Texas State University Top Questions

Directed directly to future college students. College will be the best time of your life. Don't go somewhere for your friends, girlfriend/boyfriend, or because your parents or family is influencing or pressuring you to go there. Go to a school that catches your eye. Go to a school that will help you best succeed in your future career and later in life. Don't choose a school because of what you've heard from others. Find out for yourself by visiting and researching the places you would like to go. Lastly, don't be afraid to go outside the box or against the grain. Wherever you go there is always someone to help and guide you long the way.

Research schools, talk to students and save money. Ensure that you visit the campus and actually look up faculty acolades.

Look at the size of the school and it's surroundings for things to do. It was a huge deciding factor for me. Austin is only 30 minutes away and a river runs right through campus. I definitely do not feel stranded here. I love where I live, and I highly suggest students and parents look into the living situations the town and university offers. Make sure the college has your desired field and a good program that will help the student find a job before graduation.

Wherever the student feels most accepted and comfortable is the right choice for him/her... If times get hard while being away from home, things will eventually fall into place... Do not give up on anything you endeavor and believe in, and always strive to become the absolute best at what you want to do and become in life!

Research and find a university that fits your environmental confort zone. Do not confine your personality, but express it. It is easy to make friends, just don't hide yourself. Join an organization or club that is right for you and that you can be yourself. Everyone experience classes differently, but take advantage of it to find what you really want out of life. Do not just choose a college; choose the one that attracts your attention and that you can enjoy every minute of. Expand your mind and build your intellegence. Make your self proud of what you have accomplished. That is what counts.

My advice to parents and students about finding the right college would be to follow your heart. When visiting campuses, if a certain college stands out to you above the rest, and you know in your heart that you would be proud to get an education and college diploma from that school, then that is the school you should attend. Picking a school shouldn't be about where your friends or boyfriend/girlfriend is going, it should be about how good of an education your going to get. My advice to students about making the most of the college experience is to put yourself out there. Join the clubs/sororities/fraternities that you are interested in, go to sporting events, support your school, make friends with your peers and your professors. College is not all about drinking and getting drunk, there is so much more to it than all that nonsense. College is about making long-lasting friendships. The ultimate goal of the college experience is to get a good education and graduate, get a job that will allow you to support yourself by making a good living, and set the foundation for the rest of your life.

Go to your campus and find out if this is this place you want to live for the next four years.

To find the right college, a student must understand their comfort level about several things. If she comes from a small high school, she must decide if she wants a small college with small classes or if she is ready to step outside her comfort zone to attend a college with enrollment that exceeds the population of the county where she lives. Another comfort issue to consider is distance from family and home. If she knows what she wants to study, online research can locate the schools that excell in that particular area of study. Availability of financial aid or loans is also an important issue for many students and is easy to research online as well. Most colleges host orientations in which students are made welcome and meet new friends. Most colleges have social groups and interest groups that are an excellent way to meet people. The best way of all, however, is simply to decide that you are going to approach this new experience with a positive and open mind to new ideas and new people. I am a firm believer that positive thinking and hard work lead to success wherever you are and whatever you do.

I would tell parents to allow their children to first understand and fully appreciate what college has to offer and not just go to the college or university that is closest to home for sheer comfort sake. It is important to get out and see what the world is really about and have some diversity introduced into a students' life. For pure academic reasons it is important to have an idea in what direction a student wishes to go, but not solely as important as having some fun and excitement thrown into all the academia. Most importantly there needs to be something on campus that will help to hone a students perspectives and knowledge and to attract them to the college that they choose to attend. This will ultimately help them stay focused and accountable.

Pick out your degree first before you jump into college. That way you are not around for a long time!