University of Oregon Top Questions

When choosing a college to attend, look for a campus that makes you comfortable to be on and that has enough of a town/city to entertain you. Think about if you prefer cities or towns and choose a college that is in the place you prefer. Think past living in the dorms and see if you can see yourself happy there in the long run. Decide whether the college has what you want intellectually and if you don't know what you want to major in, figure out if the university has a diverse selection of degrees.

Advice I would give to parents or students about finding the right college would be to really think about what you love and what you are most interested in as a parent for your child and as the child. You don't want to make a mistake like that even for the simple reason of insufficient funds. If you discover your interests and your strengths perhaps find a college that fits best with you and what you want. In order to even attempt to make the most of the college experience, you should first try to choose a college and atmosphere that you want for yourself. Whether it be more based on arts and letters or in sciences and math, I urge to really identify what your hobbies are, what activities you enjoy, what kind of people you mend with, and the goals you have for yourself. There is nothing more that can cause regrets than to know that you could have had something better; that you could have really listened to your heart.

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For parents I would say really get involved with your child when they are going through the process of college applications, because it is very stressful to do that on your own. I would also reccomend to students to definitely live int he dorms their freshman year! The dorms were the best part of my freshman year, you meet so many new people that you would have never met otherwise! I would also reccomend taking ful advantage of dorm food, because once its gone, you miss it like crazy. Also, take advantage of academic advisors, they can ALWAYS help you figure out what classes you need to take and when, it makes your life a lot easier and a lot less stressful. My final word of advice to parents is, no matter how much your son or daughter tells you they won't want you to call them when they're in college, they will, so call and check in often it's nice to hear from home.

Pick the college or university you have no doubts about. Whether is academically, athletically, socially, make sure you have no doubts about the college or university. Make sure you happy with your decision, and a huge factor can be your ablity to afford your education. Times are very tough, so make sure you choose a college/university that is affordable.

Make sure they have what you want to study!

Get involved in campus activities! Take a variey of courses to figure out what you really like!

Don't pay for it. Let them work hard for their education and see this time of their life and these experiences as a commodity. It's easier to squander these years when they aren't a personal investment. And -- more than anything, let them grow up. That is, after all, what college is about, right? Getting the chance to grow up, not lean on other people? I watched so many of my friends, who would never have to worry about student loans, drink, party and procrastinate their way through college.

Make sure the student takes their time to figure out what direction they want to take their future. So many young men and women enter college not knowing what they want to do with ther lives. Not everyone has a "calling" coming out of high school. It takes time for most to filter through the different career areas trying to decide which one would be best suitable. I would advise the student to not be afraid to make use of college counselors career service offices. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there in different clubs and social groups. Everyone is in the same boat when you enter college so grab the opportunity as it comes and make the most of your youth.

I used to be an academic snob who looked down on state colleges. This was absolutely stupid. I had an amazing intellectual, academic, social, and professional experience at a state school and was able to accomplish more in less time and with less money than attending an expensive liberal arts or ivy leauge school. Of course, not all my peers were as academically oriented as I was, but there is definately something to be said for being the "big fish" in a "small pond."