University of Massachusetts-Lowell Top Questions

my advice would be no matter where the school is, take a tour, go and see it. as a campus tour guide i find it very importent to see the school first hand, during the school time most importently, to see what the university/college is really like. that swayed me and it will probably sway you too.

I would recommend visiting the schools. It's important for the parent to be comfortable with the environment their student(s) will be attending. More importantly, it's important for the student to get used to the campus, seeing as they will be the one spending their academic career there. Take advantage of the Financial Aid departments, they can give you a lot of useful information. Look into Orientation programs, even if they are not required, it is a good idea. You can learn a lot there, and make a lot of friends. As for making the most of your college experience, always remember that you are in college to get a degree. It is easy to fall into a social life, but go to your classes. Professors are there to teach and help you. Along the way you can find some amazing mentors and friends for life. There are usually opportunities for working on campus as well. The are residence jobs, as well as activites and clubs to take andvantage of. Enjoy your time in school, and put in your best efforts. When you get towards the end, you want to know you gave it your all.

Find a place that is going to make you feel comfortable. A place where you can grow as a person and to bring you to a bright furture.

Visit the campus, identify what you are looking for within a campus before you visit!

My advice to both parents and students would be to really look into what a college has to offer both academically and socially. I visited a few schools before I chose UML and I am very glad that I did. Some were too small, and some to far away. It is important to travel to schools and stay for a weekend to see how you feel about being far away from home. I think that it is important to know if in fact the school you want to attend has all of the courses and programs that you may be interested in and to do research on the rating of the schools you are interested in. UML is a very diverse school and that is one of the most interesting areas of it. I have met so many very interesting people and learned so much from them. I feel it is important to feel comfortable in your surroundings before you make that final decision. If you are happy with your choice and comfortable where you live you will find it much easier to succeed. Also be sure to discuss your needs with the school administration and resource staff.

Check theschool out first to really get a sense of its location and facilities

Choose a college that meets your budget, and that supports your potential major and any others you want. Choose quality, but don't break the bank trying to choose one. Private schools aren't necessacerily better because they cost more, nor are they better because they're private, there are plenty of excellent public schools with plenty of financial aid.

Your major is the biggest component for choosing the right school. The distance the school is from your home and your money situation are also huge factors in deciding where to go. Those are the main parts on choosing which colleges to apply to. So now it's deciding where to go based on if you will be happy there. The size and location of the school (city or small town), activities the school may have that you are interested in, and how you feel in a crowd when you go to visit the college (do you see yourself there?) can determine your happiness. College consists of emotional highs and lows so as long as you find a way to commit to your studies and keep yourself physically and mentally healthy, you will like the school no matter what. For example, I found a group of friends from classes to keep me motivated with school work and made lifelong friendships with my roommates who help me talk out my stressful situations. Basically, make a goal, create a plan to achieve that goal (academic, social, etc.) , then find the school where you can see your plan play out.

Don't get overwhelmed about choosing a school, the first year is about figuring out what you want to do and exploring different options... also if you do not have a firm idea on what you do want to do... don't waste a zillion dollars by going to some ritzy private school to figure it out... State schools are extremely cheaper and they definitely provide quality education. You can always go to Harvard for grad-school.

Dont ever judge a book by it's cover, although you may love a campus and hate another never make that the call on whether you attend a school or not. Talk to people and see how much they care about the campus and if it' a genuine place with great people. Make sure you look at the department in which you want to enroll in, make sure it has your major and talk to as many people as you can, it'll only help you make your decision easier when the time comes.