University of Massachusetts-Amherst Top Questions

the advice i would give would be to visit each and every school that you are interested in. The worst thing a person can do is to apply to a school without looking at it. As for making the most out of college, one should understand right away that not everyone is going to be their friend. It is easier to sort through and find good friends instead of getting into drama that gets in the way of schoolwork. And the biggest thing is to be yourself.

I remember from an article that I read, that finding a school is a lot like shopping for a car or buying a new house. While everyone has their own preferences, it is often best to choose the school that best suits him or her. With a lot of students who are not sure as to what they wish to become in the future or where to go for their studies, a school such as The University of Massachusetts Amherst, is sometimes a good option. Schools that offer a wide variety of majors and courses can help a person explore their interests while becoming independent in their intellectual sense. To make the most out of any college experience, I would recommend socializing and getting to know the people who you live with or around. Sporting events as well as clubs are also a great way to meet new people as well as sharing the same interests a student might have. While there are shy people on campus, it is sometimes best to interact with a single person or two before moving on to meeting other students. You can get a good sense as to how you socialize with others.

Do a lot of research before deciding on a school

I suggest visiting the campus and speaking to students and faculty particularly in your area of interest. Think about trying this school for a year and do not become overwhelmed at the thought of picking a major and a school for a 4 year commitment.

I'd say consider carefully what is most important to you. It's always possible to choose a prestige school, but is that what you really want? Are the academics or the social aspect most important? How important is it that you get to work with professors, get real-world experience or be able to join a fraternity or sorority? How do finances figure in? How much emotional and academic support do you need? Do you want to stay close to home or go far away? Finding a balance between all your wants and needs isn't always easy, but it should be possible to make sure that you have just the college experience you want.

You'll be able to be happy at most colleges if you try.

Go to the college campus before making a decision. Find out how colleges look in academic areas of interest. Decide whether you'd rather live on campus or commute. If you get homesick you might want to pick a college that's closer to your home and commute, otherwise living on campus is great for meeting people and getting involved. Don't be afraid to try a bunch of activities out or to go up to your peers and make friends. Getting an internship is probably the best way to go in order to decide where to go in life career-wise. Have fun, but know that school comes first. Try to pick a major in which you have fun AND have strength in. Most of all, get to know your teachers and form relationships with them. Letters of recommendation come in handy and they can help you find internships/jobs.

First, don't panic. The application process seems to be a difficult one, but there are a lot of people to help you through it. Second, how comfortable are you leaving your hometown? If you're very comfortable, applying to an out-of-state college isn't a bad idea. Also, do you have a Major in mind? Many students still don't, it's not unusual to declare your major your 2nd or 3rd year on campus. For those who have "Undecared" as their major, you should take as much variety in your courses as you can. For example, take Astronomy out of the sheer curiosity, or take a foreign language you've always wanted to learn but couldn't. Don't restrict your educational experience to strengthening up your major, as some students learn, the major you declare when you enter college, may be very different than the one you have afterwards. Don't forget to always, ALWAYS ask someone if you don't understand something. What's the worse that could happen, they don't know? And lastly, have fun! This may be your educational future, but what's the point if you did so in vain?

I took some simple steps for finding the right college. One of the first steps I took was finding the right major, which took quite a bit of soul searching. There are some questions that I answered about myself before I began my search for colleges: "How far away from home do I want to be?", "Do I want a concentrated system of learning or have a basis of self-reliance?", and ?What are some colleges that I can afford?? Once I had some colleges in mind, I decided to visit each campus, which helped me make all my final decisions. I am now a student at UMASS Amherst in one of the best chemical engineering programs in the country, along with being the closest to home and cheapest school I applied for. I would not change anything about my decision to attend college here. As far as making the most of college, I cannot shed that much light on the subject matter since I tend to be too consumed by my work load. I will say that one of the best parts of college is meeting new people and finding some of the best friends you will ever have.

The best advice I can give prospective students and parents is to visit every school you're interested in before applying. I thought I wanted to be in the city, but when I looked at big city schools, I hated all of them because there was no campus. Some campuses looked great in the brochure but when I visited, they were totally opposite in actuality. On your tours, ask your questions to current students. They're the window to the reality of the school you are visiting. Go in the buildings. Check out the dorm rooms. Try the food. This will be your home away from home for probably 4 years. Arrange to spend an overnight if possible. Once you find the right school and are accepted and attending, check out everything offered to you. Find all the services available to you such as health centers, gyms, transportation, research etc. Last but not least, introduce yourself to as many people as you can. Remember, they're in the same boat as you and are probably just as scared as you are. Make new friends.