Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Top Questions

Visit the school!

Go with your gut. If you don't enjoy the environment then it's not a good choice, and the school that you like right off is the school for you. Curriculum isn't everything- you can always take graduate classes at another place, but college is special and ruining that experience to 'better your career' is stupid because no one cares where your degree is from, they just care that you have it.

I would encourage parents to research about different colleges before their children apply and be willing and open enough to let their children decide for themselves what they think is the best fit. Students should also research about different schools as much as possible and discuss with parents all their options. Visiting as many schools as possible is also beneficial because it gives you a real sense of the atmosphere of the campus. Both parents and students should investigate all possible financial aid possibilities so money is not the main factor when choosing a school. Choosing a school should be based on many different factors including academic goals, professional goals, and overall preference of the student.

Make sure to choose a campus that really seems to "fit" when you visit. Think if you can see yourself sitting in the lecture halls, eating in the dining halls, living in the dorms, laughing with friends while walking around campus. To make the most of your college experience, get involved with organizations you are passionate about and really make the most out of your classes by asking questions and doing related research in the real world. As cliche as that sounds, it is key to making the most out of your college years. In organizations, you meet so many wonderful people that can become your life long friends.

Follow your heart.

In today's financial climate, make sure the student loan debt is worth the degree. While tech has a great name and reputation, I find that the cost of going to school here isnt worth the debt. In hind-sight I would have joined the core of cadets or go to a cheaper school.

Everything is a personal choice, and you should take into consideration the feeling a campus gives you when you first set foot on the grounds. Make a list of attributes you would like to have in your university and check off the corresponding components according to each of the schools you have in mind. Or, you can weigh the pros and cons, which allows you to review the attributes of each school side by side. Feel confident in your choices. Once you have been accepted into college it's completely up to you to make the best of what you are given. Keep in mind the types of things you are interested in and find clubs and organizations that will allow you to continue the development of these skills. Immediately joining organizations guarantees your ability to make a group of friends. This is a great start to your social life, and these people will support you through your first year. Say yes to as much as you can, but don't forget to say no when it's too much. Keep a balance.

Make sure to visit the schools. Pick the college that feels like home and has good academics.

The most important thing in deciding which college is the right choice is to actually visit the campus. Visiting the campus would not only help the student get a feel for the environment, but this also gives him or her the chance to speak with people who attend that college and who work for the college. Attending college is once in a life time experience. Getting to know and being attracted to a specific college will help provide a worthy experience for the four years of the student's life.

Feeling at home! This the biggest part about choosing the right college for your child. They need to feel as if they can meet people comfortably and go out of their way to achieve their goals. Also make sure that the degree they are seeking is available at the school because the resources they have are very important. Have them spend the night with an older student for the weekend and let them get a feel for what college is really like. Let your kid sit in on a class their interested in to see how the college classroom environment is. Go to various collegse and see how you like them. I don't know what it was when I came to Virginia Tech but I just had this sense of connection that it was going to work out great for me. Now I am going on to my last semester of college here and can not believe how quickly it has gone by. Tell your child that they should feel as if they are taking another chapter in their lives and be sure to pick the right book, as one would say.