University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Top Questions

I think that when choosing a college...choose one that allows you to change your mind in your major. I would choose a school that allows you to explore your major. For instance co-oping/interning allows the students to decide if what they are majoring is right for them. Also, make sure that the school is creditworthy and money is also a big issue but I think that making sure the college fits the student and will make them succeed to their fullest potential is more important than the tuition. I also think that it is important for parents to allow their children to be independent but remembering that they need to know that they can depend on their parents if they need anything without hesitation. Being social and having a fun experience is important also but make sure that studying gets done so you can graduate to get back to the real world.

Visit and experience your school before you apply, it is extremely important to be in a comfortable atmosphere.

The key to having a good college experience is meeting people whom you like to be around, the best way to do that is to live on campus even if the parents live near by. I lived off campus freshman year and now everybody from my year and major know eachother and I feel excluded.

find a school that accomadate your needs such as c-ops academic classes, location. for example dont apply to a school if you dont know where it 's at. it could be in the mountians, or in the country.

I would tell parents and graudating seniors that you should just pick whatever college feels right to them. If you aren't ready to move far away from Mom and Dad, then thats OK. Just moving across town is a good start. Also it's really important that as a freshmen you don't get trapped in a major that you think you want then years later realize you want to do something else. Even if you think you know what you want to do, you have tons of electives, so use them to find out what you are actually interested in. You might fall in love with something you've never even studied before. Visit your advisor on a regular basis: it's easy to waste a lot of money taking classes you think are required that you don't really need! Lastly don't get too caught up in the whole party scene. It's a lot of fun to experiment with alcohol but real life changing mistakes happen when you've had a few too many. Oh and don't get a credit card for a free t-shirt it's not worth it. Seriously.

Ask around, finding right college can be tough.

check the rate at which alumni are able to obtain careers in their field of study after graduation.

Making the right decision on something so big can be boiled down to two foundations: research and intuition. The research satisfies that need for cognitive stimulation and factual support of a specific choice, and the intuition feeds that overall "vibe" one gets from being on-campus and immersing themselves in the college environment. Each method has a way of manifesting itself that is unique to the situation. If your future collegian has a chosen area of study (or atleast a good idea), then it is easy to start with the research. This means investigating national rankings, examining aspects of that focus that are most important to all parties (you, your collegian, and the college), or even looking at historical facts and who's been supporting that focus the longest. If your collegian to be is unaware or undecided on a future focus area, then the intuition comes in play. Start by making a focus area agnostic list of all things that are most important from a college environment. After available research is found and insights have been discovered, you can now narrow your list and visit the schools. This is the part where your gut says, "ah this is right!"

College is your final prepratory step before joining the real word, therefore you should pick a school that is the most suitable for your needs as a student and a person. You should pick a school that is well rounded in studies and social life. It is very important to attend a school that can give you an outstanding education in your chosen field but it is equally critical to attend a college that enables you to blossom socially. The social side of college helps students succeed in becoming well rounded and understanding of the many different types of people you will encounter in your life. You should look for a college that can give you the best of both worlds, a school with high academic standards as well as an emphasis on student activities and involvement. Also, any type of interning program a school may offer can be extremely supplementary to your education and contribute to your ability to get a job after school. Connections you or your college make during your studies can help you once you graduate. Look for a school that fits your personality but also gives you the means to succeed academically and socially.

My best advice about finding the right college is to find a college with a variety of great programs. Many people change their major more than once, and it's great to know that no matter what field you decide to go into, the school you have chosen will be able to provide great opportunities. It's also important to look out the extracurricular activities available because getting involved with your campus is the best way to meet people, network, and make friends that you will have for life!