University of California-Santa Cruz Top Questions

Parents: Let your child decide. Let them make their own choices so if they end up hating it then them can't blame you, or if they end up loving it then they can be proud of themselves for picking such a wonderful school. Students: Good luck and enjoy the college life. This is where the fun start but know your limit before the privilege of having fun is taken away from you [a.k.a kick out of school]. Parents & Students: Remember to be there for each other through the whole process. Parents need to learn how to let their little princess go or their little Billy boy go. Students need to learn to appreciate their parents more once they go off to college because your parents are the only one who will be providing you the washer machine and the dryer every weekend you decide to come home to do your laundry...with no charge.

It is easy for students looking at colleges to pick the most presitgious or the most well-known, but I would advise looking at different qualites. When I came to this campus I knew I found the right place because I had an overwhelming feeling that this was the right place. I knew that it wasn't the most prestigious, but I knew that here I would get the education I was looking for. I wouldn't have to exhaust myself to get decent grades, and I wouldn't have to compete with anyone to succeed. Look for a college where you can enjoy your time, where you will still be challanged intellectually, but where you are also comfortable enough in your surroundings to make friends and have fun. When you're in college, I have found that I've learnt the most from professors that I get to know outside of class, and that if I encourage myself to work hard I most often succeed.

Selecting the right college is a tough decision but what some people don't realize is that the area around the school is just as important as the school itself. Not just because of entertainment but because the city itself should offer resources for your area of expertise. That's why its so important to visit the cities where the colleges your looking at are and take a look around. And don't think because the city isn't big that there's no resources, many schools and department programs offer listings organizations there involved with within the city or in a city nearby.

Go with whatever feels right

parents not to worry about their children, they know what they're doing...be proud of it. students know what you want in life and grab it, opportunity is everywhere.

Rember where your strength ans weaknesses are. No matter what your goal is in college you have to know how to over come the weaknesses to survive. Also, even if you know what it is you want to major in, you might just change your mind so take general education courses in the beginning and make sure your not missing out on something that your actually truely wanting to do.

Let the student choose their college based upon what their preferences are.Do research on the school.

College is about learning; both about yourself and the rest of the world. It is important to learn about society and what you want to do in it. It is just as important if not more so to learn about yourself. You can't be successful in the professional world, no matter what your career, if you don't understand what makes you happy. College can give you the tools to be successful but without the motivation to succeed the most prestigious degree doesn't mean much. Finding the right college is important but having the right enthusiasm for learning is crucial. Without a positive outlook no college experience will seem right. Those who get the most out of their college experience are the ones that learn from challenges and have fun doing it. Many people say that college was the best four years of their lives. Those are the people that learned the most both inside and outside of the classroom.

For the applying student- don't chose a college based on what your friends are doing or what your family wants for you. Chose a college based on what feels right for you, what sort of community you wish to become a part of and on what deartments and extra curriculars fit your needs and wants. Listen to yourself, not everyone else... you'll know when it's a fit.

College is a time discover yourself. Chose a school that will offer opportunities to define your personal and professional goals. Internships, community service, and studies abroad can be life-changing experiences.