Irene
Choose a college that you feel is right for you. A lot of people will pressure you into things that they wanted for themselves but it might not be right for you. Would you like to have small classes or big lecture halls? Live in a small town or a big city? Also try to live on campus. Its an experience that can only be had once. Apply for as many scholarships as you can most college students are known to be constantly broke. Dont waste anytime take as many classes as you can handle. Dont forget to have fun and look for experiences. Meet people, join clubs or houses. College is a once in a lifetime experience. And definitely try to study abroad.
Parents: Push students to do their best but let them make their own decisions.
Paula
Find one that you feel comfortable at in its size of campus and student population size. Also, one that has many of the things you like to do and become a part of within campus, and probably even off campus. A campus you know will feel like home and just right. Find one you love to be at and love what they are all about. If your into sports and find that a priority then find a school that has good sport teams, if your into art then find one that is awesome in there art programs, just find one that has several good specialties that you like or would like to try and have awesome programs of your choice.
Katie
Everybody wants to feel like they belong where they are. When searching for the right college you have to be able to picture yourself there. How horrible would it be to pick a college only to realize that you feel like an outsider when you're there? My advice about selecting the best college is to see which one you feel the most stimulated by and where you would feel comfortable learning and growing. Strive to get as involved as possible, because that is the key to meeting people and to enriching your college life socially, academically, and otherwise.
Deiondrick
Visit each college and live that day like you acually attenf that college.
Jose
Choosing the right college is not an easy task, but it is a very essential one. In order to find the right college, students must know what they want to study, the type of place they like, the diversity they like, and how much they are willing to spend. People should make a list of all the possible colleges and visit tour them. Go online and search how they are rated and read articles on them. Find out how many successful people graduated from the college and what they think about that college. Lastly, find out how many employers give priviledge to students graduating from that university.
Kathleen
Look into a variety of schools and do your reasearch. Call and visit the schools you might like and look into the campus environment, classrooms, teachers, etc. A great idea is to talk to students currently there because they can give a realistic look as to how it will be without any sugar coat. Also look into all the possibilities for scholarships and apply to as many as possible. Even if you do not get them it cannot hurt to try and any help with college in the end is very handy. You may think that you will be fine with all the expenses that will be thrown your way, but college life can be costly. Not woring about money can ease a lot of stress and trust me college can get very stressful. In the end, make sure that the college you choose is one that meets your needs and you can see yourself happy there for four years.
Juan
The most important thing is targetting the college you want in accordance with the carrer/major you want to pursue. My experience in Florida Internation al University has taught my this leson. The University has an excellent Political Science program and Faculty, but has a mediocre philsophy department. I am majoring in both. I realize now that a student who wishes to pursue only philsophy (to teach or a pre-law track) should not come to this school. Classes are difficult to come by, and the teachers are not the most profficient in their field. However a student wishing to pursue political science would benefit much from this school. The Pol. Sci. program fascillitates internships with local government officials, has very profficient and specialized teachers, great advisers, and sometimes has practioners teach inclass. This last semester one of my teachers was the speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Marco Rubio.
john-mike
Look for something that will help you, not just academical but emotional, physically, and spiritually
Camren
Research, Plan and execute, The process a person goes through in high school on deciding on a major, and how to pay for college requires a lot of thought and careful planning. Due to the nature of going to college via Our first steps as an adult, we must have clear realistic goals to guide our journey through the ins and outs of college education. You must be diligent in your studies but at the same time, college is also a great place to meet people and expand your social consciousness as well as networking in your particular course of study. Find out what you want to do, your goals and aspirations, and then spend sometime to think how you want to get there. Write out realistic goals, using them as a guide mark your progress throughout college. Studying is important but so is the social aspect of college life. Meet as many people as you can, college is your launching pad to life, get off on a good start and there is no telling how far you can go.
Jennifer
I would tell the students to pick a college they'd love to live around and embrace the community and your peers.
