Sharon
My advise for any parent or student that is looking for the right college is to "do your homework" . Choosing a College is one of the biggest choices you will make in your life time. Go to open houses and look at the campus culture. This should give you a good idea how the campus life is like.
Deciding on the right college will enhance your educational expierence, If you chose the wrong one you will not like nor do well. Your GPA will suffer and you will waste money and precious time. Attending the right college you will enjoy your college life and your GPA will reflect that you enjoy what you are learning everything you need to graduate and land that perfect job.
Finally, from my past experience the sooner you go to college after graduating from High school the more time you will have to apply and achieve the promotions you deserve. Education is important for you to gain the knowlege that you will need in the future.
Kevin
Give your child time to visit each campus. It is important to allow them to experience everything before hand so a feeling is instilled in the child. With many schools to choose from, keeping the options open are essential in order to find the perfect fit. As the child come closer to a decision, it will become harder and harder to for them to make it. Remind them of the past experiences that you have had and the important memories that been etched in your mind. Sometimes it is the little things that can turn into the biggest interests that related to your college years.
The educational aspect of your choice will be the easiest decision of all, as facts are facts. If you will be residing on campus or off-campus for the next 4-5 years of your life, it is essential to research the area and opportunity that is available. Job growth, opportunity, and economic conditions will effect your schooling just be being in a particular area. The choice should match your goals, aspirations, personality, and passion.
Stephanie
When choosing a college, you must consider which college(s) fulfill your individual needs. For example, I chose Davenport University because of its reputation as well as for the accelerated learning and small class sizes. I will be able to complete by Bachelor's in Business in a year and a half.
Other needs to consider are campus and off-campus housing, campus activities, and learning environment. Each and every person has their own individual needs and situations. Considering these is the most important factor when choosing a college.
Justine
"What do you want to do when you are older;" one of the hardest questions to answer. My advice would be to answer the following questions first: "What atmosphere is the best atmosphere for your learning style," "How big do you like your classrooms," "What field are you most interested in," "Within five years what do you see yourself doing," and last but not least "How flexible does your school schedule have to be?" Once all of these questions are answered the next step should involve campus tour. Get to know who would be your advisor and your classmates. It is very important to feel comfortable in the environment of a campus. So, in conclusion my advice for parents and/or students about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience would be...Do your research and enjoy.
Jennie
College is an amazing growing and learning experience. Before choosing a school figure out what you expect from the college experience. If you are unsure , don't be afraid to take tours of the different campuses, read their histories, talk to current students, research their locations, etc... It is during the college years when most make the transition into adulthood. Find a school that is a good fit for you as an individual but also find a school that benefits from what you can contribute to it. If the decision of choosing a college includes your parents, each make a list of the top five things you are looking for and the top five schools you would like. Then sit down and compare. Finding the right fit is key and can contribute to your personal health and happiness for the next couple years. It is so important to find a college where you can excel and grow. Once at college surround yourself with people that you enjoy, join groups, or teams, with your interests. "Be the difference you want to see in the world."
Keith
Identify what you want out of your college education. This could include building your social life, getting a respected degree, or just. The most important thing to remind parents and/or students about college is that it is not at all like highschool. Your not their just to get a good grades to get a degree, because a college educcation is worth nothing if you don't retain any of the knowledge you learned. Instead, you should choose a collage that will best benefit the career field you will be devoting your working life to. That is why it is important to focus on the long-term benefits of a college education. So the best way to find the college that will fit you best, you must identify the career you wish to go in and the best college for that career.
Rebecca
Parents and/or students, I would recommend researching at least 10 colleges of interest. By getting to know the facts about a school as well as visiting the campus, it is possible to make a rational decision. The student should feel comfortable at their school of choice and be able to excel as a person and academically. If a career choice is known, a more career focused school may be appropriate. If a career choice is not known, it may be a good idea to find a school that offers career counceling and/or job shadowing experiences. Another important aspect in choosing a school is the transferability of credits earned. As much as one may love a school, further education may require transfering credits to another institution. Social stimulation and extra curricular activities should not be ignored when looking for a school. College life would become stressful without involvement within the community and fellow students. I would advise not to get involved with "party" schools that may become a distraction to the best of students. Ultimately, choosing a school should reflect the students goals in life and the experience they would like to gain from their college jouney. Good Luck!
Stephanie
Do a lot of research before picking one school, it never hurts to look into different schools. Even just so that you can get a feel for the different types that are out there.
Kadi
Go to a college based on acedemics, not where your friends are going. Choose a school with programs specifically directed toward your career.
