Fordham University Top Questions

Take your son or daughter to as many colleges as you can. Let them explore the campus, ask questions to students and administrators and take a walk outside the campus gates. Don't interrupt too much in the process. I understand that you're paying, but it is ultimately their experience, their classes and their career. Be sure that the campus is safe and academically challenging for your child, but don't become overly involved. Listen to their needs and respect their desires. They are 18 and they understand what is good for them and what is bad. Once in college, immerse yourself into anything and everything the university or surrounding community has to offer. Try new things, indulge yourself in old favorites and don't stress. College is supposed to be the best four years of your life and you don't want to miss out on any opportunities or worry about a sophomore year chemistry of art exam that won't matter in 3 years. Enjoy your time at school. Meet as many people as possible, explore new activities and develop skills from high school. Embrace the college life. Don't waste a second.

When deciding on the right college make sure you visit the campus and get some in sight about the school first. Talk to the faculty and other students you know who are attending there (if you know any). Have an idea in mind of what possible majors you are striving for and make sure the school its your needs. Remember to pick something you love to study so classes are not agnoziing and you will fully enjoy your experience. When you get to college manage your time appropraitely. It is a must that you know how to manage school work, jobs/internships, and your social life. College will be most rewarding if you are happy both academically and socially. Ask yourself, what type of school could I see myself at? Evaluate your personality and future goals. You will not be disappointed.

I would adivse parents and students to start visting colleges as early as possible. It is important to keep yourself open to various different types of institutions because if you don't expose yourself to them, you limit your options substantially. Once a student chooses a college and enrolls, try to remain as outgoing as possible. It is easy to let nerves keep you from experiencing everything that college has to offer, because it is scary at first, but once you make the decision to keep an open mind, you will realize that opportunity is everywhere! The time spent at college goes by incredibly fast, so try not to waste time stressing the little things, the bigger picture is what is important!

When choosing a school, you have to know what you are expecting out of your education. You shouldn't choose a school based on where your friends are going or, what school your parents went to. You should look at all of your options so that you can decide what is most important to you academically, socially, enviormentally, etc. Also, you should definetly visit your top choices before and after you are accepted. Alot of schools look good on paper, but you have no idea of knowing how you will fit in /adjust to school without first getting a feel for the campus life . You should talk to students who aren't campus ambassadors or res hall leaders; students that are currently in the major(s) you're interested in, to get a real feel for all that your possible school has to offer. After that, don't think of college as a time to reinvent yourself, but as a time to grow and learn and become a responsible and valuable addition to the "real" world.

The best advice I can give is to do your homework while chosing which school to attend. Go and see the schools and find people you know that already are there attending and find out their honest likes and dislikes. When attending, have fun. Study and do your work but dont be afraid to have friends and to go out. College is about fun and growing into an adult as much as it is about studying. There needs to a happy medium found. Otherwise, just enjoy!

Visiting the schools you are choosing is crucial to making a decision. The student has to feel comfortable at the school otherwise the transition will be very difficult no matter how much you like the classes or how great of a personality you have. You should also consider the strength of your major's department if you have already decided what you would like to do. If you haven't decided yet then a school that has many strong options might be better than a school that's more specialized. Personally, there was just a feeling in my gut the second I stepped on my campus, it just screamed "home" to me.

Choose the school that you know fits right the second that you step onto campus. Don't worry about financial worries because it's better to be in debt, happy at the school of your dreams and making the most out of your college experience to come out with a great resume and a great job than financially secure, unhappy at the local community college that will not get you far. You are paying for the name of the school and the connections it has as well as the education, something you can't get at a state school or the community college down the street. You'll meet great people, learn to be independent and become who you are meant to be while in college, so pick the one that you KNOW you will be happy at, not the one that everyone else thinks you should go to or gives you the most money. No one else has to go through this experience except for you.

Finding the right college is a difficult process, especially when you're unsure of what you want to do with your life. Before I applied to schools I had a general idea of what I enjoyed learning about but not much else. If you're in a similar situation then i suggest you look at the following items when choosing a school: 1) Academic Diversity (My first semester I was placed in an anthropology course as part of my core curriculum...and I loved it. I may not have taken that class otherwise, and now it's one of my majors.); 2) City vs. Rural (I love NYC!!! But it's not for everyone.); 3) Class Sizes and Style (I know I learn best in a small, discussion-based setting which are most of my classes at Fordham. I also know that one of my friend's learns well from lectures.). Once you've chosen a college, make the most of it! Chat with people when you're moving in and try to use the lounges. It'll help you meet people. Be willing to try things; it'll be a good time, or at least a good story. Enjoy!

Stay close enough to home, but far enough away at the same time. Definitely visit the schools you plan on attending and talk to current students to get a real idea of what it would be like to attend that college.

Choosing a college is by no means an easy process. My advice in picking a college is to visit, go on a tour, and talk to actual students, as they will provide the most accurate/unbiased information about the school. Also, make sure the school is located in an area that you like. It will be your home for the next four years and will make or break your experience. A last bit of advice is when you look at the academic programs make sure it is somewhat diverse. I've seen so many students change their major that by attending a school with several strong programs, it will allow you to more easily switch between majors instead of having to transfer to a new school and start the college search all over! I hope that this advice is helpful and remember that the most important thing is to relax, the right college will find you!