Alexandra
I would encourage students to make college visits and see what their top choice schools have to offer based on what they plan to study. A student needs to feel completely comfortable with their learning environment in order to succeed and feel the want to learn. I feel I am a prime example that this is an important step because I was so set on going away to college and when I visited FIU in my hometown it just felt so right and that I belonged there, especially after I encountered their amazing architecture program and learning facilities. A student needs to feel that vibe in order to be assured it is where they should be attending school. Don't allow others to make decisions for you because in the end it is YOUR education and you will live with the diploma and the memories of college for the rest of your life.
Iris
In addition to looking at what academic programs the college offers, also consider the campus life, the surrounding city or town and also consider what type of lifestyle you would like to have at your new school. Make sure you are aware of the normal weather conditions.
Alex
The most important thing is that the student looking for the right school is well informed about the program/major that they are considering because that will number the number of colleges available. This may also inform the student about which schools are better for whichever field he/she is considering. For example, the program at my university was very good for the undergraduate program and was a lot closer to my home, allowing me to study there for the first four years of my education, and then move on to graduate school elsewhere.
Finances should be next on the list of importance because the expenses incurred may be something that is completely out of reach due to the cost of tuition, distance away from home, housing expenses (off or on campus), and a number of other factors. While looking at the financial aspects of everything, it is also extremely important to research scholarships and loans that are available to the student because they offer an immense amount of help and may help bridge the gap between what is financially impossible and possible.
These two factors should make choosing the right college a lot easier and an enjoyable experience.
Lindsay
My advice would be to focus on who the faculty are, and what the alumni have done with their lives within their professions. Also, it's important to note class sizes, and the facilities. Is everything well-kept? A school treats its students as it treats its buildings - if one appears neglected, chances are the other one is too.
Look around. Does the student body feel unified? Or are they commuter students; there for class, only to drive straight home afterwards. Take a trip to the student center and watch student interaction. Speak with these students, because chances are, these people are the most involved on campus.
Mildred
Having stayed at home for college, based on my personal decision, and almost being done with school has made me reflect on that decision. I would definitely tell someone who is attending college to look into their option away from home, I believe it is the best way to fully experience college and everything it has to offer, plus, it will provide you with the sense of independence one needs while in college. Do a little research on the program you are interested in, and find out which school offers the best one, or the one that grabs your attention the most. Also, try to consider the campus, the diversity in the school's student/staff, because it will play a big role in making you feel comfortable when you arrive and start your career.
Christopher
Finding the right college or University is about finding yourself first. what benefits you? what are your interests? and how can the school help you achieve your academic goals? You have to take these type of questions in consideration when looking for the right college/University.
Chris
The actual material that one learns in the first few years of college is uniform. For the most part, people get bunched into a classroom and are all taught the same things about each subject. The key is to choose a school that has "hands on" professors and people that have acquired extensive knowledge in their field. You don't want to feel like an outsider, or like you have to struggle to pass each day. In college, the less you think about it, the better it really is. Choose a school where you feel at home. Choose a place where you know you can make friends and have a social life, because that is just as big a part of college as learning. If it's all books, you can easily become stressed out, and you will need some way to socialize and relieve some stress. College has been the best few years of my life, because I have had great professors, and I was able to find that balance point with my social life as well.
Erika
I belive on of the most important factors about pickingh a college is whether you wish to live at home during your college years. Where you live during these crucial years changes you college experience entirely. During these years you should also try to be as involved in campus life as possible. That doesn't necesarrily mean joining a sorority/fraternity; there are alot of other collge clubs/organizations. While your in college it is also very important to register for classes on time and do research about the professor you are going to take. If you get a difficult professor you will surely end up dropping the class. Lastly, it is imporant to maintain a good routine during this time. If you get backtracked it is difficult to do well in a class. This routine should include exercising and studying everyday. Study groups are very helpful as well, jsut make sure you pick a group that actually studies!
Keira
The advice that I would give is to make sure and speak to faculty and students that currently attend the school ,so they can provide feedback on their experiences. I would also tell them to research as much as the can about the school and classes on their own and do not rely on advising to always steer you in the right path. I would tell the students to get invovled with the campus activities as much as possible and go to a school that best matches their personality.