Paula
For parents and students alike, the first and foremost advice is to start early. Freshman year of high school is not to early to begin conversations and investigations into college goals and to begin to formulate ideas about the types of college that best suit the student. If possible actually take organized and impromtu tours of campuses to really get a feel of the student life. Parents and students should also take advantage of financial aid seminars where scholarships and loan opportunities are explained and gone over in intimate sessions as to get a good idea of the tools available for financing college. After making an informed choice, take advantage of early orientation sessions, where students are invited to campus during the summer before school actually starts, to make the transition into the fall sessions less hectic and intimidating because the student is familiar with the new school already. Encouraging the student to take advantage of tutoring and study groups is also beneficial because it not only help students strengthen their skills, but will build lasting relationships that will last a lifetime.
Lastly, encourage your student to make his or her own decisions now, because you've given your best!
Melissa
Parents as well as students need to look for a college that they are comfortable with. The staff as well as the others students should make you feel at home. Make sure you have had the opportunity to speak with other students as well as professors to make sure that all of your needs can be met. Another imiportant factor for myself was the location. This location is close to my home which allows me more time with my family. I have four children and a husband and family time means the world to me. As a first time student make sure the school you choose offers a variety of programs that you may be interested in. Also make sure that the school is affordable. College is expensive no matter where you go and not everyone qualifies for financial aid. I would not be able to attend college if it wasn't for the aid but there are many students who don't receive it, so I would compare prices of the different schools and make a list of pros and cons of each and decide which is better for you. Everyone is different so your chioce is yours alone.
Heather
Research your options. Arrange visits to more than one college. Enjoy all of the extracurricular activities and such that the college offers. You only get to do this once - make the most of it!
RJ
Dont be fooled by what recruiters say! Do your own research!
Tracy
Finding out who you are and what you want in life isn't just a matter of academics, it's also a matter of experience. In order to truly develop into a well-rounded person; a student should know that college is just the beginning of life's experience. Who they are today is not who they will be when they're done with school. Look for a college that has both a wide range of classes and extra-curircular activities.
Hopefully, the student will realize that their college years will soon become just a memory. Take time to enjoy these precious years. Try new things to broaden your horizons. Meet new people and learn about different cultures. The world is a big place and businesses need employees who know how to not just survive but thrive in our global environment. The right college will help make this dream come true!!!!
cassandra
The advice that I would give a parent about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience is for them to really pay attention to what their child is interested in and not what you want them to be. If they are homebodies, keep them close. If they are very adventerous and outgoing let them go away from home. Lastly, stay involved, and truly keep on top of how they are doing and offer any help that you can before they fall too far in their grades.
For students, find the best college for the passions you posess in life and not just going to a school, because one of your friends are going. Take your required classes first, until you are truly sure of your major. Be very careful with the amount of money, that you borrow keeping it to a minimum. Lastly, enjoy, network, learn and do not leave without a degree!!!
ElizeBeth
I would have to say that the advice I would give to parents and or students would be that sometimes the best possible College or University's are directly in your own back yard. I also would tell them that they should enjoy all the advantages that can be had during their college years because life is too short that they should take their education to the utmost and strive for high acheivement acedemically, but should also stop and smell the roses along the way and have some adventures and make some great lifelong friends and acquantances that last a lifetime past the college years and into adulthood. I would also say to take advantage of the help that is available on campus to assist with jobs as well as socially. My last advice would be to find the college that feels right to both the student and the parents and have some give on both parts to enjoy the four years they will spend there.
Paula
Going awy or being college life is an exciting yet scary experience. I would advise parents to begin to familiarize the students early with the college of their choice. Take advantage of any early orientation processes that ususally occur the summer before the fall session. I also would advise students and parents to start their searches early, as early as freshman in high school, parents and students should conversations geared toward chosing the colleges that they prefer, and to take advantage of all financial aid prep sessions availible in their areas. After choices have been made, I think that especially for large campuses, that the student finds out about all programs and pre-admission activities available so that the student is comfortable with the demographics before fall session starts. Most of all relax and have fun. It's a once in a lifetime experience that should be considered serious academically, but should also be allowed room for the fun of campus life activities.
Jonathan
Make sure you choose a college that best works with you and your schedule. Don't choose a college because it's where your parents or grand parents went, and don't choose one because that's where your friends are going. If you're a person who likes where they live and work in life, go local, if not find something that's as far away as you're comfortable with.
Amber
The right college is one where the student feels comfortable to be there and knows that its a good learning environment to there own type of learning. I suggest living on campus if the students wants to be more involved with activities. because it is a lot harder to be involved with things when you live at home. I wish I had lived on campus!
alicia
Do what is best for the kid's future.