Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Top Questions

I think finding the right college for you takes a lot of time and research. The most important thing you can do before choosing your college is visit all of your options. If available stay the night on campus, go to a class with a friend, do everything you can to get the feel for the school. When I was making my decision, I was torn between two schools, in the end I picked the college whose campus I felt most comfortable on. My advice to you is while in college get involved in as many things as you feel like you can handle. College isn't about the classes you take it's about all the things you experience while there. So, join the sky diving team or try out for a play, these are the decisions that will truly impact your college career.

First of all, make sure that it is a school YOU want to go to, not the person your dating, or even your parents. It is your choice, you are the one who will be going there. Secondly, figure out what is most important to you: location, cost, major, population. Prioritize these and make sure your college fits. Some things will be more important than others... make sure you follow your gut. To make the most of your time in college, GET INVOLVED! This doesn't mean you have to run out and join every club you hear about... pick something you like, there are bound to be people on your campus that like it too. And... if there's not already a club focused on what you like, make one! Also, make sure you utililze your school. By this I mean take some time when you are a freshman or sophomore to look into interning, co-oping, and studying abroad. I actually used the money I made co-oping to study abroad.. my parents loved that! If I were to make sure I did anything over again, it would be study abroad. My most eye-opening experience ever!

Make sure you can find a school that you can " work hard, and play hard." I believe a balance of social, physical, and academic aspects are the key to getting the best experience from college and reaching your highest potential.

Know what is important to you (values, ethics, politics, religion, location, etc), make a list of colleges and match what you want, and look into them. If they are more expensive than you would prefer, look into scholarships and loans- it will be worth it! The college you choose will be your life (social, work, home, etc) for the next couple of years and more than anything you want to be happy! It's ok to make mistakes and be unsure of yourself, you just want to make sure you're at a place where you feel comfortable to feel those things and know how to deal with them.

I think that you should look at the college and analyze what the college has to offer the individual. It can be very difficult moving away from home to attend a college/university, but it will certainly be worth the investment if you put the right time into the search for the right college. Academics is very important and should have a significant influence on one's decision, but a balanced life is equally important. Being involved in extra curricular activities will help develop relationships that are very important to have in college. There are numerous aspects to look at when deciding where to go, so it is very important that the right time and effort is given to the search.

Finding the right college: Look at college rankings, visit the college, sit in on classes, calculate total cost of attendence, consider the location, find out how hard it is to get internship/co-op job Making the most of college experience: get involved in SOMETHING right away (a 4.0 GPA by itself will not get you a good job). Choose a small number of clubs/extracurriculars to join and be very involved in them, apply to be a TA or do research if that interests you, consider being involved in Greek life or other social groups. You MUST stay in dorms freshman year. You will meet tons of people and lifelong friends. Find your balance of social life, extracurriculars, and academics. Dont overdo any of them, although studying does come first. Be open to new ideas and activities and soon you will find where you belong, your niche. Never plagarize or cheat. It could permanently scar your future. Do stuff in your city: go to concerts, eat out, go to clubs, go shopping, see movies, etc You only go to college once: Think about what you want to get out of it and make sure you accomplish those goals.

Take all the AP classes you can and study hard for the AP test it is the most valuable thing you can do to not waste you time at college either to relax or graduate early.

Make sure you have the resources to succeed at that particular school. Not every school is for every person. Also, start of strong, doing well when you first start college will make it easier to finish in high honors.

Visit! And try to get overnight campus visits in, especially if you get an opportunity to stay with a student. They will give you a better idea of how life there is like.

In choosing the right collge, just go with you gut feeling. As for making the most of your college experience, make sure you balance out your academics and you social life and remember to enjoy yourself.