Florida State University Top Questions

The best advice I can offer for a student to find the right college is to research as much informstion possible about each college and if circumstances allow, to visit each campus after narrowing down the options. The quest in discovering the most suitable college can seem overwhelming but if a good amount of time is spent researching a college's history, available activities, learning facilities, number of students- you name it, then settling on the right school is made much easier. With all the resources available in finding these important statistics like books, magazine articles, word-of-mouth, and mainly the internet, finding a college most-suitable to an individual is made simple and even exciting. A visit to a campus is the most beneficial element to choosing the right school after research has been done. The student and his or her family is able to experience a sample of what the college has to offer together firsthand. Tours are a big help as well because the tour guide or guides can answer questions that anindividual may have.; and if any questions exist, I definitely recommend asking them. The more known about a school, the better.

It is not so much where you go, as it is what you do while you're there. I strongly recommend that parents and students keep this in mind during their college search. Of course it's important that the student attends a school at which they feel comfortable and they can learn, but the school itself isn't everything. If a student was to attend Cornell and graduate in the lowest of their class with no extracurriculars or work experience, Cornell alone could not make much of an impression on potential employers. Graduating from a less prestigious shool, however, with a high GPA, a couple internships, and a respectable amount of campus involvement is sure to be much more impressive. If possible the student should visit the campuses of colleges they're considering and interact with students and staff to get a feel for the school. If visiting the campus is not an option then factors such as: school size, faculty to student ratio, location, majors offered, availability of extracurriculars, etc. should be used in the decision-making process. It is important to remember that the student alone determines what their college experience will be like.

Visit the college during school hours and see if the students appear happy or if they seem anxious or stressed out. It's best to go to a school where the students are in high spirits.

When you arrive at the school be sure to be open minded and remember that everyone is in the same situation you are in; lonely and most of the time by themselves for the first time. Meet people early and choose your friends wisely, they will make your whole college experience. Do not let your friends become a distraction. Treat college like a job, from as soon as you wake up to a designated time at night, focus all on school so at night you are free to meet people and attend events or join a club.

I would encourage parents to look around more. I only visited one college. I wish I could have visited more schools and made an informed choice. I loved the college I attended, but as I said I would have liked to explore other options. I would also encourage parents to consider univerisites and colleges that are closer to home but not too close. I attended a school that was 100 miles away and that was close enough! I also would consider universities or colleges that are close to at least one relative so the student will have someone to relate to during the transition period. I looked at colleges that were thousands of miles away from my home in Florida, but I had close family members in the same town. Take this into consideration as well to save money by living with a family member. Make sure to check out any roommates that you may have before moving in. A reckless roommate can cause sleep deprevation as well as mental health issues! Trust me. Oh, and get everything in writing about what each person is going to clean in the house and make a chart to remind them.

Open your eyes to the world and dont be afraid to take chances. If you dont succeed the first time, keep going and dont ever stop. Know that you can be and achieve anything you want in life, you just have to maintain a positive attitude.

Parents let your kids live there lives up here, but be available if they need you, and Kids, Have fun dont be TOO into schoolwork, enjoy the 'college' experience, but dont go too crazy or ou can ruin your life.

You'll never know if it's truly the place for you until you experience it. Go there. Stay for a weekend. Get to know the campus and the people. Chances are, if you don't like it at first, you probably never will truly feel at home. If you do like it, it could be the greatest four years of your life, the four years upon which you'll base the rest of your life.

The advice that I would give to students when choosing the college they will attend is to make your decision soley on what is best for YOU. Don't let your friends, peers, parents, etc. pressure you into choosing a school because every person's college experience is unique and what is best for THEM may not neccessarily be best for YOU. Listen to your gut, if you love a school don't let anyone else sway your oppinion. Do your best to save up money and try to figure out exactly how much you will need each semester because you will already have enough stress from school and you don't need the extra stress from financial problems. Also, do your best to get involved in something whether it be greek life or a club or your dorm so you can create a support system. It is so much easier to get through the hard times and not find yourself bored if you have activites and people to invest your time into. Find the best method that helps you study because tests are going to be a huge part of college. Have fun!

Visit the school during the academic year before making a choice to really see what the school is like. Find out what classes you would prospectively be taking and sit in on one. If you want you can also go out to one of the main clubs or hangouts to see what the night life is like. This way you can really get a feel for the campus life. There would be nothing worse than going to a school based solely on reputation and then realizing you do not like it and having to transfer.