Clemson University Top Questions

When you arrive at the correct school for you or your child, you all will know. When I came to Clemson for the first time, I took a campus tour in the pouring rain. In spite of the weather, I fell in love. My Mom told me that if I can love a place when it's raining, I will love it even more when it's sunny. From that day on, I knew Clemson was where I was meant to be. To make the most out of the college experience, I think it is important to get involved on campus. By doing so, you are able to meet and learn from many different kinds of people. It is also important to never take a single day for granted because college is supposed to be the best four years of a person's life!

Make sure you spend some time at the college, find out what type of people are there, what the rules and regulations are for class and campus living, and look at the dorm living.

A great deal of research is necessary before you plan to attend any college. You do not want to waste your precious time studying in a college and in a major which you don't like. Get the brochures, make a visit to the college and talk to the students and faculty there, to get a vast idea about the college(or difference of opinion ;) ) Do this at least 6 months before you finish your high school graduation. Thanks! -Divina Varghese

Parents, don't crash-visit your child on his/her 21st birthday. If you've done your job before that then the student will be fine without you. Football is fun, but marching band just isn't the same as it was in high school. Don't go to school to close to home. Live on campus as a Freshman.

Go where feel rights to you not your family

Take as many college tours as possible

In this age of very expensive schools and competitive job markets, I am of the impression that you can make the most out of your education wherever you are. ON the one hand, expensive private schools looks good on applications for jobs and can help you to furthers your career, but those schools are easier to get lost in. I would agrue that it may be better to excell and shine in a not as great school, then to be average in a good school. I now attend Duke University for graduate school, and I got here from an average schooopl, by taking advantage of all opportunities available to me outside of the classroom and getting noticed. I am glad that I chose to go to a less prestigious school, because it got me to a better place than I might have otherwise. You can't put a proce tag on a school, you need to go somewhere you can be happy and figure yourself out, while still getting an affordable education with opportunites to succeed after graduation. You can get a good education almost anywhere, depending on how hard you are willing to work. Good Luck!

I would tell them to find a college where they feel that they will not only get a good education for the field they are interested in, but also choose one at which they think they will be happy. If a student is lonely, or feels too pressured, their well-being begins to impact their studies and their emotional health. A lot of students overlook emotional health as a large factor in acedemic success, and end up in trouble at some point. I would also tell them to be open-minded to different peoples on campus, and make lots of friends, because you never know which of your acquaintances will be useful during a really hard homework set.

Finding the right college is all about finding a place you feel you'll fit in. Talk to the students and teachers about what happens at the school during classes and on the weekends. Find out what the students are like. Stay the night in a dorm, a little later in the semester (if it's fall), so you can see what the dorm life is like. Take a tour of the school, and most importantly, while on the tour make sure to relate everything you see (classrooms, dining halls, sports facilities) back to where the potential dorm you'll be living in is located. If you know you'll want to be focusing on your school work, make sure you find a school with an environment that will encourage that. If you want to focus on your social life, then don't worry about finding a school with a strict academic enviornment. If you can't find a student who doesn't love the school, then you're probably in the right place. AKA Clemson University.

I would say that parent helping their children is a must. The whole process is can be very overwhelming when attempted by oneself. Since there are so many colleges to choose from, I suggest the student take some time and serously reflect on his/her personality, likes/dislikes, and vision for the future. Afterwards, he/she should make a list of 5 or 6 characteristics that he/she desires in a school and would not happy without. This part should be done independently from the parents so that the student does not confound their desires with that of their parents. The students and parents do need to sit down together though when it comes to identifying financial capacity of the family. The final decision should not be made until a campus visit has been done. This is extremely important because all colleges try to sell themselves on paper/internet ads - you need be in the presence of the campus facilities and administration in order to make the most informed decision. Lastly, be positive! Realize that attitude is more than half the battle. Make a decision and go with it :)

I would strongly encourage students to take the initiative to spend time on campus before deciding what college to attend. For me, I knew Clemson was the place for me when I came and spent a night or two with friends who showed me all that there was to get involved in. I would also encourage parents to force their children to think outside of the box. I had no desire to attend Clemson, but my parents made me visit anyways. I am so glad that they pushed me to be open in my thinking about what university to attend. Finally, I would encourage both parents and students to pray extensively about what school to attend. Clemson University was not the school I would have chosen for myself, but it has been comforting and enjoyable to know that I am where God wants me to be. He has given me opportunities to get involved in so many ways here, and I thoroughly enjoy the things that I participate in outside of my academic pursuits.

make sure the location and the organizations are worthwhile and convienant.

