Grand Valley State University Top Questions

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Make sure the school offers what you want to go into. Find a good financial deal; not all schools are of equal value. In the end, go with your gut feeling but be smart about it.

know your learning style, budget and set priorities

The advice I would give would be to stay optimistic, be open-minded, and take a campus tour. College applications can be frustrating. If you do not get accepted to your top choice, maybe it was just meant to be. Try looking into your next choice and see what they have to offer. The more you look into a college, the more you will know if it will fit your personality or not. The internet is an amazing tool for information, but pictures and words cannot grasp a campus?s atmosphere. I recommend taking a campus tour while students are in classes. This will give you the real feeling of the student?s attitudes, the true atmosphere and how big the campus is to see if you have to walk or drive to each class. Then whichever college fits you, be open-minded and curious to what?s around campus to make your experience satisfying. Find out what services are available to help you through a tricky chemistry problems or an emotional meltdown. Finally, get involved with something on the campus. It is an amazing way to meet people, grow as a person and be a part of the community.

Choose something that you will like. Don't go because it's a party school or because your friends are going there. Visit the campus and see how you like it. If you don't like big lecture halls find a smaller school. If you don't mind then find a school that you like to do.

The students and parents should visit a variety of schools and get as much informationas possible. There is never a stupid question! Also, come decision time allow the child/student to make the right decision for them no matter the money because loans and scholarships are always available and college is about getting them ready for their career and the rest of their life.

As your student prepares for college, remember to keep an open mind and encourage him/her to do the same. Also, investigate the average class sizes at the schools your student is applying to. Going to a school that has smaller class sizes (and plenty of sections of each class available!) has enabled me to get one-on-one attention from my professors as well as making lifelong friends. Dorm rooms can be an integral part of the college experience, but if your student is wary of sharing a bedroom with a stranger, see if his/her top choices have 2-bedroom apartment style dorms available. While at college, students should always try to make school their top priority- and it can be very difficult at times! Tone down the partying, and kick up the studying and always seek help. Contact professors with any questions and never be afraid to initiate a study group. Chances are, plenty of other students per class want to study with you, but are too afraid to ask. One last bit of advice: find a student organization and get involved! You will make so many lasting connections!

Visiting the school and meeting professors in the areas that you are interested is the most important aspect of searching for a college. Each campus is a different and unique environment and will affect your relationship with the school community and academic performance. The professors in your chosen field will dramatically change your approach to your major and degree. Their committment to students, engaging lecture style, and areas of expertise will influence how a student will focus their studies from the classes they take to the advanced research they engage. Choosing an environment and academic setting that you feel connected and integrated with will create more substantial experiences and promotes an atmosphere where the students want to join and strengthen the student community.

Become involved, even if it scares you. This experience that is college will be with you the rest of your life. Work and study hard, but take breaks and relax, have fun! Look even where you don't expect to find what you want, you'd be surprised.

Finding the right college is completely up to the student. I advice the the student to research colleges that have the programs, extracurriculars, etc that you are looking for and interested in. To the student I want to let know that once you find the right college, you'll simply just know in your gut that that certain university fits just right and is the right one for you. Apply to as many as you can, you might be surprised what universities accept you. To parents, let your child decide what college they want to attend, whether it be in or out of state, they know what will make them happy. In regards to tuition and all of the other costs, there is a plethora of financial aid available out there, take the time to research and apply for various scholarships and what not. College years are seriously the best years of your life, study hard, but don't forget to enjoy yourself as well and get involved!

My best advice for both sides would to first make sure that if you need help paying for college, work really hard to find all the available scholarships and grants out there. Students should work really hard in highschool in order to be ready for college and search for a college that is right for them. Make sure you feel comfortable and secure there. Look into their major programs because that is the ultimate reason you are looking for college. Parents should stay involved, go to orientation, call and see how classes are going or send packages from home, but don't be pushy or nosey.

