East Carolina University Top Questions

I would tell students to go to a college that best suits them. Not what their parents want, but somewhere where they will enjoy these critical times of life. College is suppose to be for you not your parents. When you find the right university you will know it in your heart.

Work hard. Keep striving its going to get better

In order to find the right school for yourself or your child do plenty of resource. Figure out what is best for the student from their wants and needs to their likes and dislikes. Calculate what it will cost to attend and what you can afford and look at the many grants and scholarships the college has to offer. To make the best of the college experience, make sure play time does not exceed study time. There will be plenty of time to play after college, but if you don't work hard while in college, then you will wind up working hard your entire life. Meet people, make connections, and seek every opportunity given whether it be something fun and exciting or something academically. I know it will be hard but stay positive and it will work out for you in the end.

Just follow your heart and it wont lead you in the wrong direction. Also college can be a challenge so make sure you are majoring in something you enjoy and not just doing it because your parents are paying or want you to do that major.

The best way to find out if a school is right for you, is to go visit more than once. It is best to go during students events, just to make sure the atmosphere of the school is right for you. It is always important to consider the strong points of the University. Always look up what the university is known for, what majors and programs are career oriented and well known. The most important thing to consider is if the school fits you. It is important to know who you are and what you can handle. Sometimes a large school is too much, while a smaller school is better fit. Which school has activities that you want to partake in and that you want to experience.

Find the right campus for the attending student! Parents sometimes want to influence their kids with their own personal choice but it has to be right for the student. I fell in love with ECU's campus! It felt friendly, clean and safe. Meeting with the Admissions office and talking to people on campus greatly influenced my decision. GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR COLLEGE. I am very involved with the campus acitivites, campus spirit and community service. This leads to meeting new people that become part of your study groups and ultimately your life long friends. It's fulfilling.

I would advise parents to really take an active role in helping their son or daughter finding the right college. Be willing to take them to visit different colleges and universities, be willing to help them ask questions that they may not be aware of in order to make their college experience the best for their needs and wants. I would also advise parents to encourage their son or daughter to work diligently in high school, and to strive for high marks on their SAT's and ACT's, because this can open doors for scholarships. For students that are pursuing the idea of college, i would advise them to take an even more active role than the parents to explore different colleges in different areas or differents states. Develop a plan, write down pros and cons for each college, and pick the college that will best suit your needs and expectations. Also look for scholarships, theres money out there! After you pick the best college for you, take one day at a time and work hard. Spread your wings, meet new people, help somebody, help your community, land an internship, do anything you can to better yourself and others.

I would advise anyone looking at college to let the decision be the students. They will be attending there not the parents, so they need to feel comfortable with their choice. I would advice students to visit the campus, its one of the best things you can do. Visiting the school gives you a feel for the campus you might be walking on everyday and if you do not like the look or feel, you will not be content there. Research the criteria for getting in and make sure you have what they need, if not start working on getting it. I think it is important for students and parents to discuss in state versus out of state, tuition costs, and the distance. The student needs to decide whether they want a school close to home or far enough away that they can visit home if they want but still feel far enough away. I would also recommend that you somewhat have an idea what you want to do so you can make sure your school choices have your possible major. Once you have done some research look at what activities they have compared to what you like to do.

It really helps to know what you want to do with your life.

Visit colleges during the sophmore and junior year in high school. Do a mix of state and private applications. Do not count in the scholarships into the budget because the student could loose the scholarhip. Make sure the school has good advisors to help the student focus on a major.