California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Top Questions

Start looking for Colleges freshman year of high school. Visit the campuses that appeal to you to further determine a compatability. Take a guided tour to learn more about the school

The first thing you must do is consider the schools from an academic level. Apply to schools that specialize in what you want to do. But how should you know (from 18 years of life) what you want to do for the 40 to 50 years of your life? You don't have to. But think about what you are good at and what you like and see what schools specialize in those areas. Acedemics clearly isn't everything though. You are choosing a home so look into the culture of each school. Go visit the campus and visualize yourself going there. Make sure you'll enjoy life there! Go into school with an open mind. There are all sorts of people to meet and tons of new things to learn. Everyone has something to offer and you can learn from "fools and from sages." Try to see things from other people's perspectives and look at the world from an impartial eye. From the words of Siddhartha Guatama, "belive nothing no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."

The right college may not always be your first choice. Sometimes the school you really want doesn't accept you for whatever reason. But regardless of problems that arise, you need to look on the bright side and find a school that's right for you, that has what you want, that you can feel welcome at. Think about what you want to spend the next four years studying about and where you want to be. Whether it's biology or engineering or a city or suburb, you need to figure out what you want and if you'll be happy there. Go to different schools, see all the campuses, and keep your options open. And once you get to the school, try new things; don't be afraid to introduce yourself to people. Join a club or do some kind of extra-curricular activity. Have fun, but don't forget to study. It's all about balance. Do what's best for you, and not what's best for your friends. Enjoy it while it lasts.

As far as advice goes on picking the right campus, I would say that when you go to view the campus make sure that it "feels" right. Once you walk on campus and you can visualize yourself attending that university it makes it so much more real and exciting. Making the most out of your college experience is the whole point of going to college. Some things that will help make the best experience are to never stop trying to make new friends. If you think something is the least bit interesting or intriguing then go and look into it. It may just be your future career.

I would suggest visiting the campus and taking part in aa shadow program as a student.

Do lots of research on the school your looking at. Also, look at what the weathers like at the college, because of allergies can be affected by weather.

The most important thing one must consider is the true desire of the student. If the parents carry a weight in the decision-making of a school it should be purely for the student's best interest, because it is much more difficult for a student to wind up at the wrong school. Faculty and class sizes are important , as well as the overall size of the campus but most likely if the student is happy with the surrounding area and student population, it should be a good fit. Choosing the right college may seem like the hardest decision a young adult has to make which is why it is so important for the student to follow their heart. As far as making the best of a college experience, a positive attitude and strong will for a successful future is the key to finding happiness in college. Being open to new experiences and meeting new people is how people make the memories that last a lifetime and there is no better time than college to discover one's self. It is important to step out of one's comfort zone and enable a new chapter in life to manifest.

visit the campus

No matter what the parents want for their child, it is extremely important to find a school where the student feels most comfortable. To truely make the most of their college experience it is imperative that the student is happy with the city or town that the college is in. Going to a good school is only part of the experience; if the student cannot enjoy the place they live it will ruin the overall college experience. Another thing to keep in mind is a good balance between work and play. Focusing solely on school work will not provide a complete, enjoyable college experience but spending too much time avoiding school work will not lead to a good education. College is a time of incredible personal growth and a time for the student to figure out who they really are. Getting involved in a club or organization on campus is a great way to meet people with similar interests, as well as provide a way to discover all the campus has to offer.

As a high school senior, I don't think there was enough emphasis placed on deciding my intended major field of study. One of the most important things a parent can do to help their child is to identify and develop interests, passions, and talents. It happens too often that you hear a student contemplate the path their lives are taking in worrisome and unsure tones, and this can result in frantic efforts to switch majors and enroll in different classes, and as a result, time and money are wasted. Parents have the opportunity to encourage their children to involve themselves activities that interest them rather than placing all their emphasis on academic success. Their support builds a strong foundation, and a child would feel free to pursue hobbies and interests and eventually excel at them. I think choosing a college based on your chosen field is more important than choosing a college because of location, or demographical makeup, or architectural beauty. While these things promote interaction and shallow happiness, it's happiness in yourself that ultimately carries you through those four years of your life.

The most important thing for students is to find a school that will suit their personality and their type of preferred education. There are a lot of schools out their for every type of student and each one should be researched very thoroughly from its teachers and class sizes to location and campus.

