University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

Research and do campus visits with your children and allow them to be on their own for a period of time during the stay. This give the child a better understanding of whether they want to be at that institution or not. Make sure the child does just as much if not more research as parents.

When considering a college consider more than just the campus facilities and the program you want. Look at everything, including surrounding area, transportation, off campus recreation, and weather. I transferred too my school, from Ithaca College. When I picked Ithaca I picked it because it had the best program. When I got there, it was freezing cold, and depressing and all the students drank like fish. It was horrible, and I wanted to kill myself before long. After two years in my own personal hell, I tranfered to Maryland. It's not a presiges as school, but I love it. It's big, and close to DC. There's ample opportunities to get involved. Anything you want to do you can find a group to do it with. I'm much happier here and as a result I'm getting a much better education. Once your actually in college...get involved. I know it's cliche but really. Even if you already have friends, make new ones. Don't stick to the same three people. Join a club. Now's the time to experiment! Do something wierd like scuba diving or ballroom dancing. Get comfortable in your own skin!

Make sure you get involved in activities right away. Otherwise people get overwhelmed by the large size of the campus and groups are a way to make it feel smaller

Make a general list of what you are looking for such as: Large school vs. small school, city or suburbs? Then research as much as possible. Do not have any expectations because schools that you might not even consider could end up being the best option for your child.

Parents and Students should do a lot of research on 5 things. First, the major concentration programs offered at the school, and how competitive they are. Second, Financial Aid and scholarships offered from the College. Third, the costs and availability of Housing arrangments, Transportation and Meal plans. Fouth, the availabily of jobs, research and internship opportunities through the School. And, finally what activities, clubs, and greek life are offered at the school and how to become active on campus.

Ask yourself one question: "What do I want to get out of my college experience?" This is, indeed, one question, but you should come up with several answers. You might say, "an impressive resume," or "lifelong friendships," or "spiritual fulfillment." You might even include smaller details like "the chance to watch exciting football games" or "the assurance of on-campus housing." Once you have listed your answers, you should decide which ones are most important to you. Ranking them in order of importance could be helpful. Is academic excellence a priority for your chosen college? Or is it a commitment to community service, or environmental activism? Is affordability an issue, and, if so, how important is it to your decision? Each school has its strengths and weaknesses in every one of those areas, even the little aspects. After researching a school, you can rank it according to your established criteria. Then, you can pick out a college that closely matches your ideals. While applying, and during your college experience, remember to stay focused on what is important to you. Don't get so caught up in the processes that you forget what college is all about - enriching YOUR life.

To Examine all the options before making a decision

An important issue for both parents and students is how much college costs. For families that are less financially stable, it is difficult to pay tuition and all the other expenses that come with living on your own. Going into debt at the age of seventeen is not the ideal situation for any student. Students must manage their money properly while at school and learn how to keep track of all expenses. It is important for parents to encourage their children to be financialy responsible because going to college can sometimes be overwhelming.

Make sure you visit multiple colleges so you can try to picture yourself on campus. Also, talk to students on campus that are not part of the orientation program.

I would do a lot of research on what school to attend. Sometimes you need to even think outside the box and really research go visit the school and talk to the students not hired to give the tour to get a real view of the college. Once you pick a college try to make the most of out the school by taking advantage of all of their resources and make lots of friends.