Florida State University Top Questions

Go to collegeboard.com. It is a great comprehensive website that informs you about all kinds of colleges in every state. Knowing the info about your college choices is important in helping you choose the right one for you or your children.

My advice to prospective college students would be to look at schools that you feel fit your needs (academically, socially, etc), rather than choosing the most "elite" school. Also, choose a school and a major that you are genuinely interested in not just one that your parents want or that you think will make you the most money because ultimately you will have a better experience. When I applied to college I was looking for a school with a strong dance program because I knew that was what I wanted to major in. Although it was not the most "practical" major and I will have to work extremely hard to suport myself financially in the future, I am enjoying every second of my life right now. I am able to do what I love for multiple hours everyday as well as get a good education in my liberal studies classes. In the end, you need to choose what school is going to make you feel the happiest and follow your intuition in order to make the best decision for you.

I would tell both the students and parents to research every school available to them and make a choice based on which school best suits the student. I would tell the parents to support their child in whatever decision they make.

I feel that the most important thing is for the student to be honest with themselves. Many high school students pick a college because it is "the farthest away" from mom & dad or because it has the coolest football team. They don't consider how they will get their degree or what is will mean to them in the end. When looking at colleges, you have so many options given to you that are so more important then how much freedom you will have or if you get good seats at the games. Trust yourself and your feelings when talking to your counselors. Don't forget that this will be where you will be spending the next 2 or 4 years of your life and you will not always be the crazy teenager that you may be now. You will get serious about your studies and actually think that it is important to get up and go to your 8:00 am class. For parents the most important thing is to listen.....listen....listen. Your child has grown up and it is time for them to be the one doing most of the talking. Guide them don't drive them.

I would tell parents and/or students that it would be wise to plan the next four years of your life before attending college both financially and academically. I would also advise students to make the most of what their university has to offer. Don't pass on opportunities. They are presented to you for a reason.

My advice would be to visit each of your potential schools, ask lots of questions and choose the school that feels comfortable to you. This is going to be your new home so it's important that it feels that way. To make the most of the college experience, create relationships not only with your peers but also with your department faculty. These relationships can be meaningful and valuable to your learning experience and in the future when you are in need of Letters of Recommendation, Job Recommendations or just the knowledge of someone who has been there before you. Also, take time for youself. Self care is very important to a healthy mind!

It is important for the student to feel comfortable with their choice of school and have the support of the parents when making that choice. Students need to be allowed to make that choice for themselves. When making the choice of what school to attend, it is also important to consider the student's academic goals, and the availabilty of resources and academic programs at the school to meet those goals. Another point to consider is the location of the school in relation to the location of family and other support groups. While it is important to be out on your own for the "University experience", it is equally important to know that your family is within a reasonable travel distance away.

Parents and students should talk about what the student really wishes to do in their future. Changing majors in college can be the right thing to do, but it is costly as you will have a different set of requirements to fulfill. Make sure the student has enough funds to be able to not worry about financial obligations, but still has enough to go out with friends. Parents should make sure they stay in contact with their children. Call once a week to just say hello if anything, you do not need to get personal with them. This is the time they are becoming an adult and breaking away from the shield of parents. Research some of the colleges you apply for to make sure your subject you want to study is rated high for the school. Dont just pick the school your friends are going to, you will make new freinds and your old ones will always be there when you go home for breaks.

I would tell parents and students to take advantage of college fairs and scholarships. A student or parent can find out about numerous colleges at one time at a college fair, which can save time and money. They can also help the students or parents narrow down their choices, which will also decrease the cost of campus visits. Another way college fairs save money is scholarships. Some of the colleges at college fairs hand out scholarships at the college fair if you have your transcript with you, and have good grades. Scholarships can make or break a college experience. With scholarships there is no limit to how much money you can win for school, so students can take care of all their college expenses before they start school. But if a student gets little or no scholarships they have to worry about paying back loans, or working during the time they are in school, which will make there college experience more stressful than it has to be. So my advice to students and parents would be to take advantage of every scholarship and attend all the college fairs they can.

Visit the college for more than an afternoon tour