University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Top Questions

Make sure you're really careful about college looking. Ask people. Do lots of research. Visit the campuses. You'll know what feels right. Don't sacrifice your education for a school that you think will be "fun." Take advantage of every possible opportunity. It all exists, trust me. If you're confused in class, find a study group, and definitely go to office hours. No one wants to see you fail. Professors and grad student instructors are always happy to help. That's why they're there! Get involved in activities. Find something you're passionate about. Try different things. The point of college isn't to keep doing all the same things you did in high school. Take a random class pass fail like Renaissance Art History, Buddhism, or Linguistics. Definitely take a language even if it isn't in your requirements. Don't jump into a major too quickly. Make sure to take a mixture of requirements, practical classes, and a class or two that just really interest you. Study hard, but not too much. Have fun, but not too much. hah

Most kids who say they want to go to a big school have no idea what they'll be getting themselves into, so always remember that in a big school you're a number first. And in order to become personified, you have to work and compete against literally thousands of other equally bright, equally determined students your age.

Ignore the brochures, ignore the websites. Visit the campus and get to know some of the students. Set goals for yourself, and determine what kind of lifestyle you'll need to accomplish this in colllege. And once you find the school that's right for you, commit to it. Really commit to it. That's how you make everlasting friendships; that's how you get the most out of college. Join a fraternity, join a political group, join a singing group, anything - that's how you find your niche. And trust me - enjoy the Fall semester. Nothing will ever beat the Fall semester of college.

Visit the college

It is most important to feel at home on a college campus, because it will be your home for the next 4-5 years. I liken it to multiple choice tests...the common rule is "go with your gut". When you feel the right campus for you, you will know. Take the time to talk to students, professors, locals, anybody you can on your visit. Again, it should feel like home.

Don't let convention drive your decision. This is decision that is as much about feel as it is about rankings. Open your mind, ignore expectations, and put yourself in a position to learn in order to make the most of your collegiate experience.

The advice I give is to go visit all colleges that you are considering and try and get a feel for what it's like on campus and weigh you options equally because you do not want to make your decision based on something that is unimportant you you but other people seem to care about. Also get the facts, the real facts not just the rankings that are listed on the schools website because if you are an English major you dont really care how high the school's Aerospace Engineering program is ranked, you need to know things that pertain to you like class size, what happens on the weekends at campus, average class load for a freshman, and how the dorms and the food they serve are. So don't focus on the trivial details look at the things that will affect you daily because those are the things that are going to allow you to make the most out of your college experience.

It doesn't really matter where you go- it's what you make of it when you get there.

I don't believe in such a thing as "the right college." College is what you make of it. Any and every school out there can be right for you, you just have to mold your experience to meet your own expectations. Just choose the college that best fits your basic needs: finances, location, size, academic departments. Visit each school your accepted to and see how it feels. But ultimately, no matter where you end up, whether it's the college of your dreams or your so-called "safety school," it will be the right school for you if you make it right. Work hard, get involved, and live it up! That's all it takes.

The first and most important thing about finding the right college is researching and visiting a good handful of different schools. Small schools, big schools, public, private, in-state or out-of-state --- find all the schools that spark your interest and look into them. Get a good feeling for which schools make you feel comfortable and go for those. When you finally get there, to make the most of your experience, you should seek out the activities you know you're interested in, and even look into some that you've never really thought of before. College is a great time to get to know new people and experience new things, but you have to be active and seek them out. And above all - keep true to yourself and have fun.