University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Top Questions

This college is SICK

Visit, Visit, visit. The more you visit, the more you see about a potential school. And talk to current students, not just paid school employees.

Research. I would say it might even be a good idea to take a year off. Grow up a little, figure out what exaclty you are looking for. Then you would have a better idea of what type of school you would like to go to. If that isn't going to happen then research. Try to come up with what type of environment you would best like. Look at all the clubs/organizations/values of the school and see how they can best fit your needs. Also take into consideration what you can give back to the school. What can you bring to the table? How can you better the school? That way you can feel really apart of the school, by being able to give back.

Finding the right college can be a hard thing to do. My advice to parents and students would just be sure to find the school that you think you would fit in best at. Look at the fields of study, extracirricular activities and type of student that would normally attend that school. If you feel like you would fit in at that particular school, then you probably do.

Take school seriously. Make sure you have fun and find ways to release stress but it's so important to keep your grades up. Looking back I wish I had studied a little harder or maybe read that chapter in the text book one more time. College is such a large investment, and I do mean investment, that the only way you will help ensure that you're making enough money when you graduate to make that investment worth while and earn a reasonable return on that investment is to get the grades which in turn will lead to the great first job. Be competative, study hard, and have fun when you can, it truely is the greatest time of your life.

An informed decision is the most powerful one of all. As such, I would tell students to do their research. First make sure the schools you are looking into have the major you are considering. Then try to find somewhere you can see yourself waking up every morning and really enjoying. Visit all the schools you are really interested in, it is certainly the best way to get a feel for what they are like. Instead of just taking the tour, make sure you hang around for a little bit afterword. Talk to the students, and find out what it is really like to be a part of that community. In addition, don't let anyone influence your decision to apply to certain universities. The decision you make must really be your own. Once you finally make it through all the applications it becomes time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Try and make the most of all the freshman activities the school offers and join the clubs that really interest you. Don't be afraid to try something new or random, college is all about finding yourself by exploring who you can and want to be.

Finding the right college and making the most of a college experience can be an overwhelming task. I would advise parents and/or students to research the vision and mission of the prospective college. Students should assess whether or not the vision and mission are aligned with their personal learning philopsophy. Additionally I would encourage them to spend time mulling about the campus and listening to the "language" of the college. In other words, much can be learned about the general milieu of a college from interacting with the ideas of the campus community and entering the converstations of the community. The student would then be able to determine if this a a community in which they could thrive. In respect to the physical location of the college I would encourage students to assess the proximity of the campus to extracurricula activites that the student may be passionate about. Students need an outlet to release stress and anxiety and often times this entails leaving the campus to pursue activities that are meaninful to them. Being able to access these venues is an important consideration when deciding where to invest both the students time and financial resources.

The most important thing to remember when you are choosing a college is that whatever decision you make, you can always change it. I am currently a student at the University of New Hampshire, but at the beginning of the semester I decided to transfer to another school, Johnson and Wales University. I love UNH, when I visited the campus during my junior year of high school, I looked around and thought, this is where I belong. The campus is beautiful, the students are bright and friendly, professors are inspiring, the school is overall charming. As a high school student, it was exactly what I wanted, about three hours from home, it gave me the "college experience" I craved. After about a year here, I realized that the degree program I was enrolled in wasn't what I was looking for, so I started to look at other options and realized that a school I had ignored because it was in the city, and too close to home, had a program that fit my needs, JWU. I now realize I can make the most of wherever I am, so no matter where you go, remember to keep you options open.

Advice that I would give to parents and students trying to find the right college is dont rush things and look around. Your first choice may not be the right choice and going with a different school may be the best thing for you. Also school is expesive so take it seriously, you have time for a social life but school always comes first. You may struggle at first trying to juggle the thrill of college life but always stay focused on why you're in school to begin with. Learning is the best thing about college I've found out and its the most interesting. Meeting new people will come and you'll make friends in school for the rest of your life. They help you through some really tough times and they're there for you all the time. Time management is key to making college the best experience of your life.

Attend a college visit and know exactly what kind of school you are looking for. Chose a place that you feel comfortable in, its always good to go outside your box and go far enough from home where you are not tempted into running home, but close enough to be able to visit at a decent cost.