Katherine
To get the most out of your college experience, head the following advice: Study the subjects that you genuinely enjoy. Find a department that has a strong sense of community, and that is a good fit for you. Talk to your professors. Take more classes with your favorite profs. Study hard, and make yourself better. Ignore your homework to become better friends with someone. Party, but don't let partying be your whole life. Sleep. Get to know the community and the area outside of campus. Let the things you are learning affect you, change you. Consider your own privilage. Read for class (at least some of the time). Ask for help, if you get depressed. Stay up all night with your friends. Participate in at least one corny school tradition (jump into a pond through a hole in the ice in Febuary). Live with people you like. Don't graduate thinking the same way you thought as a freshman.
Joel
Look for a college that will provide as broad and diverse an education as possible. In this day and age, it is important to be able to think critically about many different things. A broad and diverse education, like one provided from a liberal arts school, enables one to better contribute to society.
anthony
College students are explorers. They explore themselves, each other, and the world. Make sure you pick a college that encourages exploration, but also one that helps you find your way if you get lost. These are some of the most formative years of your life. Put yourself in a place that will help you become you.
Pick a campus that you'll be comfortable on.
Do what you want to do, and don't worry too much. You'll figure out the balance between academic life and social life when that's what becomes important to you.
Meet lots of people-- some of them may be your friends well into adulthood.
Open your mind and let it learn. That's what college is for.
Aaron
Look around, don't be easily satisfied. Make sure you've found the best college for you. Once you've found the right college, go for it. Also, make the most off your college experience. Get involved with as much as you can; if something interests you, at least go to one meeting. The more you get involved, the more you'll get out of your college.
Amanda
I would advise people to seek out a place that is academically challenging, but provides the major and learning environment desired to the student. I advise getting away from one's own hometown and experience the world outside of what they already know. Don't be afraid to travel abroad. Liberal Arts colleges are great if a person is unsure about what they want to do with their life. Community colleges are inexpensive and most credits will transfer to a university. This is cost effective and a smart decision that still provides for a good education. Don't be afraid to try new things and be open minded. Your college experience is what you make of it!
Paul
My first recommendation to students searching for the right college is to visit as many as possible. Spending time on the campus was the most informational factor in my personal choice. A student should also consider the quality of program that the college offers for their intended major. Not all students consider distance from home extremely important because each person values contact with family in a different way; however, For parents, other information is much more valuable. Total Cost and availability of financial aid of the school are very important.
Kari
Go with what feels right and with something that has a lot of opportunities.
Perry-David
Whether you are already 90 percent sure of where you want to go or you have no idea where to start looking, you should go to collegeboard.com. You can do searches there in which you are questioned as to what you are looking for in your college. You can be as specific, or non-specific as you like and if you have an account there, you can even save your searches for looking at them later. It can be a very helpful resource in narrowing down your options and/or providing you with a few extra. Parents, be supportive, but make extra effort not to be intrusive, once your kid has started college. Students, make the most of your time. Go out, get to know people, get outside, do extra-curricular activities, play sports, and have fun, but don't neglect your education. Try to stay ahead of your classes, because you'll get better grades and it's difficult to catch up once you start to fall behind. Have study sessions with classmates. It's a great motivator and usually helps you retain things better too. Just don't forget to relax and enjoy yourself every so often.
Daniel
There are so many schools out there, and you may never be sure if you picked the right school. I have a friend that has been to 3 different colleges in 2 years, and has liked every one of them. Make the most informed decision you can for the situation that you are in at that point in your life, and eventually everything will all work out for the better if you stay focused and ambitious.
Ben
make sure you apply to alot of different colleges unless you know exaclty what your looking for. College is what you make of it. There are plenty of oppertunities to find an activity to get involved in so find an extra-curricula activity you enjoy and join a group, it helps with meeting new people and learning more about the college