University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Top Questions

The advice I would give to parents is to give their chilldren academic freedom. Most parents want their children to attend the university that they did to create or continue the family legacy. Parents try to impose schools of their choice on their children. Parents need not to dictate where their children decide to go to school but rather suggest where their children go to school. The advice I would give to students is to choose a school thats right for you academically and socially. Some people feel comfortable in a large school and some people are more comfortable with a small school setting. When electing a college to attend choose the college that's best to further your career goals. Do no choose the college are your friends chose to go to. That decision is sound for a social purpose but not for academic purposes. Don't be afraid of change, become independent. Get out and meet new people. Most importantly utilize all the resources your college has available.

Go wherever you feel the most comfortable. Don't go where people tell you is the best, go where your heart takes you. Finances are definately something to think about as well. Although there is financial aid, definately keep finances in the picture. Go somewhere that keeps your academic and career goals in interest. IF a school doesn't offer your major, then don't make comprimises to go there. Once on a campus, get involved in extra-curricular activites. Its a great way to meet people and build up your resume. You can't spend your college career ALWAYS sitting around studying. Get involved, but not TOO involved and keep your priorities straight.

Once you find the schools that have your potential major, narrow those down by deciding what size school and what type of campus would best fit your personality, such as a large city, or small campus town. Visiting these schools really helps get the feel of campus, and definitely sign up for a tour, since the tour guides are students of that school and can answer personal as well as academic questions. The University of Michigan was not my first choice, but once I came to visit and took a tour, I realized that this was the perfect school for me. It is a definitely a college town, and the atmosphere makes me feel safe and at home. I would also recommend not going to a school that half of your high school goes to, because it forces you to meet new people. Once at college, make the most by being outgoing and willing to meet new people. Regardless of your workload, don't forget to have fun and hang out with new friends. Join a lot of campus groups and experience as much as you can. Explore the campus and ask a lot of questions!

College decisions: Do I want a big school, do I want a small school, do I want to go to this school because it has a better ranking. When I started college I had one goal and one goal only. That goal was to get into the business school. Right now I have been at the university for 2 full years and I?m working on my third and do you want to know what my major is? I?m studying Sociology with a sub concentration in law and I love it. My mother was the one who advised against having such a blind pursuit of getting a business degree. Since I decided not to follow the business route I have worked for some top law firms and business firms and they both have told me that they do not want someone that has such a narrow mind set. They want thinkers who will go beyond the lines of a piece of paper. So in my final words, pick a school because it has a broad range of programs that you can take to find out who you truly are. You may never know who you are until you try.

Go for the professors and the academic program that caters to your interests best. Know that if the college gives you a lot of money that you might get more out of that college experience (especially grad school) - but you might also feel like a big fish in a small pond. Also, make sure you like the city.

Be sure to visit campuses of interest. This way, you will get a feel for the atmosphere and see if you are comfortable. Don't hesitate to ask questions about anything pertaining to campus life--you will be here for the next four years, so get to know the campus before jumping in. Get involved; giving back to the community can be one of the most rewarding things of your life. Study hard--you're going to need it. Don't forget your social life; it's important to have fun to keep your sanity. Don't take anything for granted, you never know when you may lose it. Enjoy yourself and meet lifelong friends--you only get to do this once, so make it count!

The decision about where to receive your college education is one that should not be taken lightly. At the same time, it should be a lot less stressful and more exhilirating, if anything. The college you select won't be some institution that tests and grades you, it will become your new home away from home for the next stage of your life, so the city and everyone in it should represent you and what you use to prepare yourself for life after college. Instead of just noting academic difficulty, analyze the methods that the college utilizes to better teach its students (experiments, study abroad, community service, group interaction). Instead of simply considering the number of students in the lecture and classroom, examine the depth of diversity to broaden your horizons and the availability of academic help (study groups, tutoring, peer interaction) to further assist you when outside of the classroom. Finally, after making the exciting decision about where you will continue your education, don't hold back! Rather than dipping your toe in to test the water, make a huge splash on campus by exploring all it has to offer and getting involved. Answer the question, "Who am I?"

Finding the right college is important. Both academics and campus culture must be taken into account, as they can either cripple or enhance the other. First, the right college should have a good program in the student's chosen area of study. If the student is undecided, then perhaps a more well rounded university would be a better match. Next you should take a visit to the campus in order to decide if you like the atmosphere. College isn't meant to be utterly miserable, although challenging, so the campus environment should have a variety of campus organizations, both fun and social, so that the student can find their own niche and grow through their experience. Finally, cost should be considered. If you absolutely fall in love with a college, but the tuition is too high, try anyway. Try for as many scholarships as you can and go from there. To make the most of college, get involved on campus. It is here that you really grow as a person and define yourself by what you do. These experiences will create lasting memories for a lifetime.

Finding the right college is like finding the right pair of running shoes. They have to fit just right. Sure, you might have to sacrifice quite a bit of your paycheck to the cause but in the end, the extra money you spent will be well worth it. You can buy some good shoes for a good price but for just a little bit more, you can buy some great shoes. Shoes that won?t give you blisters and shoes that will ultimately, help you run faster to the finish line. And once you've found the perfect pair of shoes, you'll know it. But even the perfect pair of shoes does no good for the person who only wants to wear sandals. You have to put them on, stretch them out and take a run on streets you've never been on before. College is about exploration. Take some chances and when you fall, pick yourself up and keep on running. It may be a long, difficult marathon but there's a prize at the end, success.

I would advise parents and students to really sit down and figure out what you want out of a school. Make a list of what is important to you; things like size, distance from home, majors available, climate, cost, and so much more. Even if it may not always feel like it, there is a school out there that will fit everyone like a glove. Going through this process of finding out what is important to the student will be a huge help in the decision process. Look at your favorite schools, compare them to the list, and see how they measure up. It will really show you what school is best for you. I will also say to trust your first instinct. Visit the schools that you are considering and trust you first feeling. After all of this, make your decision and go into college with a positive attitude. The college experience is what you make of it. It can be the best or the worst time of your life, so choose to make it the best.