Marie
A crucial part of choosing a college is visiting. Immerse yourself in the campus life and among the current students. Ask them exactly what they enjoy and dislike about their college; they will most likely tell the absolute truth. Make sure you feel comfortable amongst the student body. Above all, choose what factor of college is most important to you: for some, it is academic strength; for others, student life; and for others, a different aspect: maybe a religious factor. Once you determine what is most important to you, choosing a college will be that much easier, as you will evaluate them according to a ranking system. If you choose a college and dislike it, make sure you stay focused academically while keeping a social life. Balance between the two is key. There is nothing wrong with transferring to a different school, many students decide to do that, but it's important to take a good GPA with you! Most importantly, enjoy college. You're not paying for a miserable four years!
Matthew
I would tell prospective students to STAY in college, and persevere. I would also tell them to study A LOT. Stay away from alot of parties. I dont say its bad, but I would say its something that can easily pull you away from staying focused. READ the TEXTBOOKS!!!
Zachary
College is about becoming an adult, separate from the comfort of your parents and inherint social setting in which you grew up. Because of this, the choice of the college you attend will in some respects determine much of who you become, but also it will not make or break your life. Choosing a college is about going where you are comfortable and where you feel you will benefit the most academically and socially.
Anna
Make sure that you/future student visits every school you apply to. Sometimes the academics offered make the school appealing, but the living environment makes the academic load unable to handle.
Jessica
When looking for the right college, it is obvious to pick one that has the right classes for the major that you wish to pursue, has a reasonable price range, or fulfills your personal criteria on size. However, the vibes you get when researching or visiting a college are also very important, and sometimes overlooked. As a perspective student, you must be able to feel safe on campus. Are there escorts or emergency call posts around campus? You must also be able to feel safe when living in your dorm, so the feelings you get when scoping out a resident?s hall is also very important. Remember to pay attention to the current students when visiting a college. They should seem friendly, upbeat and helpful, all important qualities when considering living in such a close proximity with others. Your impression of other elements, such as grounds and faculty are also very important. Grounds should be clean and kept, and the faculty should be helpful, cared for, and professional. (Do the cafeteria workers seem happy to be working?). Remember that your intuition and overall feeling of the college is vital when choosing the right one.
Alysa
Balance is key - always remember that virtue is the middle path, not the extreme. Don't settle when choosing a school, remember that you'll be living there for the next four years, not just studying there. But don't forget that you'll be studying, too. Make sure the campus you choose makes you feel comfortable and make sure it has good academics. One without the other will hinder your journey towards a degree. Don't end up paying an arm and a leg only to be made miserable. You must set priorities to this end. What do you really want out of a school? What can you live without? What is essential to you? No campus is perfect - compromises must be made.
The most important part of my decision making process was visiting each college. There is no better way to get a feel for the atmosphere - brochures are idealized, but staying in the dorms, eating the food, and visiting the classes is the closest thing you can get to a trial run at the college experience. I highly reccomend making as many college visits as possible.
Lastly, don't stress. It wont help you.
Ben
Find a college that teaches you how to think and will give you a financially beneficial degree.
Amanda
Make sure the lifestyle of the college you choose is one where you will be happy. You're going to be living there for around 4 years and that is a long time to be miserable and unhappy with your enviornment. Also, don't close yourself off from campus life. Doing well academically is important and should be your primary focus, but it will be far eaiser to deal with the stress of education if you have friends supporting you.
Justine
I definately think that making the decision on what college to attend is important because it plays a huge part on the formation of the student as a person and should be a push in the right direction. Therefore, when choosing a college make sure to look into the foundation of the programs and the social life and of the college as a whole. Students should take much more from their college experience than facts, so they should try to get involved in positive activities and organizations to help them get a real feel for themselves, their lives, and their careers.
David
Finding the right college involves discovering the kind of person you want your son or daughter to become, for the college experience is the time that a person truly finds and solidifies their identity and their role in society. It is thus of ultimate importance to look at a college's values and see if what the college holds dear is something that you want your son or daughter to also embrace. By examining the quality of education, the extra-curricular activities, the diveristy of human experiences, the study abroad opportunities, and most of all the persona of the student body as a whole - one is able to determine what college they best want for their children. A college that respects your values, offers various opportunities for human growth, and graduates solid men and women of integrity who you want your son and daughters to be like is a college that will rightly form, mold, and solidify your son or daughter. What you have to discover is: who do you want your son to be? Who do you want your daughter to be? Only after answering that question can you truly begin to decide which college is right for them.