Anderson University-Anderson, IN Top Questions

To parents I would suggest that they give wisdom to their child in order to chose a good school, but do not mandate which school the student goes to or use the fact that they are paying for the education to get the student to do what they want. To students I would say follow your passions and desires even if that isn't what is popular in your household, and trust that in some way provision for that will come. Accept wisdom from adults but don't accept controlling demands over your life.

Choosing where you will attend college is is an important decision and it works out best if you find the place you want and stay there. Changing schools mid-degree will make an already hard process harder. I say go with your gut. If the staff seems friendly, accessible, and helpful, then you will suceed because they really care and will go the extra mile for their students. To make the most of your time find a way to get involved as soon as possible. Don't soley focus on academics. Grades seem important while you are in school, but once you graduate no one cares if you got a C- on your Music History test your sophmore year. Make mistakes, but learn from them. Take time to hang out with friends. College is the only time in your life where you will be surrounded by people going through the same thing as you. These shared experiences will help create lasting friendships. Try not to rack up credit card debt. Don't estrange your parents while you are in school. They will ALWAYS be around. And finally, don't over induldge in the cafeteria buffet... you will regret it later.

Visit the college campuses to decide what is the best fit for you. Make the most of your college experience by taking opportunities to engage in service projects and social events. Attend the college counseling center to help negotiate the difficult transition into adulthood.

Go with your gut instinct...and pick a college that has a good program for the major you want.

It's all about relationships and learning to live with other people. Go away from home but close enough to visit. Always call mom!

Find a school that is right for you. If you know what you're going to major in look around colleges with great opportunities concerning your major. I'm a Chemistry major, and one thing that was important to me was finding a small school with small classes. This way I'm able to do my own research whereas a school with 2x as many students have a grad student runt their experiments.

For students, going to community college first out of high school has helped my college experience be more fulfilling. I was able to take general education classes that transfered to a 4-year university and it also gave me time to truly figure out what I wanted to do with my immediate future. It saved me so much money, and kept me from wasting money on an expensive four year school. For parents, be supportive of your students passion, never force them to do what you think is best or what you want. It's their life. Never manipulate their college decision with paying for their schooling or not. Give advice, but ultimately it should be their call.

Before you visit start looking at colleges and universities, decide if there is anything you know you want. For example, if you know you want to go to a smaller college, only look at smaller colleges. If you know you want to stay close to home, only look at colleges in your state or area. I ended up looking at dozens of colleges and universities before coming to a decision, and it would have been so much easier if I had narrowed down the field BEFORE I started searching. In addition, no college is perfect. No matter where you go, you're going to face problems and have to deal with shortcomings. However, you can make the best of it. It's very important to get involved in campus life and in activities outside of class. Staying involved will keep you busy and making friends and you will most likely have more information to embellish your resume in the future. To sum it all up, pick a college based on your needs and your feelings and when you get there get involved!

Go with your gut.

There is a plethorah of colleges for individuals to choose from in America. A student will not know what is "just right" for themselves their first year; you find that out once you get to a university and adapt your lifestyle. For finding a college that feels better than others, though, a potential student should always go to anykind of orientation the campuses offer. This includes staying the night with some current students, talking about what the university offers, and generally just getting a "feel" for the campus. It seems that some places connect with students more naturally than others. Once a student finds this college they should not be caught up in trying to do as much as they can; especially not their freshman year. That is the hype that so many institutions put out there and many people fall for it. This burns students out and can discourage them in the remaining years as an undergraduate. Rather, take the years as they come; savor every moment in and out of class. Study to become educated, and not just to get a degree for a job. Don't stress out; relax, enjoy, pray, think, learn, love. Do your best.