Eric
Go on the college tours to visit the campus. Research what they have to offer academically and make sure they have what you want to study. Also make sure they have a variety of majors to chose from incase you change your major. Pick a campus where you feel comfortable with and have what you are interested in (i.e. athletics, music, etc.). You'll have fun at whichever school you feel is like home.
Sarah
Try to get out of it as quickly as possible. No joke.
Marie
Make sure that you decide what your (or or student's) priorities in a college are before looking at specific schools. Know what you want and then look for that in the schools. Make sure academic programs fit what you might be looking for and then look at other options, like extracurriculars, housing, on-campus food, internet access and library facilities. Visit the campus (if possible) to see what kind of vibe you get there - physically being on a campus in person tells you a lot more than research online can!
Evans
Do not make tuition a primary factor in choosing a college or university. There are so many ways to pay for school.
Laura
For many people, college is still a exploration of who they are. If you don't know what you want to do with the rest of your life at 18, 19, 20, don't start worrying yet. You are not alone. Try classes in areas you may be interested in. Sometimes your own preferences will surprise you. Utilize campus services for exploratory/undecided students. As cliche as is sounds, be sure to follow your own heart. For most, the degree you earn determined what you will do with the rest of your life, so make it something that has the potential to make you happy. Search out opportunities on campus and in the surrounding community. Working and volunteering usually offers the easiest venue for making friends. The larger the campus the more likely it has something for everyone, but smaller campuses offer more intimacy and availability of professors. Think about what you want from college when deciding what school you want to go to. Or if you must attend something locally, don't be discouraged. You can still have amazing experiences anywhere you go. Can't find a group for you? Create one!
Zohair
Choose a university with the most diversity. Students usually realize that there are so many students that share so much in common even though they came from different parts of the world or have a different culture. When I was in high school, my social network only contained a certain group of people. When I went to college I began interacting the diverse community at my school. Although we came from different backgrounds, we still had a lot in common and we were able to share many ideas and learn from each other. That is the most important aspect I have gained in my college experience. My mentality completely changed once I began interacting with the diverse community here. So my suggestion to anyone would be to find a university that offers a lot of different social venues and contains a diverse community. If someone wants to get the maximum out of their college experience, then they need to engage themselves in their community. one can do this in many different ways. Some choose to join a fraternity or sorority, but I feel that it is unnecessary. One needs to join clubs, take part in intramural sports, Greeklife, and volunteer.
Georgia
Go for a visit and talk to current students.
Kimberly
Make sure you are comfortable with the school and the city.
TIFFANY
before you plan on attending, make sure to visit the school.
make a list of your priorities and make sure the school fulfills at least the first 4-5 most important ones.
dont choose a school because of a boyfriend/girlfriend
Sarah
In the short amount of time I have , I would like to offer as much advice to future students and their parents as I can. For the student trying to find the right college for them; when thinking about future schools concider some of the major qualities you would like your school to have. Maybe you'd like a city school, or a top ten football school? Also you need to consider how far away from home you are willing to live and if you can afford to do so. For the parents of these prospective students, you need to be supportive of your childs decision proccess. It is a confusing and personal proccess to choose where you will spend the next four years of your life, so respect that and allow your child to make their OWN decision. Also, for the student trying to make the most of their college years, I have two words for you: get involved. Every campus has a plethora of activites and resources available to their students, so your best bet for making new friends while having a great time for FREE is to take advantage of your campus's activities. You wont regret!