Sarena
Find out what interests you. What do you want to learn more about. What makes you happy. What could you see yourself doing with the rest of your life. Even if you are not sure at the moment at least you will have a direction. Visit as many colleges as you can and ask the same questions of each. Follow your gut reaction. How friendly is the campus? Make sure the campus is located in a place you like, because during school you make a lot of contacts and it may get you a job near there after your schooling.
Start looking your junior year of highschool. There may be classes you can take in your remaning time that can prepare you for college. Create a list of all the colleges you are interested in and all thier pros and cons. While you are researching colleges, also research scholarships. The earlier you start applying for scholarships the better your chances of getting them. If you know exactly what you want to do, or have an idea. Look at top schools in your field and look for a professional in your career direction and interview them.
Catherine
When chosing a college, it's best to look at the classes offered, the cirriculums and degree plans. Also if possibe, visit the campus, try to have a tour of it and see the facilities. When visiting try to talk to someone who is currently going to the college most students are happy to talk about their classes and share ideas. Just keep in mind that their experiance will be different than yours. Enjoy the process. Hopefully you'll only have to do it once.
Matt
Just make sure you're really passionate about learning whatever it is you're seeking in a school. Passion is important, otherwise you will be miserable, and you will be wasting your time.
Nathan
I would research and visit different schools before making a descision as every one is different. Make sure you figure out if it's on the route to get you where you want to be after college. Take into account if there are working professionals teaching at the school, they are very helpful and you can learn more about what you need for a career in the field. Apply for every scholarship available to help make it more affordable. College should be fun, make sure you choose one that is enjoyable.
Max
First finding the Right College: It's important to start early, the standard is early junior year in high school. Use text and online rescourse. Collegeboard is a great example and has it's own survey to find a colleges that might interest you. It's a great place to start. Around this time start visiting colleges near and far. visit even a few that you might not apply to, just to see what a college of that type is like. Also if you high school has a developed counceling center, ask you dean or counceller, it's their job.
Second Making the Most Of College: It's important to know the while in College, unless you plan on attending a form of grad school this is the last step before entering the work force, in what ver field that may be. this it the time when you have the most freedom to expermient as a young adult in terms of finding what's right for you, and your college is their to help. Internship, development offices, advisors, Professors, even clubs and fellow students can help you become more experienced in any field you choose. Use it.
Nisha
The visit to the college experience of talking with actually students is one of the most important experiences of visiting colleges. Make sure you take the time to find students who may be working outside of class and talk to them. If they are highly negative or unwilling to talk then it tells you something about the community at the University. Second important thing is the location in realtion to your job field and the quality of the career service department. Spend some time on campus if possible. Shoot for schools that are in the top bracket for your particular field even if they are not finiancially accessible or in a location you like because knowing about their program will help you compare other schools for the quality of the academic program.
Tim
College is a very strange time in everyone's life. You really need to seek out what all your options are, and pick the direction that suits what you want to do the best. Not what will look good for a career or something to impress your parents, but something that will help propel your dream career and life in a direction that you will ultimately be happy. You can go to law school and make a ton of money but will you truly be happy doing that? I went to art school where as all my friends from high school went to various academic-based universities. Out of all of them, I was the only one last summer who was actually pasionate about the work I've done thus far, and look forward to what the future brings.
casie
Dont wait till the last minute and think about important things like location, school activities, and programs of study, and listen to your parents they are right 99.9 percent of the time
Sarah
Let the student decide what is best for them...listen to what they want in a program. Try to let your hopes for your own student go; let them set their own goals.
It is so important to visit a number of schools, preferably during the school year ( a lot of visits take place during the summer when campuses are relatively empty). Getting a sense of the dynamics of a place, a school's setting and energy is key in making a choice.
Most students on campus are happy to talk to visiting students about how they made their choice and how they feel about the school. Talk to them!
Don
Students: Do what you love, and love what you do. You know you've found the right college when you've found an institution that can facilitate this mantra. Even when the work gets tough, you can at least count on the fact that you love what you're doing and are hungry for more.
College is more than just academics and grades, it's a life experience, so take full advantage of everything it has to offer you. You'll find you'll not only develop the skills you'll need in your career, but in fulfilled life.