California State University-Fullerton Top Questions

Decide what colleges you are interested early on. That way you have time to go and do campus tours and you can investigate more around the campus itself. Try as much as possible to do on campus housing your first year or more, and be involved with activities on campus. This will really help out with adapting to living on your own quickly, and it's a lot better of an experience to have roommates you are friends with then are just simply living with. In high school try to make sure and do lots of extra curriculars too, so one, you're used to balancing your schedule, and two, you are eligible to apply for more scholarships. The more financially prepared you are for college the more enjoyable it will be. It's no fun to be stressing out about being able to afford your next semester. And finally be prepared to study! Teach yourself early, not to procrastinate- it'll eliminate a LOT of unnecessary stress in the long run.

First of all, don't be lazy in college... Ever. Second of all, never just settle for a college, always aim high and hit low (with a chance of getting into a prestigious institution) rather than aim low and hit high. I was lazy and didn't want to write personal statements / essays for college applications (yes, the real ones that matter) and now, I'm stuck with Cal State Fullerton. Don't ever follow my foot-steps. For parents: never lie to your kids about drugs and sex. If you tell them that doing cocaine will make you feel bad and they try it and actually feel good, you have just officially invalidated ALL your future statements. Every person I knew about whose parents told them the TRUTH about all things deemed evil may have experimented with them but have never became an addict / junkie. In fact, I encourage parents to keep the drug problems in the house rather than outside. If children associated all the bad things with "parent-okayed," they tend to not rebel and pursue them actively. Lastly, don't take college OVERLY seriously and learn to use moderation in life. That's all.

Balance the cost of the campus along with the majors it offers, the safety of the campus, and your attraction to its location. You have to like what you're getting, but be responsible, too.

Make sure to do the necessary research of every school you look into. You do not want to end up somewhere that does not satisfy your interests or needs.

pick a school that is great for your major. sometimes the school you think you are supposed to go to is not the right one. visit the school and see how you feel there and get talk to people who have been there to see whattheir opinions are, particulary students who are in your desired major.

The most important thing to consider is if the college offers the major you want. The school should also be in a good location. The most important factor of location is how safe the city is. You might want to look at on and off-campus housing; does the school provide enough? And lastly, how nice or beautiful the campus is could also be a decision factor.

The advice I would give to parents and students is that they research everything they can on the college. By researching they can find about clubs, sports and majors that are given at the college. Once all the research is done narrow it down to a few colleges and then go visit them. Most colleges have a tour they give of the college. This is helpful because you can ask the guide any questions you have about enrolling and fees. I also recommend that you interact with students and ask them how they like the college. To get the most out of the college experience you would have to join a sport, sorority/fraternity, or club. Being around people that have the same interests as you can help you get adjusted to the college. It also nice to always have people to go to when you need advice on what classes to take and show you around campus. The best advice I can give to parents/students is to get familiar with the campus. Also, to get the most out of the college experience I would recommend that you join campus activities to meet people and help you around campus.

Deciding which college to attend can be a difficult disicion for anyone, especially if he or she is not sure what they want to study. Even those who "know" what they want to study in college usually change their minds before graduation. When trying to decide which school to choose I would suggest that everyone visit the school and the surrounding area. Often times a students first choice isn't their first choice after a visit. On the other hand many students last choice college becomes the campus that they feel the most comfortable at after they take a trip there. Students should also make sure to look at the area surrounding the school. Chances are they may live off campus during school or even find a job in the area upon graduation. Students should make sure that they like the surrounding area. Throughout the process students should consider many factors including major, reputation, cost, location, social life, etc., but in the end the student needs to pick the school where they feel the most comfortable, not the school their parents urge them to attend. Student should make their own choice in the coming of age experience.

I would suggest that parents and students learn to take advantage of community college classes to help them discover what they would like to study. Take a look at the number of students per classroom as well as what type of instructors teach at the school (all part-time faculty or more tenured). This can help you determine the types of professors/teaching styles you will likely encounter. Get involved in a club or extra-curricular sports team (like a frisbee team or an engineering club) they do fun activities that often help you to make friends and also often involve the community. Take advantage of free events the school offers such as music concerts, local bands, movie nights, etc. This saves money and gives you a sense of school spirit and a chance to meet people. Also, be sure you can balance your social life with your studies. Don't just keep your nose in books, but don't just hang out or party - it is important for your college experience to have a healthy social life while keeping your main focus on studies.

If possible, live on campus.