Ohio State University-Main Campus Top Questions

Tend to the financial obligations first. Everything will fall into place after that. College is exciting and scary, don't be taken over by the latter.

The best advice for starting a college careers is to enjoy it. Every student needs to know that everyone feels scared and alone at first. The best thing that helped me transition to college life was live in the dorms my first year of college. I have many friends after my first year and the majority of them come from my dorm. I lived with these people for nine months and we became very close. There was always someone there to talk to or to eat with. You still got the feeling of being independent but because these people that are living with you are in the same boat as you, everyone is starting over. As long as you make the effort to make new friends and start over in a new school then you will be successful with a social life at college. Most students are afraid of big lecture halls. In order to make these classes feel more comfortable, I encourage you to sign up with classes with a friend that needs the same general class. It will make the lecture hall feel more comfortable for you by having someone there that you know.

The advice I would give would be not to let your guard down. It is wonderful it meet new people and make new friends. That is great. But make sure you know someone really well before you open yourself up to them. Everyone is there for the same reason, to get good grades and get out of school. I have seen some people get stabbed in the back but "friends" who would not help them out with a class because they wanted a better grade. Even with other aspects, do not put too much trust into one person when you first meet them. Give them time so that you can see what they are really about, and then decide if you want to trust them or not.

I believe the biggest part in picking the right college is being honest with yourself and your parents in what you want you of your college experience. College visits and talks with current or past students can do a lot to describe what a new student may encounter but all th information in the world is useless if you dont have the slightest idea what you want out of college. There is a lot more to college than class and its those things that will make the difference in your experience and decide whether you look back with a smile or wonder what if i had gone somewhere else? At the end of the day it really comes down to what makes you happy because you have to live there for four or more years, you will have the lifelong friends and memories. Make sure that you're in the place you want to be and surround yourself with the people you want to remember forever.

definitely do some research before deciding. Pay attention at college visits, and ask any questions one might have. Also, check out the school's list of academic programs as well as activities such as sports, clubs, etc. Most importantly, the student just has to like the school before he or she enters.

Visit the school, and look at those around you. if you feel comfort in that setting you should feel comfortable when you go there.

Choose the place you feel is best. Going in with a good attitude is the most important thing. This can make or break your experience.

Before you start your search, resolve to be completely honest and realistic. You need to be true to your personality, goals and means if you are to find the right college for you. I would suggest beginning with an online resource like collegeboard's college matchmaker: http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/adv_typeofschool.jsp. This will guide you through selecting various qualities you want in a college, such as location, majors, cost, aid, admissions, activities, housing, etc. The matchmaker will narrow your results according to your preferences. To be safe, you ought to apply to a few schools that best fit; I would say at least one dream school that seems slightly out of reach and one fall-back that you are sure will accept you. In order to make the most of the college experience, you need to motivate yourself to get involved and stay focused. Financially, you should apply for every scholarship you can find, learn about loans and don't be afraid to get a job. Academically, go to class even if it's not mandatory, pay attention, ask questions and study. Socially, introduce yourself to classmates and just show up to activities that interest you.

The first step in choosing the right school would be to visit all the campuses in which you are interested. Take a tour, talk to students and professors, and if possible, spend a weekend on campus to see what the environment is really like. Any campus tour can make a school look like it's an awesome place to be. You really need to experience the environment as a normal college student would to really get a glimpse of what your life would be like.

Keep an open mind.