Virginia Commonwealth University Top Questions

What should every freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University know before they start?

Tia

Go and check out the college and see if it is the best for you. Check out the statistics and demographics to make sure you won't be an outcast. You make school fun so it is up to you to go out and become social because events won't come looking for you. Also learning a foreign language is a great medium for communication between different people.

Anna

Size, location, diversity, and programs offered.

Morgan

I would say the best advice to give would be to choose a university that fits your personality. And with that if you choose the right one will help you make the best of your college experience. Make friends, join clubs, get involved with your school as much as you want.

Mark

Don't wait until the last minute for things. That is a terrible idea.

Angela

To the student: Go to the school you want. Do not go somewhere because your family did, you like the football team or you think the institution?s name will give you a step up in competition. Choose a school where you feel physically, emotionally, mentally and academically comfortable. Visit every campus you seriously consider so you can get a true feeling for the setting. While visiting, interact with the institution?s students and faculty. They are the best tool for receiving information about the university. The institution you choose will nurture you for the next four or more years. You will feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed if you are not honest in making your decision. Do not allow admissions to distract you. Stick with figuring out where you will achieve the most success. As a result, you will flourish academically and enjoy the overall college experience. Students who do not have to compensate for or cover subpar grades enjoy the social aspects of college more. The most important piece of advice - be honest with yourself during the college hunt. To the parent(s): Listen to your child. Remember, they will live the four years not you.

Da

College is everything that a person needs to experience in life. When students decide to go to a particular college, it?s choosing his/her specific path in life. Yes in many cases, students may go one direction and choose another later on in like, but outside that education box, there is something else that shapes and molds the students into who they can be in the future. In order to choose the right college for someone can be hard, but also simple. First I would like to recommend thinking about his/her dream. What they want to be or what they want to accomplish in life. This is one big chapter that they are going to write about. When they have found the perfect view or a possibility idea, and then choose the college that best represents their interest. All University or college would have something close but I believe there would be that one specific college will shine. Making the best experience in college is to achieve more then you have to and to do your best. Professors, education, friends, whatever you come across, just give your best and your all. So you won?t have any regrets.

Padma

The perennial pursuit of finding, surviving, and thriving in a college can be accomplished easily keeping in mind a simple age-old aphorism: Know thyself. Leaving the nest for college can cause anxiety for both parents and students, but one can truly relish the college experience for what its worth with planning and preparation. Before deciding on the right college or university, prospective students and their parents need to ascertain their preferences for a higher education. The size, location, environment, and programs offered at different institutions should all come into play when making such an important decision. While finances can be instrumental in making the final decision, scholarships and loans cannot be discounted. After acceptances have come in and finances been taken into account, even if a student does not end up at his or her first choice for college, the potential for an amazing experience is still there. One cannot sell him or herself short. Students should follow what already interests them, making sure to explore foreign coursework and extracurricular activities also. Most importantly, balance and restraint should be present in the aspiring student's life; balance between work, fun, and time for oneself. The ride is worth it.

Tiffany

You need to analyze yourself & your reasons for going to college prior to starting your search. Why, really, are you going? What are your abilities & strengths? What are your weaknesses? What do you want out of life ? something tangible or intangible? Are you socially self-sufficient or do you need warm, familial support? Talk with your family, friends & high-school counselors as you ask these questions. The people who know you best can help you the most with these important issues. Your college does not have to be bigger than your high school. college is a time to explore, and a smaller community is more conducive to internal exploration. It is not the number of people, but the people themselves and the kind of community in which you will learn that really matters. You will likely find that success in life has less to do with the choice of college than with the experiences and opportunities encountered while in college, coupled with personal qualities and traits. Employers and graduate schools are looking for outstanding skills and experience, not college pedigrees.College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. Finding a good fit requires time/thoughtfulness.

Rachelle

Choosing the best college for you might seem very tedious but once you've found the right college, you'll be very pleased with your decision. Everyone wants to feel comfortable and have friends, and that?s exactly what you should look for when scouting for colleges. Making college everything you want it to be is totally up to the student. You can be a party animal or a study bug, which ever makes you happy, go for it. But we must always remember, the choices we make in college will definitely affect us in the future?so be careful and make wise decisions.

Nicky

Have fun, do you best and make the most of it