California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Top Questions

Take your time and find the school that best fits you!! names arent all that important

I would say to visit the college and the people, get to know the surrounding. Also know what the college offers, for example classes, activities, clubs and other social and career based opportunities. When in college, stay focused on your school work and work hard but at the same time get invovled by joining a club or greek life. Making life long friends and networking are very important in college.

When selecting your school, be very aware of the availability of courses offered. A school may reportedly have a wide variety of classes, but lack of funding may hinder students from placing into their desired classes, which also has a tendency of prolonging the road to graduation. It would also be prudent to choose a school that has strength in the program or major the student wishes to pursue, regardless of its general reputation. Another aspect to look into is the mix of clubs and organizations available. These tend to be the best way to socialize and mingle with others. An obvious factor of school selection is personal affordability. Financial aid tends to be offered in smaller amounts than desired or expected, and scholarships are either very much competed for or are fairly scarce. One wouldn't want to cost himself an arm and a leg just to end up being dissatisfied with the education and experience they are paying for. An essential part of the selection process is campus visiting and touring so that the student gets a good feel of each school. Finally, don't just base selection by school reputation. Lesser known schools are just as promising.

I feel that the most important part of the college experience comes in the beginning when you are selecting the college. Be sure to research and compare various univerisities, and ensure that their values, and academic focus reinfornce and resonate with your lifestyle and career focus. I would also recommend that once the student decides on a college, to research community college options as well, as they are able to take their first 2 years there then transfer. This is an excellent way for students and their parents to save money, an option that I feel many are unaware of. Furthermore, I feel that students will enhance their college experience if they find a school with a sense of social solidarity, where the alumni networking is strong, and the professors are well known experts in their field. I would encourage the incoming and prospective to student to become involved in the extra curricular activities that they enjoy, do not to join "just to join" but join to make a difference in the community and on campus. Meet with full- time tenured professors in order to ensure their curriculum is a good fit with what you want to study.

When looking for the right school one must look at all the options. Never be discouraged by junior colleges, they too offer great education and resources. It is never a bad idea to keep a junior college in mind as a safety school. Attending a junior college first can save money and in most cases make transfering into a university a lot easier. In general always look for the school that offers their major of interest, the vibe that best suits them, and the location (city/state). It is always safe to look into other majors just in case their number one choice gets full. Always visit the schools they apply to or have an interest for. This way both the parents and student can look at the campus life/activities and get the real functioning vibe. At the end it is best to pick what they want (not what parents want or where friends/significant others are attending). If they are not a party person, do not go to a school known to party. It is their future and career and it starts with college (even if it takes more than 4 years). It will be worth it!

Visit every college you seriously want to apply for. and if you dont like the people there, dont make it your first choice! college is about making life long friends, and if you dont like the people when you visit there is no way you could like them while actually attending!

Ita all worth it

I would advice parents and students to not only look at the academic reputaion of a college, but to look at other factors such as the environment of the school, on campus clups and also the alumni affiliation with the college. Many college graduates find jobs through clubs that have events with their alumni's which rather then having a costly education that will not give you a good job.

The best advice I can give is to visit the college you are applying to. You may be surprised that a more popular college is less suited for you. While the education provided at a college is extremely important, if you do not enjoy being there, then it is a waste of time. Find out what clubs are available to help you in your major, much of the learning happens outside of the classrooms. College is all about the experience, not just the grades.

Parents, find a college that won't put you or your students in financial trouble. Find out costs ahead of time so that you can make a prepared decision. Look at the surrounding area, is it safe? Would you want to go to school there? Are there a lot of extra curricular activities at the schools you are looking at? Make sure the school spirit is strong, this usually is directly proportionate to how powerful their sports program is and how many different sports that school plays. Check out the student body size, does your child need to feel unique or would it matter if he/she was one in thirty thousand? Student, make sure you know somebody going into college. It makes things a whole lot easier. If you do not know anybody going to college I would advice going to early orientations and making friends as those people can be who you spend the rest of your years with. Meet new people, participate in sports and clubs. That is truly the best way of meeting people. Take advantage of all the on campus amenities such as counselor help, medical help and tutoring. Most importantly, have fun!