University of Massachusetts-Amherst Top Questions

To students: TRUST YOURSELF: this applies to the college search process as well as the actual college experience. Only you know what it is you want in a school. Forget what your parents say; tyou have to live with this decision for the next four years, so don't let anyone push you toward a choice you're not comfortable with. And once you are at school, keep this motto alive. College is a new and intimidating experience. Its okay to be afraid, but don't let fear stop you from taking advantage of all the exciting opportunities available to you. That said, know your boundaries, respect them and make sure others do the same. Trust yourself to know what is best for you. To parents: TRUST THEM: (them being your children, who are techniqually adults now.) It is time for the dreaded Parental Retreat, when you have to have faith in your parenting abilities and trust that you've raised your baby into a strong, intelligent, and independent adult. The college selection process is not about you ; it is about their dreams and their knowledge of what is best for them. Take a deep breath, relax, and let go.

Find a school that focus both on student academic success and his social life. Professors and staffs are very supportive to students. No discrimination. Financial aid availabe to any student strong aluminu connection.

Before ever choosing a college, individuals seeking college admissions should have made decisions regarding Major choice. Choice should be made based on future prospects of the career and opportunities available in the field that best suits one's interest. After concluding this, colleges offering the best program in that career field should be sought after. Questions on Financial Aid, recommended loan source, Scholarships, Tutoring availability, Experential opportunity, and other relevant inquiries should be made prior to enrollment at the chosen school.

Make sure to visit and get information from current students about the college life. The college life at the school has impact on everything.

Visit the school - take a walk around the campus yourself, check out the dorms, eat in the dining halls and just get the feel of the college. When it's the right one, you'll feel right in place. Also, think about finance. You may believe that money should not get into the way of pursuing your dream college but money can change everything.

The most important aspect of finding the right college is to know what the student wishes to major in. There are many schools that have very good programs in certain fields but not so much in others, and therefore making sure the college that you are looking into has a good program in your field is key. Also, it is very important to know what size college works right for you. If a big University does not sound so appealing because of the size of the classrooms, and the need to be able to interact with the professor in class every day, then maybe a smaller college would work much better for you. Finally, the student needs to decide how far from home they are willing to go for their education, and then look into the colleges that would suffice their needs and goals in life.

As a student who will be attending graduate school in the fall of 2010, I have much experience concerning the college search and decision making process. With this in mind, the best advice that I could give students who are looking for the right college would be to not only visit the campus, but also to meet with a student who is attending the college in your program of interest. Take in as much as possible; sit in on a class if possible. As far as making the most of your college experience, always remember that you are there for a reason, to learn and receive as much information as possible to better your future life as an educated individual. Drinking and partying to the point of disregarding your work is not why you pay thousands of dollars to attend school, please keep that in mind. You will not look back and remember those times, but I can assure you that you will remember the pride and great feeling of accomplishment when you hand a paper or receive a good grade on a test that you worked hard for. Finding a balance between socializing and schoolwork is an absolute necessity.

I think that the best advice I could give to anyone about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience would be to say to make sure that they choose a college or University that offers a number of major choices and has a diverse student population. I think that the more organizations throughotu the campus the better. Also, I would advise parents and students to both visit the schools and talk to current students and get the opinion of someone that is attending. It is important that the school gets the student in question excited about the opportunity they will have by choosing the right school. Education and social experiences are very imporant to maintaining a balanced college experience and I think students and parens should choose their school wisely and make sure that the school represents itself well and that is concerned with it's students' success. A school that can prepare its students for achieving both their career and social goals to me is a successful institution.

The college you go to shouldn't be based on how expensive it may be or how well known it is throughout the country. The right college for you is the place you visit in high school on a campus tour and fall in love with. A place you can see yourself creating memories that will last a lifetime. College is definitely about finding the right education as well, but more than anything it is a learning experience. You learn how to love, life, laugh and become the person you want to be. You are finally able to claim the independence you have wanted for years. The future of your life is finally put into your hands. The best way to go about finding that place is love at first sight. Live everyday knowing that they call these the best years of your life for a reason. Be daring and be driven to succeed. Run with the wind and find happiness in friends. Learn what it means to be unique and color outside the lines. Absorb the knowledge from your professors and the wisdom of your peers. Give everything your best, and you will be rewarded in the end.

The advice I would give for parents and/or students about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience would be for the parent and student to research a couple of different varieties of schools. The parent should take location, cost, and history of the school in consideration. They should figure out what would be a good location for schooling. For example, how close to home should the school be for it to be comfortable for the parent and student. The school should also be affordable for the student and/or parent. Also, the student and parent should do a background check on the school's history. For example, the amount of graduates each year, the student teacher ratio, and the safety of the school. After researching some schools, narrow the choices down to a few and plan to visit them before applying. The parent and student should go with the school that they feel would give the student the best education for a good price that is safe.