best interest that they make their own decision

Some advice I could give is let the student visit campus and hang out with college students. Also, make sure there is plenty of fun things to do in the city. College is supposed to be the best time of your life and every opportunity to learn something new should be available. Also, find a college that is enthusiastic about helping freshmen fit in and offers a variety of different activities. I would also look at variety of class options, building operation hours, attendance policies, and other small details that can make a huge difference in a college student's day. Overall, the best advice I could give is to assure the student that college is what you make of it. You can end up at a college that isn't necessarily a perfect fit for you and you can still make it the best experience you've ever had. The goal is to find your niche and blossom from relationships, learning, and new experiences.