Grand Valley State University Top Questions

Finding a school that's right for you can be difficult if you don't know exactly what your goals and neccesities are. You don't need to know your major right away but you have to at least have a good idea of what you want the atmosphere to be like and the kind of social activities you want to be involved in. When looking for a college you might also want to check out what the surrounding area is like. If you find yourself to be more of a quiet, widthdrawn, or shy individual or prefer to have more one on one attention a smaller college might be best for you. If you find yourself to be more of an upbeat person, that doesn't mind crowds and can do just fine in a class that has 80+ people then a bigger college might be better for you. All you need to do to find a college that fits you is find the college that matches your personality traits. However if you're looking for a college to set you straight find a smaller college that doesn't have much going on outside of the campus walls.

Parents and students need to look at the big picture when it comes to choosing a college or university. I shouldn?t be about what college will be the most fun, have the best team, or have the coolest parties. The school you choose should be the school that allows you to do the most with your life. Doing the most with your life is not about you or the time you are in school. Life is long and each and every one of us has a chance to do many great things if we make the right choice. College is one large step that can get us started out in the right direction to a long and prosperous life that will allow us to leave the mark on the world that we see fit.

Find a school with a good review, one that has a high percentage of careers after graduation. Also where there is a great atmosphere, culturally and learning wise. Where students are glad to admit they attend a school because they love it so much.

Choose a college based on the quality of the education you will receive and how good the school is in the field you are interested in. Also, the atmosphere of the college should fit with your personality.

Pick a college that you feel comofortable at both social and academically, as long as you are happy it will all work out.

Visit the colleges before deciding on a school.

Make sure you apply to a variety of colleges. Once you have been accepted to the ones you have applied for, check into their extra activities and the reviews of other students who already go there. You want to make sure you make the best decision but you need to make sure you know everything that happens on campus. Make sure you pick a location that is fitting to you. I found at school that the people who come from a big city and attend a rural university find it very difficult because they can't find anything to do. Just make sure you have all of your questions answered and you should be all set. And then make sure you start with an open mind...that way you will be able to make the best of your college experience!

The most important aspect of finding the right college is visitations. If you can truly see yourself on the campus after viewing the campus, it's a good fit. It allows you to see the academic buildings, residence halls and surrounding community. Make sure you take the time to see student life and campus other than what they show you on the tour or in brochures. If you are thinking of a certain program, make sure you visit their office/building, you'll be spending a lot of time there. Take time to talk to students other than your tour guide, cafeterias are a great place to do this. To make the most of the college experience, I recommend knowing all your resources. Get connected with a mentor if possible. If not, really examine the college catalog and find out about things like student life, counseling, tutoring, anything you might be involved in. The worst thing is to find out senior year about activities you could have been doing for 3 years. Find out what's out there!