New York University Top Questions

Go with your gut instinct.

As a student, go to the college that feels best for you from the moment you walk on that campus. As a parent, do not force your child into a school where they are not interested in going. These are the best four years of your life and it is important to be comfortable in your enviornment. College is for finding yourself. Choose a school that has many resources and cultural activites to truly broaden your opportunities and scope of life. Follow your instinct and talk to students on campus visits!

Visiting colleges, time permitted, is crucial. My school doesn't have a campus, and perhaps that isn't right for your child. Visiting a campus during junior or senior year in high school also gives you a sense of the culture in which the school is located in. My first college was in Savannah, GA which I was told was a city. But their definition of a city was completely different from mine, because when I think of city, I think NYC or D.C. Also, look into different schools within the university. Some schools within the universities stand out and so you have to choose the right school based on their creditation, not the university overall.

Do a lot of research and visit multiple schools. Doing the research helps you compare schools and find things that you do or don't like which can help you make a decision. Visiting the schools is very important. The school might sound amazing on paper but when you get there you might end up hating it. Research cannot completely convey the atmosphere or how you will personally feel there. Sometimes you just get a feeling.

visit the college, research the college: its ranking, its majors/programs, how successful its alumni are, etc. location does matter: if you are likely to be homesick, choose a college nearby or closer to home you don't have to go to the same college as your friends: you'll make new friends

Make sure to visit the college you are thinking about attending!! It is important to see for yourself how a campus looks and feels before you commit to living there for four years!!

Don't wait for your college experience to happen to you. Make it what you want it to be. Hate big classes? Find specialized courses, small study groups, or schedule one-on-one time with professors. If you don' t like the fast pace of the big city, try a small town school. If you find Ivy and neatly mowed quads suffocating, look for something in a big, metropolitan center. The sky should be the limit.

Students: you don't have to know what you want to be before you enter college, but pick a school with a wide range of options so that as you explore your interests, you can pick a major that is right for you. Also, visit campuses starting in your Junior or Senior year to get a sense of what a "campus" versus "non-campus" school is like, and visit in the winter, so that you see the school at its coldest. Don't be deceived by that beautiful sunny day where everyone is playing frisbee outdoors; your ability to tolerate the cold weather at a school will definitely help you figure out what you need to pack. Lastly, get involved in ANYTHING that even remotely interests you. The friends you make will certainly help your transition into college. As for the parents: my advice is to be supportive, get involved in helping your child pick a school, and don't make the distance from home a factor in the college selection process. Also, yes, your alma-matter was "groovy and hip" back when you were in college, but times have changed, so let your child decide what's "cool."

Finding the right college does not always depend on the ideal location. It involves your own ability to decipher what and how much the university can give back to you. How can the school of your dreams provide a long and stable career? The right resources to provide you with the best education? These are the questions students and parents should be asking themselves before selecting the right college. For the most part, all the major universities can provide a housing program, decent meals, and extracurricular activities to enhance the social aspect of your college experience. The real factors that differentiate a college you think you like and the RIGHT college is the educational programs, the career center, and the faculty. These three crucial factors should be carefully looked into. My reason for emphasizing them is because the next 4 years of your education will fly by, and you want to make sure the day you graduate is the day you can feel good about your decision. You will have plenty of opportunities to have fun with friends and to get involved on campus, but you must be able to build a foundation for your future.

Visit as many colleges as you possibly can, or take summer courses in high school at colleges you are considering attending. Nothing can really prepare you or show you what a school is like like a small taste of college life over the summer. Don't choose a school because of anyone, not your parents, not your friends, not your advisors, not your boyfriend or girlfriend, not it's reputation. Choose a school you think you will be happiest attending for hte next 4 years, where you think you can learn and grow and make friends that will last the rest of your life. If you don't make friends/meet people you could be friends with or have fun when you visit or take summer classes, chances are it won't be any different when you actually attend.