The University of Texas at Austin Top Questions

College is where you learn to live in a real life. Everyone will make a mistake but it's learning from that mistake which makes the college experience worth it. Go to school where you can meet new friends, go to games you have never been, go party like you have never done before, go pull all-nighters because you partied the night before. But in the end, there is only one college life in your life and make the best out of it.

I would have to say that whatever college you decide on, there is a good chance that it is not going to be all that you expected. Life, especially when you make a big change such as going from high school to college, is crazy and unexpecting at times. This is the time where you can find yourself and figure out who you are and what you want. From my experience, I can say that I was a little depressed when I first attended UT at Austin. My first year was a learning experience though. I went into school knowing no one but having a boyfriend at a school only 30 minutes away. I used him as a crutch and never really let myself get comfortable with my own school and the people around me. Whichever school you choose, give clubs, sororities, fraternities, and groups that share your same interests a chance. Those are going to be the people that will help you fall into your own place at your school. Also, always remember that your family will always be there to help and comfort you in case you need anything, no matter how far they may be!

I have cousins who will be applying for college this fall, and I give them the advice that i hope they take much heed to. My advice to them is to not choose a college because you want your future to be a certain way, but choose a campus that immediately captures your attention because your first choice will probably be your best choice. I also advise them to not worry about the drastic change in the environment because everyone is so welcoming that you immediately feel compelled to be a part of them. I also advise my cousins to choose a career that does not have the highest income, but in fact interests them the most because that will most likely bring out the best in them. Finally, I tell them that people do make mistakes, students make mistake, do not worry about your first bad exam, or paper because professors are understanding and if you try harder they will recognize the effort that you have put forth on your future.

I'd have to tell parents and students not to worry about finances so much. There are ample scholarship opportunities and programs to assist with tuition payment. For example, with timely (and annual) submission of the FAFSA, it is possible to be eligible for a B-On-Time grant, which repays tuition loan debt if you garduate with a B average within four years, and subsidized loans, which interest does not begin to accrue on until after graduation. So, while still keeping tuition fees in mind, focus more on how the institution will suit you. Do you perform better in large classes where there is more anonymity, or smaller classes where you get more individual attention? Would a small town keep you from getting distracted from your schoolwork, or would you prefer a fast-paced atmosphere to keep your brain from shutting down? Make friends inside and out of school. Get involved rather than sitting alone in your room all of the time. Stay focused, but let yourself have fun. And don't worry if you're not sure what you want to do after graduation. Getting a college education will give you a push in the right direction.

I suggest attending all of the on-campus parent-student weekends and events so that the student can get a feel for the atmosphere. The environment must be comfortable to the student and parents. Living on campus is the best idea for a new college student, because they get to interact with other freshmen, and can relax without the daily worries of the off campus housing nightmare. Don?t forget to talk to many counselors; you will be surprised at how much they can help you when you?re in a fix. And finally, let go. Within month or two, the student will love college life and his/her new friends.

Don't limit yourself before it?s too late. If you?re thinking of applying to honors programs, DO IT, even if you don?t think you?ll make it. This is a onetime opportunity, and there?s nothing more frustrating than losing something simply because you were too scared to seek it. Being in an honors program is a completely different experience from the normal undergraduate fear and anxiety, because you are surrounded with a group of people who are going through the same things. If you apply and get rejected, life goes on. But there?s always the chance you?ll make it, which is so much better than not going for it at all. It?s a lesson that?s applicable in most areas of life, but don?t be afraid to do a little extra work for a month for four years of reward. I can say that my college experience has been phenomenal, but I also know that it would have been quite different had I not applied to an honors program. My other hard-learned advice would be not to despair your first year, because it?s difficult for everyone. But it gets better, you adjust, and you have an experience beyond anything you could have imagined.

The best thing that students can do in order to decide what college is best for them is for them to visit the college. They need to get a first hand experience of how the college works and the people that attend it. When they get to college they then must emerse themselves into the college. No one can have a great college experience if they don't get involved in the things that the campus has to offer. I suggest them getting a random roommate even if they know someone who is attending also so they can meet people that they wouldn't have met otherwise. It may be scary but the best way to enter a college is to dive in. My roommate during freshman year came and hung out with people from her highschool and went home every other weekend the first semester. She claimed she hated the school before she even gave it a chance. Then second semester with some of my help she got involved in things in the college as well as the city and now she absolutely loves it.

The best advice is to visit each campus, and as cheesy as it sounds, to take a guided tour of each of the colleges of interest. Most people are able to determine their fit based on the way each campus makes them feel during the visit. If this does not produce a solution, I would recommend listing the pros and cons of each college (and choosing the school that has the most benefits and/or the least drawbacks. Once you have selected your university, try to experience as much as you can while you are enrolled in college. Keep an open mind, meet as many people as possible, learn from every situation and acquaintance, study hard, form positive habits, never lose sight of your goals, volunteer, attempt new things, explore the surrounding city, and try to stop every now and then to enjoy the moment.

Selecting a college is really about what you put into it. Although I didn't attend my first choice school, I feel like I am at the best undergraduate university for me and am having the time of my life. I think the factors you should take into consideration when applying to a school, aside from the likelihood of your acceptance, should be the school's dedication to enriching student life through academic and social organizations. I have made some of my best friends here through both my social organizations and my pre-law fraternity. Don't shy away from big state schools just because the class size seems too big. College is what you make of it and the further along in your major that you go, the more specialized the classes get and the smaller they are. I am in the biggest major on campus at a school of 50K stundents and have had classes as small as 15. My last two years have included classes in which I have gotten to know professors very well and they have had a huge impact on my academic development. When you look for a school make sure it gives you the opportunity to develop as a whole person, not just academically and not just socially, because when you look for graduate programs or job placement they'd rather have a whole person than a robot or a party animal.

The most important piece of advise I would give is to visit the campus and city. Both my brothers attended UT-Austin and when I went there in the 7th grade, I knew automatically that was the university for me. The most critical part to a college life is the atmosphere you feel when you are on campus. I connected and felt a "vibe" with Austin and the UT campus automatically. This "vibe" however, is different for every person. One person might feel more at home on a campus that had more gothic architecture or more modern. If you like the atmosphere of the campus you're likely to find more places you like to study. Therefore, you will study better and make better grades. Make sure you can connect with the campus, then everything else will fall in line.