John
Unless you know exactly what you want to do and know exactly where you want to go to do it, pick a school based on it's environment and people. Such a choice will make you generally happier and a passion is sure to follow happiness wherever you choose to go to school.
Charlene
Get involved!! Get involved with your campus even if its just a job on campus get involved. Choose the college that fits you best not your parents or siblings but you, and know what you want when going to the campus of choice. Know what your goals are and maybe even have a tentative how to get there list. If you choose a college because it fits you its more fun for you too.
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John
The best advice I could give students and parents about college admissions is applying to a number of different schools. I applied to four the fall of my senior year of high school, but wish I had applied to more. If you have great hs grades, shoot for the stars, but if you don't make reasonable choices. Also, a number of factors influence how far the school should be from the students home. Financing was a big part of my scenario so I only applied to colleges in my home state of WA. And lastly, I would stress that families visit the schools the student is considering to ensure that the campus feels comfortable. Most importantly, make sure the student feels that he/she will gel with the size and culture to campus life.
Danielle
The advice I would give kids and students on finding the perfect college would be; first go and visit the school. In order for you to be happy, you need to be happy with your surroundings. Stop and talk with studenst, ask them questions. Such as, how do you like your class sizes, how is the weather around here, are the proffesers good? These questions will help you in making your decision. Also look at what type of majors are available at the college. Are you going to have to transfer later on? This is very important when you are looking into your future.
I would also tell kids to go to college on their own and not with a friend or group of friends. The best part about college is meeting new people and finding who you truely are . You will find a new group of friends and they will be the best people you have ever met. You dont want a friend tying you down from what and who you truely want to become. Go to the right college for you, not your friends.
Overall, be open to new things and have fun.
Felicia
Advice that I would give to the parents of future college students is to help guide your kids. Give them advice and suggest ideas about what might be best for them but do not force your kids to apply where you want. Parents must keep their kid's interest at heart at all times. My advice to the students is to listen to your parents but do not be pressured to apply to the college your parents want you to go to. If it does not suite you, you should not waste your college years being miserable. Going to the right college will help you discover what you want to do in life. Don't give up that chance just to please everyone but yourself. When you reach college, you must make the effort to meet new people. The easiest way to meet people are talking to your neighbors, or going to group events. Having friends makes the college experience better, so don't be shy. Do your best in classes. Even though you are on your own, it is up to you to get the best education. Finally, get out there. Work on campus, join a club, be social.
Melissa
In order to find the right college, it is imperative for prospective students and their parents to research and visit all desired colleges before making a final decision. In addition, the university's selection of majors as well as the location, price, alumni involvement, and networking capabilities are extremely important. If students are undecided about their major, Individuals must recognize how far they are ready to move away from their family as well as how college will be paid for and if they will be able to establish good relationships/connections that will help their career prosper after college.
College allows open-minded individuals to grow personally and academically, but it is important to remember the family values that were first established. As a full-time student with a full-time job, I have worked hard at fulfilling my college experience by choosing the activities I attend carefully. While memories from unnecessary social events fade, the knowledge I have gained from class discussions, favorite professors, volunteering, and clubs over the past four years will remain for a lifetime. Above all, the friendships established will prove more valuable than anything ever learned from a textbook.
Anne
When you are looking at colleges the students should decide based on what they want in a college. It should have to matter what parents and friends and girlfriends/boyfriends feel. The student should look inside themselves and decide what they feel is truely right for them. Because when they get to the college level, those friends could change and you need to decide whether you would like the college without anyone else. And those parents should be supportive of their kids no matter where they want to go, help your students choose what will truely make them happy.
Mackenzie
Finding the right college is knowing what you want to do in life, what your interests are, and just go off of basic instinct. You need to go to a college that has a few majors you may be interested and could see yourself doing as a future career. Dont waste your time at a college that doesnt have what you want. Also, what drew me to CWU was that there was a rodeo team, and that won me over, as I am very active with my horses. But there are many clubs here that could interest anyone. Picking the right college depends on how you feel about the college after looking around and doing your research on it. I picked a medium sized college because it wasnt as intimidating as WSU was, for instance. Not to mention, CWU is gorgeous, as its campus is made of brick buildings. It seemed very homey and a place I could adjust to quickly, and I did!
To make the most out of college - get involved with clubs, sports, activities, ANYTHING. Now is the time to have the time of your life, so live it!
Jamie
Most importantly, take your time. Start looking as early as sophomore year just for possibilities and VISIT them. The campus is a huge part in deciding if you like a college or not. Look into your main interests based on the size, academic availability, major availability, sports teams, life surrounding the campus, and the overall feel of the campus and town. To make the most out of your expereince, learn and take in as much as you can, but still have an amazing time. Meet new people and do new things as much as you can! EXPLORE!
Jonathan
My advice to students about finding the right college is to not just follow your friends by applying to the same colleges they are, but to rather go after the colleges that will give you the kind of education and experiences you most sought after! I say this because you will meet so many new students that love the same things you do in just your first days at any university, that you should really only be concerned about being where you truly want to be.
Once you have achieved your goal and start attending the college of your choice, really make the most of your experience by digging deep and discovering all the school has to offer. For example, the school I attend is all about the outdoors, which i love. They offer everything from fishing to river rafting to even rock climbing! By taking advantage of these opportunites, I have really found out a lot about the person I really am and has helped me in choosing my major. All in all, go where you sincerely want to and do not be afraid to try new things even if your not sure you will like them. Good Luck!