Indiana University-Bloomington Top Questions

Just do what feels right

To have the most effective and beneficial college experience it is essential that one selects a school based on his or her personal needs and preferences. This decision?s importance is not to be underestimated and, therefore, must be examined from several different angles. Size, cost, location, and academic prestige are critical, but to get the most out of his or her college experience a student must also consider their social goals. Though often overlooked, it is universally true that to consistently excel one must be satisfied with life as a whole. Once enrolled, it is to the student?s benefit to join some sort of organization. This will aid in launching friendships and providing a sense of purpose. Consider each aspect carefully, visit potential schools of interest, meet students and staff, and ultimately, find a place to feel at home. It is through this that a student will find his or her place and will have the best college experience one can ask for.

Weigh all your options! Take a seat with your child and go through the brochures and see what the schools have to offer. Take your time this should not be a decision that you make very quickly. This decision will have a huge impact on your child's life so take it slow, weigh your options and try to choose wisely. For the students, come to school with an open mind. You will be introduced to new ideas. Take each one in because then you will be able to see everything your school has to offer. Find activities that interest you. Then get involved. The same goes with your classes. Get involved in your classes. Do not just show up and take notes. Engage in discussion, form study groups, form a teacher-student relationship with all your teachers. Get to know them! This will help your college experience be less stressful and more fun.

I made the mistake of not searching thoroughly enough to find the right university. Actually, I did no searching in highschool because IU was right in my backyard. Looking back on it I should have not been so lazy. So, my advice is to not take college planning in a nonchalant manner.

When deciding which college is right for you or your child, a big emphasis should be put on the reputation of the school's department in which your child will be focusing their college career. You should always take the time to visit the college's campus. By doing so, you get a true, honest feel for the environment, student life, and overall experience that you will receive should you choose to attend. I can't stress enough that you should not choose a school based on distance from home, who you know that will be attending, or reputation of the school.

I would say use as many resources as possible in trying to find a college. Look online, talk to students, and visit as many colleges as you can to get a real sense of what it's like there and how you would fit in. In making the most of the college experience, it's important to try to put yourself out there and try new things. Make new friends! Try an activity that you normally wouldn't try. And most importantly, go to class and stay on top of your schoolwork. Because that's why you're really there and that's what you're paying money for.

It is important to find a university/college that has a culture that will help your child grow as a person and introduce him/her to new ideas and ways of looking at the world. The student should be open-minded and eager to participate in campus life and mature enough to begin to try and manage his/her own life.

Students and parents should start as early as possible in the student's high school career to find the most appropriate college. I started my freshman year and it still took until my junior year to decide what I like most. Actually visiting the campuses is crucial. You'll see what the college is really like a lot better than if you only looked at some brochures. I wanted to attend one university since I was very young, but once I took a tour of the campus, I realized that it was poorly set up and that the setting was far from intimate. Once you find your perfect college, there are some steps you might have to take to settle yourself. If you're in a large university, you will want to find your "niche" by attending groups and extracurricular activities related to your interests. In a smaller university, you might not have to take these steps, but you might also not have the same variety of people and groups to choose from, which is important to keep in mind. And, regardless of the university you attend, you should invest in a good planner to keep yourself on track.

My advice to parents and students would be to look for a place where a student can feel at home. It is important to look for a place that offers everything you want and need academically, but it is also something that many don't think about that you are in fact going to LIVE there for about four years. The people you are surrounded by will be your friends and neighbors and the surroundings will be your neighborhood. Those streets you see on the tour will be what you walk home on at midnight after long study sessions at the library or after a late night dinner with friends. Find something where you can be at home and find yourself. Thats what I did and it was one of the best choices I ever made. So thats the only advice I know to give.

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