Columbia College Chicago Top Questions

My advice for students looking for the right college would be to do reseach on your own as to what college you are looking for and what you are looking to get out of the college experience. Students do the research on your own at first. Know what you want before you get your parenst opinions. Sometimes parents can have a vision for you and that vision may not be what you want. Just have your research ready and know what you want to say before you tell your parents because if you dont your going to look undecisive and your parents wont take you seriously. Parents, have an open mind to what your child wants to do with his or her future. the route they may want to take may seem silly at first but if it consist of staying in school then your child is already making good decisions for themself. Also once your child is in school they need all the support from home that can be given. Always check up on your kid. It may seem like they fell off the face of the earth, but a call from "mom or dad" can never hurt.

Make sure you go somewhere that supports your interests and is the right learning environment for the student. If the student is unsure about school don't pressure them too hard, allow them some time to explore some avenues of interest. Too many of my friends in college who came for the wrong reasons wound up wasting their parents, or their own, money. They partied too much and it was usually because they weren't in the right environment, they were unhappy, or they just didn't care. Also, always go to the school to make sure it is what you expect check out housing, talk to students, and try to sit in a class or two.

Look for as many scholarships as you can find.

Don't choose a college without going to visit the institution first.

Finding the right college is a difficult task. Most importantly, parents and students need to be honest about what they are looking for in an educational institution, including academics, extracurriculars, and location. Personally, I think that in order to make the most of the college experience, the student should choose a school in the area where they would like to live after graduation because it is completely possible to become established in a career-based community during college. I also believe that study abroad is an extremely important part of the college experience, so, if a student is interested in pursuing those opportunities, they should be included when comparing schools. In order to make the most of the college experience, students need to feel comfortable with their schools and communities, and get involved! Socialization with other students who will later be working peers is beneficial both for the future and in the present.

Don't feel hurried to know what you want to do for the rest of your life. Relax. If you LET classes stress you out, they will. DON'T act like a naive child. But don't try to act like an arrogant jerk either. Both will get you into trouble. Now is your chance to feel uninhibited. Get out of your box. Experience life. Become who you want to be without the assistance of anybody else to tell you otherwise. Open your mind. Feel free to party, but don't let it run your life. It's called moderation for a reason. Too many kids get caught up in the scene and the social aspects of it. Before they know it, they're in the ER with poisoning or they've od'd (and don't die, if they're lucky). They're flunking out of college. And before you know it, they're out of school and working at Panera to pay off rehab bills. Sounds exaggerated, but it happens far too often. Make friends. Experience your area. Enjoy life and learn from it. Use caution. Refer to Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen lyrics for further advice.

There was one thing I feared the most about heading off to college and that was would I be able to afford to go to the college of my choice. I fell in love with Columbia College after I researched it online but my parents were still paying for my sister to go to college and I knew that even with the job I had we would still be struggling to make ends meet. My parents and I set up a meeting with an admissions advisor who gave us everything we needed to know and what we needed to look for and do to make sure I could go to this college. If you really want to do something, you'll do everything you can to do it. I commute on a train that takes about an hour and a half to get downtown and then I walk about thirty minutes to get to class. I also work to make sure I have money for books. It comes down to if your willing to sacrifice for a career you want to pursue and your parents are willing to help every now and then, then you've made the right choice.

Don't just pick the schools that your friends are going to or schools that your parents think are best for you. Do your research and search for a school that best fits you as a person and fits the learning curriculum you would like to learn in. Also don't let the cost of tuition discourage you from going to a certain school.

As a recent grad, of Columbia College Chicago I would say first off have a passion about something and then pursue it. Many people go to college and are not serious. I went 4 years straight never took one semester off. I just graduated last year, I love music and i found a college that loves it too. I would of never finished if i werent passionate about my major. You can go to a top school but if you have a major that you dont love then i dont think youll finish. College is about experience, growth and hard work. I set my goal to be out of school in 4 years and i did. If i can find a school that loves something as much as i do then thats where i want to be! Thank you. - Best Wishes

Make sure you research the schools you are interested in and if you can go and visit ALL the ones that you are most interested in. This helps the student get a feel of the campus, students, housing arrangements etc. and if they could picture themselves their or not. Also, students should get involved when you finally go off to school, it makes a HUGE difference. School is not just a place to get good grades, its where you network for jobs, become a more well-rounded person and hopefully find out who "you" really are and become an adult.