Tony
Visit the campus first, while school is in session and also while class is not in session. Ask around about the campus, as students how they feel about the campus, talk to professors or administrators, research the location and the neighborhoods or surrounding areas.
Carmen
Focus on academic and collegiate experience goals. Choose the school with a strong academic and career-oriented program for your chosen major. Consider campus safety, environment, and services available. For freshmen, consider living in campus housing for a great experience!
Heather
Make sure you have contacts for a job before you leave campus. Make friends with the people graduating the year before you in your program, because they might have job contacts you need later.
Chelsea
Make sure to visit every college and find where you feel comfortable. I think it is really important to feel comfort as soon as you walk on the campus, considering college is one of the most exciting yet biggest change in anyone's life. Moving away from everything you have known your whole life is hard so a place where you feel like you belong is very important. Also involvement is key to any student going on to college. I have been on both sides of the involvement spectrum and being involved has changed my whole college experience, for the better. Being involved allows for moe opportunities that are key to success like, friends, networking, fun, support and encouragement and just memories! All the people who have fun stories from college were stories that they have because they were involved in something. It's the begining of the journey of finding yourself, put yourself out there and be confident in who you are and what you can do and you become very surprised at what you can accomplish.
Ashley
Choose what it is your interested in. Then find a school that can offer that. Whether it be living in a large city, small town, a commuter school close to home, inexpensive, small, big, sports teams, frats or sororities, on campus living, party, study, in and out in 4 years. What college experience do you want to have?...its all out there.
Brendan
visit the college first even if you think it is the right choice in the first place, the visit will either confirm your choise or change it for the the better
Giana
Visit the campus during a time when students are there, walk around the campus and talk to other students.
Dana
I would first of all advise students to not let friends influence their decision. Wanting to be close to friends and family could possibly get in the way of the student attending the college that will truly make them happy. Secondly, I would advise parents to not discourage a college a student is truly passionate about because that is where they will do best. As far as making the most of the college experience goes, I would advise students to not go home too often. From the first day, they should break down their barriers and begin meeting new people. The most important thing to remember is that no matter who you were in primary and secondary school, college is a chance to be a new you and erase any characteristics about yourself you wished to change in high school. Lastly, if something is calling a student, be it a place or a major, they should follow it because that is the only way they will ever be truly happy and successful.
Brian
Attend a J.C. for your GE requirements, then transfer. Work and go to school, makes you grow up faster and you are more grateful. Don't procrastinate to get your education. Manage your time and get your degree in what you want, not what everyone wants you to get it in. Repect each other and respect yourself!
Laurie
When you are in high school, you tend to not apply to schools because you think you won't get it, or because you don't want to pay the application fees. My advice would be to apply to all schools you are interested in and could see yourself at, even if you spend a few hundred dollars on application fees. School already costs thousands of dollars, but you can't get in to that school that will cost you thousands unless you apply. You never know if you will be chosen, if if you think you don't have a high enough GPA or enough community service. You can't get in to a university unless you apply. You want to be able to have all the possible choices available to you so you will make the right decision and be able to enjoy your college years learning and developing to get to where you want to be in life.