In order for you to truly enjoy your college experience you must feel comfortable and sound with your college decision. Visit numerous colleges, small, medium and large to find out what's right for you. Take a tour of each campus, talk to the professors and inquire about the programs of interest, class sizes and classes taught by professors not TAs. Once that has been figured out then the next four years go by WAY too quick. Enjoy every minute of college from the time you move in your freshman year. The opportunities are there but you have to take advantage of them. Get involved in an extra-curicular activity, but manage your time well. Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone whether it's in class, your organization or in the community. The most important thing I feel you can do in these 4 years is to find out who you are and where you're going in life. Don't let the partying and mindless dramas of college life wind you up nowhere. Take charge of your college experience, be who you want to be and look back with no regrets.

During high school, a coach always quoted the poem ?It?s All In a State of Mind.? The words in this poem did not mean much to me at the time, but I am beginning to learn the power of the statement. In all aspects of life, it is amazing how ones mindset can control a situation or event. Analyzing student ratios, location, and meal plans should take place when selecting a university but these statistics and facts cannot guarantee success or happiness. The student must want to do well academically, become involved in the clubs and actives the school offers and above all have a positive and enthusiast attitude. Regardless of the tuition rate, facilities, and student body at the college, virtually any student can gain unbelievable insight and knowledge academically, personally, and professionally if they are passionate and interested in doing so. Therefore, my advice to prospective students and parent would be my strong belief that any student can be successful and have the time of their life at any college or university as long as they believe in themselves and are willing to overcome any challenges along the way.

The most important thing to do when trying to find the right college for you is to start early. Start researching during the Junior year of high school. Once you find a few that peak your interest, apply. The best time is the fall of Senior year. To make the most out of your college experience you must define your goals then make decisions that will allow you to reach them. This is tough for many people because college is a time where so much gets thrown at you in a very short period of time. If you don't define your goals, you will get tossed around in the wind and the waves of college life. Many people think that college is the best time of your life. This is not true. It is a chapter of your life. With every chapter of your life comes good and bad things. The key to success is managing what you have to steer towards the good and avoid the bad. Identify your goals and make decisions that will allow you to reach them.

I would suggest talking to students that attend your prospective college; as well as consider sitting in on a class session or two (talking to university staff is important too, but students will be bluntly honest & their main goal won't be selling you the school... because it's not their job!). Visit the school AT LEAST once, but don't pass up an opportunity to go again if you can. If you know someone that attends the university already, ask to spend the weekend with them at school so you get a good feel for the weekend/night life. If you do all of those things, you'll have a very good idea of what kind of school you're applying too and all aspects of it (people, professors, classes, environment, and social life)!

Finding the right college takes time. Don't try to rush this experience, its a decision you'll be stuck with for quite some time! When you find a college that has a nice atmosphere and the courses you need in order to succeed try to find one where your personal beliefs and background differentiate slighlty from the campus'. It'll give you an excellent life experience. Sure it might be a little hard at first to adjust, but living and learning with people who're different from you is a great way to advance in life. Don't be afraid to "bust that cycle" of living in the familiar!

I would recommend that future students go on campus tours and look into not only what the college has to offer, but the area around the college. I also recommend that students try as many new things as possible such as clubs, sports, and attending events. Last, just to have fun, study hard, enjoy meeting new people and experiencing new things.

Find a college that you will feel comfortable in and one that will accomodate all of your needs. You need to find a college where you feel at home, because more than likely you will be there for a while. ONe where you can grow as an idividual and excel in your academic area of interest.

Visit, look at a school newspaper, attend a school event. Surround yourself in the campus on a busy school day to get the best experience.

Finding the right college can be one of the hardest choices you will have to make. But try not to worry too much about it. Wherever you go you will find people just like you and find that you fit in. To make the most out of college; join organizations as soon as you start your first year. It doesn't matter if the organization is for sports, academics, fraternity life, political, or anything. This is the best way to meet other students, especially upper class students who can help you along the way. If you can, live on-campus your first year. You will be with plenty of other people in the same situation as you. These people tend to be the friends you will keep for life.