Illinois State University Top Questions

When you are trying to find the right college, take your time, don't rush or get frusturated. Things like this take time, you won;t find the perfect school right away. Also make sure you visit the schools and go into the bulilnding and meet and talk to studensts on campus to get a feel of what they think. When it comes to the college experience, just go to all your classes, participate do all your work and really study for those tests. But don't just focus all your hard work on studying, go out, meet new people, volunteer and do something good for yourself and the community, my favorite is volunterring at animal shelters. join sports and clubs and anything you think will be fun and safe. And when you get behind in your work, always talk to your professor and get the extra help and tutoring right away I made sure I did that when I got behind in accounting.

Make sure that you visit first because that would let you know how comfortable you would be in that kind of setting.

Make sure to visit every campus. Talk to the people you see on the campus who actually attend the school, not the people who are giving you a guided tour. They are paid to tell you certain things about the school. Everyone is generally very friendly and wouldnt mind stopping to tell you something they love about their school. If the feedbacck isnt positive go find some other students to speak to! I promise it will make the choosing that much better.

Some advice that I would give to parents and/or students about finding the right college is to research colleges that pertain to the major that the student is planning on studying. Each college has their it's own area of excellence. The next thing I would consider when deciding where to go to college is the price of each school that is a candidate for the student to attend. College is exspensive, so finding one that fits into your budget is beneficial. Once the student has been enrolled into college, there are several things that he or she can do to make the most out of their college experience. I would highly recommend getting involved at your school. Joining organizations can get you involved and help you meet new people. I would also recommend staying on top of your game in your classes. Don't let your social life overcome everything; you have to remember that you are there for school, not partying. The last thing that I recommend is to study abroad. Studying abroad gives a student a whole new experience to learning. If a student does these three things, college life will be a breeze.

I would recommend using the following steps in helping your child start their academic life: - College is a time of transition for students. They are just starting to see people doing things that they may not have been exposed to, yet. - Stay interested in what your child is doing, just don't expect them to remain in constant contact with you. The administrative staff at any institution will be happy to assist you and answer any of your questions. - Listen to them without judging when they talk about the future. They may be trying out new ideas and are looking for your support. - Ask open-ended questions about their plans and activities, such as: "Tell me more about how you made that decision?" "What do you think is important in making this decision?" "What is the best thing I can do to help you in this situation?"

Make sure the school has the major you're considering picking & make sure there are extra-curricular activities.

Believe in yourself and take every great opportunity as it comes. Go out and meet people, do not be afraid to take chances. Get involved and work hard.

When looking for a college make sure it has opportunity for you to go into several fields that you would like to and make sure you feel comfortable in the area and school. Money should not play a big role but a small role. You really need to focus on the area and how you will feel going to this school. Work hard and stay disciplined and enjoy your experience.

Attend the same school as your best friends if you can. Therefore, you can adjust to college life with a support system already there. This can help you stay focused on studying while meeting new people to add to your social experiences. Most students don't know what they want to do in life right away and that's okay. Talk to advisors at school to figure out what majors suit your interests and passions. Changing majors is common, so there's no shame in it.

To parents and students looking for the right college, I would simply say explore your options and your personality. If you prefer smaller towns to larger towns, go with a smaller campus. If you are a social butterfly, make sure that the school offers a lot of opportunities to meet people. Also, ensure that the college of your choice offers programs to develop your major of choice to its fullest. In order to make the most of your college experience, you must try your hardest to come out of your shell. Constantly introduce yourself to people, and don't be afraid to strike up conversation. Really, no one minds making new friends especially in such a large setting such as a college. Don't be afraid to ask the person next to you for notes, and don't be afraid to ask the professors for extra help. Remember that making the most of your college experience will not involve strictly academic principles. Introduce yourself to everyone on your floor, and set aside time to study. This will help you succeed.