The best advice I could give parents and/or students who are trying to find the right college is to take a trip and visit the schools they are considering. I personally knew almost instantly that Cal Poly San Luis Obispo was the school for me as soon as I was there. The biggest tell tale sign is being able to picture yourself going to the school when you finally see it in person. The environment and atmosphere as well as the students currently there are great things to focus on. The campus had an inviting feeling to it that made me feel comfortable. I knew it was an environment that I would be able to focus and learn in. The area surrounding the school offered many opportunities for extracurricular and athletic activities, which were key for me. The students there looked friendly and happy. They reminded me of myself and looked like potential life long friends. These things helped me know I had found the college and town I would soon call home.

the right college is the one tha combines what you want out of your education as well as what you want out of life. it might not be the most prestigious, but if you feel that it will be where you will be most successful it is the right place for you.

I encourage students to find the right college for themselves by researching which colleges have the major they are interested in pursuing and visting those colleges they would consider applying to. While touring a college campus, students should see what kind of environment the campus has by watching how students interact with one another inside and outside of class, as well as what kind of activities the school offers for students to get involved with. Another deciding factor is the location of the school. I really wanted to find a school close to the beach with warm temperatures pretty much year round. I also was looking for a small college town away from big cities. Thus, a student should decide what kind of off-campus environment and activities he or she is interested in participating in when not in class. It is best to find a college a student feels most comfortable in and provides activities the student finds most enjoyable, this will make the transition to college much easier. I encourage parents to be supportive and as enthusiastic of their child's decision as can be. This too will help make the transistion to college easier for the student.

College is about finding yourself and your place in the world. It does not matter what you study, whether or not you change your major or whether or not you finish in four years. What matters is what you learn about yourself. Everything is part of the learning process, and nothing is wasted, if you don't let it be. If you pay attention, you will find strengths in yourself that you never knew existed, you will see beauty in the world that you always knew was there, and you will discover the truths in your soul that will lead you down the path of true happiness. This may sound cheesy, like a hallmark card, but its true. If you were a straigt A student in high school, don't be upset when you get your first C. Pay attention, analyze, learn, and take it all in because if you rush through it, you will turn around wonder what happened, and look ahead not even knowing where you are headed (or if its even where you truly want to going). Hopefully these words find their way to just one, stressed out high school senior, and bring you a little peace.

Go visit the schools, and not during a parent weekend or homecoming. The campus and stuff are drastically improved during that time. It's important to go to the parent weekends where there is all the necessary information available, however it's just as important to see the campus during normal operations.

I would recommend encouraging students to first narrow down schools by what they love to learn about, because let's face it, everyone strongly thinks about changing their major at least once. Then actually go visit!! Talk to students and see how friendly they are, what kinds of clubs there are, and what people do in their free time. At my school you could run into someone who will only talk about partying or someone who has become involved with a religious club and both could have great, but different social lives. Cal Poly isn't for everyone, but everyone here loves it.

College is America's greatest institution. It is an institution that contributes and ensures the success of a people and a nation. We are all a part of the information age. With so much knowledge at everyone?s disposal it is crucial to have a guiding team of professionals to direct one in their journey through college in order to eventually land in their preferred area of work. However, even though the primary goal of any college is to place the student in a good career, it is also a time to grow. This is why I believe that the primary concern in choosing a college is to choose a school that specializes in a degree of your desired field of work. However, many students that enter college do not know exactly what they want to do for the rest of their lives, making that certain criteria of a school not applicable to many students. Therefore, a student should choose a school based on its capability to allow growth through a comfortable and friendly environment. So if you want to know if a school is right for you visit it and feel it out, and once you?re there grow!

Let the kid choose what they want to do with out the added pressure from parents. The kids will find the right field for them and that will be the best option for them. College is NOT fun if the kids don't get to pick their college or major.

Advice that I always thought was helpful when I was applying to college was even if you don't get into the college you would have liked to get into you will always find that every campus has something to offer you. From campus clubs and athletics to a fraternity and sorority there is always something that every college offers. When I first accpeted to enroll in Cal Poly I went in thinking that Cal Poly is a very well respected university so I thought everyone was a bookworm and spent their weekends in the library. Little did I know, when I came here I found that there are a lot of people that love to have a good time and don't spend hours upon hours in the library unless it is dead week or a big project is due. Within the first two weeks of college I knew that Cal Poly was the best choice for me because I found my niche and my group of friends. I hope this advice does help somebody in the future when they are applying to a college they think might suite them well.