Gaby
Students and their parents mainly focus on the paperwork and workshops that post-secondary institutions offer, but being a college student is not just about the classes and the books. It?s also about growing, personally, academically, emotionally, religiously, socially. It?s where you learn to be independent and focus on what makes you, you. As a student, I wish I had known how accessible the admissions office staff is as a resource to incoming students. While they are asked for information, the people working with Admissions are an often untapped resource. Talk to them! It seems intimidating, but they really are there to help. They can put you in touch with current college students who can give a more intimate look at campus life. How are the teachers? How is the food? Do people go home a lot? Why do you like it here? People can give you information that information books and brochures cannot. Do not be afraid to sit in on a class or stay for an overnight visit with them. The students who host visitors more than likely volunteer, and so are ready and willing to helpful and provide a student?s perspective of the school.
Rebecca
Finding the right college is always a very hard and stressful decision. One of the most important aspects in choosing a college is making sure that it offers everything that you want out of your college experience. It is crucial to remember that it is the student, not the parent that will be attending the college. The student should always make the final decision on where he or she desires to go, without the pressure of a parent's opinion. Having chosen a college myself with a lot of opportunities to get involved in clubs and sports, providing alternitives to constantly doing school work, has also made my college years especially memorable.
Mark
Get involved. If you make college a quest for a piece of paper then you won't get the most out of your time and money. If you make college an experience that you will remember forever then you will grow as a individual.
Colleen
I think there is no better way to find the right college then to visit various campuses and talk to the students on the campus. Students are the best experts of the classes, social life, sporting events, and extracurriculars of a school. They are also typically very genuine and honest about how they feel, while an admissions representative may feel pressure to "sell the school". By visiting the campus, it becomes much easier for prospective students to decide if they could see themselves attending that university. Once a college is chosen, it is up to the individual to make the best of their college experience. There is so much freedom and opportunity in college to explore a wide realm of extracurriculars. If the school doesn't have a club you are interested in, start it! I started a mediation group this year. Additionally, make good relationships with your professors. They are great resources to have both throughout your time at school, and your life post-college. They will make the academic side of college much more bearable and enjoyable! In the end, college is what you make of it, so explore new things and learn a bit about yourself.
alison
I would tell parents and students to not listen to others. Decide for yourself what you want out of school, everything from size, location, activities available, and more. Don't just follow where your friends and family have gone. Visit the schools and try to sit in on a class and possibly arange for a student tour to show you around. Also, see if you could spend the night with a student guide, who can show you around and see what day to day life is like on campus. Take time to consider what degree you may want to pusue and see how the school can help you achieve internships and jobs in the future. See what classes are available and the class sizes of them. Take all these things into consideration before making your final choice.
Allison
I believe that making the right choice when it comes to choosing a college is one that takes some time. It is important to do as much research as you can about the various schools in order to narrow down the choices. You must make sure that the particular location of the school is one that suits you. It is important to visit the campus to make sure that you can picture yourself in this environment. Speak to students and ask them about their experiences. It is very important to look at the various majors to make sure that there are a few that interest you because many students do change their mind once they are at school. It is also a good idea to look at the various extracurricular activities and see if any of them look particularly appealing. Once you choose a school, it is important to make the most of your time here - Four years really does fly. Join everything you can and connect with as many people as possible. Take classes that interest you and become involved in discussion. Explore the area surrounding your school whenever possible. Remember to be safe and make good choices.
Jonathan
There are thousands of colleges to choose from and it is getting increasingly competitive to get into the most notable schools. With that in mind, there is not just one single school that is right for you, chances are there are hundreds of schools that are great for you. Unfortunately, people are somewhat limited in the number of schools they apply to or the number of schools they are aware of. In order to facilitate this process, it is important to narrow down what you want academically, socially, and environmentally first and then other factors after that. Usually, it is difficult to understand a school or a campus without visiting, so that is generally important. Chances are that whatever school you end up at will not be your fisrst choice school, but soon enough you may find it is the only school you would want to be. So, wherever you end up going, it is not the name of the school, or the history of the school that makes the difference, but the attitude of the student. There is no truer statement when attending a college than you reap what you sow.
Erica
Look at a lot of options and definitely do not limit yourselves. Determine what type of school you are looking for before you start looking (size, diversity, location). Be open-minded to what you experience on the tours and definite tour the college before deciding to go there.
Michael
College is an opportunity to experience many different people and ways of thinking. It is important when determining a university to attend to closely examine where the university is located, the alumni, and how the current students interact with others.
It is important to enjoy college. In today's world, a person will receive a similar knoweledge from similar schools, but it is the location and people that make memories. If a college provides the atmosphere where you think you can succeed then you should attend that university.
College can provide a great experience for you as long as you enjoy where you are. Building relationships with current and past students as well as taking advantage of the cultural experience where your university is located is truly special and should be held in the highest regard. Overall, a university should provide great memories which start with the current students, alumni, and cultural experience.
Caitlin
Make sure to research your choices well. Also, be open to all the possibilities that college has to offer.