Samford University Top Questions

Take time to look around. Visit all the schools and then make your decision. Don't rush into any place.

Search around.

Find ten people who go to the college, currently, and ask them all of the questions from this survey. That should give any parent/student an excellent idea of what a college is REALLY like.

There are a multitude of factros to consider when researching college options. The thing to remember is that you need to find the place that's right for YOU - not the place your parents want to send you or the school all of your friends are applying to. In fact, it may be more beneficial to aim for a school outside the normal spectrum of choices for your area. In this way, you'll be able to branch out, explore your individuality, and make friends outside of the ones you've known for years. Sometimes, sticking with things that are familiar can cripple students, so that they never reach their full potential, personally or academically. This principle will carry you throughout college, as well. It applies to trying new activites, studying new subjects... anything outside your normal range of experience. So even though it can be scary, the best advice I can offer is to be open-minded: Don't settle for what everyone else is doing. Look into new things. You might just find the perfect fit.

The most important factor in selecting a college is the fit between the student and the institution. The only way to find out if you will enjoy living at the school is to visit it and to really explore the campus while you are there. Ask students questions, read the campus newspaper and message boards, visit a class and talk to the professor, hang out in common areas, do anything that will give you a clue as to what "normal" students do and if you want to be a part of that. Once you get to college, don't be afraid to try new things. Try everything, but find a few things to really pour yourself into and to which you will be excited to dedicate your time and effort. College is undoubtedly a shaping experience, but you get to choose how it shapes you and in what direction you grow.

Finding the right college is a very important decision because most likely, that is where you will be spending the next four years of your life and mold into an adult of today's society. It's a tough decision but once you find the place where you feel right at home everything else will follow. There are several things you can do to make sure you have found the right place. First of all, I would definitely visit the campus. Looking at pictures and reading about it just simply is not enough anymore. Take a campus wide tour, sit in some classes, and walk around common areas such as the cafeteria and the library where you will probably be spending alot of your time. Secondly, I think it is very important to talk with students that already attend that university and ask them questions. I would especially try to talk to students in the same field you want to be a part of once you are there since every department is unique. With first hand experience and conversations with current students, I'm confident that you will be on the right path in choosing the right school for you!

My best advice would be to honestly do your research. Find out what is most important to you, whether it be off-campus life, social activites, sports, specific classes or learning styles, and small or big classes. Truly discover what suits you or your child and can also fit within your budget. The best way to get the most out of your college life is to really know what you are in for and what you can get involved in, as well as how best to succeed.

Choose the school where you think you will be happiest, no matter what. Then pick the major that will both interest and challenge you, regardless of what you think you plans are for after college; they will change. Once you have your bachelor's degree, you can do anything; the options are limitless.

I think that the most important aspect of a school is the academic reputation. Students should make sure that the school has a good, strong reputation because the main reason students go to college should be to get a degree in order to get a good job in the future. An important consideration for choosing the right school is the distance from home. Being too close to home is not good because it allows the student to go home too often and does not force them to get involved and be independent. Getting a degree and getting involved on campus are essential to making the most of a college experience.

Take a road trip and visit any college you are even the least bit interested in. While there, ask current students any questions you may have. As for making the most of your college experience, there is one word that comes to mind: involvement. Find an organization that matches your hobbies or personality. You can branch out and learn something new. There is something for everyone! If your college does not have something you are intersted in, start up a new organization or club. As Mark Twain says, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." It is far too easy to just pass through college on cruise control. Get involved, be heard, and make a difference in your community and in the world.