South Dakota State University Top Questions

You need to do what your heart tells you, as cheesy as that may be, it is the truth! You only get to experience this opportunity once and it would be a shame to spend your time and money at place you aren't happy with. When I am asked about my college experience, I want a smile to come across my face because I will hopefully get to think back to all the great times I have had here at South Dakota State University. Also, I want to have the best option to excel in life and I believe SDSU gives that to me. So, in order for you to do this. You need to make the right choice of choosing a school that you think will help you get the most out of your educational, and social experience. Enjoy the ride!

I would suggest that every student visit all the campuses they are seriously considering. A visit can make a huge difference in your decision. Visiting gives you a sense of what the college is like and the type of environment. I was debating between two universities until i visited both. I felt instantly comfortable and at ease on the campus of SDSU where I currently attend school. The other college i had considered seemed unfriendly and to small when i visited in person.

My main advice to both parents and students about choosing a college would be to not base your decision off money. I know it's very tempting if you get a scholarship offer and your parents are loving the reduced bill and you're excited to tell your friends you got a scholarship but in the end it may not be worth it. I'm not saying to go to a private college if you don't have the money and take out large student loans but you should remember that loans aren't necessarily a bad thing all the time. Also, my advice would be to put yourself out there and get involved. Although it may be scary, introduce yourself to new people. I took a chance last year and asked a girl in my biology class if she wanted to get lunch together and now she's one of my lifelong best friends. Know who you are as a person and expand on those traits. Try new things but be safe and don't forget who you are. College is your time to find yourself. Make every day count!

When choosing a school parents should let their children make the decision. Although going to college is about getting an education, the biggest part about surviving college is the environment you are in. When students choose a college they should choose one that they are most comfortable in or can see themselves growing accustomed to. If a person gets a long with people better in smaller groups then perhaps they should choose a smaller school. Most schools, especially universities contain the same level of teaching at each school along with the basic majors. The reason the community and environment is the most important is because if a person doesn't get along with their surroundings, they are less likely to do good on other things and if they end up just focusing on classes without social activity because they disagree with their surrounds, they are less likely to be able to handle the world around them after college. Also, when parents make the decision for their kids they are initially choosing their future for them. Students need to know how to make decisions in order to survive on their own in the future.

I would advise parents to offer assistance, not orders. Believe it or not your children may think differently than you, and may want a different life than you. For students, follow your intuition. Of course that intuition should be preceded by research in several schools. What is important to you? A good football team? Cost? Diversity? Location? Successful graduates? A good ol' fashion list of pros and cons is a very sensible approach. Follow up with a college visit and try to talk to a current student who isn't being paid by the school to show you around.

When looking for the right college, I would consider three major factors: cost, location, and majors offered. If the student knows what they want to study before they go to college that helps narrow down the college search. Cost is a big factor, especially with our economy in the downturn its currently in. If they can get a scholarship at a school but it doesn't have the exact major they want, I would still consider it because they could transfer to another school that has it for the last two years and possibly save money in the long run. I also say location because you never know how homesick you will get until it actually happens. I knew a girl from Las Vegas and she couldn't go home until Thanksgiving and Christmas because of the airfare costs but she ended up transferring out during second semester because she couldn't handle being so far away from home. Having a great college experience is keeping track of your syllabi and assignment deadlines, hanging out with friends and checking out everything campus has to offer for fun, people-meeting activities.

Tour every school you even remotely think about. I toured everywhere I could, I wasn't sure I wanted to be so close to home, or have half of my graduating class at the same school I went to. But every place I toured didn't have that great of a program, or it was too big, or too small, or too far from home, it wasn't friendly enough or it was spooky due to lack of privacy. After every tour South Dakota State looked better and better, and I'm so happy I came here. In the spring the snow melts and flowers bloom and birds come back. In the summer it's warm and sunny with great rainy days. In the fall everything changes colors and becomes a new world. Finally, winter snow blankets everything for six months and you feel you truly know what a winter wonderland is. South Dakota is small and quaint, but it's up and coming. Ethonal is a big income for the state and research continues at our university alone. Not to mention its a land grant university, which is rare, the only one in South Dakota. Its worth coming here.

I would advise them to choose what suits them most and to follow their dreams. You truly can go anywhere from any college you attend. You only have to believe that you can. Also, save as much money as you can before school. You'll need it.

Find a good balance between having fun and learning. You can't make the most of your college experience if you study all the time, but you won't have a college experience if you just go out and party every night.

Find a college that you like and not one that your friends or others pressure you into going. Don't just go to a college just because all of your friends are going to.