Cornerstone University Top Questions

FIn a place where you can balence your academic endevors, social life and spiritual life. If you go to a party school chances are you will party, if you go to a school that has a huge emphasis on studying you will spend all your time studying. I find that the school I have chosen has allowed me to balence my social, academic and spiritual life very evenly.

Make sure they find school that is like their personality and have their career.

I would suggest looking at all the possible colleges that you want to go to. Next look at the programs they offer and how good they are. When you get registered for classes make sure those classes are classes you really need to take for your major or minor or to graduate. If they offer academic advisors, use them. Visit them and ask which way the best way is to go to get to your end goal. Get involved on campus, but don't get too involved where it becomes a problem and schoolwork is pushed back. Have fun and make the most of it.

When looking for an appropriate college, think about what is most important to you. When I was searcing for a college I placed social life and faith based programs as part of my top prioreties. At my school, I found them both, but I also found opression because I overlooked the friction between my sexual orientation and the conservativism of the school I attend. Make sure to dig into all aspects of your life and read the mission statements and goals of the schools you want to to attend to see if the school is a great fit for you. VISIT THE SCHOOLS YOU ARE RESEARCHING! While visiting, ask if you can spend the night in a dorm or with a student and ask them questions about their time at the university. Try to talk to a diverse group of people, freshman through seniors, black, white, gay or straight. Ask people to be honest with you about their experience with the school they attend. Let that visit simmer for a while before you visit another school. You don't want to visit a ton all at once or you may not appreciate what each school has to offer.

Your college experience is about more than just academics. If you go somewhere perfect academically but hate the campus or social life, your college experience will be highly disappointing. If you love your friends and the air of the campus, you will enjoy your experience and in turn probably do better in school, not to mention that it will really be what you make it. If classes are a little easy, you will have more time to maybe devote yourself to exploring things you like or enjoy, or adding a difficult elective class just because it sounds interesting. So keep in mind places that offer your major, but also pay attention to the campus, the students, the local town or city and the professors. All of those things will strongly factor in.

My best advice would be to follow your heart. Wherever you feel like you are being led is where you should go. Don't let money or distance or anything else hinder your choice. College is going to be your home for four years so you should go to where your heart is led.

Before beginning the college search, I recommend first deciding what kind of college the student is interested in: big or small, public or private, etc. I recommend visiting prospective colleges. In my college search, what was on paper in college brochures was very different from what the college was really like. I always walked away from a college visit with a very firm decision: I loved it or hated it. I recommend applying to multiple schools so that the tuition price after financial aid (what you will actually be paying) can be part of the decision making process. (The financial aid package comes out a few months before the final decision must be made.) In making most of the college experience, find the right balance of class and fun. Don?t waste money flunking out from too many late night parties. Go to class, but there is also more to college than the classroom. I consider living on campus crucial to experiencing campus life. Most college students are broke, so learn how to have fun for free/cheap. Get creative; you don?t have to sit at home if you?re tapped on cash.