Derek
Leave your options open. You may think that you have picked out your major, but it might change. One of the things I did was to make sure the college I eventually went to had degrees in some of my interests (History, English, Engineering, Japanese, Anthropology, Physics). And get involved. Yes, studying is important, but you need some time away from the books too. There are a lot of organizations and clubs on most campuses. Find one that interests you and get involved. You only get something out of the experience if you put something into it.
Jennifer
Don't just look at social life around campus. It matters, but it's not everything. When you finish school, you realize that while you had fun, learning is WHY you attend college. Don't waste your money on D's and F's. Do the best you possibly can.
Lindsey
My best advice would be to visit as many colleges as you can. I went on a lot of campus tours and I asked students that weren't involved with campus recruitment (ex: tour guides, ambassadors) Make sure that you are comfortable in your surroundings. Try to find someone that already attends the school that has similar tastes as you. If you are a creative person, get in contact with the art department and sit-in one of the art classes, most professors would love to have a prospective student in there class plus it makes you look god if you have the teacher in the future. DON'T go to a college just because your parents went there, you and your parents are completely different.
Valerie
Make sure they begin research their Jr. year of high school to make the right decision as far as their choice of college and what needs to be done to get there. Once there, join organizations that best fit you, make new friends, never procrastinate and have the best time!!! :)
Nathan
I would tell people to visit more than just a few schools and wait for the place that feels the best. Also to be open to new idea's and people you may have strayed from before. There are so many unique people with great things to offer and this is your chance to interact with them.
Mathew
Before applying to any college, you need to have some idea of a general field of study. Once you have a good idea of what you want to study, search for colleges that you might want to attend. When you have a good list of colleges you should visit them, take a tour, and ask questions to help make your decision. Then when you apply you should apply for multiple colleges, the ones that you really want to get into and some back-up schools. Finally once you are accepted to some colleges you should visit the colleges again to make a decision on which one you want to goto. From personal experience, I can say that mind changes are very common when deciding on colleges. Once you get into college study hard and have some fun, but not too much fun.
Ashley
My advice for parents and students would be to take your time in finding the right college. I feel that choosing the right college is a large factor in the success of the student. The school must support the student?s learning styles and abilities along with the student?s social capabilities. When searching for the right school it is important to visit several different campuses and speak with faculty, staff, and students from each. I chose my college before visiting or searching for other options and although it worked out well for me that is not always the case. Speaking with those who attend the college or work for the college can provide the information that is needed in the decision making process. When the school is a good fit for the student great success will be the result.
Eileen
Visit the campus and talk to the students before making a decision!