California State University-Sacramento Top Questions

Don't sacrifice the college experience for financial reasons. I worked my way through school and am happy that I did so. My only regret is working to much and not focusing fully on my studies and campus experiences. Find a balance between part-time work and financial aid. A student who is working part time while going to school will generally be better at time management and prioritizing. Also evaluate financial aid based on what your expected earnings are projected to be. Be smart about taking on debt for and education and think about how you'll be able to pay it off in the future. When investigating campuses, take a look at the clubs. Joining a club that focused on my chosen career path really helped me focus my academic pursuits and gave me direction regarding my career. Above all, have fun and get involved with the students on campus. The college experience is enjoyable and challenging. Grab hold of it and you'll remember those years fondly.

The best advice I could give parents and/or students when searching for the right college would be to tell them that education is important to the future of the student, but the most expensive colleges are not imparative. Many professors that teach at California State University of Sacramento also teach at U.C. Davis and community colleges in the surrounding areas. If universities are not affordable to the family of the student then the student can recieve a good education at a community college where they can take advantage of the financial aid programs. The college experience is up to the student. Once they find the college that they want to attend, their education needs to be taken seriously. I have found that although students and/or their families may be paying for their education, many students do not perform to the best of their abilities. Those that enter into college with a positive attitude always end with a success story to tell, whether it be a high GPA or a lifetime's worth of knowledge.

Choose a school with lots of thouht into it.

Find some place that has what you are looking for. Meet some students and teachers before making your decision.

The best adivice I can provide is to remember that the quality of one's education depends almost entirely upon the person, and very little on the univerusty itself. It's a tremendous accomplishment to be accepted into Harvard or Yale, but if you're family can't afford it then don't waste your child's time or your money. Most people discover within one semester to a year that the financial obligation is too much to handle, and young adults find themselves returning home and attending a community college with a sense of failure and dejection. Instead, start with the community college. It's cheap, fairly good quality (enough for your GE), and you wil gain automatic entrance into top state universities. As far as making the most of your experience, well, stay open-minded and don't be afraid to take classes or join groups that interest you. Do take at least one hands on art class. It's one of the few opportunities you'll find to talk to/get to know your classmates while doing class work without becoming too distracted. It's how I met my rommmate and found the job of my dreams.

First of all, think about what you would like to be doing for the rest of your life, or at least a big part of it. It should be something that you enjoy. I would ask people around me: at home, work, school, store, waiting in line, etc. The more information you get the better it is. Then, when you think you found a particular area that you want to go in, get an internship or a part time job as an assistant in that field. That way you can see if you like doing it every day. Once, you realized that you like it and want to get a degree in that field, research about the closest universities to your home. If you stay close to home, you can save a lot of money on living expenses. If you don't like any of those, you can definitely check others. Once, you get in college, put all you can into studying. Forget about parties for those 4-5 years. If right now you live like noone else, later you will live like noone else!!! I think, this is the only way to success. Good luck!

When it comes to college, the sooner you begin to plan, the better. Freshman year is the perfect time to begin thinking about future college plans. I made the mistake of waiting to think about college until my senior year and spent several months wooried that I would not get into the college of my choice. Monitor deadlines carefully and plan admittance essays. you will save yourself and or your child a major headache. But, the planning should not end here. Seriously consider potential career and major choices. This will help you get the most out of your college experience. I wasted plenty of time in college because I entered with no major and no set plans. Thus said, I will graduate after 5 years as opposed to 4. Being young, it is often difficult to make rigid goals, so they do not have to be rock solid. Simply give yourself a guideline to follow and a major and minor with several possible career options that you enjoy. Looking back, high school is where the planning for college should begin, and senior year is too late. Plan for the future before the furure becomes the present.

Be sure to look at mulitple options and visit each campus. Just because your student may think one college is where they want to go visiting the campus may change their mind completely. Also, take into consideration what they'll want to be doing along with going to school, extracurricular activities or jobs, and see if the campus is located in a good area to achieve these things. Choosing the college isn't about location (beach or mountains), or where your friends are going, its about the education and experience they are going to get if they attend there. Lastly, let them choose the college they think is going to be right for them, after careful consideration of each campus. Remember that this is their decision, and you can have your "no's" but remember that they are adults and this is one of the first steps into their responsible, adult lives. If you let them research and discuss each campus with you, together you will find the college that fits your family.

I would tell them to pick a campus that is pretty and well groomed. also find a college where the atmosphere outside of the campus is good. they will be doing a lot of stuff off campus has to be safe and clean.

More than anything, I suggest waiting until you are really ready to go to a University. There is a lot of pressure these days to go to school immediately after high school, but only a very small number of people really know what they want to study at that age. Take time visiting campuses and getting to know yourself before you dedicate yourself to a school- remember, you will be spending at least 4 years of your life there, and each school has its own set of strengths and weaknesses which will, in turn, effect your experience. Research each school thoroughly before making a decision. This means visiting the school, talking with teachers and students and reading reviews. If possible, consider taking general education requirements at a community college before moving on to the University. They're cheaper and more flexible, and give you a chance to take classes in different areas and explore things you may be interested before you commit your time, energy and money into a degree. Take your time, experiment, explore, research. You don't want to waste money changing majors and transferring if you chose a school or major that's not right for you.