Anderson University-Anderson, IN Top Questions

My advice would be to look at all of the things a school has to offer and consider each quality. You may not end up at your first choice school, but discover that your second or third turned out to be a better experience.

Choosing the "right" college is difficult and very stressful. I understand because I went to Arizona state University my freshmen semester and transfered to Anderson University. I would strongly reccomend visitng all the colleges a student is interested before making their final decision. Being able to actually be one campus and see what it is like can make the difference. I would encourage the student and family to not let money get in the way entirely or stop them from looking at a certain school. I believe that there are a lot of things possible, and there are scholorships out there. Most importantly, finding a school that a student feels that they would be comfrotable, accepted, and that there are curricular activities they are able to be involved with.

In selecting the right college, it is often easy for parents to become enamored with certain universities for different reasons, and often, it is different than how their child feels. In order to make the stressful process of picking the "right" college less stressful, ask your child questions about the school without giving off your personal vibe about the school. This way, your student will see the college more of a choice than seeing it as his/her parents' choice. Students, when picking a school, seriously contemplate the most important aspects for your life. If you dislike sports, attending a school that is engulfed with Big Ten football may not be your best choice. But don't limit yourself to only certain schools because of one good aspect. Look and discover all parts of the school; visit, participate, engage somehow on campus before you decide. A lot of your happiness at college depends on your love of the college as a whole, not simply just because the school has a good science department. It's a wonderfully challlenging adventure. Enjoy!

It is essential to a good college experience that a student select a school for the academic programs and reputation in the student's selected field, and also for the school's atmosphere. College should provide a well-rounded experience, allowing students to grow and mature both intellectually and emotionally. While many prospective college students base their choice on the reputation a school has among their peers, they should also take into account how the school of their choosing fits with their beliefs, and whether the atmosphere will affect them positively or negatively.

First off, find a place that offers a degree in something you are truly passionate about. Research the faculty and see how experienced and reputable they are in their field. Also, look up some things about the alumni to see where they are now and what successes they are achieving now in their degree. If you are not sure of a major yet, find a place that offers a wide variety of options for you to test out and experiment with. Most importantly, make sure the size is what you are comfortable with - you do not want to feel overwhelmed by a huge campus if that is not what you are used to. Lastly, investigate the extra-curricular activities... You need to find your niche at this school, so make sure they offer things you are passionate about and love doing in your free time! These things (such as choirs, intramural sports, community service, etc.) could provide wonderful things to add onto your resume as well as giving you lifelong friends that you otherwise may not have met. Overall, do not be nervous and just BE YOURSELF!! People want to know who YOU are! :)

College shapes who you become. Pick a college that will help you get to where you want to be and that will help you become the person you want to be.

Research the campus life and acedemics from current students, if possible, not from the school's administration because the school is a buisness and their job is to lure in prospective students. The school will present a image that may not be accurate or the experience presented may be irrelavant to a prospective student because it is from an administrator who won't know what the campus is "really like." Talk to students that are not employed by the prospective school. Make sure you visit the prospective school and find as much information before making a decision, but don't make a decision based on the institutes website or school visits.

Don't focus on the size, the school colors, or the number of students in each class. Although all of these things are important, what is most important is the feeling you have when you first step onto the campus and the feelings you take away.

I would encourage students to really research and investigate they are thinking about attending. Schools tend to look and sound flashier and better when they know that potential students are coming to visit the campus. They are trying to wow you into committing to their school. Students need to not only visit the campuses for official visits, but they need to make unofficial visits as well. They need to talk to current students about their likes and dislikes about the potential college. Prospective students also need to talk to the professors in the field they are thinking about studying in order to get a feel for their teaching styles and philosophies. Finally, the prospective students need to take a self-guided tour. They need to read the flyers about upcoming on and off-campus activities, find out where students most like to hang out/study, sit in on classes, and look around the campus building/dorms. These investigations will give prospective students valuable information about potential colleges, and they will help them make the right college choice.

Find a campus you can call home, a school environment that meets your interests extra-curricularly, and a facutly/staff that challenges not only the way you learn, but your opinions of yourself and the world. You want to go to a university that will foster a sense of self-worth and value and will help you make your beliefs your own - not just those of your friends or family. When you can relate to those around you, you feel supported and ecouraged to not only strive to do your best, but to take chances and calculated risks - you learn your strengths and weaknesses. Without those you may never learn what it is like to thrive in an academic environment and you won't be motivated to do your best. You are paying a lot of money to get an education that will hopefully open lots of doors wide and offer a shining future, why not go to a university that will not only make you an intelligent employee, but a more well-rounded person?