California State University-Long Beach Top Questions

Figure out what you want to really do first before you go and join a major blindly in a big rush to finish school. You will have saved time and money.

Go there and look around.

Do as much as you can. Get into clubs, play sports and make friends, it'll make your college experience that much better.

My advice to students trying to make the most out of college is to have an open mind. There is too much for any one person to learn in a lifetime, but if you allow yourself to listen and learn from those around you (especially your professors!), you will emerge from college with the knowledge and tools to function in the world. Don't be afraid to ask questions or talk to people.

It's hard for me to say because I feel that my experience has been atypical. I have no family helping me and have had to support myself and find ways to put myself thorugh school. I choose the school that I did based on location, affordability, and the major I wished to study. I don't spend much time on the social scene because away fom school I have to work. From my experiences I would say to not take the experience for granted.

If I were to give advice to future college-bound students I would tell them to complete plenty of research. I attended a community college prior to attending a university and I believe that was the best choice for me. I was initially undecided with a major and there was a community college near my house. With financial aid I was able to receive free tuition in addition to grants, which helped with unexpected expenses. My community college also offered an Applied Psychology course in which I completed many different tests that showed what kind of personality I have and what sort of professions match with my personality type. We had the opportunity to complete research on our future careers and this led me to my decision to become a registered nurse. My community college offered a nursing program, however, I knew I wanted a bachelor's degree and decided to transfer colleges. I was accepted into my university of choice and began the nursing program at that school a semester later. I am now in my final semester and believe I have had the best college experience I could have. I would not trade it for anythingin the world.

I would encourage both parents and students to do a great deal of research and to visit campuses. Check out various programs on campus that are available to incoming freshman and talk to student already on campus, if you can. In the end, the best advice I could give is to follow your gut instinct when choosing a campus. Go where you feel you will be happiest; you'll be far more likely to thrive.

Do your research when it comes to picking a college that is right for your son/daughter. If it is possible, take the tours of the campus and try to go to orientations that the colleges offer. If you are going on a scholarship, make sure that your son/daughter is the one picking the college of their choice that the scholarship is in. Parents/Students have to remember that the next 4 years will be a life change adventure and we want to all enjoy the outcome. The Parent and the Student should be researching diffrent colleges at least in the Junior year and it should no more than 4. I have found that to many colleges kind of get overwhelming and then you don't get the time to focus on the main ones. Keep it to a minimum and do your research talk to the counselors at school and use the web to your advantage. The one thing that should not get in the way, is if your student wants to attend college there is nothing in this world that should stop them from going. Everybody has the right to attend school.

study hard

Pick the school with the perfect learning atmosphere that matches you the best such as the place, the people and weather.