Truman State University Top Questions

My advice would be that you should first look at what you can afford. There is no reason to take out big loans and go into debt just to go to a big name school for an undergraduate. Second, try to find a place where you can grow and learn. And third, do what you want to do and don't let any make the choice for you.

Choose first how far away you want to go to school, or how close to home you want to be. Then, do some research on what colleges are in the desired location range. Figure out what size of school seems right for you, keeping in mind that bigger schools come with bigger classes, and more emphasis on sports and greek life. The next step is to narrow down colleges based on size, location, and cost until you find the one that seems right and fits all your specifications. It is also VERY important to visit a school while students are in class in order to see and get the feel of what going to school will be like at that college. In order to make the most of the college experience, students need to try to figure out what they enjoy doing, what people they like being with, and what they like learning about. College is about finding yourself and enjoying yourself before being completely independent. Students need to remember to enjoy themselves and make new friends, but also to balance school work and focus on learning and classes.

I think that the most important part of finding the right college for you is to actually visit different campuses to figure out what you want out of your college experience. If you know what kind of academic program you want to get into try to find a school that has different opportunities within your major for internships and unique learning experiences. However, you might not know what you want to do, and that's fine! Don't just look at academic programs offered, even though those are definitely important things to consider. Visit campuses and try to meet some current students and get their honest opinions about their experiences both on and off campus. Look at extracurricular activities too! Your college is going to be your home so it is important to find somewhere you are going to be comfortable to both learn and grow in.

Do your research so you don't regret your decision

When selecting a college- parents, let you student figure out what is best for them, they know better than you do, and students be open to suggestions from you parents, but ultimately, know the decision is yours to make. When you get to college, get involved! This is a great way to meet people and feel a part of the campus community. But remember, do not over commit yourself; you are at college to get an education, and that should come first. Also, get to know your professors- they are more willing to help/work with you if they know who you are.

When picking the right college one should not only think about the money but the experience as a whole. Finding the right college is important because that is where one is going to reside for the next four, or more, years. Think about the town, the size of the campus, the emphasis on academia, the teachers, and also how far one is willing to move. After finding the right college one should try making friends with the people in your hall. These will be the people you see everyday and you never know when you need to borrow a can opener. Try not to get too caught up with all work and no play. Finding a balance is key, afterall being on your own is about finding out what works for you and not what mom and dad say works. Lastly one should get to know each and every one of their professors. Getting to know a professor and his or her office hours is important. One does not want at the end of the semester to go in to ask a professor about his or her grade and have the professor not know who you are.

Make sure to visit the college more than once and be sure to be willing to take part in provided activites; find the one you want to begin with when you first begin your college life. Don't be afraid to show what you know.

I encourage parents to sit down with their college student, and help them figure out exactly what areas of study interest them. From that point I suggest that the student write down what it is he or she is looking to get out of their education, and in particular, what they are looking for in a school. The list will help guide them in their search for the right school. The student should do his or her own research individually, and then present what they have found to their parents in order to get advice. I also encourage parents to require that their student do most of the reasearch on different schools on their own. This tool helps their son or daughter really take ownership of their future, but without totally making them go through the whole experience alone.

When looking for the right college, it is very important for the student to visit the school they are considering going to so that the student and the parents can have a feel for where he/she will be living in the following year(s). Likewise, it is important for students and parents to keep an open mind about which school he/she will be attending. What they may think is the best fit could turn out completely wrong. Therefore, students and parents, together, should research the school in terms of education and outside interests. Although the parents may like one school, they need to recognize the student's needs and wants. To help find the right college, students and parents need to work together to see what is the best fit through two or three different perspectives.

Make sure they find a good church