Ohio State University-Main Campus Top Questions

As a senior looking back, I would tell prospective students and their families to keep in mind that every college they visit is not going to be the perfect fit for the student. During campus visits, actively seek out tour guides, students and academic advisors who can help you obtain an accurate and fair view of campus and student life. I would recommend that students take their time and put every effort into the college search and subsequent application processes. It might be the most important form/essay they ever have to complete. I would also encourage the student to go with their gut feelings when applying to colleges. They should not apply to any school for the sake of a parent or loved one, but should want to come to the college that best fits their needs. Once they arrive on campus as a freshman, I would encourage students to meet people and get involved with their Resident Advisor and other students in the dorms. Get involved and actively participate in organizations that are committed to making a difference in the community and university life. Make sure to have a social life, but save time to study too!

Spend a lot of time checking all your options including student loans, housing options, finacial aid, classes, opportunites in careers in your major, what kind of credits transfer if you change colleges, and also you college may be accredited but your program may not be making you have more requirements after graduation to get a job

Go to Ohio State! And don't rule out places you've never seen or visited - KEEP AN OPEN MIND!

Finding the right college is about more than finances and reputation. Finding the right college is about finding a place that you can call home. It is a place that will help you develop into a young adult and provide the tools for you to become a strong, independent individual. College is where you can experience the diversity that life offers to help you find yourself. Visiting campuses and going on tours is only one way to find out what a campus has to offer. Talking to a wide range of students, and not just the tour guides, about what their campus is like will give you a better idea of whether or not it is the right place for you. Keep your options open and don't rule out any schools just because they are too expensive, or too far away, or too small or too big (etc.). That school might just be the place that you can call home.

Go where your heart takes you. I f you pick a college that you don't want to go to you're most likely not going to be happy. College is an amazing experience and you need to be happy where you're at.

Just let your kids decide where they want to go. I know that some parents out there like to try and guide the path of their children so they don't make the same mistake as themselves. Students, just look for the school that has the best education it can offer for your carrer path. Or if you really can't decide on a college, just go for your favorite NCAA football team.

Vist the colleges

Do what is right for you. Do not worry about what your friends and classmates are doing. It is your career and your future so you have to do what is best, and if you don't, you will have to live with it for the rest of your life---or accept that you just wasted your time and money and go do something else.

Make sure to make the effort to visit the campuses of the colleges you think you might want to attend. You might think that a brochure will give you a lot of information, but it is not possible to form a full feeling for the college unless you experience it yourself firsthand. I would reccomend this even if you only feel strongly about one school, and are set on the fact that it's the right one for you. Even if you do end up loving it just as much as you thought you would, at least you now know that you won't be stuck on a campus that you don't like for at least a year. It will also create a great feeling of excitement when you go back later next year to move in!

I feel that in order to pick the right college it is nececssary to visit the college first. The college will feel right to the student; they will already feel like they belong there. Also it is important to always have a back up plan in case for some reason a student does not get into the school they want right away. They can always transfer. College is about feeling part of a community. College is meant to be fun, but the reason one goes to college is to get an education. School should always come first. It is possible to have a social life and good grades. A person has to make time for both, but too much of either will ruin the best years of your life. People learn a lot about themselves through independence at college. Although many people still have the financial crutch of their parents, students learn to take care of themselves and handle situations on their own. It's a very liberating experience to feel so independent in a safe environment. I felt during my freshman year I grew so much as a person and realized who I wanted to continue to grow into.