University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

Parents and prospective college students should not be fooled by US News and Report rankings and other ranking tools that do not necessarily give readers an accurate description of where to attend college. The best way for parents and prospective students to find out which college is right for them is be PROACTIVE in their college research. Both parents and the student should sit down and honestly assess the student's personality, academic strengths and weaknesses, interests of study, and personal hobbies and lifestyle. Based on these factors of self-evaluation, students should look for colleges whose teaching philosophies and practices and campus lifestyle and climate best fit them, and would be most conducive to their academic success and accomplishment of their goals. Students and parents should then visit colleges of interest and most importantly talk to several current students to get a in-depth and first-hand look into what students there are like and what they like (and possibly dislike) about the school. All of these steps is critical for finding the perfect college that fits the needs and expectations of each individual prospective student looking for the perfect place to go to college.

make sure you would be happy at the campus. don't just look at the academics.

Get involved in as many things as you can: you get exposed to alot of experiences, meet all sorts of people, and you find out what you really like in life. Take up any offers for advanced students, they always get special treatment and better service on campus.

FInding the right college i not easy. Especially if the student and the parents do not agree on where to apply. But I think the best advice I was given was to go to the campus and sit where you can see a majority of the campus and close your eyes, see if you feel yourself there. I had no intention of staying in state so I just applied to the schools my parents suggested because there was no way I was going to get help to go to my dream school-NYU-but when I stepped onto the University of Maryland campus, I immediately fell in love with what it had to offer me before I even spoke to anyone. So get out there and visit your options, see if you feel yourself there and once you know, you know and there's no changing where you're meant to be when it comes to higher education.

It's all about what the student wants to get out of his experience in college. If the student is a dedicated hard working person who can afford and bear not having an exorbitantly diverse social life then a prestigious ivy league or high ranked school will suffice. But if the student is willing to make the most out of his undergraduate education and come out of it a well rounded and well educated individual with a diverse curriculum vitae then a research university or liberal arts school that can teach them the true value of education and civics is best for them, and in the end it is the student who has to decide which path he or she would like to go on. To make the most of their experience they need to make sure that they are able to balance their social lives and academics and be able to apply what they learn in the classroom to the real world.

Obviously, the academic reputation of the school is important; where you get your degree from will have a much larger impact on the rest of your life than you might realize right now. That being said, making time for relaxation is important. If you?re applying to school for the right reasons, you want to do well. You?ll want to make sure that you keep your grades up, and part of that process is making sure that you have time to relax. Take time to weigh ecah school's typical course load against the opportunities to kick back and relax. Each school offers different levels of extracurricular activities; some will have tons of stuff to do, and others will trust the student to find their own fun. If you?re looking to pick up a new skill, check out the school?s website and see what they offer as far as student organizations. If you like movies, check for proximity of local movie theatres. Meditate? How close is the nearest park? Your performance in college idictates the next stage of your life. Make sure your mind is at it's best as you force your way through your studies.

I would advise students to really closely investigate a variety of schools. Don't just pick the one that's close or far or big or small. Check out the campus, talk to some real students and find out what life is actually like at the school. Every school will tell you that they're fabulous. This isn't always the case so find out for yourself.

As I am in my senior year now, I can look back on the entire process of college. I rememeber applying to all of the schools, and anxiously awaiting their responses. I look back thinking about what decisions have brought me to where I am now. In order to find the best school for you or your son/daughter, school visits are key. In visiting each school you can realize a typical day at the college. Also consider on these visits, participating in a program in which you can spend the night in a dorm. It is important to see what the social aspect of campus is before attending. Remember, college is an experience. This experience is guided by your academic endeavors, but is not limited to academics rather is a social experience in which you can really realize who you are and who you will be as you enter the adult world. Trust your instincts, and take your college experience as it comes. Grades are not everything, it is what you take from each course that truly matters. Lastly, just take it one day at a time. It flies by and it's your time to experience everything!

I do not agree with the theory of thought that there is a "best" school for someone. I feel that students should not try and look for this so-called "best" school because it does not exist. There can only be one "best" school. Instead parents/students looking for the right school should focus on making a good selection and not making a poor selection. While there is only one "best" school, there are plenty of good schools. By focusing only on finding the "best" school this can come at the expense of evaluating and searching for schools that are a good fit/choice. Just as important as finding a school that is a good fit, is making sure you do not select a school that is a poor or bad selection. When parents/students are deciding on the right college they should focus on finding a college that is a good fit and would enjoy spending 4 years at instead of trying to find the unattainable goal of finding the "best" or "perfect" college. When you finally select a school that is a good fit for you, make sure to get involved in plenty of school activities.

I think the most important thing that I could tell students about picking a college is to go with your heart. Pick the right place that you feel you will be the most comfortable and the place that you will thrive educationally. There are so many things people consider when choosing a college, but the most important things normally get overshadowed. I would tell the parents to never push their child into a school they want to see them in, or that they went to, or that they think their kid will do the best in. What they should do is listen to their child and give them suggestions or advice and let the child choose in the end. Finally when the student is at the college and prepared to enjoy his/her experience it is vital that there be some balance between work and play. There is no need to put aside having fun for four years with your head in the books, you gain knowledge from other places then books and class. I'm not saying to have fun and ignore your work, but to stay stress free you need to please yourself and let loose on occasion.