California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Top Questions

Don't choose a college base on its title. Do your research, find out what the college has to offer. Choose a campus that will offer courses and resources that will help you achieve the career you want. Pick what you're interested in and take advantage of what the college has to offer to help you get where you want to be. The last thing you want is to spend year after year working towards something you don't even like to begin with. It's important to determine what you want out of the college and let the people there help you take full advantage of the available resources. Don't be afraid to explore new things/places, you never know who you'll meet in the process.

In order to maximize the said 'college experience,' students and parents must talk with recent alumni, departmental deans and professionals in the possible fields of study. Day to day I find that some of my classmates are dabbling in a BS program that they are not too interested in; perhaps if they where advised and facilitated to dig a little deeper before entering college they would have chose a different major. Shadowing a professional for a couple weeks and picking the brain of college faculty would be easy, inexpensive, and very informative activities. Information is definitely available although not easily attainable from your home computer; genuine hands on knowledge will mostly be aquired by questioning professors and professionals. A message to parents and students, "Explore all options, go out and get information, meet people and be sure to meet admission deadlines!"

If possibly, live on campus for at least one year. Once your major is decided get involved as much as possible whether its TAing or participating in large group events. Joining a club for your major is also a great way to meet more people as well.

When the decision time comes for students to choose their college, parents play a vital role in helping them determine that. Parents can help their student by taking them to see professions and career paths that the students are interested in. Seeing teachers, business officials, or even engineers will strongly help students see the possibilities. Once students determine their majors, it is important to choose a college that is well-known for that major so your degree is valued more than others. Once you choose the university/college, parents should take a step to examine the various programs the college has to offer and the ways to fully know that their child?s education will be covered whether financial aid or loans. When students are able to choose their living situation, I highly encourage them to live on campus housing so that they get more networking, meeting new friends, and just having a positive surrounding of other students onto a great future, just like them. This will help when students have to interact with professors, group projects, or simply attaining extra help from other people among your major. College is an important step, take full advantage of it.

In regards to finding the right college and making the most of one's college experience truly depends on the student. I lived on a commuter school campus for five years. I didn't have a car and focused on my studies the first few years. After becoming a Resident Advisor in my dorms (a go-to person in the hall way), I was exposed to all the opportunities on campus. I worked part-time on campus in a secretarial job, helped my fellow students in the dorms, and maintained above a 3.5 GPA. I think ultimately when deciding which University to select, one should consider the size of the campus, the price, classroom size, and any other factors that are important to the person applying. For me, I was happy with all the above. After being a Resident Advisor in the dorms for three years I have seen incoming freshman during their first year. Those who got involved on campus appeared to be happier than those who only travelled back and forth from their rooms to their classes. Therefore, my best advice would be, once you've made your decision, get involved on campus!

I strongly recommend to think early and decide the field of interest before choosing the college. There are many colleges, but choose the one that are top ranked in the field that you decided. Also, having a goal early in your life might help you focus to achieve your goal.

The advice I would give to parents and students for finding the right college fit and making the most of it is simply to do research and make the most of the experience. Now that I have completed my degree, I feel that the atmosphere and social aspect of my decision of a school is just as important as the academic aspect. You will undoubtedly make some of the best friendships of your life while in college and have some of the best memories once you're gone. It is important to love where you are to make the most of those friendships and experiences so that they will last you a lifetime. It is also fundemental that the student and the parent remember that there is life beyond college and not everything must be decided prior to its completion. Most important is to love what you're learning and who you are with. The right major will come in time if you open your mind to the many options in front of you.

I chose the right school for me the first year, but had to transfer due to financial issues. Plan ahead and think wisely. This choice affects your future and your happiness for at least four years of your life. Take the time to really look at the schools you are interested and make a list of the most important qualities a school should have, including class size, if you want a research school, what the housing is like, honor societies on campus, intramural sports. varsity sports, usual financial aid given, etc. All these things really add up.

Do some research before you give a final decision, prestigue means nothing if it does not have your field of interest.

My advice to choosing the best college for you is to make sure that you are comfortable to with the enivronment of the campus. It would be best to go and visit the college, talk to the students, try to sit in on a class, take a tour, and check out the surrounding area. Also make sure that the school offers your major, and if possible talk to professors who teach in the subject of your choice. Most importantly, when you visit look around and listen to your instincts. A college may look great on paper, but you will never really know unles you go there and see it for yourself.