Attend a school that has opportunities for your major.

The "right" college for new students should be one that reflects the personality and priorities of the student. Students who are very academically driven or planning on entering competitive fields, should apply to larger, more competive schools which typically have a more difficult curriculum, better opportunities and more exposure to differing viewpoints and opinions. On the other hand, students who are more relationship orientated, more shy or who want the close-knit community feeling should attend smaller schools where the atmosphere is more personal and welcoming. Attending a smaller college does not necessarily constitute a lesser education. Whether a student attends a small or large school, the best way to make the most of a college experience is to get connected. It does not truly matter what you get connected in whether it's an anime group, a religious group or a sports team; the important part is creating that connection. College kids are social creatures; we thrive in groups. Surrounding oneself with a solid group of friends helps ease the transition from high school to college and can also provide academic support. New students should try new things, friends can come from many places, not just classes or church.

I would tell parents and students to really talk to those affiliated with the major they intend to pursue. I have found that different majors tend to function differently as far as class size and professor accessibility. It is important to realize that just because you are attending a large school does not necessarily mean you will be in large classes. It is important to find a school that provides faculty to tend to the specific needs of your field of study. It is also important to find out what kind of support system your school provides as far as mentoring and tutoring, as this can have a significant impact on your success.

Visit any and every school you have in mind and stay over weekends. Try your best to get a feel of how your life would be on the campus. Make sure to do lots of research on the department of your major, even try to set up meetings with some of the professors and department heads. The more you know about the school the better!! Always remember that YOU are the individual that will be attending this school for four years; don't go to a college for anyone else. So many of my peers I meet here on campus give the lone reason that they came to this school becuase their grandfather, father, or mother graduated from here. Your college of atttendence should be of YOUR CHOICE only at the end of the day. Once you get in college just remember to always put yourself out there to meet new people. Networking with peers, professors, department heads.......anyone, is very important in college. Never know; one day you might need a recommendation from that boring chem professor or maybe that quiet kid in your business writing class may be the hiring manager for that job you want after graduation.

The advice I would give parents and students about finding the right college is to visit as many as you can. You will find colleges that you like and colleges that you don't, but both experiences will help you narrow down what you want in a college and where you will fit best. As for making the most of college, make sure you experience everything. Go to at least one sporting event in each sport, even if you don't like it. The atmosphere will blow you away! Get involved with clubs that you find interesting because you will find people who are interested in the same things you are interested in. Make an effort to walk around your campus as often as you can so you won't forget any of it after you graduate. And most importantly, make sure you study so you can stay in the place that you will come to love and remember as the best time of your life.

If you are looking for an experience where students know how to have fun and sometimes do school this is the place to go.

The only advice i have for parents is to support your kids. Just point them in the direction and let them make their own decisions in life. We are'nt in high school anymore, let us have some freedom. I have plenty of advice for students. Stay in a dorm freshman year. Although it may not be the nicest place to live, you will make life long friendships and become more involved with the school. Also, do your homework first, then go out and have fun. You will have more free time than you know what do do with as long as you prioritize. Dont skip classes, college is not difficult as long as you keep up with assignments and dont lose focus. Most universities have more clubs than the US open, join a few.

First of all, do your research!! This is the easiest way to go about making a decision that will be a huge impact on you. Also, I would do a tour of the campus and ask some of the students you see any questions you may have. Feel free to ask them about anything from on-campus housing to the party scene-they're all things that will affect you. I would not ask the tour guide because oftentimes they do not give truthful answers, just the "right" ones. Also, if at all possible, try to talk to someone in the department that you are interested in to get an insider's opinion. Overall, the biggest advice that I can give is to thoroughly ressearch your choices. It is the only way that you will be informed and able to make a smart decision about where you are going to spend the next 4 (or more) years.