Western Washington University Top Questions

I think parents should stay out of their child's college choice as much as possible. It is the younger's decision about where he or she wishes to get educated, not yours. It isn't fair to with-hold money or make any threats if your child doesn't wish to follow the path you force upon them. That aside, anyone who wishes to find the right college is recommended to base their decision not only on where they feel they will get the best education for the field they wish to go in, but also attend a college that is in an environment where you will feel comfortable. If you like warm weather, don't attend a college in Alaska- there's a good chance you'll be miserable! If you happen to be uncomfortable with large lecture halls and the sorority/frat scene, attend a smaller university or college for a more intimate learning environment. Being as comfortable as you can while attending a higher learning institution is a great way to stay focused on what you' are doing there in the first place- GETTING THE EDUCATION YOU WANT!

For all incoming students to any school. I would suggest to the student and their parents that they visit the school a few times and make sure that the town and school feel right. If the academics are the only reason you are going to a school, you probably won't be as happy. Make sure you love everything about the school and city it's in.

No matter what anybody says, the student going to college is responsible for choosing the right school for themself. Having that responsibility to choose exactly where to attend college is the first step in independence. The student's happiness depends on what that student wants to study, so let them choose the college of their choice. If the student is responsible and efficient, he or she will ask you (the parent) for advice and their choices. The student will take the parent's choices and advice into consideration because they know that their parents care about them. Let them choose, and be supportive. That is the best thing you can do for your college bound student. they will maek the right choice if the parents let them.

Make sure to know what kind of atmosphere you're looking at.

If you have a good history of making good decisions, experience something new and make a bad one.

To the student, make a list of your goals for what you want to achieve in school in every field that you feel will shape you into the person you want to become once college is over. Consider fieds such as: financial (can I afford this?, how accessible is financial aid here?), Career (does this college offer learning programs to move me towards my dream career?), Academic (Does this college offer the competitve, respectable programs that will make me a force to be reckoned with in the job market after I graduate?), Geographic (Do I want to live nearer, or farther away from home, will my parents still send me money if I move to the other end of the country?), Social (Does this school offer the organizations that cater to my favorite: hobbies, recreation, religion?). The best advice I recieved from a counselor was to actually go to the colleges you are considering and honestly ask yourself, "do I feel comfortable here? Do I feel like I could get a lot from this place? And listen to whatever your gut tells you. If you don't feel comfortable or hopeful, it will be difficult to go to school there.

Finding the right college is a balance between choosing an institution that will allow you to pursue a multitude of academic areas and that has a strong variety of both extracurricular and off-campus activities available. In order to find out what disciplines really interest you it is necessary to pick a college that will allow you to explore and discover what you want to do with your life while still having the facilities and resources that will support your further studies once you have decided on your academic focus. A visit can often give you the feel of the college and you can walk around and talk with both the students and professors about the school in general. Visiting in person like this is usually the best way to determine whether or not you wish to go there, but doing your homework and researching your choices on your own through other means, such as the internet or magazines, is highly advisable. That being said, your student life is not wholly made up of schoolwork so you need to find a school that has fun things to do, be they extracurricular clubs or not related to the campus at all.

Students should be more worried about finding the school that will fufill their needs and their goals. One can learn about math or science at any school that teaches those subjects.; although, it is the different experience that sets the schools apart. Students should make a list of the top five things they want from college. Creating the list is hard and requires a bit of soul searching to find what you are really looking for in life. With this list of five things, then you should begin to search for the schools that will offer those things to you in the best manner. Going to college is an experience and it would be a shame to waste that experience at a school that can't meet your needs. When you find that college of your dreams, take every measure to ensure that you leave that college with no regrets. Parents on the other hand, help your students realize what lies ahead and what it means. Just the thought of going to college will make your student start thinking about the end of college. Take one step at a time to help them get to the school that they want

If you want to find the "right" college, just go to many different places and try to get a feel for each one. Then just pick the place where you feel most at home, where you can be yourself, learn, and enjoy your college experience.

To find the right college, you should find a place that supports you. Make sure it's a place that you will feel comfortable and know that you will be accepted for who you are and what you love in life. And although it's important to pursue the things you love and know, to make the most of your college experience you should EXPERIENCE. Get out and do something different, that's what college is about, learning and growing. The best way to do that is by doing. So enjoy those things that you love, but find new things that you love too.