University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Top Questions

I believe college is what you make it. If you go in with a positive mindset and if you take it seriously enough, things will work out for you. If you don't know what you want, go to a big college where you have a lot of programs to choose from. I would say try everything, with in reason. Try a science class just to see, try a dance class, try to work for the newspaper or the radio, try to make friends with everyone on your floor. Then on top of that, I would suggest you work your tail off. Don't make the mistake of going crazy just because no one is watching you. Take the work seriously, go to class, take notes, all that good stuff. It's scary and tough at first but once you get into a groove, life beings to make a lot of sense in college-world.

Have a good idea of what you want to get out of school, whether academic, athletic, social, etc before you apply and choose the school for you. Do a lot of research on the schools you choose so there are no surprises when you get there.

Look around a lot, ask other students who go there what they think!

While academics are obviously important, the school's social life is everything when it comes to what your experience is going to be. Many schools offer advantages that another cannot, and more impressive r?sum?s will be important in these tough economic times, life is too short to be miserable for any portion of your life. If you won't be comfortable in a school where everyone is "stuck-up" and super-focused on school, then don't go there. A lot of my friends scoffed my school (University of New Hampshire) because it is where many of the students from my high school attend. They went for schools with ?better? academic programs. That?s fine, if that is what you want. However, some of them are unhappy though with the size of the school, or what the social scene is like. The sad thing is, from what they say, they would be happy at UNH. It has what they are looking for, but they neglected it because it wasn?t deemed ?good enough.? I feel like that is very unfortunate that they missed out on the great experience that I am having, because of one pre-conceived notion.

If I had to go back and do the whole college search again I would have done things differently. First I would suggest that people start figuring out where they might want to go in the country junior year. From there you can look at books with college information pertaining to the certain location that you are interested in. I would use those books and other resources (internet, magazines) to figure out which of the colleges in the location you like has the best programs in the major you wish to pursue. Once you have located those school you can go from there and figure out what size, social life, sports, and housing you find important in your quest for the perfect match. I would also say you should apply to every school you like and a good amount of one reach schools, people get lucky everyday why not you. I know that the applications are long and tedious and expensive, but you only live once in life and for most people you only choose one school. Why not make that one school the best fit possible, I'm one of the lucky that found a school they really love.

Have an idea of what you want to major in and the type of weather you like. I knew both of those and knew which school I wanted to go to the moment I got on its campus. If money is an issue then also keep that in mind and look for financial aid/scholarships. Do your research about all schools of interest and do visit most of them.

Take your time. Get your finances in order. Manage your money. Use your time wisely. Be social, enjoy all that the University has to offer. Make friends for life and share some of the best times you'll ever have. Work hard, Party Harder.

Make sure your child has the right attitude about it. Right from the beginning, I joined a pre-orientation community service group that got me engaged in my community and helped me make friends. Some people there became best friends and now roommates or started relationships. I became involved in a community service club on campus and am now President. Whatever you decide to do on campus will change your experience. Some groups are obviously about drinking, and that's a personal choice. If possible, join the honors program; classes are smaller and more interactive, but not very difficult (if you've taken AP courses in high school, that's my standard for very difficult). And whether or not you choose to live there, the honors dorm is a good place to get a dose of intellectual socials. I watched Wall-E there recently and it was followed up by a discussion on the film's themes and its commentary on American society. So go wherever your situation and personal preferences best fit and take an active role in deciding what you want out of your college experience because here you're responsible for yourself.

Do a lot of research. There are thousands of schools out there. Make sure you study abroad. It's cheaper to study abroad than most people think. Push yourself into groups that interest you. If you go into college Undeclared, student organizations are a great way of getting a feel for what types of fields or what types of skills you would like to pursue. Take control of your experience. The time passes very quickly and you want to make the best of it.

Finding the right college for any student is a completely personal choice. The student will most likely know what the right fit for them is once they experience the lifestyle and energy of a campus. Parents can't make the choice for their child, friends can't make the choice. It is entirely up to the student and the place they feel will offer themselves only the best education and environment for what it is they are seeking to get out of college. The experience also extends beyond the classroom. It entails the type of people you meet, the situations you may find yourself in, the opportunities offered to you to expand your area of comfort through programs like study abroad or extra curricular activities, the list goes on. There are so many aspects that go into finding the perfect college match for each individual, but the in-depth search process will be well worth it once you arrive at the school that will help transform you from a dependant young adult to an independent intellectual ready for the adult world.