California State University-Long Beach Top Questions

Location, location, location. As a hospitality management major, I have learned that location is a key component of success in the industry. Along with many other factors, this also applies to the education system. 4,216 colleges within 50 states have been established to fit the needs of every college-bound student, each having something unique to offer. In finding the perfect college you need to make a list of criteria that you feel your school should meet to fit your needs. BE PICKY! Making the right choice will have a large impact on your future. Choosing a location that you will enjoy and a college community that you will feel welcomed in should be among your top criteria. Getting involved through clubs, sports, the Greek system, or the dorm life will help you make the most of your college experience. It will offer you the chance to meet people that will be a part of your life forever. There may be millions of students like yourself searching for the perfect school and thousands of prestigious colleges to choose from, but there is only one school for you that will offer an infinite number of possibilities for your future success.

Choose the school that best compliments your ideals, planned major, and future hopes. Try to have fun or at least entertain yourself for the next four years of your life. It'll be worth it in the end.

Talk to multiple current students on a campus visit! That is the best way to find out the "true" campus story.

Make sure the school of choice provides various help like, computer access, tutoring, parking, transportation, and other resources. Many colleges are known for having excellent programs when choosing a major. Students should consider what school would best fit their major by researching the school. Other things to consider is the school surrounded with accessible grocery stores, hospitals, police, and activities.To get the most of your school it would be good to participate in school events like going to sport games, plays, dance halls, and music presentations.

I would say that to FIND a school that fits you, go to a school and take part of the campus tours that they offer. Interview the students that you run into (that don't look like they're in a hurry to get to class!) and see if you can sit in on a lecture that is somehow related to the major you want to declair. Check out the campus layout, walk around and get a feel for it. Once you are enrolled in the school you choose, I would highly recommend getting involved in extracuricular activities and clubs. Take part in the society that is well-known in your major, get to know the other students in your classes and form study groups, and have FUN on campus! There are so many great things to experience that you may not have even heard about! Just make sure you set aside enough money to support your coffee habit that you're about to develop!

Visit the college, speak with people who go there, evaluate who gave you the adivce. In the end college is what you make of it.

Each college offers different experiences to those that attend it, however many simply coast through the college years without becoming involved in their campus. A college experience is only as memorable as one tries to make it. It is simple to show up daily to classes and just go to school. it is when students become involved in academic learning communities, Greek life, Intramural sports, Associated Students Incorporated, and the many things that their campus offers that college will become most memorable. Many schools offer stellar programs in multiple areas but these same schools also only provide an education, causing students to graduate without making the most of their college experience. Choosing a college should not only depend on the academic excellence each school offers but also the campus community that exists in each college. In order to make the most of school students must put time not only into their studies but also into seeking out programs which fit them best and allowing them to release the exponential potential of their college experience. In short, a memorable college future awaits, will you choose to grab hold of the opportunities that await you or simply let them pass?

My best advice to students is to visit the colleges that you are interested in before making a decision. I ended up picking a school that was not originally my first choice because I visited it and instantly felt right at home. Just as important as the school itself are the campus and the area, because you are not only choosing where you will go to school for the next four years, but also where you will be living for four years of your life. A school may be considered less prestigious, or might not be as high on the list of your personal choices, but it could turn out to be the perfect fit if you give it a chance and visit it. Also, when you visit, try to talk to other students or plan a visit for a busy time in the semester so that you can get the best feel for what campus life is really like. It really does make a difference.

visit the campus before going, read all of the perks and facts about the college, never give up

Go to a community college for your first two years, it saves a ton of money and gives you more time to figure out what career path you want to take. Make sure you visit the schools and talk to people on campus about their experiences with the school itself, eg. finiancial aid and courses, and also about the social life eg. frats/sororities. Also, if you can, live on campus your first year, it is so much easier to make friends this way.